Search

Multicomponent dark matter with self-interactions, which allows for inter-conversions of species into one another, is a promising paradigm that is known to successfully and simultaneously resolve major problems of the conventional $\Lambda$CDM cosmology at galactic and sub-galactic scales. In this paper, we present $N$-body simulations of the simplest two-component (2cDM) model aimed at studying the distribution of dark matter halos with masses $M\lesssim10^{12}M_\odot$. In particular, we investigate how the maximum circular velocity function of the halos is affected by the velocity dependence of the self-interaction cross-sections, $\sigma(v)\propto v^a$, and compare them with available observational data. The results demonstrate that the 2cDM paradigm with the range of self-interaction cross-section per particle mass (evaluated at $v=100$ km s$^{-1}$) of $0.01\lesssim \sigma_0/m\lesssim 1 $ cm$^2$g$^{-1}$ and the mass degeneracy $\Delta m/m\sim 10^{-7}-10^{-8}$ is robustly resolving the substructure and too-big-to-fail problems by suppressing the substructure having small maximum circular velocities, $V_{\rm max}\lesssim100$ km s$^{-1}$. We also discuss the disagreement between the radial distribution of dwarfs in a host halo observed in the Local Group and simulated with CDM. This can be considered as one more small-scale problem of CDM. We demonstrate that such a disagreement is alleviated in 2cDM. Finally, the computed matter power-spectra of the 2cDM structure indicate the model's consistency with the existing Ly-$\alpha$ forest constraints., Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures

The multicomponent dark matter model with self-scattering and inter-conversions of species into one another is an alternative dark matter paradigm that is capable of resolving the long-standing problems of $\Lambda$CDM cosmology at small scales. In this paper, we have studied in detail the properties of dark matter halos with $M \sim 4-5 \times10^{11} M_{\odot}$ obtained in $N$-body cosmological simulations with the simplest two-component (2cDM) model. A large set of velocity-dependent cross-section prescriptions for elastic scattering and mass conversions, $\sigma_s(v)\propto v^{a_s}$ and $\sigma_c(v)\propto v^{a_c}$, has been explored and the results were compared with observational data. The results demonstrate that self-interactions with the cross-section per particle mass evaluated at $v=100$ km s$^{-1}$ being in the range of $0.01\lesssim \sigma_0/m\lesssim 1$ cm$^2$g$^{-1}$ robustly suppress central cusps, thus resolving the core-cusp problem. The core radii are controlled by the values of $\sigma_0/m$ and the DM cross-section's velocity-dependent power-law indices $(a_s,a_c)$, but are largely insensitive to the species' mass degeneracy. These values are in full agreement with those resolving the substructure and too-big-to-fail problems. We have also studied the evolution of halos in the 2cDM model with cosmic time., Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures

We quantitatively study the stationary, axisymmetric, force-free magnetospheres of spinning (Kerr) black holes (BHs) and the conditions needed for relativistic jets to be powered by the Blandford-Znajek mechanism. These jets could be from active galactic nuclei, blazars, quasars, micro-quasars, radio active galaxies, and other systems that host Kerr BHs. The structure of the magnetosphere determines how the BH energy is extracted, e.g., via Blandford-Znajek mechanism, which converts the BH rotational energy into Poynting flux. The key assumption is the force-free condition, which requires the presence of plasma with the density being above the Goldreich-Julian density. Unlike neutron stars, which in principle can supply electrons from the surface, BH cannot supply plasma at all. The plasma must be generated \em{in situ} via an electron-positron cascade, presumably in the gap region. Here we study varying conditions that provide a sufficient amount of plasma for the Blandford-Znajek mechanism to work effectively.

Existing theoretical and observational constraints on the abundance of magnetic monopoles are limited. Here we demonstrate that an ensemble of monopoles forms a plasma whose properties are well determined and whose collective effects place new tight constraints on the cosmological abundance of monopoles. In particular, the existence of micro-Gauss magnetic fields in galaxy clusters and radio relics implies that the scales of these structures are below the Debye screening length, thus setting an upper limit on the cosmological density parameter of monopoles, $\Omega_M\lesssim3\times10^{-4}$, which precludes them from being the dark matter. Future detection of Gpc-scale coherent magnetic fields could improve this limit by a few orders of magnitude. In addition, we predict the existence of magnetic Langmuir waves and turbulence which may appear on the sky as "zebra patterns" of an alternating magnetic field with ${\bf k\cdot B}\not=0$. We also show that magnetic monopole Langmuir turbulence excited near the accretion shock of galaxy clusters may be an efficient mechanism for generating the observed intracluster magnetic fields.

Existing theoretical and observational constraints on the abundance of magnetic monopoles are limited. Here we demonstrate that an ensemble of monopoles forms a plasma whose properties are well determined and whose collective effects place new tight constraints on the cosmological abundance of monopoles. In particular, the existence of micro-Gauss magnetic fields in galaxy clusters and radio relics implies that the scales of these structures are below the Debye screening length, thus setting an upper limit on the cosmological density parameter of monopoles, $\Omega_M\lesssim3\times10^{-4}$, which precludes them from being the dark matter. Future detection of Gpc-scale coherent magnetic fields could improve this limit by a few orders of magnitude. In addition, we predict the existence of magnetic Langmuir waves and turbulence which may appear on the sky as "zebra patterns" of an alternating magnetic field with ${\bf k\cdot B}\not=0$. We also show that magnetic monopole Langmuir turbulence excited near the accretion shock of galaxy clusters may be an efficient mechanism for generating the observed intracluster magnetic fields., Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, JCAP, in press

The origin of rapid spectral variability and certain spectral correlations of the prompt gamma-ray burst emission remains an intriguing question. The recently proposed theoretical model of the prompt emission is build upon unique spectral properties of jitter radiation -- the radiation from small-scale magnetic fields generated at a site of strong energy release (e.g., a relativistic collisionless shock in baryonic or pair-dominated ejecta, or a reconnection site in a magnetically-dominated outflow). Here we present the results of implementation of the model. We show that anisotropy of the jitter radiation pattern and relativistic shell kinematics altogether produce effects commonly observed in time-resolved spectra of the prompt emission, e.g., the softening of the spectrum below the peak energy within individual pulses in the prompt light-curve, the so-called "tracking" behavior (correlation of the observed flux with other spectral parameters), the emergence of hard, synchrotron-violating spectra at the beginning of individual spikes. Several observational predictions of the model are discussed.

