Prospects of Detecting HI using Redshifted 21-cm Radiation at z˜3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gehlot, Bharat Kumar; Bagla, J. S.

2017-03-01

Distribution of cold gas in the post-reionization era provides an important link between distribution of galaxies and the process of star formation. Redshifted 21-cm radiation from the hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen allows us to probe the neutral component of cold gas, most of which is to be found in the interstellar medium of galaxies. Existing and upcoming radio telescopes can probe the large scale distribution of neutral hydrogen via HI intensity mapping. In this paper, we use an estimate of the HI power spectrum derived using an ansatz to compute the expected signal from the large scale HI distribution at z˜3. We find that the scale dependence of bias at small scales makes a significant difference to the expected signal even at large angular scales. We compare the predicted signal strength with the sensitivity of radio telescopes that can observe such radiation and calculate the observation time required for detecting neutral hydrogen at these redshifts. We find that OWFA (Ooty Wide Field Array) offers the best possibility to detect neutral hydrogen at z˜3 before the SKA (Square Kilometer Array) becomes operational. We find that the OWFA should be able to make a 3 σ or a more significant detection in 2000 hours of observations at several angular scales. Calculations done using the Fisher matrix approach indicate that a 5 σ detection of the binned HI power spectrum via measurement of the amplitude of the HI power spectrum is possible in 1000 h (Sarkar et al. 2017).

The Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC): Deep Near-Infrared Imaging and the Selection of Distant Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quadri, Ryan; Marchesini, Danilo; van Dokkum, Pieter; Gawiser, Eric; Franx, Marijn; Lira, Paulina; Rudnick, Gregory; Urry, C. Megan; Maza, José; Kriek, Mariska; Barrientos, L. Felipe; Blanc, Guillermo A.; Castander, Francisco J.; Christlein, Daniel; Coppi, Paolo S.; Hall, Patrick B.; Herrera, David; Infante, Leopoldo; Taylor, Edward N.; Treister, Ezequiel; Willis, Jon P.

2007-09-01

We present deep near-infrared JHK imaging of four 10' × 10' fields. The observations were carried out as part of the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC) with ISPI on the CTIO 4 m telescope. The typical point-source limiting depths are J ~ 22.5, H ~ 21.5, and K ~ 21 (5 σ Vega). The effective seeing in the final images is ~1.0″. We combine these data with MUSYC UBVRIz imaging to create K-selected catalogs that are unique for their uniform size, depth, filter coverage, and image quality. We investigate the rest-frame optical colors and photometric redshifts of galaxies that are selected using common color selection techniques, including distant red galaxies (DRGs), star-forming and passive BzKs, and the rest-frame UV-selected BM, BX, and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). These techniques are effective at isolating large samples of high-redshift galaxies, but none provide complete or uniform samples across the targeted redshift ranges. The DRG and BM/BX/LBG criteria identify populations of red and blue galaxies, respectively, as they were designed to do. The star-forming BzKs have a very wide redshift distribution, extending down to z ~ 1, a wide range of colors, and may include galaxies with very low specific star formation rates. In comparison, the passive BzKs are fewer in number, have a different distribution of K magnitudes, and have a somewhat different redshift distribution. By combining either the DRG and BM/BX/LBG criteria, or the star-forming and passive BzK criteria, it appears possible to define a reasonably complete sample of galaxies to our flux limit over specific redshift ranges. However, the redshift dependence of both the completeness and sampled range of rest-frame colors poses an ultimate limit to the usefulness of these techniques.

The Star Formation History of SHADES Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aretxaga, Itziar; SHADES Consortium; AzTEC Team

2006-12-01

We present the redshift distribution of the SHADES 850um selected galaxy population based on the rest-frame radio-mm-FIR colours of 120 robustly detected sources in the Lockman Hole East (LH) and Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Field (SXDF). The redshift of sources constrained with at least two photometric bands peaks at z 2.4 and has a near-Gaussian distribution. The inclusion of sources detected only at 850um, for which only very weak redshift constraints are available, leads to the possibility of a high-redshit tail. We find a small difference between the redshift distributions in the two fields; the SXDF peaking at a slightly lower redshift than the LH, which we mainly attribute to the noise properties of the photometry used. We discuss the impact of the AzTEC data on the further precission of these results. Finally we present a brief comparison with sub-mm galaxy formation models and their predicted and assumed redshift distributions and derive the contribution of these sources to the star formation rate density at different epochs.

iSEDfit: Bayesian spectral energy distribution modeling of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moustakas, John

2017-08-01

iSEDfit uses Bayesian inference to extract the physical properties of galaxies from their observed broadband photometric spectral energy distribution (SED). In its default mode, the inputs to iSEDfit are the measured photometry (fluxes and corresponding inverse variances) and a measurement of the galaxy redshift. Alternatively, iSEDfit can be used to estimate photometric redshifts from the input photometry alone. After the priors have been specified, iSEDfit calculates the marginalized posterior probability distributions for the physical parameters of interest, including the stellar mass, star-formation rate, dust content, star formation history, and stellar metallicity. iSEDfit also optionally computes K-corrections and produces multiple "quality assurance" (QA) plots at each stage of the modeling procedure to aid in the interpretation of the prior parameter choices and subsequent fitting results. The software is distributed as part of the impro IDL suite.

An ALMA Survey of Submillimeter Galaxies in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South: Spectroscopic Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danielson, A. L. R.; Swinbank, A. M.; Smail, Ian; Simpson, J. M.; Casey, C. M.; Chapman, S. C.; da Cunha, E.; Hodge, J. A.; Walter, F.; Wardlow, J. L.; Alexander, D. M.; Brandt, W. N.; de Breuck, C.; Coppin, K. E. K.; Dannerbauer, H.; Dickinson, M.; Edge, A. C.; Gawiser, E.; Ivison, R. J.; Karim, A.; Kovacs, A.; Lutz, D.; Menten, K.; Schinnerer, E.; Weiß, A.; van der Werf, P.

2017-05-01

We present spectroscopic redshifts of {\\text{}}{S}870μ {{m}} ≳ 2 mJy submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), which have been identified from the ALMA follow-up observations of 870 μm detected sources in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (the ALMA-LESS survey). We derive spectroscopic redshifts for 52 SMGs, with a median of z = 2.4 ± 0.1. However, the distribution features a high-redshift tail, with ˜23% of the SMGs at z≥slant 3. Spectral diagnostics suggest that the SMGs are young starbursts, and the velocity offsets between the nebular emission and UV ISM absorption lines suggest that many are driving winds, with velocity offsets of up to 2000 km s-1. Using the spectroscopic redshifts and the extensive UV-to-radio photometry in this field, we produce optimized spectral energy distributions (SEDs) using Magphys, and use the SEDs to infer a median stellar mass of {M}\\star = (6 ± 1)× 1010 M {}⊙ for our SMGs with spectroscopic redshift. By combining these stellar masses with the star formation rates (measured from the far-infrared SEDs), we show that SMGs (on average) lie a factor of ˜5 above the so-called “main sequence” at z˜ 2. We provide this library of 52 template fits with robust and uniquely well-sampled SEDs as a resource for future studies of SMGs, and also release the spectroscopic catalog of ˜2000 (mostly infrared-selected) galaxies targeted as part of the spectroscopic campaign.

THE PHOTON UNDERPRODUCTION CRISIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kollmeier, Juna A.; Weinberg, David H.; McEwen, Joseph

We examine the statistics of the low-redshift Lyα forest from smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations in light of recent improvements in the estimated evolution of the cosmic ultraviolet background (UVB) and recent observations from the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS). We find that the value of the metagalactic photoionization rate (Γ{sub HI}) required by our simulations to match the observed properties of the low-redshift Lyα forest is a factor of five larger than the value predicted by state-of-the art models for the evolution of this quantity. This mismatch in Γ{sub HI} results in the mean flux decrement of the Lyα forest beingmore » overpredicted by at least a factor of two (a 10σ discrepancy with observations) and a column density distribution of Lyα forest absorbers systematically and significantly elevated compared to observations over nearly two decades in column density. We examine potential resolutions to this mismatch and find that either conventional sources of ionizing photons (galaxies and quasars) must contribute considerably more than current observational estimates or our theoretical understanding of the low-redshift universe is in need of substantial revision.« less

The 6dFGS Peculiar Velocity Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springob, Chris M.; Magoulas, C.; Colless, M.; Mould, J.; Erdogdu, P.; Jones, D. H.; Lucey, J.; Campbell, L.; Merson, A.; Jarrett, T.

2012-01-01

The 6dF Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) is an all southern sky galaxy survey, including 125,000 redshifts and a Fundamental Plane (FP) subsample of 10,000 peculiar velocities, making it the largest peculiar velocity sample to date. We have fit the FP using a maximum likelihood fit to a tri-variate Gaussian. We subsequently compute a Bayesian probability distribution for every possible peculiar velocity for each of the 10,000 galaxies, derived from the tri-variate Gaussian probability density distribution, accounting for our selection effects and measurement errors. We construct a predicted peculiar velocity field from the 2MASS redshift survey, and compare our observed 6dFGS velocity field to the predicted field. We discuss the resulting agreement between the observed and predicted fields, and the implications for measurements of the bias parameter and bulk flow.

Order statistics applied to the most massive and most distant galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waizmann, J.-C.; Ettori, S.; Bartelmann, M.

2013-06-01

In this work, we present an analytic framework for calculating the individual and joint distributions of the nth most massive or nth highest redshift galaxy cluster for a given survey characteristic allowing us to formulate Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) exclusion criteria. We show that the cumulative distribution functions steepen with increasing order, giving them a higher constraining power with respect to the extreme value statistics. Additionally, we find that the order statistics in mass (being dominated by clusters at lower redshifts) is sensitive to the matter density and the normalization of the matter fluctuations, whereas the order statistics in redshift is particularly sensitive to the geometric evolution of the Universe. For a fixed cosmology, both order statistics are efficient probes of the functional shape of the mass function at the high-mass end. To allow a quick assessment of both order statistics, we provide fits as a function of the survey area that allow percentile estimation with an accuracy better than 2 per cent. Furthermore, we discuss the joint distributions in the two-dimensional case and find that for the combination of the largest and the second largest observation, it is most likely to find them to be realized with similar values with a broadly peaked distribution. When combining the largest observation with higher orders, it is more likely to find a larger gap between the observations and when combining higher orders in general, the joint probability density function peaks more strongly. Having introduced the theory, we apply the order statistical analysis to the Southpole Telescope (SPT) massive cluster sample and metacatalogue of X-ray detected clusters of galaxies catalogue and find that the 10 most massive clusters in the sample are consistent with ΛCDM and the Tinker mass function. For the order statistics in redshift, we find a discrepancy between the data and the theoretical distributions, which could in principle indicate a deviation from the standard cosmology. However, we attribute this deviation to the uncertainty in the modelling of the SPT survey selection function. In turn, by assuming the ΛCDM reference cosmology, order statistics can also be utilized for consistency checks of the completeness of the observed sample and of the modelling of the survey selection function.

Bimodal Formation Time Distribution for Infall Dark Matter Halos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jingjing; Wang, Huiyuan; Mo, H. J.; Xie, Lizhi; Wang, Xiaoyu; Lapi, Andrea; Sheth, Ravi K.

2018-04-01

We use a 200 {h}-1 {Mpc} a-side N-body simulation to study the mass accretion history (MAH) of dark matter halos to be accreted by larger halos, which we call infall halos. We define a quantity {a}nf}\\equiv (1+{z}{{f}})/(1+{z}peak}) to characterize the MAH of infall halos, where {z}peak} and {z}{{f}} are the accretion and formation redshifts, respectively. We find that, at given {z}peak}, their MAH is bimodal. Infall halos are dominated by a young population at high redshift and by an old population at low redshift. For the young population, the {a}nf} distribution is narrow and peaks at about 1.2, independent of {z}peak}, while for the old population, the peak position and width of the {a}nf} distribution both increase with decreasing {z}peak} and are both larger than those of the young population. This bimodal distribution is found to be closely connected to the two phases in the MAHs of halos. While members of the young population are still in the fast accretion phase at z peak, those of the old population have already entered the slow accretion phase at {z}peak}. This bimodal distribution is not found for the whole halo population, nor is it seen in halo merger trees generated with the extended Press–Schechter formalism. The infall halo population at {z}peak} are, on average, younger than the whole halo population of similar masses identified at the same redshift. We discuss the implications of our findings in connection to the bimodal color distribution of observed galaxies and to the link between central and satellite galaxies.

Leveraging 3D-HST Grism Redshifts to Quantify Photometric Redshift Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezanson, Rachel; Wake, David A.; Brammer, Gabriel B.; van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Franx, Marijn; Labbé, Ivo; Leja, Joel; Momcheva, Ivelina G.; Nelson, Erica J.; Quadri, Ryan F.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Whitaker, Katherine E.

2016-05-01

We present a study of photometric redshift accuracy in the 3D-HST photometric catalogs, using 3D-HST grism redshifts to quantify and dissect trends in redshift accuracy for galaxies brighter than JH IR > 24 with an unprecedented and representative high-redshift galaxy sample. We find an average scatter of 0.0197 ± 0.0003(1 + z) in the Skelton et al. photometric redshifts. Photometric redshift accuracy decreases with magnitude and redshift, but does not vary monotonically with color or stellar mass. The 1σ scatter lies between 0.01 and 0.03 (1 + z) for galaxies of all masses and colors below z < 2.5 (for JH IR < 24), with the exception of a population of very red (U - V > 2), dusty star-forming galaxies for which the scatter increases to ˜0.1 (1 + z). We find that photometric redshifts depend significantly on galaxy size; the largest galaxies at fixed magnitude have photo-zs with up to ˜30% more scatter and ˜5 times the outlier rate. Although the overall photometric redshift accuracy for quiescent galaxies is better than that for star-forming galaxies, scatter depends more strongly on magnitude and redshift than on galaxy type. We verify these trends using the redshift distributions of close pairs and extend the analysis to fainter objects, where photometric redshift errors further increase to ˜0.046 (1 + z) at {H}F160W=26. We demonstrate that photometric redshift accuracy is strongly filter dependent and quantify the contribution of multiple filter combinations. We evaluate the widths of redshift probability distribution functions and find that error estimates are underestimated by a factor of ˜1.1-1.6, but that uniformly broadening the distribution does not adequately account for fitting outliers. Finally, we suggest possible applications of these data in planning for current and future surveys and simulate photometric redshift performance in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Dark Energy Survey (DES), and combined DES and Vista Hemisphere surveys.

Redshift space clustering of galaxies and cold dark matter model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahcall, Neta A.; Cen, Renyue; Gramann, Mirt

1993-01-01

The distorting effect of peculiar velocities on the power speturm and correlation function of IRAS and optical galaxies is studied. The observed redshift space power spectra and correlation functions of IRAS and optical the galaxies over the entire range of scales are directly compared with the corresponding redshift space distributions using large-scale computer simulations of cold dark matter (CDM) models in order to study the distortion effect of peculiar velocities on the power spectrum and correlation function of the galaxies. It is found that the observed power spectrum of IRAS and optical galaxies is consistent with the spectrum of an Omega = 1 CDM model. The problems that such a model currently faces may be related more to the high value of Omega in the model than to the shape of the spectrum. A low-density CDM model is also investigated and found to be consistent with the data.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cross-Correlation Redshifts - Methods and Systematics Characterization

DOE PAGES

Gatti, M.

2018-02-22

We use numerical simulations to characterize the performance of a clustering-based method to calibrate photometric redshift biases. In particular, we cross-correlate the weak lensing (WL) source galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) sample with redMaGiC galaxies (luminous red galaxies with secure photometric red- shifts) to estimate the redshift distribution of the former sample. The recovered redshift distributions are used to calibrate the photometric redshift bias of standard photo-z methods applied to the same source galaxy sample. We also apply the method to three photo-z codes run in our simulated data: Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ), Directional Neighborhoodmore » Fitting (DNF), and Random Forest-based photo-z (RF). We characterize the systematic uncertainties of our calibration procedure, and find that these systematic uncertainties dominate our error budget. The dominant systematics are due to our assumption of unevolving bias and clustering across each redshift bin, and to differences between the shapes of the redshift distributions derived by clustering vs photo-z's. The systematic uncertainty in the mean redshift bias of the source galaxy sample is z ≲ 0.02, though the precise value depends on the redshift bin under consideration. Here, we discuss possible ways to mitigate the impact of our dominant systematics in future analyses.« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cross-Correlation Redshifts - Methods and Systematics Characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gatti, M.

We use numerical simulations to characterize the performance of a clustering-based method to calibrate photometric redshift biases. In particular, we cross-correlate the weak lensing (WL) source galaxies from the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) sample with redMaGiC galaxies (luminous red galaxies with secure photometric red- shifts) to estimate the redshift distribution of the former sample. The recovered redshift distributions are used to calibrate the photometric redshift bias of standard photo-z methods applied to the same source galaxy sample. We also apply the method to three photo-z codes run in our simulated data: Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ), Directional Neighborhoodmore » Fitting (DNF), and Random Forest-based photo-z (RF). We characterize the systematic uncertainties of our calibration procedure, and find that these systematic uncertainties dominate our error budget. The dominant systematics are due to our assumption of unevolving bias and clustering across each redshift bin, and to differences between the shapes of the redshift distributions derived by clustering vs photo-z's. The systematic uncertainty in the mean redshift bias of the source galaxy sample is z ≲ 0.02, though the precise value depends on the redshift bin under consideration. Here, we discuss possible ways to mitigate the impact of our dominant systematics in future analyses.« less

Gravitational Redshift of Deformed Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero, Alexis; Zubairi, Omair; Weber, Fridolin

2015-04-01

Non-rotating neutron stars are generally treated in theoretical studies as perfect spheres. Such a treatment, however, may not be correct if strong magnetic fields are present and/or the pressure of the matter in the cores of neutron stars is non-isotropic, leading to neutron stars which are deformed. In this work, we investigate the impact of deformation on the gravitational redshift of neutron stars in the framework of general relativity. Using a parameterized metric to model non-spherical mass distributions, we derive an expression for the gravitational redshift in terms of the mass, radius, and deformity of a neutron star. Numerical solutions for the redshifts of sequences of deformed neutron stars are presented and observational implications are pointed out. This research is funded by the NIH through the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC), under Grant Number: 5T34GM008303-25 and through the National Science Foundation under grant PHY-1411708.

X-ray morphological study of galaxy cluster catalogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Democles, Jessica; Pierre, Marguerite; Arnaud, Monique

2016-07-01

Context : The intra-cluster medium distribution as probed by X-ray morphology based analysis gives good indication of the system dynamical state. In the race for the determination of precise scaling relations and understanding their scatter, the dynamical state offers valuable information. Method : We develop the analysis of the centroid-shift so that it can be applied to characterize galaxy cluster surveys such as the XXL survey or high redshift cluster samples. We use it together with the surface brightness concentration parameter and the offset between X-ray peak and brightest cluster galaxy in the context of the XXL bright cluster sample (Pacaud et al 2015) and a set of high redshift massive clusters detected by Planck and SPT and observed by both XMM-Newton and Chandra observatories. Results : Using the wide redshift coverage of the XXL sample, we see no trend between the dynamical state of the systems with the redshift.

TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA DISTANCE MODULUS BIAS AND DISPERSION FROM K-CORRECTION ERRORS: A DIRECT MEASUREMENT USING LIGHT CURVE FITS TO OBSERVED SPECTRAL TIME SERIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saunders, C.; Aldering, G.; Aragon, C.

