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At least 469 records · Page 26

Appearance versus disappearance of broad absorption line troughs in quasars

ABSTRACT We present a new set of 84 broad absorption line (BAL) quasars (1.7 < zem < 4.4) exhibiting an appearance of C iv BAL troughs over 0.3–4.8 rest-frame years by comparing the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release (SDSSDR)-7, SDSSDR-12, and SDSSDR-14 quasar catalogues. We contrast the nature of BAL variability in this appearing BAL quasar sample with a disappearing BAL quasar sample studied in the literature by comparing the quasar’s intrinsic, BAL trough, and continuum parameters between the two samples. We find that appearing BAL quasars have relatively higher redshift and smaller probed time-scales as compared to the disappearing BAL quasars. To mitigate the effect of any redshift bias, we created control samples of appearing and disappearing BAL quasars that have similar redshift distribution. We find that the appearing BAL quasars are relatively brighter and have shallower and wider BAL troughs compared to the disappearing BAL sample. The distribution of quasar continuum variability parameters between the two samples is clearly separated, with the appearance of the BAL troughs being accompanied by the dimming of the continuum and vice versa. Spectral index variations in the two samples also point to the anticorrelation between the BAL trough and continuum variations consistent with the ‘bluer when brighter’ trend in quasars. We show that the intrinsic dust model is less likely to be a favourable scenario in explaining BAL appearance/disappearance. Our analysis suggests that the extreme variations of BAL troughs like BAL appearance/disappearance are mainly driven by changes in the ionization conditions of the absorbing gas.

Mishra, Sapna↗

The influence of Hickson-like compact group environment on galaxy luminosities

Compact groups of galaxies are devised as extreme environments where interactions may drive galaxy evolution. In this work, we analysed whether the luminosities of galaxies inhabiting compact groups differ from those of galaxies in loose galaxy groups. We computed the luminosity functions of galaxy populations inhabiting a new sample of 1412 Hickson-like compact groups of galaxies identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16. We observed a characteristic absolute magnitude for galaxies in compact groups brighter than that observed in the field or loose galaxy systems. We also observed a deficiency of faint galaxies in compact groups in comparison with loose systems. Our analysis showed that the brightening is mainly due to galaxies inhabiting the more massive compact groups. In contrast to what is observed in loose systems, where only the luminosities of Red (and Early) galaxies show a dependency with group mass, luminosities of Red and Blue (also Early and Late) galaxies in compact groups are affected similarly as a function of group virial mass. When using Hubble types, we observed that elliptical galaxies in compact groups are the brightest galaxy population, and groups dominated by an elliptical galaxy also display the brightest luminosities in comparison with those dominated by spiral galaxies. Moreover, we show that the general luminosity trends can be reproduced using a mock catalogue obtained from a semi-analytical model of galaxy formation. These results suggest that the inner extreme environment in compact groups prompts a different evolutionary history for their galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The role of radio loudness in Eigenvector 1 and the Baldwin Effect of [O iii ] λ5007

ABSTRACT The radio emission is an important observable of quasars, but its relationship to Eigenvector 1 and the [O iii] λ5007 Baldwin Effect is not fully understood. We explore these issues based on a sample of 1800 quasars taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. We employ a new approach of selecting subsamples in the plane of fundamental physical parameters of the black hole mass and Eddington ratio, so as to reduce variables and complexity in analyses. Based on these subsamples, we investigate the relationship between radio loudness R and Eigenvector 1 and find that radio loudness is correlated with [O iii] λ5007 emission, but has no clear relationship with optical Fe ii emission, which indicates that the radio power is probably not a driver of Eigenvector 1 but merely a secondary process. In addition, we also investigate the impact of radio loudness on the Baldwin Effect of [O iii] λ5007. We find that when the radio loudness is not strong (log R < 2), the Baldwin Effect of [O iii] λ5007 is clear, while in the samples of extreme radio loudness (log R ≥ 2), the Baldwin Effect of [O iii] λ5007 becomes weaker or even disappears. We suggest that both radio loudness and luminosity influence the relative strength of [O iii].