Cosmic rays accelerated by a shock form a streaming distribution of outgoing particles in the foreshock region. If the ambient fields are negligible compared to the shock and cosmic ray energetics, a stronger magnetic field can be generated in the shock upstream via the streaming (Weibel-type) instability. Here we develop a self-similar model of the foreshock region and calculate its structure, e.g., the magnetic field strength, its coherence scale, etc., as a function of the distance from the shock. Our model indicates that the entire foreshock region of thickness $\sim R/(2\Gamma_{\rm sh}^2)$, being comparable to the shock radius in the late afterglow phase when $\Gamma_{\rm sh}\sim1$, can be populated with large-scale and rather strong magnetic fields (of sub-gauss strengths with the coherence length of order $10^{17} {\rm cm}$) compared to the typical interstellar medium magnetic fields. The presence of such fields in the foreshock region is important for high efficiency of Fermi acceleration at the shock. Radiation from accelerated electrons in the foreshock fields can constitute a separate emission region radiating in the UV/optical through radio band, depending on time and shock parameters. We also speculate that these fields being eventually transported into the shock downstream can greatly increase radiative efficiency of a gamma-ray burst afterglow shock., Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to ApJ

We consider radiation emitted by the jitter mechanism in a Blandford-McKee self-similar blastwave. We assume the magnetic field configuration throughout the whole blastwave meets the condition for the emission of jitter radiation and we compute the ensuing images, light curves and spectra. The calculations are performed for both a uniform and a wind environment. We compare our jitter results to synchrotron results. We show that jitter radiation produces slightly different spectra than synchrotron, in particular between the self-absorption and the peak frequency, where the jitter spectrum is flat, while the synchrotron spectrum grows as \nu^{1/3}. The spectral difference is reflected in the early decay slope of the light curves. We conclude that jitter and synchrotron afterglows can be distinguished from each other with good quality observations. However, it is unlikely that the difference can explain the peculiar behavior of several recent observations, such as flat X-ray slopes and uncorrelated optical and X-ray behavior., Comment: 11 pages, 7 postscript figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Recent work has revealed a 62 (+/-) 3-million-year cycle in the fossil diversity in the past 542 My, however no plausible mechanism has been found. We propose that the cycle may be caused by modulation of cosmic ray (CR) flux by the Solar system vertical oscillation (64 My period) in the galaxy, the galactic north-south anisotropy of CR production in the galactic halo/wind/termination shock (due to the galactic motion toward the Virgo cluster), and the shielding by galactic magnetic fields. We revisit the mechanism of CR propagation and show that CR flux can vary by a factor of about 4.6 and reach a maximum at north-most displacement of the Sun. The very high statistical significance of (i) the phase agreement between Solar north-ward excursions and the diversity minima and (ii) the correlation of the magnitude of diversity drops with CR amplitudes through all cycles provide solid support for our model. Various observational predictions which can be used to confirm or falsify our hypothesis are presented., Comment: ApJ accepted. We added a number of observational predictions, which can be used to falsify the CR hypothesis. Total: 31 pages, 8 figures

Resent observations of a number of galaxy clusters using the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect indicate that about 1/3 of baryonic mass is missing from the hot intracluster medium (ICM), which is significantly larger than the fraction of stars and cool gas, which account for only about 10%. Here we address the question whether the remaining $22\pm10%$ can be accounted for by thermal evaporation of gas from clusters. We have found that evaporation can occur only from the cluster ``surface'', $r\sim r_{\rm vir}$, and not from it's interior. We evaluated particle diffusion through the magnetized ICM for several scenarios of ISM turbulence and found that diffusivity is suppressed by at least a factor of 100 or more, compared to the Spitzer value. Thus, only particles from radii $r\ga0.9r_{\rm vir}$ can evaporate. Diffusion of particles from inside the cluster, $r\la0.9r_{\rm vir}$, takes longer than the Hubble time. This lowers the cluster-averaged fraction of the evaporated hot gas to few percent or less. However, if the missing hot component {\it is indeed} due to evaporation, this strongly constrains the magnetic field structure in the cluster envelope, namely either (i) the gas is completely unmagnetized ($B\le10^{-21}$ gauss) in the cluster halo or (ii) the magnetic fields in the ICM are rather homogeneous and non-turbulent., ApJL, accepted version; 4 pages, 2 figures

It has recently been realized that the Weibel instability plays a major role in the formation and dynamics of astrophysical shocks of gamma-ray bursts and supernovae. Thanks to technological advances in the recent years, experimental studies of the Weibel instability are now possible in laser-plasma interaction devices. We, thus, have a unique opportunity to model and study astrophysical conditions in laboratory experiments — a key goal of the Laboratory Astrophysics program. Here we briefly review the theory of strong non-magnetized collisionless GRB and SN shocks, emphasizing the crucial role of the Weibel instability and discuss the properties of radiation emitted by (isotropic) electrons moving through the Weibel-generated magnetic fields, which is referred to as the jitter radiation. We demonstrate that the jitter radiation field is anisotropic with respect to the direction of the Weibel current filaments and that its spectral and polarization characteristics are determined by microphysical plasma parameters. We stress that the spectral analysis can be used for accurate diagnostics of the plasma conditions in laboratory experiments and in astrophysical GRB and SN shocks.

