222 research outputs found
Constraining the thermal history of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium
We have identified a large-scale structure traced by galaxies at z=0.8,
within the Lockman Hole, by means of multi-object spectroscopic observations.
By using deep XMM images we have investigated the soft X-ray emission from the
Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM) expected to be associated with this
large-scale structure and we set a tight upper limit to its flux in the very
soft 0.2-0.4 keV band. The non-detection requires the WHIM at these redshifts
to be cooler than 0.1 keV. Combined with the WHIM emission detections at lower
redshift, our result indicates that the WHIM temperature is rapidly decreasing
with redshift, as expected in popular cosmological models.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 1 appendix. A&A accepte
Studying the WHIM Content of the Galaxy Large-Scale Structures along the Line of Sight to H 2356-309
We make use of a 500ks Chandra HRC-S/LETG spectrum of the blazar H2356-309,
combined with a lower S/N spectrum of the same target, to search for the
presence of warm-hot absorbing gas associated with two Large-Scale Structures
(LSSs) crossed by this sightline at z=0.062 (the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster,
PCS) and at z=0.128 ("Farther Sculptor Wall", FSW). No statistically
significant (>=3sigma) individual absorption is detected from any of the strong
He- or H-like transitions of C, O and Ne at the redshifts of the structures.
However we are still able to constrain the physical and geometrical parameters
of the associated putative absorbing gas, by performing joint spectral fit of
marginal detections and upper limits of the strongest expected lines with our
self-consistent hybrid ionization WHIM spectral model. At the redshift of the
PCS we identify a warm phase with logT=5.35_-0.13^+0.07 K and log N_H
=19.1+/-0.2 cm^-2 possibly coexisting with a hotter and less significant phase
with logT=6.9^+0.1_-0.8 K and log N_H=20.1^+0.3_-1.7 cm^-2 (1sigma errors). For
the FSW we estimate logT=6.6_-0.2^+0.1 K and log N_H=19.8_-0.8^+0.4 cm^-2. Our
constraints allow us to estimate the cumulative number density per unit
redshifts of OVII WHIM absorbers. We also estimate the cosmological mass
density obtaining Omega_b(WHIM)=(0.021^+0.031_-0.018) (Z/Z_sun)^-1, consistent
with the mass density of the intergalactic 'missing baryons' for high
metallicities.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap
The multi-phase winds of Markarian 231: from the hot, nuclear, ultra-fast wind to the galaxy-scale, molecular outflow
We present the best sensitivity and angular resolution maps of the molecular
disk and outflow of Mrk 231, as traced by CO observations obtained with
IRAM/PdBI, and we analyze archival Chandra and NuSTAR observations. We
constrain the physical properties of both the molecular disk and outflow, the
presence of a highly-ionized ultra-fast nuclear wind, and their connection. The
molecular outflow has a size of ~1 kpc, and extends in all directions around
the nucleus, being more prominent along the south-west to north-east direction,
suggesting a wide-angle biconical geometry. The maximum projected velocity of
the outflow is nearly constant out to ~1 kpc, thus implying that the density of
the outflowing material decreases from the nucleus outwards as . This
suggests that either a large part of the gas leaves the flow during its
expansion or that the bulk of the outflow has not yet reached out to ~1 kpc,
thus implying a limit on its age of ~1 Myr. We find and erg s.
Remarkably, our analysis of the X-ray data reveals a nuclear ultra-fast outflow
(UFO) with velocity -20000 km s, , and momentum load .We find as predicted for outflows undergoing an energy
conserving expansion. This suggests that most of the UFO kinetic energy is
transferred to mechanical energy of the kpc-scale outflow, strongly supporting
that the energy released during accretion of matter onto super-massive black
holes is the ultimate driver of giant massive outflows. We estimate a momentum
boost . The ratios and agree
with the requirements of the most popular models of AGN feedback.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Mass assembly and AGN activity at in the dense environment of XDCPJ0044.0-2033
XDCP0044.0-2033 is the most massive galaxy cluster known at z>1.5 and its
core shows a high density of galaxies which are experiencing mergers and
hosting nuclear activity. We present a multi-wavelength study of a region
located 157 kpc from the center of this galaxy cluster, for which we have
photometric and spectroscopic multi-wavelength observations (high resolution
HST images in F105W, F140W and F160W bands, NIR KMOS data in H and YJ bands and
Chandra ACIS-S X-ray data). Our main goal is to investigate the environmental
effects acting on the galaxies inhabiting this high density region. We find
that the analyzed region hosts at least nine different sources, six of them
confirmed to be cluster members within a narrow redshift range 1.5728<z<1.5762.