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Galaxy pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey – XV. Properties of ionized outflows

ABSTRACT Powerful outflows are thought to play a critical role in galaxy evolution and black hole growth. We present the first large-scale systematic study of ionized outflows in paired galaxies and post-mergers compared to a robust control sample of isolated galaxies. We isolate the impact of the merger environment to determine if outflow properties depend on merger stage. Our sample contains ∼4000 paired galaxies and ∼250 post-mergers in the local universe (0.02 ≤ z ≤ 0.2) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS DR 7) matched in stellar mass, redshift, local density of galaxies, and [O iii] λ5007 luminosity to a control sample of isolated galaxies. By fitting the [O iii] λ5007 line, we find ionized outflows in ∼15 per cent of our entire sample. Outflows are much rarer in star-forming galaxies compared to active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and outflow incidence and velocity increase with [O iii] λ5007 luminosity. Outflow incidence is significantly elevated in the optical + mid-infrared selected AGN compared to purely optical AGN; over 60 per cent show outflows at the highest luminosities ($L_{\mathrm{[OIII]~\lambda 5007}}\, \gtrsim$ 1042 erg s−1), suggesting mid-infrared AGN selection favours galaxies with powerful outflows, at least for higher [O iii] λ5007 luminosities. However, we find no statistically significant difference in outflow incidence, velocity, and luminosity in mergers compared to isolated galaxies, and there is no dependence on merger stage. Therefore, while interactions are predicted to drive gas inflows and subsequently trigger nuclear star formation and accretion activity, when the power source of the outflow is controlled for, the merging environment has no further impact on the large-scale ionized outflows as traced by [O iii] λ5007.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Chemical abundances in Seyfert galaxies – Ⅸ. Helium abundance estimates

For the first time, the helium abundance relative to hydrogen (He/H), which relied on direct measurements of the electron temperature, has been derived in the narrow line regions (NLRs) from a local sample of Seyfert 2 nuclei. In view of this, optical emission line intensities [3000 < λ(Å) < 7000] of 65 local Seyfert 2 nuclei (z < 0.2), taken from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 15 and additional compilation from the literature, were considered. Here we used photoionization model grid to derive an Ionization Correction Factor (ICF) for the neutral helium. The application of this ICF indicates that the NLRs of Seyfert 2 present a neutral helium fraction of ~50 percent in relation to the total helium abundance. We find that Seyfert 2 nuclei present helium abundance ranging from 0.60 to 2.50 times the solar value, while ~85 percent of the sample present oversolar abundance values. The derived (He/H)–(O/H) abundance relation from the Seyfert 2 is stepper than that of star-forming regions (SFs) and this difference could be due to excess of helium injected into the interstellar medium by the winds of Wolf–Rayet stars. From a regression to zero metallicity, by using Seyfert 2 estimates combined with SFs estimates, we obtained a primordial helium mass fraction Y p = 0.2441 ± 0.0037, a value in good agreement with the one inferred from the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background by the Planck Collaboration, i.e. $Y_{p}^{Planck}$ =0.2471 ± 0.0003.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Sub-percentage measure of distances to redshift of 0.1 by a new cosmic ruler

ABSTRACT Distance-redshift diagrams probe expansion history of the Universe. We show that the stellar mass-binding energy (massE) relation of galaxies proposed in our previous study offers a new distance ruler at cosmic scales. By using elliptical galaxies in the main galaxy sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7, we construct a distance-redshift diagram over the redshift range from 0.05 to 0.2 with the massE ruler. The best-fit dark energy density is 0.675 ± 0.079 for flat Λ-cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model, consistent with those by other probes. At the median redshift of 0.11, the median distance is estimated to have a fractional error of 0.34 per cent, much lower than those by supernova (SN) Ia and baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) and even exceeding their future capability at this redshift. The above low-$\mathit{ z}$ measurement is useful for probing dark energy that dominates at the late Universe. For a flat dark energy equation of state model (flat wCDM), the massE alone constrains w to an error that is only a factor of 2.2, 1.7, and 1.3 times larger than those by BAO, SN Ia, and cosmic microwave background (CMB), respectively.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Photometric identification of compact galaxies, stars, and quasars using multiple neural networks

We present MargNet, a deep learning-based classifier for identifying stars, quasars, and compact galaxies using photometric parameters and images from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16 catalogue. MargNet consists of a combination of convolutional neural network and artificial neural network architectures. Using a carefully curated data set consisting of 240 000 compact objects and an additional 150 000 faint objects, the machine learns classification directly from the data, minimizing the need for human intervention. MargNet is the first classifier focusing exclusively on compact galaxies and performs better than other methods to classify compact galaxies from stars and quasars, even at fainter magnitudes. This model and feature engineering in such deep learning architectures will provide greater success in identifying objects in the ongoing and upcoming surveys, such as Dark Energy Survey and images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Is Terzan 5 the remnant of a building block of the Galactic bulge? Evidence from APOGEE

