SKA HI end2end simulation

Proceedings of Science 132 (2009) 67-73

Authors:

HR Klockner, R Auld, I Heywood, D Obreschkow, F Levrier, S Rawlings

Abstract:

The current status of the HI simulation efforts is presented, in which a self consistent simulation path is described and basic equations to calculate array sensitivities are given. There is a summary of the SKA Design Study (SKADS) sky simulation and a method for implementing it into the array simulator is presented. A short overview of HI sensitivity requirements is discussed and expected results for a simulated HI survey are presented.

Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the λr-parameter

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 397:3 (2009) 1202-1214

Authors:

R Jesseit, M Cappellari, T Naab, E Emsellem, A Burkert

Abstract:

We use two-dimensional kinematic maps of simulated binary disc mergers to investigate the λR-parameter, which is a luminosity-weighted measure of projected angular momentum per unit mass. This parameter was introduced to subdivide the SAURON sample of early-type galaxies in so-called fast λR > 0.1 and slow rotators λR < 0.1. Tests on merger remnants reveal that λR is a robust indicator of the true angular momentum content in elliptical galaxies. We find the same range of λR values in our merger remnants as in the SAURON galaxies. The merger mass ratio is decisive in transforming fast rotators into slow rotators in a single binary merger, the latter being created mostly in an equal-mass merger. Slow rotators have a λR which does not vary with projection. The confusion rate with face-on fast rotators is very small. Mergers with a gas component form slow rotators with smaller ellipticities than collisionless merger remnants have, and are in much better agreement with the SAURON slow rotators. Remergers of merger remnants are slow rotators, but tend to have too high ellipticities. Fast rotators maintain the angular momentum content from the progenitor disc galaxy if merger mass ratio is high. Some SAURON galaxies have values of λR as high as our progenitor disc galaxies. © 2009 RAS.

Spectral energy distributions of type 2 quasi-stellar objects: Obscured star formation at high redshifts

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 400:3 (2009) 1199-1207

Authors:

D Rigopoulou, V Mainieri, O Almaini, A Alonso-Herrero, JS Huang, G Hasinger, G Rieke, J Dunlop, I Lehmann

Abstract:

We present new mid-infrared and submillimetre observations for a sample of eight high-redshift type 2 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) located in the Chandra Deep Field-South. The sources are X-ray absorbed with luminosities in excess of 1044 erg s-1. Two of the targets have robust detections, S/N > 4, while further three targets are marginally detected with S/N ≥ 2.5. All sources are detected in multiple mid-infrared bands with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the type 2 QSOs are compared to those of two local ultraluminous galaxies (Arp220 and IR22491) in order to assess contributions from a star-forming component in various parts of the SED. We suggest that their submm emission is possibly due to a starburst while a large fraction of the mid-infrared energy is likely to originate in the obscured central quasar. Using the mid-infrared and submm observations, we derive infrared luminosities which are found to be in excess of L > 1012 L⊙. The submm (850 μm) to X-ray (2 keV) spectral indices (αSX) span a wide range. About half of the type 2 QSOs have values typical for a Compton-thick active galactic nuclei with only 1 per cent of the nuclear emission seen through scattering, and the remaining with values typical of submm-bright galaxies. Combining the available observational evidence, we outline a possible scenario for the early stages of evolution of these sources. © 2009 RAS.

Stellar velocity profiles and line strengths out to four effective radii in the early-type galaxies NGC 3379 and 821

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 398:2 (2009) 561-574

Authors:

AM Weijmans, M Cappellari, R Bacon, PT De Zeeuw, E Emsellem, J Falcón-Barroso, H Kuntschner, RM McDermid, RCE Van Den Bosch, G Van De Ven

Abstract:

We use the integral-field spectrograph SAURON to measure the stellar line-of-sight velocity distribution and absorption line strengths out to four effective radii (Re) in the early-type galaxies NGC 3379 and 821. With our newly developed observing technique, we can now probe these faint regions in galaxies that were previously not accessible with traditional long-slit spectroscopy. We make optimal use of the large field-of-view and high throughput of the spectrograph: by adding the signal of all ∼1400 lenslets into one spectrum, we obtain sufficient signal-to-noise in a few hours of observing time to reliably measure the absorption line kinematics and line strengths out to large radius. We find that the line strength gradients previously observed within 1 Re remain constant out to at least 4 Re, which puts constraints on the merger histories of these galaxies. The stellar halo populations are old and metal poor. By constructing orbit-based Schwarzschild dynamical models, we find that dark matter is necessary to explain the observed kinematics in NGC 3379 and 821, with 30-50 per cent of the total matter being dark within 4 Re. The radial anisotropy in our best-fitting halo models is less than in our models without halo, due to differences in orbital structure. The halo also has an effect on the Mg b-Vesc relation: its slope is steeper when a dark matter halo is added to the model. © 2009 RAS.

The M-σ and M-L relations in galactic bulges, and determinations of their intrinsic scatter

Astrophysical Journal 698:1 (2009) 198-221

Authors:

K Gültekin, DO Richstone, K Gebhardt, TR Lauer, S Tremaine, MC Aller, R Bender, A Dressler, SM Faber, AV Filippenko, R Green, LC Ho, J Kormendy, J Magorrian, J Pinkney, C Siopis

Abstract:

We derive improved versions of the relations between supermassive black hole mass (M BH) and host-galaxy bulge velocity dispersion (σ) and luminosity (L; the M-σ and M-L relations), based on 49 M BH measurements and 19 upper limits. Particular attention is paid to recovery of the intrinsic scatter (ε0) in both relations. We find log(M BH/M) = α + βlog(σ/200 km s-1) with (α, β, ε0) = (8.12 0.08, 4.24 0.41, 0.44 0.06) for all galaxies and (α, β, ε0) = (8.23 0.08, 3.96 0.42, 0.31 0.06) for ellipticals. The results for ellipticals are consistent with previous studies, but the intrinsic scatter recovered for spirals is significantly larger. The scatter inferred reinforces the need for its consideration when calculating local black hole mass function based on the M-σ relation, and further implies that there may be substantial selection bias in studies of the evolution of the M-σ relation. We estimate the M-L relationship as log(M BH/M) = α + βlog(LV /1011 L V) of (α, β, ε0) = (8.95 0.11, 1.11 0.18, 0.38 0.09); using only early-type galaxies. These results appear to be insensitive to a wide range of assumptions about the measurement errors and the distribution of intrinsic scatter. We show that culling the sample according to the resolution of the black hole's sphere of influence biases the relations to larger mean masses, larger slopes, and incorrect intrinsic residuals. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society.