| 1. |
- Amorín, R. O., et al.
(författare)
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Ubiquitous broad-line emission and the relation between ionized gas outflows and Lyman continuum escape in Green Pea galaxies
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 682
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report observational evidence of highly turbulent ionized gas kinematics in a sample of 20 Lyman continuum (LyC) emitters (LCEs) at low redshift (z ∼ 0.3). Detailed Gaussian modeling of optical emission line profiles in high-dispersion spectra consistently shows that both bright recombination and collisionally excited lines can be fitted as one or two narrow components with intrinsic velocity dispersion of σ ∼ 40 − 100 km s−1, in addition to a broader component with σ ∼ 100 − 300 km s−1, which contributes up to ∼40% of the total flux and is preferentially blueshifted from the systemic velocity. We interpret the narrow emission as highly ionized gas close to the young massive star clusters and the broader emission as a signpost of unresolved ionized outflows, resulting from massive stars and supernova feedback. We find a significant correlation between the width of the broad emission and the LyC escape fraction, with strong LCEs exhibiting more complex and broader line profiles than galaxies with weaker or undetected LyC emission. We provide new observational evidence supporting predictions from models and simulations; our findings suggest that gas turbulence and outflows resulting from strong radiative and mechanical feedback play a key role in clearing channels through which LyC photons escape from galaxies. We propose that the detection of blueshifted broad emission in the nebular lines of compact extreme emission-line galaxies can provide a new indirect diagnostic of Lyman photon escape, which could be useful to identify potential LyC leakers in the epoch of reionization with the JWST.
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| 2. |
- Arroyo-Polonio, A., et al.
(författare)
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A MUSE/VLT spatially resolved study of the emission structure of Green Pea galaxies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 677
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Green Pea galaxies (GPs) present among the most intense starbursts known in the nearby Universe. These galaxies are regarded as local analogs of high-redshift galaxies, making them a benchmark in the understanding of the star formation processes and the galactic evolution in the early Universe. In this work, we performed an integral field spectroscopic (IFS) study for a set of 24 GPs to investigate the interplay between its ionized interstellar medium (ISM) and the massive star formation that these galaxies present. Observations were taken in the optical spectral range (λ4750 Å–λ9350 Å) with the MUSE spectrograph attached to the 8.2 m telescope VLT. Spatial extension criteria were employed to verify which GPs are spatially resolved in the MUSE data cubes. We created and analyzed maps of spatially distributed emission lines (at different stages of excitation), continuum emission, and properties of the ionized ISM (e.g., ionization structure indicators, physical-chemical conditions, dust extinction). We also took advantage of our IFS data to produce integrated spectra of selected galactic regions in order to study their physical-chemical conditions. Maps of relevant emission lines and emission line ratios show that higher-excitation gas is preferentially located in the center of the galaxy, where the starburst is present. The continuum maps, with an average angular extent of 4″, exhibit more complex structures than the emission line maps. However, the [O III]λ5007 Å emission line maps tend to extend beyond the continuum images (the average angular extent is 5.5″), indicating the presence of low surface brightness ionized gas in the outer parts of the galaxies. Hα/Hβ, [S II]/Hα, and [O I]/Hα maps trace low-extinction, optically thin regions. The line ratios [O III]/Hβ and [N II]/Hα span extensive ranges, with values varying from 0.5 dex to 0.9 dex and from −1.7 dex to −0.8 dex, respectively. Regarding the integrated spectra, the line ratios were fit to derive physical properties including the electron densities ne = 30 − 530 cm−3, and, in six GPs with a measurable [O III]λ4363 Å line, electron temperatures of Te = 11 500 K–15 500 K, so the direct method was applied in these objects to retrieve metallicities 12 + log(O/H)≃8. We found the presence of the high-ionizing nebular He IIλ4686 Å line in three GPs, where two of them present among the highest sSFR values (> 8 × 108 yr−1) in this sample. Non-Wolf-Rayet (WR) features are detected in these galaxy spectra.
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| 3. |
- Karki, Arjun, et al.
(författare)
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MUSE-ALMA Haloes - IX. Morphologies and stellar properties of gas-rich galaxies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 524:4, s. 5524-5547
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding how galaxies interact with the circumgalactic medium (CGM) requires determining how galaxies’ morphological and stellar properties correlate with their CGM properties. We report an analysis of 66 well-imaged galaxies detected in Hubble Space Telescope and Very Large Telescope MUSE observations and determined to be within ±500 km s−1 of the redshifts of strong intervening quasar absorbers at 0.2 ≲ z ≲ 1.4 with H I column densities NHI>1018cm−2�HI>1018cm−2. We present the geometrical properties (Sérsic indices, effective radii, axis ratios, and position angles) of these galaxies determined using GALFIT. Using these properties along with star formation rates (SFRs, estimated using the H α or [O II] luminosity) and stellar masses (M* estimated from spectral energy distribution fits), we examine correlations among various stellar and CGM properties. Our main findings are as follows: (1) SFR correlates well with M*, and most absorption-selected galaxies are consistent with the star formation main sequence of the global population. (2) More massive absorber counterparts are more centrally concentrated and are larger in size. (3) Galaxy sizes and normalized impact parameters correlate negatively with NHI, consistent with higher NHI absorption arising in smaller galaxies, and closer to galaxy centres. (4) Absorption and emission metallicities correlate with M* and specific SFR, implying metal-poor absorbers arise in galaxies with low past star formation and faster current gas consumption rates. (5) SFR surface densities of absorption-selected galaxies are higher than predicted by the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation for local galaxies, suggesting a higher star formation efficiency in the absorption-selected galaxies.
