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At least 307 records · Page 17

Investigating the Effect of Galaxy Interactions on the Enhancement of Active Galactic Nuclei at 0.5<z<3.0

Galaxy interactions and mergers are thought to play an important role in the evolution of galaxies. Studies in the nearby universe show a higher fraction of active galactic nuclei(AGNs)in interacting and merging galaxies than in their isolated counterparts, indicating that such interactions are important contributors to black hole growth. To investigate the evolution of this role at higher redshifts, we have compiled the largest known sample of major spectroscopic galaxy pairs(2381 withΔV<5000 km s−1)at 0.5<z<3.0 from observations in the COSMOS and CANDELS surveys. We identify X-ray and IR AGNs among this kinematic pair sample, a visually identified sample of mergers and interactions, and a mass-, redshift-, and environment-matched control sample for each in order to calculate AGN fractions and the level of AGN enhancement as a function of relative velocity, redshift, and X-ray luminosity. While we see a slight increase in AGN fraction with decreasing projected separation, overall, we find no significant enhancement relative to the control sample at any separation. In the closest projected separation bin(<25 kpc,ΔV<1000 km s−1),we find enhancements of a factor of-+0.940.160.21and-+1.000.310.58for X-ray and IR-selected AGNs, respectively. While we conclude that galaxy interactions do not significantly enhance AGN activity on average over 0.5<z<3.0 at these separations, given the errors and the small sample size at the closest projected separations, our results would be consistent with the presence of low-level AGN enhancement

Ekta A. Shah↗

Cosmological gravitational waves

A cosmological background of gravitational waves would alter the propagation of radiation, inducing redshift fluctuations, apparent source position deflections, and luminosity variations. By comparing these astrophysical effects with observations, it is possible to deduce upper limits on the energy density present in gravitational waves. Emphasis is placed on microwave background anisotropy from the redshift deviations and galaxy clustering correlation functions from the angular deviations. Many of the gravitational wave effects are shown to be generalizations of the gravitational lensing formalism.

Linder, Eric V.↗

Hubble Space Telescope far-ultraviolet imaging of M31, M32, and NGC 205

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Camera (FOC) f/48 images of M31, M32, and NGC 205 (field of view 23 sec x 23 sec with 0.45 sec pixel size) are analyzed as observed through the combined UV filters F150W and F130LP. The absolute calibration of the data and the internal disagreement between observed and expected count rates in the UV region lead us to suggest that the filter combination F150W+F130LP suffers from a 5 times degraded UV sensitivity. A corrected efficiency curve is construced using the UV/optical spectral energy distributions of these three galaxies, which is consistent with all of the data analyzed here. Eighty-one individual stars are detected in M31, 10 stars in M32, and 78 stars in NGC 205. Comparisons with other UV images and optical images indicates that these stars are hot, UV-bright stars, even though our corrected efficiency curve suggests that flux from 1200-2450 A contributes only 7% of the counts in M32, 19% in M31, and 60% in NGC 205. The complex nucleus of M31 as seen by Lauer et al. (1993) is confirmed; M32 has a generally smooth appearance and NGC 205 is dominated by a UV-bright, somewhat resolved nucleus. Analysis of these data is done through the new, extensive stellar isochrones of Bertelli et al. (1994) and the population synthesis models of Bressan, Chiosi, and Fagotto (1994). This analysis shows that high-metal stars (Z greater than 0.05) evolve into UV-bright stars (P-EAGB, H-HB, and AGB-manque stars) that are less luminous and cooler but are significantly longer lived than the P-AGB stars produced by stars with Z less than 0.05. Moreover, the proportion of P-EAGB, H-HB, and AGB-manque stars is also a function of age, with older stars of fixed mean metallicity having a higher proportion than younger stars. Hence, with either metallicity or age differences as an interpretation of the line-strength luminosity correlation for ellipticals, the high-metallicity 'tail' of the stellar content of a galaxy can produce far-UV flux in much greater proportion than its actual proportion of galaxy mass. The resulting model of the sources of far-UV flux is inherently composite, with the total UV flux from a stellar population both rapidly increasing and changing its mean spectrum with increasing mean metallicity (or mean age). This model is consistent with several pieces of observational evidence.

