Precision Measurements of High-Energy Cosmic Gamma-Ray Emission with the GAMMA-400 Gamma-Ray Telescope

The GAMMA-400 γ-ray telescope installed at the Russian space observatory is intended for precision measurements in the energy range of 20 MeV–1000 GeV of γ-ray emission (with the angular and energy resolutions several times better than that of current γ-ray telescopes) from discrete sources; measurement of the energy spectra of Galactic and extragalactic diffuse γ-ray emission; studies of γ-ray emission from the active Sun; and measurements of fluxes of γ-ray emission and electron–positron cosmicray component, which are probably associated with the annihilation or decay of dark-matter particles.     

Low-energy break in the spectrum of Galactic cosmic rays

Measurements of the low-energy spectrum of Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) by detectors on or near Earth are affected by solar modulation. To overcome this difficulty, we consider nearby molecular clouds as GCR detectors outside the Solar System. Using γ-ray observations of the clouds by the Fermi telescope, we derive the spectrum of GCRs in the clouds from the observed γ-ray emission spectrum. We find that the GCR spectrum has a low-energy break with the spectral slope hardening by ΔΓ=1.1±0.3 at an energy of E=9±3 GeV. Detection of a low-energy break enables a measurement of GCR energy density in the interstellar space U=0.9±0.3 eV/cm{3}.     

BL Lac天体的γ射线和射电辐射的统计特性

给出了一个带有射电5.0GHz,8.4GHz 和γ射线辐射流量密度的22个γ噪BL Lac天体的样本,研究了它们在1GeV处的γ射线辐射流量密度最大值、平均值及最小值与射电5.0GHz,8.4GHz辐射流量之间的可能关系.结果表明：1）射电5.0GHz,8.4GHz辐射与γ射线辐射在低态时没有相关,但在高态和平均态时都存在较强的相关,最大相关系数r=0.85,置信度均好于10^-4;2）γ射线谱指数和射电谱指数之间也有一个弱相关关系存在.因此,认为γ射线的辐射主要是同步自康普顿辐射. 关键词： BL Lac天体 γ射线 射电辐射 谱指数     

Dense electron-positron plasmas and ultraintense γ rays from laser-irradiated solids

In simulations of a 10 PW laser striking a solid, we demonstrate the possibility of producing a pure electron-positron plasma by the same processes as those thought to operate in high-energy astrophysical environments. A maximum positron density of 10(26) m(-3) can be achieved, 7 orders of magnitude greater than achieved in previous experiments. Additionally, 35% of the laser energy is converted to a burst of γ rays of intensity 10(22) W cm(-2), potentially the most intense γ-ray source available in the laboratory. This absorption results in a strong feedback between both pair and γ-ray production and classical plasma physics in the new "QED-plasma" regime.     

Search for a dark matter annihilation signal from the galactic center halo with H.E.S.S

A search for a very-high-energy (VHE; ≥100 GeV) γ-ray signal from self-annihilating particle dark matter (DM) is performed towards a region of projected distance r～45-150 pc from the Galactic center. The background-subtracted γ-ray spectrum measured with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) γ-ray instrument in the energy range between 300 GeV and 30 TeV shows no hint of a residual γ-ray flux. Assuming conventional Navarro-Frenk-White and Einasto density profiles, limits are derived on the velocity-weighted annihilation cross section (σv) as a function of the DM particle mass. These are among the best reported so far for this energy range and in particular differ only little between the chosen density profile parametrizations. In particular, for the DM particle mass of ～1 TeV, values for (σv) above 3×10(-25) cm(3)?s(-1) are excluded for the Einasto density profile.     

Perspective of Galactic dark matter subhalo detection on Fermi from the EGRET observation

The perspective of the detectability of Galactic dark matter subhaioes on the Fermi satellite is investigated in this work.Under the assumptions that dark matter annihilation accounts for the "GeV excess" of the Galactic diffuse γ-rays discovered by EGRET and the γ-ray flux is dominated by the contribution from subhaloes of dark matter, we calculate the expected number of dark matter subhaloes that Fermi may detect.We show that Fermi may detect a few tens to several hundred subhaloes in a 1-year all-sky survey.Since EGRET observation is taken as a normalization, this prediction is independent of the particle physics property of dark matter.The uncertainties of the prediction are discussed in detail.We find that the major uncertainty comes from the mass function of subhaloes, i.e., whether the subhaloes are "point like" (high-mass rich) or "diffuse like" (low-mass rich).Other uncertainties like the background estimation and the observational errors will contribute a factor of 2-3.     

