161 research outputs found
The AGN dusty torus as a clumpy two-phase medium: radiative transfer modeling with SKIRT
We modeled the AGN dusty torus as a clumpy two-phase medium, with
high-density clumps embedded in a low-density interclump dust. To obtain
spectral energy distributions and images of the torus at different wavelengths,
we employed the 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code SKIRT. Apart from the
grid of two-phase models, we calculated the corresponding sets of clumps-only
models and models with a smooth dust distribution for comparison. We found that
the most striking feature of the two-phase model is that it might offer a
natural solution to the common issue reported in a number of papers -- the
observed excess of the near-infrared emission.Comment: Proceedings of the Torus Workshop 2012 held at the University of
Texas at San Antonio, 5-7 December 2012. C. Packham, R. Mason, and A.
Alonso-Herrero (eds.). 8 pages, 5 figures. A grid of model SEDs available at
https://sites.google.com/site/skirtorus
FitSKIRT: genetic algorithms to automatically fit dusty galaxies with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code
We present FitSKIRT, a method to efficiently fit radiative transfer models to
UV/optical images of dusty galaxies. These images have the advantage that they
have better spatial resolution compared to FIR/submm data. FitSKIRT uses the
GAlib genetic algorithm library to optimize the output of the SKIRT Monte Carlo
radiative transfer code. Genetic algorithms prove to be a valuable tool in
handling the multi- dimensional search space as well as the noise induced by
the random nature of the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. FitSKIRT is
tested on artificial images of a simulated edge-on spiral galaxy, where we
gradually increase the number of fitted parameters. We find that we can recover
all model parameters, even if all 11 model parameters are left unconstrained.
Finally, we apply the FitSKIRT code to a V-band image of the edge-on spiral
galaxy NGC4013. This galaxy has been modeled previously by other authors using
different combinations of radiative transfer codes and optimization methods.
Given the different models and techniques and the complexity and degeneracies
in the parameter space, we find reasonable agreement between the different
models. We conclude that the FitSKIRT method allows comparison between
different models and geometries in a quantitative manner and minimizes the need
of human intervention and biasing. The high level of automation makes it an
ideal tool to use on larger sets of observed data.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
AGN Dusty Tori as a Clumpy Two-Phase Medium: The 10 Micron Silicate Feature
We investigated the emission of active galactic nuclei dusty tori in the
infrared domain, with a focus on the 10 micron silicate feature. We modeled the
dusty torus as a clumpy two-phase medium with high-density clumps and a
low-density medium filling the space between the clumps. We employed a
three-dimensional radiative transfer code to obtain spectral energy
distributions and images of tori at different wavelengths. We calculated a grid
of models for different parameters and analyzed the influence of these
parameters on the shape of the mid-infrared emission. A corresponding set of
clumps-only models and models with a smooth dust distribution is calculated for
comparison. We found that the dust distribution, the optical depth and a random
arrangement of clumps in the innermost region, all have an impact on the shape
and strength of the silicate feature. The 10 micron silicate feature can be
suppressed for some parameters, but models with smooth dust distribution are
also able to produce a wide range of the silicate feature strength.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Proceedings of the "8th Serbian Conference on
Spectral Line Shapes in Astrophysics", Divcibare, Serbia, June 6-10 2011.
Model SEDs available for download at https://sites.google.com/site/skirtorus
The dust covering factor in active galactic nuclei
The primary source of emission of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the accretion disc, is surrounded by an optically and geometrically thick dusty structure ('the so-called dusty torus'). The infrared radiation emitted by the dust is nothing but a reprocessed fraction of the accretion disc emission, so the ratio of the torus to the AGN luminosity (L-torus/L-AGN) should corresponds to the fraction of the sky obscured by dust, i.e. the covering factor. We undertook a critical investigation of the L-torus/L-AGN as the dust covering factor proxy. Using state-of-the-art 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code, we calculated a grid of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) emitted by the clumpy two-phase dusty structure. With this grid of SEDs, we studied the relation between L-torus/L-AGN and the dust covering factor for different parameters of the torus. We found that in the case of type 1 AGNs the torus anisotropy makes L-torus/L-AGN underestimate low covering factors and overestimate high covering factors. In type 2 AGNs L-torus/L-AGN always underestimates covering factors. Our results provide a novel easy-to-use method to account for anisotropy and obtain correct covering factors. Using two samples from the literature, we demonstrated the importance of our result for inferring the obscured AGN fraction. We found that after the anisotropy is properly accounted for, the dust covering factors show very weak dependence on L-AGN, with values in the range of approximate to 0.6-0.7. Our results also suggest a higher fraction of obscured AGNs at high luminosities than those found by X-ray surveys, in part owing to the presence of a Compton-thick AGN population predicted by population synthesis models
From blue star-forming to red passive: galaxies in transition in different environments
Exploiting a mass complete (M_*>10^(10.25)M_sun) sample at 0.03<z<0.11 drawn
from the Padova Millennium Galaxy Group Catalog (PM2GC), we use the (U-B)_rf
color and morphologies to characterize galaxies, in particular those that show
signs of an ongoing or recent transformation of their star formation activity
and/or morphology - green galaxies, red passive late types, and blue
star-forming early types. Color fractions depend on mass and only for
M_*<10^(10.7)M_sun on environment. The incidence of red galaxies increases with
increasing mass, and, for M_*<10^(10.7)M_sun, decreases toward the group
outskirts and in binary and single galaxies. The relative abundance of green
and blue galaxies is independent of environment, and increases monotonically
with galaxy mass. We also inspect galaxy structural parameters, star-formation
