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At least 37 records · Page 2

UV-BRIGHT NEARBY EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES OBSERVED IN THE MID-INFRARED: EVIDENCE FOR A MULTI-STAGE FORMATION HISTORY BY WAY OF WISE AND GALEX IMAGING

In the local universe, 10% of massive elliptical galaxies are observed to exhibit a peculiar property: a substantial excess of ultraviolet emission than what is expected from their old, red stellar populations. Several origins for this ultraviolet excess (UVX) have been proposed including a population of hot young stars and a population of old, blue horizontal branch or extended horizontal branch (BHB or EHB) stars that have undergone substantial mass loss from their outer atmospheres. We explore the radial distribution of UVX in a selection of 49 nearby E/S0-type galaxies by measuring their extended photometry in the UV through mid-infrared (mid-IR) with the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). We compare UV/optical and UV/mid-IR colors with the Flexible Stellar Population Synthesis models, which allow for the inclusion of EHB stars. We find that combined WISE mid-IR and GALEX UV colors are more effective in distinguishing models than optical colors, and that the UV/mid-IR combination is sensitive to the EHB fraction. There are strong color gradients, with the outer radii bluer than the inner half-light radii by {approx}1 mag. This color difference is easily accounted for with an increase in the BHB fraction of 0.25 with radius. We estimated that the average ages for the inner and outer radii are 7.0 {+-} 0.3 Gyr, and 6.2 {+-} 0.2 Gyr, respectively, with the implication that the outer regions are likely to have formed {approx}1 Gyr after the inner regions. Additionally, we find that metallicity gradients are likely not a significant factor in the color difference. The separation of color between the inner and outer regions, which agrees with a specific stellar population difference (e.g., higher EHB populations), and the {approx}0.5-2 Gyr age difference suggests multi-stage formation. Our results are best explained by inside-out formation: rapid star formation within the core at early epochs (>4 Gyr ago) and at least one later stage starburst event coinciding with z {approx} 1.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Interesting features in the combined Galex and Sloan color diagrams of solar-like galactic populations

We report on intriguing photometric properties of Galactic stars observed in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite's far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV) bandpasses, as well as from the ground-based Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Kepler Input Catalog. The first property is that the (FUV – NUV) color distribution of stars in the Kepler field consists of two well-separated peaks. A second and more perplexing property is that for stars with spectral types G or later the mean (FUV – NUV) color becomes much bluer, contrary to expectation. Investigating this tendency further, we found in two samples of mid-F through K type stars that 17%-22% of them exhibit FUV excesses relative to their NUV fluxes and spectral types. A correction for FUV incompleteness of the FUV magnitude-limited star sample brings this ratio to 14%-18%. Nearly the same fractions are also discovered among members of the Kepler Eclipsing Binary Catalog and in the published list of Kepler Objects of Interest. These UV-excess ('UVe') colors are confirmed by the negative UV continuum slopes in GALEX spectra of members of the population. The SDSS spectra of some UVe stars exhibit metallic line weakening, especially in the blue. This suggests an enhanced contribution of UV flux relative to photospheric flux of a solar-type single star. We consider the possibility that the UV excesses originate from various types of hot stars, including white dwarf DA and sdB stars, binaries, and strong chromosphere stars that are young or in active binaries. The space density of compact stars is too low to explain the observed frequency of the UVe stars. Our model atmosphere-derived simulations of colors for binaries with main-sequence pairs with a hot secondary demonstrate that the color loci conflict with the observed sequence. As a preferred alternative we are left with the active chromospheres explanation, whether in active close binaries or young single stars, despite the expected paucity of young, chromospherically active stars in the field. We also address a third perplexing color property, namely, the presence of a prominent island of 'UV red' stars surrounded by 'UV blue' stars in the diagnostic (NUV–g), (g – i) color diagram. We find that the subpopulation composing this island is mainly horizontal branch stars. These objects do not exhibit UV excesses and therefore have UV colors typical for their spectral types. This subpopulation appears 'red' in the UV only because the stars' colors are not pulled to the blue by the inclusion of UVe stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

GALEX detection of shock breakout in type IIP supernova PS1-13arp: Implications for the progenitor STAR wind

