On the basis of observations by Spitzer and Herschel, we present and analyse the correlations between various monochromatic infrared (IR) luminosities for star-forming galaxies, selected from two northern Spitzer Wide-area InfraRed Extragalactic Survey (SWIRE) fields. The 24- and 70 micron luminosities (L[24] and L[70]), which are dominated by the continuum of very small grains (VSGs) and warm dust in thermal equilibrium, respectively, correlate tightly with ongoing star formation. The contribution from cool dust excited by evolved stars also increases as the wavelength increases in the far-infrared (FIR) wavelength range. The spectral features of ionized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) around rest-frame 8 micron are excited by the moderated radiation field related to evolved stars as well, rather than by the intensive radiation field related to young stars. Even though the carriers of PAHs could be treated as types of VSG with a smaller scale, the radiation condition between PAHs and classic VSGs seems to be significantly different. The formulae to calculate the total infrared luminosity L[TIR] using L[8(dust)] and L[24] are re-scaled and we find that the L[8(dust)] (L[24]) formula likely underestimates (overestimates) L[TIR] for galaxies with unusual current star formation activity.
Using a state-of-the-art semi analytic model (SAM) for galaxy formation, we have investigated the statistical effects of assuming two different mechanisms for triggering AGN activity on the properties of AGN host galaxies. We have considered a first accretion mode where AGN activity is triggered by disk instabilities (DI) in isolated galaxies, and a second feeding mode where such an activity is triggered by galaxy mergers and fly-by events (interactions, IT). We obtained the following results:i) for hosts with $M_* \lesssim 10^{11} M_{\bigodot}$, both DI and IT modes are able to account for the observed AGN hosts stellar mass function; for more massive hosts, the DI scenario predicts a lower space density than the IT model, lying below the observational estimates for z>0.8.ii) The analysis of the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of AGN hosts for redshift z < 1.5 can provide a good observational test to effectively discriminate between the DI and IT mode, since DIs are expected to yield AGN host galaxy colors skewed towards bluer colors, while in the IT scenario the majority of hosts are expected to reside in the red sequence.iii) While both IT and DI scenarios can account for AGN triggered in main sequence or starburst galaxies, DIs fail in triggering AGN activity in passive galaxies.iv) The two modes are characterized by a different duration of the AGN phase, with DIs lasting even on time scales $\sim $ Gyr, much longer with respect to the IT scenario.v) The scatter of the $SFR-L_{bol}$ relation could represent another crucial diagnostics to discriminate between the two triggering modes, since the DI scenario predicts an appreciably lower scatter of the relation than the IT scenario. vi) Disk instabilities are not able to account for the observed fraction of AGN in groups for z < 1 and clusters for z < 0.7, while the IT scenario provides a good match to observational data.
Links to: arXiv, form interface, find, astro-ph, recent, 1412, contact, help (Access key information)
We present a multifrequency radio continuum study of seven giant low surface brightness (GLSB) galaxies using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). GLSB galaxies are optically faint, dark-matter dominated systems that are poorly evolved and have large HI gas disks. Our sample consists of GLSB galaxies that show signatures of nuclear activity in their optical spectra. We detect radio emission from the nuclei of all the seven galaxies. Five galaxies have nuclear spectral indices that range from 0.12 to -0.44 and appear to be core-dominated; the two galaxies have a steeper spectrum. Two of the galaxies, UGC 2936 and UGC 4422 show significant radio emission from their disks. In our 610 MHz observations of UGC 6614, we detect radio lobes associated with the radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN). The lobes have a spectral index of -1.06+/-0.12. The star formation rates estimated from the radio emission, for the entire sample range from 0.15 to 3.6 M{solar} yr^{-1} . We compare the radio images with the near-ultraviolet (NUV) images from GALEX and near-infrared (NIR) images from 2MASS. The galaxies present a diversity of relative NUV, NIR and radio emission, supporting an episodic star formation scenario for these galaxies. Four galaxies are classified members of groups and one is classified as isolated. Our multiwavlength study of this sample suggests that the environment plays an important role in the evolution of these galaxies.
We utilize the CLASH (Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble) observations of 25 clusters to search for extreme emission-line galaxies (EELGs). The selections are carried out in two central bands: F105W (Y105) and F125W (J125), as the flux of the central bands could be enhanced by the presence of [O III] 4959, 5007 at redshift of about 0.93-1.14 and 1.57-1.79, respectively. The multi-band observations help to constrain the equivalent widths of emission lines. Thanks to cluster lensing, we are able to identify 52 candidates down to an intrinsic limiting magnitude of 28.5 and to a rest-frame [O III] 4959,5007 equivalent width of about 3737 angstrom. Our samples include a number of EELGs at lower luminosities that are missed in other surveys, and the extremely high equivalent width can be only found in such faint galaxies. These EELGs can mimic the dropout feature similar to that of high redshift galaxies and contaminate the color-color selection of high redshift galaxies when the S/N ratio is limited or the band coverage is incomplete. We predict that the fraction of EELGs in the future high redshift galaxy selections cannot be neglected.
We report parallaxes and proper motions of three water maser sources in high-mass star-forming regions in the Outer Spiral Arm of the Milky Way. The observations were conducted with the Very Long Baseline Array as part of Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy Survey and double the number of such measurements in the literature. The Outer Arm has a pitch angle of 14.9 +/- 2.7 deg and a Galactocentric distance of 14.1 +/- 0.6 kpc toward the Galactic anticenter. The average motion of these sources toward the Galactic center is 10.7 +/- 2.1 km/s and we see no sign of a significant fall in the rotation curve out to 15 kpc from the Galactic center. The three-dimensional locations of these star-forming regions are consistent with a Galactic warp of several hundred parsecs from the plane.