2015-02-10

We estimate systematic errors due to K-corrections in standard photometric analyses of high-redshift Type Ia supernovae. Errors due to K-correction occur when the spectral template model underlying the light curve fitter poorly represents the actual supernova spectral energy distribution, meaning that the distance modulus cannot be recovered accurately. In order to quantify this effect, synthetic photometry is performed on artificially redshifted spectrophotometric data from 119 low-redshift supernovae from the Nearby Supernova Factory, and the resulting light curves are fit with a conventional light curve fitter. We measure the variation in the standardized magnitude that would be fit for a givenmore » supernova if located at a range of redshifts and observed with various filter sets corresponding to current and future supernova surveys. We find significant variation in the measurements of the same supernovae placed at different redshifts regardless of filters used, which causes dispersion greater than ∼0.05 mag for measurements of photometry using the Sloan-like filters and a bias that corresponds to a 0.03 shift in w when applied to an outside data set. To test the result of a shift in supernova population or environment at higher redshifts, we repeat our calculations with the addition of a reweighting of the supernovae as a function of redshift and find that this strongly affects the results and would have repercussions for cosmology. We discuss possible methods to reduce the contribution of the K-correction bias and uncertainty.« less

Stellar mass and velocity functions of galaxies. Backward evolution and the fate of Milky Way siblings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boissier, S.; Buat, V.; Ilbert, O.

2010-11-01

Context. In recent years, stellar mass functions of both star-forming and quiescent galaxies have been observed at different redshifts in various fields. In addition, star formation rate (SFR) distributions (e.g. in the form of far infrared luminosity functions) were also obtained. Taken together, they offer complementary pieces of information concerning the evolution of galaxies. Aims: We attempt in this paper to check the consistency of the observed stellar mass functions, SFR functions, and the cosmic SFR density with simple backward evolutionary models. Methods: Starting from observed stellar mass functions for star-forming galaxies, we use backwards models to predict the evolution of a number of quantities, such as the SFR function, the cosmic SFR density and the velocity function. Because the velocity is a parameter attached to a galaxy during its history (contrary to the stellar mass), this approach allows us to quantify the number density evolution of galaxies of a given velocity, e.g. of the Milky Way siblings. Results: Observations suggest that the stellar mass function of star-forming galaxies is constant between redshift 0 and 1. To reproduce this result, we must quench star formation in a number of star-forming galaxies. The stellar mass function of these “quenched” galaxies is consistent with available data concerning the increase in the population of quiescent galaxies in the same redshift interval. The stellar mass function of quiescent galaxies is then mainly determined by the distribution of active galaxies that must stop star formation, with a modest mass redistribution during mergers. The cosmic SFR density and the evolution of the SFR functions are recovered relatively well, although they provide some clues to a minor evolution of the stellar mass function of star forming galaxies at the lowest redshifts. We thus consider that we have obtained in a simple way a relatively consistent picture of the evolution of galaxies at intermediate redshifts. If this picture is correct, 50% of the Milky-Way sisters (galaxies with the same velocity as our Galaxy, i.e. 220 km s-1) have quenched their star formation since redshift 1 (and an even higher fraction for higher velocities). We discuss the processes that might be responsible for this transformation.

ON THE RADIO AND OPTICAL LUMINOSITY EVOLUTION OF QUASARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singal, J.; Petrosian, V.; Lawrence, A.

2011-12-20

We calculate simultaneously the radio and optical luminosity evolutions of quasars, and the distribution in radio loudness R defined as the ratio of radio and optical luminosities, using a flux-limited data set containing 636 quasars with radio and optical fluxes from White et al. We first note that when dealing with multi-variate data it is imperative to first determine the true correlations among the variables, not those introduced by the observational selection effects, before obtaining the individual distributions of the variables. We use the methods developed by Efron and Petrosian which are designed to obtain unbiased correlations, distributions, and evolutionmore » with redshift from a data set truncated due to observational biases. It is found that the population of quasars exhibits strong positive correlation between the radio and optical luminosities. With this correlation, whether intrinsic or observationally induced accounted for, we find that there is a strong luminosity evolution with redshift in both wavebands, with significantly higher radio than optical evolution. We conclude that the luminosity evolution obtained by arbitrarily separating the sources into radio-loud (R > 10) and radio-quiet (R < 10) populations introduces significant biases that skew the result considerably. We also construct the local radio and optical luminosity functions and the density evolution. Finally, we consider the distribution of the radio-loudness parameter R obtained from careful treatment of the selection effects and luminosity evolutions with that obtained from the raw data without such considerations. We find a significant difference between the two distributions and no clear sign of bi-modality in the true distribution for the range of R values considered. Our results indicate therefore, somewhat surprisingly, that there is no critical switch in the efficiency of the production of disk outflows/jets between very radio-quiet and very radio-loud quasars, but rather a smooth transition. Also, this efficiency seems higher for the high-redshift and more luminous sources in the sample considered.« less

Gamma-ray luminosity and photon index evolution of FSRQ blazars and contribution to the gamma-ray background

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singal, J.; Ko, A.; Petrosian, V., E-mail: jsingal@richmond.edu

We present the redshift evolutions and distributions of the gamma-ray luminosity and photon spectral index of flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) type blazars, using non-parametric methods to obtain the evolutions and distributions directly from the data. The sample we use for analysis consists of almost all FSRQs observed with a greater than approximately 7σ detection threshold in the first-year catalog of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope's Large Area Telescope, with redshifts as determined from optical spectroscopy by Shaw et al. We find that FSQRs undergo rapid gamma-ray luminosity evolution, but negligible photon index evolution, with redshift. With these evolutions accountedmore » for we determine the density evolution and luminosity function of FSRQs and calculate their total contribution to the extragalactic gamma-ray background radiation, resolved and unresolved, which is found to be 16(+10/–4)%, in agreement with previous studies.« less

Are some BL Lacs artefacts of gravitational lensing?

PubMed

Ostriker, J P; Vietri, M

1990-03-01

WE suggested in 1985 that a significant fraction of BL Lacertae objects, a kind of lineless quasar, seen in nearby galaxies are in fact images, gravitationally lensed and substantially amplified by stars in the nearby galaxy, of background objects, optically violent variable (OVV) quasars at redshifts z > 1 (ref. 1). This hypothesis was made on the basis of certain general similarities between BL Lacs and O Ws, but for two recently observed BL Lacs(2,3) a strong case can be made that the accompanying elliptical galaxy is a foreground object. In addition, we argue that the distribution of BL Lac redshifts is hard to understand without gravitational lensing, unless we happen to be at a very local maximum of the spatial cosmic distribution of BL Lacs. Our analysis also indicates that the galaxies whose stars are likely to act as microlenses will be found in two peaks, one nearby, with redshift 0.05-0.10, and the other near the distant quasar.

the-wizz: clustering redshift estimation for everyone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrison, C. B.; Hildebrandt, H.; Schmidt, S. J.; Baldry, I. K.; Bilicki, M.; Choi, A.; Erben, T.; Schneider, P.

2017-05-01

We present the-wizz, an open source and user-friendly software for estimating the redshift distributions of photometric galaxies with unknown redshifts by spatially cross-correlating them against a reference sample with known redshifts. The main benefit of the-wizz is in separating the angular pair finding and correlation estimation from the computation of the output clustering redshifts allowing anyone to create a clustering redshift for their sample without the intervention of an 'expert'. It allows the end user of a given survey to select any subsample of photometric galaxies with unknown redshifts, match this sample's catalogue indices into a value-added data file and produce a clustering redshift estimation for this sample in a fraction of the time it would take to run all the angular correlations needed to produce a clustering redshift. We show results with this software using photometric data from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) and spectroscopic redshifts from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The results we present for KiDS are consistent with the redshift distributions used in a recent cosmic shear analysis from the survey. We also present results using a hybrid machine learning-clustering redshift analysis that enables the estimation of clustering redshifts for individual galaxies. the-wizz can be downloaded at http://github.com/morriscb/The-wiZZ/.

An Open-Source Galaxy Redshift Survey Simulator for next-generation Large Scale Structure Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seijak, Uros

Galaxy redshift surveys produce three-dimensional maps of the galaxy distribution. On large scales these maps trace the underlying matter fluctuations in a relatively simple manner, so that the properties of the primordial fluctuations along with the overall expansion history and growth of perturbations can be extracted. The BAO standard ruler method to measure the expansion history of the universe using galaxy redshift surveys is thought to be robust to observational artifacts and understood theoretically with high precision. These same surveys can offer a host of additional information, including a measurement of the growth rate of large scale structure through redshift space distortions, the possibility of measuring the sum of neutrino masses, tighter constraints on the expansion history through the Alcock-Paczynski effect, and constraints on the scale-dependence and non-Gaussianity of the primordial fluctuations. Extracting this broadband clustering information hinges on both our ability to minimize and subtract observational systematics to the observed galaxy power spectrum, and our ability to model the broadband behavior of the observed galaxy power spectrum with exquisite precision. Rapid development on both fronts is required to capitalize on WFIRST's data set. We propose to develop an open-source computational toolbox that will propel development in both areas by connecting large scale structure modeling and instrument and survey modeling with the statistical inference process. We will use the proposed simulator to both tailor perturbation theory and fully non-linear models of the broadband clustering of WFIRST galaxies and discover novel observables in the non-linear regime that are robust to observational systematics and able to distinguish between a wide range of spatial and dynamic biasing models for the WFIRST galaxy redshift survey sources. We have demonstrated the utility of this approach in a pilot study of the SDSS-III BOSS galaxies, in which we improved the redshift space distortion growth rate measurement precision by a factor of 2.5 using customized clustering statistics in the non-linear regime that were immunized against observational systematics. We look forward to addressing the unique challenges of modeling and empirically characterizing the WFIRST galaxies and observational systematics.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: galaxy mock catalogues for BAO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avila, S.; et al.

Mock catalogues are a crucial tool in the analysis of galaxy surveys data, both for the accurate computation of covariance matrices, and for the optimisation of analysis methodology and validation of data sets. In this paper, we present a set of 1800 galaxy mock catalogues designed to match the Dark Energy Survey Year-1 BAO sample (Crocce et al. 2017) in abundance, observational volume, redshift distribution and uncertainty, and redshift dependent clustering. The simulated samples were built upon HALOGEN (Avila et al. 2015) halo catalogues, based on a $2LPT$ density field with an exponential bias. For each of them, a lightconemore » is constructed by the superposition of snapshots in the redshift range $0.45« less

The Complete Calibration of the Color–Redshift Relation (C3R2) Survey: Survey Overview and Data Release 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masters, Daniel C.; Stern, Daniel K.; Rhodes, Jason D.

A key goal of the Stage IV dark energy experiments Euclid , LSST, and WFIRST is to measure the growth of structure with cosmic time from weak lensing analysis over large regions of the sky. Weak lensing cosmology will be challenging: in addition to highly accurate galaxy shape measurements, statistically robust and accurate photometric redshift (photo- z ) estimates for billions of faint galaxies will be needed in order to reconstruct the three-dimensional matter distribution. Here we present an overview of and initial results from the Complete Calibration of the Color–Redshift Relation (C3R2) survey, which is designed specifically to calibratemore » the empirical galaxy color–redshift relation to the Euclid depth. These redshifts will also be important for the calibrations of LSST and WFIRST . The C3R2 survey is obtaining multiplexed observations with Keck (DEIMOS, LRIS, and MOSFIRE), the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC; OSIRIS), and the Very Large Telescope (VLT; FORS2 and KMOS) of a targeted sample of galaxies that are most important for the redshift calibration. We focus spectroscopic efforts on undersampled regions of galaxy color space identified in previous work in order to minimize the number of spectroscopic redshifts needed to map the color–redshift relation to the required accuracy. We present the C3R2 survey strategy and initial results, including the 1283 high-confidence redshifts obtained in the 2016A semester and released as Data Release 1.« less

Cosmological Constraints from the Redshift Dependence of the Volume Effect Using the Galaxy 2-point Correlation Function across the Line of Sight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiao-Dong; Park, Changbom; Sabiu, Cristiano G.; Park, Hyunbae; Cheng, Cheng; Kim, Juhan; Hong, Sungwook E.

2017-08-01

We develop a methodology to use the redshift dependence of the galaxy 2-point correlation function (2pCF) across the line of sight, ξ ({r}\\perp ), as a probe of cosmological parameters. The positions of galaxies in comoving Cartesian space varies under different cosmological parameter choices, inducing a redshift-dependent scaling in the galaxy distribution. This geometrical distortion can be observed as a redshift-dependent rescaling in the measured ξ ({r}\\perp ). We test this methodology using a sample of 1.75 billion mock galaxies at redshifts 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2, drawn from the Horizon Run 4 N-body simulation. The shape of ξ ({r}\\perp ) can exhibit a significant redshift evolution when the galaxy sample is analyzed under a cosmology differing from the true, simulated one. Other contributions, including the gravitational growth of structure, galaxy bias, and the redshift space distortions, do not produce large redshift evolution in the shape. We show that one can make use of this geometrical distortion to constrain the values of cosmological parameters governing the expansion history of the universe. This method could be applicable to future large-scale structure surveys, especially photometric surveys such as DES and LSST, to derive tight cosmological constraints. This work is a continuation of our previous works as a strategy to constrain cosmological parameters using redshift-invariant physical quantities.

The 2-degree Field Lensing Survey: design and clustering measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Chris; Amon, Alexandra; Childress, Michael; Erben, Thomas; Glazebrook, Karl; Harnois-Deraps, Joachim; Heymans, Catherine; Hildebrandt, Hendrik; Hinton, Samuel R.; Janssens, Steven; Johnson, Andrew; Joudaki, Shahab; Klaes, Dominik; Kuijken, Konrad; Lidman, Chris; Marin, Felipe A.; Parkinson, David; Poole, Gregory B.; Wolf, Christian

2016-11-01

We present the 2-degree Field Lensing Survey (2dFLenS), a new galaxy redshift survey performed at the Anglo-Australian Telescope. 2dFLenS is the first wide-area spectroscopic survey specifically targeting the area mapped by deep-imaging gravitational lensing fields, in this case the Kilo-Degree Survey. 2dFLenS obtained 70 079 redshifts in the range z < 0.9 over an area of 731 deg2, and is designed to extend the data sets available for testing gravitational physics and promote the development of relevant algorithms for joint imaging and spectroscopic analysis. The redshift sample consists first of 40 531 Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs), which enable analyses of galaxy-galaxy lensing, redshift-space distortion, and the overlapping source redshift distribution by cross-correlation. An additional 28 269 redshifts form a magnitude-limited (r < 19.5) nearly complete subsample, allowing direct source classification and photometric-redshift calibration. In this paper, we describe the motivation, target selection, spectroscopic observations, and clustering analysis of 2dFLenS. We use power spectrum multipole measurements to fit the redshift-space distortion parameter of the LRG sample in two redshift ranges 0.15 < z < 0.43 and 0.43 < z < 0.7 as β = 0.49 ± 0.15 and β = 0.26 ± 0.09, respectively. These values are consistent with those obtained from LRGs in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. 2dFLenS data products will be released via our website http://2dflens.swin.edu.au.

Cluster Mass Calibration at High Redshift: HST Weak Lensing Analysis of 13 Distant Galaxy Clusters from the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schrabback, T.; Applegate, D.; Dietrich, J. P.

Here we present an HST/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) weak gravitational lensing analysis of 13 massive high-redshift (z median = 0.88) galaxy clusters discovered in the South Pole Telescope (SPT) Sunyaev–Zel'dovich Survey. This study is part of a larger campaign that aims to robustly calibrate mass–observable scaling relations over a wide range in redshift to enable improved cosmological constraints from the SPT cluster sample. We introduce new strategies to ensure that systematics in the lensing analysis do not degrade constraints on cluster scaling relations significantly. First, we efficiently remove cluster members from the source sample by selecting very blue galaxies in V-I colour. Our estimate of the source redshift distribution is based on Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) data, where we carefully mimic the source selection criteria of the cluster fields. We apply a statistical correction for systematic photometric redshift errors as derived from Hubble Ultra Deep Field data and verified through spatial cross-correlations. We account for the impact of lensing magnification on the source redshift distribution, finding that this is particularly relevant for shallower surveys. Finally, we account for biases in the mass modelling caused by miscentring and uncertainties in the concentration–mass relation using simulations. In combination with temperature estimates from Chandra we constrain the normalization of the mass–temperature scaling relation ln (E(z)M 500c/10 14 M ⊙) = A + 1.5ln (kT/7.2 keV) to A=1.81more » $$+0.24\\atop{-0.14}$$(stat.)±0.09(sys.), consistent with self-similar redshift evolution when compared to lower redshift samples. Additionally, the lensing data constrain the average concentration of the clusters to c 200c=5.6$$+3.7\\atop{-1.8}$$.« less

Cluster Mass Calibration at High Redshift: HST Weak Lensing Analysis of 13 Distant Galaxy Clusters from the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schrabback, T.; Applegate, D.; Dietrich, J. P.

We present an HST/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) weak gravitational lensing analysis of 13 massive high-redshift (z(median) = 0.88) galaxy clusters discovered in the South Pole Telescope (SPT) Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Survey. This study is part of a larger campaign that aims to robustly calibrate mass-observable scaling relations over a wide range in redshift to enable improved cosmological constraints from the SPT cluster sample. We introduce new strategies to ensure that systematics in the lensing analysis do not degrade constraints on cluster scaling relations significantly. First, we efficiently remove cluster members from the source sample by selecting very blue galaxies in Vmore » - I colour. Our estimate of the source redshift distribution is based on Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) data, where we carefully mimic the source selection criteria of the cluster fields. We apply a statistical correction for systematic photometric redshift errors as derived from Hubble Ultra Deep Field data and verified through spatial cross-correlations. We account for the impact of lensing magnification on the source redshift distribution, finding that this is particularly relevant for shallower surveys. Finally, we account for biases in the mass modelling caused by miscentring and uncertainties in the concentration-mass relation using simulations. In combination with temperature estimates from Chandra we constrain the normalization of the mass-temperature scaling relation ln (E(z) M-500c/10(14)M(circle dot)) = A + 1.5ln (kT/7.2 keV) to A = 1.81(-0.14)(+0.24)(stat.)+/- 0.09(sys.), consistent with self-similar redshift evolution when compared to lower redshift samples. Additionally, the lensing data constrain the average concentration of the clusters to c(200c) = 5.6(-1.8)(+3.7).« less

Cluster Mass Calibration at High Redshift: HST Weak Lensing Analysis of 13 Distant Galaxy Clusters from the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Survey

DOE PAGES

Schrabback, T.; Applegate, D.; Dietrich, J. P.; ...

2017-10-14

Here we present an HST/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) weak gravitational lensing analysis of 13 massive high-redshift (z median = 0.88) galaxy clusters discovered in the South Pole Telescope (SPT) Sunyaev–Zel'dovich Survey. This study is part of a larger campaign that aims to robustly calibrate mass–observable scaling relations over a wide range in redshift to enable improved cosmological constraints from the SPT cluster sample. We introduce new strategies to ensure that systematics in the lensing analysis do not degrade constraints on cluster scaling relations significantly. First, we efficiently remove cluster members from the source sample by selecting very blue galaxies in V-I colour. Our estimate of the source redshift distribution is based on Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) data, where we carefully mimic the source selection criteria of the cluster fields. We apply a statistical correction for systematic photometric redshift errors as derived from Hubble Ultra Deep Field data and verified through spatial cross-correlations. We account for the impact of lensing magnification on the source redshift distribution, finding that this is particularly relevant for shallower surveys. Finally, we account for biases in the mass modelling caused by miscentring and uncertainties in the concentration–mass relation using simulations. In combination with temperature estimates from Chandra we constrain the normalization of the mass–temperature scaling relation ln (E(z)M 500c/10 14 M ⊙) = A + 1.5ln (kT/7.2 keV) to A=1.81more » $$+0.24\\atop{-0.14}$$(stat.)±0.09(sys.), consistent with self-similar redshift evolution when compared to lower redshift samples. Additionally, the lensing data constrain the average concentration of the clusters to c 200c=5.6$$+3.7\\atop{-1.8}$$.« less

The K-Band Quasar Luminosity Function from an SDSS and UKIDSS Matched Catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peth, Michael; Ross, N. P.; Schneider, D. P.

