1,100 research outputs found
All good things come in threes: the third image of the lensed quasar PKS1830-211
Strong gravitational lensing distorts our view of sources at cosmological
distances but brings invaluable constraints on the mass content of foreground
objects and on the geometry and properties of the Universe. We report the
detection of a third continuum source toward the strongly lensed quasar
PKS1830-211 in ALMA multi-frequency observations of high dynamic range and high
angular resolution. This third source is point-like and located slightly to the
north of the diagonal joining the two main lensed images, A and B, 0.3 arcsec
away from image B. It has a flux density that is ~140 times weaker than images
A and B and a similar spectral index, compatible with synchrotron emission. We
conclude that this source is most likely the expected highly de-magnified third
lensed image of the quasar. In addition, we detect, for the first time at
millimeter wavelengths, weak and asymmetrical extensions departing from images
A and B that correspond to the brightest regions of the Einstein ring seen at
centimeter wavelengths. Their spectral index is steeper than that of compact
images A, B, and C, which suggests that they arise from a different component
of the quasar. Using the GravLens code, we explore the implications of our
findings on the lensing model and propose a simple model that accurately
reproduces our ALMA data and previous VLA observations. With a more precise and
accurate measurement of the time delay between images A and B, the system
PKS1830-211 could help to constrain the Hubble constant to a precision of a few
percent.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A Lette
Detection of chloronium and measurement of the 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio at z=0.89 toward PKS1830-211
We report the first extragalactic detection of chloronium (H2Cl+), in the
z=0.89 absorber in front of the lensed blazar PKS1830-211. The ion is detected
through its 1_11-0_00 line along two independent lines of sight toward the
North-East and South-West images of the blazar. The relative abundance of H2Cl+
is significantly higher (by a factor ~7) in the NE line of sight, which has a
lower H2/H fraction, indicating that H2Cl+ preferably traces the diffuse gas
component. From the ratio of the H2^35Cl+ and H2^37Cl+ absorptions toward the
SW image, we measure a 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio of 3.1 (-0.2; +0.3) at z=0.89,
similar to that observed in the Galaxy and the solar system.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Lette
Probing the jet base of the blazar PKS1830-211 from the chromatic variability of its lensed images. Serendipitous ALMA observations of a strong gamma-ray flare
The launching mechanism of the jets of active galactic nuclei is
observationally poorly constrained, due to the large distances to these objects
and the very small scales (sub-parsec) involved. In order to better constrain
theoretical models, it is especially important to get information from the
region close to the physical base of the jet, where the plasma acceleration
takes place. In this paper, we report multi-epoch and multi-frequency continuum
observations of the z=2.5 blazar PKS1830-211 with ALMA, serendipitously
coincident with a strong -ray flare reported by Fermi-LAT. The blazar
is lensed by a foreground z=0.89 galaxy, with two bright images of the compact
core separated by 1". Our ALMA observations individually resolve these two
images (although not any of their substructures), and we study the change of
their relative flux ratio with time (four epochs spread over nearly three times
the time delay between the two lensed images) and frequency (between 350 and
1050 GHz, rest-frame of the blazar), during the -ray flare. In
particular, we detect a remarkable frequency-dependent behaviour of the flux
ratio, which implies the presence of a chromatic structure in the blazar (i.e.,
a core-shift effect). We rule out the possiblity of micro- and milli-lensing
effects and propose instead a simple model of plasmon ejection in the blazar's
jet to explain the time and frequency variability of the flux ratio. We suggest
that PKS1830-211 is likely one of the best sources to probe the activity at the
base of a blazar's jet at submillimeter wavelengths, thanks to the peculiar
geometry of the system. The implications of the core-shift in absorption
studies of the foreground z=0.89 galaxy (e.g., constraints on the cosmological
variations of fundamental constants) are discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Plasma and Warm Dust in the Collisional Ring Galaxy VIIZw466 from VLA and ISO Observations
We present the first mid-infrared (Mid-IR) (m) and radio
continuum (20,~6 and 3.6 cm) observations of the star-forming
collisional ring galaxy VII Zw 466 and its host group made with the Infrared
Space Observatory and the NRAO Very Large Array. A search was also made for CO
line emission in two of the galaxies with the Onsala 20m radio telescope and
upper limits were placed on the mass of molecular gas in those galaxies. The
ring galaxy is believed to owe its morphology to a slightly off-center
collision between an `intruder' galaxy and a disk. An off-center collision is
predicted to generate a radially expanding density wave in the disk which
should show large azimuthal variations in overdensity, and have observational
consequences. The radio continuum emission shows the largest asymmetry,
exhibiting a crescent-shaped distribution consistent with either the trapping
of cosmic-ray particles in the target disk, or an enhanced supernova rate in
the compressed region. On the other hand, the ISO observations (especially
those made at m) show a more scattered distribution, with
emission centers associated with powerful star formation sites distributed more
uniformly around the ring. Low-signal to noise observations at
m show possible emission inside the ring, with little emission
directly associated with the \ion{H}{2} regions. The observations emphasize the
complex relationship between the generation of radio emission and the
