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Dwarf Galaxies with Optical Signatures of Active Massive Black Holes
We present a sample of 151 dwarf galaxies (10^8.5 < M_stellar < 10^9.5 Msun)
that exhibit optical spectroscopic signatures of accreting massive black holes
(BHs), increasing the number of known active galaxies in this stellar mass
range by more than an order of magnitude. Utilizing data from the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey Data Release 8 and stellar masses from the NASA-Sloan Atlas, we have
systematically searched for active BHs in ~25,000 emission-line galaxies with
stellar masses comparable to the Magellanic Clouds and redshifts z<0.055. Using
the narrow-line [OIII]/H-beta versus [NII]/H-alpha diagnostic diagram, we find
photoionization signatures of BH accretion in 136 galaxies, a small fraction of
which also exhibit broad H-alpha emission. For these broad-line AGN candidates,
we estimate BH masses using standard virial techniques and find a range of 10^5
< M_BH < 10^6 Msun and a median of M_BH ~ 2 x 10^5 Msun. We also detect broad
H-alpha in 15 galaxies that have narrow-line ratios consistent with
star-forming galaxies. Follow-up observations are required to determine if
these are true type 1 AGN or if the broad H-alpha is from stellar processes.
The median absolute magnitude of the host galaxies in our active sample is Mg =
-18.1 mag, which is ~1-2 magnitudes fainter than previous samples of AGN hosts
with low-mass BHs. This work constrains the smallest galaxies that can form a
massive BH, with implications for BH feedback in low-mass galaxies and the
origin of the first supermassive BH seeds.Comment: 26 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
Offset Active Galactic Nuclei as Tracers of Galaxy Mergers and Supermassive Black Hole Growth
Offset active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are AGNs that are in ongoing galaxy
mergers, which produce kinematic offsets in the AGNs relative to their host
galaxies. Offset AGNs are also close relatives of dual AGNs. We conduct a
systematic search for offset AGNs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, by selecting
AGN emission lines that exhibit statistically significant line-of-sight
velocity offsets relative to systemic. From a parent sample of 18314 Type 2
AGNs at z<0.21, we identify 351 offset AGN candidates with velocity offsets of
50 km/s < |v| < 410 km/s. When we account for projection effects in the
observed velocities, we estimate that 4% - 8% of AGNs are offset AGNs. We
designed our selection criteria to bypass velocity offsets produced by rotating
gas disks, AGN outflows, and gravitational recoil of supermassive black holes,
but follow-up observations are still required to confirm our candidates as
offset AGNs. We find that the fraction of AGNs that are offset candidates
increases with AGN bolometric luminosity, from 0.7% to 6% over the luminosity
range 43 < log(L_bol) [erg/s] < 46. If these candidates are shown to be bona
fide offset AGNs, then this would be direct observational evidence that galaxy
mergers preferentially trigger high-luminosity AGNs. Finally, we find that the
fraction of AGNs that are offset AGN candidates increases from 1.9% at z=0.1 to
32% at z=0.7, in step with the growth in the galaxy merger fraction over the
same redshift range.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Active Galaxies and the Study of Black Hole Demographics
We discuss the critical importance of black hole mass indicators based on
scaling relations in active galaxies. We highlight outstanding uncertainties in
these methods and potential paths to substantial progress in the next decade.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, Invited review to appear in PAS
Quasar feedback and the origin of radio emission in radio-quiet quasars
We conduct kinematic analysis of the SDSS spectra of 568 obscured luminous
quasars, with the emphasis on the kinematic structure of the [OIII]5007
emission line. [OIII] emission tends to show blueshifts and blue excess, which
indicates that at least part of the narrow-line gas is undergoing an organized
outflow. The velocity width containing 90% of line power ranges from 370 to
4780 km/sec, suggesting outflow velocities up to 2000 km/sec. The velocity
width of the [OIII] emission is positively correlated with the radio luminosity
among the radio-quiet quasars. We propose that radio emission in radio-quiet
quasars is due to relativistic particles accelerated in the shocks within the
quasar-driven outflows; star formation in quasar hosts is insufficient to