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| 4. |
- Komarova, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Haro 11 : The Spatially Resolved Lyman Continuum Sources
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 967:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As the nearest confirmed Lyman continuum (LyC) emitter, Haro 11 is an exceptional laboratory for studying LyC escape processes crucial to cosmic reionization. Our new Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph G130M/1055 observations of its three star-forming knots now reveal that the observed LyC originates in Knots B and C, with 903–912 Å luminosities of 1.9 ± 1.5 × 1040 erg s−1 and 0.9 ± 0.7 × 1040 erg s−1, respectively. We derive local escape fractions fesc,912 = 3.4% ± 2.9% and 5.1% ± 4.3% for Knots B and C, respectively. Our Starburst99 modeling shows dominant populations on the order of ∼1–4 Myr and 1–2 × 107M⊙ in each knot, with the youngest population in Knot B. Thus, the knot with the strongest LyC detection has the highest LyC production. However, LyC escape is likely less efficient in Knot B than in Knot C due to higher neutral gas covering. Our results therefore stress the importance of the intrinsic ionizing luminosity, and not just the escape fraction, for LyC detection. Similarly, the Lyα escape fraction does not consistently correlate with LyC flux, nor do narrow Lyα red peaks. High observed Lyα luminosity and low Lyα peak velocity separation, however, do correlate with higher LyC escape. Another insight comes from the undetected Knot A, which drives the Green Pea properties of Haro 11. Its density-bounded conditions suggest highly anisotropic LyC escape. Finally, both of the LyC-leaking Knots, B and C, host ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). While stars strongly dominate over the ULXs in LyC emission, this intriguing coincidence underscores the importance of unveiling the role of accretors in LyC escape and reionization.
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| 5. |
- Martin, Alec, et al.
(författare)
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UV-bright Star-forming Clumps and Their Host Galaxies in UVCANDELS at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 1
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 955:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Giant star-forming clumps are a prominent feature of star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and contain important clues on galaxy formation and evolution. However, the basic demographics of clumps and their host galaxies remain uncertain. Using the Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 F275W images from the Ultraviolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey, we detect and analyze giant star-forming clumps in galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 1, connecting two epochs when clumps are common (at cosmic high noon, z ∼ 2) and rare (in the local Universe). We construct a clump sample whose rest-frame 1600 Å luminosity is 3 times higher than the most luminous local H ii regions (MUV ≤ −16 AB). In our sample, 35% ± 3% of low-mass galaxies (log[M∗/M⊙] < 10) are clumpy (i.e., containing at least one off-center clump). This fraction changes to 22% ± 3% and 22% ± 4% for intermediate (10 ≤ log[M∗/M⊙] ≤ 10.5) and high-mass (log[M∗/M⊙] > 10.5) galaxies, in agreement with previous studies. When compared to similar-mass nonclumpy SFGs, low- and intermediate-mass clumpy SFGs tend to have higher star formation rates (SFRs) and bluer rest-frame U − V colors, while high-mass clumpy SFGs tend to be larger than nonclumpy SFGs. However, clumpy and nonclumpy SFGs have similar Sérsic index, indicating a similar underlying density profile. Furthermore, we investigate how the UV luminosity of star-forming regions correlates with the physical properties of host galaxies. On average, more luminous star-forming regions reside in more luminous, smaller, and/or higher specific SFR galaxies and are found closer to their hosts' galactic centers.
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| 6. |
- Melinder, Jens, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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The Lyα Reference Sample. XIV. Lyα Imaging of 45 Low-redshift Star-forming Galaxies and Inferences on Global Emission
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 266:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present Lyα imaging of 45 low-redshift star-forming galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxies have been selected to have moderate to high star formation rates (SFRs) using far-ultraviolet (FUV) luminosity and Hα equivalent width criteria, but no constraints on Lyα luminosity. We employ a pixel stellar continuum fitting code to obtain accurate continuum-subtracted Lyα, Hα, and Hβ maps. We find that Lyα is less concentrated than FUV and optical line emission in almost all galaxies with significant Lyα emission. We present global measurements of Lyα and other quantities measured in apertures designed to capture all of the Lyα emission. We then show how the escape fraction of Lyα relates to a number of other measured quantities (mass, metallicity, star formation, ionization parameter, and extinction). We find that the escape fraction is strongly anticorrelated with nebular and stellar extinction, weakly anticorrelated with stellar mass, but no conclusive evidence for correlations with other quantities. We show that Lyα escape fractions are inconsistent with common dust extinction laws, and discuss how a combination of radiative transfer effects and clumpy dust models can help resolve the discrepancies. We present an SFR calibration based on Lyα luminosity, where the equivalent width of Lyα is used to correct for nonunity escape fraction, and show that this relation provides a reasonably accurate SFR estimate. We also show stacked growth curves of Lyα for the galaxies that can be used to find aperture loss fractions at a given physical radius.
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| 7. |
- Oey, M. S., et al.
(författare)
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Nebular C iv λ1550 Imaging of the Metal-poor Starburst Mrk 71 : Direct Evidence of Catastrophic Cooling
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 958:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys to obtain the first spatially resolved, nebular imaging in the light of C ivλλ1548, 1551 by using the F150LP and F165LP filters. These observations of the local starburst Mrk 71 in NGC 2366 show emission apparently originating within the interior cavity around the dominant super star cluster (SSC), Knot A. Together with imaging in He iiλ4686 and supporting Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph far-ultraviolet spectroscopy, the morphology and intensity of the C iv nebular surface brightness and the C iv/He ii ratio map provide direct evidence that the mechanical feedback is likely dominated by catastrophic radiative cooling, which strongly disrupts adiabatic superbubble evolution. The implied extreme mass loading and low kinetic efficiency of the cluster wind are reasonably consistent with the wind energy budget, which is probably enhanced by radiation pressure. In contrast, the Knot B SSC lies within a well-defined superbubble with associated soft X-rays and He iiλ1640 emission, which are signatures of adiabatic, energy-driven feedback from a supernova-driven outflow. This system lacks clear evidence of C iv from the limb-brightened shell, as expected for this model, but the observations may not be deep enough to confirm its presence. We also detect a small C iv-emitting object that is likely an embedded compact H ii region. Its C iv emission may indicate the presence of very massive stars (>100 M⊙) or strongly pressure-confined stellar feedback.
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| 8. |
- Rasekh, Armin, et al.
