104 research outputs found
Faint, Evolving Radio AGN in SDSS Luminous Red Galaxies
We detect and study the properties of faint radio AGN in Luminous Red
Galaxies (LRGs). The LRG sample comprises 760,000 objects from a catalog of LRG
photometric redshifts constructed from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)
imaging data, and 65,000 LRGs from the SDSS spectroscopic sample. These
galaxies have typical 1.4 GHz flux densities in the 10s-100s of microJy, with
the contribution from a low-luminosity AGN dominating any contribution from
star formation. To probe the radio properties of such faint objects, we employ
a stacking technique whereby FIRST survey image cutouts at each optical LRG
position are sorted by the parameter of interest and median-combined within
bins. We find that median radio luminosity scales with optical luminosity
(L_opt) as L_1.4 GHz ~ L_opt^(beta), where beta appears to decrease from beta ~
1 at z = 0.4 to beta ~ 0 at z = 0.7, a result which could be indicative of AGN
cosmic downsizing. We also find that the overall LRG population, which is
dominated by low-luminosity AGN, experiences significant cosmic evolution
between z = 0.2 and z = 0.7. This implies a considerable increase in total AGN
heating for these massive ellipticals with redshift. By matching against the
FIRST catalog, we investigate the incidence and properties of LRGs associated
with double-lobed (FR I/II) radio galaxies. (Abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, Accepted by A
High-resolution VLA Imaging of SDSS Stripe 82 at 1.4 GHz
We present a high-resolution radio survey of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
(SDSS) Southern Equatorial Stripe, a.k.a. Stripe 82. This 1.4 GHz survey was
conducted with the Very Large Array (VLA) primarily in the A-configuration,
with supplemental B-configuration data to increase sensitivity to extended
structure. The survey has an angular resolution of 1.8" and achieves a median
rms noise of 52 microJy/bm over 92 deg^2. This is the deepest 1.4 GHz survey to
achieve this large of an area, filling a gap in the phase space between small,
deep and large, shallow surveys. It also serves as a pilot project for a larger
high-resolution survey with the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA). We discuss
the technical design of the survey and details of the observations, and we
outline our method for data reduction. We present a catalog of 17,969 isolated
radio components, for an overall source density of ~195 sources/deg^2. The
astrometric accuracy of the data is excellent, with an internal check utilizing
multiply-observed sources yielding an rms scatter of 0.19" in both right
ascension and declination. A comparison to the SDSS DR7 Quasar Catalog further
confirms that the astrometry is well tied to the optical reference frame, with
mean offsets of 0.02" +/- 0.01" in right ascension, and 0.01" +/- 0.02" in
declination. A check of our photometry reveals a small, negative CLEAN-like
bias on the level of 35 microJy. We report on the catalog completeness, finding
that 97% of FIRST-detected quasars are recovered in the new Stripe 82 radio
catalog, while faint, extended sources are more likely to be resolved out by
the resolution bias. We conclude with a discussion of the optical counterparts
to the catalog sources, including 76 newly-detected radio quasars. The full
catalog as well as a search page and cutout server are available online at
http://third.ucllnl.org/cgi-bin/stripe82cutout.Comment: 18 pages, 22, figures. Submitted to AJ, revised to address referee's
comment
Plausible association of distant late M dwarfs with low-frequency radio emission
We present the serendipitous discovery of 8 distant ( 50 pc) late M dwarfs
with plausible associated radio emission at 144 MHz. The M dwarf nature of our
sources has been confirmed with optical spectroscopy performed using HET/LRS2
and Subaru/FOCAS, and their radio flux densities are within the range of
0.5-1.0 mJy at 144 MHz. Considering the radio-optical source separation and
source densities of the parent catalogues, we suggest that it is statistically
probable the M dwarfs are associated with the radio emission. However, it
remains plausible that for some of the sources the radio emission originates
from an optically faint and red galaxy hiding behind the M dwarf. The isotropic
radio luminosities ( erg s Hz) of the M dwarfs
suggest that if the association is real, the radio emission is likely driven by
a coherent emission process produced via plasma or electron-cyclotron maser
instability processes, which is potentially caused by binary interaction. Long
term monitoring in the radio and high-resolution radio follow-up observations
are necessary to search for any variability and pinpoint the radio emission to
determine whether our tentative conclusion that these ultracool dwarfs are
radio emitting is correct. If the low-frequency radio emission is conclusively
associated with the M dwarfs, this would reveal a new population of optically
faint and distant ( 50 pc) radio emitting M dwarfs.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The Era of Star Formation in Galaxy Clusters
We analyze the star formation properties of 16 infrared-selected, spectroscopically confirmed galaxy clusters at 1 1.35. Using infrared luminosities measured with deep Spitzer/Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer observations at 24 μm, along with robust optical + IRAC photometric redshifts and spectral-energy-distribution-fitted stellar masses, we present the dust-obscured star-forming fractions, star formation rates, and specific star formation rates in these clusters as functions of redshift and projected clustercentric radius. We find that z ~ 1.4 represents a transition redshift for the ISCS sample, with clear evidence of an unquenched era of cluster star formation at earlier times. Beyond this redshift, the fraction of star-forming cluster members increases monotonically toward the cluster centers. Indeed, the specific star formation rate in the cores of these distant clusters is consistent with field values at similar redshifts, indicating that at z > 1.4 environment-dependent quenching had not yet been established in ISCS clusters. By combining these observations with complementary studies showing a rapid increase in the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction, a stochastic star formation history, and a major merging episode at the same epoch in this cluster sample, we suggest that the starburst activity is likely merger-driven and that the subsequent quenching is due to feedback from merger-fueled AGNs. The totality of the evidence suggests we are witnessing the final quenching period that brings an end to the era of star formation in galaxy clusters and initiates the era of passive evolution
