215 research outputs found
Multiphase gas flows in the nearby Seyfert galaxy ESO428-G14
We present ALMA rest-frame 230 GHz continuum and CO(2-1) line observations of
the nearby Compton-thick Seyfert galaxy ESO428-G14, with angular resolution 0.7
arcsec (78 pc). We detect CO(2-1) emission from spiral arms and a
circum-nuclear ring with 200 pc radius, and from a transverse gas lane with
size of pc, which crosses the nucleus and connects the two portions
the circumnuclear ring. The molecular gas in the host galaxy is distributed in
a rotating disk with intrinsic circular velocity km/s,
inclination deg, and dynamical mass within a radius of kpc. In the inner 100 pc region CO is
distributed in a equatorial bar, whose kinematics is highly perturbed and
consistent with an inflow of gas towards the AGN. This inner CO bar overlaps
with the most obscured, Compton-thick region seen in X-rays. We derive a column
density of in this region,
suggesting that molecular gas may contribute significantly to the AGN
obscuration. We detect a molecular outflow with a total outflow rate , distributed along a bi-conical structure with
size of pc on both sides of the AGN. The bi-conical outflow is also
detected in the emission line at 2.12 m, which traces a warmer
nuclear outflow located within 170 pc from the AGN. This suggests that the
outflow cools with increasing distance from the AGN. We find that the hard
X-ray emitting nuclear region mapped with Chandra is CO-deprived, but filled
with warm molecular gas traced by - thus confirming that the hard
(3-6 keV) continuum and Fe K emission are due to scattering from dense
neutral clouds in the ISM.Comment: Submitted to Ap
The rest-frame UV-to-optical spectroscopy of APM 08279+5255 - BAL classification and black hole mass estimates
We present the analysis of the rest-frame optical-to-UV spectrum of APM
08279+5255, a well-known lensed broad absorption line (BAL) quasar at . The spectroscopic data are taken with the optical DOLoRes and near-IR
NICS instruments at TNG, and include the previously unexplored range between C
III] 1910 and [O III] 4959,5007. We investigate the
possible presence of multiple BALs by computing "balnicity" and absorption
indexes (i.e. BI, BI and AI) for the transitions Si IV 1400, C IV
1549, Al III 1860 and Mg II 2800. No clear evidence
for the presence of absorption features is found in addition to the already
known, prominent BAL associated to C IV, which supports a high-ionization BAL
classification for APM 08279+5255. We also study the properties of the [O III],
H and Mg II emission lines. We find that [O III] is intrinsically weak
(), as it is typically found in
luminous quasars with a strongly blueshifted C IV emission line (2500 km
s for APM 08279+5255). We compute the single-epoch black hole mass based
on Mg II and H broad emission lines, finding M, with the magnification factor that can
vary between 4 and 100 according to CO and rest-frame UV-to-mid-IR imaging
respectively. Using a Mg II equivalent width (EW)-to-Eddington ratio relation,
the EW \AA\ measured for APM 08279+5255 translates into an
Eddington ratio of 0.4, which is more consistent with . This
magnification factor also provides a value of that is consistent
with recent reverberation-mapping measurements derived from C IV and Si IV.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in A&
The WISSH Quasars Project III. X-ray properties of hyper-luminous quasars
We perform a survey of the X-ray properties of 41 objects from the WISE/SDSS
selected Hyper-luminous (WISSH) quasars sample, composed by 86 broad-line
quasars (QSOs) with bolometric luminosity , at z~2-4. All but 3 QSOs show unabsorbed 2-10 keV luminosities
. Thanks to their extreme radiative output
across the Mid-IR-to-X-ray range, WISSH QSOs offer the opportunity to
significantly extend and validate the existing relations involving .