We present the GALEX detection of a UV burst at the time of explosion of an optically normal supernova (SN) IIP (PS1-13arp) from the Pan-STARRS1 survey at z = 0.1665. The temperature and luminosity of the UV burst match the theoretical predictions for shock breakout in a red supergiant (RSG), but with a duration a factor of ∼50 longer than expected. We compare the NUV light curve of PS1-13arp to previous GALEX detections of SNe IIP and find clear distinctions that indicate that the UV emission is powered by shock breakout, and not by the subsequent cooling envelope emission previously detected in these systems. We interpret the ∼1 day duration of the UV signal with a shock breakout in the wind of an RSG with a pre-explosion mass-loss rate of ∼10{sup −3} M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. This mass-loss rate is enough to prolong the duration of the shock breakout signal, but not enough to produce an excess in the optical plateau light curve or narrow emission lines powered by circumstellar interaction. This detection of non-standard, potentially episodic high mass loss in an RSG SN progenitor has favorable consequences for the prospects of future wide-field UV surveys to detect shock breakout directly in these systems, and provide a sensitive probe of the pre-explosion conditions of SN progenitors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DEEP GALEX UV SURVEY OF THE KEPLER FIELD. I. POINT SOURCE CATALOG

We report observations of a deep near-ultraviolet (NUV) survey of the Kepler field made in 2012 with the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) Complete All-Sky UV Survey Extension (CAUSE). The GALEX-CAUSE Kepler survey (GCK) covers 104 square degrees of the Kepler field and reaches a limiting magnitude of NUV ≃ 22.6 at 3σ. Analysis of the GCK survey has yielded a catalog of 669,928 NUV sources, of which 475,164 are cross-matched with stars in the Kepler Input Catalog. Approximately 327 of 451 confirmed exoplanet host stars and 2614 of 4696 candidate exoplanet host stars identified by Kepler have NUV photometry in the GCK survey. The GCK catalog should enable the identification and characterization of UV-excess stars in the Kepler field (young solar-type and low-mass stars, chromospherically active binaries, white dwarfs, horizontal branch stars, etc.), and elucidation of various astrophysics problems related to the stars and planetary systems in the Kepler field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

GALEX DIFFUSE OBSERVATIONS OF THE SKY: THE DATA

I present tabulations of the diffuse observations made by the GALEX spacecraft in two UV bands (FUV: 1539 Å and NUV: 2316 Å) from the (almost) final data release of the GALEX spacecraft (GR6/GR7). This data release includes all the FUV observations and the majority of the NUV observations. I discuss overall trends in the data but the primary purpose of this paper is to make the data available to the public. The data files described in this paper are hosted by the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes at the Space Telescope Science Insitute from whence they may be downloaded. For ease of use, I have also created maps of the diffuse radiation in both bands over the entire observed sky at 6' resolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

AN UPDATED ULTRAVIOLET CATALOG OF GALEX NEARBY GALAXIES

The ultraviolet (UV) catalog of nearby galaxies compiled by Gil de Paz et al. presents the integrated photometry and surface brightness profiles for 1034 nearby galaxies observed by GALEX. We provide an updated catalog of 4138 nearby galaxies based on the latest Genral Release (GR6/GR7) of GALEX. These galaxies are selected from HyperLeda with apparent diameters larger than 1′. From the surface brightness profiles accurately measured using the deep NUV and FUV images, we have calculated the asymptotic magnitudes, aperture (D25) magnitudes, colors, structural parameters (effective radii and concentration indices), luminosities, and effective surface brightness for these galaxies. Archival optical and infrared photometry from HyperLeda, 2MASS, and IRAS are also integrated into the catalog. Our parameter measurements and some analyses are consistent with those of Paz et al. The (FUV − K) color provides a good criterion to distinguish between early- and late-type galaxies, which can be improved further using the concentration indices. The IRX–β relation is reformulated with our UV-selected nearby galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The GALEX time domain survey. II. Wavelength-dependent variability of active galactic nuclei in the PAN-STARRS1 medium deep survey

We analyze the wavelength-dependent variability of a sample of spectroscopically confirmed active galactic nuclei selected from near-UV (NUV) variable sources in the GALEX Time Domain Survey that have a large amplitude of optical variability (difference-flux S/N > 3) in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS). By matching GALEX and PS1 epochs in five bands (NUV, g {sub P1}, r {sub P1}, i {sub P1}, z {sub P1}) in time, and taking their flux difference, we create co-temporal difference-flux spectral energy distributions (ΔfSEDs) using two chosen epochs for each of the 23 objects in our sample, on timescales of about a year. We confirm the “bluer-when-brighter” trend reported in previous studies, and measure a median spectral index of the ΔfSEDs of α{sub λ} = 2.1 that is consistent with an accretion disk spectrum. We further fit the ΔfSEDs of each source with a standard accretion disk model in which the accretion rate changes from one epoch to the other. In our sample, 17 out of 23 (∼74%) sources are described well by this variable accretion-rate disk model, with a median average characteristic disk temperature T-bar ∗ of 1.2×10{sup 5} K that is consistent with the temperatures expected, given the distribution of accretion rates and black hole masses inferred for the sample. Our analysis also shows that the variable accretion rate model is a better fit to the ΔfSEDs than a simple power law.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