In this paper we calculate the escape fraction ($f_{\rm esc}$) of ionizing photons from starburst galaxies. Using 2-D axisymmetric hydrodynamic simulations, we study superbubbles created by overlapping supernovae in OB associations. We calculate the escape fraction of ionizing photons from the center of the disk along different angles through the superbubble and the gas disk. After convolving with the luminosity function of OB associations, we show that the ionizing photons escape within a cone of $\sim 40 ^\circ$, consistent with observations of nearby galaxies. The evolution of the escape fraction with time shows that it falls initially as cold gas is accumulated in a dense shell. After the shell crosses a few scale heights and fragments, the escape fraction through the polar regions rises again. The angle-averaged escape fraction cannot exceed $\sim [1- \cos (1 \, {\rm radian})] = 0.5$ from geometrical considerations (using the emission cone opening angle). We calculate the dependence of the time- and angle-averaged escape fraction on the mid-plane disk gas density (in the range $n_0=0.15-50$ cm $^{-3}$) and the disk scale height (between $z_0=10-600$ pc). We find that the escape fraction is related to the disk parameters (the mid-plane disk density and scale height) roughly so that $f_{\rm esc}^\alpha n_0^2 z_0^3$ (with $\alpha\approx 2.2$) is a constant. For disks with a given WNM temperature, massive disks have lower escape fraction than low mass galaxies. For Milky Way ISM parameters, we find $f_{\rm esc}\sim 5\%$, and it increases to $\approx 10\%$ for a galaxy ten times less massive. We discuss the possible effects of clumpiness of the ISM on the estimate of the escape fraction and the implications of our results for the reionization of the universe.
We use observed optical to near infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 266 galaxies in the COSMOS survey to derive the wavelength dependence of the dust attenuation at high redshift. All of the galaxies have spectroscopic redshifts in the range z = 2 to 6.5. The presence of the CIV absorption feature, indicating that the rest-frame UV-optical SED is dominated by OB stars, is used to select objects for which the intrinsic, unattenuated spectrum has a well-established shape. Comparison of this intrinsic spectrum with the observed broadband photometric SED then permits derivation of the wavelength dependence of the dust attenuation. The derived dust attenuation curve is similar in overall shape to the Calzetti curve for local starburst galaxies. We also see the 2175 \AA~bump feature which is present in the Milky Way and LMC extinction curves but not seen in the Calzetti curve. The bump feature is commonly attributed to graphite or PAHs. No significant dependence is seen with redshift between sub-samples at z = 2 - 4 and z = 4 - 6.5. The 'extinction' curve obtained here provides a firm basis for color and extinction corrections of high redshift galaxy photometry.
Earlier Bassett et al [Phys Rev D 63 (2001) 023506] investigated the amplification of large scale magnetic fields during preheating and inflation in several different models. They argued that in the presence of conductivity resonance effect is weakened. From a dynamo equation in spacetimes endowed with torsion recently derived by Garcia de Andrade [Phys Lett B 711: 143 (2012)] it is shown that a in a universe with pure torsion in Minkowski spacetime the cosmological magnetic field is enhanced by ohmic or non-conductivity effect, which shows that the metric-torsion effects is worth while of being studied. In this paper we investigated the metric-torsion preheating perturbation, which leads to the seed cosmological magnetic field in the universe with torsion is of the order of $B_{seed}\sim{10^{-37}Gauss}$ which is several orders of magnitude weaker than the decoupling value obtained from pure metric preheating of $10^{-15}Gauss$. Despite of the weakness of the magnetic field this seed field may seed the galactic dynamo.
We consider whether Broad Absorption Line Quasars (BAL QSOs) and Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) are similar, as suggested by Brandt & Gallagher (2000) and Boroson (2002). For this purpose we constructed a sample of 11 BAL QSOs from existing Chandra and Swift observations. We found that BAL QSOs and NLS1s both operate at high Eddington ratios L/Ledd, although BAL QSOs have slightly lower L/Ledd. BAL QSOs and NLS1s in general have high FeII/H$\beta$ and low [OIII]/H$\beta$ ratios following the classic 'Boroson \& Green' eigenvector 1 relation. We also found that the mass accretion rates $\dot{M}$ of BAL QSOs and NLS1s are more similar than previously thought, although some BAL QSOs exhibit extreme mass accretion rates of more than 10 \msun/year. These extreme mass accretion rates may suggest that the black holes in BAL QSOs are relativistically spinning. Black hole masses in BAL QSOs are a factor of 100 larger than NLS1s. From their location on a M-$\sigma$ plot, we find that BAL QSOs contain fully developed black holes. Applying a principal component analysis to our sample we find eigenvector 1 to correspond to the Eddington ratio L/Ledd, and eigenvector 2 to black hole mass.
We present a study of the magneto-ionic medium in the Whirlpool galaxy (M51) using new wide-band multi-configuration polarization data at L band (1-2 GHz) obtained at the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. By fitting the observed diffuse complex polarization $Q$+$iU$ as a function of wavelength directly to various depolarization models, we find that polarized emission from M51 at 1-2 GHz originates from the top of the synchrotron disk and then experiences Faraday rotation in the near-side thermal halo of the galaxy. Thus, the scale height of the thermal gas must exceed that of the synchrotron emitting gas at L band. The observed Faraday depth distribution at L band is consistent with a halo field that comprises of a plane-parallel bisymmetric component and a vertical component which produces a Faraday rotation of $\sim$ $-$9 rad m$^{-2}$. The derived rotation measure structure functions indicate a characteristic scale of rotation measure fluctuations of less than 560 pc in the disk and approximately 1 kpc in the halo. The outer scale of turbulence of 1 kpc found in the halo of M51 is consistent with superbubbles and the Parker instability being the main energy injection mechanisms in galactic halos.