Prospects for isomeric energy release

The state of experimental studies and promising proposals for the application of nuclear isomers presented as controlled energy or γ-ray sources are reviewed. The properties of isomeric states, methods of their production, and approaches to their efficient stimulation using various types of radiation are analyzed. The long-lived isomers, which can be accumulated in reactor irradiations or in other nuclear interactions with abundant yield, are listed. The isomers are estimated according to their specific energy accumulated per nucleus and the level of the cross section for their formation in reactions with neutrons. The nuclei are classified as promising either for obtaining controlled γ-ray pulses, for the enhanced release of the radioactive decay energy, or for experimental studies on detecting forbidden electromagnetic transitions from the ground to isomeric state. In all cases, the possibility of external-stimulus action on nuclear transitions has key significance, which should become the subject of investigations. The results of successful observation of stimulation of isomers are described at excitation energy E* > 1 MeV in the reactions with bremsstrahlung photons and Coulomb excitation in the ion beam. The essential increase in the K-hindered transitions with increasing energy and also the K-mixing at high rotational frequency for high-spin levels are discussed. The attention is focused on attempts to detect the triggering induced by the radiation in the x-ray range, in particular, that of the ^178m2Hf isomer with the help of x-ray sources and the synchrotron radiation. Proposals for experiments with other isomers are considered. The possibility of affecting the nuclear states by means of ionization of electron shells of a corresponding atom is discussed as promising, and various schemes of similar experiments are proposed. The atomic cross sections are eight orders of magnitude higher than the nuclear ones; therefore, the stimulation of an isomer can occur even if the conversion from atomic excitations to nuclear ones has a low probability.     

用离散相关函数方法分析Blazar天体的γ射线和射电辐射的相关性

收集了119颗有γ射线噪的Blazar天体样品(97个平谱射电类星体和22个BL Lac天体)，用离散相关函数(DCF)方法分析了1GeV γ射线辐射流量(最大值、最小值和平均值)与8.4GHz射电辐射流量之间的相关性.获得的主要结果为：在119个Blazar天体和97个平谱射电类星体中，γ射线辐射流量的最大值以及平均值和射电辐射流量之间有相关性;而γ射线辐射流量的最小值和射电辐射流量之间没有相关性.本文结果表明，γ射线和射电辐射都来自喷流，γ射线很可能产生于同步自康普顿(SSC)过程. 关键词： Blazar γ射线 射电辐射 流量密度     

Radio waves and γ-ray emission from astrophysical sources

A mechanism of X- and γ-ray emission by relativistic electrons at interaction with astrophysical objects (maser clouds) is considered and the contribution of this mechanism to the formation of a continuous spectrum and its correlation with radio-wave radiation are investigated. The radiation yield upon deexcitation of a quantum system by an electron exceeds that of “conventional” (i.e., without a change in the quantum-system state) bremsstrahlung at small nuclear charges (Z < 10) and may be about 8% of the total γ-ray intensity. It is shown that in the direction in which the γ-ray intensity increases, one should observe radio waves corresponding to a particular maser source.     

Cosmological effects of superconducting strings

Superconducting cosmic strings are a plausible consequence of symmetry breaking in grand unified gauge theories. The luminosity in electromagnetic radiation of an oscillating current-carrying loop may substantially exceed the luminosity in gravitational radiation. In the typical case considered, the energy released electromagnetically is 10⁴⁹ erg s⁻¹, or 10⁶⁶ erg in toto. Several consequences follow from this, the most interesting of which is the possibility that such loops may heat their surroundings, generating large, dense spherical shells of gas. Galaxies forming on these gravitationally unstable shells at moderate redshift will be seen at the present epoch to lie on bubbles having radii in the range 10–20h⁻¹ Mpc if the initial ratio of luminosity in electromagnetic waves to that in gravitational wavess is > 10⁻³ for mass/length 10²² g cm⁻¹. The required primordial energy density in magnetic fields is > 3 × 10⁻⁹ of the radiation energy density, if the charge carriers are bosons or superheavy fermions. Since these shells fill up space, the galaxies will have a distribution similar to that found in a recent survey of the northern sky. When the current saturates, a loop will emit particles copiously, and may be seen as an X-ray source at z ∼ 10–50. Such loops may also contribute significantly to the hard X-ray and γ-ray backgrounds and to 10²⁰ eV cosmic rays.     

