204 research outputs found
MERLIN observations of Stephan's Quintet
We present MERLIN L-band images of the compact galaxy group, Stephan's
Quintet. The Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 7319, the brightest member of the compact
group, is seen to have a triple radio structure typical of many extra-galactic
radio sources which have a flat spectrum core and two steep spectrum lobes with
hot spots. The two lobes are asymmetrically distributed on opposite sides of
the core along the minor axis of the galaxy. Ultraviolet emission revealed in a
high resolution HRC/ACS HST image is strongly aligned with the radio plasma and
we interpret the intense star formation in the core and north lobe as an event
induced by the collision of the north radio jet with over-dense ambient
material. In addition, a re-mapping of archive VLA L-band observations reveals
more extended emission along the major axis of the galaxy which is aligned with
the optical axis. Images formed from the combined MERLIN and archive VLA data
reveal more detailed structure of the two lobes and hot spots.Comment: Completely revised version with new HST data included, to appear in
MNRA
Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum sources from the Jodrell Bank-VLA Astrometric Survey
Observations with MERLIN at 408 MHz have been used to establish the
low-frequency part of the spectra of more than a hundred compact radio sources
taken from the part of the Jodrell Bank--VLA Astrometric Survey limited by 35
deg. < \delta < 75 deg. These sources were selected from JVAS and other
catalogues to have convex spectra between 1.4 and 8.4 GHz, characteristic of
Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) sources. We have confirmed convex shapes of the
spectra of 76 objects (one half of our initial candidates) thereby yielding the
largest genuine sample of GPS sources compiled so far. Seven of 17 identified
quasars in the sample have large (z\ga 2) redshifts.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, minor corrections. To appear in: A&A Suppl. vol.
135 (March 1999
Self-Generated Magnetic Fields in Galactic Cooling Flows
Interstellar magnetic fields in elliptical galaxies are assumed to have their
origin in stellar fields that accompany normal mass loss from an evolving
population of old stars. The seed fields are amplified by interstellar
turbulence driven by stellar mass loss and supernova events. These disordered
fields are further amplified by time-dependent compression in the inward moving
galactic cooling flow and are expected to dominate near the galactic core.
Under favorable circumstances, fields similar in strength to those observed G can be generated solely from these natural
galactic processes. In general the interstellar field throughout elliptical
galaxies is determined by the outermost regions in the interstellar gas where
the turbulent dynamo process can occur. Because of the long hydrodynamic flow
times in galactic cooling flows, currently observed magnetic fields may result
from periods of intense turbulent field amplification that occurred in the
outer galaxy in the distant past. Particularly strong fields in ellipticals may
result from ancient galactic mergers or shear turbulence introduced at the
boundary between the interstellar gas and ambient cluster gas.Comment: 21 pages in AASTEX LaTeX with 2 figures; accepted by Astrophysical
Journa
Deep radio observations of 3C324 and 3C368: evidence for jet-cloud interactions
High resolution, deep radio images are presented for two distant radio
galaxies, 3C324 (z=1.206) and 3C368 (z=1.132), which are both prime examples of
the radio-optical alignment effect seen in powerful radio galaxies with
redshifts z > 0.6. Radio observations were made using the Very Large Array in
A-array configuration at 5 and 8 GHz, and using the MERLIN array at 1.4 and
1.65 GHz. Radio spectral index, radio polarisation, and rotation measure maps
are presented for both sources. Radio core candidates are detected in each
source, and by aligning these with the centroid of the infrared emission the
radio and the optical/infrared images can be related astrometrically with 0.1
arcsec accuracy. In each source the radio core is located at a minimum of the
optical emission, probably associated with a central dust lane. Both sources
also exhibit radio jets which lie along the directions of the bright strings of
optical knots seen in high resolution Hubble Space Telescope images. The
northern arm of 3C368 shows a close correlation between the radio and optical
emission, whilst along the jet direction of 3C324 the bright radio and optical
knots are co-linear but not co-spatial. These indicate that interactions
between the radio jet and its environment play a key role in producing the
excess ultraviolet emission of these sources, but that the detailed mechanisms
vary from source to source. 3C368 is strongly depolarised and has an average
rest-frame rotation measure of a few hundred rad/m^2, reaching about 1000
rad/m^2 close to the most depolarised regions. 3C324 has weaker depolarisation,
and an average rest-frame rotation measure of between 100 and 200 rad/m^2. Both
sources show large gradients in their rotation measure structures, with
variations of up to 1000 rad/m^2 over distances of about 10 kpc.Comment: 15 pages including 4 figures. LaTeX. Accepted for publication in
MNRA
The gamma-ray emitting microquasar LSI+61303
LS I +61 303 is one of the most studied X-ray binary systems because of its
two peculiarities: On the one hand being the probable counterpart of the
variable gamma ray source 2CG 135+01 (Gregory and Taylor 1978; Tavani et al.
