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At least 1,099 records · Page 61
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DOE OSTI2012

ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AS MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ULTRAVIOLET IONIZING EMISSIVITY AT HIGH REDSHIFTS: PREDICTIONS FROM A {Lambda}-CDM MODEL WITH LINKED AGN/GALAXY EVOLUTION

We have evaluated the contribution of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) population to the ionization history of the universe based on a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation and evolution in the cold dark matter cosmological scenario. The model connects the growth of black holes and of the ensuing AGN activity to galaxy interactions. In the model we have included a self-consistent physical description of the escape of ionizing UV photons; this is based on the blast-wave model for the AGN feedback we developed in a previous paper to explain the distribution of hydrogen column densities in AGNs of various redshifts and luminosities, due to absorption by the host galaxy gas. The model predicts UV luminosity functions for AGNs that are in good agreement with those derived from the observations especially at low and intermediate redshifts (z {approx} 3). At higher redshifts (z > 5), the model tends to overestimate the data at faint luminosities. Critical biases in both the data and in the model are discussed to explain such apparent discrepancies. The predicted hydrogen photoionization rate as a function of redshift is found to be consistent with that derived from the observations. All of the above suggests that we should reconsider the role of the AGNs as the main driver of the ionization history of the universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE SPINDLE: AN IRRADIATED DISK AND BENT PROTOSTELLAR JET IN ORION

We present Hubble Space Telescope observations of a bent, pulsed Herbig-Haro jet, HH 1064, emerging from the young star Parenago 2042 embedded in the H II region NGC 1977 located about 30' north of the Orion Nebula. This outflow contains eight bow shocks in the redshifted western lobe and five bow shocks in the blueshifted eastern lobe. Shocks within a few thousand AU of the source star exhibit proper motions of {approx}160 km s{sup -1} but motions decrease with increasing distance. Parenago 2042 is embedded in a proplyd-a photoevaporating protoplanetary disk. A remarkable set of H{alpha} arcs resembling a spindle surround the redshifted (western) jet. The largest arc with a radius of 500 AU may trace the ionized edge of a circumstellar disk inclined by {approx}30 Degree-Sign . The spindle may be the photoionized edge of either a {approx}3 km s{sup -1} FUV-driven wind from the outer disk or a faster MHD-powered flow from an inner disk. The HH 1064 jet appears to be deflected north by photoablation of the south-facing side of a mostly neutral jet beam. V2412 Ori, located 1' west of Parenago 2042 drives a second bent flow, HH 1065. Both HH 1064 and 1065 are surrounded by LL Ori-type bows marking the boundary between the outflow cavity and the surrounding nebula.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE NARROWBAND SEARCH FOR EXTENDED Ly{alpha} EMISSION AROUND TWO z > 6 QUASARS

We search for extended Ly{alpha} emission around two z > 6 quasars, SDSS J1030+0524 (z = 6.309) and SDSS J1148+5251 (z = 6.419) using Wide Field Camera 3 narrowband filters on board the Hubble Space Telescope. For each quasar, we collected two deep, narrowband images, one sampling the Ly{alpha} line+continuum at the quasar redshifts and one of the continuum emission redward of the line. After carefully modeling the point-spread function, we find no evidence for extended Ly{alpha} emission. These observations set 2{sigma} limits of L(Ly{alpha}, extended) <3.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 44} erg s{sup -1} for J1030+0524 and L(Ly{alpha}, extended) <2.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 44} erg s{sup -1} for J1148+5251. Given the star formation rates typically inferred from (rest-frame) far-infrared measurements of z {approx} 6 quasars, these limits are well below the intrinsic bright Ly{alpha} emission expected from the recombination of gas photoionized by the quasars or by the star formation in the host galaxies, and point toward significant Ly{alpha} suppression or dust attenuation. However, small extinction values have been observed along the line of sight to the nuclei, thus reddening has to be coupled with other mechanisms for Ly{alpha} suppression (e.g., resonance scattering). No Ly{alpha} emitting companions are found, down to a 5{sigma} sensitivity of {approx}1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -17} erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2} arcsec{sup -2} (surface brightness) and {approx}5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -17} erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2} (assuming point sources).

