Multi-band constraints on the nature of emission line galaxies

Our aim is to explore the nature of emission line galaxies by combining high-resolution observations obtained in different bands to understand which objects are powered by an Active Galactic Nucleus(AGN). From the spectroscopic Palomar survey of nearby bright galaxies, we selected a sample of 18 objects observed with HST, Chandra, and VLA. No connection is found between X-ray and emission line luminosities from ground-based data, unlike what is found for brighter AGN. Conversely, a strong correlation emerges when using the HST spectroscopic data, which are extracted on a much smaller aperture. This suggests that the HST data better isolate the AGN component when one is present, while ground-based line measurements are affected by diffuse emission from the host galaxies. The sample separates into two populations. The 11 objects belonging to the first class have an equivalent width of the [OIII] emission line measured from HST data EW([OIII])>~2 A and are associated with an X-ray nuclear source; in the second group we find seven galaxies with EW([OIII])<~1 A that generally do not show any emission related to an active nucleus (emission lines, X-ray, or radio sources). This latter group includes about half of the Low Ionization Nuclear Emission-line region (LINERs) or transition galaxies of the sample, all of which are objects of low [OIII] line luminosity (<~1E38 erg s-1) and low equivalent width (<~1 A) in ground-based observations. These results strengthen the suggestion that the EW([OIII]) value is a robust predictor of the nature of an emission line galaxy.Comment: 6 pages. Accepted for publication in A&

The Chandra view of the 3C/FRI sample of low luminosity radio-galaxies

We present results from Chandra observations of the 3C/FRI sample of low luminosity radio-galaxies. We detected a power-law nuclear component in 12 objects out of the 18 with available data. In 4 galaxies we detected nuclear X-ray absorption at a level of about N_H= (0.2-6)e22 cm-2. X-ray absorbed sources are associated with the presence of highly inclined dusty disks (or dust filaments projected onto the nuclei) seen in the HST images. This suggests the existence of a flattened X-ray absorber, but of much lower optical depth than in classical obscuring tori. We thus have an un-obstructed view toward most FR~I nuclei while absorption plays only a marginal role in the remaining objects. Three pieces of evidence support an interpretation for a jet origin for the X-ray cores: i) the presence of strong correlations between the nuclear luminosities in the radio, optical and X-ray bands, extending over 4 orders of magnitude and with a much smaller dispersion (about 0.3 dex) when compared to similar trends found for other classes of AGNs, pointing to a common origin for the emission in the three bands; ii) the close similarity of the broad-band spectral indices with the sub-class of BL Lac objects sharing the same range of extended radio-luminosity, in accord with the FRI/BL Lacs unified model; iii) the presence of a common luminosity evolution of spectral indices in both FRI and BL Lacs. The low luminosities of the X-ray nuclei, regardless of their origin, strengthens the interpretation of low efficiency accretion in low luminosity radio-galaxies.Comment: Accepted in A&

FR0CAT: a FIRST catalog of FR0 radio galaxies

With the aim of exploring the properties of the class of FR0 radio galaxies, we selected a sample of 108 compact radio sources, called FR0CAT, by combining observations from the NVSS, FIRST, and SDSS surveys. The catalog includes sources with z$\leq 0.05$, with a radio size $\lesssim$ 5 kpc, and with an optical spectrum characteristic of low-excitation galaxies. Their 1.4-GHz radio luminosities range $10^{38} \lesssim \nu L_{1.4} \lesssim 10^{40}$ erg/s. The FR0CAT hosts are mostly (86%) luminous ($-21 \gtrsim M_r \gtrsim -23$) red early-type galaxies with black hole masses $10^8 \lesssim M_{\rm BH} \lesssim 10^9 M_\odot$: similar to the hosts of FRI radio galaxies, but they are on average a factor $\sim$1.6 less massive. The number density of FR0CAT sources is $\sim$5 times higher than that of FRIs, and thus they represent the dominant population of radio sources in the local Universe. Different scenarios are considered to account for the smaller sizes and larger abundance of FR0s with respect to FRIs. An age-size scenario that considers FR0s as young radio galaxies that will all eventually evolve into extended radio sources cannot be reconciled with the large space density of FR0s. However, the radio activity recurrence, with the duration of the active phase covering a wide range of values and with short active periods strongly favored with respect to longer ones, might account for their large density number. Alternatively, the jet properties of FR0s might be intrinsically different from those of the FRIs, the former class having lower bulk Lorentz factors, possibly due to lower black hole spins. Our study indicates that FR0s and FRI/IIs can be interpreted as two extremes of a continuous population of radio sources that is characterized by a broad distribution of sizes and luminosities of their extended radio emission, but shares a single class of host galaxies.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication on A&

