Submm-bright QSOs at z~2: signposts of co-evolution at high z

We have assembled a sample of 5 X-ray and submm-luminous z~2 QSOs which are therefore both growing their central black holes through accretion and forming stars copiously at a critical epoch. Hence, they are good laboratories to investigate the co-evolution of star formation and AGN. We have performed a preliminary analysis of the AGN and SF contributions to their UV-to-FIR SEDs, fitting them with simple direct (disk), reprocessed (torus) and star formation components. All three are required by the data and hence we confirm that these objects are undergoing strong star formation in their host galaxies at rates 500-2000 Msun/y. Estimates of their covering factors are between about 30 and 90%. In the future, we will assess the dependence of these results on the particular models used for the components and relate their observed properties to the intrinsice of the central engine and the SF material, as well as their relevance for AGN-galaxy coevolution.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, contributed talk to "Nuclei of Seyfert galaxies and QSOs - Central engine & conditions of star formation" November 6-8, 2012. MPIfR, Bonn, Germany. Po

Submm-bright X-ray absorbed QSOs at z~2: insights into the co-evolution of AGN and star-formation

We have assembled a sample of 5 X-ray-absorbed and submm-luminous type 1 QSOs at $z \sim 2$ which are simultaneously growing their central black holes through accretion and forming stars copiously. We present here the analysis of their rest-frame UV to submm Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs), including new Herschel data. Both AGN (direct and reprocessed) and Star Formation (SF) emission are needed to model their SEDs. From the SEDs and their UV-optical spectra we have estimated the masses of their black holes $M_{BH}\sim 10^{9}-10^{10}\,M_{\odot}$, their intrinsic AGN bolometric luminosities $L_{BOL}\sim(0.8 - 20)\times 10^{13} L_{\odot}$, Eddington ratios $L_{BOL}/L_{Edd}\sim 0.1 - 1.1$ and bolometric corrections $L_{BOL}/L_{X,2-10}\sim 30 - 500$. These values are common among optically and X-ray-selected type 1 QSOs (except for RX~J1249), except for the bolometric corrections, which are higher. These objects show very high far-infrared luminosities $L_{FIR}\sim$ (2 - 8)$\times10^{12}\,M_{\odot}$ and Star Formation Rates SFR$\sim 1000 M_{\odot}/$y. From their $L_{FIR}$ and the shape of their FIR-submm emission we have estimated star-forming dust masses of $M_{DUST}\sim 10^9\,M_\odot$. We have found evidence of a tentative correlation between the gas column densities of the ionized absorbers detected in X-ray (N$_{H_{ion}}$) and $SFR$. Our computed black hole masses are amongst the most massive known.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, December 22, 2014, 17 pages, 5 figure

Evidence that the AGN dominates the radio emission in z ~ 1 radio-quiet quasars

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Sarah V. White, Matt J. Jarvis, Eleni Kalfoutnzou, Martin J. Hardcastle, Aprajita Verma, Mose M. Cao Orjales, and Jason Stevens, 'Evidence that the AGN dominates the radio emission in z ~ 1 radio quiet quasars', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, first published online 3 February 2017, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx284 Key results are presented in Table 4 and Figure 7, which illustrates where the RQQs lie in relation to the far-infrared--radio correlation © 2017 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.In order to understand the role of radio-quiet quasars (RQQs) in galaxy evolution, we must determine the relative levels of accretion and star-formation activity within these objects. Previous work at low radio flux-densities has shown that accretion makes a significant contribution to the total radio emission, in contrast with other quasar studies that suggest star formation dominates. To investigate, we use 70 RQQs from the Spitzer-Herschel Active Galaxy Survey. These quasars are all at $z$ ~ 1, thereby minimising evolutionary effects, and have been selected to span a factor of ~100 in optical luminosity, so that the luminosity dependence of their properties can be studied. We have imaged the sample using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA), whose high sensitivity results in 35 RQQs being detected above 2 $\sigma$. This radio dataset is combined with far-infrared luminosities derived from grey-body fitting to Herschel photometry. By exploiting the far-infrared--radio correlation observed for star-forming galaxies, and comparing two independent estimates of the star-formation rate, we show that star formation alone is not sufficient to explain the total radio emission. Considering RQQs above a 2-$\sigma$ detection level in both the radio and the far-infrared, 92 per cent are accretion-dominated, and the accretion process accounts for 80 per cent of the radio luminosity when summed across the objects. The radio emission connected with accretion appears to be correlated with the optical luminosity of the RQQ, whilst a weaker luminosity-dependence is evident for the radio emission connected with star formation.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Accretion and star formation in 'radio-quiet' quasars

