4,939 research outputs found
The optical morphologies of the 2Jy sample of radio galaxies: evidence for galaxy interactions
We present deep GMOS-S/Gemini optical broad-band images for a complete sample of 46 southern 2Jy radio galaxies at intermediate redshifts (0.05<z<0.7). Based on them, we discuss the role of galaxy interactions in the triggering of powerful radio galaxies (PRGs). The high-quality observations presented here show for the first time that the overall majority of PRGs at intermediate redshifts (78-85%) show peculiarities in their optical morphologies at relatively high levels of surface brightness(ËÎŒV = 23.6 mag arcsecâ2; ÎŒV â [21, 26] mag arcsecâ2). The observed morphological peculiarities include tails, fans, bridges, shells, dust lanes, irregular features, amorphous haloes, and multiple nuclei. While the results for many of the galaxies are consistent with them being observed at, or after, the time of coalescence of the nuclei in a galaxy merger, we find that more than one-third of the sample are observed in a pre-coalescence phase of the merger, or following a close encounter between galaxies that will not necessarily lead to a merger. By dividing the sample into Weak-Line Radio Galaxies (WLRGs; 11 objects) and Strong-Line Radio Galaxies (SLRGs; 35 objects) we find that only 27% of the former show clear evidence for interactions in
their optical morphologies, in contrast to the SLRGs, of which at least 94% appear interacting. This is consistent with the idea that many WLRGs are fuelled/triggered
by Bondi accretion of hot gas. However, the evidence for interactions and dust features in a fraction of them indicates that the accretion of cold gas cannot always be ruled out. Of the 28% of the sample that display evidence for significant starburst activity, we find that 92% present disturbed morphologies, following the same general trend as the total and SLRG samples. By comparing our PRGs with various samples of quiescent ellipticals from the literature, we conclude that the percentage of morphological
disturbance that we find here exceeds that found for quiescent ellipticals when similar surface brightnesses are considered. Overall, our study indicates that galaxy
interactions are likely to play a key role in the triggering of AGN/jet activity
The large scale distribution of warm ionized gas around nearby radio galaxies with jet-cloud interactions
Deep, narrow-band Halpha observations taken with the TAURUS Tunable Filter
(TTF) on the 4.2m WHT telescope are presented for two nearby radio galaxies
with strong jet-cloud interactions. Although the brightest emission line
components are closely aligned with the radio jets --- providing nearby
examples of the ``alignment effect'' most commonly observed in high redshift (z
> 0.5) radio galaxies --- lower surface brightness emission line structures are
detected at large distances (10's of kpc) from the radio jet axis. These latter
structures cannot be reconciled with anisotropic illumination of the ISM by
obscured quasar-like sources, since parts of the structures lay outside any
plausible quasar ionization cones. Rather, the distribution of the emission
lines around the fringes of the extended radio lobes suggests that the gas is
ionized either by direct interaction with the radio components, or by the
diffuse photoionizing radiation fields produced in the shocks generated in such
interactions. These observations serve to emphasise that the ionizing effects
of the radio components can extend far from the radio jet axes, and that deep
emission line imaging observations are required to reveal the true distribution
of warm gas in the host galaxies. We expect future deep imaging observations to
reveal similar structures perpendicular to the radio axes in the high-z radio
galaxies.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, to be published in MNRA
PKS1932-46: a radio source in an interacting group?