The HETDEX Survey: Emission Line Exploration and Source Classification
The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) is an untargeted
spectroscopic survey that aims to measure the expansion rate of the Universe at
to 1% precision for both and . HETDEX is in the
process of mapping in excess of one million Lyman Alpha emitting (LAE) galaxies
and a similar number of lower-z galaxies as a tracer of the large-scale
structure. The success of the measurement is predicated on the post-observation
separation of galaxies with Ly emission from the lower- interloping
galaxies, primarily [OII], with low contamination and high recovery rates. The
Emission Line eXplorer (ELiXer) is the principal classification tool for
HETDEX, providing a tunable balance between contamination and completeness as
dictated by science needs. By combining multiple selection criteria, ELiXer
improves upon the 20 Angstrom rest-frame equivalent width cut commonly used to
distinguish LAEs from lower- [OII] emitting galaxies. Despite a spectral
resolving power, R , that cannot resolve the [OII] doublet, we
demonstrate the ability to distinguish LAEs from foreground galaxies with 98.1%
accuracy. We estimate a contamination rate of Ly by [OII] of 1.2% and a
Ly recovery rate of 99.1% using the default ELiXer configuration. These
rates meet the HETDEX science requirements.Comment: 38 pages, 11 figure
IDCS J1426.5+3508: Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Measurement of a Massive IR-selected Cluster at z=1.75
We report 31 GHz CARMA observations of IDCS J1426.5+3508, an
infrared-selected galaxy cluster at z = 1.75. A Sunyaev-Zel'dovich decrement is
detected towards this cluster, indicating a total mass of M200 = (4.3 +/- 1.1)
x 10^{14} Msun in agreement with the approximate X-ray mass of ~5 x 10^{14}
Msun. IDCS J1426.5+3508 is by far the most distant cluster yet detected via the
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, and the most massive z >= 1.4 galaxy cluster found
to date. Despite the mere ~1% probability of finding it in the 8.82 deg^2 IRAC
Distant Cluster Survey, IDCS J1426.5+3508 is not completely unexpected in LCDM
once the area of large, existing surveys is considered. IDCS J1426.5+3508 is,
however, among the rarest, most extreme clusters ever discovered, and indeed is
an evolutionary precursor to the most massive known clusters at all redshifts.
We discuss how imminent, highly sensitive Sunyaev-Zel'dovich experiments will
complement infrared techniques for statistical studies of the formation of the
most massive galaxy clusters in the z > 1.5 Universe, including potential
precursors to IDCS J1426.5+3508.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Accepted to the Astrophysical Journa
The Formation of the First Massive Black Holes
Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are common in local galactic nuclei, and
SMBHs as massive as several billion solar masses already exist at redshift z=6.
These earliest SMBHs may grow by the combination of radiation-pressure-limited
accretion and mergers of stellar-mass seed BHs, left behind by the first
generation of metal-free stars, or may be formed by more rapid direct collapse
of gas in rare special environments where dense gas can accumulate without
first fragmenting into stars. This chapter offers a review of these two
competing scenarios, as well as some more exotic alternative ideas. It also
briefly discusses how the different models may be distinguished in the future
by observations with JWST, (e)LISA and other instruments.Comment: 47 pages with 306 references; this review is a chapter in "The First
Galaxies - Theoretical Predictions and Observational Clues", Springer
Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Eds. T. Wiklind, V. Bromm & B.
Mobasher, in pres
Discovery of 24 radio-bright quasars at 4.9 <= z <= 6.6 using low-frequency radio observations
Galaxie
A Giant Planet Candidate Transiting a White Dwarf
Astronomers have discovered thousands of planets outside the solar system,
most of which orbit stars that will eventually evolve into red giants and then
into white dwarfs. During the red giant phase, any close-orbiting planets will
be engulfed by the star, but more distant planets can survive this phase and
remain in orbit around the white dwarf. Some white dwarfs show evidence for
rocky material floating in their atmospheres, in warm debris disks, or orbiting
very closely, which has been interpreted as the debris of rocky planets that
were scattered inward and tidally disrupted. Recently, the discovery of a
gaseous debris disk with a composition similar to ice giant planets
demonstrated that massive planets might also find their way into tight orbits
around white dwarfs, but it is unclear whether the planets can survive the
journey. So far, the detection of intact planets in close orbits around white
dwarfs has remained elusive. Here, we report the discovery of a giant planet
candidate transiting the white dwarf WD 1856+534 (TIC 267574918) every 1.4
days. The planet candidate is roughly the same size as Jupiter and is no more
than 14 times as massive (with 95% confidence). Other cases of white dwarfs
with close brown dwarf or stellar companions are explained as the consequence
of common-envelope evolution, wherein the original orbit is enveloped during
the red-giant phase and shrinks due to friction. In this case, though, the low
mass and relatively long orbital period of the planet candidate make
common-envelope evolution less likely. Instead, the WD 1856+534 system seems to
demonstrate that giant planets can be scattered into tight orbits without being
tidally disrupted, and motivates searches for smaller transiting planets around
white dwarfs.Comment: 50 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables. Published in Nature on Sept. 17,
2020. The final authenticated version is available online at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2713-
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