Examinando por Autor "Miniutti, Giovanni"

Mostrando 1 - 10 de 10

Acceso Abierto
A broadband X-ray view of the NLSy1 1E 0754.6+3928
(EDP Sciences, 2020-02-28) Middei, R.; Tombesi, F.; Vagnetti, F.; Serafinelli, R.; Bianchi, S.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Marinucci, A.; Matzeu, G. A.; Petrucci, P. O.; Ursini, F.; Zaino, A.; Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI); Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF); European Space Agency (ESA); 0000-0001-9815-9092; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Context. The soft X-ray band of many active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is affected by obscuration due to partially ionised matter crossing our line of sight. In this context, two past XMM-Newton observations that were six months apart and a simultaneous NuSTAR-Swift exposure of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1E 0754.6+3928, which was approximately eight years later, revealed an intense and variable warm absorber (WA) and hints of additional absorbers in the Fe K alpha band.Aims. We aim to provide the first X-ray characterisation of this AGN by discussing its broadband (0.3-79 keV) spectrum and temporal properties.Methods. We conduct a temporal and spectroscopic analysis on two similar to 10 ks (net exposure) XMM-Newton snapshots performed in April and October 2006. We also study the high energy behaviour of 1E 0754.6+3928 and model its broadband spectrum by using simultaneous Swift-NuSTAR data. Both phenomenological and physically motivated models are tested.Results. We find the presence of flux variability of similar to 150% and 30% for 0.3-2 and 2-10 keV bands, respectively, and spectral changes at months timescales of Delta Gamma similar to 0.4. A reflection component that is consistent with being constant over years and arising from relatively cold material that is far from the central super massive black hole is detected. The main spectral feature shaping the 1E 0754.6+3928 spectrum is a WA. Such a component is persistent over the years and the variability of its ionisation and column density is observed down on months in the ranges 3x10(22)cm(-2)less than or similar to N-H less than or similar to 7.2x10(22)cm(-2) and 1.5 less than or similar to log (xi/erg s(-1) cm) less than or similar to 2.1. Despite the short exposures, we find possible evidence of two additional high-ionisation and high-velocity outflow components in absorption.Conclusions. Our analysis suggests the existence of a complex system of absorbers in 1E 0754.6+3928. Longer exposures are required in order to characterise, on more solid grounds, the absorbers in this AGN.
Restringido
A dynamic black hole corona in an active galaxy through X-ray reverberation mapping
(Springer Nature Research Journals, 2020-01-20) Alston, W. N.; Fabian, A. C.; Kara, E.; Parker, M. L.; Dovciak, M.; Pinto, Ciro; Jiang, J.; Middleton, M. J.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Walton, D. J.; Wilkins, D. R.; Buisson, D. J.; Caballero García, M. D.; Cackett, E. M.; De Marco, B.; Gallo, L. C.; Lohfink, A. M.; Reynolds, C. S.; Uttley, P.; Young, A. J.; Zogbhi, A.; European Research Council (ERC); Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); European Space Agency (ESA); European Commission (EC); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); 0000-0003-2658-6559; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
X-ray reverberation echoes are assumed to be produced in the strongly distorted spacetime around accreting supermassive black holes. This signal allows us to spatially map the geometry of the inner accretion flow1,2—a region that cannot yet be spatially resolved by any telescope—and provides a direct measure of the black hole mass and spin. The reverberation timescale is set by the light travel path between the direct emission from a hot X-ray corona and the reprocessed emission from the inner edge of the accretion disk3,4,5,6. However, there is an inherent degeneracy in the reverberation signal between black hole mass, inner disk radius and height of the illuminating corona above the disk. Here we use a long X-ray observation of the highly variable active galaxy IRAS 13224−3809 to track the reverberation signal as the system evolves on timescales of a day7,8. With the inclusion of all the relativistic effects, modelling reveals that the height of the X-ray corona increases with increasing luminosity, providing a dynamic view of the inner accretion region. This simultaneous modelling allows us to break the inherent degeneracies and obtain an independent timing-based estimate for the mass and spin of the black hole. The uncertainty on black hole mass is comparable to the leading optical reverberation method9, making X-ray reverberation a powerful technique, particularly for sources with low optical variability10.