Radio observations allow us to identify a wide range of active galactic nuclei (AGN), which play a significant role in the evolution of galaxies. Amongst AGN at low radio-luminosities is the 'radio-quiet' quasar (RQQ) population, but how they contribute to the total radio emission is under debate, with previous studies arguing that it is predominantly through star formation. In this talk, SVW summarised the results of recent papers on RQQs, including the use of far-infrared data to disentangle the radio emission from the AGN and that from star formation. This provides evidence that black-hole accretion, instead, dominates the radio emission in RQQs. In addition, we find that this accretion-related emission is correlated with the optical luminosity of the quasar, whilst a weaker luminosity-dependence is evident for the radio emission connected with star formation. What remains unclear is the process by which this accretion-related emission is produced. Understanding this for RQQs will then allow us to investigate how this type of AGN influences its surroundings. Such studies have important implications for modelling AGN feedback, and for determining the accretion and star-formation histories of the Universe.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of IAU Symposium 356 on "Nuclear Activity in Galaxies Across Cosmic Time", October 201

Star-forming outflowing QSOs at z~2: their status, future and environments

Trabajo presentado al Demographics and environment of AGN from multi-wavelength surveys, celebrado en Creta del 21 al 24 de septiembre de 2015.Peer Reviewe

Herschel-ATLAS: the far-infrared properties and star-formation rates of broad absorption line quasi-stellar objects

We have used data from the Herschel-ATLAS at 250, 350 and 500 \mu m to determine the far-infrared (FIR) properties of 50 Broad Absorption Line Quasars (BAL QSOs). Our sample contains 49 high-ionization BAL QSOs (HiBALs) and 1 low-ionization BAL QSO (LoBAL) which are compared against a sample of 329 non-BAL QSOs. These samples are matched over the redshift range 1.5 \leq z < 2.3 and in absolute i-band magnitude over the range -28 \leq M_{i} \leq -24. Of these, 3 BAL QSOs (HiBALs) and 27 non-BAL QSOs are detected at the > 5 sigma level. We calculate star-formation rates (SFR) for our individually detected HiBAL QSOs and the non-detected LoBAL QSO as well as average SFRs for the BAL and non-BAL QSO samples based on stacking the Herschel data. We find no difference between the HiBAL and non-BAL QSO samples in the FIR, even when separated based on differing BAL QSO classifications. Using Mrk 231 as a template, the weighted mean SFR is estimated to be \approx240\pm21 M_{\odot} yr^{-1} for the full sample, although this figure should be treated as an upper limit if AGN-heated dust makes a contribution to the FIR emission. Despite tentative claims in the literature, we do not find a dependence of {\sc C\,iv} equivalent width on FIR emission, suggesting that the strength of any outflow in these objects is not linked to their FIR output. These results strongly suggest that BAL QSOs (more specifically HiBALs) can be accommodated within a simple AGN unified scheme in which our line-of-sight to the nucleus intersects outflowing material. Models in which HiBALs are caught towards the end of a period of enhanced spheroid and black-hole growth, during which a wind terminates the star-formation activity, are not supported by the observed FIR properties.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Submm-bright QSOs at z~2: signposts of co-evolution at high z