We develop the theory of jitter radiation from GRB shocks containing small-scale magnetic fields and propagating at an angle with respect to the line of sight. We demonstrate that the spectra vary considerably: the low-energy photon index, $\alpha$, ranges from 0 to -1 as the apparent viewing angle goes from 0 to $\pi/2$. Thus, we interpret the hard-to-soft evolution and the correlation of $\alpha$ with the photon flux observed in GRBs as a combined effect of temporal variation of the viewing angle and relativistic aberration of an individual thin, instantaneously illuminated shell. The model predicts that about a quarter of time-resolved spectra should have hard spectra, violating the synchrotron $\alpha=-2/3$ line of death. The model also naturally explains why the peak of the distribution of $\alpha$ is at $\alpha\approx-1$. The presence of a low-energy break in the jitter spectrum at oblique angles also explains the appearance of a soft X-ray component in some GRBs and a relatively small number of them. We emphasize that our theory is based solely on the first principles and contains no {\it ad hoc} (phenomenological) assumptions.

We investigate the long-time evolution of magnetic fields generated by the two-stream instability at ultra- and sub-relativistic astrophysical collisionless shocks. Based on 3D PIC simulation results, we introduce a 2D toy model of interacting current filaments. Within the framework of this model, we demonstrate that the field correlation scale in the region far downstream the shock grows nearly as the light crossing time, lambda(t) ~ ct, thus making the diffusive field dissipation inefficient. The obtained theoretical scaling is tested using numerical PIC simulations. This result extends our understanding of the structure of collisionless shocks in gamma-ray bursts and other astrophysical objects.

Gamma-ray bursts (hereafter GRB) produce a flux of radiation detectable across the observable Universe, and at least some of them are associated with galaxies. A GRB within our own Ggalaxy could do considerable damage to the Earth's biosphere; rate estimates suggest that a dangerously near GRB should occur on average two or more times per billion years. At least five times in the history of life, the Earth experienced mass extinctions that eliminated a large percentage of the biota. Many possible causes have been documented, and GRB may also have contributed. The late Ordovician mass extinction approximately 440 million years ago may be at least partly the result of a GRB. A special feature of GRB in terms of terrestrial effects is a nearly impulsive energy input of order 10 s. Due to expected severe depletion of the ozone layer, intense solar ultraviolet radiation would result from a nearby GRB, and some of the patterns of extinction and survivorship at this time may be attributable to elevated levels of UV radiation reaching the Earth. In addition a GRB could trigger the global cooling which occurs at the end of the Ordovician period that follows an interval of relatively warm climate. Intense rapid cooling and glaciation at that time, previously identified as the probable cause of this mass extinction, may have resulted from a GRB., Comment: Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Astrobiology. 24 pages, moderate revisions, including more quantitative detail on GRB rates, atmospheric effects, and more description of correlations of extinction rates with habitat and lifestyle of fossil fauna

We report Chandra observations of the dwarf nova WX Hyi in quiescence. The X-ray spectrum displays strong and narrow emission lines of N, O, Mg, Ne, Si, S and Fe. The various ionization states implied by the lines suggest that the emission is produced within a flow spanning a wide temperature range, from T ~ 10^6 K to T >~ 10^8 K. Line diagnostics indicate that most of the radiation originates from a very dense region, with n ~ 10^{13}-10^{14} cm^{-3}. The Chandra data allow the first tests of specific models proposed in the literature for the X-ray emission in quiescent dwarf novae. We have computed the spectra for a set of models ranging from hot boundary layers, to hot settling flows solutions, to X-ray emitting coronae. WX Hyi differs from other dwarf novae observed at minimum in having much stronger low temperature lines, which prove difficult to fit with existing models, and possibly a very strong, broad O VII line, perhaps produced in a wind moving at a few x 10^3 km/s. The accretion rate inferred from the X-rays is lower than the value inferred from the UV. The presence of high-velocity mass ejection could account for this discrepancy while at the same time explaining the presence of the broad O VII line. If this interpretation is correct, it would provide the first detection of a wind from a dwarf nova in quiescence., accepted to ApJ; 19 pages, 3 figures, 1 table

Medvedev & Narayan have described a hot accretion flow onto a spinning neutron star in which the gas viscously brakes the spin of the star. Their self-similar solution has the surprising property that the density, temperature and angular velocity of the gas at any radius are completely independent of the outer boundary conditions. Hence, the solution cannot be matched to a general external medium. We resolve this paradoxical situation by showing that there is a second self-similar solution which bridges the gap between the original solution and the external medium. This new solution has an extra degree of freedom which permits it to match general outer boundary conditions. We confirm the main features of the analytical results with a full numerical solution., 6 pages, 1 figure, MNRAS accepted

We investigate the structure of self-gravitating polytropic stellar systems. We present a method which allows to obtain approximate analytical solutions, $\psi_{n+\epsilon}({\bf x})$, of the nonlinear Poisson equation with the polytropic index $n+\epsilon$, given the solution $\psi_n({\bf x})$ with the polytropic index n, for any positive or negative $\epsilon$ such that $|\epsilon|\ll1$. Application of this method to the spherically symmetric stellar polytropes with $n\simeq5$ yields the solutions which describe spatially bound systems if n5. A heuristic approximate expressions for the radial profiles are also presented. Due to the duality between stellar and gas polytropes, our results are valid for gaseous, self-gravitating polytropic systems (e.g., molecular clouds) with the index $\gamma\simeq 6/5$. Stability of such systems and observational consequences for both stellar and gaseous systems are discussed., Comment: LaTeX, emulateapj, 5 pages, 2 PS figures. ApJ,accepted version. Other works are at http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~medvedev/

We consider hot, two-temperature, viscous accretion onto a rotating, unmagnetized neutron star. We assume Coulomb coupling betweenthe protons and electrons, and free-free cooling from the electrons. We show that the accretion flow has an extended settling region which can be described by means of two analytical self-similar solutions: a two-temperature solution which is valid in an inner zone, r10^{2.5}. In both zones the density varies as \rho ~ r^{-2} and the angular velocity as \Omega ~ r^{-3/2}. We solve the flow equations numerically and confirm that the analytical solutions are accurate. The settling flow radiates the energy dissipated by viscosity; so it is not advection-dominated. Except for the radial velocity, all other gas properties - density, angular velocity, temperature, luminosity, angular momentum flux - are independent of the mass accretion rate; these quantities do depend sensitively on the spin of the neutron star. The angular momentum flux is outward under most conditions; therefore, the central star is nearly always spun-down. The luminosity of the settling zone arises from the rotational energy that is released as the star is braked by viscosity, and the contribution from gravity is small; hence the radiative efficiency can be arbitrarily large at low $\mdot$. For reasonable values of the gas adiabatic index, the Bernoulli parameter is negative; therefore, a strong outflow or wind is not expected. The flow is convectively stable, but may be thermally unstable. The described solution is not advection-dominated; however, when the spin of the star is small enough, it transforms smoothly to an advection-dominated branch of solution., Comment: LaTeX, 26 pages, 4 figures. Reubmitted to ApJ. Sec 3.3 changed, sec. 5, fig. 5, and more references added. Related works may be found at http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~medvedev/