properties, histories and ages and propose an evolutionary scenario for the
different subpopulations. Color transformations are due to a reduction and
suppression of SFR in both bulges and disks which does not noticeably affect
galaxy structure. Morphological transitions are linked to an enhanced
bulge-to-disk ratio due to the removal of the disk, not to an increase of the
bulge. Our modeling suggests that green colors might be due to star formation
histories declining with long timescales, as an alternative scenario to the
classical "quenching" processes. Our results suggest that galaxy
transformations in star formation activity and morphology depend neither on
environment nor on being a satellite or the most massive galaxy of a halo. The
only environmental dependence we find is the higher fast quenching efficiency
in groups giving origin to post-starburst signatures.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The star formation history of galaxies: the role of galaxy mass, morphology and environment
We analyze the star formation history (SFH) of galaxies as a function of
present-day environment, galaxy stellar mass and morphology. The SFH is derived
by means of a non-parametric spectrophotometric model applied to individual
galaxies at z ~ 0.04- 0.1 in the WINGS clusters and the PM2GC field. The field
reconstructed evolution of the star formation rate density (SFRD) follows the
values observed at each redshift (Madau & Dickinson 2014), except at z > 2
where our estimate is ~ 1.7x higher than the high-z observed value. The slope
of the SFRD decline with time gets progressively steeper going from low mass to
high mass haloes. The decrease of the SFRD since z = 2 is due to 1) quenching -
50% of the SFRD in the field and 75% in clusters at z > 2 originated in
galaxies that are passive today - and 2) the fact that the average SFR of
today's star-forming galaxies has decreased with time. We quantify the
contribution to the SFRD(z) of galaxies of today's different masses and
morphologies. The current morphology correlates with the current star formation
activity but is irrelevant for the past stellar history. The average SFH
depends on galaxy mass, but galaxies of a given mass have different histories
depending on their environment. We conclude that the variation of the SFRD(z)
with environment is not driven by different distributions of galaxy masses and
morphologies in clusters and field, and must be due to an accelerated formation
in high mass haloes compared to low mass ones even for galaxies that will end
up having the same galaxy mass today.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures. Published on MNRA
GASP XIX: AGN and their outflows at the center of jellyfish galaxies
The GASP survey, based on MUSE data, is unveiling the properties of the gas
in the so-called "jellyfish" galaxies: these are cluster galaxies with
spectacular evidence of gas stripping by ram pressure. In a previous paper, we
selected the seven GASP galaxies with the most extended tentacles of ionized
gas, and based on individual diagnostic diagrams concluded that at least five
of them present clear evidence for an Active Galactic Nucleus. Here we present
a more detailed analysis of the emission lines properties in these galaxies.
Our comparison of several emission line ratios with both AGN and shock models
show that photoionization by the AGN is the dominant ionization mechanism. This
conclusion is strengthened by the analysis of luminosities, the
presence of nuclear iron coronal lines and extended ( kpc) emission line
regions ionized by the AGN in some of these galaxies. From emission line
profiles, we find the presence of outflows in four galaxies, and derive mass
outflow rates, timescales and kinetic energy of the outflows.Comment: 20 pages, 10 Figure
The distribution of interstellar dust in CALIFA edge-on galaxies via oligochromatic radiative transfer fitting
We investigate the amount and spatial distribution of interstellar dust in
edge-on spiral galaxies, using detailed radiative transfer modeling of a
homogeneous sample of 12 galaxies selected from the CALIFA survey. Our
automated fitting routine, FitSKIRT, was first validated against artificial
data. This is done by simultaneously reproducing the SDSS -, -, - and
-band observations of a toy model in order to combine the information
present in the different bands. We show that this combined, oligochromatic
fitting, has clear advantages over standard monochromatic fitting especially
regarding constraints on the dust properties. We model all galaxies in our
sample using a three-component model, consisting of a double exponential disc
to describe the stellar and dust discs and using a S\'ersic profile to describe
the central bulge. The full model contains 19 free parameters, and we are able
to constrain all these parameters to a satisfactory level of accuracy without
human intervention or strong boundary conditions. Apart from two galaxies, the
entire sample can be accurately reproduced by our model. We find that the dust
disc is about 75% more extended but only half as high as the stellar disc. The
average face-on optical depth in the V-band is and the spread of
within our sample is quite substantial, which indicates that some spiral
galaxies are relatively opaque even when seen face-on.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA
GASP. XVI. Does cosmic web enhancement turn on star formation in galaxies?
Galaxy filaments are a peculiar environment, and their impact on the galaxy
properties is still controversial. Exploiting the data from the GAs Stripping
Phenomena in galaxies with MUSE (GASP), we provide the first characterisation
of the spatially resolved properties of galaxies embedded in filaments in the
local Universe. The four galaxies we focus on show peculiar ionised gas
distributions: Halpha clouds have been observed beyond four times the effective
radius. The gas kinematics, metallicity map and the ratios of emission line
fluxes confirm that they do belong to the galaxy gas disk, the analysis of
their spectra shows that very weak stellar continuum is associated to them.
Similarly, the star formation history and luminosity weighted age maps point to
a recent formation of such clouds. The clouds are powered by star formation,
and are characterised by intermediate values of dust absorption. We hypothesise
a scenario in which the observed features are due to "Cosmic Web Enhancement":
we are most likely witnessing galaxies passing through or flowing within
filaments that assist the gas cooling and increase the extent of the star
formation in the densest regions in the circumgalactic gas. Targeted
simulations are mandatory to better understand this phenomenon.Comment: MNRAS in press, 18 pages, 12 figure
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