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Arnaud, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Arnaud, M..

Euclid I. Overview of the Euclid mission

The current standard model of cosmology successfully describes a variety of measurements, but the nature of its main ingredients, dark matter and dark energy, remains unknown. Euclid is a medium-class mission in the Cosmic Vision 2015–2025 programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) that will provide high-resolution optical imaging, as well as near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy, over about 14 000 deg 2 of extragalactic sky. In addition to accurate weak lensing and clustering measurements that probe structure formation over half of the age of the Universe, its primary probes for cosmology, these exquisite data will enable a wide range of science. This paper provides a high-level overview of the mission, summarising the survey characteristics, the various data-processing steps, and data products. We also highlight the main science objectives and expected performance.

cosmology↗

The PSZ-MCMF catalogue of Planck clusters over the DES region

ABSTRACT We present the first systematic follow-up of Planck Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect (SZE) selected candidates down to signal-to-noise (S/N) of 3 over the 5000 deg2 covered by the Dark Energy Survey. Using the MCMF cluster confirmation algorithm, we identify optical counterparts, determine photometric redshifts, and richnesses and assign a parameter, fcont, that reflects the probability that each SZE-optical pairing represents a random superposition of physically unassociated systems rather than a real cluster. The new PSZ-MCMF cluster catalogue consists of 853 MCMF confirmed clusters and has a purity of 90 per cent. We present the properties of subsamples of the PSZ-MCMF catalogue that have purities ranging from 90 per cent to 97.5 per cent, depending on the adopted fcont threshold. Halo mass estimates M500, redshifts, richnesses, and optical centres are presented for all PSZ-MCMF clusters. The PSZ-MCMF catalogue adds 589 previously unknown Planck identified clusters over the DES footprint and provides redshifts for an additional 50 previously published Planck-selected clusters with S/N>4.5. Using the subsample with spectroscopic redshifts, we demonstrate excellent cluster photo-z performance with an RMS scatter in Δz/(1 + z) of 0.47 per cent. Our MCMF based analysis allows us to infer the contamination fraction of the initial S/N>3 Planck-selected candidate list, which is ∼50 per cent. We present a method of estimating the completeness of the PSZ-MCMF cluster sample. In comparison to the previously published Planck cluster catalogues, this new S/N>3 MCMF confirmed cluster catalogue populates the lower mass regime at all redshifts and includes clusters up to z∼1.3.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multi-probe analysis of the galaxy cluster CL J1226.9+3332: Hydrostatic mass and hydrostatic-to-lensing bias

The precise estimation of the mass of galaxy clusters is a major issue for cosmology. Large galaxy cluster surveys rely on scaling laws that relate cluster observables to their masses. From the high-resolution observations of ~45 galaxy clusters with the NIKA2 and XMM-Newton instruments, the NIKA2 Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Large Program should provide an accurate scaling relation between the thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect and the hydrostatic mass. In this paper we present an exhaustive analysis of the hydrostatic mass of the well-known galaxy cluster CL J1226.9+3332, the highest-redshift cluster in the NIKA2 Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Large Program at z = 0.89. We combined the NIKA2 observations with thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich data from the NIKA, Bolocam, and MUSTANG instruments and XMM-Newton X-ray observations, and tested the impact of the systematic effects on the mass reconstruction. We conclude that slight differences in the shape of the mass profile can be crucial when defining the integrated mass at R 500 , which demonstrates the importance of the modelling in the mass determination. We prove the robustness of our hydrostatic mass estimates by showing the agreement with all the results found in the literature. Another key factor for cosmology is the bias of the masses estimated assuming the hydrostatic equilibrium hypothesis. Based on the lensing convergence maps from the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) data, we obtain the lensing mass estimate for CL J1226.9+3332. From this we are able to measure the hydrostatic-to-lensing mass bias for this cluster, which spans from 1–b HSE/lens ~0.7 to 1, presenting the impact of data sets and mass reconstruction models on the bias.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The COSPIX Mission: Focusing on the Energetic and Obscured Universe

Tracing the formation and evolution of all supermassive black holes, including the obscured ones, understanding how black holes influence their surroundings and how matter behaves under extreme conditions, are recognized as key science objectives to be addressed by the next generation of instruments. These are the main goals of the COSPIX proposal, made to ESA in December 2010 in the context of its call for selection of the M3 mission. In addition, COSPIX, will also provide key measurements on the non thermal Universe, particularly in relation to the question of the acceleration of particles, as well as on many other fundamental questions as for example the energetic particle content of clusters of galaxies. COSPIX is proposed as an observatory operating from 0.3 to more than 100 keV. The payload features a single long focal length focusing telescope offering an effective area close to ten times larger than any scheduled focusing mission at 30 keV, an angular resolution better than 20 arcseconds in hard X-rays, and polarimetric capabilities within the same focal plane instrumentation. In this paper, we describe the science objectives of the mission, its baseline design, and its performances, as proposed to ESA.