ABSTRACT It has been proposed that the globular cluster-like system Terzan 5 is the surviving remnant of a primordial building block of the Milky Way bulge, mainly due to the age/metallicity spread and the distribution of its stars in the α–Fe plane. We employ Sloan Digital Sky Survey data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment to test this hypothesis. Adopting a random sampling technique, we contrast the abundances of 10 elements in Terzan 5 stars with those of their bulge field counterparts with comparable atmospheric parameters, finding that they differ at statistically significant levels. Abundances between the two groups differ by more than 1σ in Ca, Mn, C, O, and Al, and more than 2σ in Si and Mg. Terzan 5 stars have lower [α/Fe] and higher [Mn/Fe] than their bulge counterparts. Given those differences, we conclude that Terzan 5 is not the remnant of a major building block of the bulge. We also estimate the stellar mass of the Terzan 5 progenitor based on predictions by the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments suite of cosmological numerical simulations, concluding that it may have been as low as ∼3 × 108 M⊙ so that it was likely unable to significantly influence the mean chemistry of the bulge/inner disc, which is significantly more massive (∼1010 M⊙). We briefly discuss existing scenarios for the nature of Terzan 5 and propose an observational test that may help elucidate its origin.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Discovery of compact disc galaxies with high-surface brightness in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Compact disc galaxies (CDGs) with high-surface brightness were identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. We determined the surface profiles of the CDGs and compared them to those of normal-sized disc galaxies (NDGs). The CDGs have higher central brightness and older stellar age than the NDGs. Furthermore, the brightness profiles of the CDGs fit a Sérsic model with n ≈ 2.11 and have a zero g′ − r′ colour gradient on average. By contrast, the NDGs fit an exponential profile and have a negative colour gradient on average. These results indicate that the structure and stellar population of the CDGs and NDGs differ. We suggest that the CDGs are ancient galaxies in the quenching phase following the initial central starburst.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey: a new optical spectroscopic catalogue

ABSTRACT Narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxies are an enigmatic class of active galactic nuclei (AGN) that exhibit peculiar multiwavelength properties across the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, these sources have allowed us to explore the innermost regions of the central engine of AGN using X-ray observations and have also provided clues about the origin of relativistic jets considering radio and gamma-ray bands. Keeping in mind the ongoing and upcoming wide-field, multifrequency sky surveys, we present a new catalogue of NLSy1 galaxies. This was done by carrying out a detailed decomposition of >2 million optical spectra of quasars and galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 17 (SDSS-DR17) using the publicly available software ‘Bayesian AGN Decomposition Analysis for SDSS Spectra’. The catalogue contains 22656 NLSy1 galaxies which is more than twice the size of the previously identified NLSy1s based on SDSS-DR12. As a corollary, we also release a new catalogue of 52273 broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) galaxies. The estimated optical spectral parameters and derived quantities confirm the previously known finding of NLSy1 galaxies being AGN powered by highly accreting, low-mass black holes. We conclude that this enlarged sample of NLSy1 and BLSy1 galaxies will enable us to explore the low-luminosity end of the AGN population by effectively utilizing the sensitive, high-quality observations delivered by ongoing/upcoming wide-field sky surveys. The catalogue has been made public at https://www.ucm.es/blazars/seyfert.

Paliya, Vaidehi S. (ORCID:0000000177745308)↗

Hickson-like compact groups inhabiting different environments

ABSTRACT Although compact groups (CGs) of galaxies have been envisioned as isolated extremely dense structures in the Universe, it is accepted today that many of them could be not as isolated as thought. In this work, we study Hickson-like CGs identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16 to analyse these systems and their galaxies when embedded in different cosmological structures. To achieve this goal, we identify several cosmological structures where CGs can reside: nodes of filaments, loose groups, filaments, and cosmic voids. Our results indicate that 45 per cent of CGs do not reside in any of these structures, i.e. they can be considered non-embedded or isolated systems. Most of the embedded CGs are found inhabiting loose groups and nodes, while there are almost no CGs residing well inside cosmic voids. Some physical properties of CGs vary depending on the environment they inhabit. CGs in nodes show the largest velocity dispersions, the brightest absolute magnitude of the first-ranked galaxy, and the smallest crossing times, while the opposite occurs in non-embedded CGs. When comparing galaxies in all the environments and galaxies in CGs, CGs show the highest fractions of red/early-type galaxy members in most of the absolute magnitudes ranges. The variation between galaxies in CGs inhabiting one or another environment is not as significant as the differences caused by belonging or not to a CG. Our results suggest a plausible scenario for galaxy evolution in CGs in which both large-scale and local environments play essential roles.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Simulating the dust content of galaxies: successes and failures

