14 research outputs found
Multiple AGN in the crowded field of the compact group SDSSJ0959+1259
We present a multi-wavelength study of a newly discovered compact group (CG),
SDSS J0959+1259, based data from XMM-Newton, SDSS and the Calar Alto optical
imager BUSCA. With a maximum velocity offset of 500 km s, a mean
redshift of 0.035, and a mean spatial extension of 480 kpc, this CG is
exceptional in having the highest concentration of nuclear activity in the
local Universe, established with a sensitivity limit L10
erg s in 2--10 keV band and R-band magnitude . The group is
composed of two type-2 Seyferts, one type-1 Seyfert, two LINERs and three star
forming galaxies. Given the high X-ray luminosity of LINERs which reaches erg s, it is likely that they are also accretion driven,
bringing the number of active nuclei in this group to to 5 out of 8 (AGN
fraction of 60\%). The distorted shape of one member of the CG suggests that
strong interactions are taking place among its galaxies through tidal forces.
Therefore, this system represents a case study for physical mechanisms that
trigger nuclear activity and star formation in CGs.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures and 4 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Calibration of ALMA as a phased array: ALMA observations during the 2017 VLBI campaign
We present a detailed description of the special procedures for calibration
and quality assurance of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)
observations in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) mode. These procedures
are required to turn the phased ALMA array into a fully calibrated VLBI
station. As an illustration of these methodologies, we present
full-polarization observations carried out with ALMA as a phased array at 3mm
(Band 3) and 1.3mm (Band 6) as part of Cycle-4. These are the first VLBI
science observations conducted with ALMA and were obtained during a 2017 VLBI
campaign in concert with other telescopes worldwide as part of the Global
mm-VLBI Array (GMVA, April 1-3) and the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT, April
5-11) in ALMA Bands 3 and 6, respectively.Comment: 39 pages, 20 figures, 10 tables, accepted by PAS
First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results and the Role of ALMA
In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration revealed the
first image of the candidate super-massive black hole (SMBH) at the centre of
the giant elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87). This event-horizon-scale image
shows a ring of glowing plasma with a dark patch at the centre, which is
interpreted as the shadow of the black hole. This breakthrough result, which
represents a powerful confirmation of Einstein's theory of gravity, or general
relativity, was made possible by assembling a global network of radio
telescopes operating at millimetre wavelengths that for the first time included
the Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array (ALMA). The addition of ALMA
as an anchor station has enabled a giant leap forward by increasing the
sensitivity limits of the EHT by an order of magnitude, effectively turning it
into an imaging array. The published image demonstrates that it is now possible
to directly study the event horizon shadows of SMBHs via electromagnetic
radiation, thereby transforming this elusive frontier from a mathematical
concept into an astrophysical reality. The expansion of the array over the next
few years will include new stations on different continents - and eventually
satellites in space. This will provide progressively sharper and
higher-fidelity images of SMBH candidates, and potentially even movies of the
hot plasma orbiting around SMBHs. These improvements will shed light on the
processes of black hole accretion and jet formation on event-horizon scales,
thereby enabling more precise tests of general relativity in the truly strong
field regime.Comment: 11 pages + cover page, 6 figure
A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet
The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole
accretion and jet formation^{1,2}. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87
in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was
interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole^3.
Here we report images of M87 obtained in 2018, at a wavelength of 3.5 mm,
showing that the compact radio core is spatially resolved. High-resolution
imaging shows a ring-like structure of 8.4_{-1.1}^{+0.5} Schwarzschild radii in
diameter, approximately 50% larger than that seen at 1.3 mm. The outer edge at
3.5 mm is also larger than that at 1.3 mm. This larger and thicker ring
indicates a substantial contribution from the accretion flow with absorption
effects in addition to the gravitationally lensed ring-like emission. The
images show that the edge-brightened jet connects to the accretion flow of the
black hole. Close to the black hole, the emission profile of the jet-launching
region is wider than the expected profile of a black-hole-driven jet,
suggesting the possible presence of a wind associated with the accretion flow.Comment: 50 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables, author's version of the paper
published in Natur
A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet
The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole accretion and jet formation1,2. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87 in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole3. Here we report images of M87 obtained in 2018, at a wavelength of 3.5 mm, showing that the compact radio core is spatially resolved. High-resolution imaging shows a ring-like structure of [Formula: see text] Schwarzschild radii in diameter, approximately 50% larger than that seen at 1.3 mm. The outer edge at 3.5 mm is also larger than that at 1.3 mm. This larger and thicker ring indicates a substantial contribution from the accretion flow with absorption effects, in addition\ua0to the gravitationally lensed ring-like emission. The images show that the edge-brightened jet connects to the accretion flow of the black hole. Close to the black hole, the emission profile of the jet-launching region is wider than the expected profile of a black-hole-driven jet, suggesting the possible presence of a wind associated with the accretion flow