2010-01-01

We match the 1,015,082 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR6 Photometric Quasar catalog to the UKIRT Infrared Digital Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS) DR3 to produce a catalog of 130,827 objects with optical (ugriz) and infrared (YJHK) measurements over an area of 1,200 sq. deg. A matching radius of 1'’ is used; the positional standard deviations of SDSS DR6 quasars and UKIDSS LAS is δRA = 0.137'’ and δDec = 0.131''. The catalog contains 74,351 K-band detections and 42,133 objects have coverage in all four NIR bands. In addition to the catalog, we present optical and NIR color-redshift and color-color plots. The photometric vs. spectroscopic redshift plots demonstrate how unreliable high reported photometric redshifts can be. This forces us to focus on z4.6 quasars are compared to our highest redshift objects. The giK color-color plot demonstrates that stellar contamination only affects a small sample of the objects. Distributions for Y,J,H,K and i-bands reveal insights into the flux limits in each magnitude. We investigate the distribution of redshifts from different data sets and investigate the legitimacy of certain measured photometric redshift regions. For in-depth analysis, we focus on the 300 sq. deg area equatorial SDSS region designated as Stripe 82. We measure the observed K-band quasar luminosity function (QLF) for a subset of 9,872, z<2.2 objects. We find the shape of the K-band QLF is very similar to that of the optical QLF, over the considered redshift ranges. Our calculated K-Band QLFs broadly match previous optical QLFs calculated from the SDSS and 2SLAQ QSO surveys and should provide important constraints linking unobscured optical quasars to Mid-Infrared detected, dusty and obscured AGNs at high-redshift.

First broadband characterization and redshift determination of the VHE blazar MAGIC J2001+439

DOE PAGES

Aleksić, J.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; ...

2014-12-09

We aim to characterize the broadband emission from 2FGL J2001.1+4352, which has been associated with the unknown-redshift blazar MG4 J200112+4352. Based on its gamma-ray spectral properties, it was identified as a potential very high energy (VHE; E> 100 GeV) gamma-ray emitter. We investigate whether this object is aVHE emitter, characterize its gamma-ray spectrum, and study the broadband emission within the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scenario, which is commonly used to describe the emission in blazars. Moreover, we also intend to determine the redshift of this object, which is a crucial parameter for its scientific interpretation. Here, the source was observedmore » with MAGIC first in 2009 and later in 2010 within a multi-instrument observation campaign. The MAGIC observations yielded 14.8 h of good quality stereoscopic data. Besides MAGIC, the campaign involved, observations with Fermi-LAT, Swift-XRT/UVOT, the optical telescopes KVA, Goddard Robotic Telescope, Galaxy View observatory, Crimean Astrophysical observatory, St. Petersburg observatory, and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. The object was monitored at radio, optical and gamma-ray energies during the years 2010 and 2011. We characterize the radio to VHE spectral energy distribution and quantify the multiband variability and correlations over short (few days) and long (many months) timescales. We also organized deep imaging optical observations with the Nordic Optical Telescope in 2013 to determine the source redshift. As a result, the source, named MAGIC J2001+439, is detected for the first time at VHE with MAGIC at a statistical significance of 6.3σ (E > 70 GeV) during a 1.3 h long observation on 2010 July 16. The multi-instrument observations show variability in all energy bands with the highest amplitude of variability in the X-ray and VHE bands. Besides the variability on few-day timescales, the long-term monitoring of MAGIC J2001+439 shows that, the gamma-ray, optical, and radio emissions gradually decreased on few-month timescales from 2010 through 2011, indicating that at least some of the radio, optical and gamma-ray emission is produced in a single region by the same population of particles. We also determine for the first time the redshift of this BL Lac object through the measurement of its host galaxy during low blazar activity. Using the observational evidence that the luminosities of BL Lac host galaxies are confined to a relatively narrow range, we obtain z = 0.18 ± 0.04. In addition, we use the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC gamma-ray spectra to provide an independent redshift estimation, z = 0.17 ± 0.10. Finally, using the former (more accurate) redshift value, we adequately describe the broadband emission with a one-zone SSC model for different activity states and interpret the few-day timescale variability as produced by changes in the high-energy component of the electron energy distribution.« less

The High Redshift Universe Seen Through the Eyes of ALMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiklind, Tommy

2012-07-01

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submm Array (ALMA) is an interferometric telescope currently under construction on the Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile. It is situated at an altitude of 5000m, in one of the driest places in the world. The combination of the meteorological conditions, increased total collecting area and the use of state-of-the-art receivers means that the fully operational ALMA is a factor 10-1000 more sensitive than existing facilities, depending on the wavelength. When completed in 2013, ALMA will consists of 66 antennas, with maximum baselines of up to 15 km and it will be able to observe at wavelengths from 10 millimeter to ~350micron. ALMA will be able to provide an angular resolution of ~0.05 arcseconds. ALMA is still under construction, but has started producing science in an 'Early Science' phase. The goal with ALMA has from the beginning been to provide very high sensitivity as well as an angular resolution matching that of space based optical observatories such as the HST. One of three main drivers when designing ALMA has been the ability to study the high redshift universe. The main reason behind this is that almost half of the integrated background radiation comes from the far-infrared wavelength regime. This emission is interpreted as originating from dust re-radiated stellar emission in high redshift galaxies. Interstellar dust is almost invariably associated with molecular gas, that can be studied using molecular rotational transitions. The shape of the dust spectral energy distribution ensures that the observed flux at a fixed wavelength long-ward of the far-infrared peak (about 100micron) remains more or less constant over a redshift range z=1-10. This aspect makes dust continuum emission extraordinarily important for studying galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei at high redshift. Through observations of line emission from molecular transitions it is possible to study the associated molecular gas distribution and its kinematics. The large spectral coverage of ALMA makes it possible to observe the most common molecules, such as CO, at any redshift. The neutral and ionized gas components can be studied through several atomic fine-structure lines. For instance, the CII fine-structure line at a rest-wavelength of 158micron is one of the most important cooling agents for ionized gas. It can be targeted with ALMA over a large fraction of cosmic history. Other atomic fine-structure lines can provide important data for studying the emergence of super-massive black holes at high redshift. In this presentation I will discuss the potential of ALMA for studying the early universe, the potential synergies with current and planned space mission (e.g. HST and JWST) and, hopefully, some results from the Early Science observations.

SCUBA-2 follow-up of Herschel-SPIRE observed Planck overdensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacKenzie, Todd P.; Scott, Douglas; Bianconi, Matteo; Clements, David L.; Dole, Herve A.; Flores-Cacho, Inés; Guery, David; Kneissl, Ruediger; Lagache, Guilaine; Marleau, Francine R.; Montier, Ludovic; Nesvadba, Nicole P. H.; Pointecouteau, Etienne; Soucail, Genevieve

2017-07-01

We present SCUBA-2 follow-up of 61 candidate high-redshift Planck sources. Of these, 10 are confirmed strong gravitational lenses and comprise some of the brightest such submm sources on the observed sky, while 51 are candidate proto-cluster fields undergoing massive starburst events. With the accompanying Herschel-Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver observations and assuming an empirical dust temperature prior of 34^{+13}_{-9} K, we provide photometric redshift and far-IR luminosity estimates for 172 SCUBA-2-selected sources within these Planck overdensity fields. The redshift distribution of the sources peak between a redshift of 2 and 4, with one-third of the sources having S500/S350 > 1. For the majority of the sources, we find far-IR luminosities of approximately 1013 L⊙, corresponding to star formation rates of around 1000 M⊙ yr-1. For S850 > 8 mJy sources, we show that there is up to an order of magnitude increase in star formation rate density and an increase in uncorrected number counts of 6 for S850 > 8 mJy when compared to typical cosmological survey fields. The sources detected with SCUBA-2 account for only approximately 5 per cent of the Planck flux at 353 GHz, and thus many more fainter sources are expected in these fields.

Cosmic velocity-gravity relation in redshift space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombi, Stéphane; Chodorowski, Michał J.; Teyssier, Romain

2007-02-01

We propose a simple way to estimate the parameter β ~= Ω0.6/b from 3D galaxy surveys, where Ω is the non-relativistic matter-density parameter of the Universe and b is the bias between the galaxy distribution and the total matter distribution. Our method consists in measuring the relation between the cosmological velocity and gravity fields, and thus requires peculiar velocity measurements. The relation is measured directly in redshift space, so there is no need to reconstruct the density field in real space. In linear theory, the radial components of the gravity and velocity fields in redshift space are expected to be tightly correlated, with a slope given, in the distant observer approximation, by We test extensively this relation using controlled numerical experiments based on a cosmological N-body simulation. To perform the measurements, we propose a new and rather simple adaptive interpolation scheme to estimate the velocity and the gravity field on a grid. One of the most striking results is that non-linear effects, including `fingers of God', affect mainly the tails of the joint probability distribution function (PDF) of the velocity and gravity field: the 1-1.5 σ region around the maximum of the PDF is dominated by the linear theory regime, both in real and redshift space. This is understood explicitly by using the spherical collapse model as a proxy of non-linear dynamics. Applications of the method to real galaxy catalogues are discussed, including a preliminary investigation on homogeneous (volume-limited) `galaxy' samples extracted from the simulation with simple prescriptions based on halo and substructure identification, to quantify the effects of the bias between the galaxy distribution and the total matter distribution, as well as the effects of shot noise.

Hα Equivalent Widths from the 3D-HST survey: evolution with redshift and dependence on stellar mass†

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fumagalli, Mattia; Patel, Shannon G.; Franx, Marijn; Brammer, Gabriel; van Dokkum, Pieter; da Cunha, Elisabete; Kriek, Mariska; Lundgren, Britt; Momcheva, Ivelina; Rix, Hans-Walter; Schmidt, Kasper B.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Labbe, Ivo; Nelson, Erica

2013-07-01

We investigate the evolution of the Hα equivalent width, EW(Hα), with redshift and its dependence on stellar mass, using the first data from the 3D-HST survey, a large spectroscopic Treasury program with the HST-WFC3. Combining our Hα measurements of 854 galaxies at 0.8

Cross-correlation redshift calibration without spectroscopic calibration samples in DES Science Verification Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, C.; Rozo, E.; Roodman, A.; Alarcon, A.; Cawthon, R.; Gatti, M.; Lin, H.; Miquel, R.; Rykoff, E. S.; Troxel, M. A.; Vielzeuf, P.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Bechtol, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Castander, F. J.; Crocce, M.; Cunha, C. E.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Doel, P.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Fausti Neto, A.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; García-Bellido, J.; Gaztanaga, E.; Gerdes, D. W.; Giannantonio, T.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; Jain, B.; James, D. J.; Jeltema, T.; Krause, E.; Kuehn, K.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Li, T. S.; Lima, M.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Martini, P.; Melchior, P.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Plazas, A. A.; Romer, A. K.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, M.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Wechsler, R. H.

2018-06-01

Galaxy cross-correlations with high-fidelity redshift samples hold the potential to precisely calibrate systematic photometric redshift uncertainties arising from the unavailability of complete and representative training and validation samples of galaxies. However, application of this technique in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is hampered by the relatively low number density, small area, and modest redshift overlap between photometric and spectroscopic samples. We propose instead using photometric catalogues with reliable photometric redshifts for photo-z calibration via cross-correlations. We verify the viability of our proposal using redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to successfully recover the redshift distribution of SDSS spectroscopic galaxies. We demonstrate how to combine photo-z with cross-correlation data to calibrate photometric redshift biases while marginalizing over possible clustering bias evolution in either the calibration or unknown photometric samples. We apply our method to DES Science Verification (DES SV) data in order to constrain the photometric redshift distribution of a galaxy sample selected for weak lensing studies, constraining the mean of the tomographic redshift distributions to a statistical uncertainty of Δz ˜ ±0.01. We forecast that our proposal can, in principle, control photometric redshift uncertainties in DES weak lensing experiments at a level near the intrinsic statistical noise of the experiment over the range of redshifts where redMaPPer clusters are available. Our results provide strong motivation to launch a programme to fully characterize the systematic errors from bias evolution and photo-z shapes in our calibration procedure.

Cross-correlation redshift calibration without spectroscopic calibration samples in DES Science Verification Data

DOE PAGES

Davis, C.; Rozo, E.; Roodman, A.; ...

2018-03-26

Galaxy cross-correlations with high-fidelity redshift samples hold the potential to precisely calibrate systematic photometric redshift uncertainties arising from the unavailability of complete and representative training and validation samples of galaxies. However, application of this technique in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is hampered by the relatively low number density, small area, and modest redshift overlap between photometric and spectroscopic samples. We propose instead using photometric catalogs with reliable photometric redshifts for photo-z calibration via cross-correlations. We verify the viability of our proposal using redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to successfully recover the redshift distribution of SDSS spectroscopic galaxies. We demonstrate how to combine photo-z with cross-correlation data to calibrate photometric redshift biases while marginalizing over possible clustering bias evolution in either the calibration or unknown photometric samples. We apply our method to DES Science Verification (DES SV) data in order to constrain the photometric redshift distribution of a galaxy sample selected for weak lensing studies, constraining the mean of the tomographic redshift distributions to a statistical uncertainty ofmore » $$\\Delta z \\sim \\pm 0.01$$. We forecast that our proposal can in principle control photometric redshift uncertainties in DES weak lensing experiments at a level near the intrinsic statistical noise of the experiment over the range of redshifts where redMaPPer clusters are available. Here, our results provide strong motivation to launch a program to fully characterize the systematic errors from bias evolution and photo-z shapes in our calibration procedure.« less

Cross-correlation redshift calibration without spectroscopic calibration samples in DES Science Verification Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, C.; Rozo, E.; Roodman, A.

Galaxy cross-correlations with high-fidelity redshift samples hold the potential to precisely calibrate systematic photometric redshift uncertainties arising from the unavailability of complete and representative training and validation samples of galaxies. However, application of this technique in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) is hampered by the relatively low number density, small area, and modest redshift overlap between photometric and spectroscopic samples. We propose instead using photometric catalogs with reliable photometric redshifts for photo-z calibration via cross-correlations. We verify the viability of our proposal using redMaPPer clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to successfully recover the redshift distribution of SDSS spectroscopic galaxies. We demonstrate how to combine photo-z with cross-correlation data to calibrate photometric redshift biases while marginalizing over possible clustering bias evolution in either the calibration or unknown photometric samples. We apply our method to DES Science Verification (DES SV) data in order to constrain the photometric redshift distribution of a galaxy sample selected for weak lensing studies, constraining the mean of the tomographic redshift distributions to a statistical uncertainty ofmore » $$\\Delta z \\sim \\pm 0.01$$. We forecast that our proposal can in principle control photometric redshift uncertainties in DES weak lensing experiments at a level near the intrinsic statistical noise of the experiment over the range of redshifts where redMaPPer clusters are available. Here, our results provide strong motivation to launch a program to fully characterize the systematic errors from bias evolution and photo-z shapes in our calibration procedure.« less

The redshift-space neighborhoods of 36 loose groups. 2: Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramella, Massimo; Geller, Margaret J.; Hurchra, John P.; Thorstensen, John R.

1995-01-01

We explore the kinematics of 36 rich RGH89 groups identified from the first two complete slices of the CfA redshift survey. These groups have more than five members identified by a friends-of-friends algorithm at a number density contrast delta rho/rho greater than or equal to 80. To examine the stability of the determination of the velocity dispersion for these systems, we compare results for the original 232 members with results for a larger redshift sample, including 334 fainter members in the redshift neighborhoods. On average, we double the number of group members in each system. The observed distribution of velocity dispersions is stable. In fact, the velocity dispersion based on the original members identified in the CfA redshift survey is a reliable predictor of the value for the enlarged sample in an individual group. The velocity dispersion is thus a stable physical parameter for discrimination among systems galaxies. A larger sample of groups, particularly one selected from a distance limited catalog, should provide an interesting constraint on models for the formation of large-scale structure. We take H(sub 0) = km/s/Mpc.

THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY REVERBERATION MAPPING PROJECT: BIASES IN z  > 1.46 REDSHIFTS DUE TO QUASAR DIVERSITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denney, K. D.; Peterson, B. M.; Horne, Keith

We use the coadded spectra of 32 epochs of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Reverberation Mapping Project observations of 482 quasars with z  > 1.46 to highlight systematic biases in the SDSS- and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS)-pipeline redshifts due to the natural diversity of quasar properties. We investigate the characteristics of this bias by comparing the BOSS-pipeline redshifts to an estimate from the centroid of He ii λ 1640. He ii has a low equivalent width but is often well-defined in high-S/N spectra, does not suffer from self-absorption, and has a narrow component which, when present (the case for aboutmore » half of our sources), produces a redshift estimate that, on average, is consistent with that determined from [O ii] to within the He ii and [O ii] centroid measurement uncertainties. The large redshift differences of ∼1000 km s{sup −1}, on average, between the BOSS-pipeline and He ii-centroid redshifts, suggest there are significant biases in a portion of BOSS quasar redshift measurements. Adopting the He ii-based redshifts shows that C iv does not exhibit a ubiquitous blueshift for all quasars, given the precision probed by our measurements. Instead, we find a distribution of C iv-centroid blueshifts across our sample, with a dynamic range that (i) is wider than that previously reported for this line, and (ii) spans C iv centroids from those consistent with the systemic redshift to those with significant blueshifts of thousands of kilometers per second. These results have significant implications for measurement and use of high-redshift quasar properties and redshifts, and studies based thereon.« less

A simulation-based analytic model of radio galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardcastle, M. J.

2018-04-01

I derive and discuss a simple semi-analytical model of the evolution of powerful radio galaxies which is not based on assumptions of self-similar growth, but rather implements some insights about the dynamics and energetics of these systems derived from numerical simulations, and can be applied to arbitrary pressure/density profiles of the host environment. The model can qualitatively and quantitatively reproduce the source dynamics and synchrotron light curves derived from numerical modelling. Approximate corrections for radiative and adiabatic losses allow it to predict the evolution of radio spectral index and of inverse-Compton emission both for active and `remnant' sources after the jet has turned off. Code to implement the model is publicly available. Using a standard model with a light relativistic (electron-positron) jet, subequipartition magnetic fields, and a range of realistic group/cluster environments, I simulate populations of sources and show that the model can reproduce the range of properties of powerful radio sources as well as observed trends in the relationship between jet power and radio luminosity, and predicts their dependence on redshift and environment. I show that the distribution of source lifetimes has a significant effect on both the source length distribution and the fraction of remnant sources expected in observations, and so can in principle be constrained by observations. The remnant fraction is expected to be low even at low redshift and low observing frequency due to the rapid luminosity evolution of remnants, and to tend rapidly to zero at high redshift due to inverse-Compton losses.

Smoothing the redshift distributions of random samples for the baryon acoustic oscillations: applications to the SDSS-III BOSS DR12 and QPM mock samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shao-Jiang; Guo, Qi; Cai, Rong-Gen

2017-12-01

We investigate the impact of different redshift distributions of random samples on the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) measurements of D_V(z)r_d^fid/r_d from the two-point correlation functions of galaxies in the Data Release 12 of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Big surveys, such as BOSS, usually assign redshifts to the random samples by randomly drawing values from the measured redshift distributions of the data, which would necessarily introduce fiducial signals of fluctuations into the random samples, weakening the signals of BAO, if the cosmic variance cannot be ignored. We propose a smooth function of redshift distribution that fits the data well to populate the random galaxy samples. The resulting cosmological parameters match the input parameters of the mock catalogue very well. The significance of BAO signals has been improved by 0.33σ for a low-redshift sample and by 0.03σ for a constant-stellar-mass sample, though the absolute values do not change significantly. Given the precision of the measurements of current cosmological parameters, it would be appreciated for the future improvements on the measurements of galaxy clustering.

Gamma-Ray Burst Intensity Distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Band, David L.; Norris, Jay P.; Bonnell, Jerry T.