Restringido
Accretion in strong field gravity with eXTP
(Springer Link, 2018-12-07) De Rosa, A.; Uttley, P.; Gou, L.; Liu, Y.; Bambi, C.; Barret, Didier; Belloni, T.; Berti, E.; Bianchi, S.; Caiazzo, I.; Casella, P.; Baykal, A.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Bombaci, I.; Bucciantini, N.; Capitanio, F.; Ciolfi, R.; Cui, W. K.; D´Ammando, F.; Dauser, Thomas; Del Santo, M.; De Marco, B.; Di Salvo, T.; Done, C.; Dovciak, M.; Fabian, A. C.; Falanga, M.; Gambino, A. F.; Gendre, B.; Grinberg, V.; Heger, A.; Homan, J.; Iaria, R.; Jiang, J.; Jin, C. C.; Koerding, E.; Linares, M.; Liu, Z.; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Malzac, J.; Manousakis, A.; Marin, F.; Marinucci, A.; Mehdipour, M.; Méndez, M.; Migliari, S.; Miller, C.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Nardini, E.; O´Brien, P. T.; Osborne, Julian P.; Petrucci, P. O.; Possenti, A.; Riggio, A.; Rodríguez, Jerome; Sanna, A.; Shao, L. J.; Sobolewska, M.; Sramkova, E.; Stevens, A. L.; Stiele, H.; Stratta, G.; Stuchlik, Z.; Svoboda, J.; Tamburini, F.; Tauris, T. M.; Tombesi, F.; Torok, G.; Urbanec, M.; Vicent, F.; Wu, Q. W.; Yuan, F.; Zand, J. J. M.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zhou, X.; Feroci, M.; Ferrari, V.; Gualtieri, L.; Heyl, J.; Ingram, A.; Karas, V.; Lu, F. J.; Luo, B.; Matt, G.; Motta, S. E.; Neilsen, J.; Pani, P.; Santangelo, A.; Shu, X. W.; Wang, J. F.; Wang, J. M.; Xue, Y. Q.; Xu, Y. P.; Yuan, W. M.; Yuan, Y. F.; Zhang, S. N.; Zhang, S.; Agudo, I.; Amati, L.; Andersson, N. A.; Baglio, C.; Bakala, P.; Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF); Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); National Science Centre, Poland (NCN)
In this paper we describe the potential of the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) mission for studies related to accretion flows in the strong field gravity regime around both stellar-mass and supermassive black-holes. eXTP has the unique capability of using advanced “spectral-timing-polarimetry” techniques to analyze the rapid variations with three orthogonal diagnostics of the flow and its geometry, yielding unprecedented insight into the inner accreting regions, the effects of strong field gravity on the material within them and the powerful outflows which are driven by the accretion process. X-spinmeasurements
Restringido
Detection of a possible multiphase ultra-fast outflow in IRAS 13349+2438 with NuSTAR and XMM-Newton.
(Oxford Academics: Blackwell Publishing, 2020-08-25) Parker, M. L.; Matzeu, G. A.; Alston, W. N.; Fabian, A. C.; Lobban, Andrew P.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Pinto, Ciro; Santos Lleó, M.; Schartel, N.; European Space Agency (ESA); 0000-0002-5635-5340; 0000-0003-1994-5322; 0000-0003-2658-6559; 0000-0001-5948-8360; 0000-0003-2532-7379; 0000-0002-9378-4072; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
We present joint NuSTAR and XMM–Newton observations of the bright, variable quasar IRAS 13349+2438. This combined data set shows two clear iron absorption lines at 8 and 9 keV, which are most likely associated with two layers of mildly relativistic blueshifted absorption, with velocities of ∼0.14c and ∼0.27c. We also find strong evidence for a series of Ly α absorption lines at intermediate energies in a stacked XMM–Newton EPIC-pn spectrum, at the same blueshift as the lower velocity iron feature. This is consistent with a scenario where an outflowing wind is radially stratified, so faster, higher ionization material is observed closer to the black hole, and cooler, slower material is seen from streamlines at larger radii.
