Wang, Daniel

Job Title

Professor, Department of Astronomy

Last Name

Wang

First Name

Daniel

Discipline

Astrophysics and Astronomy

Introduction

Professor Wang is a Professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He received his Ph.D. in Astronomy in 1990 from Columbia University. He was awarded the ASP Robert J. Trumpler Award for Outstanding North American Ph.D Dissertation Research in Astronomy. He was then an Edwin P. Hubble postdoctoral fellow at University of Colorado and later a Lindheimer fellow at Northwestern University. He was also a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, was the Siyuan Visiting Chair Professor at Nanjing University, and recently served on the Galactic Neighborhood Frontier Science Panel of Astro 2010 - the Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics. He will be visiting University of Cambridge as a Raymond and Beverley Sackler Distinguished Visitor. He has published 140+ research papers in refereed journals, including four in Nature as the 1st author; about 50 over the last five years. His publication covers a broad range of topics: quark/neutron stars, pulsars, X-ray binaries, supernova remnants, superbubbles, hot gas in intracluster and intergalactic space as well as in individual galaxies, hydrodynamic simulations of hot gas, and active galactic nuclei. His current research focuses on the hot interstellar and intergalactic media, the feedback and evolution of galaxies, and galactic nuclear regions. He mainly uses infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray observations to conduct these studies. He also carries out theoretical and computational studies with my students and collaborators.