Bertola, F.↗

Unveiling Hidden Lyman Alpha Emitters in the DESI DR1 Data

We present an automatic method based on machine-learning convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture to detect Lyman alpha emitters (LAE) hidden in the Data Release 1 spectroscopic dataset of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). Those LAEs mostly have incorrect redshift estimations because the current DESI pipeline is not designed to detect and measure the redshifts of galaxies at $z>2$. To uncover those sources, we first visually inspect thousands of DESI spectra and construct a sample, consisting of both LAEs and non-LAEs, for training and testing the CNN-based model to (1) detect LAEs in DESI spectra and (2) determine their Ly$α$ redshifts. The final model yields $95.2\%$ purity and $95.9\%$ completeness for detecting LAEs. We apply this model to approximately $2\times10^{6}$ spectra of sources targeted as emission-line galaxies and detect 19,685 LAEs from $z\sim2$ to $3.5$ within 12 minutes with a single GPU, illustrating the high efficiency of this model for identifying LAEs. The detected LAEs are mostly at the bright end of the luminosity function with Ly$α$ luminosity $L_{\rm Lyα} \gtrsim 10^{43}$ erg/s. The high signal-to-noise composite spectrum of the detected LAEs further shows various spectral features, including P-Cygni profiles of metal lines and MgII emission lines, possible indicators of Lyman continuum escape fraction, revealing the rich astrophysical information in this LAE sample. Finally, this sample can be used to train and validate the pipelines for redshift determination of LAEs for the preparation of the DESI-II survey.

Chan, Jui-Kuan [Taiwan, Natl. Taiwan U.] (ORCID:00↗

A Chandra X-Ray Study of Cygnus A: The Cluster of Galaxies - 3

We present an analysis of the Chandra Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) observation of the intracluster gas associated with the cluster of galaxies surrounding Cygnus A. The dominant gaseous structure is a roughly elliptical (presumably prolate spheroidal in three dimensions) feature with semimajor axis approximately equal to 1.(prime)1 (approximately equal to 100 kpc). This structure apparently represents intracluster gas that has been swept up and compressed by a cavity inflated in this gas by relativistic material that has passed through the ends of the radio jets. The X-ray-emitting gas shows this prolate spheroidal morphology to approximately equal to 1.(prime)2 (110 kpc) from the radio galaxy but is spherical on larger scales. The X-ray emission from the intracluster gas extends to at least 8 prime (approximately equal to 720 kpc) from the radio galaxy, and a second, extended source of X-ray emission (probably associated with a second cluster of galaxies) is seen some 12 prime (approximately equal to 1 Mpc) to the northwest of Cygnus A. The X-ray spectrum of the integrated intracluster gas imaged on the S3 chip (dimensions 8 prime x 8 prime = 720 x 720 kpc), excluding the contribution from the radio galaxy and other compact sources of X-ray emission, has a gas temperature, metallicity, and unabsorbed 2-10 keV rest-frame luminosity of 7.7 keV, 0.34 times solar, and 3.5 x 10(exp 44) ergs per second, respectively. We have projected the X-ray spectra taken from 12 elliptical and circular annuli in order to derive a run of temperature, metallicity, density, and pressure as a function of radius. The temperature of the X-ray-emitting gas drops from approximately equal to 8 keV more than 100 kpc from the center to approximately equal to 5 keV some 80 kpc from the center, with the coolest gas immediately adjacent to the radio galaxy. "Belts" of slightly cooler (approximately equal to 4 keV) X-ray-emitting gas run around the minor dimension of the cavity created by the radio source, while the limb-brightened edges of the cavity are slightly hotter (approximately equal to 6 keV), perhaps as a result of heating by a bow shock driven by the probably expanding cavity into the intracluster gas. There is a metallicity gradient in the X-ray-emitting gas, with the highest metallicities (approximately solar) found close to the center, decreasing to approximately 0.3 times solar in the outer parts. We have used the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium to derive a total cluster mass within 500 kpc of 2.0 x 10(exp 14) solar mass and 2.8 x 10(exp 14) solar mass for constant and centrally decreasing temperature profiles, respectively. The total mass of X-ray-emitting gas within the same radius is 1.1 x 10(exp 13) solar mass. Thus, the gas fraction of the cluster within 500 kpc is 0.055 and 0.039 for the constant and centrally decreasing temperature profiles, respectively.

