86 research outputs found
Radio Galaxy populations and the multi-tracer technique: pushing the limits on primordial non-Gaussianity
We explore the use of different radio galaxy populations as tracers of
different mass halos and therefore, with different bias properties, to
constrain primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type. We perform a Fisher
matrix analysis based on the predicted auto and cross angular power spectra of
these populations, using simulated redshift distributions as a function of
detection flux and the evolution of the bias for the different galaxy types
(Star forming galaxies, Starburst galaxies, Radio-Quiet Quasars, FRI and FRII
AGN galaxies). We show that such a multi-tracer analysis greatly improves the
information on non-Gaussianity by drastically reducing the cosmic variance
contribution to the overall error budget. By using this method applied to
future surveys, we predict a constraint of sigma_fnl=3.6 on the local
non-Gaussian parameter for a galaxy detection flux limit of 10 \muJy and
sigma_fnl=2.2 for 1 \muJy. We show that this significantly improves on the
constraints obtained when using the whole undifferentiated populations
(sigma_fnl=48 for 10 \muJy and sigma_fnl=12 for 1 \muJy). We conclude that
continuum radio surveys alone have the potential to constrain primordial
non-Gaussianity to an accuracy at least a factor of two better than the present
constraints obtained with Planck data on the CMB bispectrum, opening a window
to obtain sigma_fnl~1 with the Square Kilometer Array.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, submitted to MNRA
Overview of Cosmology with the SKA
Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array
June 8-13, 2014
Giardini Naxos, ItalyThe new frontier of cosmology will be led by three-dimensional surveys of the large-scale structure of the Universe. Based on its all-sky surveys and redshift depth, the SKA is destined to revolutionize cosmology, in combination with future optical/ infrared surveys such as Euclid and LSST. Furthermore, we will not have to wait for the full deployment of the SKA in order to see transformational science. In the first phase of deployment (SKA1), all-sky HI intensity mapping surveys and all-sky continuum surveys are forecast to be at the forefront on the major questions of cosmology. We give a broad overview of the major contributions predicted for the SKA. The SKA will not only deliver precision cosmology – it will also probe the foundations of the standard model and open the door to new discoveries on large-scale features of the Universe
Measuring the HI mass function below the detection threshold
We present a Bayesian stacking technique to directly measure the H I mass function (HIMF) and its evolution with redshift using galaxies formally below the nominal detection threshold. We generate galaxy samples over several sky areas given an assumed HIMF described by a Schechter function and simulate the H I emission lines with different levels of background noise to test the technique. We use MULTINEST to constrain the parameters of the HIMF in a broad redshift bin, demonstrating that the HIMF can be accurately reconstructed, using the simulated spectral cube far below the H I mass limit determined by the 5σ flux-density limit, i.e. down to MHI=107.5 M⊙ over the redshift range 0 0.1) redshifts
Calibrating photometric redshifts with intensity mapping observations
Imaging surveys of galaxies will have a high number density and angular resolution yet a poor
redshift precision. Intensity maps of neutral hydrogen (HI) will have accurate redshift resolution
yet will not resolve individual sources. Using this complementarity, we show how the clustering
redshifts approach, proposed for spectroscopic surveys can also be used in combination with intensity mapping observations to calibrate the redshift distribution of galaxies in an imaging survey
and, as a result, reduce uncertainties in photometric redshift measurements. We show how the
intensity mapping surveys to be carried out with the MeerKAT, HIRAX and SKA instruments can
improve photometric redshift uncertainties to well below the requirements of DES and LSST. The
effectiveness of this method as a function of instrumental parameters, foreground subtraction and
other potential systematic errors is discussed in detail.Scopu
HI intensity mapping with the MIGHTEE survey: power spectrum estimates
Intensity mapping (IM) with neutral hydrogen is a promising avenue to probe
the large scale structure of the Universe. With MeerKAT single-dish
measurements, we are constrained to scales degree, and this will allow us
to set important constraints on the Baryon acoustic oscillations and redshift
space distortions. However, with MeerKAT's interferometric observation, we can
also probe relevant cosmological scales. In this paper, we establish that we
can make a statistical detection of HI with one of MeerKAT's existing large
survey projects (MIGHTEE) on semi-linear scales, which will provide a useful
complementarity to the single-dish IM. We present a purpose-built simulation
pipeline that emulates the MIGHTEE observations and forecast the constraints
that can be achieved on the HI power spectrum at for
using the foreground avoidance method. We present the power
spectrum estimates with the current simulation on the COSMOS field that
includes contributions from HI, noise and point source models from the data
itself. The results from our \textit{visibility} based pipeline are in good