2004-01-01

We use the lag-luminosity relation to calculate self-consistently the redshifts, apparent peak bolometric luminosities L(sub B1), and isotropic energies E(sub iso) for a large sample of BATSE bursts. We consider two different forms of the lag-luminosity relation; for both forms the median redshift, for our burst database is 1.6. We model the resulting sample of burst energies with power law and Gaussian dis- tributions, both of which are reasonable models. The power law model has an index of a = 1.76 plus or minus 0.05 (95% confidence) as opposed to the index of a = 2 predicted by the simple universal jet profile model; however, reasonable refinements to this model permit much greater flexibility in reconciling predicted and observed energy distributions.

THE AGE SPREAD OF QUIESCENT GALAXIES WITH THE NEWFIRM MEDIUM-BAND SURVEY: IDENTIFICATION OF THE OLDEST GALAXIES OUT TO z {approx} 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitaker, Katherine E.; Van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Brammer, Gabriel

2010-08-20

With a complete, mass-selected sample of quiescent galaxies from the NEWFIRM Medium-Band Survey, we study the stellar populations of the oldest and most massive galaxies (>10{sup 11} M{sub sun}) to high redshift. The sample includes 570 quiescent galaxies selected based on their extinction-corrected U - V colors out to z = 2.2, with accurate photometric redshifts, {sigma} {sub z}/(1 + z) {approx} 2%, and rest-frame colors, {sigma}{sub U-V} {approx} 0.06 mag. We measure an increase in the intrinsic scatter of the rest-frame U - V colors of quiescent galaxies with redshift. This scatter in color arises from the spread inmore » ages of the quiescent galaxies, where we see both relatively quiescent red, old galaxies and quiescent blue, younger galaxies toward higher redshift. The trends between color and age are consistent with the observed composite rest-frame spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of these galaxies. The composite SEDs of the reddest and bluest quiescent galaxies are fundamentally different, with remarkably well-defined 4000 A and Balmer breaks, respectively. Some of the quiescent galaxies may be up to four times older than the average age and up to the age of the universe, if the assumption of solar metallicity is correct. By matching the scatter predicted by models that include growth of the red sequence by the transformation of blue galaxies to the observed intrinsic scatter, the data indicate that most early-type galaxies formed their stars at high redshift with a burst of star formation prior to migrating to the red sequence. The observed U - V color evolution with redshift is weaker than passive evolution predicts; possible mechanisms to slow the color evolution include increasing amounts of dust in quiescent galaxies toward higher redshift, red mergers at z {approx}< 1, and a frosting of relatively young stars from star formation at later times.« less

Transition Region and Chromospheric Signatures of Impulsive Heating Events. I. Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Harry P.; Reep, Jeffrey W.; Crump, Nicholas A.; Simões, Paulo J. A.

2016-09-01

We exploit the high spatial resolution and high cadence of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) to investigate the response of the transition region and chromosphere to energy deposition during a small flare. Simultaneous observations from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager provide constraints on the energetic electrons precipitating into the flare footpoints, while observations of the X-Ray Telescope, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) allow us to measure the temperatures and emission measures from the resulting flare loops. We find clear evidence for heating over an extended period on the spatial scale of a single IRIS pixel. During the impulsive phase of this event, the intensities in each pixel for the Si IV 1402.770 Å, C II 1334.535 Å, Mg II 2796.354 Å, and O I 1355.598 Å emission lines are characterized by numerous small-scale bursts typically lasting 60 s or less. Redshifts are observed in Si IV, C II, and Mg II during the impulsive phase. Mg II shows redshifts during the bursts and stationary emission at other times. The Si IV and C II profiles, in contrast, are observed to be redshifted at all times during the impulsive phase. These persistent redshifts are a challenge for one-dimensional hydrodynamic models, which predict only short-duration downflows in response to impulsive heating. We conjecture that energy is being released on many small-scale filaments with a power-law distribution of heating rates.

Supernovae - A new selection effect. [statistical distribution in and radial distance from center of parent galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, R. L.

1979-01-01

A sample of 228 supernovae that occurred in galaxies with known redshifts is used to show that the mean projected linear supernova distance from the center of the parent galaxy increases with increasing redshift. This effect is interpreted as an observational bias: the discovery rate of supernovae is reduced in the inner parts of distant, poorly resolved galaxies. Even under the optimistic assumption that no selection effects work in galaxies closer than 33 Mpc, about 50% of all supernovae are lost in the inner regions of galaxies beyond 150 Mpc. This observational bias must be taken into account in the derivation of statistical properties of supernovae.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juneau, Stéphanie; Bournaud, Frédéric; Daddi, Emanuele

Emission line diagnostic diagrams probing the ionization sources in galaxies, such as the Baldwin-Phillips-Terlevich (BPT) diagram, have been used extensively to distinguish active galactic nuclei (AGN) from purely star-forming galaxies. However, they remain poorly understood at higher redshifts. We shed light on this issue with an empirical approach based on a z ∼ 0 reference sample built from ∼300,000 Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies, from which we mimic selection effects due to typical emission line detection limits at higher redshift. We combine this low-redshift reference sample with a simple prescription for luminosity evolution of the global galaxy population to predictmore » the loci of high-redshift galaxies on the BPT and Mass-Excitation (MEx) diagnostic diagrams. The predicted bivariate distributions agree remarkably well with direct observations of galaxies out to z ∼ 1.5, including the observed stellar mass-metallicity (MZ) relation evolution. As a result, we infer that high-redshift star-forming galaxies are consistent with having normal interstellar medium (ISM) properties out to z ∼ 1.5, after accounting for selection effects and line luminosity evolution. Namely, their optical line ratios and gas-phase metallicities are comparable to that of low-redshift galaxies with equivalent emission-line luminosities. In contrast, AGN narrow-line regions may show a shift toward lower metallicities at higher redshift. While a physical evolution of the ISM conditions is not ruled out for purely star-forming galaxies and may be more important starting at z ≳ 2, we find that reliably quantifying this evolution is hindered by selections effects. The recipes provided here may serve as a basis for future studies toward this goal. Code to predict the loci of galaxies on the BPT and MEx diagnostic diagrams and the MZ relation as a function of emission line luminosity limits is made publicly available.« less

Analytic halo approach to the bispectrum of galaxies in redshift space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Nan, Yue; Hikage, Chiaki

2017-02-01

We present an analytic formula for the galaxy bispectrum in redshift space on the basis of the halo approach description with the halo occupation distribution of central galaxies and satellite galaxies. This work is an extension of a previous work on the galaxy power spectrum, which illuminated the significant contribution of satellite galaxies to the higher multipole spectrum through the nonlinear redshift space distortions of their random motions. Behaviors of the multipoles of the bispectrum are compared with results of numerical simulations assuming a halo occupation distribution of the low-redshift (LOWZ) sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III baryon oscillation spectroscopic survey (BOSS) survey. Also presented are analytic approximate formulas for the multipoles of the bispectrum, which is useful to understanding their characteristic properties. We demonstrate that the Fingers of God effect is quite important for the higher multipoles of the bispectrum in redshift space, depending on the halo occupation distribution parameters.

SEDEBLEND: a new method for deblending spectral energy distributions in confused imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacKenzie, Todd P.; Scott, Douglas; Swinbank, Mark

2016-11-01

For high-redshift submillimetre or millimetre sources detected with single-dish telescopes, interferometric follow-up has shown that many are multiple submillimetre galaxies blended together. Confusion-limited Herschel observations of such targets are also available, and these sample the peak of their spectral energy distribution (SED) in the far-infrared. Many methods for analysing these data have been adopted, but most follow the traditional approach of extracting fluxes before model SEDs are fit, which has the potential to erase important information on degeneracies among fitting parameters and glosses over the intricacies of confusion noise. Here, we adapt the forward-modelling method that we originally developed to disentangle a high-redshift strongly lensed galaxy group, in order to tackle this general problem in a more statistically rigorous way, by combining source deblending and SED fitting into the same procedure. We call this method `SEDeblend'. As an application, we derive constraints on far-infrared luminosities and dust temperatures for sources within the ALMA follow-up of the LABOCA Extended Chandra Deep Field South Submillimetre Survey. We find an average dust temperature for an 870-μm-selected sample of (33.9 ± 2.4) K for the full survey. When selection effects of the sample are considered, we find no evidence that the average dust temperature evolves with redshift for sources with redshifts greater than about 1.5, when compared to those with redshifts between 0.1 and 1.5.

Intergalactic Extinction of High Energy Gamma-Rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.

1998-01-01

We discuss the determination of the intergalactic pair-production absorption coefficient as derived by Stecker and De Jager by making use of a new empirically based calculation of the spectral energy distribution of the intergalactic infrared radiation field as given by Malkan and Stecker. We show that the results of the Malkan and Stecker calculation agree well with recent data on the infrared background. We then show that Whipple observations of the flaring gamma-ray spectrum of Mrk 421 hint at extragalactic absorption and that the HEGRA observations of the flaring spectrum of Mrk 501 appear to strongly indicate extragalactic absorption. We also discuss the determination of the y-ray opacity at higher redshifts, following the treatment of Salamon and Stecker. We give a predicted spectrum, with absorption included for PKS 2155-304. This XBL lies at a redshift of 0.12, the highest redshift source yet observed at an energy above 0.3 TeV. This source should have its spectrum steepened by approx. 1 in its spectral index between approx. 0.3 and approx. 3 TeV and should show an absorption cutoff above approx. 6 TeV.

Detectability of large-scale power suppression in the galaxy distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibelyou, Cameron; Huterer, Dragan; Fang, Wenjuan

2010-12-01

Suppression in primordial power on the Universe’s largest observable scales has been invoked as a possible explanation for large-angle observations in the cosmic microwave background, and is allowed or predicted by some inflationary models. Here we investigate the extent to which such a suppression could be confirmed by the upcoming large-volume redshift surveys. For definiteness, we study a simple parametric model of suppression that improves the fit of the vanilla ΛCDM model to the angular correlation function measured by WMAP in cut-sky maps, and at the same time improves the fit to the angular power spectrum inferred from the maximum likelihood analysis presented by the WMAP team. We find that the missing power at large scales, favored by WMAP observations within the context of this model, will be difficult but not impossible to rule out with a galaxy redshift survey with large-volume (˜100Gpc3). A key requirement for success in ruling out power suppression will be having redshifts of most galaxies detected in the imaging survey.

Mapping and simulating systematics due to spatially-varying observing conditions in DES science verification data

DOE PAGES

Leistedt, B.; Peiris, H. V.; Elsner, F.; ...

2016-10-17

Spatially-varying depth and characteristics of observing conditions, such as seeing, airmass, or sky background, are major sources of systematic uncertainties in modern galaxy survey analyses, in particular in deep multi-epoch surveys. We present a framework to extract and project these sources of systematics onto the sky, and apply it to the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to map the observing conditions of the Science Verification (SV) data. The resulting distributions and maps of sources of systematics are used in several analyses of DES SV to perform detailed null tests with the data, and also to incorporate systematics in survey simulations. Wemore » illustrate the complementarity of these two approaches by comparing the SV data with the BCC-UFig, a synthetic sky catalogue generated by forward-modelling of the DES SV images. We then analyse the BCC-UFig simulation to construct galaxy samples mimicking those used in SV galaxy clustering studies. We show that the spatially-varying survey depth imprinted in the observed galaxy densities and the redshift distributions of the SV data are successfully reproduced by the simulation and well-captured by the maps of observing conditions. The combined use of the maps, the SV data and the BCC-UFig simulation allows us to quantify the impact of spatial systematics on N(z), the redshift distributions inferred using photometric redshifts. We conclude that spatial systematics in the SV data are mainly due to seeing fluctuations and are under control in current clustering and weak lensing analyses. However, they will need to be carefully characterised in upcoming phases of DES in order to avoid biasing the inferred cosmological results. The framework presented is relevant to all multi-epoch surveys, and will be essential for exploiting future surveys such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which will require detailed null-tests and realistic end-to-end image simulations to correctly interpret the deep, high-cadence observations of the sky.« less

MAPPING AND SIMULATING SYSTEMATICS DUE TO SPATIALLY VARYING OBSERVING CONDITIONS IN DES SCIENCE VERIFICATION DATA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leistedt, B.; Peiris, H. V.; Elsner, F.

Spatially varying depth and the characteristics of observing conditions, such as seeing, airmass, or sky background, are major sources of systematic uncertainties in modern galaxy survey analyses, particularly in deep multi-epoch surveys. We present a framework to extract and project these sources of systematics onto the sky, and apply it to the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to map the observing conditions of the Science Verification (SV) data. The resulting distributions and maps of sources of systematics are used in several analyses of DES-SV to perform detailed null tests with the data, and also to incorporate systematics in survey simulations. Wemore » illustrate the complementary nature of these two approaches by comparing the SV data with BCC-UFig, a synthetic sky catalog generated by forward-modeling of the DES-SV images. We analyze the BCC-UFig simulation to construct galaxy samples mimicking those used in SV galaxy clustering studies. We show that the spatially varying survey depth imprinted in the observed galaxy densities and the redshift distributions of the SV data are successfully reproduced by the simulation and are well-captured by the maps of observing conditions. The combined use of the maps, the SV data, and the BCC-UFig simulation allows us to quantify the impact of spatial systematics on N(z), the redshift distributions inferred using photometric redshifts. We conclude that spatial systematics in the SV data are mainly due to seeing fluctuations and are under control in current clustering and weak-lensing analyses. However, they will need to be carefully characterized in upcoming phases of DES in order to avoid biasing the inferred cosmological results. The framework presented here is relevant to all multi-epoch surveys and will be essential for exploiting future surveys such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which will require detailed null tests and realistic end-to-end image simulations to correctly interpret the deep, high-cadence observations of the sky« less

Mapping and simulating systematics due to spatially-varying observing conditions in DES science verification data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leistedt, B.; Peiris, H. V.; Elsner, F.

Spatially-varying depth and characteristics of observing conditions, such as seeing, airmass, or sky background, are major sources of systematic uncertainties in modern galaxy survey analyses, in particular in deep multi-epoch surveys. We present a framework to extract and project these sources of systematics onto the sky, and apply it to the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to map the observing conditions of the Science Verification (SV) data. The resulting distributions and maps of sources of systematics are used in several analyses of DES SV to perform detailed null tests with the data, and also to incorporate systematics in survey simulations. Wemore » illustrate the complementarity of these two approaches by comparing the SV data with the BCC-UFig, a synthetic sky catalogue generated by forward-modelling of the DES SV images. We then analyse the BCC-UFig simulation to construct galaxy samples mimicking those used in SV galaxy clustering studies. We show that the spatially-varying survey depth imprinted in the observed galaxy densities and the redshift distributions of the SV data are successfully reproduced by the simulation and well-captured by the maps of observing conditions. The combined use of the maps, the SV data and the BCC-UFig simulation allows us to quantify the impact of spatial systematics on N(z), the redshift distributions inferred using photometric redshifts. We conclude that spatial systematics in the SV data are mainly due to seeing fluctuations and are under control in current clustering and weak lensing analyses. However, they will need to be carefully characterised in upcoming phases of DES in order to avoid biasing the inferred cosmological results. The framework presented is relevant to all multi-epoch surveys, and will be essential for exploiting future surveys such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, which will require detailed null-tests and realistic end-to-end image simulations to correctly interpret the deep, high-cadence observations of the sky.« less

Distributions of Gas and Galaxies from Galaxy Clusters to Larger Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patej, Anna

2017-01-01

We address the distributions of gas and galaxies on three scales: the outskirts of galaxy clusters, the clustering of galaxies on large scales, and the extremes of the galaxy distribution. In the outskirts of galaxy clusters, long-standing analytical models of structure formation and recent simulations predict the existence of density jumps in the gas and dark matter profiles. We use these features to derive models for the gas density profile, obtaining a simple fiducial model that is in agreement with both observations of cluster interiors and simulations of the outskirts. We next consider the galaxy density profiles of clusters; under the assumption that the galaxies in cluster outskirts follow similar collisionless dynamics as the dark matter, their distribution should show a steep jump as well. We examine the profiles of a low-redshift sample of clusters and groups, finding evidence for the jump in some of these clusters. Moving to larger scales where massive galaxies of different types are expected to trace the same large-scale structure, we present a test of this prediction by measuring the clustering of red and blue galaxies at z 0.6, finding low stochasticity between the two populations. These results address a key source of systematic uncertainty - understanding how target populations of galaxies trace large-scale structure - in galaxy redshift surveys. Such surveys use baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) as a cosmological probe, but are limited by the expense of obtaining sufficiently dense spectroscopy. With the intention of leveraging upcoming deep imaging data, we develop a new method of detecting the BAO in sparse spectroscopic samples via cross-correlation with a dense photometric catalog. This method will permit the extension of BAO measurements to higher redshifts than possible with the existing spectroscopy alone. Lastly, we connect galaxies near and far: the Local Group dwarfs and the high redshift galaxies observed by Hubble and Spitzer. We examine how the local dwarfs may have appeared in the past and compare their properties to the detection limits of the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), finding that JWST should be able to detect galaxies similar to the progenitors of a few of the brightest of the local galaxies, revealing a hitherto unobserved population of galaxies at high redshifts.

Extremely red objects in the fields of high redshift radio galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Persson, S. E.; Mccarthy, P. J.; Dressler, Alan; Matthews, Keith

1993-01-01

We are engaged in a program of infrared imaging photometry of high redshift radio galaxies. The observations are being done using NICMOS2 and NICMOS3 arrays on the DuPont 100-inch telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. In addition, Persson and Matthews are measuring the spectral energy distributions of normal cluster galaxies in the redshift range 0 to 1. These measurements are being done with a 58 x 62 InSb array on the Palomar 5-m telescope. During the course of these observations we have imaged roughly 20 square arcminutes of sky to limiting magnitudes greater than 20 in the J, H, and K passbands (3 sigma in 3 square arcseconds). We have detected several relatively bright, extremely red, extended objects during the course of this work. Because the radio galaxy program requires Thuan-Gunn gri photometry, we are able to construct rough photometric energy distributions for many of the objects. A sample of the galaxy magnitudes within 4 arcseconds diameter is given. All the detections are real; either the objects show up at several wavelengths, or in subsets of the data. The reddest object in the table, 9ab'B' was found in a field of galaxies in a rich cluster at z = 0.4; 9ab'A' lies 8 arcseconds from it.

High redshift galaxies in the ALHAMBRA survey . I. Selection method and number counts based on redshift PDFs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viironen, K.; Marín-Franch, A.; López-Sanjuan, C.; Varela, J.; Chaves-Montero, J.; Cristóbal-Hornillos, D.; Molino, A.; Fernández-Soto, A.; Vilella-Rojo, G.; Ascaso, B.; Cenarro, A. J.; Cerviño, M.; Cepa, J.; Ederoclite, A.; Márquez, I.; Masegosa, J.; Moles, M.; Oteo, I.; Pović, M.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Alfaro, E.; Aparicio-Villegas, T.; Benítez, N.; Broadhurst, T.; Cabrera-Caño, J.; Castander, J. F.; Del Olmo, A.; González Delgado, R. M.; Husillos, C.; Infante, L.; Martínez, V. J.; Perea, J.; Prada, F.; Quintana, J. M.