These sources form two different complexes at a projected distance of 13
kpc, which are undergoing merging on an estimated timescale off 10-30 Myr. One
of the sources shows the presence of a broad H alpha emission line and is
classified as Type 1 AGN. This AGN is associated to an X-ray point-like source,
whose emission appears moderately obscured (with intrinsic absorption ) and hosts a relatively massive black hole with mass
, which is accreting with an Eddington ratio of
0.2. We conclude that the analyzed region is consistent with being the
formation site of a secondary BCG. These findings, together with an in-depth
analysis the X-ray morphology of the cluster, suggest a merging scenario of the
entire cluster, with two massive halos both harbouring two rapidly evolving
BCGs on the verge of being assembled. Our results are also consistent with the
scenario in which the AGN phase in member galaxies is triggered by gas-rich
mergers, playing a relevant role in the formation of the red sequence of
elliptical galaxies observed in the center of local galaxy clusters
The dense molecular gas in the QSO SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 resolved by ALMA
We present ALMA observations of the CO(6-5) and [CII] emission lines and the
sub-millimeter continuum of the quasi-stellar object (QSO) SDSS
J231038.88+185519.7. Compared to previous studies, we have analyzed a synthetic
beam that is ten times smaller in angular size, we have achieved ten times
better sensitivity in the CO(6-5) line, and two and half times better
sensitivity in the [CII] line, enabling us to resolve the molecular gas
emission. We obtain a size of the dense molecular gas of kpc, and
of kpc for the 91.5 GHz dust continuum. By assuming that CO(6-5) is
thermalized, and by adopting a CO--to-- conversion factor , we infer a molecular gas mass of
. Assuming that the
observed CO velocity gradient is due to an inclined rotating disk, we derive a
dynamical mass of , which is a factor of approximately two smaller than the previously
reported estimate based on [CII]. Regarding the central black hole, we provide
a new estimate of the black hole mass based on the C~IV emission line detected
in the X-SHOOTER/VLT spectrum: . We find a molecular gas fraction of ,
where . We derive a ratio
suggesting high gas turbulence, outflows/inflows
and/or complex kinematics due to a merger event. We estimate a global Toomre
parameter , indicating likely cloud fragmentation. We compare,
at the same angular resolution, the CO(6-5) and [CII] distributions, finding
that dense molecular gas is more centrally concentrated with respect to [CII].
We find that the current BH growth rate is similar to that of its host galaxy.Comment: A&A in pres
The WISSH quasars Project: II. Giant star nurseries in hyper-luminous quasars
Studying the coupling between the energy output produced by the central
quasar and the host galaxy is fundamental to fully understand galaxy evolution.
Quasar feedback is indeed supposed to dramatically affect the galaxy properties
by depositing large amounts of energy and momentum into the ISM. In order to
gain further insights on this process, we study the SEDs of sources at the
brightest end of the quasar luminosity function, for which the feedback
mechanism is supposed to be at its maximum. We model the rest-frame UV-to-FIR
SEDs of 16 WISE-SDSS Selected Hyper-luminous (WISSH) quasars at 1.8 < z < 4.6
disentangling the different emission components and deriving physical
parameters of both the nuclear component and the host galaxy. We also use a
radiative transfer code to account for the contribution of the quasar-related
emission to the FIR fluxes. Most SEDs are well described by a standard
combination of accretion disk+torus and cold dust emission. However, about 30%
of them require an additional emission component in the NIR, with temperatures
peaking at 750K, which indicates the presence of a hotter dust component in
these powerful quasars. We measure extreme values of both AGN bolometric
luminosity (LBOL > 10^47 erg/s) and SFR (up to 2000 Msun/yr). A new relation
between quasar and star-formation luminosity is derived (LSF propto
LQSO^(0.73)) by combining several Herschel-detected quasar samples from z=0 to
4. Future observations will be crucial to measure the molecular gas content in
these systems, probe the impact between quasar-driven outflows and on-going
star-formation, and reveal the presence of merger signatures in their host
galaxies.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures; Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics on June 13, 201
The hidden quasar nucleus of a WISE-selected, hyperluminous, dust-obscured galaxy at z ~ 2.3
We present the first X-ray spectrum of a Hot dust-obscured galaxy (DOG),
namely W1835+4355 at z ~ 2.3. Hot DOGs represent a very rare population of
hyperluminous (>= 10^47 erg/s), dust-enshrouded objects at z > 2 recently
discovered in the WISE All Sky Survey. The 40 ks XMM-Newton spectrum reveals a
continuum as flat (Gamma ~ 0.8) as typically seen in heavily obscured AGN.