explain the observed radio emission. The median radio luminosity of the sample
of nu L_nu[1.4GHz] = 10^40 erg/sec suggests a median kinetic luminosity of the
quasar-driven wind of L_wind=3x10^44 erg/sec, or about 4% of the estimated
median bolometric luminosity L_bol=8x10^45 erg/sec. Furthermore, the velocity
width of [OIII] is positively correlated with mid-infrared luminosity, which
suggests that outflows are ultimately driven by the radiative output of the
quasar. As the outflow velocity increases, some emission lines characteristic
of shocks in quasi-neutral medium increase as well, which we take as further
evidence of quasar-driven winds propagating into the interstellar medium of the
host galaxy. None of the kinematic components show correlations with the
stellar velocity dispersions of the host galaxies, so there is no evidence that
any of the gas in the narrow-line region of quasars is in dynamical equilibrium
with the host galaxy. Quasar feedback appears to operate above the threshold
luminosity of L_bol=3x10^45 erg/sec.Comment: 23 pages, accepted to MNRA
Economic Impact of Collegiate Bass Tournaments: Experiences from Auburn University
Recreation and tourism associated with collegiate bass tournaments can play a major role in local economic development as the dollars anglers and tournament organizers spend work their way through the economy. Spending associated with these events show the interest by participants and economic importance to the community which hosted these events.Economic Impact, Anglers, Bass tournaments, Community/Rural/Urban Development,
A Comprehensive Archival Chandra Search for X-ray Emission from Ultracompact Dwarf Galaxies
We present the first comprehensive archival study of the X-ray properties of
ultracompact dwarf (UCD) galaxies, with the goal of identifying
weakly-accreting central black holes in UCDs. Our study spans 578 UCDs
distributed across thirteen different host systems, including clusters, groups,
fossil groups, and isolated galaxies. Of the 336 spectroscopically-confirmed
UCDs with usable archival Chandra imaging observations, 21 are X-ray-detected.
Imposing a completeness limit of erg s, the global
X-ray detection fraction for the UCD population is . Of the 21
X-ray-detected UCDs, seven show evidence of long-term X-ray time variability on
the order of months to years. X-ray-detected UCDs tend to be more compact than
non-X-ray-detected UCDs, and we find tentative evidence that the X-ray
detection fraction increases with surface luminosity density and global stellar
velocity dispersion. The X-ray emission of UCDs is fully consistent with
arising from a population of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). In fact, there
are fewer X-ray sources than expected using a naive extrapolation from globular
clusters. Invoking the fundamental plane of black hole activity for SUCD1 near
the Sombrero galaxy, for which archival Jansky Very Large Array imaging at 5
GHz is publicly available, we set an upper limit on the mass of a hypothetical
central black hole in that UCD to be . While the
majority of our sources are likely LMXBs, we cannot rule out central black
holes in some UCDs based on X-rays alone, and so we address the utility of
follow-up radio observations to find weakly-accreting central black holes.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, re-submitted to ApJ after minor revision
Has the Euro affected the choice of invoicing currency?
We present a new approach to study empirically the effect of the introduction of the euro on the pattern of currency invoicing. Our approach uses a compositional multinomial logit model, in which currency choice is explained by both currency-specific and country-specific determinants. We use unique quarterly panel data on the invoicing of Norwegian imports from OECD countries for the 1996-2006 period. We find that eurozone countries have substantially increased their share of home currency invoicing after the introduction of the euro, whereas the home currency share of non-eurozone countries fell slightly. In addition, the euro as a vehicle currency has overtaken the role of the US dollar in Norwegian imports. The substantial rise in producer currency invoicing by eurozone countries is primarily caused by a drop in inflation volatility and can only to a small extent be explained by an unobserved euro effect. JEL Classification: F33, F41, F42, E31, C25.Euro, invoicing currency, exchange rate risk, inflation volatility, vehicle currencies, compositional multinomial logit.
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