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DOE OSTI2012

PUMPING UP THE [N I] NEBULAR LINES

The optical [N I] doublet near 5200 A is anomalously strong in a variety of emission-line objects. We compute a detailed photoionization model and use it to show that pumping by far-ultraviolet (FUV) stellar radiation previously posited as a general explanation applies to the Orion Nebula (M42) and its companion M43; but, it is unlikely to explain planetary nebulae and supernova remnants. Our models establish that the observed nearly constant equivalent width of [N I] with respect to the dust-scattered stellar continuum depends primarily on three factors: the FUV to visual-band flux ratio of the stellar population, the optical properties of the dust, and the line broadening where the pumping occurs. In contrast, the intensity ratio [N I]/H{beta} depends primarily on the FUV to extreme-ultraviolet ratio, which varies strongly with the spectral type of the exciting star. This is consistent with the observed difference of a factor of five between M42 and M43, which are excited by an O7 and B0.5 star, respectively. We derive a non-thermal broadening of order 5 km s{sup -1} for the [N I] pumping zone and show that the broadening mechanism must be different from the large-scale turbulent motions that have been suggested to explain the line widths in this H II region. A mechanism is required that operates at scales of a few astronomical units, which may be driven by thermal instabilities of neutral gas in the range 1000-3000 K. In an Appendix A, we describe how collisional and radiative processes are treated in the detailed model N I atom now included in the CLOUDY plasma code.

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DOE OSTI2012

SUBMILLIMETER LINE SPECTRUM OF THE SEYFERT GALAXY NGC 1068 FROM THE HERSCHEL-SPIRE FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTROMETER

The first complete submillimeter spectrum (190-670 {mu}m) of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 has been observed with the SPIRE Fourier transform spectrometer on board the Herschel Space Observatory. The sequence of CO lines (J {sub up} = 4-13), lines from H{sub 2}O, the fundamental rotational transition of hydrogen fluoride, two o-H{sub 2}O{sup +} lines, and one line each from CH{sup +} and OH{sup +} have been detected, together with the two [C I] lines and the [N II] 205 {mu}m line. The observations in both single pointing mode with sparse image sampling and in mapping mode with full image sampling allow us to disentangle two molecular emission components, one due to the compact circumnuclear disk (CND) and one from the extended region encompassing the star-forming ring (SF-ring). Radiative transfer models show that the two CO components are characterized by densities of n(H{sub 2}) = 10{sup 4.5} and 10{sup 2.9} cm{sup -3} and temperatures of T {sub kin} = 100 K and 127 K, respectively. A comparison of the CO line intensities with the photodissociation region (PDR) and X-ray-dominated region (XDR) models, together with the other observational constraints, such as the observed CO surface brightness and the radiation field, indicates that the best explanation for the CO excitation of the CND is an XDR with a density of n(H{sub 2}) {approx} 10{sup 4} cm{sup -3} and an X-ray flux of 9 erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2}, consistent with illumination by the active galactic nucleus, while the CO lines in the SF-ring are better modeled by a PDR. The detected water transitions, together with those observed with the Herschel PACS spectrometer, can be modeled by a large velocity gradient model with low temperature (T {sub kin} {approx} 40 K) and high density (n(H{sub 2}) in the range 10{sup 6.7}-10{sup 7.9} cm{sup -3}). The emission of H{sub 2}O{sup +} and OH{sup +} are in agreement with PDR models with cosmic-ray ionization. The diffuse ionized atomic component observed through the [N II] 205 {mu}m line is consistent with previous photoionization models of the starburst.

