Semi-empirical analysis of Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies III. How to distinguish AGN hosts

We consider the techniques to distinguish normal star forming (NSF) galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) hosts using optical spectra. The observational data base is a set of 20000 galaxies extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, for which we have determined the emission line intensities after subtracting the stellar continuum obtained from spectral synthesis. Our analysis is based on photoionization models computed using the stellar ionizing radiation predicted by Starburst 99 and, for the AGNs, a broken power-law spectrum. We explain why, among the four classical emission line diagnostic diagrams, the [OIII]/Hb vs [NII]/Ha one works best. We show however, that none of these diagrams is efficient in detecting AGNs in metal poor galaxies, should such cases exist. We propose a new divisory line between ``pure'' NSF galaxies and AGN hosts. We also show that a classification into NSF and AGN galaxies using only [NII]/Ha is feasible and useful. Finally, we propose a new classification diagram, the DEW diagram, plotting D_n(4000) vs max(EW[OII],EW[NeIII]). This diagram can be used with optical spectra for galaxies with redshifts up to z = 1.3, meaning an important progress over classifications proposed up to now. Since the DEW diagram requires only a small range in wavelength, it can also be used at even larger redshifts in suitable atmospheric windows. It also has the advantage of not requiring stellar synthesis analysis to subtract the stars and of allowing one to see ALL the galaxies in the same diagram, including passive galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS (replaced on august 3, 2006, eqs 6 and 7 corrected

Semi-empirical analysis of Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies: IV. A nature via nurture scenario for galaxy evolution

We investigate the environmental dependence of stellar population properties of galaxies in the local universe. Physical quantities related to the stellar content of galaxies are derived from a spectral synthesis method applied to a volume-limited sample containing more than 60 thousand galaxies extracted from the DR4 of the SDSS. Mean stellar ages, mean stellar metallicities and stellar masses are obtained from this method and used to characterise the stellar populations of galaxies. The environment is defined by the projected local galaxy density estimated from a nearest neighbour approach. We recover the star formation--density relation in terms of the mean light-weighted stellar age, which is strongly correlated with star formation parameters derived from \Ha. We find that the age--density relation is distinct when we divide galaxies according to luminosity or stellar mass. The relation is remarkable for galaxies in all bins of luminosity. On the other hand, only for an intermediate stellar mass interval (associated to a transition in galaxy properties) the relation shows a change in galaxy properties with environment. Such distinct behaviours are associated to the large stellar masses of galaxies with the same luminosity in high-density environments. In addition, the well known star formation--density relation results from the prevalence of massive systems in high-density environments, independently of galaxy luminosity, with the additional observed downsizing in galaxy formation, in which the star formation is shifted from massive galaxies at early times to low-mass galaxies as the universe evolves. Our results support that a natural path for galaxy evolution proceeds via a nurture way, in the sense that galaxy evolution is accelerated in denser environments, that took place mainly at high-redshifts.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, revised version accepted for publication in MNRA

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas, Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken

Magnetic reconfiguration of MnAs/GaAs(001) observed by Magnetic Force Microscopy and Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering

We investigated the thermal evolution of the magnetic properties of MnAs epitaxial films grown on GaAs(001) during the coexistence of hexagonal/orthorhombic phases using polarized resonant (magnetic) soft X-ray scattering and magnetic force microscopy. The results of the diffuse satellite X-ray peaks were compared to those obtained by magnetic force microscopy and suggest a reorientation of ferromagnetic terraces as temperature rises. By measuring hysteresis loops at these peaks we show that this reorientation is common to all ferromagnetic terraces. The reorientation is explained by a simple model based on the shape anisotropy energy. Demagnetizing factors were calculated for different configurations suggested by the magnetic images. We noted that the magnetic moments flip from an in-plane mono-domain orientation at lower temperatures to a three-domain out-of-plane configuration at higher temperatures. The transition was observed when the ferromagnetic stripe width L is equal to 2.9 times the film thickness d. This is in good agreement with the expected theoretical value of L = 2.6d.Comment: 16 pages in PD

The Evolution of Helium and Hydrogen Ionization Corrections as HII Regions Age

Helium and hydrogen recombination lines observed in low-metallicity, extragalactic, HII regions provide the data used to infer the primordial helium mass fraction, Y_P. In deriving abundances from observations, the correction for unseen neutral helium or hydrogen is usually assumed to be absent; i.e., the ionization correction factor is taken to be unity (icf = 1). In a previous paper (VGS), we revisited the question of the icf, confirming a "reverse" ionization correction: icf < 1. In VGS the icf was calculated using more nearly realistic models of inhomogeneous HII regions, suggesting that the published values of Y_P needed to be reduced by an amount of order 0.003. As star clusters age, their stellar spectra evolve and so, too, will their icfs. Here the evolution of the icf is studied, along with that of two, alternate, measures of the "hardness" of the radiation spectrum. The differences between the icf for radiation-bounded and matter-bounded models are also explored, along with the effect on the icf of the He/H ratio (since He and H compete for some of the same ionizing photons). Particular attention is paid to the amount of doubly-ionized helium predicted, leading us to suggest that observations of, or bounds to, He++ may help to discriminate among models of HII regions ionized by starbursts of different ages and spectra. We apply our analysis to the Izotov & Thuan (IT) data set utilizing the radiation softness parameter, the [OIII]/[OI] ratio, and the presence or absence of He++ to find 0.95 < icf < 0.99. This suggests that the IT estimate of the primordial helium abundance should be reduced by Delta-Y = 0.006 +- 0.002, from 0.244 +- 0.002 to 0.238 +- 0.003.Comment: 27 double-spaced pages, 11 figures, 5 equations; revised to match the version accepted for publication in the Ap

The Electron Scattering Region in Seyfert Nuclei

The electron scattering region (ESR) is one of important ingredients in Seyfert nuclei because it makes possible to observe the hidden broad line region (hereafter HBLR) in some type 2 Seyfert nuclei (hereafter S2s). However, little is known about its physical and geometrical properties. Using the number ratio of S2s with and without HBLR, we investigate statistically where the ESR is in Seyfert nuclei. Our analysis suggests that the ESR is located at radius between $\sim$ 0.01 pc and $\sim$ 0.1 pc from the central engine. We also discuss a possible origin of the ESR briefly.Comment: 5 pages and 1 figure. The Astrophysical Journal (Letters), in pres