1998) and on the other hand being a periodic radio source (Taylor and Gregory
1982). The recent discovery of a radio emitting jet extending ca. 200 AU at
both sides of a central core (Massi et al. 2004) in all evidence has shown the
occurrence of accretion/ejection processes in this system. However, the radio
outbursts do not occur at periastron passage, where the accretion is at its
maximum, but several days later. In addition, when the gamma-ray emission of
2CG 135+01 is examined along the orbital phase of LS I +61 303 one sees that
this emission seems to peak at periastron passage (Massi 2004). Here in detail
we analyse the trend of the gamma-ray data versus orbital phase and discuss the
delay between peaks at gamma-rays and in the radio band within the framework of
a two-peak accretion/ejection model proposed by Taylor et al. (1992) and
further developed by Marti' and Paredes (1995).Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the Symposium on High-Energy
Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Heidelberg, July 26-30, 2004 (AIP Proceedings Series
Radio supernovae, supernova remnants and HII regions in NGC 2146 observed with MERLIN and the VLA
We present a high-resolution 5-GHz radio continuum map of the starburst
galaxy NGC 2146 made with MERLIN and the VLA, in a search of radio supernovae
and supernova remnants expected to be already produced by the most massive
stars in the starburst. At 5 GHz, about 20 point sources were detected earlier
by Glendenning & Kronberg (1986) in the central 800 pc of NGC 2146. Our
observations with higher sensitivity and resolution made with MERLIN and the
VLA confirms the detection of 18 sources, and resolves 7 of them. Additional
1.6-GHz MERLIN observations disclose 9 sources coincident in position with
those detected at 5 GHz, which allows us to derive their spectral indices. Only
3 sources have indices consistent with synchrotron emission from supernova
remnants or radio supernovae, while the others have very steep inverted
spectra. We suggest that the sources with positive spectral index are optically
thick ultra-compact and/or ultra-dense HII regions with high electron densities
and high emission measures (EM > 10^(7) cm^(-6) pc). Minimum energy
requirements indicate that these regions may contain up to 1000 equivalent
stars of type O6. When compared with M 82, the galaxy NGC 2146 lacks however a
large number of supernova remnants. We suggest that NGC 2146 is experiencing a
burst of star formation stronger than that in M 82, but being in a younger
phase. We may, however, not exclude an alternative scenario in which strong
free-free absorption at 1.6 GHz in foreground ionized gas with very high
emission measures (EM > 10^(8) cm^(-6) pc) hides a certain number of supernova
remnants, thus rendering for some sources the observed inverted spectra.Comment: 10 pages, including 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy
and Astrophysic
Compact Structure in FIRST Survey Sources
We present preliminary results from a statistical survey of compact structure
in faint radio sources. Around 1000 sources from the VLA FIRST survey (flux
densities larger than 1 mJy at 1.4 GHz) have been observed with the
single-baseline interferometer Effelsberg-Arecibo. We observed each source,
selected from a narrow strip of sky at declination 28 deg, for just one minute.
The baseline sensitivity at 1.4 GHz, using 512 Mb/s recording, is such that any
FIRST source, selected at random, would be detected if most of its flux density
is in compact structure. We discuss the detection-rate statistics from one
epoch of these observations.Comment: 4 pages. 12 figures. Proceedings of the 7th European VLBI Network
Symposium held in Toledo, Spain on October 12-15, 2004. Editors: R.
Bachiller, F. Colomer, J.-F. Desmurs, P. de Vicente (Observatorio Astronomico
Nacional), p. 31-34. Needs evn2004.cl
MERLIN observations of relativistic ejections from GRS 1915+105
We present high resolution MERLIN radio images of multiple relativistic
ejections from GRS 1915+105 in 1997 October / November. The observations were
made at a time of complex radio behaviour, corresponding to multiple
optically-thin outbursts and several days of rapid radio flux oscillations. The
radio imaging resolved four major ejection events from the system. As
previously reported from earlier VLA observations of the source, we observe
apparent superluminal motions resulting from intrinsically relativistic motions
of the ejecta. However, our measured proper motions are significantly greater
than those observed on larger angular scales with the VLA. Under the assumption
of an intrinsically symmetric ejection, we can place an upper limit on the
distance to GRS 1915+105 of 11.2 +/- 0.8 kpc. Solutions for the velocities
unambiguously require a higher intrinsic speed by about 0.1c than that derived
from the earlier VLA observations, whilst the angle to the line-of-sight is not
found to be significantly different. At a distance of 11 kpc, we obtain
solutions of v = 0.98 (-0.05,+0.02)c and theta = 66 +/- 2 degrees. The jet also
appears to be curved on a scale which corresponds to a period of around 7 days.
We observe significant evolution of the linear polarisation of the approaching
component, with large rotations in position angle and a general decrease in
fractional polarisation. The power input into the formation of the jet is very
large, >10^38 erg/s at 11 kpc for a pair plasma. If the plasma contains a cold
proton for each electron, then the mass outflow rate, >10^18 g/sec is
comparable to inflow rates previously derived from X-ray spectral fits.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
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