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The XMM-Newton/Chandra monitoring campaign of the Galactic center region
(2006-01) Wijnands, R; in't Zand, JJM; Rupen, M; Maccarone, T; Homan, J; Cornelisse, R; Fender, R; Grindlay, J; van der Klis, M; Kuulkers, E; Markwardt, CB; Miller-Jones, JCA; Wang, QD
We present the first results of our X-ray monitoring campaign on a 1.7 square degree region centered on Sgr A* using the satellites XMM-Newton and Chandra. The purpose of this campaign is to monitor the behavior (below 10 keV) of X-ray sources (both persistent and transient) which are too faint to be detected by monitoring instruments aboard other satellites currently in orbit (e.g., Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer; INTEGRAL). Our first monitoring observations (using the HRC-I aboard Chandra) were obtained on June 5, 2005. Most of the sources detected could be identified with foreground sources, such as X-ray active stars. In addition we detected two persistent X-ray binaries (1E 1743.1-2843; 1A 1742-294), two faint X-ray transients (GRS 1741.9-2853; XMM J174457-2850.3), as well as a possible new transient source at a luminosity of a few times 1034 erg s-1. We report on the X-ray results on these systems and on the non-detection of the transients in follow-up radio data using the Very Large Array. We discuss how our monitoring campaign can help to improve our understanding of the different types of X-ray transients (i.e., the very faint ones).
THE RADIO PROPERTIES AND MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATION IN THE CRAB-LIKE PULSAR WIND NEBULA G54.1+0.3
(2010-01) Lang, CC; Wang, QD; Lu, F; Clubb, KI
We present a multifrequency radio investigation of the Crab-like pulsar wind nebula (PWN) G54.1+0.3 using the Very Large Array. The high resolution of the observations reveals that G54.1+0.3 has a complex radio structure which includes filamentary and loop-like structures that are magnetized, a diffuse extent similar to the associated diffuse X-ray emission. But the radio and X-ray structures in the central region differ strikingly, indicating that they trace very different forms of particle injection from the pulsar and/or particle acceleration in the nebula. No spectral index gradient is detected in the radio emission across the PWN, whereas the X-ray emission softens outward in the nebula. The extensive radio polarization allows us to image in detail the intrinsic magnetic field, which is well-ordered and reveals that a number of loop-like filaments are strongly magnetized. In addition, we determine that there are both radial and toroidal components to the magnetic field structure of the PWN. Strong mid-infrared (IR) emission detected in Spitzer Space Telescope data is closely correlated with the radio emission arising from the southern edge of G54.1+0.3. In particular, the distributions of radio and X-ray emission compared with the mid-IR emission suggest that the PWN may be interacting with this interstellar cloud. This may be the first PWN where we are directly detecting its interplay with an interstellar cloud that has survived the impact of the supernova explosion associated with the pulsar's progenitor.
Chandra Observations of the Galactic Center: High Energy Processes at Arcsecond Resolution
(2006-01) Wang, QD
About 2 million seconds of Chandra observing time have been devoted to the Galactic Center (GC), including large-scale surveys and deep pointings. These observations have led to the detection of about 4000 discrete X-ray sources and the mapping of diffuse X-ray emission in various energy bands. In this review, I frst summarize general results from recent studies and then present close-up views of the three massive star clusters (Arches, Quintuplet, and GC) and their interplay with the Galactic nuclear environment.
An XMM–Newton and Chandra study of the starburst galaxy IC 10
(2005-01) Wang, QD; Whitaker, KE; Williams, R
We present an X-ray study of our nearest starburst galaxy IC 10, based on XMM–Newton and Chandra observations. A list of 73 XMM–Newton and 28 Chandra detections of point-like X-ray sources in the field is provided; a substantial fraction of them are likely stellar objects in the Milky Way due to the low Galactic latitude location of IC 10. The brightest source in the IC 10 field, X-1, has a mean 0.3–8.0 keV luminosity of ∼1.2 × 1038 erg s−1 and shows a large variation by a factor of up to ∼6 on time-scales of ∼104 s during the XMM–Newton observation. The X-ray spectra of the source indicate the presence of a multicolour blackbody accretion disc with an inner disc temperature Tin≈ 1.1 keV. These results are consistent with the interpretation of the source as a stellar mass black hole (BH), probably accreting from a Wolf–Rayet (W–R) star companion. We infer the mass of this BH to be ∼4 M⊙ if it is not spinning, or a factor of up to ∼6 higher if there is significant spinning. We also detect an apparent diffuse soft X-ray emission component of IC 10. An effective method is devised to remove the X-ray CCD-readout streaks of X-1 that strongly affect the study of the diffuse component in the XMM–Newton and Chandra observations. We find that the diffuse X-ray morphology is oriented along the optical body of the galaxy and is chiefly associated with starburst regions. The diffuse component can be characterized by an optically thin thermal plasma with a mean temperature of ∼4 × 106 K and a 0.5–2 keV luminosity of ∼8 × 1037 erg s−1, representing only a small fraction of the expected mechanical energy inputs from massive stars in the galaxy. There is evidence that the hot gas is driving outflows from the starburst regions; therefore, the bulk of the energy inputs may be released in a galactic wind.