2015-04-01

Context. Most observational results on the high redshift restframe UV-bright galaxies are based on samples pinpointed using the so-called dropout technique or Ly-α selection. However, the availability of multifilter data now allows the dropout selections to be replaced by direct methods based on photometric redshifts. In this paper we present the methodology to select and study the population of high redshift galaxies in the ALHAMBRA survey data. Aims: Our aim is to develop a less biased methodology than the traditional dropout technique to study the high redshift galaxies in ALHAMBRA and other multifilter data. Thanks to the wide area ALHAMBRA covers, we especially aim at contributing to the study of the brightest, least frequent, high redshift galaxies. Methods: The methodology is based on redshift probability distribution functions (zPDFs). It is shown how a clean galaxy sample can be obtained by selecting the galaxies with high integrated probability of being within a given redshift interval. However, reaching both a complete and clean sample with this method is challenging. Hence, a method to derive statistical properties by summing the zPDFs of all the galaxies in the redshift bin of interest is introduced. Results: Using this methodology we derive the galaxy rest frame UV number counts in five redshift bins centred at z = 2.5,3.0,3.5,4.0, and 4.5, being complete up to the limiting magnitude at mUV(AB) = 24, where mUV refers to the first ALHAMBRA filter redwards of the Ly-α line. With the wide field ALHAMBRA data we especially contribute to the study of the brightest ends of these counts, accurately sampling the surface densities down to mUV(AB) = 21-22. Conclusions: We show that using the zPDFs it is easy to select a very clean sample of high redshift galaxies. We also show that it is better to do statistical analysis of the properties of galaxies using a probabilistic approach, which takes into account both the incompleteness and contamination issues in a natural way. Based on observations collected at the German-Spanish Astronomical Center, Calar Alto, jointly operated by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA) at Heidelberg and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).

Data-driven, Interpretable Photometric Redshifts Trained on Heterogeneous and Unrepresentative Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leistedt, Boris; Hogg, David W.

2017-03-01

We present a new method for inferring photometric redshifts in deep galaxy and quasar surveys, based on a data-driven model of latent spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and a physical model of photometric fluxes as a function of redshift. This conceptually novel approach combines the advantages of both machine learning methods and template fitting methods by building template SEDs directly from the spectroscopic training data. This is made computationally tractable with Gaussian processes operating in flux-redshift space, encoding the physics of redshifts and the projection of galaxy SEDs onto photometric bandpasses. This method alleviates the need to acquire representative training data or to construct detailed galaxy SED models; it requires only that the photometric bandpasses and calibrations be known or have parameterized unknowns. The training data can consist of a combination of spectroscopic and deep many-band photometric data with reliable redshifts, which do not need to entirely spatially overlap with the target survey of interest or even involve the same photometric bands. We showcase the method on the I-magnitude-selected, spectroscopically confirmed galaxies in the COSMOS field. The model is trained on the deepest bands (from SUBARU and HST) and photometric redshifts are derived using the shallower SDSS optical bands only. We demonstrate that we obtain accurate redshift point estimates and probability distributions despite the training and target sets having very different redshift distributions, noise properties, and even photometric bands. Our model can also be used to predict missing photometric fluxes or to simulate populations of galaxies with realistic fluxes and redshifts, for example.

The Herschel Multi-Tiered Extragalactic Survey: SPIRE-mm Photometric Redshifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roseboom, I. G.; Ivison, R. J.; Greve, T. R.; Amblard, A.; Arumugam, V.; Auld, R.; Aussel, H.; Bethermin, M.; Blain, A.; Bock, J.;

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leistedt, Boris; Hogg, David W., E-mail: boris.leistedt@nyu.edu, E-mail: david.hogg@nyu.edu

We present a new method for inferring photometric redshifts in deep galaxy and quasar surveys, based on a data-driven model of latent spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and a physical model of photometric fluxes as a function of redshift. This conceptually novel approach combines the advantages of both machine learning methods and template fitting methods by building template SEDs directly from the spectroscopic training data. This is made computationally tractable with Gaussian processes operating in flux–redshift space, encoding the physics of redshifts and the projection of galaxy SEDs onto photometric bandpasses. This method alleviates the need to acquire representative training datamore » or to construct detailed galaxy SED models; it requires only that the photometric bandpasses and calibrations be known or have parameterized unknowns. The training data can consist of a combination of spectroscopic and deep many-band photometric data with reliable redshifts, which do not need to entirely spatially overlap with the target survey of interest or even involve the same photometric bands. We showcase the method on the i -magnitude-selected, spectroscopically confirmed galaxies in the COSMOS field. The model is trained on the deepest bands (from SUBARU and HST ) and photometric redshifts are derived using the shallower SDSS optical bands only. We demonstrate that we obtain accurate redshift point estimates and probability distributions despite the training and target sets having very different redshift distributions, noise properties, and even photometric bands. Our model can also be used to predict missing photometric fluxes or to simulate populations of galaxies with realistic fluxes and redshifts, for example.« less

Omega from the anisotropy of the redshift correlation function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, A. J. S.

1993-01-01

Peculiar velocities distort the correlation function of galaxies observed in redshift space. In the large scale, linear regime, the distortion takes a characteristic quadrupole plus hexadecapole form, with the amplitude of the distortion depending on the cosmological density parameter omega. Preliminary measurements are reported here of the harmonics of the correlation function in the CfA, SSRS, and IRAS 2 Jansky redshift surveys. The observed behavior of the harmonics agrees qualitatively with the predictions of linear theory on large scales in every survey. However, real anisotropy in the galaxy distribution induces large fluctuations in samples which do not yet probe a sufficiently fair volume of the Universe. In the CfA 14.5 sample in particular, the Great Wall induces a large negative quadrupole, which taken at face value implies an unrealistically large omega 20. The IRAS 2 Jy survey, which covers a substantially larger volume than the optical surveys and is less affected by fingers-of-god, yields a more reliable and believable value, omega = 0.5 sup +.5 sub -.25.

Cosmological constraints with clustering-based redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovetz, Ely D.; Raccanelli, Alvise; Rahman, Mubdi

2017-07-01

We demonstrate that observations lacking reliable redshift information, such as photometric and radio continuum surveys, can produce robust measurements of cosmological parameters when empowered by clustering-based redshift estimation. This method infers the redshift distribution based on the spatial clustering of sources, using cross-correlation with a reference data set with known redshifts. Applying this method to the existing Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometric galaxies, and projecting to future radio continuum surveys, we show that sources can be efficiently divided into several redshift bins, increasing their ability to constrain cosmological parameters. We forecast constraints on the dark-energy equation of state and on local non-Gaussianity parameters. We explore several pertinent issues, including the trade-off between including more sources and minimizing the overlap between bins, the shot-noise limitations on binning and the predicted performance of the method at high redshifts, and most importantly pay special attention to possible degeneracies with the galaxy bias. Remarkably, we find that once this technique is implemented, constraints on dynamical dark energy from the SDSS imaging catalogue can be competitive with, or better than, those from the spectroscopic BOSS survey and even future planned experiments. Further, constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity from future large-sky radio-continuum surveys can outperform those from the Planck cosmic microwave background experiment and rival those from future spectroscopic galaxy surveys. The application of this method thus holds tremendous promise for cosmology.

Spatial Distribution of Star Formation in High Redshift Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunnyngham, Ian; Takamiya, M.; Willmer, C.; Chun, M.; Young, M.

2011-01-01

Integral field unit spectroscopy taken of galaxies with redshifts between 0.6 and 0.8 utilizing Gemini Observatory’s GMOS instrument were used to investigate the spatial distribution of star-forming regions by measuring the Hβ and [OII]λ3727 emission line fluxes. These galaxies were selected based on the strength of Hβ and [OII]λ3727 as measured from slit LRIS/Keck spectra. The process of calibrating and reducing data into cubes -- possessing two spatial dimensions, and one for wavelength -- was automated via a custom batch script using the Gemini IRAF routines. Among these galaxies only the bluest sources clearly show [OII] in the IFU regardless of total galaxy luminosity. The brightest galaxies lack [OII] emission and it is posited that two different modes of star formation exist among this seemingly homogeneous group of z=0.7 star-forming galaxies. In order to increase the galaxy sample to include redshifts from 0.3 to 0.9, public Gemini IFU data are being sought. Python scripts were written to mine the Gemini Science Archive for candidate observations, cross-reference the target of these observations with information from the NASA Extragalactic Database, and then present the resultant database in sortable, searchable, cross-linked web-interface using Django to facilitate navigation. By increasing the sample, we expect to characterize these two different modes of star formation which could be high-redshift counterparts of the U/LIRGs and dwarf starburst galaxies like NGC 1569/NGC 4449. The authors acknowledge funds provided by the National Science Foundation (AST 0909240).

Extragalactic Peaked-spectrum Radio Sources at Low Frequencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Callingham, J. R.; Gaensler, B. M.; Sadler, E. M.

We present a sample of 1483 sources that display spectral peaks between 72 MHz and 1.4 GHz, selected from the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array (GLEAM) survey. The GLEAM survey is the widest fractional bandwidth all-sky survey to date, ideal for identifying peaked-spectrum sources at low radio frequencies. Our peaked-spectrum sources are the low-frequency analogs of gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) and compact-steep spectrum (CSS) sources, which have been hypothesized to be the precursors to massive radio galaxies. Our sample more than doubles the number of known peaked-spectrum candidates, and 95% of our sample have a newly characterized spectral peak.more » We highlight that some GPS sources peaking above 5 GHz have had multiple epochs of nuclear activity, and we demonstrate the possibility of identifying high-redshift ( z > 2) galaxies via steep optically thin spectral indices and low observed peak frequencies. The distribution of the optically thick spectral indices of our sample is consistent with past GPS/CSS samples but with a large dispersion, suggesting that the spectral peak is a product of an inhomogeneous environment that is individualistic. We find no dependence of observed peak frequency with redshift, consistent with the peaked-spectrum sample comprising both local CSS sources and high-redshift GPS sources. The 5 GHz luminosity distribution lacks the brightest GPS and CSS sources of previous samples, implying that a convolution of source evolution and redshift influences the type of peaked-spectrum sources identified below 1 GHz. Finally, we discuss sources with optically thick spectral indices that exceed the synchrotron self-absorption limit.« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Calibration of redMaGiC Redshift Distributions in DES and SDSS from Cross-Correlations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cawthon, R.; et al.

We present calibrations of the redshift distributions of redMaGiC galaxies in the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 (DES Y1) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR8 data. These results determine the priors of the redshift distribution of redMaGiC galaxies, which were used for galaxy clustering measurements and as lenses for galaxy-galaxy lensing measurements in DES Y1 cosmological analyses. We empirically determine the bias in redMaGiC photometric redshift estimates using angular cross-correlations with Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxies. For DES, we calibrate a single parameter redshift bias in three photometric redshift bins:more » $$z \\in[0.15,0.3]$$, [0.3,0.45], and [0.45,0.6]. Our best fit results in each bin give photometric redshift biases of $$|\\Delta z|<0.01$$. To further test the redMaGiC algorithm, we apply our calibration procedure to SDSS redMaGiC galaxies, where the statistical precision of the cross-correlation measurement is much higher due to a greater overlap with BOSS galaxies. For SDSS, we also find best fit results of $$|\\Delta z|<0.01$$. We compare our results to other analyses of redMaGiC photometric redshifts.« less

The Carnegie-Spitzer-IMACS Redshift Survey of Galaxy Evolution since z = 1.5. I. Description and Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelson, Daniel D.; Williams, Rik J.; Dressler, Alan; McCarthy, Patrick J.; Shectman, Stephen A.; Mulchaey, John S.; Villanueva, Edward V.; Crane, Jeffrey D.; Quadri, Ryan F.

2014-03-01

We describe the Carnegie-Spitzer-IMACS (CSI) Survey, a wide-field, near-IR selected spectrophotometric redshift survey with the Inamori Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph (IMACS) on Magellan-Baade. By defining a flux-limited sample of galaxies in Spitzer Infrared Array Camera 3.6 μm imaging of SWIRE fields, the CSI Survey efficiently traces the stellar mass of average galaxies to z ~ 1.5. This first paper provides an overview of the survey selection, observations, processing of the photometry and spectrophotometry. We also describe the processing of the data: new methods of fitting synthetic templates of spectral energy distributions are used to derive redshifts, stellar masses, emission line luminosities, and coarse information on recent star formation. Our unique methodology for analyzing low-dispersion spectra taken with multilayer prisms in IMACS, combined with panchromatic photometry from the ultraviolet to the IR, has yielded high-quality redshifts for 43,347 galaxies in our first 5.3 deg2 of the SWIRE XMM-LSS field. We use three different approaches to estimate our redshift errors and find robust agreement. Over the full range of 3.6 μm fluxes of our selection, we find typical redshift uncertainties of σ z /(1 + z) <~ 0.015. In comparisons with previously published spectroscopic redshifts we find scatters of σ z /(1 + z) = 0.011 for galaxies at 0.7 <= z <= 0.9, and σ z /(1 + z) = 0.014 for galaxies at 0.9 <= z <= 1.2. For galaxies brighter and fainter than i = 23 mag, we find σ z /(1 + z) = 0.008 and σ z /(1 + z) = 0.022, respectively. Notably, our low-dispersion spectroscopy and analysis yields comparable redshift uncertainties and success rates for both red and blue galaxies, largely eliminating color-based systematics that can seriously bias observed dependencies of galaxy evolution on environment. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

Deep CFHT Y-band Imaging of VVDS-F22 Field. I. Data Products and Photometric Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dezi; Yang, Jinyi; Yuan, Shuo; Wu, Xue-Bing; Fan, Zuhui; Shan, Huanyuan; Yan, Haojing; Zheng, Xianzhong

2017-02-01

We present our deep Y-band imaging data of a 2 square degree field within the F22 region of the VIMOS VLT Deep Survey. The observations were conducted using the WIRCam instrument mounted at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). The total on-sky time was 9 hr, distributed uniformly over 18 tiles. The scientific goals of the project are to select faint quasar candidates at redshift z> 2.2 and constrain the photometric redshifts for quasars and galaxies. In this paper, we present the observation and the image reduction, as well as the photometric redshifts that we derived by combining our Y-band data with the CFHTLenS {u}* g\\prime r\\prime I\\prime z\\prime optical data and UKIDSS DXS JHK near-infrared data. With the J-band image as a reference, a total of ˜80,000 galaxies are detected in the final mosaic down to a Y-band 5σ point-source limiting depth of 22.86 mag. Compared with the ˜3500 spectroscopic redshifts, our photometric redshifts for galaxies with z< 1.5 and I\\prime ≲ 24.0 mag have a small systematic offset of | {{Δ }}z| ≲ 0.2, 1σ scatter 0.03< {σ }{{Δ }z}< 0.06, and less than 4.0% of catastrophic failures. We also compare with the CFHTLenS photometric redshifts and find that ours are more reliable at z≳ 0.6 because of the inclusion of the near-infrared bands. In particular, including the Y-band data can improve the accuracy at z˜ 1.0{--}2.0 because the location of the 4000 Å break is better constrained. The Y-band images, the multiband photometry catalog, and the photometric redshifts are released at http://astro.pku.edu.cn/astro/data/DYI.html.

Three-dimensional Identification and Reconstruction of Galaxy Systems within Flux-limited Redshift Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinoni, Christian; Davis, Marc; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Coil, Alison L.

2002-11-01

We have developed a new geometrical method for identifying and reconstructing a homogeneous and highly complete set of galaxy groups within flux-limited redshift surveys. Our method combines information from the three-dimensional Voronoi diagram and its dual, the Delaunay triangulation, to obtain group and cluster catalogs that are remarkably robust over wide ranges in redshift and degree of density enhancement. As free by-products, this Voronoi-Delaunay method (VDM) provides a nonparametric measurement of the galaxy density around each object observed and a quantitative measure of the distribution of cosmological voids in the survey volume. In this paper, we describe the VDM algorithm in detail and test its effectiveness using a family of mock catalogs that simulate the Deep Extragalactic Evolutionary Probe (DEEP2) Redshift Survey, which should present at least as much challenge to cluster reconstruction methods as any other near-future survey that is capable of resolving their velocity dispersions. Using these mock DEEP2 catalogs, we demonstrate that the VDM algorithm can be used to identify a homogeneous set of groups in a magnitude-limited sample throughout the survey redshift window 0.7~400 km s-1. Finally, we argue that the bivariate distribution of systems as a function of redshift and velocity dispersion reconstructed with these techniques reproduces with high fidelity the underlying real space distribution and can thus be used robustly to constrain cosmological parameters. We expect that the VDM algorithm, which has performed so well when faced with the challenges posed by the DEEP2 survey, should only be more effective when applied to the better sampled, larger surveys of the local universe now underway.

A redshift survey of IRAS galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Beverly J.; Kleinmann, S. G.; Huchra, J. P.; Low, F. J.

1987-05-01

Results are presented from a redshift survey of all 72 galaxies detected by IRAS in Band 3 at flux levels equal to or greater then 2 Jy. The luminosity function at the high luminosity end is proportional to L-2, however, a flattening was observed at the low luminosity end indicating that a single power law is not a good description of the entire luminosity function. Only three galaxies in the sample have emission line spectra indicative of AGN's, suggesting that, at least in nearby galaxies, unobscured nuclear activity is not a strong contributor to the far infrared flux. Comparisons between the selected IRAS galaxies and an optically complete sample taken from the CfA redshift survey show that they are more narrowly distributed than those optically selected, in the sence that the IRAS sample includes few galaxies of low absolute blue luminosity. It was also found that the space distributions of the two samples differ: the density enhancement or IRAS galaxies is only approx. 1/3 that of the optically selected galaxies in the core of the Coma cluster.

Redshift surveys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, J. P.

1991-01-01

Present-day understanding of the large-scale galaxy distribution is reviewed. The statistics of the CfA redshift survey are briefly discussed. The need for deeper surveys to clarify the issues raised by recent studies of large-scale galactic distribution is addressed.

Bayesian inference of galaxy formation from the K-band luminosity function of galaxies: tensions between theory and observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yu; Mo, H. J.; Katz, Neal; Weinberg, Martin D.

2012-04-01

We conduct Bayesian model inferences from the observed K-band luminosity function of galaxies in the local Universe, using the semi-analytic model (SAM) of galaxy formation introduced in Lu et al. The prior distributions for the 14 free parameters include a large range of possible models. We find that some of the free parameters, e.g. the characteristic scales for quenching star formation in both high-mass and low-mass haloes, are already tightly constrained by the single data set. The posterior distribution includes the model parameters adopted in other SAMs. By marginalizing over the posterior distribution, we make predictions that include the full inferential uncertainties for the colour-magnitude relation, the Tully-Fisher relation, the conditional stellar mass function of galaxies in haloes of different masses, the H I mass function, the redshift evolution of the stellar mass function of galaxies and the global star formation history. Using posterior predictive checking with the available observational results, we find that the model family (i) predicts a Tully-Fisher relation that is curved; (ii) significantly overpredicts the satellite fraction; (iii) vastly overpredicts the H I mass function; (iv) predicts high-z stellar mass functions that have too many low-mass galaxies and too few high-mass ones and (v) predicts a redshift evolution of the stellar mass density and the star formation history that are in moderate disagreement. These results suggest that some important processes are still missing in the current model family, and we discuss a number of possible solutions to solve the discrepancies, such as interactions between galaxies and dark matter haloes, tidal stripping, the bimodal accretion of gas, preheating and a redshift-dependent initial mass function.

Big Data of the Cosmic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitaura, Francisco-Shu

2016-10-01

One of the main goals in cosmology is to understand how the Universe evolves, how it forms structures, why it expands, and what is the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Next decade large and expensive observational projects will bring information on the structure and the distribution of many millions of galaxies at different redshifts enabling us to make great progress in answering these questions. However, these data require a very special and complex set of analysis tools to extract the maximum valuable information. Statistical inference techniques are being developed, bridging the gaps between theory, simulations, and observations. In particular, we discuss the efforts to address the question: What is the underlying nonlinear matter distribution and dynamics at any cosmic time corresponding to a set of observed galaxies in redshift space? An accurate reconstruction of the initial conditions encodes the full phase-space information at any later cosmic time (given a particular structure formation model and a set of cosmological parameters). We present advances to solve this problem in a self-consistent way with Big Data techniques of the Cosmic Web.

Magnification Bias in Gravitational Arc Statistics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caminha, G. B.; Estrada, J.; Makler, M.

