The Nature of a Cosmic-Ray Accelerator, CTB37 B, Observed with Suzaku and Chandra

We report on Suzaku and Chandra observations of the young supernova remnant CTB37B, from which TeV gamma-rays were detected by the H.E.S.S. Cherenkov telescope. The 80 ks Suzaku observation provided us with a clear image of diffuse emission and high-quality spectra. The spectra revealed that the diffuse emission is comprised of thermal and non-thermal components. The thermal component can be represented by an NEI model with a temperature, a pre-shock electron density and an age of 0.9(0.7-1.1) keV, 0.4(0.3-0.5) cm^{-3} and 650(350-3150) yr, respectively. This suggests that the explosion of CTB37B occurred in a low-density space. A non-thermal power-law component was found from the southern region of CTB37B. Its photon index of ~1.5 and a high roll-off energy (>15 keV) indicate efficient cosmic-ray acceleration. A comparison of this X-ray spectrum with the TeV gamma-ray spectrum leads us to conclude that the TeV gamma-ray emission seems to be powered by either multi-zone Inverse Compton scattering or the decay of neutral pions. The point source resolved by Chandra near the shell is probably associated with CTB37B, because of the common hydrogen column density with the diffuse thermal emission. Spectral and temporal characteristics suggest that this source is a new anomalous X-ray pulsar.

The Suzaku Observations of SS Cygni in Quiescence and Outburst

We present results from the Suzaku observations of the dwarf nova SS Cyg in quiescence and outburst in 2005 November. Owing to high sensitivity of the HXD PIN detector and high spectral resolution of the XIS, we have determined parameters of the plasma with unprecedented precision. The maximum temperature of the plasma in quiescence 20.4 +4.0-2.6 (stat.) +/- 3.0 (sys.) keV is significantly higher than that in outburst 6.0 +0.2-1.3 keV. The elemental abundances are close to the solar ones for the medium-Z elements (Si, S, Ar) whereas they decline both in lighter and heavier elements. Those of oxygen and iron are 0.46 and 0.37 solar, respectively. That of carbon is exceptionally high and 2 solar at least. The solid angle of the reflector subtending over the optically thin thermal plasma is Omega/2pi = 1.7+/-0.2 (stat.) +/-0.1 (sys.) in quiescence. A 6.4 keV iron Ka line is resolved into a narrow and broad components. These facts indicate that both the white dwarf and the accretion disk contribute to the continuum reflection and the 6.4 keV iron Ka line. We consider the standard optically thin boundary layer as the most plausible picture for the plasma configuration in quiescence. The solid angle of the reflector in outburst Omega/2pi = 0.9 +0.5-0.4 and a broad 6.4 keV iron line indicates that the reflection in outburst originates from the accretion disk and an equatorial accretion belt. From the energy width of the 6.4 keV line, we consider the optically thin thermal plasma in outburst as being distributed on the accretion disk like solar coronae.

Chandra HETG line spectroscopy of the Non-magnetic Cataclysmic Variable SS Cyg

We present {it Chandra} HETG observations of SS Cygni in quiescence and outburst. The spectra are characterized by He-like and H-like Ka emission lines from O to Fe, as well as L-shell emission lines from Fe. In quiescence, the spectra are dominated by the H-like Ka lines, whereas in outburst the He-like lines are as intense as the H-like lines. In outburst, the H-like Ka lines from O to Si are broad, with widths of 4--14 eV in Gaussian $sigma$ (1800--2300$ {rm km s^{-1}}$). The large line widths, together with line profiles, indicate that the line-emitting plasma is associated with the Keplerian disk and still retains the azimuthal bulk motion. In quiescence, the emission lines are narrower, with a Gaussian $sigma$ of 1--3 eV (420--620$ {rm km s^{-1}}$). A slightly larger velocity for lighter elements suggests that the lines in quiescence are emitted from an ionizing plasma at the entrance of the boundary layer, where the bulk motion of the optically thick accretion disk is converted into heat due to friction. Using the line intensity ratio of He-like and H-like Ka lines for each element, we have also investigated the temperature distribution in the boundary layer both in quiescence and outburst. The distribution of SS Cyg is found to be consistent with other dwarf novae investigated systematically with {it ASCA} data.

Suzaku Discovery of Hard X-ray Pulsations from the Rotating Magnetized White Dwarf, AE Aquarii

The fast rotating magnetized white dwarf, AE Aquarii, was observed with Suzaku, in October 2005 and October 2006 with exposures of 53.1 and 42.4 ks, respectively. In addition to clear spin modulation in the 0.5--10 keV band of the XIS data at the barycentric period of 33.0769 pm 0.0001 s, the 10--30 keV HXD data in the second half of the 2005 observation also showed statistically significant periodic signals at a consistent period. On that occasion, the spin-folded HXD light curve exhibited two sharp spikes separated by about 0.2 cycles in phase, in contrast to approximately sinusoidal profiles observed in energies below about 4 keV. The folded 4--10 keV XIS light curves are understood as a superposition of those two types of pulse profiles. The phase averaged 1.5--10 keV spectra can be reproduced by two thermal components with temperatures of $2.90_{-0.16}^{+0.20}$ keV and $0.53_{-0.13}^{+0.14}$ keV, but the 12-25 keV HXD data show a significant excess above the extrapolated model. This excess can be explained by either a power-law model with photon index of $1.12_{-0.62}^{+0.63}$ or a third thermal component with a temperature of $54_{-47}^{+26}$ keV. At a distance of 102 pc, the 4--30 keV luminosities of the thermal and the additional components become $1.7_{-0.6}^{+1.3}$ and $5.3_{-0.3}^{+15.3} times 10^{29}$ erg s$^{-1}$, respectively. The latter corresponds to 0.09% of the spin down energy of the object. Possible emission mechanisms of the hard pulsations are discussed, including in particular non-thermal ones.