Prof. Matt Jarvis

Abstract:

We present the results of a study which uses the 3CRR sample of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) to investigate the evolution of the hlack-hole: spheroid relation in the most massive early-type galaxies from 0 < z < 2. Radioloud unification is exploited to obtain virial (line-width) black-hole mass estimates from the 3CRR quasars, and stellar mass estimates from the 3CRR radio galaxies, thereby providing black-hole and stellar mass estimates for a single population of early-type galaxies. At low redshift (z < 1) the 3CRR sample is consistent with a black-hole:spheroid ratio of Mbh/Msph ≃ 0.002, in good agreement with that observed locally for quiescent galaxies of similar stellar mass (Msph ≃ 5 × 10 ¹¹M⊙). However, over the redshift interval 0 < z < 2 the 3CRR black-hole:spheroid ratio is found to evolve as M bh/Msph ∝ (1 + z)^2-07±0.76, reaching Mbh/Msph ≃ 0.008 by redshift z ≃ 2. This evolution is found to be inconsistent with the local black-hole:spheroid ratio remaining constant at a moderately significant level (98%). If confirmed, the detection of evolution in the 3CRR black-hole:spheroid mass ratio further strengthens the evidence that, at least for massive early-type galaxies, the growth of the central supermassive black hole may be completed before that of the host spheroid. © 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Abstract:

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and their afterglows are the most brilliant transient events in the Universe. Both the bursts themselves and their afterglows have been predicted to be visible out to redshifts of z ≈ 20, and therefore to be powerful probes of the early Universe^1,2. The burst GRB 000131, at z = 4.50, was hitherto the most distant such event identified³. Here we report the discovery of the bright near-infrared afterglow of GRB 050904 (ref. 4). From our measurements of the near-infrared afterglow, and our failure to detect the optical afterglow, we determine the photometric redshift of the burst to be z = 6.39-0.12^+0.11 (refs 5-7). Subsequently, it was measured⁸ spectroscopically to be z = 6.29 ± 0.01, in agreement with our photometric estimate. These results demonstrate that GRBs can be used to trace the star formation, metallicity, and reionization histories of the early Universe. © 2006 Nature Publishing Group.

Abstract:

We present two-degree field spectroscopic observations of a sample of 96 A-type stars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3 (SDSS DR3). Our aim is to identify blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars in order to measure the kinematic properties of the tidal tails of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We confine our attention to the 44 classifiable stars with spectra of signal-to-noise ratio > 15 Å^-1. Classification produces a sample of 29 BHB stars at distances of 5-47 kpc from the Sun. We split our sample into three bins based on their distance. We find 10 of the 12 stars at 14-25 kpc appear to have coherent, smoothly varying radial velocities which are plausibly associated with old debris in the Sagittarius tidal stream. Further observations along the orbit and at greater distances are required to trace the full extent of this structure on the sky. Three of our BHB stars in the direction of the globular cluster Palomar (Pal) 5 appear to be in an overdensity but are in the foreground of Pal 5. More observations are required around this overdensity to establish any relation to Pal 5 and/or the Sgr stream. We emphasize observations of BHB stars have unlimited potential for providing accurate velocity and distance information in old distant halo streams and globular clusters alike. The next-generation multi-object spectrographs provide an excellent opportunity to accurately trace the full extent of such structures. © 2006 RAS.