We report Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) absorption spectroscopy in four methanol (CH$_3$OH) lines in the $z = 0.88582$ gravitational lens towards PKS1830-211. Three of the four lines have very different sensitivity coefficients $K_\mu$ to changes in the proton-electron mass ratio $\mu$; a comparison between the line redshifts thus allows us to test for temporal evolution in $\mu$. We obtain a stringent statistical constraint on changes in $\mu$ by comparing the redshifted 12.179 GHz and 60.531 GHz lines, $[\Delta mu/\mu] \leq 1.1 \times 10^{-7}$ ($2\sigma$) over $0 < z \leq 0.88582$, a factor of $\approx 2.5$ more sensitive than the best earlier results. However, the higher signal-to-noise ratio (by a factor of $\approx 2$) of the VLA spectrum in the 12.179 GHz transition also indicates that this line has a different shape from that of the other three CH$_3$OH lines (at $> 4\sigma$ significance). The sensitivity of the above result, and that of all earlier CH$_3$OH studies, is thus likely to be limited by unknown systematic errors, probably arising due to the frequency-dependent structure of PKS1830-211. A robust result is obtained by combining the three lines at similar frequencies, 48.372, 48.377 and 60.531 GHz, whose line profiles are found to be in good agreement. This yields the $2\sigma$ constraint $[\Delta \mu/\mu] \lesssim 4 \times 10^{-7}$, the most stringent current constraint on changes in $\mu$. We thus find no evidence for changes in the proton-electron mass ratio over a lookback time of $\approx 7.5$ Gyrs.
Although the radio emission from most quasars appears to be associated with star forming activity in the host galaxy, about ten percent of optically selected quasars have very luminous relativistic jets apparently powered by a SMBH which is located at the base of the jet. When these jets are pointed close to the line of sight their apparent luminosity is enhanced by Doppler boosting and appears highly variable. High resolution radio interferometry shows directly the outflow of relativistic plasma jets from the SMBH. Apparent transverse velocities in these so called blazars are typically about 7c but reach as much as 50c indicating true velocities within one percent of the speed of light. The jets appear to be collimated and accelerated in regions as much as a hundred parsecs downstream from the SMBH. Measurements made with Earth to space interferometers indicate apparent brightness temperatures of about 10E14 K or more. This is well in excess of the limits imposed by inverse Compton cooling. The modest Doppler factors deduced from the observed ejection speeds appear to be inadequate to explain the high observed brightness temperatures in terms of relativistic boosting.
Although the extragalactic nature of 3C 48 and other quasi stellar radio sources was discussed as early as 1960 by John Bolton and others, it was rejected largely because of preconceived ideas about what appeared to be unrealistically high radio and optical luminosities. Not until the 1962 occultations of the strong radio source 3C 273 at Parkes, which led Maarten Schmidt to identify 3C 273 with an apparent stellar object at a redshift of 0.16, was the true nature understood. Successive radio and optical measurements quickly led to the identification of other quasars with increasingly large redshifts and the general, although for some decades not universal, acceptance of quasars as the very luminous nuclei of galaxies. Curiously, 3C 273, which is one of the strongest extragalactic sources in the sky, was first cataloged in 1959 and the magnitude 13 optical counterpart was observed at least as early as 1887. Since 1960, much fainter optical counterparts were being routinely identified using accurate radio interferometer positions which were measured primarily at the Caltech Owens Valley Radio Observatory. However, 3C 273 eluded identification until the series of lunar occultation observations led by Cyril Hazard. Although an accurate radio position had been obtained earlier with the OVRO interferometer, inexplicably 3C 273 was initially misidentified with a faint galaxy located about an arc minute away from the true quasar position.
FS CMa stars are low-luminosity objects showing the B[e] phenomenon whose evolutionary state remains a puzzle. These stars are surrounded by compact disks of warm dust of unknown origin. Hitherto, membership of FS CMa stars to coeval populations has never been confirmed. The discovery of low-luminosity line emitters in the young massive clusters Mercer 20 and Mercer 70 prompts us to investigate the nature of such objects. We intend to confirm membership to coeval populations in order to characterize these emission-line stars through the cluster properties. Based on ISAAC/VLT medium-resolution spectroscopy and NICMOS/HST photometry of massive cluster members, new characterizations of Mercer 20 and Mercer 70 are performed. Coevality of each cluster and membership of the newly-discovered B[e] objects are investigated using our observations as well as literature data of the surroundings. Infrared excess and narrow-band photometric properties of the B[e] stars are also studied. We confirm and classify 22 new cluster members, including Wolf-Rayet stars and blue hypergiants. Spectral types (O9-B1.5 V) and radial velocities of B[e] objects are compatible with the remaining cluster members, while emission features of Mg II, Fe II], and [Fe II] are identified in their spectra. The ages of these stars are 4.5 and 6 Myr, and they show mild infrared excesses. We confirm the presence of FS CMa stars in the coeval populations of Mercer 20 and Mercer 70. We discuss the nature and evolutionary state of FS CMa stars, discarding a post-AGB nature and introducing a new hypothesis about mergers. A new search method for FS CMa candidates in young massive clusters based on narrow-band Paschen-alpha photometry is proposed and tested in photometric data of other clusters, yielding three new candidates.