(författare)
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The Lyman Alpha Reference Sample XII. Morphology of extended Lyman alpha emission in star-forming galaxies
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 662
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. We use Hubble Space Telescope data of 45 nearby star-forming galaxies to investigate properties of Lyman-alpha (Lyα) halos, Lyα morphology, and the star-forming characteristics of galaxies. We study how the morphology of Lyα emission is related to other Lyα observables. Furthermore, we study the interdependencies of Lyα morphological quantities.Methods. We studied the spatial extent of Lyα using surface brightness profiles in the following two ways (i) using circular apertures and (ii) within faint Lyα isophotes. We also measured the average intensity and the size of the regions with a high star formation rate density. The morphology of the galaxies was quantified by computing centroid position, axis ratio, and position angle in the Lyα, ultraviolet continuum, and I band maps.Results. We found that galaxies with more extended star-forming regions possess larger Lyα halos. Furthermore, galaxies with more elongated Lyα morphology are also more extended in Lyα. Our data suggest that Lyα bright galaxies appear rounder in their Lyα morphology, and there is less of a contribution from their Lyα halo to their overall luminosity. We compared our results with studies at high redshift and found that whilst the Lyα extent in the inner regions of the galaxies in our sample are similar to the high-z Lyα emitters (LAEs), Lyα halos are more extended in high-z LAEs.Conclusions. Our analysis suggests that the Lyα morphology affects the measurement of other observable quantities concerning Lyα emission, and some of the conclusions drawn from high redshift LAEs might be biased towards galaxies with specific Lyα shapes. In particular, faint Lyα emitters have larger Lyα scale lengths and halo fractions. This implies that faint Lyα emitters are harder to detect at high redshift than previously believed.
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| 9. |
- Runnholm, Axel, 1992-, et al.
(författare)
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On the evolution of the size of Lyman alpha haloes across cosmic time : no change in the circumgalactic gas distribution when probed by line emission
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 522:3, s. 4275-4293
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lyman alpha (Ly alpha) is now routinely used as a tool for studying high-redshift galaxies, and its resonant nature means it can trace neutral hydrogen around star-forming galaxies. Integral field spectrograph measurements of high-redshift Ly alpha emitters indicate that significant extended Ly alpha halo emission is ubiquitous around such objects. We present a sample of redshift 0.23 to 0.31 galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope selected to match the star formation properties of high-z samples while optimizing the observations for detection of low surface brightness Ly alpha emission. The Ly alpha escape fractions range between 0.7 and 37 per cent, and we detect extended Ly alpha emission around six out of seven targets. We find Ly alpha halo to UV scale length ratios around 6:1, which is marginally lower than high-redshift observations, and halo flux fractions between 60 and 85 per cent - consistent with high-redshift observations - when using comparable methods. However, our targets show additional extended stellar UV emission: we parametrize this with a new double exponential model. We find that this parametrization does not strongly affect the observed Ly alpha halo fractions. We find that deeper H alpha data would be required to firmly determine the origin of Ly alpha halo emission; however, there are indications that H alpha is more extended than the central FUV profile, potentially indicating conditions favourable for the escape of ionizing radiation. We discuss our results in the context of high-redshift galaxies, cosmological simulations, evolutionary studies of the circumgalactic medium in emission, and the emission of ionizing radiation.
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| 10. |
- Sirressi, Mattia, 1995-, et al.
(författare)
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CLusters in the Uv as EngineS (CLUES). II. Subkiloparsec-scale Outflows Driven by Stellar Feedback
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomical Journal. - 0004-6256 .- 1538-3881. ; 167:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We analyze the far-ultraviolet (1130−1770 Å rest frame) spectroscopy of 20 young (<50 Myr) and massive (>104M⊙) star clusters (YSCs) in 11 nearby star-forming galaxies. We probe the interstellar gas intervening along the line of sight, detecting several metal absorption lines of a wide range of ionization potentials, from 6.0 to 77.5 eV. Multiple-component Voigt fits to the absorption lines are used to study the kinematics of the gas. We find that nearly all targets in the sample feature gas outflowing from 30 up to 190 km s−1, often in both the neutral and ionized phases. The outflow velocities correlate with the underlying stellar population properties directly linked to the feedback: the mass of the YSCs, the photon production rate, and the instantaneous mechanical luminosity produced by stellar winds and supernovae. We detect a neutral inflow in four targets, which we interpret as likely not associated with the star cluster but tracing larger-scale gas kinematics. A comparison between the outflows' energy and that produced by the associated young stellar populations suggests an average coupling efficiency of 10% with a broad scatter. Our results extend the relation found in previous works between galactic outflows and the host galaxy star formation rate to smaller scales, pointing toward the key role that clustered star formation and feedback play in regulating galaxy growth.
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| 11. |
- Smith, Brent M., et al.
(författare)
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Lyman Continuum Emission from Active Galactic Nuclei at 2.3 ≲ z ≲ 3.7 in the UVCANDELS Fields
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 964:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the results of our search for Lyman continuum (LyC)-emitting (weak) active galactic nuclei (AGN) at redshifts 2.3 ≲ z ≲ 4.9 from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) F275W observations in the Ultraviolet Imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (UVCANDELS) fields. We also include LyC emission from AGN using HST WFC3 F225W, F275W, and F336W imaging found in Early Release Science (ERS) and Hubble Deep UV Legacy Survey data. We performed exhaustive queries of the Vizier database to locate AGN with high-quality spectroscopic redshifts. In total, we found 51 AGN that met our criteria within the UVCANDELS and ERS footprints. Out of these 51, we find 12 AGN that had ≥4σ detected LyC flux in the WFC3/UVIS images. Using a wide variety of space-based plus ground-based data, ranging from X-ray to radio wavelengths, we fit the multiwavelength photometric data of each AGN to a CIGALE spectral energy distribution (SED) using AGN models and correlate various SED parameters to the LyC flux. Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests of the SED parameter distributions for the LyC-detected and nondetected AGN showed they are likely not distinct samples. However, we find that the X-ray luminosity, star formation onset age, and disk luminosity show strong correlations relative to their emitted LyC flux. We also find strong correlations of the LyC flux to several dust parameters, i.e., polar and toroidal dust emission and 6 μm luminosity, and anticorrelations with metallicity and AFUV. We simulate the LyC escape fraction (fesc) using the CIGALE and intergalactic medium transmission models for the LyC-detected AGN and find an average fesc ≃ 18%, weighted by uncertainties. We stack the LyC fluxes of subsamples of AGN according to the wavelength continuum region in which they are detected and find no significant distinctions in their LyC emission, although our submillimeter-detected F336W sample (3.15 < z < 3.71) shows the brightest stacked LyC flux. These findings indicate that LyC production and escape in AGN are more complicated than the simple assumption of thermal emission and a 100% escape fraction. Further testing of AGN models with larger samples than presented here is needed.
