1. |
- Shimwell, T. W., et al.
(author)
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The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey: II. First data release
- 2019
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 622
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Research review (peer-reviewed)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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2. |
- Baldi, R. D., et al.
(author)
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LeMMINGs - I. The eMERLIN legacy survey of nearby galaxies. 1.5-GHz parsec-scale radio structures and cores
- 2018
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 476:3, s. 3478-3522
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the first data release of high-resolution (≤0.2 arcsec) 1.5-GHz radio images of 103 nearby galaxies from the Palomar sample, observed with the eMERLIN array, as part of the LeMMINGs survey. This sample includes galaxies which are active (low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions [LINER] and Seyfert) and quiescent (H II galaxies and absorption line galaxies, ALGs), which are reclassified based upon revised emission-line diagrams.We detect radio emission ≳0.2 mJy for 47/103 galaxies (22/34 for LINERS, 4/4 for Seyferts, 16/51 for HII galaxies, and 5/14 for ALGs) with radio sizes typically of ≲100 pc. We identify the radio core position within the radio structures for 41 sources. Half of the sample shows jetted morphologies. The remaining half shows single radio cores or complex morphologies. LINERs show radio structures more core-brightened than Seyferts. Radio luminosities of the sample range from 1032to 1040erg s-1: LINERs and HII galaxies show the highest and lowest radio powers, respectively, while ALGs and Seyferts have intermediate luminosities. We find that radio core luminosities correlate with black hole (BH) mass down to ~107M⊙, but a break emerges at lower masses. Using [OIII] line luminosity as a proxy for the accretion luminosity, active nuclei and jetted HII galaxies follow an optical Fundamental Plane of BH activity, suggesting a common disc-jet relationship. In conclusion, LINER nuclei are the scaled-down version of FR I radio galaxies; Seyferts show less collimated jets; HII galaxies may host weak active BHs and/or nuclear star-forming cores; and recurrent BH activity may account for ALG properties.
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3. |
- de Blok, W.J.G., et al.
(author)
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an overview of the MHONGOOSE survey: Observing nearby galaxies with MeerKAT
- 2016
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In: Proceedings of Science. - 1824-8039.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- MHONGOOSE is a deep survey of the neutral hydrogen distribution in a representative sample of 30 nearby disk and dwarf galaxies with H I masses from ∼ 106 to ∼ 1011 M, and luminosities from MR ∼ 12 to MR ∼ −22. The sample is selected to uniformly cover the available range in log(MHI). Our extremely deep observations, down to H I column density limits of well below 1018 cm−2 — or a few hundred times fainter than the typical H I disks in galaxies — will directly detect the effects of cold accretion from the intergalactic medium and the links with the cosmic web. These observations will be the first ever to probe the very low-column density neutral gas in galaxies at these high resolutions. Combination with data at other wavelengths, most of it already available, will enable accurate modeling of the properties and evolution of the mass components in these galaxies and link these with the effects of environment, dark matter distribution, and other fundamental properties such as halo mass and angular momentum. MHONGOOSE can already start addressing some of the SKA-1 science goals and will provide a comprehensive inventory of the processes driving the transformation and evolution of galaxies in the nearby universe at high resolution and over 5 orders of magnitude in column density. It will be a Nearby Galaxies Legacy Survey that will be unsurpassed until the advent of the SKA, and can serve as a highly visible, lasting statement of MeerKAT’s capabilities.
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4. |
- Mattila, S., et al.
(author)
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A dust-enshrouded tidal disruption event with a resolved radio jet in a galaxy merger
- 2018
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 361:6401, s. 482-485
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are transient flares produced when a star is ripped apart by the gravitational field of a supermassive black hole (SMBH). We have observed a transient source in the western nucleus of the merging galaxy pair Arp 299 that radiated >1.5 × 1052erg at infrared and radio wavelengths but was not luminous at optical or x-ray wavelengths. We interpret this as a TDE with much of its emission reradiated at infrared wavelengths by dust. Efficient reprocessing by dense gas and dust may explain the difference between theoretical predictions and observed luminosities of TDEs. The radio observations resolve an expanding and decelerating jet, probing the jet formation and evolution around a SMBH.
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5. |
- Bose, Subhash, et al.
(author)
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Gaia17biu/SN 2017egm in NGC 3191 : The Closest Hydrogen-poor Superluminous Supernova to Date Is in a Normal, Massive, Metal-rich Spiral Galaxy
- 2018
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 853:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) have been predominantly found in low-metallicity, star-forming dwarf galaxies. Here we identify Gaia17biu/SN 2017egm as an SLSN-I occurring in a normal spiral galaxy (NGC 3191) in terms of stellar mass (several times 10(10) M-circle dot) and metallicity (roughly solar). At redshift z = 0.031, Gaia17biu is also the lowest-redshift SLSN-I to date, and the absence of a larger population of SLSNe-I in dwarf galaxies of similar redshift suggests that metallicity is likely less important to the production of SLSNe-I than previously believed. With the smallest distance and highest apparent brightness for an SLSN-I, we are able to study Gaia17biu in unprecedented detail. Its pre-peak near-ultraviolet to optical color is similar to that of Gaia16apd and among the bluest observed for an SLSN-I, while its peak luminosity (M-g = -21 mag) is substantially lower than that of Gaia16apd. Thanks to the high signal-to-noise ratios of our spectra, we identify several new spectroscopic features that may help to probe the properties of these enigmatic explosions. We detect polarization at the similar to 0.5% level that is not strongly dependent on wavelength, suggesting a modest, global departure from spherical symmetry. In addition, we put the tightest upper limit yet on the radio luminosity of an SLSN-I with < 5.4 x 10(26) erg s(-1) Hz(-1) at 10 GHz, which is almost a factor of 40 better than previous upper limits and one of the few measured at an early stage in the evolution of an SLSN-I. This limit largely rules out an association of this SLSN-I with known populations of gamma-ray-burst-like central engines.
