Sneutrinos from Cygnus X-3?

The possibility that the underground muons arriving from Cygnus X-3 are due to a flux of sneutrinos is analyzed. Crude approximations show that the muons can be due to a resonance production of light charged gauginos produced in sneutrino-electron collisions.     

Cygnus X-3: Six years of observations atE0≥50 TeV from the Plateau Rosa array

Summary Cygnus X-3 has been observed from 1982 to 1987 at primary energyE ₀≃10¹⁴ eV from the Plateau Rosa array. The absolute excess in the counting rate from the source region amounts to 0.15%, mostly concentrated in 1982 and 1986. The effect is observed in two classes of events although with small significance (2 and 1.4 s.d.). The 1986 data are consistent with observations of other arrays. The study of the 4.8 h time periodicity over a long observation time does not show any significant structure (2.5 s.d. excess at phase 0.2÷0.5). In 1982 and 1986 the light curves show respectively a wide excess between phases 0.60 and 0.85 and a 2.7 s.d. excess at phase 0.2÷0.25. The analysis of daily excesses from the source shows a good agreement with the expectations from pure statistical fluctuations, and no significant evidence of burst activity. To speed up publication, the proofs were not sent to the authors and were supervised by the Scientific Committee.     

Radiation from Cygnus X-3 and the related muon puzzle—An explanation

Summary In recent times there have been widespread speculations and claims among the cosmic-ray as well as high-energy physicists about the detection of some ?signatures? for the formation of what one calls the quark-gluon plasma states in the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray collisions involving heavy nuclei. Furthermore, there are reportedly some hints to the detection of such states in laboratory experiments as well. We have collected here what are, in general, believed to be the diagnostics for such quark-gluon plasma states and have also provided alternative explanations for all the relevant observations at laboratory energies and cosmic-ray energies. Thus the obvious conclusion is: the evidences claimed so far are neither unique and decisive nor are very substantial, tenable and conclusive, as one can understand them almost completely from an altogether different theoretical framework.

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Riassunto In tempi recenti vi sono state diffuse ipotesi ed affermazioni tra i fisici che si occupano dei raggi cosmici e dell'alta energia sulla scoperta di alcune ?impronte? per la formazione di quelli che si chiamano stati di plasma tra quark e gluoni in collisioni di raggi cosmici ad energia ultra alta che coinvolgono nuclei pesanti. Inoltre vi sono alcuni indizi a quanto viene riferito per la rivelazioni di questi stati anche negli esperimenti di laboratorio. Qui abbiamo raccolto quella che è in generale ritenuta la diagnostica per questi stati di plasma fra quark e gluoni ed abbiamo inoltre fornito spiegazioni alternative per tutte le osservazioni relative ad energie di laboratorio ed energie di raggi cosmici. Cosí la conclusione ovvia è: le prove non si sono dimostrate né uniche e decisive, né importanti, sostenibili e conclusive, come le si può ritenere quasi completamente da un modello teorico completamente diverso.

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Резюме В последнее время в физике космических лучей и физике высоких энергий интенсивно обсуждается вопрос детектирования некоторых ?сигнатур? для образования так называемых состояний кварк-глюонной плазмы при соударениях космических частиц ультравысоких энергий, включая тяжелые ядра. Более того, были также публикации о предлагаемом детектировании таких состояний в лабораторных экспериментах. В этой работе анализируется диагностика таких состояний кварк-глюонной плазмы, а также предлагаются альтернативные объяснения всех имеющихся наблюдений при лабораторных и космических энергиях. На основе анализа делается очевидный вывод: данные наблюденй пока не являются достаточными, чтобы их можно было бы понять из полностью друтих теоретических подходов.

     

A plausible explanation for muon events due to radiation from Cygnus X-3

The muon events produced at Soudan-I and NUSEX proton decay detectors due to radiation from Cygnus X-3 are given a plausible explanation on the basis ofE ₆ GUT. The possibility of verifying the explanation by using the accelerator experiments is suggested.     

Hard X-ray lags of Cygnus X-1 on short timescales

Calculating the time lags over different timescales using the cross-correlation technique may lead to a biased estimate of small timescales. Given a timescale for lightcurve binning, we propose to subtract the local average instead of the global average during the cross-correlation, in order to filter variations on timescales larger than the bin size. The new method allows us to make an unbiased estimate of the time lags using RXTE/PCA data on timescales as small as ∼5 ms, where the Fourier technique becomes invalid. We calculate the time lag spectra of Cygnus X-1 at different spectral states with the new method, and find that the source appears to have similar X-ray lags on small timescales independent of its spectral states.

     

Cygnus X-3 observation in gamma-ray energy range >1014 eV

Summary We present experimental data on observations of Cygnus X-3 using an air shower array. The angular resolution of the array is of the order of 1 degree and the median energy of showers isE ₀≿10¹⁴ eV. During one year of observation there was no absolute excess of the number of showers from the source region and a small peak at the phase plot has only limited statistical significance. The value of UHE gammaray flux (if there exists any) seems to be in contradiction with values previously reported by Kiel and Haverah Park groups. We have analysed separately a sample of experimental data covering the short period in October 1985, when a radioburst from Cygnus X-3 was observed. Considerable excess of showers from the source was found in this sample: it lasted for three days with the maximal effect (40% excess) in the first one, 14th of October 1985.

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Riassunto Presentiamo i risultati sperimentali di osservazioni di Cygnus X-3 condotte mediante un apparato sciami. La risoluzione angolare dell'apparato è dell'ordine di 1 grado e l'energia mediana degli eventiE ₀≿10¹⁴ eV. Durante un anno di osservazioni non si è rivelato alcun eccesso assoluto di conteggi dalla regione della sorgente; un debole picco nel diagramma di fase ha una limitata significatività statistica. Il limite superiore al flusso di raggi gamma di altissima energia sembra essere in contraddizione con i valori riportati dai gruppi di Kiel ed Haverah Park. Abbiamo analizzato separatamente i dati dell'Ottobre 1985 in coincidenza con il burst osservato da Cygnus X-3 a frequenze radio. Si è trovato, in questo campione, un notevole eccesso di conteggi dalla sorgente della durata di tre giorni, il massimo effetto (40%) è osservato il 14 ottobre 1985.

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Резюме Мы приводим эксперементальные данные наблюдений излучения Лебедь X-3, использыя антенную решетку для детектирования атмосферных ливней. Угловое разрешение антенной решетки имеет порядок одного градуса, а медианная энергия ливней составляетE≿10¹⁵ эВ. В течение одного года наблюдений не было обнаружено абсолютного увеличения числа ливней из области источника, а небольшой пик на фазовой диаграмме имеет только ограниченную статистическую значимость. Верхний предел потока гамма-лучей сверхвысоких энергий, по-видимому, находится в противоречии с ранее опубликованными величннами. Мы анализируем отдельно выборку экспериментальных данных, полученных в течение короткого периода октября 1985, когда наблюдалаць радиовспышка из Лебедя X-3. В этой выборке обнаружен значительный избытол ливней из источнка в течение трех дней, причем максимальный эффект (40%) наблюдался 14 октября.