Acceso Abierto
Estimating the Jet Power of Mrk 231 during the 2017–2018 Flare
(The Institute of Physics (IOP), 2020-03-04) Reynolds, C. S.; Punsly, B.; Miniutti, Giovanni; O´Dea, C. P.; Huerley Walker, N.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Punsly, B. [0000-0002-9448-2527]; Hurley Walker, N. [0000-0002-5119-4808]; Reynolds, C. [0000-0002-8978-0626]; O´Dea, C. [0000-0001-6421-054X]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Long-term 17.6 GHz radio monitoring of the broad absorption-line quasar, Mrk 231, detected a strong flare in late 2017. This triggered four epochs of Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations from 8.4 to 43 GHz over a 10 week period as well as an X-ray observation with NuSTAR. This was the third campaign of VLBA monitoring that we have obtained. The 43 GHz VLBA was degraded in all epochs, with only 7 of 10 antennas available in three epochs and 8 in the first epoch. However, useful results were obtained due to a fortuitous capturing of a complete, short 100 mJy flare at 17.6 GHz, both growth and decay. This provided useful constraints on the physical model of the ejected plasma that were not available in previous campaigns. We consider four classes of models: discrete ejections (both protonic and positronic) and jetted (protonic and positronic). The most viable model is a "dissipative bright knot" in a faint background leptonic jet with an energy flux ~1043 erg s−1. Inverse Compton scattering calculations (based on these models) in the ambient quasar photon field explains the lack of a detectable increase in X-ray luminosity measured by NuSTAR. We show that the core (the bright knot) moves toward a nearby secondary at ≈0.97c. The background jet is much fainter. Evidently, the high-frequency VLBA core does not represent the point of origin of blazar jets, in general, and optical depth "core shift" estimates of jet points of origin can be misleading.
Restringido
Observatory science with eXTP
(Springer Link, 2018-08-30) Zand, J. J. M.; Bozzo, Enrico; Qu, J.; Li, X. D.; Amati, L.; Chen, Y.; Donnarumma, I.; Doroshenko, V.; Drake, S. A.; Hernanz, M.; Jenke, P. A.; Reig, P.; Braga, J.; Lu., F.; Zhou, P.; Campana, R.; Lutovinov, A. A.; Fraschetti, F.; Sakamoto, T.; Mehdipour, M.; Baglio, C.; Chambers, F.; Men, Y.; Galloway, D. K.; Salvaterra, R.; Miller, M. C.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Gambino, A. F.; Santagelo, A.; Neubert, T.; Longo, Francesco; O´Brien, P. T.; Gandhi, P.; Schanne, S.; Pacciani, L.; Liang, E. W.; Ge, M.; Shao, L.; Paul, B.; Kunneriath, D.; Gendre, B.; Shore, Steven; De Martino, D.; Kuiper, L.; Gill, R.; Rossi, E. M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Götz, D.; Wu, X.; Komossa, S.; Gouiffès, C.; Linares, M.; Keek, L.; Malzac, J.; Li, G.; Kawai, N.; McHardy, I.; Kargaltsev, O.; Mikusincova, R.; Kalemci, E.; Nardini, E.; Kaastra, J. S.; Osborne, Julian