Chandra Observation of the Edge-on Galaxy NGC 3556 (M108): Violent Galactic Disk-Halo Interaction Revealed
(2003-01) Wang, QD; Chaves, T; Irwin, JA
We present a 60 ks Chandra ACIS-S observation of the isolated edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3556, together with a multiwavelength analysis of various discrete X-ray sources and diffuse X-ray features. Among 33 discrete X-ray sources detected within the IB = 25 mag arcsec-2 isophote ellipse of the galaxy, we identify a candidate for the galactic nucleus, an ultraluminous X-ray source that might be an accreting intermediate-mass black hole, a possible X-ray binary with a radio counterpart, and two radio-bright giant H II regions. We detect large amounts of extraplanar diffuse X-ray emission, which extend about 10 kpc radially in the disk and 4 kpc away from the galactic plane. The diffuse X-ray emission exhibits significant substructures, possibly representing various blown-out superbubbles or chimneys of hot gas heated in massive star-forming regions. This X-ray-emitting gas has temperatures in the range of ~(2-7) × 106 K and has a total cooling rate of ~2 × 1040 ergs s-1. The energy can be easily supplied by supernova blast waves in the galaxy. These results show NGC 3556 to be a galaxy undergoing vigorous disk-halo interaction. The halo in NGC 3556 is considerably less extended, however, than that of NGC 4631, in spite of many similarities between the two galaxies. This may be due to the fact that NGC 3556 is isolated, whereas NGC 4631 is interacting. Thus, NGC 3556 presents a more pristine environment for studying the disk-halo interaction.
The Galactic Central Diffuse X-Ray Enhancement: A Differential Absorption/Emission Analysis
(2007-01) Yao, Y; Wang, QD
The soft X-ray background shows a general enhancement toward the inner region of the Galaxy. But whether this enhancement is a local feature (e.g., a superbubble within a distance of 200 pc) and/or a phenomenon related to energetic outflows from the Galactic center/bulge remains unclear. Here we report a comparative X-ray emission and absorption study of diffuse hot gas along the sight lines toward 3C 273 and Mrk 421, on and off the enhancement, but at similar Galactic latitudes. The diffuse 3/4 keV emission intensity, as estimated from the ROSAT All Sky Survey, is about 3 times higher toward 3C 273 than toward Mrk 421. Based on archival Chandra grating observations of these two AGNs, we detect X-ray absorption lines (e.g., O VII Kα, Kβ, and O VIII Kα transitions at z ~ 0) and find that the mean hot gas thermal and kinematic properties along the two sight lines are significantly different. By subtracting the foreground and background contribution, as determined along the Mrk 421 sight line, we isolate the net X-ray absorption and emission produced by the hot gas associated with the enhancement in the direction of 3C 273. From a joint analysis of these differential data sets, we obtain the temperature, dispersion velocity, and hydrogen column density as 2.0(1.6,2.3) × 106 K, 216(104, 480) km s-1, and 2.2(1.4,4.1) × 1019 cm-2, respectively (90% confidence intervals), assuming that the gas is approximately isothermal, solar in metal abundances, and equilibrium in collisional ionization. We also constrain the effective line-of-sight extent of the gas to be 3.4(1.0, 10.1) kpc, strongly suggesting that the enhancement most likely represents a Galactic central phenomenon.
The Origin of the Dust Arch in the Halo of NGC 4631: An Expanding Superbubble?
(2003-01) Taylor, CL; Wang, QD
We study the nature and the origin of the dust arch in the halo of the edge-on galaxy NGC 4631 detected by Neininger & Dumke. We present CO observations made using the new on-the-fly mapping mode with the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory 14 m telescope and find no evidence for CO emission associated with the dust arch. Our examination of previously published H I data shows that, if previous assumptions about the dust temperature and gas/dust ratio are correct, then there must be molecular gas associated with the arch, below our detection threshold. If this is true, then the molecular mass associated with the dust arch is between 1.5 × 108 M and 9.7 × 108 M, and likely toward the low end of the range. A consequence of this is that the maximum allowed value for the CO-to-H2 conversion factor is 6.5 times the Galactic value, but most likely closer to the Galactic value. The kinematics of the H I apparently associated with the dust arch reveals that the gas here is not part of an expanding shell or outflow but is instead two separate features (a tidal arm and a plume of H I sticking out into the halo) that are seen projected together and appear as a shell. Thus there is no connection between the dust "arch" and the hot X-ray–emitting gas that appears to surround the galaxy.