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DOE OSTI2012

GALACTIC OUTFLOWS IN ABSORPTION AND EMISSION: NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY OF GALAXIES AT 1 < z < 2

We study large-scale outflows in a sample of 96 star-forming galaxies at 1 {approx}< z {approx}< 2, using near-UV spectroscopy of Fe II and Mg II absorption and emission. The average blueshift of the Fe II interstellar absorption lines with respect to the systemic velocity is -85 {+-} 10 km s{sup -1} at z {approx} 1.5, with standard deviation 87 km s{sup -1}; this is a decrease of a factor of two from the average blueshift measured for far-UV interstellar absorption lines in similarly selected galaxies at z {approx} 2. The profiles of the Mg II {lambda}{lambda}2796, 2803 lines show much more variety than the Fe II profiles, which are always seen in absorption; Mg II ranges from strong emission to pure absorption, with emission more common in galaxies with blue UV slopes and at lower stellar masses. Outflow velocities, as traced by the centroids and maximum extent of the absorption lines, increase with increasing stellar mass with 2{sigma}-3{sigma} significance, in agreement with previous results. We study fine structure emission from Fe II*, finding several lines of evidence in support of the model in which this emission is generated by the re-emission of continuum photons absorbed in the Fe II resonance transitions in outflowing gas. In contrast, photoionization models indicate that Mg II emission arises from the resonant scattering of photons produced in H II regions, accounting for the differing profiles of the Mg II and Fe II lines. A comparison of the strengths of the Fe II absorption and Fe II* emission lines indicates that massive galaxies have more extended outflows and/or greater extinction, while two-dimensional composite spectra indicate that emission from the outflow is stronger at a radius of {approx}10 kpc in high-mass galaxies than in low-mass galaxies.

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DOE OSTI2012

THE LOW-REDSHIFT INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM AS SEEN IN ARCHIVAL LEGACY HST/STIS AND FUSE DATA

We present a comprehensive catalog of ultraviolet (HST/STIS and FUSE) absorbers in the low-redshift intergalactic medium (IGM) at z < 0.4. The catalog draws from much of the extensive literature on IGM absorption and reconciles discrepancies among several previous catalogs through a critical evaluation of all reported absorption features in light of new HST/COS data. We report on 746 H I absorbers down to a rest-frame equivalent width of 12 mA over a maximum redshift path length {Delta}z = 5.38. We also confirm 111 O VI absorbers, 29 C IV absorbers, and numerous absorption lines due to other metal ions. We characterize the bivariate distribution of absorbers in redshift and column density as a power law, {partial_derivative}{sup 2}N/{partial_derivative}z{partial_derivative}N) {proportional_to} N{sup -{beta}}, where {beta} = 2.08 {+-} 0.12 for O VI and {beta} = 1.68 {+-} 0.03 for H I. Utilizing a more sophisticated accounting technique than past work, our catalog accounts for {approx}43% of the baryons: 24% {+-} 2% in the photoionized Ly{alpha} forest and 19% {+-} 2% in the warm-hot IGM as traced by O VI. We discuss the large systematic effects of various assumed metallicities and ionization states on these calculations, and we implement recent simulation results in our estimates.

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DOE OSTI2012

COMPLETE IONIZATION OF THE NEUTRAL GAS: WHY THERE ARE SO FEW DETECTIONS OF 21 cm HYDROGEN IN HIGH-REDSHIFT RADIO GALAXIES AND QUASARS

From the first published z {approx}> 3 survey of 21 cm absorption within the hosts of radio galaxies and quasars, Curran et al. found an apparent dearth of cool neutral gas at high redshift. From a detailed analysis of the photometry, each object is found to have a {lambda} = 1216 A continuum luminosity in excess of L {sub 1216} {approx} 10{sup 23} W Hz{sup -1}, a critical value above which 21 cm has never been detected at any redshift. At these wavelengths, and below, hydrogen is excited above the ground state so that it cannot absorb in 21 cm. In order to apply the equation of photoionization equilibrium, we demonstrate that this critical value also applies to the ionizing ({lambda} {<=} 912 A) radiation. We use this to show, for a variety of gas density distributions, that upon placing a quasar within a galaxy of gas, there is always an ultraviolet luminosity above which all of the large-scale atomic gas is ionized. While in this state, the hydrogen cannot be detected or engage in star formation. Applying the mean ionizing photon rate of all of the sources searched, we find, using canonical values for the gas density and recombination rate coefficient, that the observed critical luminosity gives a scale length (3 kpc) similar that of the neutral hydrogen (H I) in the Milky Way, a large spiral galaxy. Thus, this simple yet physically motivated model can explain the critical luminosity (L {sub 912} {approx} L {sub 1216} {approx} 10{sup 23} W Hz{sup -1}), above which neutral gas is not detected. This indicates that the non-detection of 21 cm absorption is not due to the sensitivity limits of current radio telescopes, but rather that the lines of sight to the quasars, and probably the bulk of the host galaxies, are devoid of neutral gas.