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| 12. |
- Augustin, Ramona, et al.
(författare)
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MUSE-ALMA Haloes X : the stellar masses of gas-rich absorbing galaxies
- 2024
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 528:4, s. 6159-6166
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The physical processes by which gas is accreted onto galaxies, transformed into stars, and then expelled from galaxies are of paramount importance to galaxy evolution studies. Observationally constraining each of these baryonic components in the same system, however, is challenging. Furthermore, simulations indicate that the stellar mass of galaxies is a key factor influencing CGM properties. Indeed, absorption lines detected against background quasars offer the most compelling way to study the cold gas in the circumgalactic medium (CGM). The MUSE-ALMA Haloes survey is composed of quasar fields covered with VLT/MUSE observations, comprising 32 H I absorbers at 0.2 < z < 1.4 and 79 associated galaxies, with available or upcoming molecular gas measurements from ALMA. We use a dedicated 40-orbit HST UVIS and IR WFC3 broad-band imaging campaign to characterize the stellar content of these galaxies. By fitting their spectral energy distribution, we establish they probe a wide range of stellar masses: 8.1 < log (M∗/M⊙) < 12.4. Given their star formation rates, most of these objects lie on the main sequence of galaxies. We also confirm a previously reported anticorrelation between the stellar masses and CGM hydrogen column density N (H I), indicating an evolutionary trend where higher mass galaxies are less likely to host large amounts of H I gas in their immediate vicinity up to 120 kpc. Together with other studies from the MUSE-ALMA Haloes survey, these data provide stellar masses of absorber hosts, a key component of galaxy formation and evolution, and observational constraints on the relation between galaxies and their surrounding medium.
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| 13. |
- Mehta, Vihang, et al.
(författare)
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A Spatially Resolved Analysis of Star Formation Burstiness by Comparing UV and Hα in Galaxies at z ∼ 1 with UVCANDELS
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 952:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The UltraViolet imaging of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey Fields (UVCANDELS) program provides Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/UVIS F275W imaging for four CANDELS fields. We combine this UV imaging with existing HST/near-IR grism spectroscopy from 3D-HST+AGHAST to directly compare the resolved rest-frame UV and Hα emission for a sample of 979 galaxies at 0.7 < z < 1.5, spanning a range in stellar mass of 108−11.5M⊙. Using a stacking analysis, we perform a resolved comparison between homogenized maps of rest-UV and Hα to compute the average UV-to-Hα luminosity ratio (an indicator of burstiness in star formation) as a function of galactocentric radius. We find that galaxies below stellar mass of ∼109.5M⊙, at all radii, have a UV-to-Hα ratio higher than the equilibrium value expected from constant star formation, indicating a significant contribution from bursty star formation. Even for galaxies with stellar mass ≳109.5M⊙, the UV-to-Hα ratio is elevated toward their outskirts (R/Reff > 1.5), suggesting that bursty star formation is likely prevalent in the outskirts of even the most massive galaxies, but is likely overshadowed by their brighter cores. Furthermore, we present the UV-to-Hα ratio as a function of galaxy surface brightness, a proxy for stellar mass surface density, and find that regions below ∼107.5M⊙ kpc−2 are consistent with bursty star formation, regardless of their galaxy stellar mass, potentially suggesting that local star formation is independent of global galaxy properties at the smallest scales. Last, we find galaxies at z > 1.1 to have bursty star formation, regardless of radius or surface brightness.
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| 14. |
- Mingozzi, Matilde, et al.
(författare)
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CLASSY. VIII. Exploring the Source of Ionization with UV Interstellar Medium Diagnostics in Local High-z Analogs
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 962:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the current JWST era, rest-frame UV spectra play a crucial role in enhancing our understanding of the interstellar medium (ISM) and stellar properties of the first galaxies in the epoch of reionization (z > 6). Here, we compare well-known and reliable optical diagrams sensitive to the main ionization source (i.e., star formation, SF; active galactic nuclei, AGN; and shocks) to UV counterparts proposed in the literature—the so-called "UV–BPT diagrams"—using the HST COS Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY (CLASSY), which is the largest high-quality, high-resolution, and broad-wavelength range atlas of far-UV spectra for 45 local star-forming galaxies. In particular, we explore where CLASSY UV line ratios are located in the different UV diagnostic plots, taking into account state-of-the-art photoionization and shock models, and, for the first time, the measured ISM and stellar properties (e.g., gas-phase metallicity, ionization parameter, carbon abundance, and stellar age). We find that the combination of C iii] λλ1907,9 He iiλ1640 and O iii] λ1666 can be a powerful tool to separate between SF, shocks, and AGN at subsolar metallicities. We also confirm that alternative diagrams without O iii] λ1666 still allow us to define an SF-locus, with some caveats. Diagrams including C ivλλ1548,51 should be taken with caution given the complexity of this doublet profile. Finally, we present a discussion detailing the ISM conditions required to detect UV emission lines, visible only in low gas-phase metallicity (12 + log(O/H) ≲ 8.3) and high ionization parameter (log(U) ≳ −2.5) environments. Overall, CLASSY and our UV toolkit will be crucial in interpreting the spectra of the earliest galaxies that JWST is currently revealing.
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| 15. |
- North, P., et al.