P.; José, J.; Papadakis, L. E.; Jonker, P. G.; Manousakis, A.; Mignani, R. P.; Nättilä, J.; Orlandini, M.; Paolillo, M.; Peretz, U.; Prescod Weinstein, C.; Rodríguez, Jerome; Rózanska, A.; De Rosa, A.; Vink, J. S.; Wang, J. J.; Wang, J. F.; Watts, A. L.; Weng, S.; Weinberg, N. N.; Wheatley, Peter; Wijnands, R.; Woods, T. E.; Woosley, S. E.; Suleimanov, V. F.; Strohmayer, T. E.; Stappers, B. W.; Shearer, A.; Schatz, H.; Savolainen, T.; Sanna, A.; Salmi, T.; Romano, P.; Riggio, A.; Perinati, E.; Ciolfi, R.; Pellizzoni, A.; Chenevez, J.; Paltani, Stéphane; Tauris, T. M.; Méndez, M.; Pérez Torres, Miguel; Wilms, J.; Svoboda, J.; D´aì, A.; Atteia, J. L.; Motch, C.; Andersson, N. A.; Thielemann, F. K.; D´Ammando, F.; Behar, E.; Mahmoodifar, S.; Belloni, T.; Tombesi, F.; Degenaar, N.; Blay, P.; Zingale, M.; Torres, D. F.; D´Elia, V.; Bucciantini, N.; Zhang, S.; Torresi, E.; Doyle, G.; Campana, S.; Zhang, S. N.; Turriziani, S.; Fan, X.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Vacchi, A.; Malyshev, D.; Zane, S.; Vercellone, S.; Maccarone, Thomas J.; Zampieri, L.; Rowlinson, A.; Zhang, X.; Yuan, F.; Stratta, G.; Yu, W.; Altamirano, D.; Younes, G.; Baykal, A.; Yan, Z.; Bilous, A.; Xu, Y.; Brown, E. F.; Xiong, S. L.; Sala, G.; Agudo, I.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Bianchi, S.; Brandt, S.; Cackett, E. M.; Cavecchi, Y.; Chen, Y. P.; Jin, C. C.; Cumming, A.; Grandi, P.; Granot, J.; Güdel, M.; Heger, A.; Heinke, C. O.; Homan, J.; Iaria, R.; Iwasawa, K.; Izzo, L.; Ji, L.; Feroci, M.; Ferdman, R. D.; Falanga, M.; Di Salvo, T.; Del Santo, M.; De Pasquale, M.; Dai, Z. G.; Constantin, E.; Chernyakova, M.; Chen, L.; Casella, P.; Rodríguez Gil, P.; Burderi, L.; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); European Research Council (ERC); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Royal Society; Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; European Research Council (ERC); National Science Centre, Poland (NCN); Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Instituto de Ciencias del Cosmos (ICCUB), MDM-2014-0369
In this White Paper we present the potential of the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry (eXTP) mission for studies related to Observatory Science targets. These include flaring stars, supernova remnants, accreting white dwarfs, low and high mass X-ray binaries, radio quiet and radio loud active galactic nuclei, tidal disruption events, and gamma-ray bursts. eXTP will be excellently suited to study one common aspect of these objects: their often transient nature. Developed by an international Consortium led by the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science, the eXTP mission is expected to be launched in the mid 2020s.
