107 research outputs found
NICMOS Imaging of the Dusty Microjansky Radio Source VLA J123642+621331 at z = 4.424
We present the discovery of a radio galaxy at a likely redshift of z = 4.424
in one of the flanking fields of the Hubble Deep Field. Radio observations with
the VLA and MERLIN centered on the HDF yielded a complete sample of microjansky
radio sources, of which about 20% have no optical counterpart to I < 25 mag. In
this Letter, we address the possible nature of one of these sources, through
deep HST NICMOS images in the F110W (J) and F160W (H) filters. VLA
J123642+621331 has a single emission line at 6595-A, which we identify with
Lyman-alpha at z = 4.424. We argue that this faint (H = 23.9 mag), compact (r =
0.2 arcsec), red (I - K = 2.0) object is most likely a dusty, star-forming
galaxy with an embedded active nucleus.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters. 11 pages,
4 figures, uses aastex v5.0 and psfi
Red Companions to a z=2.15 Radio Loud Quasar
We have conducted observations of the environment around the z=2.15 radio
loud quasar 1550-269 in search of distant galaxies associated either with it or
the z=2.09 CIV absorber along its line of sight. Such objects will be
distinguished by their red colours, R-K>4.5. We find five such objects in a 1.5
arcmin^2 field around the quasar, with typical K magnitudes of ~20.4 and no
detected R band emission. We also find a sixth object with K=19.6+/-0.3, and
undetected at R, just two arcseconds from the quasar. The nature of all these
objects is currently unclear, and will remain so until we have determined their
redshifts. We suggest that it is likely that they are associated with either
the quasar or the CIV absorber, in which case their properties might be similar
to those of the z=2.38 red Ly-alpha emitting galaxies discovered by Francis et
al. (1997). The small separation between the quasar and the brightest of our
objects suggests that it may be the galaxy responsible for the CIV metal line
absorption system. The closeness to the quasar and the red colour might have
precluded similar objects from being uncovered in previous searches for
emission from CIV and eg. damped absorbers.Comment: To appear in "Photometric Redshifts and High Redshift Galaxies", eds.
R. Weymann, L. Storrie-Lombardi, M. Sawicki & R. Brunne
The Farthest Known Supernova: Support for an Accelerating Universe and a Glimpse of the Epoch of Deceleration
We present photometric observations of an apparent Type Ia supernova (SN Ia)
at a redshift of ~1.7, the farthest SN observed to date. SN 1997ff, was
discovered in a repeat observation by the HST of the HDF-), and serendipitously
monitored with NICMOS on HST throughout the GTO campaign. The SN type can be
determined from the host galaxy type:an evolved, red elliptical lacking enough
recent star formation to provide a significant population of core-collapse SNe.
The class- ification is further supported by diagnostics available from the
observed colors and temporal behavior of the SN, both of which match a typical
SN Ia. The photo- metric record of the SN includes a dozen flux measurements in
the I, J, and H bands spanning 35 days in the observed frame. The redshift
derived from the SN photometry, z=1.7+/-0.1, is in excellent agreement with the
redshift estimate of z=1.65+/-0.15 derived from the
U_300,B_450,V_606,I_814,J_110,J_125,H_160, H_165,K_s photometry of the galaxy.
Optical and near-infrared spectra of the host provide a very tentative
spectroscopic redshift of 1.755. Fits to observations of the SN provide
constraints for the redshift-distance relation of SNe~Ia and a powerful test of
the current accelerating Universe hypothesis. The apparent SN brightness is
consistent with that expected in the decelerating phase of the preferred
cosmological model, Omega_M~1/3, Omega_Lambda~2/3. It is inconsistent with grey
dust or simple luminosity evolution, candidate astro- physical effects which
could mimic past evidence for an accelerating Universe from SNe Ia at z~0.5.We
consider several sources of possible systematic error including lensing, SN
misclassification, selection bias, and calibration errors. Currently, none of
these effects appears likely to challenge our conclusions.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal 38 pages, 15 figures, Pretty
version available at http://icarus.stsci.edu/~stefano/ariess.tar.g
RC J0311+0507: A Candidate for Superpowerful Radio Galaxies in the Early Universe at Redshift z=4.514
A strong emission line at 6703A has been detected in the optical spectrum for
the host galaxy (R=23.1) of the radio source RC J0311+0507 (4C+04.11). This
radio galaxy, with a spectral index of 1.31 in the frequency range 365-4850
MHz, is one of the ultrasteep spectrum objects from the deep survey of a sky
strip conducted with RATAN-600 in 1980-1981. We present arguments in favor of
the identification of this line with Ly\alpha at redshift z=4.514. In this
case, the object belongs to the group of extremely distant radio galaxies of
ultrahigh radio luminosity (P_{1400}=1.3 x 10^{29}W Hz^{-1}). Such power can be
provided only by a fairly massive black hole (~10^9M_\sun}) that formed in a
time less than the age of the Universe at the observed z(1.3 Gyr) or had a
primordial origin.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
The FORS Deep Field Spectroscopic Survey
We present a catalogue and atlas of low-resolution spectra of a well defined
sample of 341 objects in the FORS Deep Field. All spectra were obtained with
the FORS instruments at the ESO VLT with essentially the same spectroscopic
set-up. The observed extragalactic objects cover the redshift range 0.1 to 5.0.
