| 1. |
- van Haarlem, M. P., et al.
(författare)
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LOFAR : The LOw-Frequency ARray
- 2013
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 556, s. 1-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- LOFAR, the LOw-Frequency ARray, is a new-generation radio interferometer constructed in the north of the Netherlands and across europe. Utilizing a novel phased-array design, LOFAR covers the largely unexplored low-frequency range from 10–240 MHz and provides a number of unique observing capabilities. Spreading out from a core located near the village of Exloo in the northeast of the Netherlands, a total of 40 LOFAR stations are nearing completion. A further five stations have been deployed throughout Germany, and one station has been built in each of France, Sweden, and the UK. Digital beam-forming techniques make the LOFAR system agile and allow for rapid repointing of the telescope as well as the potential for multiple simultaneous observations. With its dense core array and long interferometric baselines, LOFAR achieves unparalleled sensitivity and angular resolution in the low-frequency radio regime. The LOFAR facilities are jointly operated by the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) foundation, as an observatory open to the global astronomical community. LOFAR is one of the first radio observatories to feature automated processing pipelines to deliver fully calibrated science products to its user community. LOFAR’s new capabilities, techniques and modus operandi make it an important pathfinder for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We give an overview of the LOFAR instrument, its major hardware and software components, and the core science objectives that have driven its design. In addition, we present a selection of new results from the commissioning phase of this new radio observatory.
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| 2. |
- Heald, G. H., et al.
(författare)
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The LOFAR Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS) : I. Survey description and first results
- 2015
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 582, s. 1-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS), the first northern-sky Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) imaging survey. In this introductory paper, we first describe in detail the motivation and design of the survey. Compared to previous radio surveys, MSSS is exceptional due to its intrinsic multifrequency nature providing information about the spectral properties of the detected sources over more than two octaves (from 30 to 160 MHz). The broadband frequency coverage, together with the fast survey speed generated by LOFAR’s multibeaming capabilities, make MSSS the first survey of the sort anticipated to be carried out with the forthcoming Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Two of the sixteen frequency bands included in the survey were chosen to exactly overlap the frequency coverage of large-area Very Large Array (VLA) and Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) surveys at 74 MHz and 151 MHz respectively. The survey performance is illustrated within the MSSS Verification Field (MVF), a region of 100 square degrees centered at (α,δ)J2000 = (15h,69°). The MSSS results from the MVF are compared with previous radio survey catalogs. We assess the flux and astrometric uncertainties in the catalog, as well as the completeness and reliability considering our source finding strategy. We determine the 90% completeness levels within the MVF to be 100 mJy at 135 MHz with 108″ resolution, and 550 mJy at 50 MHz with 166″ resolution. Images and catalogs for the full survey, expected to contain 150 000–200 000 sources, will be released to a public web server. We outline the plans for the ongoing production of the final survey products, and the ultimate public release of images and source catalogs.
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| 3. |
- Buitink, S., et al.
(författare)
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A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 1017–1017.5 electronvolts from radio observations
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 531:7592, s. 70-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cosmic rays are the highest-energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays with energies of 1017–1018 electronvolts are essential to understanding whether they have galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal1 comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies2. Cosmic rays initiate air showers—cascades of secondary particles in the atmosphere—and their masses can be inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum3 (Xmax; the depth of the air shower when it contains the most particles) or of the composition of shower particles reaching the ground4. Current measurements5 have either high uncertainty, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays6, 7, 8 is a rapidly developing technique9 for determining Xmax (refs 10, 11) with a duty cycle of, in principle, nearly 100 per cent. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic electrons and positrons in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front6, 12. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean uncertainty of 16 grams per square centimetre for air showers initiated by cosmic rays with energies of 1017–1017.5 electronvolts. This high resolution in Xmax enables us to determine the mass spectrum of the cosmic rays: we find a mixed composition, with a light-mass fraction (protons and helium nuclei) of about 80 per cent. Unless, contrary to current expectations, the extragalactic component of cosmic rays contributes substantially to the total flux below 1017.5 electronvolts, our measurements indicate the existence of an additional galactic component, to account for the light composition that we measured in the 1017–1017.5 electronvolt range.
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| 4. |
- Shimwell, T. W., et al.