Using a method to discover and classify supernovae (SNe) in galaxy spectra, we detect 91 Type Ia SNe (SNe Ia) and 16 Type II SNe (SNe II) among ~740,000 galaxies of all types and ~215,000 star-forming galaxies without active galactic nuclei, respectively, in Data Release 9 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Of these SNe, 22 SNe Ia and 8 SNe II are new discoveries reported here for the first time. We use our SN samples to measure SN rates per unit mass as a function of galaxy stellar mass, star-formation rate (SFR), and specific SFR (sSFR), as derived by the MPA-JHU Galspec pipeline. We confirm the rate-mass correlations, first discovered by the Lick Observatory Supernova Search, for both SNe Ia and SNe II at median redshifts of ~0.1 and ~0.075, respectively. The mass-normalized SN Ia and SN II rates, averaged over all masses and redshifts in their respective galaxy samples, are 0.10 +/- 0.01 (stat) +/- 0.01 (sys) X 10^-12 Msol^-1 yr^-1 and 0.52 +0.16 -0.13 (stat) +0.02 -0.05 (sys) X 10^-12 Msol^-1 yr^-1, respectively. We convert the latter into a volumetric SN II rate at z=0.075 of 0.621 +0.197 -0.154 (stat) +0.024 -0.063 (sys) X 10^-4 yr^-1 Mpc^-3. Assuming that SNe IIP and IIL account for 60 per cent of all CC SNe, the volumetric CC SN rate is 1.04 +0.33 -0.26 (stat) +0.04 -0.11 (sys) X 10^-4 yr^-1 Mpc^-3. The mass-normalized SN rates also follow "rate-SFR" and "rate-sSFR" correlations. We show that the correlations between SN Ia and SN II rates per unit mass and stellar mass, SFR, and sSFR can be explained by a combination of the respective SN delay-time distributions, the ages of the surveyed galaxies, the redshifts at which they are observed, and their star-formation histories. This model was first suggested by Kistler et al. for the SN Ia rate-mass correlation, but is expanded here to SNe II and to correlations with galaxy SFR and sSFR (abridged).
Links to: arXiv, form interface, find, astro-ph, recent, 1412, contact, help (Access key information)
We present a detailed investigation of the cluster stellar mass-to-light (M*/L) ratio and cumulative stellar masses, derived on a galaxy-by-galaxy basis, for 12 massive (M500 ~ 10^14 - 10^15 Msun), nearby clusters with available optical imaging data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10 and X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our method involves a statistical cluster membership using both photometric and spectroscopic redshifts when available to maximize completeness whilst minimizing contamination effects. We show that different methods of estimating the stellar mass-to-light ratio from observed photometry result in systematic discrepancies in the total stellar masses and average mass-to-light ratios of cluster galaxies. Nonetheless, all conversion methodologies point to a lack of correlation between M*/Li and total cluster mass, even though low-mass groups contain relatively more blue galaxies. We also find no statistically significant correlation between M*/Li and the fraction of blue galaxies. For the mass range covered by our sample, the assumption of a Chabrier IMF yields an integrated M*/Li = 1.7 +/- 0.2 Msun/Lsun, a lower value than used in most similar studies, though consistent with the study of low-mass galaxy groups by Leauthaud et al. (2012). A light (diet) Salpeter IMF would imply a ~60% increase in M*/Li.
Bent-tailed (BT) radio sources have long been known to trace over densities in the Universe up to z ~ 1 and there is increasing evidence this association persists out to redshifts of 2. The morphology of the jets in BT galaxies is primarily a function of the environment that they have resided in and so BTs provide invaluable clues as to their local conditions. Thus, not only can samples of BT galaxies be used as signposts of large-scale structure, but are also valuable for obtaining a statistical measurement of properties of the intra-cluster medium including the presence of cluster accretion shocks & winds, and as historical anemometers, preserving the dynamical history of their surroundings in their jets. We discuss the use of BTs to unveil large-scale structure and provide an example in which a BT was used to unlock the dynamical history of its host cluster. In addition to their use as density and dynamical indicators, BTs are useful probes of the magnetic field on their environment on scales which are inaccessible to other methods. Here we discuss a novel way in which a particular sub-class of BTs, the so-called `corkscrew' galaxies might further elucidate the coherence lengths of the magnetic fields in their vicinity. Given that BTs are estimated to make up a large population in next generation surveys we posit that the use of jets in this way could provide a unique source of environmental information for clusters and groups up to z = 2.
We address the problem of the difference of line widths of neutrals and ions observed from molecular clouds and explore whether this difference can arise from the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence acting on partially ionized gas. We focus on the Alfvenic component of MHD turbulence and consider the damping of this component taking into account both neutral-ion collisions and neutral viscosity. We consider different regimes of turbulence corresponding to different media magnetizations and turbulent drivings. We find that for some turbulence regimes the linewidth difference does not depend on the magnetic field strength, while for others, the dependence is present. For instance, the velocity dispersion difference in strong sub-Alfvenic turbulence allows evaluation of magnetic field. We discuss earlier findings on the neutral-ion linewidth differences in the literature and compare the expressions for magnetic field we obtain with those published earlier.
We report the discovery of a pair of extremely reddened classical Cepheid variable stars located in the Galactic plane behind the bulge, using near-infrared time-series photometry from the VVV Survey. This is the first time that such objects have ever been found in the opposite side of the Galactic plane. The Cepheids have almost identical periods, apparent brightnesses and colors. From the near-infrared Leavitt law, we determine their distances with ~1.5% precision and ~8% accuracy. We find that they have a same total extinction of A(V)~32 mag, and are located at the same heliocentric distance of <d>=11.4+/-0.9 kpc, and less than 1 pc from the true Galactic plane. Their similar periods indicate that the Cepheids are also coeval, with an age of ~48+/-3 Myr, according to theoretical models. They are separated by an angular distance of only 18.3", corresponding to a projected separation of ~1 pc. Their position coincides with the expected location of the Far 3 kpc Arm behind the bulge. Such a tight pair of similar classical Cepheids indicates the presence of an underlying young open cluster, that is both hidden behind heavy extinction and disguised by the dense stellar field of the bulge. All our attempts to directly detect this "invisible cluster" have failed, and deeper observations are needed.