Smith, David A.↗

A revised catalog of CfA1 galaxy groups in the Virgo/Great Attractor flow field

A new identification of groups and clusters in the CfA1 Catalog of Huchra et al. is presented, using a percolation algorithm to identify density enhancements. It is shown that in the resulting catalog, contamination by interlopers is significantly reduced. The Schechter luminosity function is redetermined, including the Malmquist bias.

Nolthenius, Richard↗

A multiparametric analysis of the Einstein sample of early-type galaxies. 1: Luminosity and ISM parameters

We have conducted bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis of data measuring the luminosity and interstellar medium of the Einstein sample of early-type galaxies (presented by Fabbiano, Kim, & Trinchieri 1992). We find a strong nonlinear correlation between L(sub B) and L(sub X), with a power-law slope of 1.8 +/- 0.1, steepening to 2.0 +/- if we do not consider the Local Group dwarf galaxies M32 and NGC 205. Considering only galaxies with log L(sub X) less than or equal to 40.5, we instead find a slope of 1.0 +/- 0.2 (with or without the Local Group dwarfs). Although E and S0 galaxies have consistent slopes for their L(sub B)-L(sub X) relationships, the mean values of the distribution functions of both L(sub X) and L(sub X)/L(sub B) for the S0 galaxies are lower than those for the E galaxies at the 2.8 sigma and 3.5 sigma levels, respectively. We find clear evidence for a correlation between L(sub X) and the X-ray color C(sub 21), defined by Kim, Fabbiano, & Trinchieri (1992b), which indicates that X-ray luminosity is correlated with the spectral shape below 1 keV in the sense that low-L(sub X) systems have relatively large contributions from a soft component compared with high-L(sub X) systems. We find evidence from our analysis of the 12 micron IRAS data for our sample that our S0 sample has excess 12 micron emission compared with the E sample, scaled by their optical luminosities. This may be due to emission from dust heated in star-forming regions in S0 disks. This interpretation is reinforced by the existence of a strong L(sub 12)-L(sub 100) correlation for our S0 sample that is not found for the E galaxies, and by an analysis of optical-IR colors. We find steep slopes for power-law relationships between radio luminosity and optical, X-ray, and far-IR (FIR) properties. This last point argues that the presence of an FIR-emitting interstellar medium (ISM) in early-type galaxies is coupled to their ability to generate nonthermal radio continuum, as previously argued by, e.g., Walsh et al. (1989). We also find that, for a given L(sub 100), galaxies with larger L(sub X)/L(sub B) tend to be stronger nonthermal radio sources, as originally suggested by Kim & Fabbiano (1990). We note that, while L(sub B) is most strongly correlated with L(sub 6), the total radio luminosity, both L(sub X) and L(sub X)/L(sub B) are more strongly correlated with L(sub 6 CO), the core radio luminosity. These points support the argument (proposed by Fabbiano, Gioia, & Trinchieri 1989) that radio cores in early-type galaxies are fueled by the hot ISM.

Eskridge, Paul B.↗

Distant Cluster Hunting: A Comparison of X-Ray and Optical Cluster Detection Techniques and Catalogs from the ROSAT Optical X-Ray Survey - II