(författare)
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The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: II. First data release
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 622
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is an ongoing sensitive, high-resolution 120-168 MHz survey of the entire northern sky for which observations are now 20% complete. We present our first full-quality public data release. For this data release 424 square degrees, or 2% of the eventual coverage, in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field (right ascension 10h45m00s to 15h30m00s and declination 45°00′00″ to 57°00′00″) were mapped using a fully automated direction-dependent calibration and imaging pipeline that we developed. A total of 325 694 sources are detected with a signal of at least five times the noise, and the source density is a factor of ∼10 higher than the most sensitive existing very wide-area radio-continuum surveys. The median sensitivity is S144 MHz = 71 μJy beam -1 and the point-source completeness is 90% at an integrated flux density of 0.45 mJy. The resolution of the images is 6″ and the positional accuracy is within 0.2″. This data release consists of a catalogue containing location, flux, and shape estimates together with 58 mosaic images that cover the catalogued area. In this paper we provide an overview of the data release with a focus on the processing of the LOFAR data and the characteristics of the resulting images. In two accompanying papers we provide the radio source associations and deblending and, where possible, the optical identifications of the radio sources together with the photometric redshifts and properties of the host galaxies. These data release papers are published together with a further ∼20 articles that highlight the scientific potential of LoTSS.
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| 5. |
- Shimwell, T. W., et al.
(författare)
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The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: V. Second data release
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 659
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this data release from the ongoing LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey we present 120a 168 MHz images covering 27% of the northern sky. Our coverage is split into two regions centred at approximately 12h45m +44 30a and 1h00m +28 00a and spanning 4178 and 1457 square degrees respectively. The images were derived from 3451 h (7.6 PB) of LOFAR High Band Antenna data which were corrected for the direction-independent instrumental properties as well as direction-dependent ionospheric distortions during extensive, but fully automated, data processing. A catalogue of 4 396 228 radio sources is derived from our total intensity (Stokes I) maps, where the majority of these have never been detected at radio wavelengths before. At 6a resolution, our full bandwidth Stokes I continuum maps with a central frequency of 144 MHz have: a median rms sensitivity of 83 μJy beama 1; a flux density scale accuracy of approximately 10%; an astrometric accuracy of 0.2a; and we estimate the point-source completeness to be 90% at a peak brightness of 0.8 mJy beama 1. By creating three 16 MHz bandwidth images across the band we are able to measure the in-band spectral index of many sources, albeit with an error on the derived spectral index of > a ±a 0.2 which is a consequence of our flux-density scale accuracy and small fractional bandwidth. Our circular polarisation (Stokes V) 20a resolution 120a168 MHz continuum images have a median rms sensitivity of 95 μJy beama 1, and we estimate a Stokes I to Stokes V leakage of 0.056%. Our linear polarisation (Stokes Q and Stokes U) image cubes consist of 480a A a 97.6 kHz wide planes and have a median rms sensitivity per plane of 10.8 mJy beama 1 at 4a and 2.2 mJy beama 1 at 20a; we estimate the Stokes I to Stokes Q/U leakage to be approximately 0.2%. Here we characterise and publicly release our Stokes I, Q, U and V images in addition to the calibrated uv-data to facilitate the thorough scientific exploitation of this unique dataset.
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| 6. |
- Jelic, V., et al.
(författare)
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Initial LOFAR observations of epoch of reionization windows II. Diffuse polarized emission in the ELAIS-N1 field
- 2014
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 568, s. A101-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. This study aims to characterise the polarized foreground emission in the ELAIS-N1 field and to address its possible implications or extracting of the cosmological 21 cm signal from the LOw-Frequency ARray - Epoch of Reionization (LOFAR-EoR) data Methods. We used the high band antennas of LOFAR to image this region and RM-synthesis to unravel structures of polarized emission at high Galactic latitudes. Results. The brightness temperature of the detected Galactic emission is on average similar to 4 K in polarized intensity and covers the range from -10 to +13 rad m(-2) in Faraday depth, The total polarized intensity and polarization angle show a wide range of morphological features. We have also used the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at 350 MHz to image the same region. The LOFAR and WSRT images show a similar complex morphology at comparable brightness levels, but their spatial correlation is very low. The fractional polarization at 150 MHz, expressed as a percentage of the total intensity, amounts to approximate to 1.5%. There is no indication of diffuse emission in total intensity in the interferometric data. in line with results at higher frequencies Conclusions. The wide frequency range. high angular resolution, and high sensitivity make LOFAR an exquisite instrument for studying Galactic polarized emission at a resolution of similar to 1-2 rad m(-2) in Faraday depth. The different polarized patterns observed at 150 MHz and 350 MHz are consistent with different source distributions along the line of sight wring in a variety of Faraday thin regions of emission. The presence of polarized foregrounds is a serious complication for epoch of reionization experiments. To avoid the leakage of polarized emission into total intensity, which can depend on frequency, we need to calibrate the instrumental polarization across the field of view to a small fraction of 1%.
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| 7. |
- Stappers, B. W., et al.