BaCl2微晶辐照损伤的电子自旋共振研究

用电子自旋共振(ESR)方法研究发光基质材料BaCl₂的X射线和γ射线辐照损伤及其恢复的情况,发现样品由X射线引起的辐照损伤,在日光下仅两分钟便能完全恢复;而γ射线引起的辐照损伤则很难完全恢复。 关键词：     

Evaluation of the 1077 keV γ-ray emission probability from 68Ga decay

⁶⁸Ga decays to the excited states of ⁶⁸Zn through the electron capture decay mode. New recommended values for the emission probability of 1077 keV γ-ray given by the ENSDF and DDEP databases all use data from absolute measurements. In 2011, JIANG Li-Yang deduced a new value for 1077 keV γ-ray emission probability by measuring the ⁶⁹Ga(n,2n) ⁶⁸Ga reaction cross section. The new value is about 20% lower than values obtained from previous absolute measurements and evaluations. In this paper, the discrepancies among the measurements and evaluations are analyzed carefully and the new values are re-recommended. Our recommended value for the emission probability of 1077 keV γ-ray is (2.72± 0.16)%.     

A comment on the emission from the Galactic Center as seen by the Fermi telescope

In the recent paper of Hooper and Goodenough (2010) [10] it was reported that γ-ray emission from the Galactic Center region contains an excess compared to the contributions from the large-scale diffuse emission and known point sources. This excess was argued to be consistent with a signal from annihilation of Dark Matter with a power law density profile. We reanalyze the Fermi data and find instead that it is consistent with the “standard model” of diffuse emission and of known point sources. The main reason for the discrepancy with the interpretation of Hooper and Goodenough (2010) [10] is different (as compared to the previous works) spectrum of the point source at the Galactic Center assumed by Hooper and Goodenough (2010) [10]. We discuss possible reasons for such an interpretation.     

纳秒级时间分辨光谱诊断系统及其辐射防护

强流电子束二极管是强脉冲辐射环境模拟装置和高功率微波技术中的重要研究方向,通过时间分辨光谱诊断研究阴极等离子体的特性是分析强流脉冲电子束二极管工作性能的可靠方法之一。介绍了具有纳秒级时间分辨能力的光谱诊断系统及其工作原理、系统组成和性能参数,并阐述了低抖动同步触发系统的实现方法和时序关系。同时,针对强脉冲辐射模拟装置产生的强脉冲电磁辐射和强X、γ射线辐射对光谱诊断系统造成严重干扰的情况,设计了电磁屏蔽室和铅屏蔽室对诊断系统进行保护。对黄铜阴极的等离子体进行时间分辨光谱测量,实验结果表明,随着二极管脉冲电压和电流的上升,参与形成阴极等离子体的元素和物质成分明显增多。该光谱诊断系统的时间分辨能力为10 ns,最小可达2 ns,同步触发系统的抖动小于4.0 ns,为深入研究二极管的阴极发射机理开辟了新的技术途径。     

A Detailed Study of Pre-scission γ Emission as a Probe of Nuclear Dissipation

Using a Langevin equation coupled with a statistical model, we calculate pre-scission giant dipole resonance （GDR） γ-ray multiplicity of nuclei 194 pb, 200Pb, 206Pb, and 200 Os. It is demonstrated that with increasing the isospin asymmetry of these fissioning nuclei the sensitivity of the emitted γ multiplicity to the nuclear viscosity coefficient is decreased significantly. For 200Os nuc/eus, this γ-ray emission is no longer sensitive to the magnitude of the viscosity coefficient. In addition, the effect of the isospin asymmetry on the γ rays as a probe of nuclear dissipation is reduced with increasing angular momentum. These results suggest that to obtain a more accurate information of the viscosity coemfficient by the measurement of pre-scission GDR γ-ray multiplicity it is better to choose those compound systems with small isospin asymmetry and low spin.     

