892 research outputs found
Photometric redshift of the GRB 981226 host galaxy
No optical afterglow was found for the dark burst GRB 981226 and hence no
absorption redshift has been obtained. We here use ground-based and space
imaging observations to analyse the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the
host galaxy. By comparison with synthetic template spectra we determine the
photometric redshift of the GRB 981226 host to be z_phot = 1.11+/-0.06 (68%
confidence level). While the age-metallicity degeneracy for the host SED
complicates the determination of accurate ages, metallicity, and extinction,
the photometric redshift is robust. The inferred z_phot value is also robust
compared to a Bayesian redshift estimator which gives z_phot=0.94+/-0.13. The
characteristics for this host are similar to other GRB hosts previously
examined. Available low resolution spectra show no emission lines at the
expected wavelengths. The photometric redshift estimate indicates an isotropic
energy release consistent with the Amati relation for this GRB which had a
spectrum characteristic of an X-ray flash.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Spitzer Observations of the z=2.73 Lensed Lyman Break Galaxy, MS1512-cB58
We present Spitzer infrared (IR) photometry and spectroscopy of the lensed
Lyman break galaxy (LBG), MS1512-cB58 at z=2.73. The large (factor ~30)
magnification allows for the most detailed infrared study of an L*_UV(z=3) LBG
to date. Broadband photometry with IRAC (3-10 micron), IRS (16 micron), and
MIPS (24, 70 & 160 micron) was obtained as well as IRS spectroscopy spanning
5.5-35 microns. A fit of stellar population models to the optical/near-IR/IRAC
photometry gives a young age (~9 Myr), forming stars at ~98 M_sun/yr, with a
total stellar mass of ~10^9 M_sun formed thus far. The existence of an old
stellar population with twice the stellar mass can not be ruled out. IR
spectral energy distribution fits to the 24 and 70 micron photometry, as well
as previously obtained submm/mm, data give an intrinsic IR luminosity L_IR =
1-2 x10^11 L_sun and a star formation rate, SFR ~20-40 M_sun/yr. The UV derived
star formation rate (SFR) is ~3-5 times higher than the SFR determined using
L_IR or L_Halpha because the red UV spectral slope is significantly over
predicting the level of dust extinction. This suggests that the assumed
Calzetti starburst obscuration law may not be valid for young LBGs. We detect
strong line emission from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) at 6.2, 7.7,
and 8.6 microns. The line ratios are consistent with ratios observed in both
local and high redshift starbursts. Both the PAH and rest-frame 8 micron
luminosities predict the total L_IR based on previously measured relations in
starbursts. Finally, we do not detect the 3.3 micron PAH feature. This is
marginally inconsistent with some PAH emission models, but still consistent
with PAH ratios measured in many local star-forming galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. aastex format, 18 pages, 7 figure
Gemini-South + FLAMINGOS Demonstration Science: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of the z=5.77 Quasar SDSS J083643.85+005453.3
We report an infrared 1-1.8 micron (J+H-bands), low-resolution (R=450)
spectrogram of the highest-redshift radio-loud quasar currently known, SDSS
J083643.85+005453.3, obtained during the spectroscopic commissioning run of the
FLAMINGOS multi-object, near-infrared spectrograph at the 8m Gemini-South
Observatory. These data show broad emission from both CIV 1549 and CIII] 1909,
with strengths comparable to lower-redshift quasar composite spectra. The
implication is that there is substantial enrichment of the quasar environment,
even at times less than a billion years after the Big Bang. The redshift
derived from these features is z = 5.774 +/- 0.003, more accurate and slightly
lower than the z = 5.82 reported in the discovery paper based on the
partially-absorbed Lyman-alpha emission line. The infrared continuum is
significantly redder than lower-redshift quasar composites. Fitting the
spectrum from 1.0 to 1.7 microns with a power law f(nu) ~ nu^(-alpha), the
derived power law index is alpha = 1.55 compared to the average continuum
spectral index = 0.44 derived from the first SDSS composite quasar.