GALEX Study of the UV Variability of Nearby Galaxies and a Deep Probe of the UV Luminosity Function

The proposal has two aims - a deep exposure of NGC 300, about a factor of 10 deeper than the GALEX all-sky survey; and an examination of the UV variability. The data were received just prior to a series of proposal deadlines in early spring. A subsequent analysis delay includes a move from SAO to the University of Texas - San Antonio. Nevertheless, we have merged the data into a single deep exposure as well as undertaking a preliminary examination of the variability. No UV halo is present as detected in the GALEX observation of M83. No UV bursts are visible; however a more stringent limit will only be obtained through a differencing of the sub-images. Papers: we expect 2 papers at about 12 pages/paper to flow from this project. The first paper will report on the time variability while the second will focus on the deep UV image obtained from stacking the individual observations.

Schlegel, Eric↗

Uv-bright Nearby Early-type Galaxies Observed in the Mid-infrared: Eidence for a Multi-stage Formation History by Way of WISE and GALEX Imaging

In the local universe, 10% of massive elliptical galaxies are observed to exhibit a peculiar property: a substantial excess of ultraviolet emission than what is expected from their old, red stellar populations. Several origins for this ultraviolet excess (UVX) have been proposed including a population of hot young stars and a population of old, blue horizontal branch or extended horizontal branch (BHB or EHB) stars that have undergone substantial mass loss from their outer atmospheres. We explore the radial distribution of UVX in a selection of 49 nearby E/S0-type galaxies by measuring their extended photometry in the UV through mid-infrared (mid-IR) with the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). We compare UV/optical and UV/mid-IR colors with the Flexible Stellar Population Synthesis models, which allow for the inclusion of EHB stars. We find that combined WISE mid-IR and GALEX UV colors are more effective in distinguishing models than optical colors, and that the UV/mid-IR combination is sensitive to the EHB fraction. There are strong color gradients, with the outer radii bluer than the inner half-light radii by approx.1 mag. This color difference is easily accounted for with an increase in the BHB fraction of 0.25 with radius. We estimated that the average ages for the inner and outer radii are 7.0 +/- 0.3 Gyr, and 6.2 +/- 0.2 Gyr, respectively, with the implication that the outer regions are likely to have formed approx. 1 Gyr after the inner regions. Additionally, we find that metallicity gradients are likely not a significant factor in the color difference. The separation of color between the inner and outer regions, which agrees with a specific stellar population difference (e.g., higher EHB populations), and the approx. 0.5-2 Gyr age difference suggests multi-stage formation. Our results are best explained by inside-out formation: rapid star formation within the core at early epochs (>4 Gyr ago) and at least one later stage starburst event coinciding with z approx. 1.