We present and analyze the optical and X-ray catalogs of moderate-redshift cluster candidates from the ROSA TOptical X-Ray Survey, or ROXS. The survey covers the sky area contained in the fields of view of 23 deep archival ROSA T PSPC pointings, 4.8 square degrees. The cross-correlated cluster catalogs were con- structed by comparing two independent catalogs extracted from the optical and X-ray bandpasses, using a matched-filter technique for the optical data and a wavelet technique for the X-ray data. We cross-identified cluster candidates in each catalog. As reported in Paper 1, the matched-filter technique found optical counter- parts for at least 60% (26 out of 43) of the X-ray cluster candidates; the estimated redshifts from the matched filter algorithm agree with at least 7 of 1 1 spectroscopic confirmations (Az 5 0.10). The matched filter technique. with an imaging sensitivity of ml N 23, identified approximately 3 times the number of candidates (155 candidates, 142 with a detection confidence >3 u) found in the X-ray survey of nearly the same area. There are 57 X-ray candidates, 43 of which are unobscured by scattered light or bright stars in the optical images. Twenty-six of these have fairly secure optical counterparts. We find that the matched filter algorithm, when applied to images with galaxy flux sensitivities of mI N 23, is fairly well-matched to discovering z 5 1 clusters detected by wavelets in ROSAT PSPC exposures of 8000-60,000 s. The difference in the spurious fractions between the optical and X-ray (30%) and IO%, respectively) cannot account for the difference in source number. In Paper I, we compared the optical and X-ray cluster luminosity functions and we found that the luminosity functions are consistent if the relationship between X-ray and optical luminosities is steep (Lx o( L&f). Here, in Paper 11, we present the cluster catalogs and a numerical simulation of the ROXS. We also present color-magnitude plots for several of the cluster candidates, and examine the prominence of the red sequence in each. We find that the X-ray clusters in our survey do not all have a prominent red sequence. We conclude that while the red sequence may be a distinct feature in the color-magnitude plots for virialized massive clusters, it may be less distinct in lower mass clusters of galaxies at even moderate redshifts. Multiple, complementary methods of selecting and defining clusters may be essential, particularly at high redshift where all methods start to run into completeness limits, incomplete understanding of physical evolution, and projection effects.

Donahue, Megan↗

The IRAS view of the extragalactic sky

The global properties of the IR emissions from optically bright galaxies observed with the IRAS are described. A histogram of the morphological types of the galaxies is presented. Analysis of the ratio of far IR to blue luminosity (IR/B) reveals that the ratio covers a large range of about five orders of magnitude; 'normal galaxies' in the IR/B ratio of about 0.1-1.0 and galaxies with an IR/B ratio of greater than 1 are observed. The IR/B ratios for galaxies as a function of the 100 micron-60 micron flux density ratio are examined and it is detected that the galaxies which are more active in the IR display a warmer color temperature.

Soifer, B. T.↗

The X-ray background and the evolution of quasars

The contribution of QSOs and active galaxies to the 2-10-keV X-ray background is calculated theoretically, assuming that the X-ray luminosity of each GSO has a power-law time evolution (dL/dt = AL exp alpha) and applying the continuity equation to derive the X-ray luminosity function at arbitrary redshift. The observed X-ray background is shown to require alpha greater than 1.2, ruling out pure luminosity evolution (alpha = 1).

Tucker, W. H.↗

What determines the bulge to disk ratio of galaxies

Galaxies having the same luminosity may have very different bulge to disk ratios, while the mean bulge to disk ratio slowly increases with total luminosity (Schecter and Dressler, 1987, Sandage et al., 1985). Such a behavior is expected if ellipticals and the spheroidal components of disk galaxies are produced by secondary accretion of galaxies by larger galaxies. This is illustrated using a simple toy model of the evolution of the mass function of galaxies due to galaxy mergers.

Roos, Nico↗

The Cambridge-Cambridge X-ray Serendipity Survey: I X-ray luminous galaxies

We report on the first results obtained from a new optical identification program of 123 faint X-ray sources with S(0.5-2 keV) greater than 2 x 10(exp -14) erg/s/sq cm serendipitously detected in ROSAT PSPC pointed observations. We have spectroscopically identified the optical counterparts to more than 100 sources in this survey. Although the majority of the sample (68 objects) are QSO's, we have also identified 12 narrow emission line galaxies which have extreme X-ray luminosities (10(exp 42) less than L(sub X) less than 10(exp 43.5) erg/s). Subsequent spectroscopy reveals them to be a mixture of star-burst galaxies and Seyfert 2 galaxies in approximately equal numbers. Combined with potentially similar objects identified in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey, these X-ray luminous galaxies exhibit a rate of cosmological evolution, L(sub X) varies as (1 + z)(exp 2.5 +/- 1.0), consistent with that derived for X-ray QSO's. This evolution, coupled with the steep slope determined for the faint end of the X-ray luminosity function (Phi(L(sub X)) varies as L(sub X)(exp -1.9)), implies that such objects could comprise 15-35% of the soft (1-2 keV) X-ray background.