Assuming an SMC-like extinction curve, we infer a color excess of E(B-V) = 0.09
+/- 0.01 at the quasar redshift. Only approximately 6% of quasars in the
optically-selected Sloan Digital Sky Survey show comparable levels of dust
reddening.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure; to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
Probing the ISM Near Star Forming Regions with GRB Afterglow Spectroscopy: Gas, Metals, and Dust
We study the chemical abundances of the interstellar medium surrounding high
z gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) through analysis of the damped Lya systems (DLAs)
identified in afterglow spectra. These GRB-DLAs are characterized by large HI
column densities N(HI) and metallicities [M/H] spanning 1/100 to nearly solar,
with median [M/H]>-1. The majority of GRB-DLAs have [M/H] values exceeding the
cosmic mean metallicity of atomic gas at z>2, i.e. if anything, the GRB-DLAs
are biased to larger metallicity. We also observe (i) large [Zn/Fe] values
(>+0.6) and sub-solar Ti/Fe ratios which imply substantial differential
depletion, (ii) large a/Fe ratios suggesting nucleosynthetic enrichment by
massive stars, and (iii) low C^0/C^+ ratios (<10^{-4}). Quantitatively, the
observed depletion levels and C^0/C^+ ratios of the gas are not characteristic
of cold, dense HI clouds in the Galactic ISM. We argue that the GRB-DLAs
represent the ISM near the GRB but not gas directly local to the GRB (e.g. its
molecular cloud or circumstellar material). We compare these observations with
DLAs intervening background quasars (QSO-DLAs). The GRB-DLAs exhibit larger
N(HI) values, higher a/Fe and Zn/Fe ratios, and have higher metallicity than
the QSO-DLAs. We argue that the differences primarily result from
galactocentric radius-dependent differences in the ISM: GRB-DLAs preferentially
probe denser, more depleted, higher metallicity gaslocated in the inner few kpc
whereas QSO-DLAs are more likely to intersect the less dense, less enriched,
outer regions of the galaxy. Finally, we investigate whether dust obscuration
may exclude GRB-DLA sightlines from QSO-DLA samples; we find that the majority
of GRB-DLAs would be recovered which implies little observational bias against
large N(HI) systems.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to Ap
The UV Continuum of Quasars: Models and SDSS Spectral Slopes
We measure long (2200-4000 ang) and short (1450-2200 ang) wavelength spectral
slopes \alpha (F_\nu proportional to \nu^\alpha) for quasar spectra from the
Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The long and short wavelength slopes are computed
from 3646 and 2706 quasars with redshifts in the z=0.76-1.26 and z=1.67-2.07
ranges, respectively. We calculate mean slopes after binning the data by
monochromatic luminosity at 2200 ang and virial mass estimates based on
measurements of the MgII line width and 3000 ang continuum luminosity. We find
little evidence for mass dependent variations in the mean slopes, but a
significant luminosity dependent trend in the near UV spectral slopes is
observed with larger (bluer) slopes at higher luminosities. The far UV slopes
show no clear variation with luminosity and are generally lower (redder) than
the near UV slopes at comparable luminosities, suggesting a slightly concave
quasar continuum shape. We compare these results with Monte Carlo distributions
of slopes computed from models of thin accretion disks, accounting for
uncertainties in the mass estimates. The model slopes produce mass dependent
trends which are larger than observed, though this conclusion is sensitive to
the assumed uncertainties in the mass estimates. The model slopes are also
generally bluer than observed, and we argue that reddening by dust intrinsic to
the source or host galaxy may account for much of the discrepancy.Comment: To be published in ApJ, 18 pages, 10 figure
New Improved Photometric Redshifts of Galaxies in the HDF
We report new improved photometric redshifts of 1048 galaxies in the Hubble
Deep Field (HDF). A standard chi^2 minimizing method is applied to seven-color
UBVIJHK photometry by Fernandez-Soto, Lanzetta, & Yahil (1999). We use 187
template SEDs representing a wide variety of morphology and age of observed
galaxies based on a population synthesis model by Kodama & Arimoto (1997). We
introduce two new recipes. First, the amount of the internal absorption is
changed as a free parameter in the range of E(B-V)=0.0 to 0.5 with an interval
of 0.1. Second, the absorption due to intergalactic HI clouds is also changed
by a factor of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 around the opacity given by Madau (1995). The
total number of template SEDs is thus 187x6x3=3,366, except for the redshift
grid. The dispersion sigma_z of our photometric redshifts with respect to
spectroscopic redshifts is sigma_z=0.08 and 0.24 for z2, respectively,
which are smaller than the corresponding values (sigma_z=0.09 and 0.45) by
Fernandez-Soto et al. Improvement is significant, especially in z>2. This is
due to smaller systematic errors which are largely reduced mainly by including
three opacities due to intergalactic HI clouds. We discuss redshift
distribution N(z) and cosmic star formation rate based on our new photometric
redshifts.Comment: 24 pages including 16 eps figures; accepted for publication in Ap
The UCSD HIRES/KeckI Damped Lya Abundance Database: II. The Implications
We present a comprehensive analysis of the damped Lya abundance database
presented in the first paper of this series. This database provides a
homogeneous set of abundance measurements for many elements including Si, Cr,
Ni, Zn, Fe, Al, S, Co, O, and Ar from 38 damped Lya systems with z > 1.5. With
little exception, these damped Llya systems exhibit very similar relative
abundances. There is no significant correlation in X/Fe with [Fe/H] metallicity
and the dispersion in X/Fe is small at all metallicity.