Polarimetric Properties of Event Horizon Telescope Targets from ALMA
We present the results from a full polarization study carried out with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) during the first Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) campaign, which was conducted in 2017 April in the λ3 mm and λ1.3 mm bands, in concert with the Global mm-VLBI Array (GMVA) and the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), respectively. We determine the polarization and Faraday properties of all VLBI targets, including Sgr A*, M87, and a dozen radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs), in the two bands at several epochs in a time window of 10 days. We detect high linear polarization fractions (2%–15%) and large rotation measures (RM > 103.3–105.5 rad m−2), confirming the trends of previous AGN studies at millimeter wavelengths. We find that blazars are more strongly polarized than other AGNs in the sample, while exhibiting (on average) order-of-magnitude lower RM values, consistent with the AGN viewing angle unification scheme. For Sgr A* we report a mean RM of (−4.2 ± 0.3) × 105 rad m−2 at 1.3 mm, consistent with measurements over the past decade and, for the first time, an RM of (–2.1 ± 0.1) × 105 rad m−2 at 3 mm, suggesting that about half of the Faraday rotation at 1.3 mm may occur between the 3 mm photosphere and the 1.3 mm source. We also report the first unambiguous measurement of RM toward the M87 nucleus at millimeter wavelengths, which undergoes significant changes in magnitude and sign reversals on a one year timescale, spanning the range from −1.2 to 0.3 × 105 rad m−2 at 3 mm and −4.1 to 1.5 × 105 rad m−2 at 1.3 mm. Given this time variability, we argue that, unlike the case of Sgr A*, the RM in M87 does not provide an accurate estimate of the mass accretion rate onto the black hole. We put forward a two-component model, comprised of a variable compact region and a static extended region, that can simultaneously explain the polarimetric properties observed by both the EHT (on horizon scales) and ALMA (which observes the combined emission from both components). These measurements provide critical constraints for the calibration, analysis, and interpretation of simultaneously obtained VLBI data with the EHT and GMVA
First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope results. II. EHT and multiwavelength observations, data processing, and calibration
We present Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) 1.3 mm measurements of the radio source located at the position of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), collected during the 2017 April 5–11 campaign. The observations were carried out with eight facilities at six locations across the globe. Novel calibration methods are employed to account for Sgr A*'s flux variability. The majority of the 1.3 mm emission arises from horizon scales, where intrinsic structural source variability is detected on timescales of minutes to hours. The effects of interstellar scattering on the image and its variability are found to be subdominant to intrinsic source structure. The calibrated visibility amplitudes, particularly the locations of the visibility minima, are broadly consistent with a blurred ring with a diameter of ∼50 μas, as determined in later works in this series. Contemporaneous multiwavelength monitoring of Sgr A* was performed at 22, 43, and 86 GHz and at near-infrared and X-ray wavelengths. Several X-ray flares from Sgr A* are detected by Chandra, one at low significance jointly with Swift on 2017 April 7 and the other at higher significance jointly with NuSTAR on 2017 April 11. The brighter April 11 flare is not observed simultaneously by the EHT but is followed by a significant increase in millimeter flux variability immediately after the X-ray outburst, indicating a likely connection in the emission physics near the event horizon. We compare Sgr A*'s broadband flux during the EHT campaign to its historical spectral energy distribution and find that both the quiescent emission and flare emission are consistent with its long-term behavior.http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205Physic
First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. II. EHT and Multiwavelength Observations, Data Processing, and Calibration
We present Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) 1.3 mm measurements of the radio source located at the position of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), collected during the 2017 April 5–11 campaign. The observations were carried out with eight facilities at six locations across the globe. Novel calibration methods are employed to account for Sgr A*'s flux variability. The majority of the 1.3 mm emission arises from horizon scales, where intrinsic structural source variability is detected on timescales of minutes to hours. The effects of interstellar scattering on the image and its variability are found to be subdominant to intrinsic source structure. The calibrated visibility amplitudes, particularly the locations of the visibility minima, are broadly consistent with a blurred ring with a diameter of ∼50 μas, as determined in later works in this series. Contemporaneous multiwavelength monitoring of Sgr A* was performed at 22, 43, and 86 GHz and at near-infrared and X-ray wavelengths. Several X-ray flares from Sgr A* are detected by Chandra, one at low significance jointly with Swift on 2017 April 7 and the other at higher significance jointly with NuSTAR on 2017 April 11. The brighter April 11 flare is not observed simultaneously by the EHT but is followed by a significant increase in millimeter flux variability immediately after the X-ray outburst, indicating a likely connection in the emission physics near the event horizon. We compare Sgr A*’s broadband flux during the EHT campaign to its historical spectral energy distribution and find that both the quiescent emission and flare emission are consistent with its long-term behavior