In this paper, we study the issue of correlation between broad-line and radio variations under a spherical broad-line region (BLR), and attempt to locate the position of radio (and gamma-ray) emitting region in jet of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Considering the radial profiles of the radius and number density of clouds in the spherical BLR, we have deduced new formulae connecting the radio emitting position $R_{\rm{jet}}$ to the time lags $\tau_{\rm{ob}}$ between broad-line and radio variations, and the BLR inner and outer radii. The new formulae are applied to broad-line radio-loud Fermi-LAT AGNs, 3C 273 and 3C 120. For 3C 273, a common feature of negative time lags is found in the cross-correlation functions between light curves of radio emission and the Balmer lines, and as well Ly$\alpha$ $\lambda 1216$ and C IV $\lambda 1549$ lines. $R_{\rm{jet}}=$ 1.0--2.6 parsec (pc) are obtained from the time lags of the Balmer lines. For 3C 120, positive lags of about 0.3 yr are found between the 15 GHz emission and the H$\beta$, H$\gamma$ and He II $\lambda 4686$ lines, indicating the line variations lead the 15 GHz variations by about 0.3 yr. We have $R_{\rm{jet}}=$1.1--1.5 pc for 3C 120. The estimated $R_{\rm{jet}}$ are comparable for 3C 120 and 3C 273, and the gamma-ray emitting positions could be within $\sim$ 1--3 pc from the central engines. The cloud number density and radius radial distributions and the BLR structures have negligible effects on $R_{\rm{jet}}$.
The magneto-ionic structures of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and the intergalactic medium are still poorly understood, especially at distances larger than a few kiloparsecs from the Sun. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of the Galactic magnetic field and electron density distribution may be probed through observations of radio pulsars, primarily owing to their compact nature, high velocities, and highly-polarized short-duration radio pulses. Phase 1 of the SKA, i.e. SKA1, will increase the known pulsar population by an order of magnitude, and the full SKA, i.e. SKA2, will discover pulsars in the most distant regions of our Galaxy. SKA1-VLBI will produce model-independent distances to a large number of pulsars, and wide-band polarization observations by SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will yield high precision dispersion measure, scattering measure, and rotation measure estimates along thousands of lines of sight. When combined, these observations will enable detailed tomography of the large-scale magneto-ionic structure of both the Galactic disk and the Galactic halo. Turbulence in the interstellar medium can be studied through the variations of these observables and the dynamic spectra of pulsar flux densities. SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will monitor interstellar weather and produce sensitive dynamic and secondary spectra of pulsar scintillation, which can be used to make speckle images of the ISM, study turbulence on scales between ~10^8 and ~10^13 m, and probe pulsar emission regions on scales down to $\sim$10 km. In addition, extragalactic pulsars or fast radio bursts to be discovered by SKA1 and SKA2 can be used to probe the electron density distribution and magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium beyond the Milky Way.
We present results based on the systematic analysis of high resolution 95\,ks \textit{Chandra} observations of the strong cool core cluster Abell 2390 at the redshift of z = 0.228, which hosts an energetic radio AGN. This analysis has enabled us to investigate five X-ray deficient cavities in the hot atmosphere of Abell 2390 within central 30\arcsec, three of which are newly detected. Presence of these cavities have been confirmed through a various image processing techniques like, the surface brightness profiles, unsharp masked image, as well as 2D elliptical model subtracted residual map. Temperature profile as well as 2D temperature map revealed structures in the distribution of ICM, in the sense that ICM in NW direction is relatively cooler than that on the SE direction. Two temperature jumps, one from 6\,keV to 9.25\,keV at 72 kpc on the north direction, and the other from 6\,keV to 10.27\,keV at 108 kpc in the east direction have been observed. These temperature jumps are associated with the shocks with Mach numbers 1.54$\pm$0.08 and 1.69$\pm$ 0.09, respectively. Unsharp masked image for A2390 reveals an X-ray edge at $\sim$74\arcsec (268\,kpc), which is found to coincide with the complex radio edge due to weak radio sources. The entropy profile at the core reveals a floor at 12.20$\pm$2.54 keV cm$^2$ and hence confirms intermittent heating by AGN. The diffuse radio emission mapped using the 1.4\,GHz VLA L-band data fills in all the X-ray cavities, and exhibit highly irregular morphology with an elongation along the cool ICM region. The mechanical power injected by the AGN in the form of X-ray cavities is found to be 3.3$\times$10$^{46}$ erg\,s$^{-1}$ and is roughly two orders of magnitude higher than that lost by the ICM in the form of X-ray emission, confirming that AGN feedback is capable enough to quench cooling flow in this cluster.
Links to: arXiv, form interface, find, astro-ph, recent, 1412, contact, help (Access key information)
We present a detailed investigation of the cluster stellar mass-to-light (M*/L) ratio and cumulative stellar masses, derived on a galaxy-by-galaxy basis, for 12 massive (M500 ~ 10^14 - 10^15 Msun), nearby clusters with available optical imaging data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10 and X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our method involves a statistical cluster membership using both photometric and spectroscopic redshifts when available to maximize completeness whilst minimizing contamination effects. We show that different methods of estimating the stellar mass-to-light ratio from observed photometry result in systematic discrepancies in the total stellar masses and average mass-to-light ratios of cluster galaxies. Nonetheless, all conversion methodologies point to a lack of correlation between M*/Li and total cluster mass, even though low-mass groups contain relatively more blue galaxies. We also find no statistically significant correlation between M*/Li and the fraction of blue galaxies. For the mass range covered by our sample, the assumption of a Chabrier IMF yields an integrated M*/Li = 1.7 +/- 0.2 Msun/Lsun, a lower value than used in most similar studies, though consistent with the study of low-mass galaxy groups by Leauthaud et al. (2012). A light (diet) Salpeter IMF would imply a ~60% increase in M*/Li.