Abridged.-- We demonstrate that the radiation emitted by ultrarelativistic electrons in highly nonuniform, small-scale magnetic fields is different from synchrotron radiation if the electron's transverse deflections in these fields are much smaller than the beaming angle. A quantitative analytical theory of this radiation, which we refer to as jitter radiation, is developed. It is shown that the emergent spectrum is determined by statistical properties of the magnetic field. As an example,we then use the model of a magnetic field in internal shocks of GRBs. The spectral power distribution of radiation produced by the power-law electrons is well described by a sharply broken power-law with indices 1 and -(p-1)/2 and the jitter break frequency is independent of the field strength but depends on the electron density in the ejecta. Since large-scale fields may also be present in the ejecta, we construct a two-component, jitter+synchrotron spectral model of the prompt $\gamma$-ray emission. Quite surprisingly, this model seems to be readily capable of explaining several properties of time-resolved spectra of some GRBs, such as (i) the violation of the constraint on the low-energy spectral index called the synchrotron ``line of death'', (ii) the sharp spectral break at the peak frequency, inconsistent with the broad synchrotron bump, (iii) the evidence for two spectral sub-components, and (iv) possible existence of emission features called ``GRB lines''. We believe these facts strongly support both the existence of small-scale magnetic fields and the proposed radiation mechanism from GRB shocks. As an example, we use the composite model to analyze GRB 910503 which has two spectral peaks., Comment: 12 pages (emulateapj), 11 figures (EPS), ApJ, accepted. For related work, see http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~mmedvede

The nature of dark matter is unknown. A number of dark matter candidates are quantum flavor-mixed particles but this property has never been accounted for in cosmology. Here we explore this possibility from the first principles via extensive $N$-body cosmological simulations and demonstrate that the two-component dark matter model agrees with observational data at all scales. Substantial reduction of substructure and flattening of density profiles in the centers of dark matter halos found in simulations can simultaneously resolve several outstanding puzzles of modern cosmology. The model shares the "why now?" fine-tuning caveat pertinent to all self-interacting models. Predictions for direct and indirect detection dark matter experiments are made., 6 pages, 4 figures

We have investigated generation of magnetic fields associated with velocity shear between an unmagnetized relativistic jet and an unmagnetized sheath plasma. We have examined the strong magnetic fields generated by kinetic shear (Kelvin-Helmholtz) instabilities. Compared to the previous studies using counter-streaming performed by Alves et al. (2012), the structure of KKHI of our jet-sheath configuration is slightly different even for the global evolution of the strong transverse magnetic field. In our simulations the major components of growing modes are the electric field $E_{\rm z}$ and the magnetic field $B_{\rm y}$. After the $B_{\rm y}$ component is excited, an induced electric field $E_{\rm x}$ becomes significant. However, other field components remain small. We find that the structure and growth rate of KKHI with mass ratios $m_{\rm i}/m_{\rm e} = 1836$ and $m_{\rm i}/m_{\rm e} = 20$ are similar. In our simulations saturation in the nonlinear stage is not as clear as in counter-streaming cases. The growth rate for a mildly-relativistic jet case ($\gamma_{\rm j} = 1.5$) is larger than for a relativistic jet case ($\gamma_{\rm j} = 15$)., Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, presented at Dynamical processes in space plasmas II, Isradinamic 2012, in press, ANGEO. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1303.2569

Merging binaries of compact relativistic objects (neutron stars and black holes) are thought to be progenitors of short gamma-ray bursts and sources of gravitational waves, hence their study is of great importance for astrophysics. Because of the strong magnetic field of one or both binary members and high orbital frequencies, these binaries are strong sources of energy in the form of Poynting flux (e.g., magnetic-field-dominated outflows, relativistic leptonic winds, electromagnetic and plasma waves). The steady injection of energy by the binary forms a bubble (or a cavity) filled with matter with the relativistic equation of state, which pushes on the surrounding plasma and can drive a shock wave in it. Unlike the Sedov-von Neumann-Taylor blast wave solution for a point-like explosion, the shock wave here is continuously driven by the ever-increasing pressure inside the bubble. We calculate from the first principles the dynamics and evolution of the bubble and the shock surrounding it and predict that such systems can be observed as radio sources a few hours before and after the merger. At much later times, the shock is expected to settle onto the Sedov-von Neumann-Taylor solution, thus resembling an explosion., 18 pages, 2 figures

Prompt GRB emission can carry information about local conditions in a jet and provide a link toward understanding of a GRB progenitor. Conventional interpretation of the prompt emission, regardless of the jet origin, is either synchrotron, perhaps with the (self)‐comptonized component, or thermal. Whereas some GRBs are consistent with this interpretation, many are at odds with it. Particularly, the ubiquitous spectral variability and correlations still awaits its physical interpretation. In view of the recent discovery of the generation of small‐scale magnetic fields during reconnection in pair plasmas and the claimed non‐discovery of synchrotron‐violating spectra in PIC simulations of relativistic shocks the reassessment of physical models of GRB jets and its radiation becomes imperative. Here we argue that the conventional assumption of the isotropy (in the co‐moving frame) of the produced radiation pattern is too simplistic to explain the wealth of observational data. We show that the anisotropic spectra fit observations much better. The anisotropy of radiation can be due to the ambient (progenitor) magnetic field, it can also be induced by the shock dynamics and geometry, or reflect the anisotropy of the post‐shock turbulence. Interestingly, different emission mechanisms (e.g., synchrotron, small‐pitch‐angle, jitter, thermal) can dominate in different environments (e.g., magnetic, baryonic or leptonic jets) and result in different spectro‐temporal characteristics. We show how the corresponding spectral correlations can distinguish between the jet origin and composition or as least rule our certain models.