Acceso Abierto
Rapid late-time X-ray brightening of the tidal disruption event OGLE16aaa
(EDP Sciences, 2020-07-16) Kajava, J. J. E.; Giustini, M.; Saxton, R. D.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Comunidad de Madrid; Kajava, J. J. E. [0000-0002-3010-8333]; Giustini, M. [0000-0002-1329-658X]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu del Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Stars that pass too close to a super-massive black hole may be disrupted by strong tidal forces. OGLE16aaa is one such tidal disruption event (TDE) which rapidly brightened and peaked in the optical/UV bands in early 2016 and subsequently decayed over the rest of the year. OGLE16aaa was detected in an XMM-Newton X-ray observation on June 9, 2016 with a flux slightly below the Swift/XRT upper limits obtained during the optical light curve peak. Between June 16–21, 2016, Swift/XRT also detected OGLE16aaa and based on the stacked spectrum, we could infer that the X-ray luminosity had jumped up by more than a factor of ten in just one week. No brightening signal was seen in the simultaneous optical/UV data to cause the X-ray luminosity to exceed the optical/UV one. A further XMM-Newton observation on November 30, 2016 showed that almost a year after the optical/UV peak, the X-ray emission was still at an elevated level, while the optical/UV flux decay had already leveled off to values comparable to those of the host galaxy. In all X-ray observations, the spectra were nicely modeled with a 50–70 eV thermal component with no intrinsic absorption, with a weak X-ray tail seen only in the November 30 XMM-Newton observation. The late-time X-ray behavior of OGLE16aaa strongly resembles the tidal disruption events ASASSN-15oi and AT2019azh. We were able to pinpoint the time delay between the initial optical TDE onset and the X-ray brightening to 182 ± 5 days, which may possibly represent the timescale between the initial circularization of the disrupted star around the super-massive black hole and the subsequent delayed accretion. Alternatively, the delayed X-ray brightening could be related to a rapid clearing of a thick envelope that covers the central X-ray engine during the first six months.
Acceso Abierto
The athena x-ray integral field unit: a consolidated design for the system requirement review of the preliminary definition phase
(Springer Link, 2022-08-30) Barret, Didier; Albouys, Vincent; Den Herder, Jan-Willem; Piro, Luigi; Cappi, Massimo; Huovelin, Juhani; Kelley, Richard; Mas-Hesse, J. Miguel; Paltani, Stéphane; Rauw, Gregor; Rozanska, Agata; Acero, Fabio; Vera Trallero, Isabel; Grosso, Nicolas; Varnière, Peggy; Genolet, Ludovic; Charles, Ivan; Miniutti, Giovanni; Ullom, Joel; Sato, Kosuke; Bulgarelli, Andrea; Laurent, Philippe; Adami, Christophe; Rigano, Manuela; Langer, Mathieu; Granat, Dolorès; Pinsard, Frederic; Schaye, Joop; Walmsley, Gavin; Woźniak, Grzegorz; Aicardi, Corinne; Perry, James; Dupourqué, Simon; Ledot, Aurélien; Fioretti, Valentina; Surace, Christian; Nicastro, Fabrizio; Sciortino, Salvatore; Jiménez, María; Jolly, Antoine; Bounab, Ayoub; Maussang, Irwin; Smith, Stephen; Clerc, Laurent; Lo Cicero, Ugo; Kiviranta, Mikko; Cavazzuti, Elisabetta; Roelfsema, Peter; Roig, Anton; Medinaceli