We present full-volume cosmological simulations, using the moving-mesh code AREPO to study the coevolution of dust and galaxies. We extend the dust model in AREPO to include thermal sputtering of grains and investigate the evolution of the dust mass function, the cosmic distribution of dust beyond the interstellar medium and the dependence of dust-to-stellar mass ratio on galactic properties. The simulated dust mass function is well described by a Schechter fit and lies closest to observations at z = 0. The radial scaling of projected dust surface density out to distances of 10 Mpc around galaxies with magnitudes 17 < i < 21 is similar to that seen in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, albeit with a lower normalization. At z = 0, the predicted dust density of Ωdust ≈ 1.3 × 10 -6 lies in the range of Ωdust values seen in low-redshift observations. We find that the dust-to-stellar mass ratio anticorrelates with stellar mass for galaxies living along the star formation main sequence. Moreover, we estimate the 850 μm number density functions for simulated galaxies and analyse the relation between dust-to-stellar flux and mass ratios at z = 0. At high redshift, our model fails to produce enough dust-rich galaxies, and this tension is not alleviated by adopting a top-heavy initial mass function. We do not capture a decline in Ωdust from z = 2 to 0, which suggests that dust production mechanisms more strongly dependent on star formation may help to produce the observed number of dusty galaxies near the peak of cosmic star formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Correlation between the ionizing continuum and the variable C iv broad absorption line in multi-epoch observations of SDSS J141007.74+541203.3

Abstract Correlations between the variations of quasar absorption lines and the ionizing continuum have been confirmed recently in systematic studies. However, no convincing individual case is reported. We present a statistical analysis of the variable C iv broad absorption line (BAL) in the quasar SDSS J141007.74+541203.3, which has been observed with 44 epochs by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 14. Grier et al. have concluded that the most likely cause of the variability of the BAL in SDSS J141007.74+541203.3 is a rapid response to changes in the incident ionizing continuum. In this paper, we confirm the anticorrelation between the equivalent width of BALs and the flux of the continuum based on the spectra of this quasar, which show significant variations. This serves as further independent evidence for the conclusions of Grier et al.

Huang, Hong-Yan↗

A comprehensive examination of the optical morphologies of 719 isolated galaxies in the AMIGA sample

Abstract Using images from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 8, we have re-examined the morphology of 719 galaxies from the Analysis of the interstellar Medium in Isolated GAlaxies (AMIGA) project, a sample consisting of the most isolated galaxies that have yet been identified. The goal is to further improve the classifications of these galaxies by examining them in the context of the Comprehensive de Vaucouleurs revised Hubble-Sandage (CVRHS) system, which includes recognition of features that go beyond the original de Vaucouleurs point of view. Our results confirm previous findings that isolated galaxies are found across the complete revised Hubble sequence, with intermediate- to late-type (Sb-Sc) spirals being relatively more common. Elmegreen Arm Classifications are also presented, and show that more than 50 per cent of the 514 spirals in the sample for which an arm class (AC) could be judged are grand design (AC 8,9,12). The visual bar fraction for the sample is ≈50 per cent, but only 16 per cent are classified as strongly barred (SB). The dominant family classification is SA (non-barred), the dominant inner variety classification is (s) (pure spiral), and the dominant outer variety classification is no outer ring, pseudo-ring, or lens. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test is used to check for potential biases in the morphological interpretations, and for any possible relation between rings, bars, and ACs with local environment and far-infrared excess. The connection between morphology and stellar mass is also examined for a subset of the sample.