(författare)
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Polarimetry of the Lyα envelope of the radio-quiet quasar SDSS J124020.91+145535.6
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 684
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The radio quiet quasar SDSS J1240+1455 lies at a redshift of z = 3.11, is surrounded by a Lyα blob (LAB), and is absorbed by a proximate damped Lyα system. In order to better define the morphology of the blob and determine its emission mechanism, we gathered deep narrow-band images isolating the Lyα line of this object in linearly polarized light. We provide a deep intensity image of the blob, showing a filamentary structure extending up to 16″ (or 122 physical kpc) in diameter. No significant polarization signal could be extracted from the data, but 95% probability upper limits were defined through simulations. They vary between ∼3% in the central 0.75″ disk (after subtraction of the unpolarized quasar continuum) and ∼10% in the 3.8 − 5.5″ annulus. The low polarization suggests that the Lyα photons are emitted mostly in situ, by recombination and de-excitation in a gas largely ionized by the quasar ultraviolet light, rather than by a central source and scattered subsequently by neutral hydrogen gas. This blob shows no detectable polarization signal, contrary to LAB1, a brighter and more extended blob that is not related to the nearby active galactic nucleus (AGN) in any obvious way, and where a significant polarization signal of about 18% was detected.
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| 16. |
- Puschnig, Johannes, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Unveiling the gravitationally unstable disc of a massive star-forming galaxy using NOEMA and MUSE
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 524:3, s. 3913-3929
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using new high-resolution data of CO (2–1), Hα and Hβ obtained with the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) and the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at the Very Large Telescope, we have performed a Toomre Q disc stability analysis and studied star formation, gas depletion times and other environmental parameters on sub-kpc scales within the z ∼ 0 galaxy SDSS J125013.84+073444.5 (LARS 8). The galaxy hosts a massive, clumpy disc and is a proto-typical analogue of main-sequence galaxies at z ∼ 1 − 2. We show that the massive (molecular) clumps in LARS 8 are the result of an extremely gravitationally unstable gas disc, with large scale instabilities found across the whole extent of the rotating disc, with only the innermost 500 pc being stabilized by its bulge-like structure. The radial profiles further reveal that – contrary to typical disc galaxies – the molecular gas depletion time decreases from more than 1 Gyr in the centre to less than ∼100 Myr in the outskirts of the disc, supporting the findings of a Toomre-unstable disc. We further identified and analysed 12 individual massive molecular clumps. They are virialized and follow the mass–size relation, indicating that on local (cloud/clump) scales the stars form with efficiencies comparable to those in Milky Way clouds. The observed high star formation rate must thus be the result of triggering of cloud/clump formation over large scales due to disc instability. Our study provides evidence that ‘in-situ’ massive clump formation (as also observed at high redshifts) is very efficiently induced by large-scale instabilities.
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| 17. |
- Sattari, Zahra, et al.
(författare)
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Fraction of Clumpy Star-forming Galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 3 in UVCANDELS : Dependence on Stellar Mass and Environment
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 951:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-resolution imaging of galaxies in rest-frame UV has revealed the existence of giant star-forming clumps prevalent in high-redshift galaxies. Studying these substructures provides important information about their formation and evolution and informs theoretical galaxy evolution models. We present a new method to identify clumps in galaxies' high-resolution rest-frame UV images. Using imaging data from CANDELS and UVCANDELS, we identify star-forming clumps in an HST/F160W ≤ 25 AB mag sample of 6767 galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 3 in four fields, GOODS-N, GOODS-S, EGS, and COSMOS. We use a low-passband filter in Fourier space to reconstruct the background image of a galaxy and detect small-scale features (clumps) on the background-subtracted image. Clumpy galaxies are defined as those having at least one off-center clump that contributes a minimum of 10% of the galaxy's total rest-frame UV flux. We measure the fraction of clumpy galaxies (fclumpy) as a function of stellar mass, redshift, and galaxy environment. Our results indicate that fclumpy increases with redshift, reaching ∼65% at z ∼ 1.5. We also find that fclumpy in low-mass galaxies () is 10% higher compared to that of their high-mass counterparts (). Moreover, we find no evidence of significant environmental dependence of fclumpy for galaxies at the redshift range of this study. Our results suggest that the fragmentation of gas clouds under violent disk instability remains the primary driving mechanism for clump formation, and incidents common in dense environments, such as mergers, are not the dominant processes.
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| 18. |
- Smith, Linda J., et al.
(författare)
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HST FUV Spectroscopy of Super Star Cluster A in the Green Pea Analog Mrk 71 : Revealing the Presence of Very Massive Stars
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 958:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mrk 71 is a low-metallicity (Z = 0.16 Z☉) starburst region in the local dwarf galaxy NGC 2366, hosting two super star clusters (SSCs A and B), and it is recognized as a Green Pea (GP) analog with SSC A responsible for the GP properties. We present STIS and FOS far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectra of the embedded SSC Mrk 71-A obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. The STIS FUV spectrum shows the characteristic features of very massive stars (VMS; masses >100 M⊙) and we derive an age of 1 ± 1 Myr by comparison with the Charlot & Bruzual suite of spectral population synthesis models with upper mass limits of 300 and 600 M⊙. We compare the STIS spectrum with all known SSC spectra exhibiting VMS signatures: NGC 5253-5, R136a, NGC 3125-A1, and the z = 2.37 Sunburst cluster. We find that the cluster mass-loss rates and wind velocities, as characterized by the C iv P Cygni profiles and the He ii emission line strengths, are very similar over Z = 0.16–0.4 Z☉. This agrees with predictions that the optically thick winds of VMS will be enhanced near the Eddington limit and show little metallicity dependence. We find very strong damped Lyα absorption with N(H i) =1022.2 cm−2 associated with Mrk 71-A. We discuss the natal environment of this young SSC in terms of radiatively driven winds, catastrophic cooling, and recent models where the cluster is surrounded by highly pressurized clouds with large neutral columns.
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| 19. |
- Weng, Simon, et al.