development of star formation even in relatively simple and well understood
collisional scenarios.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 23 pages + 6
PS figure
The XXL Survey VIII: MUSE characterisation of intracluster light in a z0.53 cluster of galaxies
Within a cluster, gravitational effects can lead to the removal of stars from
their parent galaxies. Gas hydrodynamical effects can additionally strip gas
and dust from galaxies. The properties of the ICL can therefore help constrain
the physical processes at work in clusters by serving as a fossil record of the
interaction history. The present study is designed to characterise this ICL in
a ~10^14 M_odot and z~0.53 cluster of galaxies from imaging and spectroscopic
points of view. By applying a wavelet-based method to CFHT Megacam and WIRCAM
images, we detect significant quantities of diffuse light. These sources were
then spectroscopically characterised with MUSE. MUSE data were also used to
compute redshifts of 24 cluster galaxies and search for cluster substructures.
An atypically large amount of ICL has been detected in this cluster. Part of
the detected diffuse light has a very weak optical stellar component and
apparently consists mainly of gas emission, while other diffuse light sources
are clearly dominated by old stars. Furthermore, emission lines were detected
in several places of diffuse light. Our spectral analysis shows that this
emission likely originates from low-excitation parameter gas. The stellar
contribution to the ICL is about 2.3x10^9 yrs old even though the ICL is not
currently forming a large number of stars. On the other hand, the contribution
of the gas emission to the ICL in the optical is much greater than the stellar
contribution in some regions, but the gas density is likely too low to form
stars. These observations favour ram pressure stripping, turbulent viscous
stripping, or supernovae winds as the origin of the large amount of
intracluster light. Since the cluster appears not to be in a major merging
phase, we conclude that ram pressure stripping is the most plausible process
that generates the observed ICL sources.Comment: Accepted in A&A, english enhanced, figure location different than in
the A&A version due to different style files, shortened abstrac
Spherical collapse with dark energy
I discuss the work of Maor and Lahav [1], in which the inclusion of dark
energy into the spherical collapse formalism is reviewed. Adopting a
phenomenological approach, I consider the consequences of - a) allowing the
dark energy to cluster, and, b) including the dark energy in the virialization
process. Both of these issues affect the final state of the system in a
fundamental way. The results suggest a potentially differentiating signature
between a true cosmological constant and a dynamic form of dark energy. This
signature is unique in the sense that it does not depend on a measurement of
the value of the equation of state of dark energy.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the ``Peyresq Physics 10" Workshop,
19 - 24 June 2005, Peyresq, Franc
The XXL Survey: XII. Optical spectroscopy of X-ray-selected clusters and the frequency of AGN in superclusters
This article belongs to the first series of XXL publications. It presents
multifibre spectroscopic observations of three 0.55 sq.deg. fields in the XXL
Survey, which were selected on the basis of their high density of
X-ray-detected clusters. The observations were obtained with the
AutoFib2+WYFFOS (AF2) wide-field fibre spectrograph mounted on the 4.2m William
Herschel Telescope. The paper first describes the scientific rationale, the
preparation, the data reduction, and the results of the observations, and then
presents a study of active galactic nuclei (AGN) within three superclusters. We
obtained redshifts for 455 galaxies in total, 56 of which are counterparts of
X-ray point-like sources. We were able to determine the redshift of the merging
supercluster XLSSC-e, which consists of six individual clusters at z~0.43, and
we confirmed the redshift of supercluster XLSSC-d at z~0.3. More importantly,
we discovered a new supercluster, XLSSC-f, that comprises three galaxy clusters
also at z~0.3. We find a significant 2D overdensity of X-ray point-like sources
only around the supercluster XLSSC-f. This result is also supported by the
spatial (3D) analysis of XLSSC-f, where we find four AGN with compatible
spectroscopic redshifts and possibly one more with compatible photometric
redshift. In addition, we find two AGN (3D analysis) at the redshift of
XLSSC-e, but no AGN in XLSSC-d. Comparing these findings with the optical
galaxy overdensity we conclude that the total number of AGN in the area of the
three superclusters significantly exceeds the field expectations. The
difference in the AGN frequency between the three superclusters cannot be
explained by the present study because of small number statistics. Further
analysis of a larger number of superclusters within the 50 sq. deg. of the XXL
is needed before any conclusions on the effect of the supercluster environment
on AGN can be reached.Comment: 11 pages, published by A&
An ALMA Early Science survey of molecular absorption lines toward PKS1830-211 -- Analysis of the absorption profiles
We present the first results of an ALMA spectral survey of strong absorption
lines for common interstellar species in the z=0.89 molecular absorber toward
the lensed blazar PKS1830-211. The dataset brings essential information on the
structure and composition of the absorbing gas in the foreground galaxy. In
particular, we find absorption over large velocity intervals (gtrsim 100 km/s)
toward both lensed images of the blazar. This suggests either that the galaxy
inclination is intermediate and that we sample velocity gradients or streaming
motions in the disk plane, that the molecular gas has a large vertical
distribution or extraplanar components, or that the absorber is not a simple
spiral galaxy but might be a merger system. The number of detected species is
now reaching a total of 42 different species plus 14 different rare
isotopologues toward the SW image, and 14 species toward the NE line-of-sight.
