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Black Hole

Lensing of space time around a black hole. At Oxford we study black holes observationally and theoretically on all size and time scales - it is some of our core work.

Credit: ALAIN RIAZUELO, IAP/UPMC/CNRS. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE IMAGES.

Prof. Dimitra Rigopoulou

Professor of Astrophysics

Research theme

  • Astronomy and astrophysics

Sub department

  • Astrophysics

Research groups

  • Galaxy formation and evolution
Dimitra.Rigopoulou@physics.ox.ac.uk
Telephone: 01865 (2)73296
Denys Wilkinson Building, room 75419514947
  • About
  • Publications

The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS)

Astronomy & Astrophysics EDP Sciences 691 (2024) a162

Authors:

I García-Bernete, D Rigopoulou, FR Donnan, A Alonso-Herrero, M Pereira-Santaella, T Shimizu, R Davies, PF Roche, S García-Burillo, A Labiano, L Hermosa Muñoz, L Zhang, A Audibert, E Bellocchi, A Bunker, F Combes, D Delaney, D Esparza-Arredondo, P Gandhi, O González-Martín, SF Hönig, M Imanishi, EKS Hicks, L Fuller, M Leist, NA Levenson, E Lopez-Rodriguez, C Packham, C Ramos Almeida, C Ricci, M Stalevski, M Villar Martín, MJ Ward
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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission in the Central Regions of Three Seyferts and the Implication for Underlying Feedback Mechanisms

The Astrophysical Journal Letters American Astronomical Society 975:1 (2024) L2

Authors:

Lulu Zhang, Ismael García-Bernete, Chris Packham, Fergus R Donnan, Dimitra Rigopoulou, Erin KS Hicks, Ric I Davies, Taro T Shimizu, Almudena Alonso-Herrero, Cristina Ramos Almeida, Miguel Pereira-Santaella, Claudio Ricci, Andrew J Bunker, Mason T Leist, David J Rosario, Santiago García-Burillo, Laura Hermosa Muñoz, Francoise Combes, Masatoshi Imanishi, Alvaro Labiano, Donaji Esparza-Arredondo, Enrica Bellocchi, Anelise Audibert, Lindsay Fuller

Abstract:

We analyze JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument/Medium Resolution Spectrograph integral field unit observations of three Seyferts from the Galactic Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS) and showcase the intriguing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and emission-line characteristics in regions of ∼500 pc scales over or around their active galactic nuclei (AGN). Combing the measurements and model predictions, we find that the central regions containing a high fraction of neutral PAHs with small sizes, e.g., those in ESO137-G034, are in highly heated environments, due to collisional shock heating, with hard and moderately intense radiation fields. Such environments are proposed to result in inhibited growth or preferential erosion of PAHs, decreasing their average size and overall abundance. We additionally find that the central regions containing a high fraction of ionized PAHs with large sizes, e.g., those in MCG-05-23-016, are likely experiencing severe photoionization because of the radiative effects from the radiative shock precursor besides the AGN. The severe photoionization can contribute to the ionization and further destruction of PAHs. Overall, different Seyferts, even different regions in the same galaxy, e.g., those in NGC 3081, can contain PAH populations of different properties. Specifically, Seyferts that exhibit similar PAH characteristics to ESO137-G034 and MCG-05-23-016 also tend to have similar emission-line properties to them, suggesting that the explanations for PAH characteristics of ESO137-G034 and MCG-05-23-016 may also apply generally. These results have promising application in the era of JWST, especially in diagnosing different (i.e., radiative and kinetic) AGN feedback modes.
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The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). IV. Exploring Ionized Gas Outflows in Central Kiloparsec Regions of GATOS Seyferts

The Astrophysical Journal American Astronomical Society 974:2 (2024) 195

Authors:

Lulu Zhang, Chris Packham, Erin KS Hicks, Ric I Davies, Taro T Shimizu, Almudena Alonso-Herrero, Laura Hermosa Muñoz, Ismael García-Bernete, Miguel Pereira-Santaella, Anelise Audibert, Enrique López-Rodríguez, Enrica Bellocchi, Andrew J Bunker, Francoise Combes, Tanio Díaz-Santos, Poshak Gandhi, Santiago García-Burillo, Begoña García-Lorenzo, Omaira González-Martín, Masatoshi Imanishi, Alvaro Labiano, Mason T Leist, Nancy A Levenson, Cristina Ramos Almeida, Dimitra Rigopoulou

Abstract:

Utilizing JWST MIRI/Medium Resolution Spectrograph integral field unit observations of the kiloparsec-scale central regions, we showcase the diversity of ionized gas distributions and kinematics in six nearby Seyfert galaxies included in the GATOS survey. Specifically, we present spatially resolved flux distribution and velocity field maps of six ionized emission lines covering a large range of ionization potentials (15.8–97.1 eV). Based on these maps, we showcase the evidence of ionized gas outflows in the six targets, and find some highly disturbed regions in NGC 5728, NGC 5506, and ESO137-G034. We propose active galactic nucleus (AGN)-driven radio jets plausibly play an important role in triggering these highly disturbed regions. With the outflow rates estimated based on [Ne V] emission, we find the six targets tend to have ionized outflow rates converged to a narrower range than the previous finding. These results have an important implication for the outflow properties in AGN of comparable luminosity.
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Single Aperture Large Telescope for Universe Studies: science overview

Journal of Astronomical Telescopes Instruments and Systems SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics 10:4 (2024) 042310-042310

Authors:

Gordon Chin, Carrie M Anderson, Jennifer Bergner, Nicolas Biver, Gordon L Bjoraker, Thibault Cavalie, Michael DiSanti, Jian-Rong Gao, Paul Hartogh, Leon K Harding, Qing Hu, Daewook Kim, Craig Kulesa, Gert de Lange, David T Leisawitz, Rebecca C Levy, Arthur Lichtenberger, Daniel P Marrone, Joan Najita, Trent Newswander, George H Rieke, Dimitra Rigopoulou, Peter Roelfsema, Nathan X Roth, Kamber Schwarz, Yancy Shirley, Justin Spilker, Antony A Stark, Floris van der Tak, Yuzuru Takashima, Alexander Tielens, David J Willner, Edward J Wollack, Stephen Yates, Erick Young, Christopher K Walker
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A biconical ionised gas outflow and evidence of positive feedback in NGC 7172 uncovered by MIRI/JWST

Astronomy & Astrophysics EDP Sciences 690 (2024) a350

Authors:

L Hermosa Muñoz, A Alonso-Herrero, M Pereira-Santaella, I García-Bernete, S García-Burillo, B García-Lorenzo, R Davies, T Shimizu, D Esparza-Arredondo, EKS Hicks, H Haidar, M Leist, E López-Rodríguez, C Ramos Almeida, D Rosario, L Zhang, A Audibert, E Bellocchi, P Boorman, AJ Bunker, F Combes, S Campbell, T Díaz-Santos, L Fuller, P Gandhi, O González-Martín, S Hönig, M Imanishi, T Izumi, A Labiano, NA Levenson, C Packham, C Ricci, D Rigopoulou, D Rouan, M Stalevski, M Villar-Martín, MJ Ward
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