(författare)
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MUSE-ALMA Haloes XI : gas flows in the circumgalactic medium
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 523:1, s. 676-700
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The flow of gas into and out of galaxies leaves traces in the circumgalactic medium which can then be studied using absorption lines towards background quasars. We analyse 27 log[N(H I) /cm(-2)] > 18. 0 H I absorbers at z = 0.2 to 1.4 from the MUSEALMA Haloes survey with at least one galaxy counterpart within a line of sight velocity of +/- 500 km s(-1). We perform 3D kinematic forward modelling of these associated galaxies to examine the flow of dense, neutral gas in the circumgalactic medium. From the VLT/MUSE, HST broad-band imaging, and VLT/UVES and Keck/HIRES high-resolution UV quasar spectroscopy observations, we compare the impact parameters, star-formation rates, and stellar masses of the associated galaxies with the absorber properties. We find marginal evidence for a bimodal distribution in azimuthal angles for strong H I absorbers, similar to previous studies of the Mg II and O VI absorption lines. There is no clear metallicity dependence on azimuthal angle, and we suggest a larger sample of absorbers is required to fully test the relationship predicted by cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. A case-by-case study of the absorbers reveals that ten per cent of absorbers are consistent with gas accretion, up to 30 per cent trace outflows, and the remainder trace gas in the galaxy disc, the intragroup medium, and low-mass galaxies below the MUSE detection limit. Our results highlight that the baryon cycle directly affects the dense neutral gas required for star-formation and plays a critical role in galaxy evolution.
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| 20. |
- Wofford, Aida, et al.
(författare)
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Extreme broad He ii emission at high and low redshifts : the dominant role of VMS in NGC 3125-A1 and CDFS131717
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 523:3, s. 3949-3966
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Super star cluster (SSC) A1 (3.1 x10(5) M-circle dot) in NGC 3125 has one of the strongest ( EW = 4.6 +/- 0.5 A) broad ( F W H M = 1131 +/- 40 km s(-1)) He II lambda 1640 emission lines in the nearby universe and constitutes an important template for interpreting observations of extreme He II emitters out to redshifts of z similar to 2 - 3. We use Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) observations of A1 to show that there is no significant contamination of the He II line with nebular emission and that the line is redshifted by 121 +/- 17 km s(-1) relative to ISM lines. We compare the COS G130M + G160M observations of A1 to recent binary BPASS and single-star Charlot & Bruzual (C&B) simple stellar population (SSP) models with very massive stars (VMS) of up to 300 M-circle dot. On the other hand, we suggest why BPASS models fail to reproduce A1's He II emission. On the other hand, a C&B model with Z = 0.008, age = 2.2 Myr, and VMS approaching the Eddington limit provides an excellent fit to the He II emission and fits reasonably well C III lambda 1175, N V lambda lambda 1238, 1241, and C IV lambda lambda 1548, 1551. We present O V lambda 1371 line-profile predictions showing that this line constitutes an important tracer of youth and VMS in galaxies. Finally, we discuss the presence of VMS in CDFS131717, a highly star-forming low-metallicity galaxy located at z = 3.071, which has a tentative detection of O V absorption and strong broad He II emission. These features are rare and hint to the presence of short-lived VMS in the galaxy. Our results show the effect of the latest developments of stellar wind theory and the importance of accounting for VMS in models.
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| 21. |
- Bruton, Sean, et al.
(författare)
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The Impact of Cosmic Variance on Inferences of Global Neutral Fraction Derived from Lyα Luminosity Functions during Reionization
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 953:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigate the impact of field-to -field variation, deriving from cosmic variance, in measured Ly alpha emitter (LAE) luminosity functions (LFs) and this variation's impact on inferences of the neutral fraction of the intergalactic medium (IGM) during reionization. We post-process a z = 7 IGM simulation to populate the dark matter halos with LAEs. These LAEs have realistic UV magnitudes, Ly alpha fluxes, and Ly alpha line profiles. We calculate the attenuation of Ly alpha emission in universes with varying IGM neutral fraction, (x) over bar (H I). In a (x) over bar (H I) = 0.3 simulation, we perform 100 realizations of a mock 2 deg(2) survey with a redshift window Delta z = 0.5 and flux limit f(Ly alpha) > 1 x 10(-17)erg s(-1) cm(-2); such a survey is typical in depth and volume of the largest LAE surveys conducted today. For each realization, we compute the LAE LF and use it to recover the input x(H I). Comparing the inferred values of (x) over bar (H) (I) across the ensemble of the surveys, we find that cosmic variance, deriving from large-scale structure and variation in the neutral gas along the sightline, imposes a floor in the uncertainty of Delta(x) over bar (HI) similar to 0.2 when (x) over bar (H) (I) = 0.3. We explore mitigation strategies to decrease this uncertainty, such as increasing the volume, decreasing the flux limit, or probing the volume with many independent fields. Increasing the area and/or depth of the survey does not mitigate the uncertainty, but composing a survey with many independent fields is effective. This finding highlights the best strategy for LAE surveys aiming at constraining the (x) over bar (HI) of the universe during reionization.
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| 22. |
- Gazagnes, Simon, et al.
(författare)
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Interpreting the Si ii and C ii Line Spectra from the COS Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY Using a Virtual Galaxy from a High-resolution Radiation-hydrodynamic Simulation
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 952:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observations of low-ionization state metal lines provide crucial insights into the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies, yet, disentangling the physical processes responsible for the emerging line profiles is difficult. This work investigates how mock spectra generated using a single galaxy in a radiation-hydrodynamical simulation can help us interpret observations of a real galaxy. We create 22,500 C ii and Si ii spectra from the virtual galaxy at different times and through multiple lines of sight and compare them with the 45 observations of low-redshift star-forming galaxies from the COS Legacy Spectroscopic SurveY (classy). We find that the mock profiles provide accurate replicates of the observations of 38 galaxies with a broad range of stellar masses (106–109M⊙) and metallicities (0.02–0.55 Z⊙). Additionally, we highlight that aperture losses explain the weakness of the fluorescent emission in several classy spectra and must be accounted for when comparing simulations to observations. Overall, we show that the evolution of a single simulated galaxy can produce a large diversity of spectra whose properties are representative of galaxies of comparable or smaller masses. Building upon these results, we explore the origin of the continuum, residual flux, and fluorescent emission in the simulation. We find that these different spectral features all emerge from distinct regions in the galaxy's ISM, and their characteristics can vary as a function of the viewing angle. While these outcomes challenge simplified interpretations of down-the-barrel spectra, our results indicate that high-resolution simulations provide an optimal framework to interpret these observations.