Bent-tailed (BT) radio sources have long been known to trace over densities in the Universe up to z ~ 1 and there is increasing evidence this association persists out to redshifts of 2. The morphology of the jets in BT galaxies is primarily a function of the environment that they have resided in and so BTs provide invaluable clues as to their local conditions. Thus, not only can samples of BT galaxies be used as signposts of large-scale structure, but are also valuable for obtaining a statistical measurement of properties of the intra-cluster medium including the presence of cluster accretion shocks & winds, and as historical anemometers, preserving the dynamical history of their surroundings in their jets. We discuss the use of BTs to unveil large-scale structure and provide an example in which a BT was used to unlock the dynamical history of its host cluster. In addition to their use as density and dynamical indicators, BTs are useful probes of the magnetic field on their environment on scales which are inaccessible to other methods. Here we discuss a novel way in which a particular sub-class of BTs, the so-called `corkscrew' galaxies might further elucidate the coherence lengths of the magnetic fields in their vicinity. Given that BTs are estimated to make up a large population in next generation surveys we posit that the use of jets in this way could provide a unique source of environmental information for clusters and groups up to z = 2.
We address the problem of the difference of line widths of neutrals and ions observed from molecular clouds and explore whether this difference can arise from the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence acting on partially ionized gas. We focus on the Alfvenic component of MHD turbulence and consider the damping of this component taking into account both neutral-ion collisions and neutral viscosity. We consider different regimes of turbulence corresponding to different media magnetizations and turbulent drivings. We find that for some turbulence regimes the linewidth difference does not depend on the magnetic field strength, while for others, the dependence is present. For instance, the velocity dispersion difference in strong sub-Alfvenic turbulence allows evaluation of magnetic field. We discuss earlier findings on the neutral-ion linewidth differences in the literature and compare the expressions for magnetic field we obtain with those published earlier.
We report the discovery of a pair of extremely reddened classical Cepheid variable stars located in the Galactic plane behind the bulge, using near-infrared time-series photometry from the VVV Survey. This is the first time that such objects have ever been found in the opposite side of the Galactic plane. The Cepheids have almost identical periods, apparent brightnesses and colors. From the near-infrared Leavitt law, we determine their distances with ~1.5% precision and ~8% accuracy. We find that they have a same total extinction of A(V)~32 mag, and are located at the same heliocentric distance of <d>=11.4+/-0.9 kpc, and less than 1 pc from the true Galactic plane. Their similar periods indicate that the Cepheids are also coeval, with an age of ~48+/-3 Myr, according to theoretical models. They are separated by an angular distance of only 18.3", corresponding to a projected separation of ~1 pc. Their position coincides with the expected location of the Far 3 kpc Arm behind the bulge. Such a tight pair of similar classical Cepheids indicates the presence of an underlying young open cluster, that is both hidden behind heavy extinction and disguised by the dense stellar field of the bulge. All our attempts to directly detect this "invisible cluster" have failed, and deeper observations are needed.
In this paper, we study the issue of correlation between broad-line and radio variations under a spherical broad-line region (BLR), and attempt to locate the position of radio (and gamma-ray) emitting region in jet of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Considering the radial profiles of the radius and number density of clouds in the spherical BLR, we have deduced new formulae connecting the radio emitting position $R_{\rm{jet}}$ to the time lags $\tau_{\rm{ob}}$ between broad-line and radio variations, and the BLR inner and outer radii. The new formulae are applied to broad-line radio-loud Fermi-LAT AGNs, 3C 273 and 3C 120. For 3C 273, a common feature of negative time lags is found in the cross-correlation functions between light curves of radio emission and the Balmer lines, and as well Ly$\alpha$ $\lambda 1216$ and C IV $\lambda 1549$ lines. $R_{\rm{jet}}=$ 1.0--2.6 parsec (pc) are obtained from the time lags of the Balmer lines. For 3C 120, positive lags of about 0.3 yr are found between the 15 GHz emission and the H$\beta$, H$\gamma$ and He II $\lambda 4686$ lines, indicating the line variations lead the 15 GHz variations by about 0.3 yr. We have $R_{\rm{jet}}=$1.1--1.5 pc for 3C 120. The estimated $R_{\rm{jet}}$ are comparable for 3C 120 and 3C 273, and the gamma-ray emitting positions could be within $\sim$ 1--3 pc from the central engines. The cloud number density and radius radial distributions and the BLR structures have negligible effects on $R_{\rm{jet}}$.
The magneto-ionic structures of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and the intergalactic medium are still poorly understood, especially at distances larger than a few kiloparsecs from the Sun. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of the Galactic magnetic field and electron density distribution may be probed through observations of radio pulsars, primarily owing to their compact nature, high velocities, and highly-polarized short-duration radio pulses. Phase 1 of the SKA, i.e. SKA1, will increase the known pulsar population by an order of magnitude, and the full SKA, i.e. SKA2, will discover pulsars in the most distant regions of our Galaxy. SKA1-VLBI will produce model-independent distances to a large number of pulsars, and wide-band polarization observations by SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will yield high precision dispersion measure, scattering measure, and rotation measure estimates along thousands of lines of sight. When combined, these observations will enable detailed tomography of the large-scale magneto-ionic structure of both the Galactic disk and the Galactic halo. Turbulence in the interstellar medium can be studied through the variations of these observables and the dynamic spectra of pulsar flux densities. SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will monitor interstellar weather and produce sensitive dynamic and secondary spectra of pulsar scintillation, which can be used to make speckle images of the ISM, study turbulence on scales between ~10^8 and ~10^13 m, and probe pulsar emission regions on scales down to $\sim$10 km. In addition, extragalactic pulsars or fast radio bursts to be discovered by SKA1 and SKA2 can be used to probe the electron density distribution and magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium beyond the Milky Way.