(författare)
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Observing pulsars and fast transients with LOFAR
- 2011
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low frequency radio waves, while challenging to observe, are a rich source of information about pulsars. The LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) is a new radio interferometer operating in the lowest 4 octaves of the ionospheric "radio window": 10-240 MHz, that will greatly facilitate observing pulsars at low radio frequencies. Through the huge collecting area, long baselines, and flexible digital hardware, it is expected that LOFAR will revolutionize radio astronomy at the lowest frequencies visible from Earth. LOFAR is a next-generation radio telescope and a pathfinder to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), in that it incorporates advanced multi-beaming techniques between thousands of individual elements. We discuss the motivation for low-frequency pulsar observations in general and the potential of LOFAR in addressing these science goals. We present LOFAR as it is designed to perform high-time-resolution observations of pulsars and other fast transients, and outline the various relevant observing modes and data reduction pipelines that are already or will soon be implemented to facilitate these observations. A number of results obtained from commissioning observations are presented to demonstrate the exciting potential of the telescope. This paper outlines the case for low frequency pulsar observations and is also intended to serve as a reference for upcoming pulsar/fast transient science papers with LOFAR.
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| 8. |
- Iacobelli, M., et al.
(författare)
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Studying Galactic interstellar turbulence through fluctuations in synchrotron emission: First LOFAR Galactic foreground detection
- 2013
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 558, s. 721-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. The characteristic outer scale of turbulence (i.e. the scale at which the dominant source of turbulence injects energy to the interstellar medium) and the ratio of the random to ordered components of the magnetic field are key parameters to characterise magnetic turbulence in the interstellar gas, which affects the propagation of cosmic rays within the Galaxy. We provide new constraints to those two parameters. Methods. We use the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) to image the diffuse continuum emission in the Fan region at (l,b) ∼ (137.0, +7.0) at 80′′ × 70′′ resolution in the range [146, 174] MHz. We detect multi-scale fluctuations in the Galactic synchrotron emission and compute their power spectrum. Applying theoretical estimates and derivations from the literature for the first time, we derive the outer scale of turbulence and the ratio of random to ordered magnetic field from the characteristics of these fluctuations. Results. We obtain the deepest image of the Fan region to date and find diffuse continuum emission within the primary beam. The power spectrum displays a power law behaviour for scales between 100 and 8 arcmin with a slope α =-1.84 ± 0.19. We find an upper limit of ∼20 pc for the outer scale of the magnetic interstellar turbulence toward the Fan region, which is in agreement with previous estimates in literature. We also find a variation of the ratio of random to ordered field as a function of Galactic coordinates, supporting different turbulent regimes. Conclusions. We present the first LOFAR detection and imaging of the Galactic diffuse synchrotron emission around 160 MHz from the highly polarized Fan region. The power spectrum of the foreground synchrotron fluctuations is approximately a power law with a slope α ≈-1.84 up to angular multipoles of ≤1300, corresponding to an angular scale of ∼8 arcmin. We use power spectra fluctuations from LOFAR as well as earlier GMRT and WSRT observations to constrain the outer scale of turbulence (Lout) of the Galactic synchrotron foreground, finding a range of plausible values of 10-20 pc. Then, we use this information to deduce lower limits of the ratio of ordered to random magnetic field strength. These are found to be 0.3, 0.3, and 0.5 for the LOFAR, WSRT and GMRT fields considered respectively. Both these constraints are in agreement with previous estimates. © 2013 ESO.
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| 9. |
- Garcia-Benito, R., et al.
(författare)
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CALIFA, the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey III. Second public data release
- 2015
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 576:A135
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper describes the Second Public Data Release (DR2) of the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey. The data for 200 objects are made public, including the 100 galaxies of the First Public Data Release (DR1). Data were obtained with the integral-field spectrograph PMAS /PPak mounted on the 3.5 m telescope at the Calar Alto observatory. Two different spectral setups are available for each galaxy, (i) a low-resolution V500 setup covering the wavelength range 3745-7500 angstrom with a spectral resolution of 6.0 angstrom (FWHM); and (ii) a medium-resolution V1200 setup covering the wavelength range 3650-4840 angstrom with a spectral resolution of 2.3 angstrom (FWHM). The sample covers a redshift range between 0.005 and 0.03, with a wide range of properties in the color-magnitude diagram, stellar mass, ionization conditions, and morphological types. All the cubes in the data release were reduced with the latest pipeline, which includes improved spectrophotometric calibration, spatial registration, and spatial resolution. The spectrophotometric calibration is better than 6% and the median spatial resolution is 2 4. In total, the second data release contains over 1.5 million spectra.
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| 10. |
- Offringa, A. R., et al.