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| 23. |
- Hayes, Matthew J., 1977-
(författare)
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Accelerating galaxy winds during the big bang of starbursts
- 2023
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966 .- 1745-3925 .- 1745-3933. ; 519:1, s. L26-L31
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We develop a new method to infer the temporal, geometric, and energetic properties of galaxy outflows, by combining stellar spectral modelling to infer starburst ages, and absorption lines to measure velocities. If winds are accelerated with time during a starburst event, then these two measurements enable us to solve for the wind radius, similarly to length-scales and the Hubble parameter in big bang cosmology. This wind radius is the vital, but hard-to-constrain parameter in wind physics. We demonstrate the method using spectra of 87 starburst galaxies at z = 0.05 − 0.44, finding that winds accelerate throughout the starburst phase and grow to typical radii of ≈1 kpc in ≈10 Myr. Mass flow rates increase rapidly with time, and the mass-loading factor exceeds unity at about 10 Myr – while still being accelerated, the gas will likely unbind from the local potential and enrich the circumgalactic medium. We model the mechanical energy available from stellar winds and supernovae, and estimate that a negligible amount is accounted for in the cool outflow at early times. However, the energy deposition increases rapidly and ∼10 per cent of the budget is accounted for in the cool flow at 10 Myr, similar to some recent hydrodynamical simulations. We discuss how this model can be developed, especially for high-redshift galaxies.
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| 24. |
- Hayes, Matthew J., 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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On the Sizes of Ionized Bubbles Around Galaxies During the Reionization Epoch. The Spectral Shapes of the Lya Emission from Galaxies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 954:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We develop a new method to determine the distance between a high-redshift galaxy and a foreground screen of atomic hydrogen. In a partially neutral universe, and assuming spherical symmetry, this equates to the radius of an ionized bubble (R B) surrounding the galaxy. The method requires an observed Lya equivalent width, its velocity offset from systemic, and an input Lya profile for which we adopt scaled versions of the profiles observed in low-z galaxies. We demonstrate the technique in a sample of 23 galaxies at z > 6, including 8 at z = 7.2-10.6 recently observed with JWST. Our model estimates the emergent Lya properties and the foreground distance to the absorbing intergalactic medium. We find that galaxies at z > 7.5 occupy smaller bubbles (& SIM;0.5-1 pMpc) than those at lower z. With a relationship that is secure at 99% confidence, we empirically demonstrate the growth of ionized regions during the reionization epoch for the first time. We independently estimate the upper limit on the Stromgren radii (R S), and derive the escape fraction of ionizing photons ( fescLyC ) from the ratio of R B/R S, deriving a median value of 5%, which, on average, represents the lower end of the photon budget necessary for reionization.
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| 25. |
- Hu, Weida, et al.
(författare)
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CLASSY VII Lyα Profiles : The Structure and Kinematics of Neutral Gas and Implications for LyC Escape in Reionization-era Analogs
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 956:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lyα line profiles are a powerful probe of interstellar medium (ISM) structure, outflow speed, and Lyman-continuum escape fraction. In this paper, we present the Lyα line profiles of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY, a sample rich in spectroscopic analogs of reionization-era galaxies. A large fraction of the spectra show a complex profile, consisting of a double-peaked Lyα emission profile in the bottom of a damped, Lyα absorption trough. Such profiles reveal an inhomogeneous ISM. We successfully fit the damped Lyα absorption and the Lyα emission profiles separately, but with complementary covering factors, a surprising result because this approach requires no Lyα exchange between high-NH i and low-NH i paths. The combined distribution of column densities is qualitatively similar to the bimodal distributions observed in numerical simulations. We find an inverse relation between Lyα peak separation and the [O iii]/[O ii] flux ratio, confirming that the covering fraction of Lyman-continuum-thin sightlines increases as the Lyα peak separation decreases. We combine measurements of Lyα peak separation and Lyα red peak asymmetry in a diagnostic diagram, which identifies six Lyman-continuum leakers in the COS Legacy Archive Spectrocopy SurveY (CLASSY) sample. We find a strong correlation between the Lyα trough velocity and the outflow velocity measured from interstellar absorption lines. We argue that greater vignetting of the blueshifted Lyα peak, relative to the redshifted peak, is the source of the well-known discrepancy between shell-model parameters and directly measured outflow properties. The CLASSY sample illustrates how scattering of Lyα photons outside the spectroscopic aperture reshapes Lyα profiles because the distances to these compact starbursts span a large range.
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| 26. |
- Le Reste, Alexandra, 1995-, et al.
(författare)
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LARS XIII : High Angular Resolution 21 cm H ı Observations of Lyα Emitting Galaxies
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 934:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Lyα emission line is one of the main observables of galaxies at high redshift, but its output depends strongly on the neutral gas distribution and kinematics around the star-forming regions where UV photons are produced. We present observations of Lyα and 21 cm H ı emission at comparable scales with the goal to qualitatively investigate how the neutral interstellar medium (ISM) properties impact Lyα transfer in galaxies. We have observed 21 cm H ı at the highest possible angular resolution (≈3'' beam) with the Very Large Array in two local galaxies from the Lyman Alpha Reference Sample. We compare these data with Hubble Space Telescope Lyα imaging and spectroscopy, and Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer and Potsdam MultiAperture Spectrophotometer ionized gas observations. In LARS08, high-intensity Lyα emission is cospatial with high column density H ı where the dust content is the lowest. The Lyα line is strongly redshifted, consistent with a velocity redistribution that allows Lyα escape from a high column density neutral medium with a low dust content. In eLARS01, high-intensity Lyα emission is located in regions of low column density H ı, below the H ı data sensitivity limit ( < 2 × 1020 cm−2). The perturbed ISM distribution with low column density gas in front of the Lyα emission region plays an important role in the escape. In both galaxies, the faint Lyα emission (∼1×10−16 erg s−1cm−2 arcsec−2) traces intermediate Hα emission regions where H ı is found, regardless of the dust content. Dust seems to modulate, but not prevent, the formation of a faint Lyα halo. This study suggests the existence of scaling relations between dust, Hα, H ı, and Lyα emission in galaxies.