galaxies: elliptical and lenticular↗

THE GALEX ARECIBO SDSS SURVEY. VII. THE BIVARIATE NEUTRAL HYDROGEN-STELLAR MASS FUNCTION FOR MASSIVE GALAXIES

We present the bivariate neutral atomic hydrogen (H I)-stellar mass function (HISMF) φ(M{sub H{sub I}}, M{sub *}) for massive (log M{sub *}/M{sub ☉} \gt 10) galaxies derived from a sample of 480 local (0.025 < z < 0.050) galaxies observed in H I at Arecibo as part of the GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey. We fit six different models to the HISMF and find that a Schechter function that extends down to a 1% H I gas fraction, with an additional fractional contribution below that limit, is the best parameterization of the HISMF. We calculate Ω{sub H{sub I,{sub M{sub *>10{sup 1}{sup 0}}}}} and find that massive galaxies contribute 41% of the H I density in the local universe. In addition to the binned HISMF, we derive a continuous bivariate fit, which reveals that the Schechter parameters only vary weakly with stellar mass: M{sub H{sub I}{sup *}}, the characteristic H I mass, scales as M{sub *}{sup 0.39}; α, the slope of the HISMF at moderate H I masses, scales as M{sub *}{sup 0.07}; and f, the fraction of galaxies with H I gas fraction greater than 1%, scales as M{sub *}{sup -0.24}. The variation of f with stellar mass should be a strong constraint for numerical simulations. To understand the physical mechanisms that produce the shape of the HISMF, we redefine the parameters of the Schechter function as explicit functions of stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR) to produce a trivariate fit. This analysis reveals strong trends with SFR. While M{sub H{sub I}{sup *}} varies weakly with stellar mass and SFR (M{sub H{sub I}{sup *}} ∝ M{sub *}{sup 0.22}, M{sub H{sub I}{sup *}} ∝ SFR{sup –0.03}), α is a stronger function of both stellar mass and especially SFR (α ∝ M{sub *}{sup 0.47}, α ∝ SFR{sup 0.95}). The HISMF is a crucial tool that can be used to constrain cosmological galaxy simulations, test observational predictions of the H I content of populations of galaxies, and identify galaxies whose properties deviate from average trends.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Estimating stellar radial velocity variability from Kepler and GALEX: Implications for the radial velocity confirmation of exoplanets

We cross match the GALEX and Kepler surveys to create a unique dataset with both ultraviolet (UV) measurements and highly precise photometric variability measurements in the visible light spectrum. As stellar activity is driven by magnetic field modulations, we have used UV emission from the magnetically heated gas in the stellar atmosphere to serve as our proxy for the more well-known stellar activity indicator, R' {sub HK}. The R' {sub HK} approximations were in turn used to estimate the level of astrophysical noise expected in radial velocity (RV) measurements and these were then searched for correlations with photometric variability. We find significant scatter in our attempts to estimate RV noise for magnetically active stars, which we attribute to variations in the phase and strength of the stellar magnetic cycle that drives the activity of these targets. However, for stars we deem to be magnetically quiet, we do find a clear correlation between photometric variability and estimated levels of RV noise (with variability up to ∼10 m s{sup –1}). We conclude that for these quiet stars, we can use photometric measurements as a proxy to estimate the RV noise expected. As a result, the procedure outlined in this paper may help select targets best-suited for RV follow-up necessary for planet confirmation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The properties of the cool circumgalactic gas probed with the SDSS, WISE, and GALEX surveys

We explore the distribution of cool (∼10{sup 4} K) gas around galaxies and its dependence on galaxy properties. By cross-correlating about 50,000 Mg II absorbers with millions of sources from the SDSS (optical), WISE (IR), and GALEX (UV) surveys we effectively extract about 2000 galaxy-absorber pairs at z ∼ 0.5 and probe relations between absorption strength and galaxy type, impact parameter and azimuthal angle. We find that cool gas traced by Mg II absorbers exists around both star-forming and passive galaxies with a similar incidence rate on scales greater than 100 kpc but each galaxy type exhibits a different behavior on smaller scales: Mg II equivalent width does not correlate with the presence of passive galaxies whereas stronger Mg II absorbers tend to be found in the vicinity of star-forming galaxies. This effect is preferentially seen along the minor axis of these galaxies, suggesting that some of the gas is associated with outflowing material. In contrast, the distribution of cool gas around passive galaxies is consistent with being isotropic on the same scales. We quantify the average excess Mg II equivalent width 〈δW{sub 0}{sup Mg} {sup II}〉 as a function of galaxy properties and find 〈δW{sub 0}{sup Mg} {sup II}〉∝SFR{sup 1.2}, sSFR{sup 0.5}, and M{sub ∗}{sup 0.4} for star-forming galaxies. This work demonstrates that the dichotomy between star-forming and passive galaxies is reflected in the circumgalactic medium traced by low-ionized gas. We also measure the covering fraction of Mg II absorption and find it to be about 2-10 times higher for star-forming galaxies than passive ones within 50 kpc. We estimate the amount of neutral gas in the halo of (log M {sub *}/M {sub ☉}) ∼ 10.8 galaxies to be a few × 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉} for both types of galaxies. Finally, we find that correlations between absorbers and sources detected in the UV and IR lead to physical trends consistent with those measured in the optical.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Photometric cross-calibration of the SDSS Stripe 82 Standard Stars catalogue with Gaia EDR3, and comparison with Pan-STARRS1, DES, CFIS, and GALEX catalogues