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DOE OSTI2012

SPATIALLY RESOLVED SPECTROSCOPY OF THE GLOBULAR CLUSTER RZ 2109 AND THE NATURE OF ITS BLACK HOLE

We present optical Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS) spectroscopy of RZ 2109, a globular cluster (GC) in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. This GC is notable for hosting an ultraluminous X-ray source as well as associated strong and broad [O III] {lambda}{lambda}4959, 5007 emission. We show that the HST/STIS spectroscopy spatially resolves the [O III] emission in RZ 2109. While we are unable to make a precise determination of the morphology of the emission-line nebula, the best-fitting models all require that the [O III] {lambda}5007 emission has a half-light radius in the range 3-7 pc. The extended nature of the [O III] {lambda}5007 emission is inconsistent with published models that invoke an intermediate-mass black hole origin. It is also inconsistent with the ionization of ejecta from a nova in the cluster. The spatial scale of the nebula could be produced via the photoionization of a strong wind driven from a stellar mass black hole accreting at roughly its Eddington rate.

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DOE OSTI2012

IONIZED GAS IN THE FIRST 10 kpc OF THE INTERSTELLAR GALACTIC HALO: METAL ION FRACTIONS

We present direct measures of the ionization fractions of several sulfur ions in the Galactic warm ionized medium (WIM). We obtained high-resolution ultraviolet absorption-line spectroscopy of post-asymptotic giant branch stars in the globular clusters Messier 3 [(l, b) = (42.{sup 0}2, +78.{sup 0}7), d = 10.2 kpc, and z = 10.0 kpc] and Messier 5 [(l, b) = (3.{sup 0}9, +46.{sup 0}8), d = 7.5 kpc, and z = +5.3 kpc] with the Hubble Space Telescope and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer to measure, or place limits on, the column densities of S I, S II, S III, S IV, S VI, and H I. These clusters also house millisecond pulsars, whose dispersion measures give an electron column density from which we infer the H II column in these directions. We find fractions of S{sup +2} in the WIM for the M 3 and M 5 sight lines x(S{sup +2}) {identical_to} N(S{sup +2})/N(S) = 0.33 {+-} 0.07 and 0.47 {+-} 0.09, respectively, with variations perhaps related to location. With negligible quantities of the higher ionization states, we conclude that S{sup +} and S{sup +2} account for all of the S in the WIM. We extend the methodology to study the ion fractions in the warm and hot ionized gas of the Milky Way, including the high ions Si{sup +3}, C{sup +3}, N{sup +4}, and O{sup +5}. The vast majority of the Galactic ionized gas is warm (T {approx} 10{sup 4} K) and photoionized (the WIM) or very hot (T > 4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} K) and collisionally ionized. The common tracer of ionized gas beyond the Milky Way, O{sup +5}, traces <1% of the total ionized gas mass of the Milky Way.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