The abundances of CH, H2O, HCO+, HCN, and NH3 relative to H2 are found to be
comparable to those in the Galactic diffuse medium. Of all the lines detected
so far toward PKS1830-211, the ground-state line of ortho-water has the deepest
absorption. We argue that ground-state lines of water have the best potential
for detecting diffuse molecular gas in absorption at high redshift.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
On virialization with dark energy
We review the inclusion of dark energy into the formalism of spherical
collapse, and the virialization of a two-component system, made of matter and
dark energy. We compare two approaches in previous studies. The first assumes
that only the matter component virializes, e.g. as in the case of a classic
cosmological constant. The second approach allows the full system to virialize
as a whole. We show that the two approaches give fundamentally different
results for the final state of the system. This might be a signature
discriminating between the classic cosmological constant which cannot virialize
and a dynamical dark energy mimicking a cosmological constant. This signature
is independent of the measured value of the equation of state. An additional
issue which we address is energy non-conservation of the system, which
originates from the homogeneity assumption for the dark energy. We propose a
way to take this energy loss into account.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in JCA
The magnetized disk-halo transition region of M 51
The grand-design face-on spiral galaxy M 51 is an excellent laboratory for studying magnetic fields in galaxies. Due to wavelength-dependent Faraday depolarization, linearly polarized synchrotron emission at different radio frequencies yields a picture of the galaxy at different depths: observations in the L-band (1-2 GHz) probe the halo region, while at 4.85 GHz (C-band) and 8.35 GHz (X-band), the linearly polarized emission mostly emerges from the disk region of M 51. We present new observations of M 51 using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array at the intermediate frequency range of the S-band (2-4 GHz), where previously no high-resolution broadband polarization observations existed, to shed new light on the transition region between the disk and the halo. We present the S-band radio images of the distributions of the total intensity, polarized intensity, degree of polarization, and rotation measure (RM). The RM distribution in the S-band shows a fluctuating pattern without any apparent large-scale structure. We discuss a model of the depolarization of synchrotron radiation in a multi-layer magneto-ionic medium and compare the model predictions to the multi-frequency polarization data of M 51 between 1-8 GHz. The model makes distinct predictions of a two-layer (disk-halo) and three-layer (far-side halo "disk"near-side halo) system. Since the model predictions strongly differ within the wavelength range of the S-band, the new S-band data are essential for distinguishing between the different systems. A two-layer model of M 51 is preferred. The parameters of the model are adjusted to fit to the data of polarization fractions in a few selected regions. In three spiral arm regions, the turbulent field in the disk dominates with strengths between 18 μG and 24 μG, while the regular field strengths are 8 - 16 μG. In one inter-arm region, the regular field strength of 18 μG exceeds that of the turbulent field of 11 μG. The regular field strengths in the halo are 3 - 5 μG. The observed RMs in the disk-halo transition region are probably dominated by tangled regular fields, as predicted from models of evolving dynamos, and/or vertical fields, as predicted from numerical simulations of Parker instabilities or galactic winds. Both types of magnetic fields have frequent reversals on scales similar to or larger than the beam size (∼550 pc) that contribute to an increase of the RM dispersion and to distortions of any large-scale pattern of the regular field. Our study devises new ways of analyzing and interpreting broadband multi-frequency polarization data that will be applicable to future data from, for example, the Square Kilometre Array
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