(författare)
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The LOFAR radio environment
- 2012
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 549
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. This paper discusses the spectral occupancy for performing radio astronomy with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), with a focus on imaging observations.Methods. We have analysed the radio-frequency interference (RFI) situation in two 24-h surveys with Dutch LOFAR stations, covering 30-78 MHz with low-band antennas and 115-163 MHz with high-band antennas. This is a subset of the full frequency range of LOFAR. The surveys have been observed with a 0.76 kHz/1 s resolution.Results. We measured the RFI occupancy in the low and high frequency sets to be 1.8% and 3.2% respectively. These values are found to be representative values for the LOFAR radio environment. Between day and night, there is no significant difference in the radio environment. We find that lowering the current observational time and frequency resolutions of LOFAR results in a slight loss of flagging accuracy. At LOFAR's nominal resolution of 0.76 kHz and 1 s, the false-positives rate is about 0.5%. This rate increases approximately linearly when decreasing the data frequency resolution.Conclusions. Currently, by using an automated RFI detection strategy, the LOFAR radio environment poses no perceivable problems for sensitive observing. It remains to be seen if this is still true for very deep observations that integrate over tens of nights, but the situation looks promising. Reasons for the low impact of RFI are the high spectral and time resolution of LOFAR; accurate detection methods; strong filters and high receiver linearity; and the proximity of the antennas to the ground. We discuss some strategies that can be used once low-level RFI starts to become apparent. It is important that the frequency range of LOFAR remains free of broadband interference, such as DAB stations and windmills.
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| 11. |
- De Gasperin, F., et al.
(författare)
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M 87 at metre wavelengths: the LOFAR picture
- 2012
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 547, s. article no. 56-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy located in the centre of the Virgo cluster, which harbours a supermassive black hole of mass 6.4x10(9) M-circle dot, whose activity is responsible for the extended (80 kpc) radio lobes that surround the galaxy. The energy generated by matter falling onto the central black hole is ejected and transferred to the intra-cluster medium via a relativistic jet and morphologically complex systems of buoyant bubbles, which rise towards the edges of the extended halo. Aims. To place constraints on past activity cycles of the active nucleus, images of M 87 were produced at low radio frequencies never explored before at these high spatial resolution and dynamic range. To disentangle different synchrotron models and place constraints on source magnetic field, age and energetics, we also performed a detailed spectral analysis of M 87 extended radio-halo. Methods. We present the first observations made with the new Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) of M 87 at frequencies down to 20 MHz. Three observations were conducted, at 15-30 MHz, 30-77 MHz and 116-162 MHz. We used these observations together with archival data to produce a low-frequency spectral index map and to perform a spectral analysis in the wide frequency range 30 MHz-10 GHz. Results. We do not find any sign of new extended emissions; on the contrary the source appears well confined by the high pressure of the intra-cluster medium. A continuous injection of relativistic electrons is the model that best fits our data, and provides a scenario in which the lobes are still supplied by fresh relativistic particles from the active galactic nuclei. We suggest that the discrepancy between the low-frequency radio-spectral slope in the core and in the halo implies a strong adiabatic expansion of the plasma as soon as it leaves the core area. The extended halo has an equipartition magnetic field strength of similar or equal to 10 mu G, which increases to similar or equal to 13 mu G in the zones where the particle flows are more active. The continuous injection model for synchrotron ageing provides an age for the halo of similar or equal to 40 Myr, which in turn provides a jet kinetic power of 6-10 x 10(44) erg s(-1).
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| 12. |
- Chyz̊y, K.T., et al.
(författare)
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LOFAR MSSS: Flattening low-frequency radio continuum spectra of nearby galaxies
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 619
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. The shape of low-frequency radio continuum spectra of normal galaxies is not well understood, the key question being the role of physical processes such as thermal absorption in shaping them. In this work we take advantage of the LOFAR Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS) to investigate such spectra for a large sample of nearby star-forming galaxies. Methods. Using the measured 150 MHz flux densities from the LOFAR MSSS survey and literature flux densities at various frequencies we have obtained integrated radio spectra for 106 galaxies characterised by different morphology and star formation rate. The spectra are explained through the use of a three-dimensional model of galaxy radio emission, and radiation transfer dependent on the galaxy viewing angle and absorption processes. Results. Our galaxies' spectra are generally flatter at lower compared to higher frequencies: the median spectral index αlow measured between ≈ 50 MHz and 1.5 GHz is -0.57 ± 0.01 while the high-frequency one αhigh, calculated between 1.3 GHz and 5 GHz, is -0.77 ± 0.03. As there is no tendency for the highly inclined galaxies to have more flattened low-frequency spectra, we argue that the observed flattening is not due to thermal absorption, contradicting the suggestion of Israel & Mahoney (1990, ApJ, 352, 30). According to our modelled radio maps for M 51-like galaxies, the free-free absorption effects can be seen only below 30 MHz and in the global spectra just below 20 MHz, while in the spectra of starburst galaxies, like M 82, the flattening due to absorption is instead visible up to higher frequencies of about 150 MHz. Starbursts are however scarce in the local Universe, in accordance with the weak spectral curvature seen in the galaxies of our sample. Locally, within galactic disks, the absorption effects are distinctly visible in M 51-like galaxies as spectral flattening around 100-200 MHz in the face-on objects, and as turnovers in the edge-on ones, while in M 82-like galaxies there are strong turnovers at frequencies above 700 MHz, regardless of viewing angle. Conclusions. Our modelling of galaxy spectra suggests that the weak spectral flattening observed in the nearby galaxies studied here results principally from synchrotron spectral curvature due to cosmic ray energy losses and propagation effects. We predict much stronger effects of thermal absorption in more distant galaxies with high star formation rates. Some influence exerted by the Milky Way's foreground on the spectra of all external galaxies is also expected at very low frequencies.