We present results based on the systematic analysis of high resolution 95\,ks \textit{Chandra} observations of the strong cool core cluster Abell 2390 at the redshift of z = 0.228, which hosts an energetic radio AGN. This analysis has enabled us to investigate five X-ray deficient cavities in the hot atmosphere of Abell 2390 within central 30\arcsec, three of which are newly detected. Presence of these cavities have been confirmed through a various image processing techniques like, the surface brightness profiles, unsharp masked image, as well as 2D elliptical model subtracted residual map. Temperature profile as well as 2D temperature map revealed structures in the distribution of ICM, in the sense that ICM in NW direction is relatively cooler than that on the SE direction. Two temperature jumps, one from 6\,keV to 9.25\,keV at 72 kpc on the north direction, and the other from 6\,keV to 10.27\,keV at 108 kpc in the east direction have been observed. These temperature jumps are associated with the shocks with Mach numbers 1.54$\pm$0.08 and 1.69$\pm$ 0.09, respectively. Unsharp masked image for A2390 reveals an X-ray edge at $\sim$74\arcsec (268\,kpc), which is found to coincide with the complex radio edge due to weak radio sources. The entropy profile at the core reveals a floor at 12.20$\pm$2.54 keV cm$^2$ and hence confirms intermittent heating by AGN. The diffuse radio emission mapped using the 1.4\,GHz VLA L-band data fills in all the X-ray cavities, and exhibit highly irregular morphology with an elongation along the cool ICM region. The mechanical power injected by the AGN in the form of X-ray cavities is found to be 3.3$\times$10$^{46}$ erg\,s$^{-1}$ and is roughly two orders of magnitude higher than that lost by the ICM in the form of X-ray emission, confirming that AGN feedback is capable enough to quench cooling flow in this cluster.
Links to: arXiv, form interface, find, astro-ph, recent, 1412, contact, help (Access key information)
We present a detailed investigation of the cluster stellar mass-to-light (M*/L) ratio and cumulative stellar masses, derived on a galaxy-by-galaxy basis, for 12 massive (M500 ~ 10^14 - 10^15 Msun), nearby clusters with available optical imaging data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10 and X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our method involves a statistical cluster membership using both photometric and spectroscopic redshifts when available to maximize completeness whilst minimizing contamination effects. We show that different methods of estimating the stellar mass-to-light ratio from observed photometry result in systematic discrepancies in the total stellar masses and average mass-to-light ratios of cluster galaxies. Nonetheless, all conversion methodologies point to a lack of correlation between M*/Li and total cluster mass, even though low-mass groups contain relatively more blue galaxies. We also find no statistically significant correlation between M*/Li and the fraction of blue galaxies. For the mass range covered by our sample, the assumption of a Chabrier IMF yields an integrated M*/Li = 1.7 +/- 0.2 Msun/Lsun, a lower value than used in most similar studies, though consistent with the study of low-mass galaxy groups by Leauthaud et al. (2012). A light (diet) Salpeter IMF would imply a ~60% increase in M*/Li.
Bent-tailed (BT) radio sources have long been known to trace over densities in the Universe up to z ~ 1 and there is increasing evidence this association persists out to redshifts of 2. The morphology of the jets in BT galaxies is primarily a function of the environment that they have resided in and so BTs provide invaluable clues as to their local conditions. Thus, not only can samples of BT galaxies be used as signposts of large-scale structure, but are also valuable for obtaining a statistical measurement of properties of the intra-cluster medium including the presence of cluster accretion shocks & winds, and as historical anemometers, preserving the dynamical history of their surroundings in their jets. We discuss the use of BTs to unveil large-scale structure and provide an example in which a BT was used to unlock the dynamical history of its host cluster. In addition to their use as density and dynamical indicators, BTs are useful probes of the magnetic field on their environment on scales which are inaccessible to other methods. Here we discuss a novel way in which a particular sub-class of BTs, the so-called `corkscrew' galaxies might further elucidate the coherence lengths of the magnetic fields in their vicinity. Given that BTs are estimated to make up a large population in next generation surveys we posit that the use of jets in this way could provide a unique source of environmental information for clusters and groups up to z = 2.
We address the problem of the difference of line widths of neutrals and ions observed from molecular clouds and explore whether this difference can arise from the effects of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence acting on partially ionized gas. We focus on the Alfvenic component of MHD turbulence and consider the damping of this component taking into account both neutral-ion collisions and neutral viscosity. We consider different regimes of turbulence corresponding to different media magnetizations and turbulent drivings. We find that for some turbulence regimes the linewidth difference does not depend on the magnetic field strength, while for others, the dependence is present. For instance, the velocity dispersion difference in strong sub-Alfvenic turbulence allows evaluation of magnetic field. We discuss earlier findings on the neutral-ion linewidth differences in the literature and compare the expressions for magnetic field we obtain with those published earlier.