agreement to the already available MIGHTEE data. This paper demonstrates that
MeerKAT can achieve very high sensitivity to detect HI with the full MIGHTEE
survey on semi-linear scales (signal-to-noise ratio at
) which are instrumental in probing cosmological quantities such
as the spectral index of fluctuation, constraints on warm dark matter, the
quasi-linear redshift space distortions and the measurement of the HI content
of the Universe up to .Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, Submitted to MNRAS, comments welcom
A possible bias on the estimate of Lbol/Ledd in AGN as a function of luminosity and redshift
The BH mass (and the related Eddington ratio) in broad line AGN is usually
evaluated by combining estimates (often indirect) of the BLR radius and of the
FWHM of the broad lines, under the assumption that the BLR clouds are in
Keplerian motion around the BH. Such an evaluation depends on the geometry of
the BLR. There are two major options for the BLR configuration: spherically
symmetric or ``flattened''. In the latter case the inclination to the line of
sight becomes a relevant parameter. This paper is devoted to evaluate the bias
on the estimate of the Eddington ratio when a spherical geometry is assumed
(more generally when inclination effects are ignored), while the actual
configuration is ``flattened'', as some evidence suggests. This is done as a
function of luminosity and redshift, on the basis of recent results which show
the existence of a correlation between the fraction of obscured AGN and these
two parameters up to at least z=2.5. The assumed BLR velocity field is akin to
the ``generalized thick disk'' proposed by Collin et al. (2006). Assuming an
isotropic orientation in the sky, the mean value of the bias is calculated as a
function of luminosity and redshift. It is demonstrated that, on average, the
Eddington ratio obtained assuming a spherical geometry is underestimated for
high luminosities, and overestimated for low luminosities. This bias converges
for all luminosities at z about 2.7, while nothing can be said on this bias at
larger redshifts due to the lack of data. The effects of the bias, averaged
over the luminosity function of broad line AGN, have been calculated. The
results imply that the bias associated with the a-sphericity of the BLR make
even worse the discrepancy between the observations and the predictions of
evolutionary models.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The environments of z~1 Active Galactic Nuclei at 3.6um
We present an analysis of a large sample of AGN environments at z~1 using
stacked Spitzer data at 3.6um. The sample contains type-1 and type-2 AGN in the
form of quasars and radio galaxies, and spans a large range in both optical and
radio luminosity. We find, on average, that 2 to 3 massive galaxies containing
a substantial evolved stellar population lie within a 200-300 kpc radius of the
AGN, constituting a >8-sigma excess relative to the field. Secondly, we find
evidence for the environmental source density to increase with the radio
luminosity of AGN, but not with black-hole mass. This is shown first by
dividing the AGN into their classical AGN types, where we see more significant
over-densities in the fields of the radio-loud AGN. If instead we dispense with
the classical AGN definitions, we find that the source over-density as a
function of radio luminosity for all our AGN exhibits a positive correlation.
One interpretation of this result is that the Mpc-scale environment is in some
way influencing the radio emission that we observe from AGN. This could be
explained by the confinement of radio jets in dense environments leading to
enhanced radio emission or, alternatively, may be linked to more rapid
black-hole spin brought on by galaxy mergers.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, accepted by MNRA
The optically selected 1.4-GHz quasar luminosity function below 1 mJy
We present the radio luminosity function (RLF) of optically selected quasars below 1 mJy, constructed by applying a Bayesian-fitting stacking technique to objects well below the nominal radio flux density limit. We test the technique using simulated data, confirming that we can reconstruct the RLF over three orders of magnitude below the typical 5σ detection threshold. We apply our method to 1.4-GHz flux densities from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters (FIRST) survey, extracted at the positions of optical quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey over seven redshift bins up to z = 2.15, and measure the RLF down to two orders of magnitude below the FIRST detection threshold. In the lowest redshift bin (0.2 < z < 0.45), we find that our measured RLF agrees well with deeper data from the literature. The RLF for the radio-loud quasars flattens below log10[L1.4/WHz−1]≈25.5 and becomes steeper again below log10[L1.4/WHz−1]≈24.8, where radio-quiet quasars start to emerge. The radio luminosity where radio-quiet quasars emerge coincides with the luminosity where star-forming galaxies are expected to start dominating the radio source counts. This implies that there could be a significant contribution from star formation in the host galaxies, but additional data are required to investigate this further. The higher redshift bins show a similar behaviour to the lowest z bin, implying that the same physical process may be responsible
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