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6. |
- Fawsitt, C. G., et al.
(author)
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Choice of Prosthetic Implant Combinations in Total Hip Replacement: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Using UK and Swedish Hip Joint Registries Data
- 2019
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In: Value in Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1098-3015. ; 22:3, s. 303-312
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Prosthetic implants used in total hip replacements (THR) have a range of bearing surface combinations (metal-onpolyethylene, ceramic-on-polyethylene, ceramic-on-ceramic, and metal-on-metal), head sizes (small [<36 mm in diameter] and large [>= 36 mm in diameter]), and fixation techniques (cemented, uncemented, hybrid, and reverse hybrid). These can influence prosthesis survival, patients' quality of life, and healthcare costs. Objectives: To compare the lifetime cost-effectiveness of implants for patients of different age and sex profiles. Methods: We developed a Markov model to compare the cost-effectiveness of various implants against small-head cemented metal-on-polyethylene implants. The probability that patients required 1 or more revision surgeries was estimated from analyses of more than 1 million patients in the UK and Swedish hip joint registries, for men and women younger than 55, 55 to 64, 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85 years and older. Implant and healthcare costs were estimated from local procurement prices, national tariffs, and the literature. Quality-adjusted life-years were calculated using published utility estimates for patients undergoing THR in the United Kingdom. Results: Small-head cemented metal-on-polyethylene implants were the most cost-effective for men and women older than 65 years. These findings were robust to sensitivity analyses. Small-head cemented ceramic-on-polyethylene implants were most cost-effective in men and women younger than 65 years, but these results were more uncertain. Conclusions: The older the patient group, the more likely that the cheapest implants, small-head cemented metal-on-polyethylene implants, were cost-effective. We found no evidence that uncemented, hybrid, or reverse hybrid implants were the most cost-effective option for any patient group. Our findings can influence clinical practice and procurement decisions for healthcare payers worldwide.
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7. |
- Ghirlanda, G., et al.
(author)
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Compact radio emission indicates a structured jet was produced by a binary neutron star merger
- 2019
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 363:6430, s. 968-971
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The binary neutron star merger event GW170817 was detected through both electromagnetic radiation and gravitational waves. Its afterglow emission may have been produced by either a narrow relativistic jet or an isotropic outflow. High-spatial-resolution measurements of the source size and displacement can discriminate between these scenarios. We present very-long-baseline interferometry observations, performed 207.4 days after the merger by using a global network of 32 radio telescopes. The apparent source size is constrained to be smaller than 2.5 milli-arc seconds at the 90% confidence level. This excludes the isotropic outflow scenario, which would have produced a larger apparent size, indicating that GW170817 produced a structured relativistic jet. Our rate calculations show that at least 10% of neutron star mergers produce such a jet.
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8. |
- Romero-Cañizales, C., et al.
(author)
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Unveiling the AGN in IC 883: discovery of a parsec-scale radio jet
- 2017
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 467:2, s. 2504-2516
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IC 883 is a luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) classified as a starburst- active galactic nucleus (AGN) composite. In a previous study, we detected a low- luminosity AGN (LLAGN) radio candidate. Here, we report on our radio follow- up at three frequencies that provides direct and unequivocal evidence of the AGN activity in IC 883. Our analysis of archival X-ray data, together with the detection of a transient radio source with luminosity typical of bright supernovae, gives further evidence of the ongoing star formation activity, which dominates the energetics of the system. At sub- parsec scales, the radio nucleus has a core-jet morphology with the jet being a newly ejected component showing a subluminal proper motion of 0.6-1 c. The AGN contributes less than 2 per cent of the total IR luminosity of the system. The corresponding Eddington factor is similar to 10(-3), suggesting this is a low-accretion rate engine, as often found in LLAGNs. However, its high bolometric luminosity (similar to 10(44) erg s(-1)) agrees better with a normal AGN. This apparent discrepancy may just be an indication of the transition nature of the nucleus from a system dominated by star formation, to an AGN-dominated system. The nucleus has a strongly inverted spectrum and a turnover at similar to 4.4 GHz, thus qualifying as a candidate for the least luminous (L(5.0)GHz similar to 6.3 x 10(28) erg s(-1) Hz(-1)) and one of the youngest (similar to 3 x 10(3) yr) gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) sources. If the GPS origin for the IC 883 nucleus is confirmed, then advanced mergers in the LIRG category are potentially key environments to unveil the evolution of GPS sources into more powerful radio galaxies.
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