98 objects are starburst galaxies and QSOs at z > 2. Using this data set we
investigated the evolution of the characteristic spectral properties of bright
starburst galaxies and their mutual relations as a function of the redshift.
Significant evolutionary effects were found for redshifts 2 < z < 4. Most
conspicuous are the increase of the average C IV absorption strength, of the
dust reddening, and of the intrinsic UV luminosity, and the decrease of the
average Ly alpha emission strength with decreasing redshift. In part the
observed evolutionary effects can be attributed to an increase of the
metallicity of the galaxies with cosmic age. Moreover, the increase of the
total star-formation rates and the stronger obscuration of the starburst cores
by dusty gas clouds suggest the occurrence of more massive starbursts at later
cosmic epochs.Comment: 24 pages, 25 figures (35 PS files), 4 tables, accepted for
publication in A&A. v2: minor typos corrected and references update
Open Issues on the Synthesis of Evolved Stellar Populations at Ultraviolet Wavelengths
In this paper we briefly review three topics that have motivated our (and
others') investigations in recent years within the context of evolutionary
population synthesis techniques. These are: The origin of the FUV up-turn in
elliptical galaxies, the age-metallicity degeneracy, and the study of the
mid-UV rest-frame spectra of distant red galaxies. We summarize some of our
results and present a very preliminary application of a UV grid of theoretical
spectra in the analysis of integrated properties of aged stellar populations.
At the end, we concisely suggest how these topics can be tackled once the World
Space Observatory enters into operation in the midst of this decade.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space
Science, UV Universe special issu
The Beginning and Evolution of the Universe
We review the current standard model for the evolution of the Universe from
an early inflationary epoch to the complex hierarchy of structure seen today.
We summarize and provide key references for the following topics: observations
of the expanding Universe; the hot early Universe and nucleosynthesis; theory
and observations of the cosmic microwave background; Big Bang cosmology;
inflation; dark matter and dark energy; theory of structure formation; the cold
dark matter model; galaxy formation; cosmological simulations; observations of
galaxies, clusters, and quasars; statistical measures of large-scale structure;
and measurement of cosmological parameters. We conclude with discussion of some
open questions in cosmology. This review is designed to provide a graduate
student or other new worker in the field an introduction to the cosmological
literature.Comment: 69 pages. Invited review article for Publications of the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific. Supplementary references, tables, and more concise
PDF file at http://www.physics.drexel.edu/univers
Galaxy Collisions - Dawn of a New Era
The study of colliding galaxies has progressed rapidly in the last few years,
driven by observations with powerful new ground and space-based instruments.
These instruments have used for detailed studies of specific nearby systems,
statistical studies of large samples of relatively nearby systems, and
increasingly large samples of high redshift systems. Following a brief summary
of the historical context, this review attempts to integrate these studies to
address the following key issues. What role do collisions play in galaxy
evolution, and how can recently discovered processes like downsizing resolve
some apparently contradictory results of high redshift studies? What is the
role of environment in galaxy collisions? How is star formation and nuclear
activity orchestrated by the large scale dynamics, before and during merger?
Are novel modes of star formation involved? What are we to make of the
association of ultraluminous X-ray sources with colliding galaxies? To what do
degree do mergers and feedback trigger long-term secular effects? How far can
we push the archaeology of individual systems to determine the nature of
precursor systems and the precise effect of the interaction? Tentative answers
to many of these questions have been suggested, and the prospects for answering
most of them in the next few decades are good.Comment: 44 pages, 9 figures, review article in press for Astrophysics Update
Vol.
Blue Straggler Stars: Early Observations that Failed to Solve the Problem
In this chapter, I describe early ideas on blue stragglers, and various
observations (some published, some not) that promised but failed to resolve the
question of their origin. I review the data and ideas that were circulating
from Allan Sandage's original discovery in 1953 of "anomalous blue stars" in
the globular cluster M3, up until about 1992, when what seems to have been the
only previous meeting devoted to Blue Straggler Stars (BSSs) was held at the
Space Telescope Science Institute.Comment: Chapter 2, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G.
Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe
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