2013-08-29

The statistics of gravitational arcs in galaxy clusters is a powerful probe of cluster structure and may provide complementary cosmological constraints. Despite recent progresses, discrepancies still remain among modelling and observations of arc abundance, specially regarding the redshift distribution of strong lensing clusters. Besides, fast "semi-analytic" methods still have to incorporate the success obtained with simulations. In this paper we discuss the contribution of the magnification in gravitational arc statistics. Although lensing conserves surface brightness, the magnification increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the arcs, enhancing their detectability. We present an approach to include this and other observational effects in semi-analyticmore » calculations for arc statistics. The cross section for arc formation ({\\sigma}) is computed through a semi-analytic method based on the ratio of the eigenvalues of the magnification tensor. Using this approach we obtained the scaling of {\\sigma} with respect to the magnification, and other parameters, allowing for a fast computation of the cross section. We apply this method to evaluate the expected number of arcs per cluster using an elliptical Navarro--Frenk--White matter distribution. Our results show that the magnification has a strong effect on the arc abundance, enhancing the fraction of arcs, moving the peak of the arc fraction to higher redshifts, and softening its decrease at high redshifts. We argue that the effect of magnification should be included in arc statistics modelling and that it could help to reconcile arcs statistics predictions with the observational data.« less

The variance of dispersion measure of high-redshift transient objects as a probe of ionized bubble size during reionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshiura, Shintaro; Takahashi, Keitaro

2018-01-01

The dispersion measure (DM) of high-redshift (z ≳ 6) transient objects such as fast radio bursts can be a powerful tool to probe the intergalactic medium during the Epoch of Reionization. In this paper, we study the variance of the DMs of objects with the same redshift as a potential probe of the size distribution of ionized bubbles. We calculate the DM variance with a simple model with randomly distributed spherical bubbles. It is found that the DM variance reflects the characteristics of the probability distribution of the bubble size. We find that the variance can be measured precisely enough to obtain the information on the typical size with a few hundred sources at a single redshift.

Spectroscopic observation of Lyα emitters at z ∼ 7.7 and implications on re-ionization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faisst, A. L.; Carollo, C. M.; Capak, P.

2014-06-10

We present spectroscopic follow-up observations on two bright Lyα emitter (LAE) candidates originally found by Krug et al. at a redshift of z ∼ 7.7 using the Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration at Keck. We rule out any line emission at the >5σ level for both objects, putting on solid ground a previous null result for one of the objects. The limits inferred from the non-detections rule out the previous claim of no or even reversed evolution between 5.7 < z < 7.7 in the Lyα luminosity function (LF) and suggest a drop in the Lyα LF consistent with thatmore » seen in Lyman break galaxy (LBG) samples. We model the redshift evolution of the LAE LF using the LBG UV-continuum LF and the observed rest-frame equivalent width distribution. From the comparison of our empirical model with the observed LAE distribution, we estimate lower limits of the neutral hydrogen fraction to be 50%-70% at z ∼ 7.7. Together with this, we find a strong evolution in the Lyα optical depth characterized by (1 + z){sup 2.2} {sup ±} {sup 0.5} beyond z = 6, indicative of a strong evolution of the intergalactic medium. Finally, we extrapolate the LAE LF to z ∼ 9 using our model and show that it is unlikely that large area surveys, like UltraVISTA or Euclid, pick up LAEs at this redshift assuming the current depths and area.« less

Hα Equivalent Widths from the 3D-HST Survey: Evolution with Redshift and Dependence on Stellar Mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fumagalli, Mattia; Patel, Shannon G.; Franx, Marijn; Brammer, Gabriel; van Dokkum, Pieter; da Cunha, Elisabete; Kriek, Mariska; Lundgren, Britt; Momcheva, Ivelina; Rix, Hans-Walter; Schmidt, Kasper B.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Labbe, Ivo; Nelson, Erica

2012-10-01

We investigate the evolution of the Hα equivalent width, EW(Hα), with redshift and its dependence on stellar mass, using the first data from the 3D-HST survey, a large spectroscopic Treasury program with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3. Combining our Hα measurements of 854 galaxies at 0.8 < z < 1.5 with those of ground-based surveys at lower and higher redshift, we can consistently determine the evolution of the EW(Hα) distribution from z = 0 to z = 2.2. We find that at all masses the characteristic EW(Hα) is decreasing toward the present epoch, and that at each redshift the EW(Hα) is lower for high-mass galaxies. We find EW(Hα) ~(1 + z)1.8 with little mass dependence. Qualitatively, this measurement is a model-independent confirmation of the evolution of star-forming galaxies with redshift. A quantitative conversion of EW(Hα) to specific star formation rate (sSFR) is model dependent because of differential reddening corrections between the continuum and the Balmer lines. The observed EW(Hα) can be reproduced with the characteristic evolutionary history for galaxies, whose star formation rises with cosmic time to z ~ 2.5 and then decreases to z = 0. This implies that EW(Hα) rises to 400 Å at z = 8. The sSFR evolves faster than EW(Hα), as the mass-to-light ratio also evolves with redshift. We find that the sSFR evolves as (1 + z)3.2, nearly independent of mass, consistent with previous reddening insensitive estimates. We confirm previous results that the observed slope of the sSFR-z relation is steeper than the one predicted by models, but models and observations agree in finding little mass dependence. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs 12177, 12328.

Why do high-redshift galaxies show diverse gas-phase metallicity gradients?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiangcheng; Hopkins, Philip F.; Feldmann, Robert; Torrey, Paul; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Kereš, Dušan

2017-04-01

Recent spatially resolved observations of galaxies at z ˜ 0.6-3 reveal that high-redshift galaxies show complex kinematics and a broad distribution of gas-phase metallicity gradients. To understand these results, we use a suite of high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environments project, which include physically motivated models of the multiphase interstellar medium, star formation and stellar feedback. Our simulations reproduce the observed diversity of kinematic properties and metallicity gradients, broadly consistent with observations at z ˜ 0-3. Strong negative metallicity gradients only appear in galaxies with a rotating disc, but not all rotationally supported galaxies have significant gradients. Strongly perturbed galaxies with little rotation always have flat gradients. The kinematic properties and metallicity gradient of a high-redshift galaxy can vary significantly on short time-scales, associated with starburst episodes. Feedback from a starburst can destroy the gas disc, drive strong outflows and flatten a pre-existing negative metallicity gradient. The time variability of a single galaxy is statistically similar to the entire simulated sample, indicating that the observed metallicity gradients in high-redshift galaxies reflect the instantaneous state of the galaxy rather than the accretion and growth history on cosmological time-scales. We find weak dependence of metallicity gradient on stellar mass and specific star formation rate (sSFR). Low-mass galaxies and galaxies with high sSFR tend to have flat gradients, likely due to the fact that feedback is more efficient in these galaxies. We argue that it is important to resolve feedback on small scales in order to produce the diverse metallicity gradients observed.

Long High Redshift GRB and Xrt/swift Lightcurves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkhangelskaja, Irene

At February of 2010 the volume of Swift GRB subset with known redshift consisted of more than 150 bursts. Long GRB redshift distribution analysis has shown that confidence level of single peak approximation of this distribution is only ˜60%. Moreover, more than 40% of GRB are in very heavy tails outside 3σ level for this fit. More detailed analysis of long GRB redshift distribution reveals that at 97% confidence level at least two subgroups could be separated with following parameters: = 0.9 ± 0.1 and = 2.7 ± 0.2. It allows to make conclusion that Swift long GRB sources subset is not uniform. In the presented article attention is paid on the measure of discrepancy of long GRB with z>3 and subset of other long GRB with known redshifts. XRT/Swift lightcurves for these groups of GRB were considered and it have shown that at least 90% XRT/Swift lightcurves for GRB with z>3 are more complicated and have got a number of maxima.

The Vimos VLT deep survey. Global properties of 20,000 galaxies in the IAB < 22.5 WIDE survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garilli, B.; Le Fèvre, O.; Guzzo, L.; Maccagni, D.; Le Brun, V.; de la Torre, S.; Meneux, B.; Tresse, L.; Franzetti, P.; Zamorani, G.; Zanichelli, A.; Gregorini, L.; Vergani, D.; Bottini, D.; Scaramella, R.; Scodeggio, M.; Vettolani, G.; Adami, C.; Arnouts, S.; Bardelli, S.; Bolzonella, M.; Cappi, A.; Charlot, S.; Ciliegi, P.; Contini, T.; Foucaud, S.; Gavignaud, I.; Ilbert, O.; Iovino, A.; Lamareille, F.; McCracken, H. J.; Marano, B.; Marinoni, C.; Mazure, A.; Merighi, R.; Paltani, S.; Pellò, R.; Pollo, A.; Pozzetti, L.; Radovich, M.; Zucca, E.; Blaizot, J.; Bongiorno, A.; Cucciati, O.; Mellier, Y.; Moreau, C.; Paioro, L.

2008-08-01

The VVDS-Wide survey has been designed to trace the large-scale distribution of galaxies at z ~ 1 on comoving scales reaching ~100~h-1 Mpc, while providing a good control of cosmic variance over areas as large as a few square degrees. This is achieved by measuring redshifts with VIMOS at the ESO VLT to a limiting magnitude IAB = 22.5, targeting four independent fields with sizes of up to 4 deg2 each. We discuss the survey strategy which covers 8.6 deg2 and present the general properties of the current redshift sample. This includes 32 734 spectra in the four regions, covering a total area of 6.1 deg2 with a sampling rate of 22 to 24%. This paper accompanies the public release of the first 18 143 redshifts of the VVDS-Wide survey from the 4 deg2 contiguous area of the F22 field at RA = 22^h. We have devised and tested an objective method to assess the quality of each spectrum, providing a compact figure-of-merit. This is particularly effective in the case of long-lasting spectroscopic surveys with varying observing conditions. Our figure of merit is a measure of the robustness of the redshift measurement and, most importantly, can be used to select galaxies with uniform high-quality spectra to carry out reliable measurements of spectral features. We also use the data available over the four independent regions to directly measure the variance in galaxy counts. We compare it with general predictions from the observed galaxy two-point correlation function at different redshifts and with that measured in mock galaxy surveys built from the Millennium simulation. The purely magnitude-limited VVDS Wide sample includes 19 977 galaxies, 304 type I AGNs, and 9913 stars. The redshift success rate is above 90% independent of magnitude. A cone diagram of the galaxy spatial distribution provides us with the current largest overview of large-scale structure up to z ~ 1, showing a rich texture of over- and under-dense regions. We give the mean N(z) distribution averaged over 6.1 deg2 for a sample limited in magnitude to IAB = 22.5. Comparing galaxy densities from the four fields shows that in a redshift bin Δz = 0.1 at z ~ 1 one still has factor-of-two variations over areas as large as ~ 0.25 deg2. This level of cosmic variance agrees with that obtained by integrating the galaxy two-point correlation function estimated from the F22 field alone. It is also in fairly good statistical agreement with that predicted by the Millennium simulations. The VVDS WIDE survey currently provides the largest area coverage among redshift surveys reaching z ~ 1. The variance estimated over the survey fields shows explicitly how clustering results from deep surveys of even 1 deg2 size should be interpreted with caution. The survey data represent a rich data base to select complete sub-samples of high-quality spectra and to study galaxy ensemble properties and galaxy clustering over unprecedented scales at these redshifts. The redshift catalog of the 4 deg2 F22 field is publicly available at http://cencosw.oamp.fr.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: galaxy mock catalogues for BAO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avila, S.; Crocce, M.; Ross, A. J.; García-Bellido, J.; Percival, W. J.; Banik, N.; Camacho, H.; Kokron, N.; Chan, K. C.; Andrade-Oliveira, F.; Gomes, R.; Gomes, D.; Lima, M.; Rosenfeld, R.; Salvador, A. I.; Friedrich, O.; Abdalla, F. B.; Annis, J.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Castander, F. J.; Cunha, C. E.; da Costa, L. N.; Davis, C.; De Vicente, J.; Doel, P.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Hartley, W. G.; Hollowood, D.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Miquel, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Walker, A. R.; Dark Energy Survey Collaboration

2018-05-01

Mock catalogues are a crucial tool in the analysis of galaxy surveys data, both for the accurate computation of covariance matrices, and for the optimisation of analysis methodology and validation of data sets. In this paper, we present a set of 1800 galaxy mock catalogues designed to match the Dark Energy Survey Year-1 BAO sample (Crocce et al. 2017) in abundance, observational volume, redshift distribution and uncertainty, and redshift dependent clustering. The simulated samples were built upon HALOGEN (Avila et al. 2015) halo catalogues, based on a 2LPT density field with an empirical halo bias. For each of them, a lightcone is constructed by the superposition of snapshots in the redshift range 0.45 < z < 1.4. Uncertainties introduced by so-called photometric redshifts estimators were modelled with a double-skewed-Gaussian curve fitted to the data. We populate halos with galaxies by introducing a hybrid Halo Occupation Distribution - Halo Abundance Matching model with two free parameters. These are adjusted to achieve a galaxy bias evolution b(zph) that matches the data at the 1-σ level in the range 0.6 < zph < 1.0. We further analyse the galaxy mock catalogues and compare their clustering to the data using the angular correlation function w(θ), the comoving transverse separation clustering ξμ < 0.8(s⊥) and the angular power spectrum Cℓ, finding them in agreement. This is the first large set of three-dimensional {ra,dec,z} galaxy mock catalogues able to simultaneously accurately reproduce the photometric redshift uncertainties and the galaxy clustering.

On the evolution of the star formation rate function of massive galaxies: constraints at 0.4 < z < 1.8 from the GOODS-MUSIC catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanot, Fabio; Cristiani, Stefano; Santini, Paola; Fontana, Adriano; Grazian, Andrea; Somerville, Rachel S.

2012-03-01

We study the evolution of the star formation rate function (SFRF) of massive (M★ > 1010 M⊙) galaxies over the 0.4 < z < 1.8 redshift range and its implications for our understanding of the physical processes responsible for galaxy evolution. We use multiwavelength observations included in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey-Multiwavelength Southern Infrared Catalog (GOODS-MUSIC) catalogue, which provides a suitable coverage of the spectral region from 0.3 to 24 ?m and either spectroscopic or photometric redshifts for each object. Individual SFRs have been obtained by combining ultraviolet and 24-?m observations, when the latter were available. For all other sources a 'spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting' SFR estimate has been considered. We then define a stellar mass limited sample, complete in the M★ > 1010 M⊙ range and determine the SFRF using the 1/Vmax algorithm. We thus define simulated galaxy catalogues based on the predictions of three different state-of-the-art semi-analytical models (SAMs) of galaxy formation and evolution, and compare them with the observed SFRF. We show that the theoretical SFRFs are well described by a double power law functional form and its redshift evolution is approximated with high accuracy by a pure evolution of the typical SFR (SFR★). We find good agreement between model predictions and the high-SFR end of the SFRF, when the observational errors on the SFR are taken into account. However, the observational SFRF is characterized by a double-peaked structure, which is absent in its theoretical counterparts. At z > 1.0 the observed SFRF shows a relevant density evolution, which is not reproduced by SAMs, due to the well-known overprediction of intermediate-mass galaxies at z˜ 2. SAMs are thus able to reproduce the most intense SFR events observed in the GOODS-MUSIC sample and their redshift distribution. At the same time, the agreement at the low-SFR end is poor: all models overpredict the space density of SFR ˜ 1 M⊙ yr-1 and no model reproduces the double-peaked shape of the observational SFRF. If confirmed by deeper infrared observations, this discrepancy will provide a key constraint on theoretical modelling of star formation and stellar feedback.

The Herschel Multi-Tiered Extragalactic Survey: SPIRE-mm Photometric Redshifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roseboom, I. G.; Ivison, R. J.; Greve, T. R.; Amblard, A.; Arumugam, V.; Auld, R.; Aussel, H.; Bethermin, M.; Blain, A.; Block, J.;

Charting the parameter space of the global 21-cm signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Aviad; Fialkov, Anastasia; Barkana, Rennan; Lotem, Matan

2017-12-01

The early star-forming Universe is still poorly constrained, with the properties of high-redshift stars, the first heating sources and reionization highly uncertain. This leaves observers planning 21-cm experiments with little theoretical guidance. In this work, we explore the possible range of high-redshift parameters including the star formation efficiency and the minimal mass of star-forming haloes; the efficiency, spectral energy distribution and redshift evolution of the first X-ray sources; and the history of reionization. These parameters are only weakly constrained by available observations, mainly the optical depth to the cosmic microwave background. We use realistic semi-numerical simulations to produce the global 21-cm signal over the redshift range z = 6-40 for each of 193 different combinations of the astrophysical parameters spanning the allowed range. We show that the expected signal fills a large parameter space, but with a fixed general shape for the global 21-cm curve. Even with our wide selection of models, we still find clear correlations between the key features of the global 21-cm signal and underlying astrophysical properties of the high-redshift Universe, namely the Ly α intensity, the X-ray heating rate and the production rate of ionizing photons. These correlations can be used to directly link future measurements of the global 21-cm signal to astrophysical quantities in a mostly model-independent way. We identify additional correlations that can be used as consistency checks.

The luminosity function of quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pei, Yichuan C.

1995-01-01

We propose a new evolutionary model for the optical luminosity function of quasars. Our analytical model is derived from fits to the empirical luminosity function estimated by Hartwick and Schade and Warren, Hewett, and Osmer on the basis of more than 1200 quasars over the range of redshifts 0 approximately less than z approximately less than 4.5. We find that the evolution of quasars over this entire redshift range can be well fitted by a Gaussian distribution, while the shape of the luminosity function can be well fitted by either a double power law or an exponential L(exp 1/4) law. The predicted number counts of quasars, as a function of either apparent magnitude or redshift, are fully consistent with the observed ones. Our model indicates that the evolution of quasars reaches its maximum at z approximately = 2.8 and declines at higher redshifts. An extrapolation of the evolution to z approximately greater than 4.5 implies that quasars may have started their cosmic fireworks at z(sub f) approximately = 5.2-5.5. Forthcoming surveys of quasars at these redshifts will be critical to constrain the epoch of quasar formation. All the results we derived are based on observed quasars and are therefore subject to the bias of obscuration by dust in damped Ly alpha systems. Future surveys of these absorption systems at z approximately greater than 3 will also be important if the formation epoch of quasars is to be known unambiguously.

Dust Formation, Evolution, and Obscuration Effects in the Very High-Redshift Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli; Staguhn, Johannes; Arendt, Richard G.; Kovacs, Attila; Su, Ting; Benford, Dominic J.

2014-01-01

The evolution of dust at redshifts z > or approx. 9, and consequently the dust properties, differs greatly from that in the local universe. In contrast to the local universe, core collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are the only source of thermally-condensed dust. Because of the low initial dust-to-gas mass ratio, grain destruction rates are low, so that CCSNe are net producers of interstellar dust. Galaxies with large initial gas mass or high mass infall rate will therefore have a more rapid net rate of dust production comported to galaxies with lower gas mass, even at the same star formation rate. The dust composition is dominated by silicates, which exhibit a strong rise in the UV opacity near the Lyman break. This "silicate-UV break" may be confused with the Lyman break, resulting in a misidentification of a galaxies' photometric redshift. In this paper we demonstrate these effects by analyzing the spectral energy distribution (SED) of MACS1149-JD, a lensed galaxy at z = 9.6. A potential 2mm counterpart of MACS1149-JD has been identified with GISMO. While additional observations are required to corroborate this identification, we use this possible association to illustrate the physical processes and the observational effects of dust in the very high redshift universe. Subject headings: galaxies: high-redshift - galaxies: evolution - galaxies: individual (MACS1149- JD) - Interstellar medium (ISM), nebulae: dust, extinction - physical data and processes: nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances.