Buta, Ronald J.↗

Smaller stellar disc scale lengths in rich environments

Abstract We investigate the dependence of stellar disc scale lengths on environment for a sample of Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 galaxies with published photometric bulge-disc decompositions. We compare disc scale lengths at fixed bulge mass for galaxies in an isolated field environment to galaxies in X-ray rich and X-ray poor groups. At low bulge mass, stellar disc scale lengths in X-ray rich groups are smaller compared to discs in both X-ray poor groups and in isolated field environments. This decrease in disc scale length is largely independent of halo mass, though shows some dependence on group-centric distance. We also find that stellar disc scale lengths are smaller in X-ray rich environments for a subset of star-forming galaxies and for galaxies of different morphological types. We note that disc scale lengths of low mass galaxies are known to have large systematic uncertainties, however we focus on differences between samples with the same measurement biases. Our results show that stellar disc scale lengths depend on X-ray brightness, a tracer of IGM density, suggesting a role for hydrodynamic processes such as ram-pressure stripping and/or starvation.

Demers, Melanie L.↗

Probing hot gas around luminous red galaxies through the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect

ABSTRACT We construct the mean thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (tSZ) Comptonization y-profile around luminous red galaxies (LRGs) in the redshift range 0.16 < z < 0.47 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 using the Planck y-map. We detect a significant tSZ signal out to ∼30 arcmin, which is well beyond the 10 arcmin angular resolution of the y-map and well beyond the virial radii of the LRGs. We compare the measured profile with predictions from the cosmo-OWLS suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. The best agreement is obtained for models that include efficient feedback from active galactic nuclei, over and above feedback associated with star formation. We also compare our results with predictions based on the halo model with a universal pressure profile giving the y-signal. The predicted profile is consistent with the data when using stacked weak lensing measurements to estimate the halo masses of the LRGs, but only if we account for the clustering of neighbouring haloes via a two-halo term.

Tanimura, Hideki↗

Both starvation and outflows drive galaxy quenching

ABSTRACT Star-forming galaxies can in principle be transformed into passive systems by a multitude of processes that quench star formation, such as the halting of gas accretion (starvation) or the rapid removal of gas in AGN-driven outflows. However, it remains unclear which processes are the most significant, primary drivers of the SF-passive bimodality. We address this key issue in galaxy evolution by studying the chemical properties of 80 000 local galaxies in Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. In order to distinguish between different quenching mechanisms, we analyse the stellar metallicities of star-forming, green valley, and passive galaxies. We find that the significant difference in stellar metallicity between passive galaxies and their star-forming progenitors implies that for galaxies at all masses, quenching must have involved an extended phase of starvation. However, some form of gas ejection also has to be introduced into our models to best match the observed properties of local passive galaxies, indicating that, while starvation is likely to be the prerequisite for quenching, it is the combination of starvation and outflows that is responsible for quenching the majority of galaxies. Closed-box models indicate that the duration of the quenching phase is 2–3 Gyr, with an e-folding time of 2–4 Gyr, after which further star formation is prevented by an ejective/heating mode. Alternatively, leaky-box models find a longer duration for the quenching phase of 5–7 Gyr and an e-folding time of ∼1 Gyr, with outflows becoming increasingly important with decreasing stellar mass. Finally, our analysis of local green valley galaxies indicates that quenching is slower in the local Universe than at high redshift.

Trussler, James↗

Investigation of the 244 Pu ⁢( 48 Ca,𝑥⁢𝑛) 292−𝑥 Fl reaction with the LBNL SHREC detector: Investigation of decay chains of isotopes of flerovium (𝑍=114)

The 244 Pu ⁢( 48 Ca,𝑥⁢𝑛)⁢ 292−𝑥 Fl reaction was investigated at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s 88 Inch Cyclotron using the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS), the newly installed Superheavy Recoil detector, along with an upgraded digital electronics and data acquisition system. Seven decay chains were observed starting with an evaporation residue, followed by a single 𝛼 decay and a spontaneous fission. The decay characteristics of these seven decay chains led to an assignment to 288 Fl , the product of the 4⁢𝑛 reaction channel. Two additional chains were (tentatively) assigned to the decay of the 3⁢𝑛 exit channel, 289 Fl . Cross sections for the 4⁢𝑛 and 3⁢𝑛 exit channels were 𝜎 prod =6.7⁢($^{36}_{25}$) pb and 𝜎 prod =1.6⁢($^{22}_{11}$) pb, respectively. Another decay chain, tentatively assigned to the 5⁢𝑛 exit channel through the 48 Ca + 244 Pu reaction or the 3⁢𝑛 exit channel of the 48 Ca + 242 Pu reaction, was also detected. Detailed information regarding the observed decay chains and their nuclear structure aspects is discussed, along with the performance of the BGS and the new detection system.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