Boyle, B. J.↗

The DESI One-Percent Survey: Modelling the clustering and halo occupation of all four DESI tracers with U CHUU

We present results from a set of mock lightcones for the DESI One-Percent Survey, created from the UCHUU simulation. This 8 h −3 Gpc 3 N-body simulation comprises 2.1 trillion particles and provides high-resolution dark matter (sub)haloes in the framework of the Planck-based ΛCDM cosmology. Employing the subhalo abundance matching (SHAM) technique, we populated the UCHUU (sub)haloes with all four DESI tracers – Bright Galaxy Survey (BGS), luminous red galaxies (LRGs), emission line galaxies (ELGs), and quasars (QSOs) – to z = 2.1. Our method accounts for redshift evolution as well as the clustering dependence on luminosity and stellar mass. The two-point clustering statistics of the DESI One-Percent Survey generally agree with predictions from UCHUU across scales ranging from 0.3 h −1 Mpc to 100 h −1 Mpc for the BGS and across scales ranging from 5 h −1 Mpc to 100 h −1 Mpc for the other tracers. We observed some differences in clustering statistics that can be attributed to incompleteness of the massive end of the stellar mass function of LRGs, our use of a simplified galaxy-halo connection model for ELGs and QSOs, and cosmic variance. We find that at the high precision of UCHUU, the shape of the halo occupation distribution (HOD) of the BGS and LRG samples is smaller bias values, likely due to cosmic variance. The bias dependence on absolute magnitude, stellar mass, and redshift aligns with that of previous surveys. These results provide DESI with tools to generate high-fidelity lightcones for the remainder of the survey and enhance our understanding of the galaxy-halo connection.

cosmology↗

The distribution of IRAS galaxies towards the Bootes void

A redshift survey was completed for 342 galaxies detected by the IRAS in the direction of the Bootes void discovered by Kirshner et al. The number density of IRAS galaxies is well determined from the shallower full-sky redshift survey of Strauss et al. Four IRAS galaxies are found within the void as defined by Kirshner et al., of which three are part of a complete sample, implying a density depression of a factor of 4. The underdense region continues to a distance of at least 4000 km/s from the nominal center of the void. Three of the IRAS galaxies studied in this paper were previously unknown. These galaxies have emission-line spectra characteristic of H II regions, and red continuum magnitudes ranging from 16 to 17.5 mag, and thus are bright enough to have been detected in a wide-angle redshift survey as deep as that of Kirshner et al. The luminosity function derived from this sample is in good agreement with that of Lawrence et al.

Strauss, Michael A.↗

Tracing the Cosmological Evolution of Stars and Cold Gas with CMB Spectral Surveys

A full account of galaxy evolution in the context of ΛCDM cosmology requires measurements of the average star-formation rate (SFR) and cold gas abundance across cosmic time. Emission from the CO ladder traces cold gas, and [C II] fine structure emission at 158 μm traces the SFR. Intensity mapping surveys the cumulative surface brightness of emitting lines as a function of redshift, rather than individual galaxies. CMB spectral distortion instruments are sensitive to both the mean and anisotropy of the intensity of redshifted CO and [C II] emission. Large-scale anisotropy is proportional to the product of the mean surface brightness and the line luminosity-weighted bias. The bias provides a connection between galaxy evolution and its cosmological context, and is a unique asset of intensity mapping. Cross-correlation with galaxy redshift surveys allows unambiguous measurements of redshifted line brightness despite residual continuum contamination and interlopers. Measurement of line brightness through cross-correlation also evades cosmic variance and suggests new observation strategies. Galactic foreground emission is ≈10(exp 3) times larger than the expected signals, and this places stringent requirements on instrument calibration and stability. Under a range of assumptions, a linear combination of bands cleans continuum contamination sufficiently that residuals produce a modest penalty over the instrumental noise. For PIXIE, the 2σ sensitivity to CO and [C II] emission scales from »5 ´ 10-2 kJy sr-1 at low redshift to ≈2 kJy sr(exp -1) by reionization.