Gravitational redshift and asymmetric redshift-space distortions for stacked clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Yan-Chuan; Kaiser, Nick; Cole, Shaun; Frenk, Carlos

2017-06-01

We derive the expression for the observed redshift in the weak field limit in the observer's past light cone, including all relativistic terms up to second order in velocity. We then apply it to compute the cluster-galaxy cross-correlation functions (CGCF) using N-body simulations. The CGCF is asymmetric along the line of sight owing to the presence of the small second-order terms such as the gravitational redshift (GRedshift). We identify two systematics in the modelling of the GRedshift signal in stacked clusters. First, it is affected by the morphology of dark matter haloes and the large-scale cosmic-web. The non-spherical distribution of galaxies around the central halo and the presence of neighbouring clusters systematically reduce the GRedshift signal. This bias is approximately 20 per cent for Mmin ≃ 1014 M⊙ h-1, and is more than 50 per cent for haloes with Mmin ≃ 2 × 1013 M⊙ h-1 at r > 4 Mpc h-1. Secondly, the best-fitting GRedshift profiles as well as the profiles of all other relativistic terms are found to be significantly different in velocity space compared to their real space versions. We find that the relativistic Doppler redshift effect, like other second-order effects, is subdominant to the GRedshift signal. We discuss some subtleties relating to these effects in velocity space. We also find that the S/N of the GRedshift signal increases with decreasing halo mass.

Dust Formation, Evolution, and Obscuration Effects in the Very High-Redshift Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli; Staguhn, Johannes; Arendt, Richard G.; Kovacks, Attila; Su, Ting; Benford, Dominic J.

2014-01-01

The evolution of dust at redshifts z > or approx. 9, and consequently the dust properties, differs greatly from that in the local universe. In contrast to the local universe, core collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are the only source of thermally-condensed dust. Because of the low initial dust-togas mass ratio, grain destruction rates are low, so that CCSNe are net producers of interstellar dust. Galaxies with large initial gas mass or high mass infall rate will therefore have a more rapid net rate of dust production comported to galaxies with lower gas mass, even at the same star formation rate. The dust composition is dominated by silicates, which exhibit a strong rise in the UV opacity near the Lyman break. This "silicate-UV break" may be confused with the Lyman break, resulting in a misidentification of a galaxies' photometric redshift. In this paper we demonstrate these effects by analyzing the spectral energy distribution (SED) of MACS1149-JD, a lensed galaxy at z = 9.6. A potential 2mm counterpart of MACS1149-JD has been identified with GISMO. While additional observations are required to corroborate this identification, we use this possible association to illustrate the physical processes and the observational effects of dust in the very high redshift universe.

Observing the high redshift Universe with Euclid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laureijs, René; Euclid Collaboration

2018-05-01

Euclid enables the exploration of large sky areas with diffraction limited resolution in the optical and near-infrared, and is sensitive enough to detect targets at cosmological distances. This combination of capabilities gives Euclid a clear advantage over telescope facilities with larger apertures, both on ground and in space. The decision to mount in the NISP instrument one extra grism for the wavelength range 0.92-1.3 μm with a spectral resolution of R ~260 makes possible a rest-frame UV survey of the early Universe in the redshift range 6.5 < z < 9.7. Euclid's standard imaging with VIS in the 0.55-0.9 μm band and with NISP in the Y, J, H bands provide complementary photometry for further target identification and characterization. Euclid is a suitable facility to discover and map the spatial distribution of rare high-redshift targets and to collect statistically relevant samples, in particular of high redshift Lyα emitters and QSOs, which can be used as signposts of the cosmic structures. The Euclid surveys are also a starting point for deeper follow up observations of the individual high-z objects. We present the Euclid mission and discuss the detectability of high-z objects to probe the epoch of ionization.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: redshift distributions of the weak-lensing source galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoyle, B.; Gruen, D.; Bernstein, G. M.

We describe the derivation and validation of redshift distribution estimates and their uncertainties for the galaxies used as weak lensing sources in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 cosmological analyses. The Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ) code is used to assign galaxies to four redshift bins between z=0.2 and 1.3, and to produce initial estimates of the lensing-weighted redshift distributionsmore » $$n^i_{PZ}(z)$$ for bin i. Accurate determination of cosmological parameters depends critically on knowledge of $n^i$ but is insensitive to bin assignments or redshift errors for individual galaxies. The cosmological analyses allow for shifts $$n^i(z)=n^i_{PZ}(z-\\Delta z^i)$$ to correct the mean redshift of $n^i(z)$ for biases in $$n^i_{\\rm PZ}$$. The $$\\Delta z^i$$ are constrained by comparison of independently estimated 30-band photometric redshifts of galaxies in the COSMOS field to BPZ estimates made from the DES griz fluxes, for a sample matched in fluxes, pre-seeing size, and lensing weight to the DES weak-lensing sources. In companion papers, the $$\\Delta z^i$$ are further constrained by the angular clustering of the source galaxies around red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts at 0.15« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: redshift distributions of the weak-lensing source galaxies

DOE PAGES

Hoyle, B.; Gruen, D.; Bernstein, G. M.; ...

2018-04-18

We describe the derivation and validation of redshift distribution estimates and their uncertainties for the galaxies used as weak lensing sources in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 cosmological analyses. The Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ) code is used to assign galaxies to four redshift bins between z=0.2 and 1.3, and to produce initial estimates of the lensing-weighted redshift distributionsmore » $$n^i_{PZ}(z)$$ for bin i. Accurate determination of cosmological parameters depends critically on knowledge of $n^i$ but is insensitive to bin assignments or redshift errors for individual galaxies. The cosmological analyses allow for shifts $$n^i(z)=n^i_{PZ}(z-\\Delta z^i)$$ to correct the mean redshift of $n^i(z)$ for biases in $$n^i_{\\rm PZ}$$. The $$\\Delta z^i$$ are constrained by comparison of independently estimated 30-band photometric redshifts of galaxies in the COSMOS field to BPZ estimates made from the DES griz fluxes, for a sample matched in fluxes, pre-seeing size, and lensing weight to the DES weak-lensing sources. In companion papers, the $$\\Delta z^i$$ are further constrained by the angular clustering of the source galaxies around red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts at 0.15« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Redshift distributions of the weak lensing source galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoyle, B.; et al.

2017-08-04

We describe the derivation and validation of redshift distribution estimates and their uncertainties for the galaxies used as weak lensing sources in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 cosmological analyses. The Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ) code is used to assign galaxies to four redshift bins between z=0.2 and 1.3, and to produce initial estimates of the lensing-weighted redshift distributionsmore » $$n^i_{PZ}(z)$$ for bin i. Accurate determination of cosmological parameters depends critically on knowledge of $n^i$ but is insensitive to bin assignments or redshift errors for individual galaxies. The cosmological analyses allow for shifts $$n^i(z)=n^i_{PZ}(z-\\Delta z^i)$$ to correct the mean redshift of $n^i(z)$ for biases in $$n^i_{\\rm PZ}$$. The $$\\Delta z^i$$ are constrained by comparison of independently estimated 30-band photometric redshifts of galaxies in the COSMOS field to BPZ estimates made from the DES griz fluxes, for a sample matched in fluxes, pre-seeing size, and lensing weight to the DES weak-lensing sources. In companion papers, the $$\\Delta z^i$$ are further constrained by the angular clustering of the source galaxies around red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts at 0.15« less

The XXL Survey. VII. A supercluster of galaxies at z = 0.43

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompei, E.; Adami, C.; Eckert, D.; Gastaldello, F.; Lavoie, S.; Poggianti, B.; Altieri, B.; Alis, S.; Baran, N.; Benoist, C.; Jaffé, Y. L.; Koulouridis, E.; Maurogordato, S.; Pacaud, F.; Pierre, M.; Sadibekova, T.; Smolčić, V.; Valtchanov, I.

2016-06-01

Context. The XXL Survey is the largest homogeneous and contiguous survey carried out with XMM-Newton. Covering an area of 50 deg2 distributed over two fields, it primarily investigates the large-scale structures of the Universe using the distribution of galaxy clusters and active galactic nuclei as tracers of the matter distribution. Aims: Given its depth and sky coverage, XXL is particularly suited to systematically unveiling the clustering of X-ray clusters and to identifying superstructures in a homogeneous X-ray sample down to the typical mass scale of a local massive cluster. Methods: A friends-of-friends algorithm in three-dimensional physical space was run to identify large-scale structures. In this paper we report the discovery of the highest redshift supercluster of galaxies found in the XXL Survey. We describe the X-ray properties of the clusters members of the structure and the optical follow-up. Results: The newly discovered supercluster is composed of six clusters of galaxies at a median redshift z ~ 0.43 and distributed across ~30'× 15' (10 × 5 Mpc) on the sky. This structure is very compact with all the clusters residing in one XMM pointing; for this reason this is the first supercluster discovered with the XXL Survey. Photometric redshifts from the CFHTLS (Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey) data release T0007 placed the supercluster at an approximate redshift of zphot ~ 0.45; subsequent spectroscopic follow-up with WHT (William Herschel Telescope) and NTT (New Technology Telescope) confirmed a median redshift of z ~ 0.43. An estimate of the X-ray mass and luminosity of this supercluster returns values of 1.7 × 1015 M⊙ and of 1.68 × 1044 erg s-1, respectively, and a total gas mass of Mgas = 9.3 × 1013 M⊙. These values put XLSSC-e at the average mass range of superclusters; its appearance, with two members of equal size, is quite unusual with respect to other superclusters and provides a unique view of the formation process of a massive structure. This work is based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and the USA (NASA) and on observations obtained at the WHT thanks to the International Time Programme (CCI) and the Opticon FP7 program. It also used observations made with ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme LP 191.A-0268.The Master Catalogue is available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/592/A2

MAPPING THE GALAXY COLOR–REDSHIFT RELATION: OPTIMAL PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFT CALIBRATION STRATEGIES FOR COSMOLOGY SURVEYS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masters, Daniel; Steinhardt, Charles; Faisst, Andreas

2015-11-01

Calibrating the photometric redshifts of ≳10{sup 9} galaxies for upcoming weak lensing cosmology experiments is a major challenge for the astrophysics community. The path to obtaining the required spectroscopic redshifts for training and calibration is daunting, given the anticipated depths of the surveys and the difficulty in obtaining secure redshifts for some faint galaxy populations. Here we present an analysis of the problem based on the self-organizing map, a method of mapping the distribution of data in a high-dimensional space and projecting it onto a lower-dimensional representation. We apply this method to existing photometric data from the COSMOS survey selectedmore » to approximate the anticipated Euclid weak lensing sample, enabling us to robustly map the empirical distribution of galaxies in the multidimensional color space defined by the expected Euclid filters. Mapping this multicolor distribution lets us determine where—in galaxy color space—redshifts from current spectroscopic surveys exist and where they are systematically missing. Crucially, the method lets us determine whether a spectroscopic training sample is representative of the full photometric space occupied by the galaxies in a survey. We explore optimal sampling techniques and estimate the additional spectroscopy needed to map out the color–redshift relation, finding that sampling the galaxy distribution in color space in a systematic way can efficiently meet the calibration requirements. While the analysis presented here focuses on the Euclid survey, similar analysis can be applied to other surveys facing the same calibration challenge, such as DES, LSST, and WFIRST.« less

Galaxy clusters in the cosmic web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acebrón, A.; Durret, F.; Martinet, N.; Adami, C.; Guennou, L.

2014-12-01

Simulations of large scale structure formation in the universe predict that matter is essentially distributed along filaments at the intersection of which lie galaxy clusters. We have analysed 9 clusters in the redshift range 0.4

FILTER-INDUCED BIAS IN Lyα EMITTER SURVEYS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN STANDARD AND TUNABLE FILTERS. GRAN TELESCOPIO CANARIAS PRELIMINARY RESULTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Diego, J. A.; De Leo, M. A.; Cepa, J.

Lyα emitter (LAE) surveys have successfully used the excess in a narrowband filter compared to a nearby broadband image to find candidates. However, the odd spectral energy distribution (SED) of LAEs combined with the instrumental profile has important effects on the properties of the candidate samples extracted from these surveys. We investigate the effect of the bandpass width and the transmission profile of the narrowband filters used for extracting LAE candidates at redshifts z ≅ 6.5 through Monte Carlo simulations, and we present pilot observations to test the performance of tunable filters to find LAEs and other emission-line candidates. Wemore » compare the samples obtained using a narrow ideal rectangular filter, the Subaru NB921 narrowband filter, and sweeping across a wavelength range using the ultra-narrow-band tunable filters of the instrument OSIRIS, installed at the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias. We use this instrument for extracting LAE candidates from a small set of real observations. Broadband data from the Subaru, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer databases were used for fitting SEDs to calculate photometric redshifts and to identify interlopers. Narrowband surveys are very efficient in finding LAEs in large sky areas, but the samples obtained are not evenly distributed in redshift along the filter bandpass, and the number of LAEs with equivalent widths <60 Å can be underestimated. These biased results do not appear in samples obtained using ultra-narrow-band tunable filters. However, the field size of tunable filters is restricted because of the variation of the effective wavelength across the image. Thus, narrowband and ultra-narrow-band surveys are complementary strategies to investigate high-redshift LAEs.« less

THE SWIFT AGN AND CLUSTER SURVEY. II. CLUSTER CONFIRMATION WITH SDSS DATA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Griffin, Rhiannon D.; Dai, Xinyu; Kochanek, Christopher S.

2016-01-15

We study 203 (of 442) Swift AGN and Cluster Survey extended X-ray sources located in the SDSS DR8 footprint to search for galaxy over-densities in three-dimensional space using SDSS galaxy photometric redshifts and positions near the Swift cluster candidates. We find 104 Swift clusters with a >3σ galaxy over-density. The remaining targets are potentially located at higher redshifts and require deeper optical follow-up observations for confirmation as galaxy clusters. We present a series of cluster properties including the redshift, brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) magnitude, BCG-to-X-ray center offset, optical richness, and X-ray luminosity. We also detect red sequences in ∼85% ofmore » the 104 confirmed clusters. The X-ray luminosity and optical richness for the SDSS confirmed Swift clusters are correlated and follow previously established relations. The distribution of the separations between the X-ray centroids and the most likely BCG is also consistent with expectation. We compare the observed redshift distribution of the sample with a theoretical model, and find that our sample is complete for z ≲ 0.3 and is still 80% complete up to z ≃ 0.4, consistent with the SDSS survey depth. These analysis results suggest that our Swift cluster selection algorithm has yielded a statistically well-defined cluster sample for further study of cluster evolution and cosmology. We also match our SDSS confirmed Swift clusters to existing cluster catalogs, and find 42, 23, and 1 matches in optical, X-ray, and Sunyaev–Zel’dovich catalogs, respectively, and so the majority of these clusters are new detections.« less

Lensing corrections to features in the angular two-point correlation function and power spectrum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LoVerde, Marilena; Department of Physics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027; Hui, Lam

2008-01-15

It is well known that magnification bias, the modulation of galaxy or quasar source counts by gravitational lensing, can change the observed angular correlation function. We investigate magnification-induced changes to the shape of the observed correlation function w({theta}), and the angular power spectrum C{sub l}, paying special attention to the matter-radiation equality peak and the baryon wiggles. Lensing effectively mixes the correlation function of the source galaxies with that of the matter correlation at the lower redshifts of the lenses distorting the observed correlation function. We quantify how the lensing corrections depend on the width of the selection function, themore » galaxy bias b, and the number count slope s. The lensing correction increases with redshift and larger corrections are present for sources with steep number count slopes and/or broad redshift distributions. The most drastic changes to C{sub l} occur for measurements at high redshifts (z > or approx. 1.5) and low multipole moment (l < or approx. 100). For the source distributions we consider, magnification bias can shift the location of the matter-radiation equality scale by 1%-6% at z{approx}1.5 and by z{approx}3.5 the shift can be as large as 30%. The baryon bump in {theta}{sup 2}w({theta}) is shifted by < or approx. 1% and the width is typically increased by {approx}10%. Shifts of > or approx. 0.5% and broadening > or approx. 20% occur only for very broad selection functions and/or galaxies with (5s-2)/b > or approx. 2. However, near the baryon bump the magnification correction is not constant but is a gently varying function which depends on the source population. Depending on how the w({theta}) data is fitted, this correction may need to be accounted for when using the baryon acoustic scale for precision cosmology.« less

Pressure distribution of the high-redshift cluster of galaxies CL J1226.9+3332 with NIKA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, R.; Comis, B.; Macías-Pérez, J.-F.; Adane, A.; Ade, P.; André, P.; Beelen, A.; Belier, B.; Benoît, A.; Bideaud, A.; Billot, N.; Blanquer, G.; Bourrion, O.; Calvo, M.; Catalano, A.; Coiffard, G.; Cruciani, A.; D'Addabbo, A.; Désert, F.-X.; Doyle, S.; Goupy, J.; Kramer, C.; Leclercq, S.; Martino, J.; Mauskopf, P.; Mayet, F.; Monfardini, A.; Pajot, F.; Pascale, E.; Perotto, L.; Pointecouteau, E.; Ponthieu, N.; Revéret, V.; Ritacco, A.; Rodriguez, L.; Savini, G.; Schuster, K.; Sievers, A.; Tucker, C.; Zylka, R.

2015-04-01

The thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect is expected to provide a low scatter mass proxy for galaxy clusters since it is directly proportional to the cluster thermal energy. The tSZ observations have proven to be a powerful tool for detecting and studying them, but high angular resolution observations are now needed to push their investigation to a higher redshift. In this paper, we report high angular (<20 arcsec) resolution tSZ observations of the high-redshift cluster CL J1226.9+3332 (z = 0.89). It was imaged at 150 and 260 GHz using the NIKA camera at the IRAM 30-m telescope. The 150 GHz map shows that CL J1226.9+3332 is morphologically relaxed on large scales with evidence of a disturbed core, while the 260 GHz channel is used mostly to identify point source contamination. NIKA data are combined with those of Planck and X-ray from Chandra to infer the cluster's radial pressure, density, temperature, and entropy distributions. The total mass profile of the cluster is derived, and we find M500 = 5.96+1.02-0.79 × 1014M⊙ within the radius R500 = 930+50-43 kpc, at a 68% confidence level. (R500 is the radius within which the average density is 500 times the critical density at the cluster's redshift.) NIKA is the prototype camera of NIKA2, a KIDs (kinetic inductance detectors) based instrument to be installed at the end of 2015. This work is, therefore, part of a pilot study aiming at optimizing tSZ NIKA2 large programs. The FITS file of the published maps is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/576/A12

Large Binocular Telescope and Sptizer Spectroscopy of Star-forming Galaxies at 1 < z < 3: Extinction and Star Formation Rate Indicators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rujopakarn, W.; Rieke, G. H.; Papovich, C. J.; Weiner, B. J.; Rigby, Jane; Rex, M.; Bian, F.; Kuhn, O. P.; Thompson, D.

2012-01-01

We present spectroscopic observations in the rest-frame optical and near- to mid-infrared wavelengths of four gravitationally lensed infrared (IR) luminous star-forming galaxies at redshift 1 < z < 3 from the LUCIFER instrument on the Large Binocular Telescope and the Infrared Spectrograph on Spitzer. The sample was selected to represent pure, actively star-forming systems, absent of active galactic nuclei. The large lensing magnifications result in high signal-to-noise spectra that can probe faint IR recombination lines, including Paa and Bra at high redshifts. The sample was augmented by three lensed galaxies with similar suites of unpublished data and observations from the literature, resulting in the final sample of seven galaxies. We use the IR recombination lines in conjunction with Ha observations to probe the extinction, Av, of these systems, as well as testing star formation rate (SFR) indicators against the SFR measured by fitting spectral energy distributions to far-IR photometry. Our galaxies occupy a range of Av from 0 to 5.9 mag, larger than previously known for a similar range of IR luminosities at these redshifts. Thus, estimates of SFR even at z 2 must take careful count of extinction in the most IR luminous galaxies.We also measure extinction by comparing SFR estimates from optical emission lines with those from far- IR measurements. The comparison of results from these two independent methods indicates a large variety of dust distribution scenarios at 1 < z < 3. Without correcting for dust extinction, the Ha SFR indicator underestimates the SFR; the size of the necessary correction depends on the IR luminosity and dust distribution scenario. Individual SFR estimates based on the 6.2µm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission line luminosity do not show a systematic discrepancy with extinction, although a considerable, 0.2 dex, scatter is observed.

