258 research outputs found
Colors and magnitudes of quasar host galaxies at high redshift
We discuss the results so far of a program to image in the rest-frame optical and near-UV the host galaxies of a sample of 5 high redshift (z ~ 2â3) radio-quiet quasars with nuclear luminosities lower than most samples studied at high z. We found that in the rest-frame optical the hosts have luminosities of about L*, comparable to the Lyman break galaxies at similar redshifts. From the rest-frame UV imaging, we can derive opticalâUV colors, and find they show a great deal of variation, but may be somewhat redder and less starforming than the LBGs. We are supplementing this work at high z with study of the hosts of z ~ 1 radio-quiet quasars with similar low nuclear luminosities
Radio-optical alignments in a low radio luminosity sample
We present an optically-based study of the alignment between the radio axes
and the optical major axes of eight z~0.7 radio galaxies in a 7C sample. The
radio galaxies in this sample are ~20-times less radio luminous than 3C
galaxies at the same redshift, and are significantly less radio-luminous than
any other well-defined samples studied to date. Using Nordic Optical Telescope
images taken in good seeing conditions at rest-frame wavelengths just longward
of the 4000A break, we find a statistically significant alignment effect in the
7C sample. Furthermore, in two cases where the aligned components are well
separated from the host we have been able to confirm spectroscopically that
they are indeed at the same redshift as the radio galaxy. However, a
quantitative analysis of the alignment in this sample and in a corresponding 3C
sample from HST archival data indicates that the percentage of aligned flux may
be lower and of smaller spatial scale in the 7C sample. Our study suggests that
alignments on the 50-kpc scale are probably closely related to the radio
luminosity, whereas those on the 15 kpc scale are not. We discuss these results
in the context of popular models for the alignment effect.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures. Accepted by MNRA
Optical spectroscopy of two overlapping, flux-density-limited samples of radio sources in the North Ecliptic Cap, selected at 38 MHz and 151 MHz
We present the results of optical spectroscopy of two flux-density-limited
samples of radio sources selected at frequencies of 38 and 151 MHz in the same
region around the North Ecliptic Cap, the 8C-NEC and 7C-III samples
respectively. Both samples are selected at flux density levels ~20 times
fainter than samples based on the 3C catalogue. They are amongst the first
low-frequency selected samples with no spectral or angular size selection for
which almost complete redshift information has been obtained and they will
therefore provide a valuable resource for understanding the cosmic evolution of
radio sources and their hosts and environments. The 151-MHz 7C-III sample is
selected to have S_151 >=0.5 Jy and is the more spectroscopically complete; out
of 54 radio sources fairly reliable redshifts have been obtained for 44
objects. The 8C sample has a flux limit of S_38 >=1.3 Jy and contains 58
sources of which 46 have fairly reliable redshifts. We discuss possible biases
in the observed redshift distribution, and some interesting individual objects.
Using the 8C-NEC and 7C-III samples in conjunction, we form the first sample
selected on low-frequency flux in the rest-frame of the source, rather than the
usual selection on flux density in the observed frame. This allows us to remove
the bias associated with an increasing rest-frame selection frequency with
redshift. We investigate the difference this selection makes to correlations of
radio source properties with redshift and luminosity. We show in particular
that flux-density-based selection leads to an overestimate of the steepness of
the correlation of radio source size with redshift. (abridged)Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, accepted by MNRA
Optical spectroscopy of radio galaxies in the 7C Redshift Survey
We present optical spectroscopy of all 49 radio galaxies in the 7C-I and
7C-II regions of the 7C Redshift Survey (7CRS). The low-frequency (151 MHz)
selected 7CRS sample contains all sources with flux-densities S_151 > 0.5 Jy in
three regions of the sky; 7C-I and 7C-II were chosen to overlap with the 5C6
and 5C7 surveys respectively, and cover a total sky area of 0.013 sr. The
sample has been completely identified and spectroscopy of the quasars and
broad-lined radio galaxies has been presented in Willott et al. (1998). Only
seven of the radio galaxies do not have redshift determinations from the
spectroscopy, giving a redshift completeness for the sample of >90%. The median
redshift of the 7CRS is 1.1. We present a composite 0.2<z<0.8 7CRS radio galaxy
spectrum and investigate the strengths of the 4000 Angstrom breaks in these
radio galaxies. We find an anti-correlation between the 4000 Angstrom break
strength and emission line luminosity, indicating that departures from old
elliptical galaxy continuum shapes are most likely due to non-stellar emission
associated with the active nucleus.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS in pres
The stellar, molecular gas and dust content of the host galaxies of two z~2.8 dust obscured quasars
We present optical through radio observations of the host galaxies of two
dust obscured, luminous quasars selected in the mid-infrared, at z=2.62 and
z=2.99, including a search for CO emission. Our limits on the CO luminosities
are consistent with these objects having masses of molecular gas <~10^10 solar
masses, several times less than those of luminous submillimeter-detected
galaxies (SMGs) at comparable redshifts. Their near-infrared spectral energy
distributions, however, imply that these galaxies have high stellar masses
(~10^11-12 solar masses). The relatively small reservoirs of molecular gas and
low dust masses are consistent with them being relatively mature systems at
high-z.Comment: AJ, in pres
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Long-term Glycemic Control and Dementia Risk in Type 1 Diabetes.