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.

Radiation from GRBs in the prompt phase, flares and an afterglow is thought to be produced by accelerated electrons in magnetic fields. Such emission may be produced at collisionless shocks of baryonic outflows or at reconnection sites (at least for the prompt and flares) of the magnetically dominated (Poynting flux driven) outflows, where no shocks presumably form at all. An astonishing recent discovery is that during reconnection strong small-scale magnetic fields are produced via the Weibel instability, very much like they are produced at relativistic shocks. The relevant physics has been successfully and extensively studied with the PIC simulations in 2D and, to some extent, in 3D for the past few years. We discuss how these simulations predict the existence of MeV-range synchrotron/jitter emission in some GRBs, which can be observed with Fermi. Recent results on modeling of the spectral variability and spectral correlations of the GRB prompt emission in the Weibel-jitter paradigm applicable to both baryonic and magnetic-dominated outflows is reviewed with the emphasis on observational predictions., Comment: 6 pages; submitted to proc. of Huntsville 2008 symposium on GRBs

We address the question of whether numerical particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations and laboratory laser-plasma experiments can (or will be able to, in the near future) model realistic gamma-ray burst (GRB) shocks. For this, we compare the radiative cooling time, t_cool, of relativistic electrons in the shock magnetic fields to the microscopic dynamical time of collisionless relativistic shocks -- the inverse plasma frequency of protons, omega_pp^{-1}. We obtain that for t_cool*omega_pp^{-1}\lesssim ~few hundred, the electrons cool efficiently at or near the shock jump and are capable of emitiing away a large fraction of the shock energy. Such shocks are well-resolved in existing PIC simulations; therefore, the microscopic structure can be studied in detail. Since most of the emission in such shocks would be coming from the vicinity of the shock, the spectral power of the emitted radiation can be directly obtained from finite-length simulations and compared with observational data. Such radiative shocks correspond to the internal baryon-dominated GRB shocks for the conventional range of ejecta parameters. Fermi acceleration of electrons in such shocks is limited by electron cooling, hence the emitted spectrum should be lacking a non-thermal tail, whereas its peak likely falls in the multi-MeV range. Incidentally, the conditions in internal shocks are almost identical to those in laser-produced plasmas; thus, such GRB-like plasmas can be created and studied in laboratory experiments using the presently available Petawatt-scale laser facilities. An analysis of the external shocks shows that only the highly relativistic shocks, corresponding to the extremely early afterglow phase, can have efficient electron cooling in the shock transition. We emphasize the importance of radiative PIC simulations for further studies., 15 pages, submitted to ApJ

[1] It has been suggested that galactic shock asymmetry induced by our galaxy's infall toward the Virgo Cluster may be a source of periodicity in cosmic-ray exposure as the solar system oscillates normally to the galactic plane, thereby inducing an observed terrestrial periodicity in biodiversity. There are a number of plausible mechanisms by which cosmic rays might affect terrestrial biodiversity. Here we investigate one of these mechanisms, the consequent ionization and dissociation in the atmosphere, resulting in changes in atmospheric chemistry, which culminate in the depletion of ozone and a resulting increase in the dangerous solar UVB flux on the ground. We estimate the enhancement of cosmic-ray intensity for a range of reasonable parameters of the galactic wind and galactic magnetic field, and use these to compute steady-state atmospheric effects. At the lower end of this range, we find that the effects are far too small to be of serious consequence. At the upper end of this range, the level of ozone depletion approaches that currently experienced due to anthropogenic effects such as accumulated chlorofluorocarbons, i.e., ∼2.1% global average loss of ozone column density. We discuss some of the possible effects. While much smaller intensity than the atmospheric effects of a nearby galactic gamma-ray burst, the duration of the effects would be about 106 times greater. Current ozone depletion is a documented stress on the biosphere; it is not clear whether its consequences would be severe if of extended duration. We conclude that, for estimates at the upper end of the reasonable range of the cosmic-ray variability over geologic time, the mechanism of atmospheric ozone depletion may provide a small additional stress, enhancing the impact of other events. However, in order to account for large fluctuations in biodiversity correlated with cosmic-ray flux, other mechanisms should be investigated.

We review the models of Gamma‐Ray Bursts (GRBs) with relativistic baryon‐dominated ejecta: the Weibel‐jitter model and the vorticity model. The former may also be relevant to the magnetic‐dominated outflows. We discuss the origin of magnetic fields, mechanisms of electron heating/acceleration, nature and properties of the emitted radiation and the relevance of computer modeling to realistic GRBs. We discuss observational effects and predictions that, hopefully, will allow us to discriminate between the models.

Radiation from GRBs, either in the prompt phase or seen as flares or an afterglow, is believed to be produced at shocks by accelerated electrons in magnetic fields. However, there are alternatives, at least for the prompt and flares, namely the magnetically dominated and Poynting flux driven outflows, where no shocks presumably form at all. The outflow properties are intimately linked to the central engine/progenitor; hence, to understand the nature of the outflow is of great importance. Here we review the present status of the “standard model of GRBs”—the model with internal/external shocks. We briefly discuss two alternative models of the magnetic field generation at shocks: the model based on the Weibel instability and the recently proposed one based on the generation of vorticity at a shock. We also address the electron energization/acceleration mechanisms (including non‐Fermi) in both models. The observational predictions for the spectral and temporal dynamics of the produced radiation have been elab...

