X-ray Scattering through the Intergalactic Medium: Time Variability and Ghost Halos
Abstract
Dust grains polluting the intergalactic medium (IGM) have a chance of being detected through the phenomenon of X-ray scattering, which produces a diffuse arcminute-scale halo around bright X-ray point sources. We present follow up work to Corrales & Paerels (2012) by calculating the expected intensity of intergalactic dust scattering halos using the more exact Mie scattering treatment. This adjustment is necessary to check for large 0.1-1 micron sized dust grains that would interfere with the photometry needed for high precision measurements of cosmological constants. Even with the supreme focusing power of Chandra, we find that the dust scattering halo intensity is much dimmer than the Chandra PSF wings. However, scattered light takes a longer path to reach the observer, causing intergalactic scattering halos to be delayed ~10,000 years. I investigate the possibility of detecting a scattering halo around a quasar that has recently become dim, or ghost halos from quasars that are no longer visible.
- Publication:
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AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #14
- Pub Date:
- August 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014HEAD...1410803C