This, along with the presence of strong Fe Kalpha emission, clearly suggests a
reflection-dominated spectrum due to Compton-thick absorption. In this
scenario, the observed luminosity of L(2-10 keV) ~ 2 x 10^44 erg/s is a
fraction (~ 5 x 10^45
erg/s by using several proxies. The Herschel data allow us to constrain the SED
up to the sub-mm band, providing a reliable estimate of the quasar contribution
(~ 75%) to the IR luminosity as well as the amount of star formation (~ 2100
Msun/yr). Our results thus provide additional pieces of evidence that associate
Hot DOGs with an exceptionally dusty phase during which luminous quasars and
massive galaxies co-evolve and a very efficient and powerful AGN-driven
feedback mechanism is predicted by models.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letter
Missing baryons, bulk flows and the E-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background
If the peculiar motion of galaxy groups and clusters indeed resembles that of
the surrounding baryons, then the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) pattern of
those massive halos should be closely correlated to the kSZ pattern of all
surrounding electrons. Likewise, it should also be correlated to the CMB E-mode
polarization field generated via Thomson scattering after reionization. We
explore the cross-correlation of the kSZ generated in groups and clusters to
the all sky E-mode polarization in the context of upcoming CMB experiments like
Planck, ACT, SPT or APEX. We find that this cross-correlation is effectively
probing redshifts below (where most of baryons cannot be seen), and
that it arises in the very large scales (). The significance with which
this cross-correlation can be measured depends on the Poissonian uncertainty
associated to the number of halos where the kSZ is measured and on the accuracy
of the kSZ estimations themselves. Assuming that Planck can provide a cosmic
variance limited E-mode polarization map at and S/N kSZ
estimates can be gathered for all clusters more massive than , then this cross-correlation should be measured at the 2--3
level. Further, if an all-sky ACT or SPT type CMB experiment provides similar
kSZ measurements for all halos above , then the
cross-correlation total signal to noise (S/N) ratio should be at the level of
4--5. A detection of this cross-correlation would provide direct and definite
evidence of bulk flows and missing baryons simultaneously.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to A&
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The dense molecular gas in the z ∼ 6 QSO SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 resolved by ALMA
We present ALMA observations of the CO(6-5) and [CII] emission lines and the
sub-millimeter continuum of the quasi-stellar object (QSO) SDSS
J231038.88+185519.7. Compared to previous studies, we have analyzed a synthetic
beam that is ten times smaller in angular size, we have achieved ten times
better sensitivity in the CO(6-5) line, and two and half times better
sensitivity in the [CII] line, enabling us to resolve the molecular gas
emission. We obtain a size of the dense molecular gas of kpc, and
of kpc for the 91.5 GHz dust continuum. By assuming that CO(6-5) is
thermalized, and by adopting a CO--to-- conversion factor , we infer a molecular gas mass of
. Assuming that the
observed CO velocity gradient is due to an inclined rotating disk, we derive a
dynamical mass of , which is a factor of approximately two smaller than the previously
reported estimate based on [CII]. Regarding the central black hole, we provide
a new estimate of the black hole mass based on the C~IV emission line detected
in the X-SHOOTER/VLT spectrum: . We find a molecular gas fraction of ,
where . We derive a ratio
suggesting high gas turbulence, outflows/inflows
and/or complex kinematics due to a merger event. We estimate a global Toomre
parameter , indicating likely cloud fragmentation. We compare,
at the same angular resolution, the CO(6-5) and [CII] distributions, finding
that dense molecular gas is more centrally concentrated with respect to [CII].
We find that the current BH growth rate is similar to that of its host galaxy
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