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| 13. |
- Heesen, V, et al.
(författare)
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Nearby galaxies in the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey I. Insights into the non-linearity of the radio-SFR relation
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 664
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Cosmic rays and magnetic fields are key ingredients in galaxy evolution, regulating both stellar feedback and star formation. Their properties can be studied with low-frequency radio continuum observations that are free from thermal contamination. Aims. We define a sample of 76 nearby (<30 Mpc) galaxies with rich ancillary data in the radio continuum and infrared from the CHANG-ES and KINGFISH surveys, which will be observed with the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) at 144 MHz. Methods. We present maps for 45 of them as part of the LoTSS data release 2 (LoTSS-DR2), where we measure integrated flux densities and study integrated and spatially resolved radio spectral indices. We investigate the radio-star formation rate (SFR) relation using SFRs derived from total infrared and H alpha + 24-mu m emission. Results. The radio-SFR relation at 144 MHz is clearly super-linear with L-144mHz proportional to SFR1,4-1,5. The mean integrated radio spectral index between 144 and approximate to 1400 MHz is = -0.56 +/- 0.14, in agreement with the injection spectral index for cosmic ray electrons (CRE5). However, the radio spectral index maps show variation of spectral indices with flatter spectra associated with star-forming regions and steeper spectra in galaxy outskirts and, in particular, in extra-planar regions. We found that galaxies with high SFRs have steeper radio spectra; we find similar correlations with galaxy size, mass, and rotation speed. Conclusions. Galaxies that are larger and more massive are better electron calorimeters, meaning that the CRE lose a higher fraction of their energy within the galaxies. This explains the super-linear radio-SFR relation, with more massive, star-forming galaxies being radio bright. We propose a semi-calorimetric radio-SFR relation that employs the galaxy mass as a proxy for the calorimetric efficiency.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Varenius, Eskil, 1986, et al.
(författare)
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Subarcsecond international LOFAR radio images of the M82 nucleus at 118 MHz and 154 MHz
- 2015
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 574, s. Art. no. A114-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The nuclear starburst in the nearby galaxy M82 provides an excellent laboratory for understanding the physics of star formation. This galaxy has been extensively observed in the past, revealing tens of radio bright compact objects embedded in a diffuse free-free absorbing medium. Our understanding of the structure and physics of this medium in M82 can be greatly improved by high-resolution images at tow frequencies where the effects of free-free absorption are most prominent. Aims. The aims of this study are, firstly, to demonstrate imaging using international baselines of the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), and secondly, to constrain low frequency spectra of compact and diffuse emission in the central starburst region of M82 via high resolution radio imaging at low frequencies. Methods. The international LOFAR telescope was used to observe M82 at 110-126 MHz and 146-1621\4Hz. Images were obtained using standard techniques from very long baseline interferometry. images were obtained at each frequency range: one only using international baselines, and one only using the longest Dutch (remote) baselines. Results. The 154 MHz image obtained using international baselines is a new imaging record in terms of combined image resolution (0.3") and sensitivity (sigma = 0.15 mIy/beath) at low frequencies (
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| 16. |
- Heald, G., et al.
(författare)
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Magnetic Field Tomography in Nearby Galaxies with the Square Kilometre Array
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings of Science. - 1824-8039. ; 9-13-June-2014
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magnetic fields play an important role in shaping the structure and evolution of the interstellarmedium (ISM) of galaxies, but the details of this relationship remain unclear. With SKA1, the 3Dstructure of galactic magnetic fields and its connection to star formation will be revealed. A highlysensitive probe of the internal structure of the magnetoionized ISM is the partial depolarizationof synchrotron radiation from inside the volume. Different configurations of magnetic field andionized gas within the resolution element of the telescope lead to frequency-dependent changesin the observed degree of polarization. The results of spectro-polarimetric observations are tiedto physical structure in the ISM through comparison with detailed modeling, supplemented withthe use of new analysis techniques that are being actively developed and studied within the communitysuch as Rotation Measure Synthesis. The SKA will enable this field to come into its ownand begin the study of the detailed structure of the magnetized ISM in a sample of nearby galaxies,thanks to its extraordinary wideband capabilities coupled with the combination of excellentsurface brightness sensitivity and angular resolution.
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| 17. |
- Heesen, V., et al.