Switzer, Eric R.↗

The effect of suprathermal protons on the physical conditions in Seyfert galaxy nuclei II

The radiative transfer of Ly-alpha, Ly-beta, and H-alpha in a hydrogen gas containing dust was considered with application to the nuclear gas in Seyfert galaxies. By neglecting the direct escape of line radiation and by averaging over the gas, the radiation transfer in space is suppressed and the frequency transfer only is considered. The dust degrades the line radiation via frequency-independent absorption, converting the energy to infrared luminosity. The source functions in the lines were solved, using appropriate approximations, in order to determine under what conditions the narrow component of the Balmer line radiation from the gas can be self-absorbed and degraded without similar degradation of the broad component, which originates from the suprathermals themselves. The results are used to find self-consistent values for the temperature and ionization of the gas for various amounts of dust and various concentrations of suprathermal particles.

Stoner, R.↗

An X-ray survey of clusters of galaxies. IV - A survey of southern clusters and a compilation of upper limits for both Abell and southern clusters

The results of the HEAO 1 A-1 X-ray survey of galaxy clusters are reported. X-ray error boxes and intensities are presented for all clusters in the Abell catalog and for the catalog of southern clusters and groups compiled by Duus and Newell (1977). A correlation is derived on the basis of the X-ray luminosity function for 2-6 keV which may be used to calculate the contribution of clusters to the diffuse X-ray background at different energies. The cluster X-ray is estimated to be 9.3 percent (+ 1.9 or - 1.5 percent). Correlations between X-ray luminosity and other cluster properties are exmained, and it is found that the distribution of upper limits may be applied to obtaining a more precise estimate of the average X-ray luminosity of clusters. The Abell richness class and southern cluster concentrations were strongly correlated with X-ray luminosity. Correlations between optical x-ray luminosity and optical radius velocity dispersion, spiral fraction, and radio power are analyzed. The evidence for all these correlations was considered to be weak because of poor scatter in the data.

Kowalski, M. P.↗

The stellar population and luminosity function in M31 bulge and Inner Disk Fields

We report infrared photometry and stellar identifications for stars in five fields in the M31 bulge located from 2 to 11 arcmin from the nucleus. These fields have been chosen such that the bulge/disk star ratio predicted from Kent's (1989) small bulge model varies from 7:1 to 1:5, allowing a study of near pure disk and near pure bulge stellar populations. We reject the hypothesis of Davies et al. (1991) that luminous stars found within 500 pc of the nucleus are due to a contaminating disk population. We find that the bulge contains stars in excess of M(sub bol) = -5 mag and that the bulge luminosity function has a distinct shape different from the disk fields. We find many stars redder than (J-K) = 2 mag, and suggest that these stars may be the counterparts of the IRAS-selected Galactic bulge Miras studied by Whitelock et at. (1991). The number of bright stars (M(sub bol) is less than -5 mag) falls off more rapidly than the r band surface brightness. By building model fields out of a bulge luminosity function and artificial stars, we are able to show that the change in the luminosity function toward the center cannot be explained simply by the mismeasurement of overcrowded star images. However, these tests also raise the possibility that the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) tip may be approximately equal to 1 mag fainter than actually measured in our most crowded field, reaching only M(sub bol) = -5. We compare observed counts of AGB stars with those predicted from theoretical lifetimes using a technique of general interest for this problem, the Fuel Consumption Theorem of Renzini & Buzzoni (1986) Spectral Evolution of Galaxies (Reidel, Dordrecht). Our methodology is generally applicable to the study of other resolved extragalactic stellar populations. The number of observed stars per magnitude up to a luminosity of M(bol) = -5.5 mag is consistent with AGB evolution of the whole population of the innermost bulge field with the standard lifetime on the AGB of 1.3 Myr/mag. We advance the possibility that the bulge of M31 may be younger than the oldest Galactic globular clusters. We note that M33 has recently been found to have an r(exp 1/4)-law spheroid consisting of intermediate-age stars; bulges can form later than the old halo population.

Rich, R. Michael↗