12,763 research outputs found
VLT and GTC observations of SDSS J0123+00: a type 2 quasar triggered in a galaxy encounter?
We present long-slit spectroscopy, continuum and [OIII]5007 imaging data
obtained with the Very Large Telescope and the Gran Telescopio Canarias of the
type 2 quasar SDSS J0123+00 at z=0.399. The quasar lies in a complex, gas-rich
environment. It appears to be physically connected by a tidal bridge to another
galaxy at a projected distance of ~100 kpc, which suggests this is an
interacting system. Ionized gas is detected to a distance of at least ~133 kpc
from the nucleus. The nebula has a total extension of ~180 kpc. This is one of
the largest ionized nebulae ever detected associated with an active galaxy.
Based on the environmental properties, we propose that the origin of the nebula
is tidal debris from a galactic encounter, which could as well be the
triggering mechanism of the nuclear activity. SDSS J0123+00 demonstrates that
giant, luminous ionized nebulae can exist associated with type 2 quasars of low
radio luminosities, contrary to expectations based on type 1 quasar studies.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
Differential Astrometry over 15 degrees
We observed the pair of radio sources 1150+812 and 1803+784 in November 1993
with a VLBI array, simultaneously recording at 8.4 and 2.3 GHz. We determined
the angular separation between the two sources with submilliarcsecond accuracy
by using differential techniques. This result demonstrates the feasibility of
high precision differential astrometry for radio sources separated in the sky
by almost 15 degrees, and opens the avenue to its application to larger samples
of radio sources.Comment: 6 pages, latex2e, 2 figures, To appear in the proceedings of the
EVN/JIVE Symposium No. 4, New Astronomy Reviews (eds. Garret, M. Campbell,
R., and Gurvits, L.
Multi-wavelength differential astrometry of the S5 polar cap sample
We report on the status of our S5 polar cap astrometry program. Since 1997 we
have observed all the 13 radio sources of the complete S5 polar cap sample at
the wavelengths of 3.6 cm, 2 cm and 7 mm. Images of the radio sources at 3.6
and 2 cm have already been published reporting morphological changes.
Preliminary astrometric analyses have been carried out at three frequencies
with precisions in the relative position determination ranging from 80 to 20
microarcseconds. We report also on the combination of our phase-delay global
astrometry results with the microarcsecond-precise optical astrometry that will
be provided by future space-based instruments.Comment: 2 pages. 1 figure. Proceedings of the 7th European VLBI Network
Symposium held in Toledo, Spain on October 12-15, 2004. Editors: R.
Bachiller, F. Colomer, J.-F. Desmurs, P. de Vicente (Observatorio Astronomico
Nacional), p. 323-324. Needs evn2004.cl
The jet of Markarian 501 from millions of Schwarzschild radii down to a few hundreds
Aims: The TeV BL Lac object Markarian 501 is a complex, core dominated radio
source, with a one sided, twisting jet on parsec scales. In the present work,
we attempt to extend our understanding of the source physics to regions of the
radio jet which have not been accessed before.
Methods: We present new observations of Mrk 501 at 1.4 and 86 GHz. The 1.4
GHz data were obtained using the Very Large Array (VLA) and High Sensitivity
Array (HSA) in November 2004, in full polarization, with a final r.m.s. noise
of 25 microJy/beam in the HSA total intensity image; the 86 GHz observations
were performed in October 2005 with the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA),
providing an angular resolution as good as 110 x 40 microarcseconds.
Results: The sensitivity and resolution provided by the HSA make it possible
to detect the jet up to ~700 milliarcseconds (corresponding to a projected
linear size of ~500 pc) from its base, while the superior resolution of the 86
GHz GMVA observations probes the innermost regions of the jet down to ~200
Schwarzschild radii. The brightness temperature at the jet base is in excess of
6e10 K. We find evidence of limb brightening on physical scales from <1 pc to
~40 pc. Polarization images and fits to the trend of jet width and brightness
vs. distance from the core reveal a magnetic field parallel to the jet axis.Comment: 10 pages, accepted by A&
Floquet interface states in illuminated three-dimensional topological insulators
Recent experiments showed that the surface of a three dimensional topological
insulator develops gaps in the Floquet-Bloch band spectrum when illuminated
with a circularly polarized laser. These Floquet-Bloch bands are characterized
by non-trivial Chern numbers which only depend on the helicity of the
polarization of the radiation field. Here we propose a setup consisting of a
pair of counter-rotating lasers, and show that one-dimensional chiral states
emerge at the interface between the two lasers. These interface states turn out
to be spin-polarized and may trigger interesting applications in the field of
optoelectronics and spintronics.Comment: 5 pages with 3 figures + supplemental materia
GW170817: implications for the local kilonova rate and for surveys from ground-based facilities
We compute the local rate of events similar to GRB 170817A, which has been
recently found to be associated with a kilonova (KN) outburst. Our analysis
finds an observed rate of such events of R
Gpcyr. After comparing at their face values this density of sGRB
outbursts with the much higher density of Binary Neutron Star (BNS) mergers of
1540 Gpcyr, estimated by LIGO-Virgo
collaboration, one can conclude, admittedly with large uncertainty that either
only a minor fraction of BNS mergers produces sGRB/KN events or the sGRBs
associated with BNS mergers are beamed and observable under viewing angles as
large as . Finally we provide preliminary estimates
of the number of sGRB/KN events detected by future surveys carried out with
present/future ground-based/space facilities, such as LSST, VST, ZTF, SKA and
THESEUS.Comment: MNRAS accepted, 6 pages, 1 figur
- …