The High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory

The High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory is a large field of view, continuously operated, TeV γ-ray experiment under construction at 4,100 m a.s.l. in Mexico. The HAWC observatory will have an order of magnitude better sensitivity, angular resolution, and background rejection than its predecessor, the Milagro experiment. The improved performance will allow us to detect both the transient and steady emissions, to study the Galactic diffuse emission at TeV energies, and to measure or constrain the TeV spectra of GeV γ-ray sources. In addition, HAWC will be the only ground-based instrument capable of detecting prompt emission from γ-ray bursts above 50 GeV. The HAWC observatory will consist of an array of 300 water Cherenkov detectors (WCDs), each with four photomultiplier tubes. This array is currently under construction on the flanks of the Sierra Negra volcano near the city of Puebla, Mexico. The first 30 WCDs (forming an array approximately the size of Milagro) were deployed in Summer 2012, and 100 WCDs will be taking data by May, 2013. We present in this paper the motivation for constructing the HAWC observatory, the status of the deployment, and the first results from the constantly growing array.     

Fully coherent x-ray pulses from a regenerative-amplifier free-electron laser

We propose and analyze a regenerative-amplifier free-electron laser (FEL) to produce fully coherent, hard x-ray pulses. The method makes use of narrow-bandwidth Bragg crystals to form an x-ray feedback loop around a relatively short undulator. Self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) from the leading electron bunch in a bunch train is spectrally filtered by the Bragg reflectors and is brought back to the beginning of the undulator to interact repeatedly with subsequent bunches in the bunch train. The FEL interaction with these short bunches regeneratively amplifies the radiation intensity and broadens its spectrum, allowing for effective transmission of the x rays outside the crystal bandwidth. The spectral brightness of these x-ray pulses is about 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than that from a single-pass SASE FEL.     

Anomalies of neutron and γ-ray emission in light charged particle accompanied fission of 252Cf

Correlations between the neutron and γ-ray emission and the kinetic energy of light charged particles (LCPs), such as protons, deuterons, tritons and alphas, from the fission of ²⁵²Cf were studied in a four parameter experiment. A ⊘ 16 cm × 5 cm liquid scintillator with n-γ discrimination and a ⊘ 10 cm × 10 cm NaI(Tl) crystal were employed to detect the neutrons and the γ rays, respectively, while a thin CsI(Tl) crystal, which had the ability to separate the LCPs, was used to determine the LCP energy. The experimental results show that for the α particle accompanied fission, the average total number of neutrons emitted per fission increases in the case of varying the alpha particle energy E_α from 7 to 11 MeV and then falls off linearly in a first approximation with increasing E_α, and the average total energy and the average total number of γ-rays per fission as well as the average γ-ray energy as functions of E_α show similar correlation features. For the hydrogen-ion accompanied fission, the correlations of the neutron and γ-ray emission with hydrogen ion (t, d and p) energy are very similar to those for the alpha-particle accompanied fission. The correlations of the neutron and γ-ray emission in the low LCP energy region, in contrast to that observed in the high LCP energy range, are called anomalies. On the basis of the results obtained by the three-point charge model and the liquid drop model calculation with shell and pairing correction, the anomalous behavior of the neutron and γ-ray emission is explained tentatively.     

Behaviour of Prompt Gamma-Ray Emission in ColdFission of 252Cf

The behaviour of prompt γ-ray emission in the cold fission of ²⁵²Cf was investigated experimentally using a four-parameter correlation technique. A twin gridded ionization chamber was employed to detect the fission signals and to determine the fragment emission angles, and a φ10cm×10cm NaI(T1) detector was used to record the γ-ray energies. The result shows that the angular distribution coefficient of γ-rays emitted in cold fission is twice as large as that in the normal fission.The fact that in the cold fission the number of γ-rays emitted from the light fragments is approximately three times as large as that from the heavy ones can not be explained satisfactorily so far.