Old Posts

Title: On the possible contributions of two nearby blazars to the NGC 4151 neutrino hotspot .
Authors: Anastasiia Omeliukh, Samuel Barnier, Yoshiyuki Inoue

The origin of the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos discovered by IceCube remains unclear, with both blazars and Seyfert galaxies emerging as potential sources. Recently, the IceCube Collaboration reported a \UTF{223C}3σ neutrino signal from the direction of a nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. However, two gamma-ray loud BL Lac objects, 4FGL 1210.3+3928 and 4FGL J1211.6+3901, lie close to NGC 4151, at angular distances of 0.08\UTF{2218} and 0.43\UTF{2218}, respectively. We investigate the potential contribution of these two blazars to the observed neutrino signal from the direction of NGC 4151 and assess their detectability with future neutrino observatories. We model the multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions of both blazars using a self-consistent numerical radiation code, AM3. We calculate their neutrino spectra and compare them to the measured NGC 4151 neutrino spectrum and future neutrino detector sensitivities. Our models predict neutrino emission peaking at \UTF{223C}1017 eV for both blazars, with fluxes of \UTF{223C}10−12 erg cm−2 s−1. This indicates their contribution to the \UTF{223C}10 TeV neutrino signal observed from the direction of NGC 4151 is minor. While detection with current facilities is challenging, both sources should be detectable by future radio-based neutrino telescopes such as IceCube-Gen2’s radio array and GRAND, with 4FGL~J1210.3+3928 being the more promising candidate.

Title: The Disk Wind Contribution to the Gamma-Ray emission from the nearby Seyfert Galaxy GRS 1734-292 .
Authors: Nobuyuki Sakai, Tomoya Yamada, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Ellis R. Owen, Tomonari Michiyama, Ryota Tomaru, Yasushi Fukazawa

Radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies have been detected in GeV gamma-rays by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), but the origin of much of this emission is unclear. We consider the nearby example, the Seyfert galaxy GRS 1734-292, which exhibits weak starburst and jet activities that are insufficient to explain the observed gamma-ray flux. With the first detailed multi-wavelength study of this source, we demonstrate that an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk wind can account for its gamma-ray emission. Using a lepto-hadronic emission model based on a shocked ambient medium and a shocked wind region created by an AGN accretion disk wind, we identify two viable scenarios that are consistent with the Fermi-LAT data and multi-wavelength observations: a hadronic pp-dominated scenario and a leptonic external Compton-dominated scenario. Both of these show that future observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) could detect TeV emission from a disk wind in GRS 1734-292. Such a detection would substantially improve our understanding of cosmic ray acceleration efficiency in AGN disk wind systems, and would establish radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies as cosmic ray accelerators capable of reaching ultra-high energies.

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Title: Upper Limit on the Coronal Cosmic Ray Energy Budget in Seyfert Galaxies.
Authors: Yoshiyuki Inoue, Shinsuke Takasao, Dmitry Khangulyan

The IceCube collaboration has reported possible detections of high-energy neutrinos from nearby Seyfert galaxies. While central hot coronae are proposed as the primary neutrino production site, the exact coronal cosmic-ray energy budget has been loosely constrained. In this study, we propose a new stringent upper bound on the coronal cosmic-ray energy budget of Seyfert galaxies, considering both accretion dynamics and observed properties of radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies. Notably, even under the calorimetric condition where cosmic rays lose all their energies, our limit indicates that the coronal neutrino flux of NGC~1068 is about an order of magnitude fainter than the observed levels. This discrepancy suggests the need for further theoretical and observational investigations on the IceCube signals from Seyfert galaxies.

Title: Energetic Particles and High-Energy Processes in Cosmological Filaments and Their Astronomical Implications.
Authors: Kinwah Wu, Ellis R. Owen, Qin Han, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Lilian Luo

Large-scale cosmic filaments connect galaxies, clusters and voids. They are permeated by magnetic fields with a variety of topologies. Cosmic rays with energies up to 1020eV can be produced in astrophysical environments associated with star-formation and AGN activities. The fate of these cosmic rays in filaments, which cannot be directly observed on Earth, are rarely studied. We investigate the high-energy processes associated with energetic particles (cosmic rays) in filaments, adopting an ecological approach that includes galaxies, clusters/superclusters and voids as key cosmological structures in the filament ecosystem. We derive the phenomenology for modelling interfaces between filaments and these structures, and investigate how the transfer and fate of energetic cosmic ray protons are affected by the magnetism of the interfaces. We consider different magnetic field configurations in filaments and assess the implications for cosmic ray confinement and survival against hadronic pion-producing and photo-pair interactions. Our analysis shows that the fate of the particles depends on the location of their origin within a filament ecosystem, and that filaments act as highways', channelling cosmic rays between galaxies, galaxy clusters and superclusters. Filaments can also operate as cosmic fly paper’, capturing cosmic ray protons with energies up to 1018eV from cosmic voids. Our analysis predicts the presence of a population of ∼1012−1016eV cosmic ray protons in filaments and voids accumulated continually over cosmic time. These protons do not suffer significant energy losses through photo-pair or pion-production, nor can they be cooled efficiently. Instead, they form a cosmic ray fossil record of the power generation history of the Universe.