The standard model of GRB afterglows assumes that the radiation observed as a delayed emission is of synchrotron origin, which requires the shock magnetic field to be relatively homogeneous on small scales. An alternative mechanism -- jitter radiation, which traditionally has been applied to the prompt emission -- substitutes synchrotron when the magnetic field is tangled on a microscopic scale. Such fields are produced at relativistic shocks by the Weibel instability. Here we explore the possibility that small-scale fields populate afterglow shocks. We derive the spectrum of jitter radiation under the afterglow conditions. We also derive the afterglow lightcurves for the ISM and Wind profiles of the ambient density. Jitter self-absorption is calculated here for the first time. We find that jitter radiation can produce afterglows similar to synchrotron-generated ones, but with some important differences. We compare the predictions of the two emission mechanisms. By fitting observational data to the synchrotron and jitter afterglow lightcurves, it can be possible to discriminate between the small-scale vs large-scale magnetic field models in afterglow shocks., 16 pages, 1 figure

The origin of the micro-Gauss magnetic fields in galaxy clusters is one of the outstanding problem of modern cosmology. We suggest that these fields could have been produced via the Weibel instability operating at shocks during the Large-Scale Structure formation and at accretion shocks in Galaxy Clusters. We have performed three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the nonrelativistic Weibel instability in an electron-proton plasma (with the ion-to-electron mass ratio of 100), in conditions typical of cosmological shocks. These simulations indicate that cluster fields could have been produced by shocks propagating through the intergalactic medium during the formation of large-scale structure or by shocks within the cluster. The strengths of the shock-generated fields range from tens of nano-Gauss in the intercluster medium to a few micro-Gauss inside galaxy clusters. We discuss whether and how our results may change with the change the mass ratio to the realistic value of 1836. We stress that even if the Weibel-generated small-scale magnetic fields decay with time, they can serve as seed fields that can be further amplified and inverse-cascade to larger scales by turbulent motions of post-shock MHD turbulence.

The origin of the micro-Gauss magnetic fields in galaxy clusters is one of the outstanding problem of modern cosmology. We have performed three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the nonrelativistic Weibel instability in an electron-proton plasma, in conditions typical of cosmological shocks. These simulations indicate that cluster fields could have been produced by shocks propagating through the intergalactic medium during the formation of large-scale structure or by shocks within the cluster. The strengths of the shock-generated fields range from tens of nano-Gauss in the intercluster medium to a few micro-Gauss inside galaxy clusters., Comment: 4 pages, 2 color figures

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) directed at Earth from within a few kpc may have damaged the biosphere, primarily though changes in atmospheric chemistry which admit greatly increased Solar UV. However, GRBs are highly variable in spectrum and duration. Recent observations indicate that short (~0.1 s) burst GRBs, which have harder spectra, may be sufficiently abundant at low redshift that they may offer an additional significant effect. A much longer timescale is associated with shock breakout luminosity observed in the soft X-ray (~10^3 s) and UV (~10^5 s) emission, and radioactive decay gamma-ray line radiation emitted during the light curve phase of supernovae (~10^7 s). Here we generalize our atmospheric computations to include a broad range of peak photon energies and investigate the effect of burst duration while holding total fluence and other parameters constant. The results can be used to estimate the probable impact of various kinds of ionizing events (such as short GRBs, X-ray flashes, supernovae) upon the terrestrial atmosphere. We find that the ultimate intensity of atmospheric effects varies only slightly with burst duration from 10^-1 s to 10^8 s. Therefore, the effect of many astrophysical events causing atmospheric ionization can be approximated without including time development. Detailed modeling requires specification of the season and latitude of the event. Harder photon spectra produce greater atmospheric effects for spectra with peaks up to about 20 MeV, because of greater penetration into the stratosphere., 30 pages, to be published in ApJ. Replaced for conformity with published version, including correction of minor typos and updated references

The shock model of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) contains two equipartition parameters: the magnetic energy density and the kinetic energy density of the electrons relative to the total energy density of the shock, "epsilon_B" and "epsilon_e", respectively. These are free parameters within the model. Whereas the Weibel shock theory and numerical simulations fix "epsilon_B" at the level of ~few times(10^{-3}...10^{-4}), no understanding of "epsilon_e" exists so far. Here we demonstrate that it inevitably follows from the theory that "epsilon_e"~(epsilon_B)^(1/2). The GRB afteglow data fully agree with this theoretical prediction. Our result explains why the electrons are close to equipartition in GRBs. The "epsilon_e"-"epsilon_B" relation can potentially be used to reduce the number of free parameters in afterglow models., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figs; ApJL accepted

We demonstrate that the rapid spectral variability of prompt GRBs is an inherent property of radiation emitted from shock-generated, highly anisotropic small-scale magnetic fields. We interpret the hard-to-soft evolution and the correlation of the soft index $\alpha$ with the photon flux observed in GRBs as a combined effect of temporal variation of the shock viewing angle and relativistic aberration of an individual thin, instantaneously illuminated shell. The model predicts that about a quarter of time-resolved spectra should have hard spectra, violating the synchrotron $\alpha=-2/3$ limit. The model also naturally explains why the peak of the distribution of $\alpha$ is at $\alpha\sim-1$. The presence of a low-energy break in the jitter spectrum at oblique angles also explains the appearance of a soft X-ray component in some GRBs and their paucity. We emphasize that our theory is based solely on the first principles and contains no ad hoc (phenomenological) assumptions., Comment: 4 pages, Proceedings of "Swift-05" meeting, Washington, DC

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are likely to have made a number of significant impacts on the Earth during the last billion years. We have used a two-dimensional atmospheric model to investigate the effects on the Earth's atmosphere of GRBs delivering a range of fluences, at various latitudes, at the equinoxes and solstices, and at different times of day. We have estimated DNA damage levels caused by increased solar UVB radiation, reduction in solar visible light due to $\mathrm{NO_2}$ opacity, and deposition of nitrates through rainout of $\mathrm{HNO_3}$. For the ``typical'' nearest burst in the last billion years, we find globally averaged ozone depletion up to 38%. Localized depletion reaches as much as 74%. Significant global depletion (at least 10%) persists up to about 7 years after the burst. Our results depend strongly on time of year and latitude over which the burst occurs. We find DNA damage of up to 16 times the normal annual global average, well above lethal levels for simple life forms such as phytoplankton. The greatest damage occurs at low to mid latitudes. We find reductions in visible sunlight of a few percent, primarily in the polar regions. Nitrate deposition similar to or slightly greater than that currently caused by lightning is also observed, lasting several years. We discuss how these results support the hypothesis that the Late Ordovician mass extinction may have been initiated by a GRB., Comment: Minor revisions, includes more discussion of reaction rates; 1 new figure. Accepted for publication in ApJ. 68 pages, 21 figures, 12 tables