Ferrando, P.↗

X-Ray Imaging-Spectroscopy of Abell 1835

We present detailed spatially-resolved spectroscopy results of the observation of Abell 1835 using the European Photon Imaging Cameras (EPIC) and the Reflection Grating Spectrometers (RGS) on the XMM-Newton observatory. Abell 1835 is a luminous (10(exp 46)ergs/s), medium redshift (z = 0.2523), X-ray emitting cluster of galaxies. The observations support the interpretation that large amounts of cool gas are present in a multi-phase medium surrounded by a hot (kT(sub e) = 8.2 keV) outer envelope. We detect O VIII Ly(alpha) and two Fe XXIV complexes in the RGS spectrum. The emission measure of the cool gas below kT(sub e) = 2.7 keV is much lower than expected from standard cooling-flow models, suggesting either a more complicated cooling process than simple isobaric radiative cooling or differential cold absorption of the cooler gas.

Peterson, J. R.↗

Iron ionization and recombination rates and ionization equilibrium

In the past few years important progress has been made on the knowledge of ionization and recombination rates of iron, an astrophysically abundant heavy element and a major impurity in laboratory fusion devices. We make a critical review of the existing data on ionization and dielectronic recombination and present new computations of radiative recombination rate coefficients of Fe(+14) through Fe(+25) using the photoionization cross sections of Clark et al. (1986). We provide analytical fits to the recommended data (direct ionization and excitation-autoionization cross sections; radiative and dielectronic recombination rate coefficients). Finally we determine the iron ionic fractions at ionization equilibrium and compare them with previous computations as well as with observational data.

Arnaud, M.↗

A2163 - An exceptionally hot cluster of galaxies

The X-ray spectrum of the distant galaxy cluster A2163 was measured in the energy range 1-18 keV with the Ginga satellite. A combined analysis of these data with data previously obtained with the Einstein Observatory is presented. The mean temperature and X-ray luminosity derived are exceptionally high compared to other clusters: kT = 12.9 keV, L(x) (2-10 keV) = 3.5 x 10 exp 45 ergs/s for z = 0.15, as are the gas mass (6.7 x 10 exp 14 solar mass) and binding mass (25 x 10 exp 14 solar mass). The very existence of such a cluster can provide interesting constraints on the relative distribution of 'visible' mass and dark matter, an important parameter in cold dark matter models for formation of structure in the universe.

Arnaud, M.↗

Non Equilibrium Ionization in the Local Hot Bubble

The existence of a local hot bubble surrounding the solar system was shown by soft X-ray surveys. The spectrum of this hot interstellar medium was measured with solid state detectors during rocket flights between 300 and 1000 eV. The good resolution of the experiment permitted to measure C V, C VI and O VII line emissivities with good accuracy. These data are used to put some constraints on a model where the emission comes from a supernova remnant expanding in a finite pressure medium. The importance of nonequilibrium ionization phenomena is shown.

Arnaud, M.↗

Spectral observations of the soft X-ray background with solid-state detectors - Evidence for line emissions

The soft X-ray radiation from several regions of the sky was observed with solid-state detectors Si(Li) between 0.3 and 1.2 keV during two rocket flights. The thermal nature of the diffuse emission coming from the hot bubble surrounding the solar system is confirmed by the observation of C V-C VI and O VII lines which are typical of a temperature of about 10 to the 6th K. Evidence for the existence of a weak component at a higher temperature is given. This component, well visible in the high latitude spectra, could be produced by a hot galactic halo. In the direction of the enhancement region centered on the North Polar Spur, the radiation excess spectra are well represented by a two-temperature plasma model with rather standard abundances. The two components have temperatures of 10 to the 6th and 4.7 x 10 to the 6th K.

Rocchia, R.↗

Spectral observation of the soft X-ray background and of the North Polar Spur with solid state spectrometers

Soft X-ray diffuse background observations in the 0.3-1.5 keV interval of two sky regions, near the north galactic pole and the North Polar Spur (NPS) are reported. Data were taken with a solid-state spectrometer carried by a rocket. The near-polar region exhibited O VII ion emissions at 530 eV. A second component was not identified but was attributed to the Galactic Halo. Fe XVIII, Ne IX, and O VIII contributions were detected in the NPS, along with an enhancement at 1.35 keV from Mg XI lines. A two-temperature contour was fit to the spectra and chi-square confidence levels of 90 and 68 percent were obtained.

Rocchia, R.↗