Villegas, Eduardo; Lesrel, Jean; Boyce, Kevin; Dupieux, Michel; Durkin, Malcom; Argan, Andrea; Pascale, Ramon; Eckert, Dominique; Soucek, Jan; Kammoun, Elias; Bonny, Patrick; Yamaguchi, Hiroya; Auricchio, Natalia; Beaumont, Sophie; Ettori, Stefano; Cucchetti, Edoardo; Pointecouteau, Etienne; Akamatsu, Hiroki; Vidriales, María; Lotti, Simone; Calarco, Simona; Zuchniak, Monika; Merino Alonso, Pablo Eleazar; Kreykenbohm, Ingo; Wakeham, Nicholas; Soto Aguilar, Javier; Vink, Jacco; De Wit, Martin; Silva, Vitor; Kaastra, Jelle; Den Hartog, Roland; Taralli, Emanuele; Clerc, Nicolas; Coleiro, Alexis; Van Leeuwen, Bert-Joost; Guignard, Nicolas; Torrioli, Guido; Ubertini, Pietro; Bernard, Vivian; Miller, Jon; Eiriz, Valvanera; Boreux, Charles; Poyatos Martinez, David; Pratt, Gabriel W.; Molin, Alexeï; Minervini, Gabriele; Le Mer, Isabelle; De Vries, Cor; Yamasaki, Noriko; Goldwurm, Andrea; Coynel, Alexandre; Van Loon, Dennis; Dadina, Mauro; Prouvé, Thomas; Brachet, Frank; Porter, Frederick; Spizzi, Pierre; Jourdan, Thierry; Massonet, Didier; Lyautey, Bertrand; Sciortino, Luisa; Pinto, Ciro; Vibert, Laurent; Simionescu, Aurora; Boutelier, Martin; Roncarelli, Mauro; Julien, Sabine; González, Raoul; Maffei, Bruno; Todaro, Michela; Balado, A.; Ferrando, Philippe; Atienza, R.; Schwander, Denis; Millerioux, Jean-Pierre; Godet, Olivier; Sanisidro, Julien; Bancel, Florian; Vaccaro, Davide; Webb, Natalie; Camus, Thierry; Coriat, Mickael; Carron, Jérôme; Piconcelli, Enrico; Puccetti, Simonetta; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Mineo, Teresa; Jaubert, Jean; D'Ai, Antonino; Adam, Thomas; Frericks, Martin; Costantini, Elisa; Janiuk, Agnieszka; Cobo, Beatriz; Ghizzardi, Simona; Gatti, Flavio; Molendi, Silvano; Wise, Michael; Bandler, Simon; Torrejón, José Miguel; Kedziora, Bartosz; Dauser, Thomas; Prêle, Damien; Duband, Lionel; Terrier, Régis; Pajot, François; Daniel, Christophe; Ferrari Barusso, Lorenzo; Mot, Baptiste; Vodopivec, Boris Martin; Giovannini, Elisa; DeNigris, Natalie; Encinas Plaza, José Miguel; Van der Kuur, Jan; González, Manuel; Amato, Roberta; Geoffray, Hervé; Dercksen, Johannes; Pradines, Alice; Rollet, Bertrand; Dubbeldam, Luc; Terrasa, Guilhem; Alcacera Gil, María Ángeles; Maisonnave, Océane; DiPirro, Michael; Monestes, David; Laurenza, Monica; Boorman, Peter; Bozzo, Enrico; Capobianco, Vito; Parot, Yann; D'Andrea, Matteo; Korb, Andrew; Nagayoshi, Kenichiro; Roudil, Gilles; Doumayrou, Eric; Gao, Jian-Rong; Luminari, Alfredo; Khosropanah, Pourya; Gloaguen, Emilie; Branduardi Raymont, Graziella; Peille, Philippe; Gabici, Stefano; Eckart, Megan; Franssen, Philippe; Shinozaki, Keisuke; Gonzalo Melchor, Alejandro; Ptak, Andy; Chervenak, James; Michalski, Lea; Castellani, Florent; Cuttaia, Francesco; Thibert, Tanguy; Hieltjes, Paul; Hurtado, Adolfo Jesus; Fossecave, Hervé; Irwin, Kent; Adams, Joseph; Attard, Anthony; Etcheverry, Christophe; Rioland, Guillaume; Natalucci, Lorenzo; Finoguenov, Alexis; Jacquey, Christian; Barbera, Marco; Barcons, Xavier; Varisco , Salvatore; Mendez, Mariano; Ercolani, Eric; Fernández Sánchez, Miguel; Gastaldello, Fabio; Uslenghi, Michela; Angelinelli, Matteo; Jacques, Lionel; Villa, Fabrizio; Lorenz, Maximilian; Mesnager, Jean-Michel; Durand, Jean