ObjectiveIndividuals with type 1 diabetes have experienced an increase in life expectancy, yet it is unknown what level of glycemic control is ideal for maintaining late-life brain health. We investigated the association of long-term glycemic control with dementia in older individuals with type 1 diabetes.Research design and methodsWe followed 3,433 members of a health care system with type 1 diabetes, aged â„50 years, from 1996 to 2015. Repeated measurements of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), dementia diagnoses, and comorbidities were ascertained from health records. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to evaluate the association of time-varying glycemic exposure with dementia, with adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, baseline health conditions, and frequency of HbA1c measurement.ResultsOver a mean follow-up of 6.3 years, 155 individuals (4.5%) were diagnosed with dementia. Patients with â„50% of HbA1c measurements at 8-8.9% (64-74 mmol/mol) and â„9% (â„75 mmol/mol) had 65% and 79% higher risk of dementia, respectively, compared with those with <50% of measurements exposed (HbA1c 8-8.9% adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.65 [95% CI 1.06, 2.57] and HbA1c â„9% aHR 1.79 [95% CI 1.11, 2.90]). By contrast, patients with â„50% of HbA1c measurements at 6-6.9% (42-52 mmol/mol) and 7-7.9% (53-63 mmol/mol) had a 45% lower risk of dementia (HbA1c 6-6.9% aHR 0.55 [95% CI 0.34, 0.88] and HbA1c 7-7.9% aHR 0.55 [95% CI 0.37, 0.82]).ConclusionsAmong older patients with type 1 diabetes, those with majority exposure to HbA1c 8-8.9% and â„9% had increased dementia risk, while those with majority exposure to HbA1c 6-6.9% and 7-7.9% had reduced risk. Currently recommended glycemic targets for older patients with type 1 diabetes are consistent with healthy brain aging
A radio-jet -- galaxy interaction in 3C441
Multi-wavelength imaging and spectroscopy of the z=0.708 radio galaxy 3C441
and a red aligned optical/infrared component are used to show that the most
striking aspect of the radio-optical ``alignment effect'' in this object is due
to the interaction of the radio jet with a companion galaxy in the same group
or cluster. The stellar population of the red aligned continuum component is
predominately old, but with a small post-starburst population superposed, and
it is surrounded by a low surface-brightness halo, possibly a face-on spiral
disc. The [OIII]500.7/[OII]372.7 emission line ratio changes dramatically from
one side of the component to the other, with the low-ionisation material
apparently having passed through the bow shock of the radio source and been
compressed. A simple model for the interaction is used to explain the velocity
shifts in the emission line gas, and to predict that the ISM of the interacting
galaxy is likely to escape once the radio source bow shock has passed though.
We also discuss another, much fainter, aligned component, and the sub-arcsecond
scale alignment of the radio source host galaxy. Finally we comment on the
implications of our explanation of 3C441 for theories of the alignment effect.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication by MNRA
The Spitzer mid-infrared AGN survey. II-the demographics and cosmic evolution of the AGN population
We present luminosity functions derived from a spectroscopic survey of AGN
selected from Spitzer Space Telescope imaging surveys. Selection in the
mid-infrared is significantly less affected by dust obscuration. We can thus
compare the luminosity functions of the obscured and unobscured AGN in a more
reliable fashion than by using optical or X-ray data alone. We find that the
AGN luminosity function can be well described by a broken power-law model in
which the break luminosity decreases with redshift. At high redshifts
(), we find significantly more AGN at a given bolometric luminosity than
found by either optical quasar surveys or hard X-ray surveys. The fraction of
obscured AGN decreases rapidly with increasing AGN luminosity, but, at least at
high redshifts, appears to remain at \% even at bolometric
luminosities . The data support a picture in which the
obscured and unobscured populations evolve differently, with some evidence that
high luminosity obscured quasars peak in space density at a higher redshift
than their unobscured counterparts. The amount of accretion energy in the
Universe estimated from this work suggests that AGN contribute about 12\% to
the total radiation intensity of the Universe, and a high radiative accretion
efficiency is required to match current
estimates of the local mass density in black holes.Comment: 14 pages, accepted by Ap
Discovery of a Classic FR-II Broad Absorption Line Quasar from the FIRST Survey
We have discovered a remarkable quasar, FIRST J101614.3+520916, whose optical
spectrum shows unambiguous broad absorption features while its double-lobed
radio morphology and luminosity clearly indicate a classic Fanaroff-Riley Type
II radio source. Its radio luminosity places it at the extreme of the recently
established class of radio-loud broad absorption line quasars (Becker et al.
1997, 2000; Brotherton et al. 1998). Because of its hybrid nature, we speculate
that FIRST J101614.3+520916 is a typical FR-II quasar which has been
rejuvenated as a broad absorption line (BAL) quasar with a Compact Steep
Spectrum core. The direction of the jet axis of FIRST J101614.3+520916 can be
estimated from its radio structure and optical brightness, indicating that we
are viewing the system at a viewing angle of > 40 degrees. The position angles
of the radio jet and optical polarization are not well-aligned, differing by 20
to 30 degrees. When combined with the evidence presented by Becker et al.
(2000) for a sample of 29 BAL quasars showing that at least some BAL quasars
are viewed along the jet axis, the implication is that no preferred viewing
orientation is necessary to observe BAL systems in a quasar's spectrum. This,
and the probable young nature of compact steep spectrum sources, leads
naturally to the alternate hypothesis that BALs are an early stage in the lives
of quasars.Comment: 14 pages, 6 postscript figures; accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
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