(författare)
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Calibrating the relation of low-frequency radio continuum to star formation rate at 1 kpc scale with LOFAR
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 622
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Radio continuum (RC) emission in galaxies allows us to measure star formation rates (SFRs) unaffected by extinction due to dust, of which the low-frequency part is uncontaminated from thermal (free-free) emission. Aims. We calibrate the conversion from the spatially resolved 140 MHz RC emission to the SFR surface density (ΣSFR) at 1 kpc scale. Radio spectral indices give us, by means of spectral ageing, a handle on the transport of cosmic rays using the electrons as a proxy for GeV nuclei. Methods. We used recent observations of three galaxies (NGC 3184, 4736, and 5055) from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), and archival LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) data of NGC 5194. Maps were created with the facet calibration technique and converted to radio ΣSFR maps using the Condon relation. We compared these maps with hybrid ΣSFR maps from a combination of GALEX far-ultraviolet and Spitzer 24 μm data using plots tracing the relation at the highest angular resolution allowed by our data at 1.2 × 1.2 kpc 2 resolution. Results. The RC emission is smoothed with respect to the hybrid ΣSFR owing to the transport of cosmic-ray electrons (CREs) away from star formation sites. This results in a sublinear relation (ΣSFR)RC [(ΣSFR)hyb] a , where a = 0.59 ± 0.13 (140 MHz) and a = 0.75 ± 0.10 (1365 MHz). Both relations have a scatter of σ = 0.3 dex. If we restrict ourselves to areas of young CREs (α > -0.65; Iν ν α ), the relation becomes almost linear at both frequencies with a 0.9 and a reduced scatter of σ = 0.2 dex. We then simulate the effect of CRE transport by convolving the hybrid ΣSFR maps with a Gaussian kernel until the RC-SFR relation is linearised; CRE transport lengths are l = 1-5 kpc. Solving the CRE diffusion equation, assuming dominance of the synchrotron and inverse-Compton losses, we find diffusion coefficients of D = (0.13-1.5) × 10 28 cm 2 s -1 at 1 GeV. Conclusions. A RC-SFR relation at 1.4 GHz can be exploited to measure SFRs at redshift z 10 using 140 MHz observations.
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| 18. |
- Mulcahy, D. D., et al.
(författare)
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Investigation of the cosmic ray population and magnetic field strength in the halo of NGC 891
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 615
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Cosmic rays and magnetic fields play an important role for the formation and dynamics of gaseous halos of galaxies. Aims. Low-frequency radio continuum observations of edge-on galaxies are ideal to study cosmic-ray electrons (CREs) in halos via radio synchrotron emission and to measure magnetic field strengths. Spectral information can be used to test models of CRE propagation. Free-free absorption by ionized gas at low frequencies allows us to investigate the properties of the warm ionized medium in the disk. Methods. We obtained new observations of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 891 at 129-163 MHz with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and at 13-18 GHz with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) and combine them with recent high-resolution Very Large Array (VLA) observations at 1-2 GHz, enabling us to study the radio continuum emission over two orders of magnitude in frequency. Results. The spectrum of the integrated nonthermal flux density can be fitted by a power law with a spectral steepening towards higher frequencies or by a curved polynomial. Spectral flattening at low frequencies due to free-free absorption is detected in star-forming regions of the disk. The mean magnetic field strength in the halo is 7 +/- 2 mu G. The scale heights of the nonthermal halo emission at 146 MHz are larger than those at 1.5 GHz everywhere, with a mean ratio of 1.7 +/- 0.3, indicating that spectral ageing of CREs is important and that diffusive propagation dominates. The halo scale heights at 146 MHz decrease with increasing magnetic field strengths which is a signature of dominating synchrotron losses of CREs. On the other hand, the spectral index between 146 MHz and 1.5 GHz linearly steepens from the disk to the halo, indicating that advection rather than diffusion is the dominating CRE transport process. This issue calls for refined modelling of CRE propagation. Conclusions. Free-free absorption is probably important at and below about 150 MHz in the disks of edge-on galaxies. To reliably separate the thermal and nonthermal emission components, to investigate spectral steepening due to CRE energy losses, and to measure magnetic field strengths in the disk and halo, wide frequency coverage and high spatial resolution are indispensable.
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| 19. |
- Beck, R., et al.