Louis; Sakai, Kazuhiro; Decourchelle, Anne; Martin, Sylvain; Berrocal, A.; Finkbeiner, Fred; Wilms, Joern; Reina, M.; Rudnicki, Tomasz; Doriese, William; Nazé, Yaël; Abdoelkariem, Shariefa; D'anca, Fabio; Gant, Florent; Van der Hulst, Paul; Mazzotta, Pasquale; Coeur-Joly, Odile; Añón Cancela, M.; Canourgues, Florent; Fiore, Fabrizio; Raulin, Desi; Noguès, Loïc; Hoogeveen, Ruud; Ravera, Laurent; Callanan, Paul; Cheatom, Oscar; André, Jérôme; Sordet, Michael; Brienza, Daniele; Duval, Jean-Marc; Corcione, Leonardo; Fiocchi, Maria Teresa; Pailot, Damien; Panessa, Francesca; Fioretti, Valentina; Van Weers, Henk; Anvar, Shebli; Parodi, Luigi; Petit, Pascal; De Plaa, Jelle; Kirsch, Christian; Macculi, Claudio; Volpe, Angela; Puccio, Elena; Gómez Elvira, J.; Bonnet, François; Marelli, Lorenzo; Murat, David; Audard, Marc; Jackson, Brian; Colonges, Stéphane; Korpela, Seppo; Webb, Natalie; Laudet, Philippe; Chiarello, Fabio; Ligori, Sebastiano; Montinaro, Nicola; Svoboda, Jiri; Bij de Vaate, Jan Geralt; Blin, Sylvie; Jonker, Peter; Bruijn, Marcel; Ceballos, Maria Teresa; Cardiel, Nicolás; Kilbourne, Caroline; Chaoul, Laurence; Gottardi, Luciano; Gros, Michel; Bonino, Donata; Skup, Konrad; Rodriguez, Louis; Fiorini, Mauro; Ardellier, Florence; Bellouard, Elise; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES); Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI); European Space Agency (ESA)
The Athena X-ray Integral Unit (X-IFU) is the high resolution X-ray spectrometer, studied since 2015 for flying in the mid-30s on the Athena space X-ray Observatory, a versatile observatory designed to address the Hot and Energetic Universe science theme, selected in November 2013 by the Survey Science Committee. Based on a large format array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES), it aims to provide spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy, with a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (up to 7 keV) over an hexagonal field of view of 5 arc minutes (equivalent diameter). The X-IFU entered its System Requirement Review (SRR) in June 2022, at about the same time when ESA called for an overall X-IFU redesign (including the X-IFU cryostat and the cooling chain), due to an unanticipated cost overrun of Athena. In this paper, after illustrating the breakthrough capabilities of the X-IFU, we describe the instrument as presented at its SRR, browsing through all the subsystems and associated requirements. We then show the instrument budgets, with a particular emphasis on the anticipated budgets of some of its key performance parameters. Finally we briefly discuss on the ongoing key technology demonstration activities, the calibration and the activities foreseen in the X-IFU Instrument Science Center, and touch on communication and outreach activities, the consortium organisation, and finally on the life cycle assessment of X-IFU aiming at minimising the environmental footprint, associated with the development of the instrument. Thanks to the studies conducted so far on X-IFU, it is expected that along the design-to-cost exercise requested by ESA, the X-IFU will maintain flagship capabilities in spatially resolved high resolution X-ray spectroscopy, enabling most of the original X-IFU related scientific objectives of the Athena mission to be retained.