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| 27. |
- Lin, Yu-Heng, et al.
(författare)
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Low-metallicity Galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 951:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a new selection of 358 blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCDs) from 5000 square degrees in the Dark Energy Survey, and the spectroscopic follow-up of a subsample of 68 objects. For the subsample of 34 objects with deep spectra, we measure the metallicity via the direct Te method using the auroral [O iii]λ 4363 emission line. These BCDs have an average oxygen abundance of 12+log(O/H) = 7.8, with stellar masses between 107 and 108M⊙ and specific star-formation rates between ∼10−9 and 10−7 yr−1. We compare the position of our BCDs with the mass–metallicity (M–Z) and luminosity–metallicity (L–Z) relation derived from the Local Volume Legacy sample. We find the scatter about the M–Z relation is smaller than the scatter about the L–Z relation. We identify a correlation between the offsets from the M–Z and L–Z relation that we suggest is due to the contribution of metal-poor inflows. Finally, we explore the validity of the mass–metallicity–SFR fundamental plane in the mass range probed by our galaxies. We find that BCDs with stellar masses smaller than 108M⊙ do not follow the extrapolation of the fundamental plane. This result suggests that mechanisms other than the balance between inflows and outflows may be at play in regulating the position of low-mass galaxies in the M–Z–SFR space.
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| 28. |
- Rivera-Thorsen, Thøger Emil Juul, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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A bottom-up search for Lyman-continuum leakage in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 666
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. When studying the production and escape of Lyman continuum (LyC) from galaxies, it is standard to rely on an array of indirect observational tracers in the preselection of candidate leakers.Aims. In this work, we investigate how much ionizing radiation might be missed due to these selection criteria by completely removing them and performing a search selected purely from rest-frame LyC emission; and how that affects our estimates of the ionizing background.Methods. We inverted the conventional method and performed a bottom-up search for LyC leaking galaxies at redshifts 2 ≲ z ≲ 3.5. Using archival data from HST and VLT/MUSE, we ran source finding software on UV-filter HST images from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), and subjected all detected sources to a series of tests to eliminate those that are inconsistent with being ionizing sources.Results. We find six new and one previously identified candidate leakers with absolute escape fractions ranging from 36% to ∼100%. Our filtering criteria eliminate one object previously reported as a candidate ionizing emitter in the literature, and we report non-detections in the rest-frame Lyman continuum of two other previously reported sources. We find that our candidates make a contribution to the metagalactic ionizing field of log10(ϵν) = 25.32−0.21+0.25 and 25.29−0.22+0.27 erg s−1 Hz−1 cMpc−3 for the full set of candidates and for the four strongest candidates only; both values are higher than but consistent with other recent figures in the literature.Conclusions. Our findings suggest that galaxies that do not meet the usual selection criteria may make a non-negligible contribution to the cosmic ionizing field. We recommend that similar searches be carried out on a larger scale in well-studied fields with both UV and large ancillary data coverage, for example in the full set of CANDELS fields.
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| 29. |
- Runnholm, Axel, et al.
(författare)
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On the evolution of the size of Lyman alpha halos across cosmic time: no change in the circumgalactic gas distribution when probed by line emission
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Lyman ? (Ly?) is now routinely used as a tool for detecting high redshift galaxies and its resonant nature means it can trace neutral hydrogen around star-forming galaxies. Integral field spectrograph measurements of high-? Ly? emitters indicate that significant extended Ly? halo emission is ubiquitous around such objects. We present a sample of redshift 0.23 to 0.32 galaxies observed with the Hubble Space Telescope selected to match the star formation properties of high-? samples while optimizing the observations for detection of low surface brightness Ly? emission. All seven targets show Ly? emission, with total escape fractions between 0.7% and 37%, and extended Ly? emission. We find Ly? halo to UV scale length ratios around 10:1, and halo flux fractions between 60% and 85% —consistent with high redshift observations—when using comparable methods. However, our targets show additional extended stellar UV emission which we parametrize with a new three exponential component model for Ly? emission. Halo fractions become much smaller with this methodology and some become consistent with zero. Comparing UV and H? emission reveals that H? is also extended and can partially explain the origin of diffuse Ly?. We interpret this as evidence that the creation of Ly? halos cannot be attributed to one single process but rather a combination of in-situ recombination and spatial scattering or possibly collisional excitation. We discuss our results in the context of high-redshift galaxies, evolutionary studies of the circumgalactic medium in emission, and inferences concerning the emission of ionizing radiation.
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| 30. |
- Xu, Xinfeng, et al.
(författare)
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CLASSY. VI. The Density, Structure, and Size of Absorption-line Outflows in Starburst Galaxies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 948:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Galaxy formation and evolution are regulated by the feedback from galactic winds. Absorption lines provide the most widely available probe of winds. However, since most data only provide information integrated along the line of sight, they do not directly constrain the radial structure of the outflows. In this paper, we present a method to directly measure the gas electron density in outflows (n ( e )), which in turn yields estimates of outflow cloud properties (e.g., density, volume filling factor, and sizes/masses). We also estimate the distance (r ( n )) from the starburst at which the observed densities are found. We focus on 22 local star-forming galaxies primarily from the COS Legacy Archive Spectroscopic SurveY (CLASSY). In half of them, we detect absorption lines from fine-structure excited transitions of Si ii (i.e., Si ii*). We determine n ( e ) from relative column densities of Si ii and Si ii*, given Si ii* originates from collisional excitation by free electrons. We find that the derived n ( e ) correlates well with the galaxy's star formation rate per unit area. From photoionization models or assuming the outflow is in pressure equilibrium with the wind fluid, we get r ( n ) similar to 1-2r (*) or similar to 5r (*), respectively, where r (*) is the starburst radius. Based on comparisons to theoretical models of multiphase outflows, nearly all of the outflows have cloud sizes large enough for the clouds to survive their interaction with the hot wind fluid. Most of these measurements are the first ever for galactic winds detected in absorption lines and, thus, will provide important constraints for future models of galactic winds.
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