We present the results of a multiwavelength study of the z=0.23 radio source
PKS1932-46. VIMOS IFU spectroscopy is used to study the morphology, kinematics
and ionisation state of the EELR surrounding this source, and also a companion
galaxy at a similar redshift. Near- and far-IR imaging observations obtained
using the NTT and SPITZER are used to analyse the underlying galaxy
morphologies and the nature of the AGN. The host galaxy is identified as an ~M*
elliptical. Combining Spitzer mid-IR with X-ray, optical and near-IR imaging
observations of this source, we conclude that its AGN is underluminous for a
radio source of this type, despite its status as a BLRG. However, given its
relatively large [OIII] luminosity it is likely that the AGN was substantially
more luminous in the recent past (<10^4 years ago). The EELR is remarkably
extensive and complex, reminiscent of the systems observed around sources at
higher redshifts/radio powers, and the gas is predominantly ionised by a
mixture of AGN photoionisation and emission from young stars. We confirm the
presence of a series of star-forming knots extending N-S from the host galaxy,
with more prodigious star formation occuring in the merging companion galaxy to
the northeast, which has sufficient luminosity at mid- to far-IR wavelengths to
be classified as a LIRG. The most plausible explanation of our observations is
that PKS1932-46 is a member of an interacting galaxy group, and that the
impressive EELR is populated by star-forming, tidal debris. We suggest that the
AGN itself may currently be fuelled by material associated either with the
current interaction, or with a previous merger event. Surprisingly, it is the
companion object, rather than the radio source host galaxy, which is undergoing
the bulk of the star formation activity within the group.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures (compressed for astro-ph, 1 colour). Accepted
for publication in MNRAS. Abstract abridge
HI Absorption in High-Frequency Peaker Galaxies
Abstract: WSRT observations have been used to investigate the presence of neutral hydrogen in extremely young radio galaxies. These objects were selected from a sample of High-Frequency Peakers (HFPs). We detect 2 of the 6 observed galaxies confirming previous detection of HI in these objects. In the case of OQ 208 - for which discrepant results were available - we confirm the presence of a broad (~ 1800 km/s), blue-shifted and shallow HI absorption. No significant changes in the HI profile have been found between the two epochs of the observations. The intriguing result is that the derived HI column densities and upper limits obtained for the most compact sources, do not follow the inverse correlation between the column density and the linear size found for CSS/GPS sources. This can be explained - assuming the gas is already in a torus/disk structure - by a combination of the orientation and the extreme compactness of the sources. In this scenario, our line of sight to the source would intersect the torus in its inner region with low optical depth due to high spin and kinetic temperatures. There is no evidence, with the exception of OQ 208, of unsettled, high column density gas still enshrouding the young radio sources. This can be due to the low filling factor of such a medium
The dust masses of powerful radio galaxies: clues to the triggering of their activity
We use deep Herschel Space Observatory observations of a 90% complete sample
of 32 intermediate-redshift 2Jy radio galaxies (0.05 < z < 0.7) to estimate the
dust masses of their host galaxies and thereby investigate the triggering
mechanisms for their quasar-like AGN. The dust masses derived for the radio
galaxies (7.2x10^5 < M_d < 2.6x10^8 M_sun) are intermediate between those of
quiescent elliptical galaxies on the one hand, and ultra luminous infrared
galaxies (ULIRGs) on the other. Consistent with simple models for the
co-evolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, these results
suggest that most of the radio galaxies represent the late time re-triggering
of AGN activity via mergers between the host giant elliptical galaxies and
companion galaxies with relatively low gas masses. However, a minority of the
radio galaxies in our sample (~20%) have high, ULIRG-like dust masses, along
with evidence for prodigious star formation activity. The latter objects are
more likely to have been triggered in major, gas-rich mergers that represent a
rapid growth phase for both their host galaxies and their supermassive black
holes.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
Radio jet interactions in the radio galaxy PKS 2152-699
We present radio observations of the radio galaxy PKS 2152-699 obtained with
the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The much higher resolution and
s/n of the new radio maps reveals the presence of a bright radio component
about 10 arcsec NE of the nucleus. This lies close to the highly ionized cloud
previously studied in the optical and here shown in a broadband red snapshot
image with the HST PC2. It suggests that PKS 2152-699 may be a jet/cloud
interaction similar to 3C277.3. This could cause the change in the position
angle (of ~20 deg) of the radio emission from the inner to the outer regions.
On the large scale, the source has Fanaroff & Riley type II morphology although
the presence of the two hot-spots in the centres of the lobes is unusual. The
northern lobe shows a particularly relaxed structure while the southern one has
an edge-brightened, arc-like structure.Comment: 7 pages, 5 encapsulated figures, 1 JPEG figure, accepted for MNRA
Measurements of the Cerenkov light emitted by a TeO2 crystal
Bolometers have proven to be good instruments to search for rare processes
because of their excellent energy resolution and their extremely low intrinsic
background. In this kind of detectors, the capability of discriminating alpha
particles from electrons represents an important aspect for the background
reduction. One possibility for obtaining such a discrimination is provided by
the detection of the Cerenkov light which, at the low energies of the natural
radioactivity, is only emitted by electrons. In this paper, the results of the
analysis of the light emitted by a TeO2 crystal at room temperature when
transversed by a cosmic ray are reported. Light is promptly emitted after the
particle crossing and a clear evidence of its directionality is also found.
These results represent a strong indication that Cerenkov light is the main, if
not even the only, component of the light signal in a TeO2 crystal. They open
the possibility to make large improvements in the performance of experiments
based on this kind of material
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