Acceso Abierto
The WISSH quasars project VII. The impact of extreme radiative field in the accretion disc and X-ray corona interplay
(EDP Sciences, 2020-03-10) Zappacosta, L.; Piconcelli, Enrico; Giustini, M.; Vietri, G.; Duras, F.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Bischetti, M.; Bongiorno, A.; Brusa, M.; Chiaberge, M.; Comastri, A.; Feruglio, C.; Luminari, Alfredo; Marconi, A.; Ricci, C.; Vignali, C.; Fiore, Fabrizio; Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT); Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Comunidad de Madrid; Zappacosta, L. [0000-0002-4205-6884]; Piconcelli, E. [0000-0001-9095-2782]; Guistini, M. [0000-0002-1329-658X]; Vietri, G. [0000-0001-9155-8875]; Miniutti, G. [0000-0003-0707-4531]; Bischetti, M. [0000-0002-4314-021X]; Bongiorno, A. [0000-0002-0101-6624]; Chiaberge, M. [0000-0003-1564-3802]; Comastri, A. [0000-0003-3451-9970]; Luminari, A. [0000-0002-1035-8618]; Marconi, A. [0000-0002-9889-4238]; Ricci, C. [0000-0001-5231-2645]; Vignali, C. [0000-0002-8853-9611]; Fiore, F. [0000-0002-4031-4157]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Hyper-luminous quasars (L-bol & x2004;greater than or similar to & x2004;10(47) erg s(-1)) are ideal laboratories to study the interaction and impact of the extreme radiative field and the most powerful winds in the active galactic nuclei (AGN) nuclear regions. They typically exhibit low coronal X-ray luminosity (L-X) compared to the ultraviolet (UV) and mid-infrared (MIR) radiative outputs (L-UV and L-UV); a non-negligible fraction of them report even similar to 1 dex weaker L-X compared to the prediction of the well established L-X-L-UV and L-X-L-UV relations followed by the bulk of the AGN population. In our WISE/SDSS-selected Hyper-luminous (WISSH) z & x2004;=& x2004;2 - 4 broad-line quasar sample, we report on the discovery of a dependence between the intrinsic 2-10 keV luminosity (L2 - 10) and the blueshifted velocity of the CIV emission line (v(CIV)) that is indicative of accretion disc winds. In particular, sources with the fastest winds (v(CIV) greater than or similar to 3000 km s(-1)) possess similar to 0.5-1 dex lower L2 - 10 than sources with negligible v(CIV). No similar dependence is found on L-UV, L-UV, L-bol, the photon index, or the absorption column density. We interpret these findings in the context of accretion disc wind models. Both magnetohydrodynamic and line-driven models can qualitatively explain the reported relations as a consequence of X-ray shielding from the inner wind regions. In case of line-driven winds, the launch of fast winds is favoured by a reduced X-ray emission, and we speculate that these winds may play a role in directly limiting the coronal hard X-ray production.
Acceso Abierto
X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions from the galactic nucleus of RX J1301.9+2747
(EDP Sciences, 2020-04-09) Giustini, M.; Miniutti, Giovanni; Saxton, R. D.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Comunidad de Madrid; Giustini, M. [0000-0002-1329-658X]; Miniutti, G. [0000-0003-0707-4531]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Following the recent discovery of X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) coming from the nucleus of the galaxy GSN 069, here we report on the detection of QPEs in the active galaxy named RX J1301.9+2747. QPEs are rapid and recurrent increases of the X-ray count-rate by more than one order of magnitude with respect to a stable quiescent level. During a XMM-Newton observation lasting 48 ks that was performed on 30 and 31 May 2019, three strong QPEs lasting about half an hour each were detected in the light curves of RX J1301.9+2747. The first two QPEs are separated by a longer recurrence time (about 20 ks) compared to the second and third (about 13 ks). This pattern is consistent with the alternating long-short recurrence times of the GSN 069 QPEs, although the difference between the consecutive recurrence times is significantly smaller in GSN 069. Longer X-ray observations will better clarify the temporal pattern of the QPEs in RX J1301.9+2747 and will allow a detailed comparison with GSN 069 to be performed. The X-ray spectral properties of QPEs in the two sources are remarkably similar, with QPEs representing fast transitions from a relatively cold and likely disk-dominated state to a state that is characterized by a warmer emission similar to the so-called soft X-ray excess, a component that is almost ubiquitously seen in the X-ray spectra of unobscured, radiatively efficient active galaxies. Previous X-ray observations of RX J1301.9+2747 in 2000 and 2009 strongly suggest that QPEs have been present for at least the past 18.5 yr. The detection of QPEs from a second galactic nucleus after GSN 069 rules out contamination by a Galactic source in both cases, such that QPEs ought to be considered a novel extragalactic phenomenon associated with accreting supermassive black holes.