Related papers: Direct Extragalactic Distance Determination Using …
We present a detailed study of the X-ray dust scattering halo of the black hole candidate \cygx1 based on two \chandra\ HETGS observations. Using 18 different dust models, including one modified by us (dubbed XLNW), we probe the…
While often the point sources in X-ray surveys are dominated by AGN, with the high sensitivity of modern X-ray telescopes such as Chandra and XMM-Newton normal/starburst galaxies are also being detected in large numbers. We have made use of…
The cosmic distance scale largely depends on distance determinations to Local Group galaxies. In this sense, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is a key rung to better constrain the cosmic distance ladder. A project was started in 1999 to firmly…
We report on the X-ray dust-scattering features observed around the afterglow of the gamma ray burst GRB 160623A. With an XMM-Newton observation carried out ~2 days after the burst, we found evidence of at least six rings, with angular size…
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are spectacularly energetic events, with the potential to inform on the early universe and its evolution, once their redshifts are known. Unfortunately, determining redshifts is a painstaking procedure requiring…
Accurate distances are key to obtaining intrinsic properties of astronomical objects such as luminosity or size. Globular clusters (GCs) follow a well-defined relation between their absolute magnitudes and internal stellar velocity…
We show that X-ray reverberation mapping can be used to measure the distance to type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This is because X-ray photons originally emitted from the `corona' close to the black hole irradiate the accretion disc…
We have pioneered a new method for the measurement of extragalactic distances. This method uses the time-lag between variations in the short wavelength and long wavelength light from an active galactic nucleus (AGN), based on a quantitative…
The exquisite angular resolution available with Chandra should allow precision measurements of faint diffuse emission surrounding bright sources, such as the X-ray scattering halos created by interstellar dust. However, the ACIS CCDs suffer…
The recent discoveries of X-ray and optical counterparts for GRBs, and a possible discovery of a host galaxy, implies that a direct measurement of the red-shift of some GRBs host galaxies is eminent. We discuss the implications of such…
We consider the absorption and scattering of X-rays observed from the Galactic center. One objective is to characterize the intrinsic X-ray emission from the central black hole, SgrA*, in its quiescent and flaring states. We correct the…
X-ray studies of nearby spiral galaxies with star formation allow us to investigate temperature and spatial distribution of the hot diffuse plasma, and to carry out individual and statistical studies of different classes of discrete sources…
Cosmological Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) offer a unique perspective to probe the evolution of distant galaxies. We discuss one of the multiple benefits of this approach, i.e. the detection of transient edges in the GRB prompt phase emission.…
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions and can be detectable out to the edge of Universe. It has long been thought they can extend the Hubble diagram to very high redshifts. Several correlations between temporal or…
The study of the interstellar medium (ISM) in the X-rays has entered a golden age with the advent of the X-ray observatories XMM-Newton and Chandra. High-energy resolution allowed to study dust spectroscopic features with unprecedented…
Scattering by interstellar dust grains can produce time variable X-ray halos around gamma-ray bursts (GRB). In particular, an X-ray expanding ring is expected when a short pulse of X-ray radiation is scattered by a narrow layer of dust in…
We discuss the prospects of using Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) as high-redshift distance estimators, and consider their use in the study of two dark energy models, the Generalized Chaplygin Gas (GCG), a model for the unification of dark energy…
Prediction of the soft X-ray absorption along lines of sight through our Galaxy is crucial for understanding the spectra of extragalactic sources, but requires a good estimate of the foreground column density of photoelectric absorbing…
We discuss the prospects of using Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) as high-redshift distance estimators, and consider their use in the study of two dark energy models, the Generalized Chaplygin Gas (GCG), a model for the unification of dark energy…
We propose a new method to use gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) as an alternative probe of the dark energy. By calibrating luminosity-variability and luminosity-lag time relations at low redshift where distance-redshift relations have been already…