Trabajo presentado al Nuclei of Seyfert galaxies and QSOs - Central engine & conditions of star formation (Seyfert 2012) - Session 6 Star formation and accretion at high redshift, celebrado en Bonn (Alemania) del 6 al 8 de noviembre de 2012.We have assembled a sample of 5 X-ray and submm-luminous z~2 QSOs which are therefore both growing their central black holes through accretion and forming stars copiously at a critical epoch. Hence, they are good laboratories to investigate the co-evolution of star formation and AGN. We have performed a preliminary analysis of the AGN and SF contributions to their UV-to-FIR SEDs, fitting them with simple direct (disk), reprocessed (torus) and star formation components. All three are required by the data and hence we confirm that these objects are undergoing strong star formation in their host galaxies at rates 500-2000 Msun/y. Estimates of their covering factors are between about 30 and 90%. In the future, we will assess the dependence of these results on the particular models used for the components and relate their observed properties to the intrinsice of the central engine and the SF material, as well as their relevance for AGN-galaxy coevolution.Peer Reviewe

Traces of co-evolution in high z X-ray selected and submm-luminous QSOs

Póster presentado al XI Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA), celebrado en Teruel del 8 al 12 de septiembre de 2014.We present a detailed study of a X -ray selected sample of 5 submillimeter bright QSOs at z∼2, where the highest rates of star formation (SF) and further growth of black holes (BH) occur. Therefore, this sample is a great laboratory to investigate the co-evolution of star formation and AGN. We present here the analysis of the spectral energy distributions (SED) of the 5 QSOS, including new data from Herschel PACS and SPIRE. Both AGN components (direct and reprocessed) and like Star Formation (SF) are needed to model its SED. From the SED and their UV-optical spectra we have estimated the mass of the black hole (MBH=109−1010MSUN) and bolometric luminosities of AGN (LBOL=(0.8−20)×1013LSUN). These objects show very high luminosities in the far infrared range (at the H/ULIRG levels) and very high rates of SF (SFR = 400-1400 MSUN/y). Known their current SFR and their BH masses, we deduce that their host galaxies must be already very massive, or would not have time to get to the local relation between BH mass and bulge. Finally, we found evidence of a possible correlation between the column density of ionized gas detected in X-rays (NHion) and SFR, which would provide a link between AGN and SF processes.A.K.A, F.J.C. and S.M. acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under project AYA2012-31447. SM acknowledges Financial support from the ARCHES project (7th Framework of the European Union, No. 313146).Peer Reviewe

Isothermal dust models of Herschel-ATLAS galaxies

We use galaxies from the Herschel-ATLAS (H-ATLAS) survey, and a suite of ancillary simulations based on an isothermal dust model, to study our ability to determine the effective dust temperature, luminosity and emissivity index of 250 μm selected galaxies in the local Universe (z <0.5). As well as simple far-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting of individual galaxies based on X minimization, we attempt to derive the best global isothermal properties of 13 826 galaxies with reliable optical counterparts and spectroscopic redshifts. Using our simulations, we highlight the fact that applying traditional SED fitting techniques to noisy observational data in the Herschel Space Observatory bands introduces artificial anticorrelation between derived values of dust temperature and emissivity index. This is true even for galaxies with the most robust statistical detections in our sample, making the results of such fitting difficult to interpret.We apply a method to determine the best-fitting global values of isothermal effective temperature and emissivity index for z <0.5 galaxies in H-ATLAS, deriving T = 22.3 ± 0.1K and β = 1.98 ± 0.02 (or T = 23.5 ± 0.1K and β = 1.82 ± 0.02 if we attempt to correct for bias by assuming that T and β are independent and normally distributed). We use our technique to test for an evolving emissivity index, finding only weak evidence. The median dust luminosity of our sample is log(L/L⊙) = 10.72 ± 0.05, which (unlike T) shows little dependence on the choice of β used in our analysis, including whether it is variable or fixed. In addition, we use a further suite of simulations based on a fixed emissivity index isothermal model to emphasize the importance of the H-ATLAS PACS data for deriving dust temperatures at these redshifts, even though they are considerably less sensitive than the SPIRE data. Finally, we show that the majority of galaxies detected by H-ATLAS are normal star-forming galaxies, though with a substantial minority (~31 per cent) falling in the Luminous Infrared Galaxy category.Peer reviewe