(författare)
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Structure, dynamical impact and origin of magnetic fields in nearby galaxies in the SKA era
- 2015
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Ingår i: Proceedings of Science. - 1824-8039. ; 9-13-June-2014
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magnetic fields are an important ingredient of the interstellar medium (ISM). Besides their importancefor star formation, they govern the transport of cosmic rays, relevant to the launch andregulation of galactic outflows and winds, which in turn are pivotal in shaping the structure of halomagnetic fields. Mapping the small-scale structure of interstellar magnetic fields in many nearbygalaxies is crucial to understand the interaction between gas and magnetic fields, in particularhow gas flows are affected. Elucidation of the magnetic role in, e.g., triggering star formation,forming and stabilising spiral arms, driving outflows, gas heating by reconnection and magnetisingthe intergalactic medium has the potential to revolutionise our physical picture of the ISMand galaxy evolution in general. Radio polarisation observations in the very nearest galaxies athigh frequencies (3 GHz) and with high spatial resolution (500) hold the key here. The galaxysurvey with SKA1 that we propose will also be a major step to understand the galactic dynamo,which is important for models of galaxy evolution and for astrophysical magnetohydrodynamicsin general. Field amplification by turbulent gas motions, which is crucial for efficient dynamoaction, has been investigated so far only in simulations, while compelling evidence of turbulentfields from observations is still lacking.
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| 20. |
- Heesen, V., et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the making of a galactic wind in the starbursting dwarf irregular galaxy IC 10 with LOFAR
- 2018
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Ingår i: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 476:2, s. 1756-1764
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low-mass galaxies are subject to strong galactic outflows, in which cosmic rays may play an important role; they can be best traced with low-frequency radio continuum observations, which are less affected by spectral ageing. We present a study of the nearby starburst dwarf irregular galaxy IC 10 using observations at 140MHz with the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), at 1580MHz with the Very Large Array (VLA), and at 6200MHz with the VLA and the 100-m Effelsberg telescope.We find that IC 10 has a low-frequency radio halo, which manifests itself as a second component (thick disc) in the minor axis profiles of the non-thermal radio continuum emission at 140 and 1580 MHz. These profiles are then fitted with 1D cosmic ray transport models for pure diffusion and advection.We find that a diffusion model fits best, with a diffusion coefficient of D = (0.4-0.8) × 10 26 (E/GeV) 0.5 cm 2 s -1 , which is at least an order of magnitude smaller than estimates both from anisotropic diffusion and the diffusion length. In contrast, advection models, which cannot be ruled out due to the mild inclination, while providing poorer fits, result in advection speeds close to the escape velocity of ≈50 km s -1 , as expected for a cosmic ray-driven wind. Our favoured model with an accelerating wind provides a self-consistent solution, where the magnetic field is in energy equipartition with both the warm neutral and warm ionized medium with an important contribution from cosmic rays. Consequently, cosmic rays can play a vital role for the launching of galactic winds in the disc-halo interface.
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| 21. |
- Ruiz, N. Herrera, et al.
(författare)
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Lofar deep fields: Probing a broader population of polarized radio galaxies in elais-n1
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 648
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present deep polarimetric observations of the European Large Area ISO Survey-North 1 (ELAIS-N1) field using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) at 114.9-177.4 MHz. The ELAIS-N1 field is part of the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey deep fields data release I. For six eight-hour observing epochs, we align the polarization angles and stack the 20″-resolution Stokes Q, U-parameter data cubes. This produces a 16 deg2 image with 1σQU sensitivity of 26 μJy beam-1 in the central area. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of the stacking technique, and we generate a catalog of polarized sources in ELAIS-N1 and their associated Faraday rotation measures (RMs). While in a single-epoch observation we detect three polarized sources, this number increases by a factor of about three when we consider the stacked data, with a total of ten sources. This yields a surface density of polarized sources of one per 1.6 deg2. The Stokes I images of three of the ten detected polarized sources have morphologies resembling those of FR I radio galaxies. This represents a greater fraction of this type of source than previously found, which suggests that more sensitive observations may help with their detection.
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| 22. |
- Van Der Wateren, E., et al.
(författare)
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The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey: Timing of 35 radio pulsars and an overview of the properties of the LOFAR pulsar discoveries
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 669
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey (LOTAAS) is the most sensitive untargeted radio pulsar survey performed at low radio frequencies (119-151 MHz) to date and has discovered 76 new radio pulsars, including the 23.5-s pulsar J0250+5854, which up until recently was the slowest spinning radio pulsar known. In this paper, we report on the timing solutions of 35 pulsars discovered by LOTAAS, which include a nulling pulsar and a mildly recycled pulsar, and thereby complete the full timing analysis of the LOTAAS pulsar discoveries. We give an overview of the findings from the full LOTAAS sample of 76 pulsars, discussing their pulse profiles, radio spectra, and timing parameters. We found that the pulse profiles of some of the pulsars show profile variations in time or frequency, and while some pulsars show signs of scattering, a large majority display no pulse broadening. The LOTAAS discoveries have on average steeper radio spectra and longer spin periods (1.4×), as well as lower spin-down rates (3.1×) compared to the known pulsar population. We discuss the cause of these differences and attribute them to a combination of selection effects of the LOTAAS survey as well as previous pulsar surveys, though we cannot rule out that older pulsars tend to have steeper radio spectra.
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| 23. |
- Heesen, V., et al.