ABSTRACT We extend the SDSS Stripe 82 Standard Stars catalogue with post-2007 SDSS imaging data. This improved version lists averaged SDSS ugriz photometry for nearly a million stars brighter than r ∼ 22 mag. With 2–3 times more measurements per star, random errors are 1.4–1.7 times smaller than in the original catalogue, and about three times smaller than for individual SDSS runs. Random errors in the new catalogue are $\lesssim$0.01 mag for stars brighter than 20.0, 21.0, 21.0, 20.5, and 19.0 mag in u, g, r, i, and z-bands, respectively. We achieve this error threshold by using the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) Gmag photometry to derive grey photometric zeropoint corrections, as functions of RA and Declination, for the SDSS catalogue, and use the Gaia BP–RP colour to derive corrections in the ugiz bands, relative to the r-band. The quality of the recalibrated photometry, tested against Pan-STARRS1, DES, CFIS, and GALEX surveys, indicates spatial variations of photometric zeropoints ≦ 0.01 mag (rms), with typical values of 3–7 millimag in the RA, and 1–2 millimag in the Declination directions, except for $\lesssim$6 millimag scatter in the u-band. We also report a few minor photometric problems with other surveys considered here, including a magnitude-dependent ∼0.01 mag bias between 16 ≤ GGaia ≤ 20 in the Gaia EDR3. Our new, publicly available catalogue offers robust calibration of ugriz photometry below 1 per cent level, and will be helpful during the commissioning of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

COLORS OF ELLIPTICALS FROM GALEX TO SPITZER

Multi-color photometry is presented for a large sample of local ellipticals selected by morphology and isolation. The sample uses data from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer ( GALEX ), Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), and Spitzer to cover the filters NUV , ugri , JHK and 3.6 μ m. Various two-color diagrams, using the half-light aperture defined in the 2MASS J filter, are very coherent from color to color, meaning that galaxies defined to be red in one color are always red in other colors. Comparison to globular cluster colors demonstrates that ellipticals are not composed of a single age, single metallicity (e.g., [Fe/H]) stellar population, but require a multi-metallicity model using a chemical enrichment scenario. Such a model is sufficient to explain two-color diagrams and the color–magnitude relations for all colors using only metallicity as a variable on a solely 12 Gyr stellar population with no evidence of stars younger than 10 Gyr. The [Fe/H] values that match galaxy colors range from −0.5 to +0.4, much higher (and older) than population characteristics deduced from Lick/IDS line-strength system studies, indicating an inconsistency between galaxy colors and line indices values for reasons unknown. The NUV colors have unusual behavior, signaling the rise and fall of the UV upturn with elliptical luminosity. Models with blue horizontal branch tracks can reproduce this behavior, indicating the UV upturn is strictly a metallicity effect.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

GALEX–SDSS–WISE Legacy Catalog (GSWLC): Star formation rates, stellar masses, and dust attenuations of 700,000 low-redshift galaxies

In this paper, we present the GALEX–SDSS–WISE Legacy Catalog (GSWLC), a catalog of physical properties (stellar masses, dust attenuations, and star formation rates [SFRs]) for ∼700,000 galaxies with Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) redshifts below 0.3. GSWLC contains galaxies within the Galaxy Evolution Explorer footprint, regardless of a UV detection, covering 90% of SDSS. The physical properties were obtained from UV/optical spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting following Bayesian methodology of Salim et al., with improvements such as blending corrections for low-resolution UV photometry, flexible dust attenuation laws, and emission-line corrections. GSWLC also includes mid-IR SFRs derived from IR templates based on 22 μm Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer observations. These estimates are independent of UV/optical SED fitting, in order to separate possible systematics. The paper argues that the comparison of specific SFRs (sSFRs) is more informative and physically motivated than the comparison of SFRs. The sSFRs resulting from the UV/optical SED fitting are compared to the mid-IR sSFRs and to sSFRs from three published catalogs. For “main-sequence” galaxies with no active galactic nucleus (AGN) all sSFRs are in very good agreement (within 0.1 dex on average). In particular, the widely used aperture-corrected SFRs from the MPA/JHU catalog show no systematic offsets, in contrast to some integral field spectroscopy results. For galaxies below the main sequence (log sSFR <−11), mid-IR (s)SFRs based on fixed luminosity–SFR conversion are severely biased (up to 2 dex) because the dust is primarily heated by old stars. Furthermore, mid-IR (s)SFRs are overestimated by up to 0.6 dex for galaxies with AGNs, presumably due to nonstellar dust heating. UV/optical (s)SFRs are thus preferred to IR-based (s)SFRs for quenched galaxies and those that host AGNs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