Confronting feedback simulations with observations of hot gas in elliptical galaxies
(2009-01) Wang, QD
Elliptical galaxies comprise primarily old stars, which collectively generate a long-lasting feedback via stellar mass-loss and Type Ia SNe. This feedback can be traced by X-ray-emitting hot gas in and around such galaxies, in which little cool gas is typically present. However, the X-ray-inferred mass, energy, and metal abundance of the hot gas are often found to be far less than what are expected from the feedback, particularly in so-called low LX/LB ellipticals. This “missing” stellar feedback is presumably lost in galaxy-wide outflows, which can play an essential role in galaxy evolution (e.g., explaining the observed color bi-modality of galaxies). We are developing a model that can be used to properly interpret the X-ray data and to extract key information about the dynamics of the feedback and its interplay with galactic environment.
The Chandra View of DA 530: A Subenergetic Supernova Remnant with a Pulsar Wind Nebula?
(2007-01) Jiang, B; Chen, Y; Wang, QD
DA 530 (G93.3+6.9) is a high Galactic latitude supernova (SN) remnant with a well-defined shell-like radio morphology and an exceptionally low X-ray-to-radio luminosity ratio. Based on a Chandra ACIS observation, we report the detection of an extended X-ray feature close to the center of the remnant at 5.3 σ above the background within a circle of 20'' radius. The spectrum of this feature can be characterized by a power law with photon index Γ = 1.6 ± 0.8. This feature, which is spatially coincident with a nonthermal radio source, most likely represents a pulsar wind nebula. We have further examined the spectrum of the diffuse X-ray emission from the remnant's interior, which has a background-subtracted count rate of ~0.06 s-1 at 0.3-3.5 keV. The emission spectrum can be described by a thermal plasma with a temperature of ~0.3-0.6 keV and an Si overabundance of 7 times solar. These spectral characteristics, together with the extremely low X-ray luminosity, suggest that the remnant arose from a SN with an anomalously low mechanical energy (<1050 ergs). The centrally filled thermal X-ray emission of the remnant may indicate an early thermalization of the SN ejecta by the circumstellar medium. Our results suggest that the remnant is likely the product of a core-collapse SN with a progenitor mass of 8-12 M. Similar remnants are probably common in the Galaxy but have rarely been studied.
X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE SOMBRERO GALAXY: A GALACTIC-SCALE OUTFLOW
(2011-01) Li, Z; Jones, C; Forman, WR; Krafts, RP; Lal, DV; Stefano, RD; Spitler, LR; Tang, S; Wang, QD; Gilfanov, M; Revnivtsev, M
Based on new and archival Chandra observations of the Sombrero galaxy (M 104 = NGC 4594), we study the X-ray emission from its nucleus and the extended X-ray emission in and around its massive stellar bulge. We find that the 0.3-8 keV luminosity of the nucleus appears constant at ~2.4 × 1040 erg s-1, or ~10–7 of its Eddington luminosity, on three epochs between 1999 December and 2008 April, but drops by a factor of two in the 2008 November observation. The 2-6 keV unresolved emission from the bulge region closely follows the K-band starlight and most likely arises from unresolved stellar sources. At lower energies, however, the unresolved emission reaches a galactocentric radius of at least 23 kpc, significantly beyond the extent of the starlight, clearly indicating the presence of diffuse hot gas. We isolate the emission of the gas by properly accounting for the emission from unresolved stellar sources, predominantly cataclysmic variables and coronally active binaries, whose quasi-universal X-ray emissivity was recently established. We find a gas temperature of ~0.6 keV with little variation across the field of view, except for a lower temperature of ~0.3 keV along the stellar disk. The metal abundance is not well constrained due to the limited counting statistics, but is consistent with metal enrichment by Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). We measure a total intrinsic 0.3-2 keV luminosity of ~2 × 1039 erg s-1, which corresponds to only 1% of the available energy input by SNe Ia in the bulge, but is comparable to the prediction by the latest galaxy formation models for disk galaxies as massive as Sombrero. However, such numerical models do not fully account for internal feedback processes, such as nuclear feedback and stellar feedback, against accretion from the intergalactic medium. On the other hand, we find no evidence for either the nucleus or the very modest star-forming activities in the disk to be a dominant heating source for the diffuse gas. We also show that neither the expected energy released by SNe Ia nor the expected mass returned by evolved stars is recovered by observations. We argue that in Sombrero a galactic-scale subsonic outflow of hot gas continuously removes much of the "missing" energy and mass input from the bulge region. The observed density and temperature distributions of such an outflow, however, continue to pose challenges to theoretical studies.