We search the database for trends indicative of dust depletion and in a few
cases find strong evidence. Specifically, we identify a correlation between
[Si/Ti] and [Zn/Fe] which is unambiguous evidence for depletion.
We present a discussion on the nucleosynthetic history of the damped Lya
systems by focusing on abundance patterns which are minimally affected by dust
depletion. We find [Si/Fe] -> +0.25 dex as [Zn/Fe] -> 0 and that the [Si/Fe]
values exhibit a plateau of ~+0.3 dex at [Si/H] < -1.5 dex. Together these
trends indicate significant alpha-enrichment in the damped Lya systems at low
metallicity, an interpretation further supported by the observed O/Fe, S/Fe and
Ar/Fe ratios. We also discuss Fe-peak nucleosynthesis and the odd-even effect.
To assess the impact of dust obscuration, we present estimates of the
dust-to-gas ratios for the damped Lya sightlines and crudely calculate dust
extinction corrections. The distribution of extinction corrections suggests the
effects of dust obscuration are minimal and that the population of 'missing'
damped systems has physical characteristics similar to the observed sample.
We update our investigation on the chemical evolution of the early universe
in neutral gas. [significantly abridged]Comment: 29 pages, 26 figures. Uses emulateapj.sty. Accepted to ApJ: Oct 15,
200
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Survey of Magellanic Cloud Supernova Remnants
We report the progress to date from an ongoing unbiased ultraviolet survey of
supernova remnants in the Magellanic Clouds using the Far Ultraviolet
Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite. This survey is obtaining spectra of a
random large sample of Magellanic Cloud supernova remnants with a broad range
of radio, optical, and X-ray properties. To date, 39 objects have been observed
in the survey (38 in the LMC and one in the SMC) and 15 have been detected, a
detection rate of nearly 40%. Our survey has nearly tripled the number of
UV-detected SNRs in the Magellanic Clouds (from 8 to 22). Because of the
diffuse source sensitivity of FUSE, upper limits on non-detected objects are
quite sensitive in many cases. Estimated total luminosities in O~VI span a
broad range from considerably brighter to many times fainter than the inferred
soft X-ray luminosities, indicating that O~VI can be an important and largely
unrecognized coolant in certain objects. We compare the optical and X-ray
properties of the detected and non-detected objects but do not find a simple
indicator for ultraviolet detectability. Non-detections may be due to
clumpiness of the emission, high foreground extinction, slow shocks whose
emission gets attenuated by the Magellanic interstellar medium, or a
combination of these effects.Comment: 34 pages, 26 figures in 8 separate JPG figure files; the
characteristics of individual detected supernova remnants are summarized in
an Appendi
Metallicities of 0.3<z<1.0 Galaxies in the GOODS-North Field
We measure nebular oxygen abundances for 204 emission-line galaxies with
redshifts 0.3<z<1.0 in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey North
(GOODS-N) field using spectra from the Team Keck Redshift Survey (TKRS). We
also provide an updated analytic prescription for estimating oxygen abundances
using the traditional strong emission line ratio, R_{23}, based on the
photoionization models of Kewley & Dopita (2003). We include an analytic
formula for very crude metallicity estimates using the [NII]6584/Halpha ratio.
Oxygen abundances for GOODS-N galaxies range from 8.2< 12+log(O/H)< 9.1
corresponding to metallicities between 0.3 and 2.5 times the solar value. This
sample of galaxies exhibits a correlation between rest-frame blue luminosity
and gas-phase metallicity (i.e., an L-Z relation), consistent with L-Z
correlations of previously-studied intermediate-redshift samples. The zero
point of the L-Z relation evolves with redshift in the sense that galaxies of a
given luminosity become more metal poor at higher redshift. Galaxies in
luminosity bins -18.5<M_B<-21.5 exhibit a decrease in average oxygen abundance
by 0.14\pm0.05 dex from z=0 to z=1. This rate of metal enrichment means that
28\pm0.07% of metals in local galaxies have been synthesized since z=1, in
reasonable agreement with the predictions based on published star formation
rate densities which show that ~38% of stars in the universe have formed during
the same interval. (Abridged)Comment: AASTeX, 49 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
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