FRICAT: A FIRST catalog of FRI radio galaxies

We built a catalog of 219 FRI radio galaxies (FRIs), called FRICAT, selected from a published sample and obtained by combining observations from the NVSS, FIRST, and SDSS surveys. We included in the catalog the sources with an edge-darkened radio morphology, redshift $\leq 0.15$, and extending (at the sensitivity of the FIRST images) to a radius $r$ larger than 30 kpc from the center of the host. We also selected an additional sample (sFRICAT) of 14 smaller (10 $<r<$ 30 kpc) FRIs, limiting to $z<0.05$. The hosts of the FRICAT sources are all luminous ($-21 \gtrsim M_r \gtrsim -24$), red early-type galaxies with black hole masses in the range $10^8 \lesssim M_{\rm BH} \lesssim 3\times10^9 M_\odot$; the spectroscopic classification based on the optical emission line ratios indicates that they are all low excitation galaxies. Sources in the FRICAT are then indistinguishable from the FRIs belonging to the Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C) on the basis of their optical properties. Conversely, while the 3C-FRIs show a strong positive trend between radio and [OIII] emission line luminosity, these two quantities are unrelated in the FRICAT sources; at a given line luminosity, they show radio luminosities spanning about two orders of magnitude and extending to much lower ratios between radio and line power than 3C-FRIs. Our main conclusion is that the 3C-FRIs just represent the tip of the iceberg of a much larger and diverse population of FRIs.Comment: 34 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, 1 appendix,accepted for publication in A&A, pre-proof versio

On the nature of optical nuclei in FR I radio-galaxies from ACS/HST imaging polarimetry

We obtained optical imaging polarimetry with the ACS/HRC aboard the HST of the 9 closest radio-galaxies in the 3C catalogue with an FR I morphology. The nuclear sources seen in direct HST images in these galaxies are found to be highly polarized with levels in the range ~2-11 % with a median value of 7 %. We discuss the different mechanisms that produce polarized emission and conclude that the only viable interpretation is a synchrotron origin for the optical nuclei. This idea is strengthened by the analogy with the polarization properties of BL Lac objects, providing also further support to the FRI/BL Lac unified model. This confirms previous suggestions that the dominant emission mechanism in low luminosity radio-loud AGN is related to non-thermal radiation produced by the base of their jets. In addition to the nuclear polarization (and to the large scale optical jets), polarization is detected co-spatially with the dusty circumnuclear disks, likely due to dichroic transmission; the polarization vectors are tangential to the disks as expected when the magnetic field responsible for the grains alignment is stretched by differential rotation. We explored the possibility to detect the polarimetric signature of a misaligned radiation beam in FR I, expected in our sources in the frame of the FR I/ BL Lac unification. We did not find this effect in any of the galaxies, but our the results are not conclusive on whether a misaligned beam is indeed present in FR I.Comment: 16 page, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Spectroastrometry of rotating gas disks for the detection of supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei. III. CRIRES observations of the Circinus galaxy

We present new CRIRES spectroscopic observations of BrGamma in the nuclear region of the Circinus galaxy, obtained with the aim of measuring the black hole (BH) mass with the spectroastrometric technique. The Circinus galaxy is an ideal benchmark for the spectroastrometric technique given its proximity and secure BH measurement obtained with the observation of its nuclear H2O maser disk. The kinematical data have been analyzed both with the classical method based on the analysis of the rotation curves and with the new method developed by us and based on spectroastrometry. The classical method indicates that the gas disk rotates in the gravitational potential of an extended stellar mass distribution and a spatially unresolved mass of (1.7 +- 0.2) 10^7 Msun, concentrated within r < 7 pc. The new method is capable of probing gas rotation at scales which are a factor ~3.5 smaller than those probed by the rotation curve analysis. The dynamical mass spatially unresolved with the spectroastrometric method is a factor ~2 smaller, 7.9 (+1.4 -1.1) 10^6 Msun indicating that spectroastrometry has been able to spatially resolve the nuclear mass distribution down to 2 pc scales. This unresolved mass is still a factor ~4.5 larger than the BH mass measurement obtained with the H2O maser emission indicating that it has not been possible to resolve the sphere of influence of the BH. Based on literature data, this spatially unresolved dynamical mass distribution is likely dominated by molecular gas and it has been tentatively identified with the circum-nuclear torus which prevents a direct view of the central BH in Circinus. This mass distribution, with a size of ~2pc, is similar in shape to that of the star cluster of the Milky Way suggesting that a molecular torus, forming stars at a high rate, might be the earlier evolutionary stage of the nuclear star clusters which are common in late type spirals.Comment: A&A in press. We wish to honor the memory of our great friend and colleague David Axon. He will be greatly missed by all of us. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1110.093