(författare)
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Detection of magnetic fields in the circumgalactic medium of nearby galaxies using Faraday rotation
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 670
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. The existence of magnetic fields in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) is largely unconstrained. Their detection is important as magnetic fields can have a significant impact on the evolution of the CGM, and, in turn, the fields can serve as tracers for dynamical processes in the CGM. Aims. Using the Faraday rotation of polarised background sources, we aim to detect a possible excess of the rotation measure in the surrounding area of nearby galaxies. Methods. We used 2461 residual rotation measures (RRMs) observed with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR), where the foreground contribution from the Milky Way is subtracted. The RRMs were then studied around a subset of 183 nearby galaxies that was selected by apparent B-band magnitude. Results. We find that, in general, the RRMs show no significant excess for small impact parameters (i.e., the perpendicular distance to the line of sight). However, if we only consider galaxies at higher inclination angles and sightlines that pass close to the minor axis of the galaxies, we find significant excess at impact parameters of less than 100 kpc. The excess in |RRM| is 3.7 rad m-2 with an uncertainty between ±0.9 rad m-2 and ±1.3 rad m-2 depending on the statistical properties of the background (2.8σ - 4.1σ). With electron densities of ∼10-4 cm-3, this suggests magnetic field strengths of a few tenths of a microgauss. Conclusions. Our results suggest a slow decrease in the magnetic field strength with distance from the galactic disc, as expected if the CGM is magnetised by galactic winds and outflows.
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| 24. |
- Heesen, V, et al.
(författare)
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Warped diffusive radio halo around the quiescent spiral edge-on galaxy NGC 4565
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 628
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context . Cosmic rays play a pivotal role in launching galactic winds, particularly in quiescently star-forming galaxies where the hot gas alone is not sufficient to drive a wind. Except for the Milky Way, not much is known about the transport of cosmic rays in galaxies. Aims. In this Letter, we present low-frequency observations of the nearby edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4565 using the LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR). With our deep 144 MHz observations, we obtain a clean estimate of the emission originating from old cosmic-ray electrons (CRe), which is almost free from contamination by thermal emission. Methods . We measured vertical profiles of the non-thermal radio continuum emission that we fitted with Gaussian and exponential functions. The different profile shapes correspond to 1D cosmic-ray transport models of pure diffusion and advection, respectively. Results. We detect a warp in the radio continuum that is reminiscent of the previously known H I warp. Because the warp is not seen at GHz-frequencies in the radio continuum, its minimum age must be about 100 Myr. The warp also explains the slight flaring of the thick radio disc that can otherwise be well described by a Gaussian profile with an FWHM of 65 arcsec (3.7 kpc). Conclusions . The diffusive radio halo together with the extra-planar X-ray emission may be remnants of enhanced star-forming activity in the past where the galaxy had a galactic wind, as GHz-observations indicate only a weak outflow in the last 40 Myr. NGC 4565 could be in transition from an outflow-to an inflow-dominated phase.
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| 25. |
- Miskolczi, A., et al.
(författare)
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CHANG-ES XII: A LOFAR and VLA view of the edge-on star-forming galaxy NGC 3556
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 622
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Low-frequency radio continuum studies of star-forming edge-on galaxies can help to further understand how cosmic-ray electrons (CRe) propagate through the interstellar medium into the halo and how this is affected by energy losses and magnetic fields. Aims. Observations with the Very Large Array (VLA) from Continuum Haloes in Nearby Galaxies - an EVLA Survey (CHANG-ES) are combined with those with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) to identify the prevailing mode of cosmic-ray transport in the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3556. Methods. We mapped the radio spectral index, magnetic field strength, and orientation using VLA 1.5 and 6 GHz and LOFAR 144 MHz data, and we fit 1D cosmic-ray propagation models to these maps using SPINNAKER (Spectral Index Numerical Analysis of K(c)osmic-ray electron radio emission) and its interactive wrapper SPINTERACTIVE. Results. We find that the spectral index in the galactic midplane is, as expected for young CRe, α -0.7 and steepens towards the halo of the galaxy as a consequence of spectral ageing. The intensity scale heights are about 1.4 and 1.9 kpc for the thin disc, and 3.3 and 5.9 kpc for the thick disc at 1.5 GHz and 144 MHz, respectively. While pure diffusion cannot explain our data, advection can, particularly if we assume a linearly accelerating wind. Our best-fitting model has an initial speed of 123 km s -1 in the galactic midplane and reaches the escape velocity at heights between 5 kpc and 15 kpc above the disc, depending on the assumed dark matter halo of the galaxy. This galactic wind scenario is corroborated by the existence of vertical filaments seen both in the radio continuum and in H α in the disc-halo interface and of a large-scale reservoir of hot, X-ray emitting gas in the halo. Conclusions. Radio haloes show the existence of galactic winds, possibly driven by cosmic rays, in typical star-forming spiral galaxies.
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