A substantial fraction of prompt GRB spectra have soft spectral indexes exceeding the maximum allowed by the synchrotron model alpha_{max}=-2/3. Some spectra also exhibit very sharp break at E_p, inconsistent with the smooth synchrotron spectra. These facts pose a serious problem for the ``optically thin synchrotron'' interpretation of the prompt emission. We review various models suggested in order to resolve this puzzle., 6 pages, 5 figures. Review talk at GRB-03 conference (Santa Fe)

We consider hot accretion onto a rapidly spinning neutron star (or any other compact object with a surface). A radiative hot settling flow has been discovered at low accretion rates in the early work by Medvedev & Narayan (2001) and analytical solution has been presented. It was shown later that this flow can match external medium smoothly, thus enforcing its physical feasibility. Here we complete the study of the global structure of such hot accretion by presenting the analytical solution for the boundary later, which forms between the bulk of the flow and the stellar surface. We confirm our results via full numerical solution of height-integrated two-temperature hydrodynamic equations., 14 pages, 1 figure. accepted for publication in ApJ

We present the first three-dimensional fully kinetic electromagnetic relativistic particle-in-cell simulations of the collision of two interpenetrating plasma shells. The highly accurate plasma-kinetic "particle-in-cell" (with the total of $10^8$ particles) parallel code OSIRIS has been used. Our simulations show: (i) the generation of long-lived near-equipartition (electro)magnetic fields, (ii) non-thermal particle acceleration, and (iii) short-scale to long-scale magnetic field evolution, in the collision region. Our results provide new insights into the magnetic field generation and particle acceleration in relativistic and sub-relativistic colliding streams of particles, which are present in gamma-ray bursters, supernova remnants, relativistic jets, pulsar winds, etc.., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures (jpg), accepted for publication in ApJLett

We study the structure and properties of hot MHD accretion onto a Kerr black hole. In such a system, the hole is magnetically coupled to the inflowing gas and exerts a torque onto the accretion flow. A hot settling flow can form around the hole and transport the angular momentum outward, to the outer edge of the flow. Unlike other hot flows, such as advection- and convection-dominated flows and inflow-outflow solutions (ADAFs, CDAFs, and ADIOS), the properties of the hot settling flow are determined by the spin of the central black hole, but are insensitive to the mass accretion rate. Therefore, it may be possible to identify rapidly spinning BHs simply from their broad-band spectra. Observationally, the hot settling flow around a Kerr hole is somewhat similar to other hot flows in that they all have hard, power-law spectra and relatively low luminosities. Thus, most black hole candidates in the low/hard and, perhaps, intermediate X-ray state may potentially accrete via the hot settling flow. However, a settling flow will be somewhat more luminous than ADAFs/CDAFs/ADIOS, will exhibit high variability in X-rays, and may have relativistic jets. This suggests that galactic microquasars and active galactic nuclei may be powered by hot settling flows. We identify several galactic X-ray sources as the best candidates., 7 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to ApJ

We estimate the thermal conductivity of a weakly collisional magnetized plasma with chaotic magnetic field fluctuations. When the fluctuation spectrum extends over two or more decades in wave-vector, we find that thermal conduction is very efficient; the conduction coefficient is only a factor ~5 below the classical Spitzer estimate. We suggest that conduction could play a significant role in cooling flows in clusters of galaxies., 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

We present analytical and numerical solutions which describe a hot, viscous, two-temperature accretion flow onto a rotating neutron star or any other rotating compact star with a surface. We assume Coulomb coupling between the protons and electrons, and free-free cooling from the electrons. Outside a thin boundary layer, where the accretion flow meets the star, we show that there is an extended settling region which is well-described by two self-similar solutions: (i) a two-temperature solution which is valid in an inner zone $r\le10^{2.5}$ ($r$ is in Schwarzchild units), and (ii) a one-temperature solution at larger radii. In both zones, $\rho\propto r^{-2}, \Omega\propto r^{-3/2}, v\propto r^0, T_p\propto r^{-1}$; in the two-temperature zone, $T_e\propto r^{-1/2}$. The luminosity of the settling zone arises from the rotational energy of the star as the star is braked by viscosity. Hence the luminosity and the flow parameters (density, temperature, angular velocity) are independent of $\dot M$. The settling solution described here is not advection-dominated, and is thus different from the self-similar ADAF found around black holes. When the spin of the star is small enough, however, the present solution transforms smoothly to a (settling) ADAF. We carried out a stability analysis of the settling flow. The flow is convectively and viscously stable and is unlikely to have strong winds or outflows. Unlike another cooling-dominated system --- the SLE disk, --- the settling flow is thermally stable provided that thermal conduction is taken into account. This strong saturated-like thermoconduction does not change the structure of the flow., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. To appear in proceedings of the Gamma 2001 symposium

We present a theory of generation of strong (sub-equipartition) magnetic fields in relativistic collisionless GRB shocks. These fields produced by the kinetic two-stream instability are tangled on very small spatial scales. This has a clear signature in the otherwise synchrotron(-self-Compton) $\gamma$-ray spectrum. Second, we present an analytical theory of jitter radiation, which is emitted when the correlation length of the magnetic field is smaller then the gyration (Larmor) radius of the accelerated electrons. We demonstrate that the spectral power $P(\nu)$ for pure jitter radiation is well-described by a sharply broken power-law: $P(\nu)\propto\nu^1$ for $\nu\nu_j$, where $p$ is the electron power-law index and $\nu_j$ is the jitter break, which is independent of the magnetic field strength and depends on the shock energetics and kinematics. Here we mostly focus on the first problem. The radiation theory and comparison with observations will be discussed in the forthcoming publications., Comment: 3 pages with 2 eps figures, aipproc.sty. To appear in Proceedings of the 20th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, Austin, Texas, 2000, edited by J. Craig Wheeler and Hugo Martel (American Institute of Physics)