Making Fanaroff-Riley I radio sources. Numerical Hydrodynamic 3D Simulations of Low Power Jets

Extragalactic radio sources have been classified into two classes, Fanaroff-Riley I and II, which differ in morphology and radio power. Strongly emitting sources belong to the edge-brightened FR II class, and weakly emitting sources to the edge-darkened FR I class. The origin of this dichotomy is not yet fully understood. Numerical simulations are successful in generating FR II morphologies, but they fail to reproduce the diffuse structure of FR Is. By means of hydro-dynamical 3D simulations of supersonic jets, we investigate how the displayed morphologies depend on the jet parameters. Bow shocks and Mach disks at the jet head, which are probably responsible for the hot spots in the FR II sources, disappear for a jet kinetic power L_kin < 10^43 erg/s. This threshold compares favorably with the luminosity at which the FR I/FR II transition is observed. The problem is addressed by numerical means carrying out 3D HD simulations of supersonic jets that propagate in a non-homogeneous medium with the ambient temperature that increases with distance from the jet origin, which maintains constant pressure. The jet energy in the lower power sources, instead of being deposited at the terminal shock, is gradually dissipated by the turbulence. The jets spread out while propagating, and they smoothly decelerate while mixing with the ambient medium and produce the plumes characteristic of FR I objects. Three-dimensionality is an essential ingredient to explore the FR I evolution because the properties of turbulence in two and three dimensions are very different, since there is no energy cascade to small scales in two dimensions, and two-dimensional simulations with the same parameters lead to FRII-like behavior.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, to appear on A&

The HST view of the innermost narrow line region

We analyze the properties of the innermost narrow line region in a sample of low-luminosity AGN. We select 33 LINERs (bona fide AGN) and Seyfert galaxies from the optical spectroscopic Palomar survey observed by HST/STIS. We find that in LINERs the [NII] and [OI] lines are broader than the [SII] line and that the [NII]/[SII] flux ratio increases when moving from ground-based to HST spectra. This effect is more pronounced considering the wings of the lines. Our interpretation is that, as a result of superior HST spatial resolution, we isolate a compact region of dense ionized gas in LINERs, located at a typical distance of about 3 pc and with a gas density of about 10$^4$-10$^5$ cm$^{-3}$, which we identify with the outer portion of the intermediate line region (ILR). Instead, we do not observe these kinds of effects in Seyferts; this may be the result of a stronger dilution from the NLR emission, since the HST slit maps a larger region in these sources. Alternatively, we argue that the innermost, higher density component of the ILR is only present in Seyferts, while it is truncated at larger radii because of the presence of the circumnuclear torus. The ILR is only visible in its entirety in LINERs because the obscuring torus is not present in these sources.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, A&A in pres

High-energy neutrinos from FR0 radio-galaxies?

The sources responsible for the emission of high-energy ($\gtrsim$ 100 TeV) neutrinos detected by IceCube are still unknown. Among the possible candidates, active galactic nuclei with relativistic jets are often examined, since the outflowing plasma seems to offer the ideal environment to accelerate the required parent high-energy cosmic rays. The non-detection of single point sources or -- almost equivalently -- the absence, in the IceCube events, of multiplets originating from the same sky position, constrains the cosmic density and the neutrino output of these sources, pointing to a numerous population of faint sources. Here we explore the possibility that FR0 radiogalaxies, the population of compact sources recently identified in large radio and optical surveys and representing the bulk of radio-loud AGN population, can represent suitable candidates for neutrino emission. Modeling the spectral energy distribution of a FR0 radiogalaxy recently associated to a $\gamma$-ray source detected by the Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi, we derive the physical parameters of its jet, in particular the power carried by it. We consider the possible mechanisms of neutrino production, concluding that $p\gamma$ reactions in the jet between protons and ambient radiation is too inefficient to sustain the required output. We propose an alternative scenario, in which protons, accelerated in the jet, escape from it and diffuse in the host galaxy, producing neutrinos as a result of $pp$ scattering with the interstellar gas, in strict analogy with the processes taking place in star-forming galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA