134 research outputs found
Jet directions in Seyfert galaxies: B and I imaging data
We present the results of broad-band B and I imaging observations for a
sample of 88 Seyfert galaxies (29 Seyfert 1's and 59 Seyfert 2's), selected
from a mostly isotropic property, the flux at 60m. We also present the B
and I imaging results for an additional sample of 20 Seyfert galaxies (7
Seyfert 1's and 13 Seyfert 2's), selected from the literature and known to have
extended radio emission. The I band images are fitted with ellipses to
determine the position angle and ellipticity of the host galaxy major axis.
This information will be used in a future paper, combined with information from
radio observations, to study the orientation of radio jets relative to the
plane of their host galaxies (Kinney et al. 2000). Here we present surface
brightness profiles and magnitudes in the B and I bands, as well as mean
ellipticities and major axis position angles.Comment: To appear in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, June 2000.
48 pages, 7 tables, 19 gif and 11 postscript figures. Better quality figures
can be obtained with the autho
A Hubble Space Telescope Survey of Extended [OIII]5007A Emission in a Far-Infrared Selected Sample of Seyfert Galaxies: Results
We present the results of a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) survey of extended
[OIII] emission in a sample of 60 nearby Seyfert galaxies (22 Seyfert 1's and
38 Seyfert 2's), selected by mostly isotropic properties. The comparison
between the semi major axis size of their [OIII] emitting regions (R_Maj) shows
that Seyfert 1's and Seyfert 2's have similar distributions, which seems to
contradict Unified Model predictions. We discuss possible ways to explain this
result, which could be due either to observational limitations or the models
used for the comparison with our data. We show that Seyfert 1 Narrow Line
Regions (NLR's) are more circular and concentrated than Seyfert 2's, which can
be attributed to foreshortening in the former. We find a good correlation
between the NLR size and luminosity, following the relation R_Maj propto
L([OIII])^0.33, which is flatter than a previous one found for QSO's and
Seyfert 2's. We discuss possible reasons for the different results, and their
implications to photoionization models. We confirm previous results which show
that the [OIII] and radio emission are well aligned, and also find no
correlation between the orientation of the extended [OIII] emission and the
host galaxy major axis. This agrees with results showing that the torus axis
and radio jet are not aligned with the host galaxy rotation axis, indicating
that the orientation of the gas in the torus, and not the spin of the black
hole, determine the orientation of the accretion disk, and consequently the
orientation of the radio jet.Comment: 17 pages including 12 figures, to appear in Ap
Sensitive VLBI Continuum and H I Absorption Observations of NGC 7674: First Scientific Observations with the Combined Array VLBA, VLA & Arecibo
We present phase-referenced VLBI observations of the radio continuum emission
from, and the H I 21 cm absorption toward, the Luminous Infrared Galaxy NGC
7674. The observations were carried out at 1380 MHz using the VLBA, the phased
VLA, and theArecibo radio telescope. These observations constitute the first
scientific use of the Arecibo telescope in a VLBI observation with the VLBA.
The high- and low-resolution radio continuum images reveal several new
continuum structures in the nuclear region of this galaxy. At ~100 mas
resolution, we distinguish six continuum structures extending over 1.4 arcsec,
with a total flux density of 138 mJy. Only three of these structures were known
previously. All these structures seem to be related to AGN activity. At the
full resolution of the array, we only detect two of the six continuum
structures. Both are composed of several compact components with brightness
temperatures on the order of K. While it is possible that one of these
compact structures could host an AGN, they could also be shock-like features
formed by the interaction of the jet with compact interstellar clouds in the
nuclear region of this galaxy. Complex H I absorption is detected with our VLBI
array at both high and low angular resolution. Assuming that the widest H I
feature is associated with a rotating H I disk or torus feeding a central AGN,
we estimate an enclosed dynamical mass of ~7 x 10^7 M_sun, comparable to the
value derived from the hidden broad H emission in this galaxy. The
narrower H I lines could represent clumpy neutral hydrogen structures in the H
I torus. The detection of H I absorption toward some of the continuum
components, and its absence toward others, suggest an inclined H I disk or
torus in the central region of NGC 7674.Comment: 37 pages, 11 figures. ApJ accepted. To appear in the Nov. 10, 2003
issue of ApJ. Please use the PDF version if the postscript doesn't show the
figure
XMM Follow-Up Observations of Three Swift BAT-Selected Active Galactic Nuclei
We present XMM-Newton observations of three AGN taken as part of a hunt to
find very heavily obscured Compton-thick AGN. For obscuring columns greater
than 10^25 cm^-2, AGN are only visible at energies below 10 keV via
reflected/scattered radiation, characterized by a flat power-law. We therefore
selected three objects (ESO 417-G006, IRAS 05218-1212, and MCG -01-05-047) from
the Swift BAT hard X-ray survey catalog with Swift X-ray Telescope XRT 0.5-10
keV spectra with flat power-law indices as candidate Compton-thick sources for
follow-up observations with the more sensitive instruments on XMM-Newton. The
XMM spectra, however, rule out reflection-dominated models based on the
weakness of the observed Fe K-alpha lines. Instead, the spectra are well-fit by
a model of a power-law continuum obscured by a Compton-thin absorber, plus a
soft excess. This result is consistent with previous follow-up observations of
two other flat-spectrum BAT-detected AGN. Thus, out of the six AGN in the
22-month BAT catalog with apparently flat Swift XRT spectra, all five that have
had follow-up observations are not likely Compton-thick. We also present new
optical spectra of two of these objects, IRAS 05218-1212 and MCG -01-05-047.
Interestingly, though both these AGN have similar X-ray spectra, their optical
spectra are completely different, adding evidence against the simplest form of
the geometric unified model of AGN. IRAS 05218-1212 appears in the optical as a
Seyfert 1, despite the ~8.5x10^22 cm^-2 line-of-sight absorbing column
indicated by its X-ray spectrum. MCG -01-05-047's optical spectrum shows no
sign of AGN activity; it appears as a normal galaxy.Comment: 18 pages including 4 figures, accepted by Ap
Imaging of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies in the Near-UV
We present the first ground-based U' (3410 angstroms) images of Ultraluminous
Infrared Galaxies (ULIGs). Strong U' emission (median total M_U' = -20.8) is
seen in all systems and in some cases the extended tidal features (both the
smooth stellar distribution and compact star-forming features) contribute up to
60-80% of the total flux. The star-forming regions in both samples are found to
have ages based on spectral synthesis models in the range 10-100 Myrs, and most
differences in color between them can be attributed to the effects of dust
reddening. Additionally, it is found that star-formation in compact knots in
the tidal tails is most prominent in those ULIGs which have double nuclei,
suggesting that the star-formation rate in the tails peaks prior to the actual
coalescence of the galaxy nuclei and diminishes quickly thereafter. Similar to
results at other wavelengths, the observed star formation at U' can only
account for a small fraction of the known bolometric luminosity of the ULIGs.
Azimuthally averaged radial light profiles at U' are characterized by a sersic
law with index n=2, which is intermediate between an exponential disk and an
r^(-1/4) law and closely resembles the latter at large radii. The implications
of this near-ultraviolet imaging for optical/near-infrared observations of high
redshift counterparts of ULIGs are discussed.Comment: 30 pages, 4 tables, and 9 figures, 2 of which are JPEGs. To appear in
the August, 2000 edition of the Astronomical Journa
A Search for OH Megamasers at z > 0.1. I. Preliminary Results
We present the preliminary results of a survey for OH megamasers underway at
the Arecibo Observatory. The goals of the survey are to calibrate the
luminosity function of OH megamasers to the low-redshift galaxy merger rate
(0.1 < z < 0.2), and to use the enhanced sample of OH megamasers provided by
the survey to study OH megamaser environments, engines, lifetimes, and
structure. The survey should double the known OH megamaser sample to roughly
100 objects. Survey results will be presented in installments to facilitate
community access to the data. Here we report the discovery of 11 OH megamasers
and one OH absorber, and include upper limits on the isotropic 1667 MHz OH line
luminosity of 53 other luminous infrared galaxies at z > 0.1. The new
megamasers show a wide range of spectral properties, but are consistent with
the extant set of 55 previously reported objects, only 8 of which have z > 0.1.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
Deep Mid-Infrared Silicate Absorption as a Diagnostic of Obscuring Geometry Toward Galactic Nuclei
The silicate cross section peak near 10um produces emission and absorption
features in the spectra of dusty galactic nuclei observed with the Spitzer
Space Telescope. Especially in ultraluminous infrared galaxies, the observed
absorption feature can be extremely deep, as IRAS 08572+3915 illustrates. A
foreground screen of obscuration cannot reproduce this observed feature, even
at large optical depth. Instead, the deep absorption requires a nuclear source
to be deeply embedded in a smooth distribution of material that is both
geometrically and optically thick. In contrast, a clumpy medium can produce
only shallow absorption or emission, which are characteristic of
optically-identified active galactic nuclei. In general, the geometry of the
dusty region and the total optical depth, rather than the grain composition or
heating spectrum, determine the silicate feature's observable properties. The
apparent optical depth calculated from the ratio of line to continuum emission
generally fails to accurately measure the true optical depth. The obscuring
geometry, not the nature of the embedded source, also determines the far-IR
spectral shape.Comment: To appear in ApJ
Investigating on the nuclear obscuration in two types of Seyfert 2 galaxies
We build a large sample of Seyfert 2 galaxies (Sy2s) with both optical
spectropolarimetric and X-ray data available, in which 29 Sy2s with the
detection of polarized broad emission line (PBL) and 25 without. We find that
for luminous Sy2s with L_[OIII] > 10^41 erg/s, sources with PBL have smaller
X-ray absorption column density comparing with those without PBL (at 92.3%
confidence level): most of the Sy2s with N_H<10^23.8 cm^-2 show PBL (86%, 12
out 14), while the fraction is much smaller for sources with heavier
obscuration (54%, 15 out 28). The confidence level of the difference in
absorption bounces up to 99.1% while using the "T" ratio (F_2-10keV/F_[O III])
as an indicator. We rule out observation or selection bias as the origin for
the difference. Our results, for the first time with high statistical
confidence, show that, in additional to the nuclei activity, the nuclear
obscuration also plays an important role in the visibility of PBL in Sy2s.
These results can be interpreted in the framework of the unified model. We can
reach these results in the unified model if: a) the absorption column density
is higher at large inclinations and b) the scattering region is obscured at
large inclinations.Comment: 28 pages, including 7 figures and 3 tables, ApJ accepte
New Wolf-Rayet Galaxies with Detection of WC Stars
We report the discovery of two new Wolf-Rayet (WR) galaxies: Mrk~1039, and
F082082816. Two broad WR bumps at 5808\AA~ and 4650\AA~ indicate the
presence of WCE and WNL star population in all two sources. We also confirm the
presenceof WR features in Mrk~35, previously detected in a different position.
The observed equivalent width of the WR bump at 4650\AA~ and the derived number
ratios of WR/(WRO) imply that star formation in these sources takes place
inshort burst duration. Comparisons with the recent models of WR populations in
young starbursts with the observed EW(\HeII)/EW(\CIV)/EW(WRbump) and their
relative intensitie provide an indication that the stellar initial mass
function in some WR galaxies might not be Salpeter-like. It is interesting to
find that the luminous IRAS source, F082082816, has little dust reddening,
probably because of the existence of a powerful superwind. By comparisons with
other starbursts observed with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, F082082816
as a merging system renders a chance to study the contribution from young
starbursts to the UV background radiation in universe.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables, accepted by The Astrophysical Journa
The Frequency of Active and Quiescent Galaxies with Companions: Implications for the Feeding of the Nucleus
We analyze the idea that nuclear activity, either AGN or star formation, can
be triggered by interactions, studying the percentage of active, HII and
quiescent galaxies with companions. Our sample was selected from the Palomar
survey, and avoids selection biases faced by previous studies. The comparison
between the local galaxy density distributions showed that in most cases there
is no statistically significant difference among galaxies of different activity
types. The comparison of the percentage of galaxies with nearby companions
showed that there is a higher percentage of LINERs, transition, and absorption
line galaxies with companions than Seyferts and HII galaxies. However, we find
that when we consider only galaxies of similar morphological types (ellipticals
or spirals), there is no difference in the percentage of galaxies with
companions among different activity types, indicating that the former result
was due to the morphology-density effect. Also, only small differences are
found when we consider galaxies with similar Halpha luminosities. The
comparison between HII galaxies of different Halpha luminosities shows that
there is a significantly higher percentage of galaxies with companions among
the higher luminosity HII galaxies, indicating that interactions increase the
amount of circumnuclear star formation, in agreement with previous results. The
fact that we find that galaxies of different activity types have the same
percentage of companions, suggests that interactions between galaxies is not a
necessary condition to trigger the nuclear activity in AGNs. We compare our
results with previous ones and discuss their implications. (abridged)Comment: 30 pages, including 6 figures and 3 tables. To appear in The
Astronomical Journal, November issu
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