IONIZATION SOURCE OF A MINOR-AXIS CLOUD IN THE OUTER HALO OF M82

The M82 ''cap'' is a gas cloud at a projected radius of 11.6 kpc along the minor axis of this well-known superwind source. The cap has been detected in optical line emission and X-ray emission and therefore provides an important probe of the wind energetics. In order to investigate the ionization source of the cap, we observed it with the Kyoto3DII Fabry-Perot instrument mounted on the Subaru Telescope. Deep continuum, H{alpha}, [N II]{lambda}6583/H{alpha}, and [S II]{lambda}{lambda}6716,6731/H{alpha} maps were obtained with subarcsecond resolution. The superior spatial resolution compared to earlier studies reveals a number of bright H{alpha} emitting clouds within the cap. The emission line widths ({approx}< 100 km s{sup -1} FWHM) and line ratios in the newly identified knots are most reasonably explained by slow to moderate shocks velocities (v{sub shock} 40-80 km s{sup -1}) driven by a fast wind into dense clouds. The momentum input from the M82 nuclear starburst region is enough to produce the observed shock. Consequently, earlier claims of photoionization by the central starburst are ruled out because they cannot explain the observed fluxes of the densest knots unless the UV escape fraction is very high (f{sub esc} > 60%), i.e., an order of magnitude higher than observed in dwarf galaxies to date. Using these results, we discuss the evolutionary history of the M82 superwind. Future UV/X-ray surveys are expected to confirm that the temperature of the gas is consistent with our moderate shock model.

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DOE OSTI2012

INFRARED SPECTRAL MAPPING OF SUPERNOVA REMNANTS. I. N63A AND ITS ENVIRONMENT

We present Spitzer Space Telescope spectra of the supernova remnant (SNR) N63A and its native H II region N63 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We measure nebular fine-structure lines, H{sub 2} lines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The lines contribute half of the flux in the Spitzer 24 {mu}m image of N63A shocked lobes, but only {<=}10% elsewhere. The mid-IR flux is largely due to thermal continuum emission from dust in and around N63A plasma. Electron densities are low everywhere; the differences in mid-IR line ratios separate N63A plasma and its high-excitation surroundings from N63A low-excitation optical lobes. We compare the observed line fluxes and ratios within N63A's shocked lobes and plasma with the predictions from models for moderate and fast shocks to constrain pre-shock densities and shock velocities. N63A's photoionized lobe contains a warm photodissociation region in pressure equilibrium with optically ionized gas. We apply a physical dust model to our spectra supplemented by MIPS photometry. We derive the intensity of radiation heating the dust, the mass fraction due to PAHs, and the masses of dust within our sampled regions and of cooler grains in the diffuse interstellar medium. N63A's shocked lobes and plasma contain {approx}0.07 M{sub Sun} of hot grains, comparable to amounts in other SNRs. Within N63A there is {approx}0.7 M{sub Sun} of warm grains exposed to {>=}100 times the intensity of the local interstellar radiation field. Within the regions, 92% of the total dust mass resides in cool grains emitting {<=}27% of their mid-IR luminosity.

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DOE OSTI2012

PRESENT-DAY GALACTIC EVOLUTION: LOW-METALLICITY, WARM, IONIZED GAS INFLOW ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH-VELOCITY CLOUD COMPLEX A

The high-velocity cloud Complex A is a probe of the physical conditions in the Galactic halo. The kinematics, morphology, distance, and metallicity of Complex A indicate that it represents new material that is accreting onto the Galaxy. We present Wisconsin H{alpha} Mapper kinematically resolved observations of Complex A over the velocity range of -250 to -50 km s{sup -1} in the local standard of rest reference frame. These observations include the first full H{alpha} intensity map of Complex A across (l, b) = (124 Degree-Sign , 18 Degree-Sign ) to (171 Degree-Sign , 53 Degree-Sign ) and deep targeted observations in H{alpha}, [S II] {lambda}6716, [N II] {lambda}6584, and [O I] {lambda}6300 toward regions with high H I column densities, background quasars, and stars. The H{alpha} data imply that the masses of neutral and ionized material in the cloud are similar, both being greater than 10{sup 6} M{sub Sun }. We find that the Bland-Hawthorn and Maloney model for the intensity of the ionizing radiation near the Milky Way is consistent with the known distance of the high-latitude part of Complex A and an assumed cloud geometry that puts the lower-latitude parts of the cloud at a distance of 7-8 kpc. This compatibility implies a 5% ionizing photon escape fraction from the Galactic disk. We also provide the nitrogen and sulfur upper abundance solutions for a series of temperatures, metallicities, and cloud configurations for purely photoionized gas; these solutions are consistent with the sub-solar abundances found by previous studies, especially for temperatures above 10{sup 4} K or for gas with a high fraction of singly ionized nitrogen and sulfur.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A SAMPLE OF SEYFERT-2 GALAXIES WITH ULTRALUMINOUS GALAXY-WIDE NARROW-LINE REGIONS: QUASAR LIGHT ECHOES?

We report the discovery of Seyfert-2 galaxies in SDSS-DR8 with galaxy-wide, ultraluminous narrow-line regions (NLRs) at redshifts z = 0.2-0.6. With a space density of 4.4 Gpc{sup -3} at z {approx} 0.3, these 'green beans' (GBs) are amongst the rarest objects in the universe. We are witnessing an exceptional and/or short-lived phenomenon in the life cycle of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The main focus of this paper is on a detailed analysis of the GB prototype galaxy J2240-0927 (z = 0.326). Its NLR extends over 26 Multiplication-Sign 44 kpc and is surrounded by an extended NLR. With a total [O III] {lambda}5008 luminosity of (5.7 {+-} 0.9) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1}, this is one of the most luminous NLRs known around any type-2 galaxy. Using VLT/XSHOOTER, we show that the NLR is powered by an AGN, and we derive resolved extinction, density, and ionization maps. Gas kinematics is disturbed on a global scale, and high-velocity outflows are absent or faint. This NLR is unlike any other NLR or extended emission line region known. Spectroscopy with Gemini/GMOS reveals extended, high-luminosity [O III] emission also in other GBs. WISE 24 {mu}m luminosities are 5-50 times lower than predicted by the [O III] fluxes, suggesting that the NLRs reflect earlier, very active quasar states that have strongly subsided in less than a galaxy's light-crossing time. These light echoes, or ionization echoes, are about 100 times more luminous than any other such echo known to date. X-ray data are needed for photoionization modeling and to verify the light echoes.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE OPACITY OF THE INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM DURING REIONIZATION: RESOLVING SMALL-SCALE STRUCTURE

Early in the reionization process, the intergalactic medium (IGM) would have been quite inhomogeneous on small scales, due to the low Jeans mass in the neutral IGM and the hierarchical growth of structure in a cold dark matter universe. This small-scale structure acted as an important sink during the epoch of reionization, impeding the progress of the ionization fronts that swept out from the first sources of ionizing radiation. Here we present results of high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamics simulations that resolve the cosmological Jeans mass of the neutral IGM in representative volumes several Mpc across. The adiabatic hydrodynamics we follow are appropriate in an unheated IGM, before the gas has had a chance to respond to the photoionization heating. Our focus is determination of the resolution required in cosmological simulations in order to sufficiently sample and resolve small-scale structure regulating the opacity of an unheated IGM. We find that a dark matter particle mass of m {sub dm} {approx}< 50 M {sub Sun} and box size of L {approx}> 1 Mpc are required. With our converged results we show how the mean free path of ionizing radiation and clumping factor of ionized hydrogen depend on the ultraviolet background flux and redshift. We find, for example at z = 10, clumping factors typically of 10-20 for an ionization rate of {Gamma} {approx} (0.3-3) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} s{sup -1}, with corresponding mean free paths of {approx}3-15 Mpc, extending previous work on the evolving mean free path to considerably smaller scales and earlier times.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE FRACTIONAL IONIZATION OF THE WARM NEUTRAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

When the neutral interstellar medium is exposed to extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation, the argon atoms in it are far more susceptible to being ionized than the hydrogen atoms. We make use of this fact to determine the level of ionization in the nearby warm neutral medium. By analyzing Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer observations of ultraviolet spectra of 44 hot subdwarf stars a few hundred parsecs away from the Sun, we can compare column densities of Ar I to those of O I, where the relative ionization of oxygen can be used as a proxy for that of hydrogen. The measured deficiency [Ar I/O I]=-0.427{+-}0.11 dex below the expectation for a fully neutral medium implies that the electron density n(e) Almost-Equal-To 0.04 cm{sup -3} if n(H) = 0.5 cm{sup -3}. This amount of ionization is considerably larger than what we expect from primary photoionizations resulting from cosmic rays, the diffuse X-ray background, and X-ray emitting sources within the medium, along with the additional ionizations caused by energetic secondary photoelectrons, Auger electrons, and photons from helium recombinations. We favor an explanation that bursts of radiation created by previous, nearby supernova remnants that have faded by now may have elevated the ionization, and the gas has not yet recombined to a quiescent level. A different alternative is that the low-energy portion of the soft X-ray background is poorly shielded by the H I because it is frothy and has internal pockets of very hot, X-ray emitting gases.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE DETECTION OF C60 IN THE WELL-CHARACTERIZED PLANETARY NEBULA M1-11

We performed multiwavelength observations of the young planetary nebula (PN) M1-11 and obtained its elemental abundances, dust mass, and the evolutionary status of the central star. The AKARI/IRC, VLT/VISIR, and Spitzer/IRS spectra show features due to carbon-rich dust, such as the 3.3, 8.6, and 11.3 {mu}m features due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a smooth continuum attributable to amorphous carbon, and the broad 11.5 and 30 {mu}m features often ascribed to SiC and MgS, respectively. We also report the presence of an unidentified broad feature at 16-22 {mu}m, similar to the feature found in Magellanic Cloud PNe with either C-rich or O-rich gas-phase compositions. We identify for the first time in M1-11 spectral lines at 8.5 (blended with PAH), 17.3, and 18.9 {mu}m that we attribute to the C{sub 60} fullerene. This identification is strengthened by the fact that other Galactic PNe in which fullerenes are detected have similar central stars, similar gas-phase abundances, and a similar dust composition to M1-11. The weak radiation field due to the relatively cool central stars in these PNe may provide favorable conditions for fullerenes to survive in the circumstellar medium. Using the photoionization code CLOUDY, combined with a modified blackbody, we have fitted the {approx}0.1-90 {mu}m spectral energy distribution (SED) and determined the dust mass in the nebula to be {approx}3.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} M {sub Sun }. Our chemical abundance analysis and SED model suggest that M1-11 is perhaps a C-rich PN with C/O ratio in the gas phase of +0.19 dex, and that it evolved from a 1-1.5 M {sub Sun} star.

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DOE OSTI2013

THE BLACK HOLE MASS-STELLAR VELOCITY DISPERSION RELATIONSHIP FOR QUASARS IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY DATA RELEASE 7

We assess evolution in the M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship for quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 for the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.2. We estimate the black hole mass, M {sub BH}, using the 'photoionization method', with the broad H{beta} or Mg II emission line and the quasar continuum luminosity. For the stellar velocity dispersion, we use the narrow [O III] or [O II] emission line as a surrogate. This study is a follow-up to an earlier study in which we investigated evolution in the M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship in quasars from Data Release 3. The greatly increased number of quasars in our new sample has allowed us to break our lower-redshift subsample into black hole mass bins and probe the M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship for constant black hole mass. The M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship for the highest-mass (M {sub BH} > 10{sup 9.0} M {sub Sun }) and lowest-mass (M {sub BH} < 10{sup 7.5} M {sub Sun }) black holes appears to evolve significantly; however, most or all of this apparent evolution can be accounted for by various observational biases due to intrinsic scatter in the relationship and to uncertainties in observed quantities. The M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship for black holes in the middle mass range (10{sup 7.5} < M {sub BH} < 10{sup 9.0} M {sub Sun }) shows minimal change with redshift. The overall results suggest a limit of {+-}0.2 dex on any evolution in the M {sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relationship for quasars out to z Almost-Equal-To 1 compared with the relationship observed in the local universe. Intrinsic scatter may also provide a plausible way to reconcile the wide range of results of several different studies of the black hole-galaxy relationships.

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