We present a theory of ultrarelativistic collisionless shocks based on the relativistic kinetic two-stream instability. We demonstrate that the shock front is unstable to the generation of small-scale, randomly tangled magnetic fields. These fields are strong enough to scatter the energetic incoming (in the shock frame) protons and electrons over pitch angle and, therefore, to convert their kinetic energy of bulk motion into heat with very high efficiency. This validates the use of MHD approximation and the shock jump conditions in particular. The effective collisions are also necessary for the diffusive Fermi acceleration of electrons to operate and produce an observed power-law. Finally, these strong (sub-equipartition) magnetic fields are also required for the efficient synchrotron-type radiation emission from the shocks. The predicted magnetic fields have an impact on polarization properties of the observed radiation (e.g., a linear polarization from a jet-like ejecta and polarization scintillations in radio for a spherical one) and on its spectrum. We present an analytical theory of jitter radiation, which is emitted when the magnetic field is correlated on scales smaller then the gyration (Larmor) radius of the accelerated electrons. A composite jitter+synchrotron model of GRB $\gamma$-ray emission from internal shocks is capable of resolving many puzzles of GRB spectra, such as the violation of the ``line of death'', sharp spectral breaks, and multiple spectral components seen in some bursts (good examples are GRB910503, GRB910402, etc.). We stress that simultaneous detection of both spectral components opens a way to a precise diagnostics of the conditions in GRB shocks. We also discuss the relation of our results to other systems, such as internal shocks in blazars, radio lobes, and supernova shocks., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. To appear in proceedings of the Gamma 2001 symposium

We present analytical and numerical solutions which describe a hot, viscous, two-temperature accretion flow onto a neutron star or any other compact star with a surface. We assume Coulomb coupling between the protons and electrons, and free-free cooling from the electrons. Outside a thin boundary layer, where the accretion flow meets the star, we show that there is an extended settling region which is well-described by two self-similar solutions: (1) a two-temperature solution which is valid in an inner zone $r\le10^{2.5}$ ($r$ is in Schwarzchild units), and (2) a one-temperature solution at larger radii. In both zones, $\rho\propto r^{-2}, \Omega\propto r^{-3/2}, v\propto r^0,\ T_p\propto r^{-1}$; in the two-temperature zone, $T_e\propto r^{-1/2}$. The luminosity of the settling zone arises from the rotational energy of the star as the star is braked by viscosity; hence the luminosity is independent of $\dot M$. The settling solution is convectively and viscously stable and is unlikely to have strong winds or outflows. The flow is thermally unstable, but the instability may be stabilized by thermal conduction. The settling solution described here is not advection-dominated, and is thus different from the self-similar ADAF found around black holes. When the spin of the star is small enough, however, the present solution transforms smoothly to a (settling) ADAF., Comment: 3 pages with 1 eps figure, aipproc.cls. To appear in Proceedings of the 20th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, Austin, Texas, 2000, edited by J. Craig Wheeler and Hugo Martel (American Institute of Physics)

We present dynamically consistent solutions for hot accretion onto unmagnetized, rotating white dwarfs (WDs) in five quiescent dwarf novae. The measured WD rotation rates (and other system parameters) in RX And, SS Cyg, U Gem, VW Hyi and WZ Sge imply spindown of the WD by an extended hot flow emitting most of its X-rays in the vicinity of the stellar surface. In general, energy advection is absent and the flow is stable to convection and hydrodynamical outflows. In rapidly rotating systems, the X-ray luminosity provides only an upper limit on the quiescent accretion rate because of substantial stellar spindown luminosity. We suggest that the presence of hot flows in quiescent dwarf novae may limit the long-term WD rotation rates to significantly sub-Keplerian values., Comment: 7 pages, 2 eps figures. Accepted to ApJL

We demostrate that the measurement of fluctuations of polarization due to the galactic interstellar scintillations may be used to study the structure of the radiation field at compact radio sources. We develop a mathematical formalism and demonstrate it on a simple analytical model in which the scale of the polarization variation through the source is comparable to the source size. The predicted amplitude of modulation of the polarized radiation flux is ~20% x (pi_s) x (m_sc), where (pi_s) is the characteristic degree of polarization of radiation at the source and (m_sc) is the typical modulation index due to scattering, i.e., (m_sc)~1 for diffractive scintillations and (m_sc), 5 pages, 2 figures, emilateapj.sty. Submitted to ApJL

The crisis of the cold dark matter and problems of the self-interacting dark matter models is resolved by postulating flavor mixing of dark matter particles. Flavor-mixed particles segregate in the gravitational field to form dark halos composed of heavy mass eigenstates. Since these particles are mixed in the interaction basis, elastic collisions convert some of heavy eigenstates into light ones which leave dense central regions of the halo. This annihilation-like process will soften dense central cusps of halos. The proposed model accumulates most of the attractive features of self-interacting and annihilating dark matter models, but does not suffer from their severe drawbacks. This model is natural; it does not require fine tuning., 3 pages with 2 eps figures, aipproc.sty. To appear in Proceedings of the 20th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, Austin, Texas, 2000, edited by J. Craig Wheeler and Hugo Martel (American Institute of Physics)

We show that the relativistic two-stream instability can naturally generate strong magnetic fields with 1e-5 - 1e-1 of the equipartition energy density, in the collisionless shocks of Gamma-Ray-Burst (GRB) sources. The generated fields are parallel to the shock front and fluctuate on the very short scale of the plasma skin depth. The synchrotron radiation emitted from the limb-brightened source image is linearly polarized in the radial direction relative to the source center. Although the net polarization vanishes under circular symmetry, GRB sources should exhibit polarization scintillations as their radio afterglow radiation gets scattered by the Galactic interstellar medium. Detection of polarization scintillations could therefore test the above mechanism for magnetic field generation., 12 pages, 2 figures included. Submitted to ApJ