Prof. Matt Jarvis

Abstract:

We constructed a sample of 23 344 radio-loud active galactic nuclei (RLAGN) from the catalogue derived from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) survey of the HETDEX Spring field. Although separating AGN from star-forming galaxies remains challenging, the combination of spectroscopic and photometric techniques we used gives us one of the largest available samples of candidate RLAGN. We used the sample, combined with recently developed analytical models, to investigate the lifetime distribution of RLAGN. We show that large or giant powerful RLAGN are probably the old tail of the general RLAGN population, but that the low-luminosity RLAGN candidates in our sample, many of which have sizes < 100 kpc, either require a very different lifetime distribution or have different jet physics from the more powerful objects. We then used analytical models to develop a method of estimating jet kinetic powers for our candidate objects and constructed a jet kinetic luminosity function based on these estimates. These values can be compared to observational quantities, such as the integrated radiative luminosity of groups and clusters, and to the predictions from models of RLAGN feedback in galaxy formation and evolution. In particular, we show that RLAGN in the local Universe are able to supply all the energy required per comoving unit volume to counterbalance X-ray radiative losses from groups and clusters and thus prevent the hot gas from cooling. Our computation of the kinetic luminosity density of local RLAGN is in good agreement with other recent observational estimates and with models of galaxy formation.

Abstract:

The LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) is a sensitive, high-resolution 120–168 MHz survey of the Northern sky. The LoTSS First Data Release (DR1) presents 424 square degrees of radio continuum observations over the HETDEX Spring Field (10h45m00s < right ascension <  15h30m00s and 45°00′00″ < declination < 57°00′00″) with a median sensitivity of 71 μJy beam−1 and a resolution of 6″. In this paper we present photometric redshifts (photo-z) for 94.4% of optical sources over this region that are detected in the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) 3π steradian survey. Combining the Pan-STARRS optical data with mid-infrared photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we estimate photo-zs using a novel hybrid photometric redshift methodology optimised to produce the best possible performance for the diverse sample of radio continuum selected sources. For the radio-continuum detected population, we find an overall scatter in the photo-z of 3.9% and an outlier fraction (|zphot−zspec|/(1 + zspec) > 0.15) of 7.9%. We also find that, at a given redshift, there is no strong trend in photo-z quality as a function of radio luminosity. However there are strong trends as a function of redshift for a given radio luminosity, a result of selection effects in the spectroscopic sample and/or intrinsic evolution within the radio source population. Additionally, for the sample of sources in the LoTSS First Data Release with optical counterparts, we present rest-frame optical and mid-infrared magnitudes based on template fits to the consensus photometric (or spectroscopic when available) redshift.

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.

Abstract:

Using a Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) L-band (1-2 GHz) survey covering∼100 deg^2 of the Stripe 82 field, we have obtained a catalogue of 2716 radio AGNs. For these AGNs, we investigate the impact of galaxy density on 1.4 GHz radio luminosity (L1.4).We determine their close environment densities using the surface density parameter, ΣN, for N = 2 and N = 5, which we bin by redshift to obtain a pseudo-3D galaxy density measure. Matching the radio AGNs to sources without radio detections in terms of redshift, K-band magnitude and (g−K) colour index, we obtain samples of control galaxies and determine whether radio AGN environments differ from this general population. Our results indicate that the environmental density of radio AGNs and their radio luminosity are not correlated up to z ∼ 0.8, over the luminosity range 10^23 < (L1.4/W Hz−1) < 10^26.We also find that, when using a control sample matched in terms of redshift, K-band magnitude and colour, environments of radio AGNs are similar to those of the control sample but with an excess of overdense regions in which radio AGNs aremore prevalent. Our results suggest that the <1Mpc-scale galaxy environment plays some role in determining whether a galaxy produces a radio AGN. The jet power, however, does not correlate with environment. From this, we infer that secular processes, e.g. accretion flows of cold gas to the central black hole are more critical in fuelling radio AGN activity than radio jet power.

Abstract:

We construct Tully–Fisher relations (TFRs), from large samples of galaxies with spatially resolved H α emission maps from the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS) at z ≈ 1. We compare these to data from the Sydney-Australian-Astronomical-Observatory Multi-object Integral-Field Spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey at z ≈ 0. We stringently match the data quality of the latter to the former, and apply identical analysis methods and sub-sample selection criteria to both to conduct a direct comparison of the absolute K-band magnitude and stellar mass TFRs at z ≈ 1 and 0. We find that matching the quality of the SAMI data to that of KROSS results in TFRs that differ significantly in slope, zero-point, and (sometimes) scatter in comparison to the corresponding original SAMI relations. These differences are in every case as large as or larger than the differences between the KROSS z ≈ 1 and matched SAMI z ≈ 0 relations. Accounting for these differences, we compare the TFRs at z ≈ 1 and 0. For disc-like, star-forming galaxies we find no significant difference in the TFR zero-points between the two epochs. This suggests the growth of stellar mass and dark matter in these types of galaxies is intimately linked over this ≈8 Gyr period.