We report the discovery of a pair of extremely reddened classical Cepheid variable stars located in the Galactic plane behind the bulge, using near-infrared time-series photometry from the VVV Survey. This is the first time that such objects have ever been found in the opposite side of the Galactic plane. The Cepheids have almost identical periods, apparent brightnesses and colors. From the near-infrared Leavitt law, we determine their distances with ~1.5% precision and ~8% accuracy. We find that they have a same total extinction of A(V)~32 mag, and are located at the same heliocentric distance of <d>=11.4+/-0.9 kpc, and less than 1 pc from the true Galactic plane. Their similar periods indicate that the Cepheids are also coeval, with an age of ~48+/-3 Myr, according to theoretical models. They are separated by an angular distance of only 18.3", corresponding to a projected separation of ~1 pc. Their position coincides with the expected location of the Far 3 kpc Arm behind the bulge. Such a tight pair of similar classical Cepheids indicates the presence of an underlying young open cluster, that is both hidden behind heavy extinction and disguised by the dense stellar field of the bulge. All our attempts to directly detect this "invisible cluster" have failed, and deeper observations are needed.
In this paper, we study the issue of correlation between broad-line and radio variations under a spherical broad-line region (BLR), and attempt to locate the position of radio (and gamma-ray) emitting region in jet of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Considering the radial profiles of the radius and number density of clouds in the spherical BLR, we have deduced new formulae connecting the radio emitting position $R_{\rm{jet}}$ to the time lags $\tau_{\rm{ob}}$ between broad-line and radio variations, and the BLR inner and outer radii. The new formulae are applied to broad-line radio-loud Fermi-LAT AGNs, 3C 273 and 3C 120. For 3C 273, a common feature of negative time lags is found in the cross-correlation functions between light curves of radio emission and the Balmer lines, and as well Ly$\alpha$ $\lambda 1216$ and C IV $\lambda 1549$ lines. $R_{\rm{jet}}=$ 1.0--2.6 parsec (pc) are obtained from the time lags of the Balmer lines. For 3C 120, positive lags of about 0.3 yr are found between the 15 GHz emission and the H$\beta$, H$\gamma$ and He II $\lambda 4686$ lines, indicating the line variations lead the 15 GHz variations by about 0.3 yr. We have $R_{\rm{jet}}=$1.1--1.5 pc for 3C 120. The estimated $R_{\rm{jet}}$ are comparable for 3C 120 and 3C 273, and the gamma-ray emitting positions could be within $\sim$ 1--3 pc from the central engines. The cloud number density and radius radial distributions and the BLR structures have negligible effects on $R_{\rm{jet}}$.
The magneto-ionic structures of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and the intergalactic medium are still poorly understood, especially at distances larger than a few kiloparsecs from the Sun. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of the Galactic magnetic field and electron density distribution may be probed through observations of radio pulsars, primarily owing to their compact nature, high velocities, and highly-polarized short-duration radio pulses. Phase 1 of the SKA, i.e. SKA1, will increase the known pulsar population by an order of magnitude, and the full SKA, i.e. SKA2, will discover pulsars in the most distant regions of our Galaxy. SKA1-VLBI will produce model-independent distances to a large number of pulsars, and wide-band polarization observations by SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will yield high precision dispersion measure, scattering measure, and rotation measure estimates along thousands of lines of sight. When combined, these observations will enable detailed tomography of the large-scale magneto-ionic structure of both the Galactic disk and the Galactic halo. Turbulence in the interstellar medium can be studied through the variations of these observables and the dynamic spectra of pulsar flux densities. SKA1-LOW and SKA1-MID will monitor interstellar weather and produce sensitive dynamic and secondary spectra of pulsar scintillation, which can be used to make speckle images of the ISM, study turbulence on scales between ~10^8 and ~10^13 m, and probe pulsar emission regions on scales down to $\sim$10 km. In addition, extragalactic pulsars or fast radio bursts to be discovered by SKA1 and SKA2 can be used to probe the electron density distribution and magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium beyond the Milky Way.
We present results based on the systematic analysis of high resolution 95\,ks \textit{Chandra} observations of the strong cool core cluster Abell 2390 at the redshift of z = 0.228, which hosts an energetic radio AGN. This analysis has enabled us to investigate five X-ray deficient cavities in the hot atmosphere of Abell 2390 within central 30\arcsec, three of which are newly detected. Presence of these cavities have been confirmed through a various image processing techniques like, the surface brightness profiles, unsharp masked image, as well as 2D elliptical model subtracted residual map. Temperature profile as well as 2D temperature map revealed structures in the distribution of ICM, in the sense that ICM in NW direction is relatively cooler than that on the SE direction. Two temperature jumps, one from 6\,keV to 9.25\,keV at 72 kpc on the north direction, and the other from 6\,keV to 10.27\,keV at 108 kpc in the east direction have been observed. These temperature jumps are associated with the shocks with Mach numbers 1.54$\pm$0.08 and 1.69$\pm$ 0.09, respectively. Unsharp masked image for A2390 reveals an X-ray edge at $\sim$74\arcsec (268\,kpc), which is found to coincide with the complex radio edge due to weak radio sources. The entropy profile at the core reveals a floor at 12.20$\pm$2.54 keV cm$^2$ and hence confirms intermittent heating by AGN. The diffuse radio emission mapped using the 1.4\,GHz VLA L-band data fills in all the X-ray cavities, and exhibit highly irregular morphology with an elongation along the cool ICM region. The mechanical power injected by the AGN in the form of X-ray cavities is found to be 3.3$\times$10$^{46}$ erg\,s$^{-1}$ and is roughly two orders of magnitude higher than that lost by the ICM in the form of X-ray emission, confirming that AGN feedback is capable enough to quench cooling flow in this cluster.
Links to: arXiv, form interface, find, astro-ph, recent, 1501, contact, help (Access key information)