We study as a function of (i) X-ray-to-Optical (X/O) flux ratio,
(ii) mid-IR luminosity (), (iii) as well as (iv)
vs. the 2500 luminosity. We find that WISSH QSOs
show very low X/O(<0.1) compared to typical AGN values;
ratios significantly smaller than those derived for AGN with lower luminosity;
large X-ray bolometric corrections 100-1000; and steep
. These results lead to a scenario where the X-ray
emission of hyper-luminous quasars is relatively weaker compared to
lower-luminosity AGN. Models predict that such an X-ray weakness can be
relevant for the acceleration of powerful high-ionization emission line-driven
winds, commonly detected in the UV spectra of WISSH QSOs, which can in turn
perturb the X-ray corona and weaken its emission. Accordingly, hyper-luminous
QSOs represent the ideal laboratory to study the link between the AGN energy
output and wind acceleration. Additionally, WISSH QSOs show very large BH
masses (>9.5). This enables a more robust modeling
of the relation by increasing the statistics at high masses. We
derive a flatter dependence than previously found over the broad range
5 < < 11.Comment: 20 pages, 14 Figures. Accepted for publication on A&
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
Soil and water bioengineering: practice and research needs for reconciling natural hazard control and ecological restoration
Soil and water bioengineering is a technology that encourages scientists and practitioners to combine their knowledge and skills in the management of ecosystems with a common goal to maximize benefits to both man and the natural environment. It involves techniques that use plants as living building materials, for: (i) natural hazard control (e.g., soil erosion, torrential floods and landslides) and (ii) ecological restoration or nature-based re-introduction of species on degraded lands, river embankments, and disturbed environments. For a bioengineering project to be successful, engineers are required to highlight all the potential benefits and ecosystem services by documenting the technical, ecological, economic and social values. The novel approaches used by bioengineers raise questions for researchers and necessitate innovation from practitioners to design bioengineering concepts and techniques. Our objective in this paper, therefore, is to highlight the practice and research needs in soil and water bioengineering for reconciling natural hazard control and ecological restoration. Firstly, we review the definition and development of bioengineering technology, while stressing issues concerning the design, implementation, and monitoring of bioengineering actions. Secondly, we highlight the need to reconcile natural hazard control and ecological restoration by posing novel practice and research questions
Capturing dual AGN activity and kiloparsec-scale outflows in IRAS 20210+1121
The most standard scenario for the evolution of massive galaxies across cosmic time assumes a correspondence based on the interplay between active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback, which injects large amounts of energy into the host environment, and galaxy mergers, with their ability to trigger massive star formation events and accretion onto supermassive black holes. Interacting systems hosting AGN are useful laboratories for obtaining key insights into both phenomena. In this context, we present an analysis of the optical spectral properties of IRAS 20210+1121 (I20210), a merging system at z = 0.056. According to X-ray data, this object comprises two interacting galaxies, each hosting an obscured AGN. The optical spectra confirm the presence of AGN features in both galaxies. In particular, we are able to provide a Seyfert classification for I20210 North. The spectrum of I20120 South shows broad blueshifted components associated with the most intense emission lines that indicate the presence of an ionized outflow, for which we derive a maximum velocity of ∼2000 km s-1, an extension of ∼2 kpc, and a mass rate of ∼0.6 M⊙ yr-1. We also report the existence of an ionized nebular component with v ∼ 1000 km s-1 at ∼6.5 kpc southwards of I20210 South, which can be interpreted as disrupted gas ejected from the host galaxy by the action of the outflow. I20120 therefore exhibits a double obscured AGN, with one of them showing evidence of ongoing events for AGN-powered outflows. Future spatially resolved spectroscopy will allow for an accurate mapping of the gas kinematics in this AGN pair and evaluate the impact of the outflow on both the interstellar medium and the galaxy environment
A Customized GIS-based Model for Stormwater Mitigation by LID Controls
The effects of urbanization on hydrology, water quality, habitats, as well as ecological and environmental compartments, represent issues of primary importance for multiple agencies at the national, regional and local levels. In the context of the SMART-GREEN project, funded by Fondazione Cariplo and currently in progress, a new tool called SMARTGREEN plugin is under development in a desktop GIS framework. The software will provide: 1) a user friendly interface to help analysts in the hydrologic-hydraulic modelling of urban watersheds and drainage networks through the model MOBIDIC-U, with the possibility of considering Low Impact Development (LID) solutions, 2) a set of tools to easily import information from existing databases, 3) a set of tools to check the database quality, highlight missing or incorrect data, and suggest possible fixes automatically, 4) an easy and faster way to speed up the analysis of the results. In this work, we show the main functionalities of the plugin through a basic test case. The software aims at supporting water service management companies in planning LID implementation in urban areas
Crossing the Rubicon of Reionization with z~5 QSOs
One of the key open questions in Cosmology is the nature of the sources that
completed the cosmological hydrogen Reionization at z~5.2. High-z primeval
galaxies have been long considered the main drivers for Reionization, with a
minor role played by high-z AGN. However, in order to confirm this scenario, it
is fundamental to measure the photo-ionization rate produced by active SMBHs
close to the epoch of Reionization. Given the pivotal role played by
spectroscopically complete observations of high-z QSOs, in this paper we
present the first results of the RUBICON (Reionizing the Universe with BrIght
COsmological Nuclei) survey. It consists of a color selected sample of
bona-fide z~5 QSO candidates from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic
Survey. Our QSO candidates have been validated both by photometric redshifts
based on SED fitting and by spectroscopic redshifts, confirming that they lie
at 4.5<z_spec<5.2. A relatively large space density of QSOs (Phi~1.4x10^-8
cMpc^-3) is thus confirmed at z~5 and M1450~-27, consistent with a pure density
evolution of the AGN luminosity function from z=4 to z=5, with a mild density
evolution rate of 0.25 dex. This indicates that AGN could play a non-negligible
role in the cosmic Reionization. The Rubicon of Reionization has been crossed.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
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