Title: Energetic particles and high-energy processes in cosmological filaments and their astronomical implications.
Authors: Kinwah Wu, Ellis R. Owen, Qin Han, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Lilian Luo

Large-scale cosmic filaments connect galaxies, clusters and voids. They are permeated by magnetic fields with a variety of topologies. Cosmic rays with energies up to 10^{20} eV can be produced in astrophysical environments associated with star-formation and AGN activities. The fate of these cosmic rays in filaments, which cannot be directly observed on Earth, are rarely studied. We investigate the high-energy processes associated with energetic particles (cosmic rays) in filaments, adopting an ecological approach that includes galaxies, clusters/superclusters and voids as key cosmological structures in the filament ecosystem. We derive the phenomenology for modelling interfaces between filaments and these structures, and investigate how the transfer and fate of energetic cosmic ray protons are affected by the magnetism of the interfaces. We consider different magnetic field configurations in filaments and assess the implications for cosmic ray confinement and survival against hadronic pion-producing and photo-pair interactions. Our analysis shows that the fate of the particles depends on the location of their origin within a filament ecosystem, and that filaments act as highways', channelling cosmic rays between galaxies, galaxy clusters and superclusters. Filaments can also operate as cosmic fly paper’, capturing cosmic ray protons with energies up to 10^{18} eV from cosmic voids. Our analysis predicts the presence of a population of \UTF{223C}10^{12}−10^{16} eV cosmic ray protons in filaments and voids accumulated continually over cosmic time. These protons do not suffer significant energy losses through photo-pair or pion-production, nor can they be cooled efficiently. Instead, they form a cosmic ray fossil record of the power generation history of the Universe.

Title: Multi-epoch X-ray spectral analysis of Centaurus A: revealing new constraints on iron emission line origins .
Authors: Toshiya Iwata, Atsushi Tanimoto, Hirokazu Odaka, Aya Bamba, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Kouichi Hagino We conduct X-ray reverberation mapping and spectral analysis of the radio galaxy Centaurus A to uncover its central structure. We compare the light curve of the hard X-ray continuum from Swift Burst Alert Telescope observations with that of the Fe Kα fluorescence line, derived from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and Swift X-ray Telescope observations. The analysis of the light curves suggests that a top-hat transfer function, commonly employed in reverberation mapping studies, is improbable. Instead, the relation between these light curves can be described by a transfer function featuring two components: one with a lag of 0.19+0.10−0.02 pc/c, and another originating at r>1.7 pc that produces an almost constant light curve. Further, we analyze the four-epoch NuSTAR and six-epoch Suzaku spectra, considering the time lag of the reflection component relative to the primary continuum. This spectral analysis supports that the reflecting material is Compton-thin, with NH=3.14+0.44−0.74×1023 cm−2. These results suggest that the Fe Kα emission may originate from Compton-thin circumnuclear material located at sub-parsec scale, likely a dust torus, and materials at a greater distance.

Title: Deciphering Radio Emissions from Accretion Disk Winds in Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei.
Authors: Tomoya Yamada, Nobuyuki Sakai, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Tomonari Michiyama

Unraveling the origins of radio emissions from radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (RQ AGNs) remains a pivotal challenge in astrophysics. One potential source of this radiation is the shock interaction between AGN disk winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). To understand this phenomenon, we construct a spherical, one-zone, and self-similar expansion model of shock structure between ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) and the ISM. We then calculate the energy density distribution of non-thermal electrons by solving the transport equation, considering diffusive shock acceleration as the acceleration mechanism and synchrotron and inverse Compton cooling as the cooling mechanisms. Based on the derived energy distribution of non-thermal electrons, we model the radio synchrotron spectrum of shocked ISM. For the 15 nearby RQ AGNs hosting UFOs, we investigate shocked ISM parameters required to model their observed radio spectra, based on X-ray observations and measured UFO velocities. Radio spectra of 11 out of 15 nearby RQ AGNs would be explained by the AGN disk wind model. This is a compelling indication that shock interactions between AGN disk winds and the ISM could indeed be the source of their radio emissions. The typical predicted source size and magnetic field strength are several 100 pc and 0.1 mG, respectively. We also discuss whether our prediction can be tested by future radio observations.

We are proud to announce the graduation of our esteemed students on March 25th, marking a significant milestone in their academic careers. Our master’s students, Kaoru Yanagisawa and Tomoya Yamada, were awarded their Master’s degrees, showcasing their exceptional skills and dedication in their respective fields of study. On the same day, our undergraduate student, Pan Yue, received her Bachelor’s degree, demonstrating her hard work and commitment to her studies.

Thesis titles:

Title: ALMA Confirmation of Millimeter Time Variability in the Gamma-Ray Detected Seyfert Galaxy GRS 1734-292.
Authors: Tomonari Michiyama, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Akihiro Doi, Tomoya Yamada, Yasushi Fukazawa, Hidetoshi Kubo, Samuel Barnier

GRS 1734-292 is a radio-quiet galaxy, exhibiting neither intense starburst nor jet activities. However, Fermi-LAT detected this object in the GeV band. The origin of non-thermal activity in this Seyfert galaxy is an intriguing question. We report Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of GRS 1734-292 at frequencies of 97.5, 145, and 225 GHz. These observations confirmed the millimeter excess within the central <100 pc region and its time variability based on two separate observations conducted four days apart. The timescale of variability aligns with the light crossing time for a compact source smaller than <100 Schwarzschild radius. If we take into account the power-law synchrotron emission originating from the corona (i.e., the hot plasma located above the accretion disk), the millimeter spectrum indicates the coronal magnetic field of ~10 G and the size of ~10 Schwarzschild radius. An alternative explanation for this millimeter emission could be synchrotron and free-free emission from disk winds (i.e., fast wide-opening angle outflows from the disk) with the size of ~10 pc, although it may be difficult to explain the fast variability. Future millimeter observations with higher resolution (~0.01") will enable the differentiation between these two scenarios. Such observations will provide insights into the acceleration sites of high-energy particles at the core of active galactic nuclei.