Digging for the Truth: Photon Archeology with GLAST

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stecker, F. W.

2007-07-12

Stecker, Malkan and Scully, have shown how ongoing deep surveys of galaxy luminosity functions, spectral energy distributions and backwards evolution models of star formation rates can be used to calculate the past history of intergalactic photon densities for energies from 0.03 eV to the Lyman limit at 13.6 eV and for redshifts out to 6 (called here the intergalactic background light or IBL). From these calculations of the IBL at various redshifts, they predict the present and past optical depth of the universe to high energy {gamma}-rays owing to interactions with photons of the IBL and the 2.7 K CMB.more » We discuss here how this proceedure can be reversed by looking for sharp cutoffs in the spectra of extragalactic {gamma}-ray sources such as blazars at high redshifts in the multi-GeV energy range with GLAST (Gamma-Ray Large Are Space Telescope). By determining the cutoff energies of sources with known redshifts, we can refine our determination of the IBL photon densities in the past, i.e., the archeo-IBL, and therefore get a better measure of the past history of the total star formation rate. Conversely, observations of sharp high energy cutoffs in the {gamma}-ray spectra of sources at unknown redshifts can be used instead of spectral lines to give a measure of their redshifts.« less

Discovery of very high energy gamma rays from PKS 1424+240 and multiwavelength constraints on its redshift

DOE PAGES

Acciari, V. A.; Aliu, E.; Arlen, T.; ...

2009-12-18

Here, we report the first detection of very high energy 83Gamma-ray emission above 100 GeV. (VHE) gamma-ray emission above 140 GeV from PKS 1424+240, a BL Lac object with an unknown redshift. The photon spectrum above 140 GeV measured by VERITAS is well described by a power law with a photon index of 3.8 ± 0.5 stat ± 0.3 syst and a flux normalization at 200 GeV of (5.1 ± 0.9 stat ± 0.5 syst) × 10 –11 TeV –1 cm –2 s –1, where stat and syst denote the statistical and systematical uncertainties, respectively. The VHE flux is steadymore » over the observation period between MJD 54881 and 55003 (from 2009 February 19 to June 21). Flux variability is also not observed in contemporaneous high-energy observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Contemporaneous X-ray and optical data were also obtained from the Swift XRT and MDM observatory, respectively. The broadband spectral energy distribution is well described by a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model favoring a redshift of less than 0.1. We can conclude after using the photon index measured with Fermi in combination with recent extragalactic background light absorption models that the VERITAS data has a redshift of PKS 1424+240 less than 0.66.« less

Photometric redshifts for the CFHTLS T0004 deep and wide fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coupon, J.; Ilbert, O.; Kilbinger, M.; McCracken, H. J.; Mellier, Y.; Arnouts, S.; Bertin, E.; Hudelot, P.; Schultheis, M.; Le Fèvre, O.; Le Brun, V.; Guzzo, L.; Bardelli, S.; Zucca, E.; Bolzonella, M.; Garilli, B.; Zamorani, G.; Zanichelli, A.; Tresse, L.; Aussel, H.

2009-06-01

Aims: We compute photometric redshifts in the fourth public release of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey. This unique multi-colour catalogue comprises u^*, g', r', i', z' photometry in four deep fields of 1 deg2 each and 35 deg2 distributed over three wide fields. Methods: We used a template-fitting method to compute photometric redshifts calibrated with a large catalogue of 16 983 high-quality spectroscopic redshifts from the VVDS-F02, VVDS-F22, DEEP2, and the zCOSMOS surveys. The method includes correction of systematic offsets, template adaptation, and the use of priors. We also separated stars from galaxies using both size and colour information. Results: Comparing with galaxy spectroscopic redshifts, we find a photometric redshift dispersion, σΔ z/(1+z_s), of 0.028-0.30 and an outlier rate, |Δ z| ≥ 0.15× (1+z_s), of 3-4% in the deep field at i'_AB < 24. In the wide fields, we find a dispersion of 0.037-0.039 and an outlier rate of 3-4% at i'_AB < 22.5. Beyond i'_AB = 22.5 in the wide fields the number of outliers rises from 5% to 10% at i'_AB < 23 and i'_AB < 24, respectively. For the wide sample the systematic redshift bias stays below 1% to i'_AB < 22.5, whereas we find no significant bias in the deep fields. We investigated the effect of tile-to-tile photometric variations and demonstrated that the accuracy of our photometric redshifts is reduced by at most 21%. Application of our star-galaxy classifier reduced the contamination by stars in our catalogues from 60% to 8% at i'_AB < 22.5 in our field with the highest stellar density while keeping a complete galaxy sample. Our CFHTLS T0004 photometric redshifts are distributed to the community. Our release includes 592891 (i'_AB < 22.5) and 244701 (i'_AB < 24) reliable galaxy photometric redshifts in the wide and deep fields, respectively. Based on observations obtained with MegaPrime/MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, and the University of Hawaii. This work is based in part on data products produced at Terapix and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and CNRS.

The Quest for Dusty Star-forming Galaxies at High Redshift z ≳ 4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancuso, C.; Lapi, A.; Shi, J.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Aversa, R.; Danese, L.

2016-06-01

We exploit the continuity equation approach and “main-sequence” star formation timescales to show that the observed high abundance of galaxies with stellar masses ≳ a few 1010 M ⊙ at redshift z ≳ 4 implies the existence of a galaxy population featuring large star formation rates (SFRs) ψ ≳ 102 M ⊙ yr-1 in heavily dust-obscured conditions. These galaxies constitute the high-redshift counterparts of the dusty star-forming population already surveyed for z ≲ 3 in the far-IR band by the Herschel Space Observatory. We work out specific predictions for the evolution of the corresponding stellar mass and SFR functions out to z ˜ 10, determining that the number density at z ≲ 8 for SFRs ψ ≳ 30 M ⊙ yr-1 cannot be estimated relying on the UV luminosity function alone, even when standard corrections for dust extinction based on the UV slope are applied. We compute the number counts and redshift distributions (including galaxy-scale gravitational lensing) of this galaxy population, and show that current data from the AzTEC-LABOCA, SCUBA-2, and ALMA-SPT surveys are already addressing it. We demonstrate how an observational strategy based on color preselection in the far-IR or (sub-)millimeter band with Herschel and SCUBA-2, supplemented by photometric data from on-source observations with ALMA, can allow us to reconstruct the bright end of the SFR functions out to z ≲ 8. In parallel, such a challenging task can be managed by exploiting current UV surveys in combination with (sub-)millimeter observations by ALMA and NIKA2 and/or radio observations by SKA and its precursors.

THE QUEST FOR DUSTY STAR-FORMING GALAXIES AT HIGH REDSHIFT z ≳ 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mancuso, C.; Lapi, A.; Shi, J.

2016-06-01

We exploit the continuity equation approach and “main-sequence” star formation timescales to show that the observed high abundance of galaxies with stellar masses ≳ a few 10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙} at redshift z ≳ 4 implies the existence of a galaxy population featuring large star formation rates (SFRs) ψ ≳ 10{sup 2} M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} in heavily dust-obscured conditions. These galaxies constitute the high-redshift counterparts of the dusty star-forming population already surveyed for z ≲ 3 in the far-IR band by the Herschel Space Observatory . We work out specific predictions for the evolution of the correspondingmore » stellar mass and SFR functions out to z ∼ 10, determining that the number density at z ≲ 8 for SFRs ψ ≳ 30 M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} cannot be estimated relying on the UV luminosity function alone, even when standard corrections for dust extinction based on the UV slope are applied. We compute the number counts and redshift distributions (including galaxy-scale gravitational lensing) of this galaxy population, and show that current data from the AzTEC - LABOCA , SCUBA-2 , and ALMA - SPT surveys are already addressing it. We demonstrate how an observational strategy based on color preselection in the far-IR or (sub-)millimeter band with Herschel and SCUBA-2 , supplemented by photometric data from on-source observations with ALMA , can allow us to reconstruct the bright end of the SFR functions out to z ≲ 8. In parallel, such a challenging task can be managed by exploiting current UV surveys in combination with (sub-)millimeter observations by ALMA and NIKA2 and/or radio observations by SKA and its precursors.« less

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: redshift distributions of the weak-lensing source galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyle, B.; Gruen, D.; Bernstein, G. M.; Rau, M. M.; De Vicente, J.; Hartley, W. G.; Gaztanaga, E.; DeRose, J.; Troxel, M. A.; Davis, C.; Alarcon, A.; MacCrann, N.; Prat, J.; Sánchez, C.; Sheldon, E.; Wechsler, R. H.; Asorey, J.; Becker, M. R.; Bonnett, C.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carollo, D.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Castander, F. J.; Cawthon, R.; Chang, C.; Childress, M.; Davis, T. M.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Gatti, M.; Glazebrook, K.; Gschwend, J.; Hinton, S. R.; Hoormann, J. K.; Kim, A. G.; King, A.; Kuehn, K.; Lewis, G.; Lidman, C.; Lin, H.; Macaulay, E.; Maia, M. A. G.; Martini, P.; Mudd, D.; Möller, A.; Nichol, R. C.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Rollins, R. P.; Roodman, A.; Ross, A. J.; Rozo, E.; Rykoff, E. S.; Samuroff, S.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Sharp, R.; Sommer, N. E.; Tucker, B. E.; Uddin, S. A.; Varga, T. N.; Vielzeuf, P.; Yuan, F.; Zhang, B.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Bechtol, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Busha, M. T.; Capozzi, D.; Carretero, J.; Crocce, M.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Estrada, J.; Evrard, A. E.; Fernandez, E.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; García-Bellido, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Giannantonio, T.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Jeltema, T.; Johnson, M. W. G.; Johnson, M. D.; Kirk, D.; Krause, E.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Li, T. S.; Lima, M.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Melchior, P.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Nord, B.; O'Neill, C. R.; Plazas, A. A.; Romer, A. K.; Sako, M.; Sanchez, E.; Santiago, B.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Tucker, D. L.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Weller, J.; Wester, W.; Wolf, R. C.; Yanny, B.; Zuntz, J.

2018-07-01

We describe the derivation and validation of redshift distribution estimates and their uncertainties for the populations of galaxies used as weak-lensing sources in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 cosmological analyses. The Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ) code is used to assign galaxies to four redshift bins between z ≈ 0.2 and ≈1.3, and to produce initial estimates of the lensing-weighted redshift distributions n^i_PZ(z)∝ dn^i/dz for members of bin i. Accurate determination of cosmological parameters depends critically on knowledge of ni, but is insensitive to bin assignments or redshift errors for individual galaxies. The cosmological analyses allow for shifts n^i(z)=n^i_PZ(z-Δ z^i) to correct the mean redshift of ni(z) for biases in n^i_PZ. The Δzi are constrained by comparison of independently estimated 30-band photometric redshifts of galaxies in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field to BPZ estimates made from the DES griz fluxes, for a sample matched in fluxes, pre-seeing size, and lensing weight to the DES weak-lensing sources. In companion papers, the Δzi of the three lowest redshift bins are further constrained by the angular clustering of the source galaxies around red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts at 0.15 < z < 0.9. This paper details the BPZ and COSMOS procedures, and demonstrates that the cosmological inference is insensitive to details of the ni(z) beyond the choice of Δzi. The clustering and COSMOS validation methods produce consistent estimates of Δzi in the bins where both can be applied, with combined uncertainties of σ_{Δ z^i}=0.015, 0.013, 0.011, and 0.022 in the four bins. Repeating the photo-z procedure instead using the Directional Neighbourhood Fitting algorithm, or using the ni(z) estimated from the matched sample in COSMOS, yields no discernible difference in cosmological inferences.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Redshift distributions of the weak lensing source galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyle, B.; Gruen, D.; Bernstein, G. M.; Rau, M. M.; De Vicente, J.; Hartley, W. G.; Gaztanaga, E.; DeRose, J.; Troxel, M. A.; Davis, C.; Alarcon, A.; MacCrann, N.; Prat, J.; Sánchez, C.; Sheldon, E.; Wechsler, R. H.; Asorey, J.; Becker, M. R.; Bonnett, C.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carollo, D.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Castander, F. J.; Cawthon, R.; Chang, C.; Childress, M.; Davis, T. M.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Gatti, M.; Glazebrook, K.; Gschwend, J.; Hinton, S. R.; Hoormann, J. K.; Kim, A. G.; King, A.; Kuehn, K.; Lewis, G.; Lidman, C.; Lin, H.; Macaulay, E.; Maia, M. A. G.; Martini, P.; Mudd, D.; Möller, A.; Nichol, R. C.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Rollins, R. P.; Roodman, A.; Ross, A. J.; Rozo, E.; Rykoff, E. S.; Samuroff, S.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Sharp, R.; Sommer, N. E.; Tucker, B. E.; Uddin, S. A.; Varga, T. N.; Vielzeuf, P.; Yuan, F.; Zhang, B.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Bechtol, K.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D. L.; Busha, M. T.; Capozzi, D.; Carretero, J.; Crocce, M.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Estrada, J.; Evrard, A. E.; Fernandez, E.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Frieman, J.; García-Bellido, J.; Gerdes, D. W.; Giannantonio, T.; Goldstein, D. A.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Jeltema, T.; Johnson, M. W. G.; Johnson, M. D.; Kirk, D.; Krause, E.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Li, T. S.; Lima, M.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Melchior, P.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Nord, B.; O'Neill, C. R.; Plazas, A. A.; Romer, A. K.; Sako, M.; Sanchez, E.; Santiago, B.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Smith, M.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Tucker, D. L.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Weller, J.; Wester, W.; Wolf, R. C.; Yanny, B.; Zuntz, J.; DES Collaboration

2018-04-01

We describe the derivation and validation of redshift distribution estimates and their uncertainties for the populations of galaxies used as weak lensing sources in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 cosmological analyses. The Bayesian Photometric Redshift (BPZ) code is used to assign galaxies to four redshift bins between z ≈ 0.2 and ≈1.3, and to produce initial estimates of the lensing-weighted redshift distributions n^i_PZ(z)∝ dn^i/dz for members of bin i. Accurate determination of cosmological parameters depends critically on knowledge of ni but is insensitive to bin assignments or redshift errors for individual galaxies. The cosmological analyses allow for shifts n^i(z)=n^i_PZ(z-Δ z^i) to correct the mean redshift of ni(z) for biases in n^i_PZ. The Δzi are constrained by comparison of independently estimated 30-band photometric redshifts of galaxies in the COSMOS field to BPZ estimates made from the DES griz fluxes, for a sample matched in fluxes, pre-seeing size, and lensing weight to the DES weak-lensing sources. In companion papers, the Δzi of the three lowest redshift bins are further constrained by the angular clustering of the source galaxies around red galaxies with secure photometric redshifts at 0.15 < z < 0.9. This paper details the BPZ and COSMOS procedures, and demonstrates that the cosmological inference is insensitive to details of the ni(z) beyond the choice of Δzi. The clustering and COSMOS validation methods produce consistent estimates of Δzi in the bins where both can be applied, with combined uncertainties of σ _{Δ z^i}=0.015, 0.013, 0.011, and 0.022 in the four bins. Repeating the photo-z proceedure instead using the Directional Neighborhood Fitting (DNF) algorithm, or using the ni(z) estimated from the matched sample in COSMOS, yields no discernible difference in cosmological inferences.

Investigations of gain redshift in high peak power Ti:sapphire laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fenxiang; Yu, Linpeng; Zhang, Zongxin; Li, Wenkai; Yang, Xiaojun; Wu, Yuanfeng; Li, Shuai; Wang, Cheng; Liu, Yanqi; Lu, Xiaoming; Xu, Yi; Leng, Yuxin

2018-07-01

Gain redshift in high peak power Ti:sapphire laser systems can result in narrowband spectral output and hence lengthen the compressed pulse duration. In order to realize broadband spectral output in 10 PW-class Ti:sapphire lasers, the influence on gain redshift induced by spectral pre-shaping, gain distribution of cascaded amplifiers and Extraction During Pumping (EDP) technique have been investigated. The theoretical and experimental results show that the redshift of output spectrum is sensitive to the spectral pre-shaping and the gain distribution of cascaded amplifiers, while insensitive to the pumping scheme with or without EDP. Moreover, the output spectrum from our future 10 PW Ti:sapphire laser is theoretically analyzed based on the investigations above, which indicates that a Fourier-transform limited (FTL) pulse duration of 21 fs can be achieved just by optimizing the spectral pre-shaping and gain distribution in 10 PW-class Ti:sapphire lasers.

Infrared-faint radio sources are at high redshifts. Spectroscopic redshift determination of infrared-faint radio sources using the Very Large Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzog, A.; Middelberg, E.; Norris, R. P.; Sharp, R.; Spitler, L. R.; Parker, Q. A.

2014-07-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are characterised by relatively high radio flux densities and associated faint or even absent infrared and optical counterparts. The resulting extremely high radio-to-infrared flux density ratios up to several thousands were previously known only for high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs), suggesting a link between the two classes of object. However, the optical and infrared faintness of IFRS makes their study difficult. Prior to this work, no redshift was known for any IFRS in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) fields which would help to put IFRS in the context of other classes of object, especially of HzRGs. Aims: This work aims at measuring the first redshifts of IFRS in the ATLAS fields. Furthermore, we test the hypothesis that IFRS are similar to HzRGs, that they are higher-redshift or dust-obscured versions of these massive galaxies. Methods: A sample of IFRS was spectroscopically observed using the Focal Reducer and Low Dispersion Spectrograph 2 (FORS2) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The data were calibrated based on the Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF) and redshifts extracted from the final spectra, where possible. This information was then used to calculate rest-frame luminosities, and to perform the first spectral energy distribution modelling of IFRS based on redshifts. Results: We found redshifts of 1.84, 2.13, and 2.76, for three IFRS, confirming the suggested high-redshift character of this class of object. These redshifts and the resulting luminosities show IFRS to be similar to HzRGs, supporting our hypothesis. We found further evidence that fainter IFRS are at even higher redshifts. Conclusions: Considering the similarities between IFRS and HzRGs substantiated in this work, the detection of IFRS, which have a significantly higher sky density than HzRGs, increases the number of active galactic nuclei in the early universe and adds to the problems of explaining the formation of supermassive black holes shortly after the Big Bang.

ALMACAL IV: A catalogue of ALMA calibrator continuum observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonato, M.; Liuzzo, E.; Giannetti, A.; Massardi, M.; De Zotti, G.; Burkutean, S.; Galluzzi, V.; Negrello, M.; Baronchelli, I.; Brand, J.; Zwaan, M. A.; Rygl, K. L. J.; Marchili, N.; Klitsch, A.; Oteo, I.

2018-05-01

We present a catalogue of ALMA flux density measurements of 754 calibrators observed between August 2012 and September 2017, for a total of 16,263 observations in different bands and epochs. The flux densities were measured reprocessing the ALMA images generated in the framework of the ALMACAL project, with a new code developed by the Italian node of the European ALMA Regional Centre. A search in the online databases yielded redshift measurements for 589 sources (˜78 per cent of the total). Almost all sources are flat-spectrum, based on their low-frequency spectral index, and have properties consistent with being blazars of different types. To illustrate the properties of the sample we show the redshift and flux density distributions as well as the distributions of the number of observations of individual sources and of time spans in the source frame for sources observed in bands 3 (84-116 GHz) and 6 (211-275 GHz). As examples of the scientific investigations allowed by the catalogue we briefly discuss the variability properties of our sources in ALMA bands 3 and 6 and the frequency spectra between the effective frequencies of these bands. We find that the median variability index steadily increases with the source-frame time lag increasing from 100 to 800 days, and that the frequency spectra of BL Lacs are significantly flatter than those of flat-spectrum radio quasars. We also show the global spectral energy distributions of our sources over 17 orders of magnitude in frequency.

Stochastic Order Redshift Technique (SORT): a simple, efficient and robust method to improve cosmological redshift measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tejos, Nicolas; Rodríguez-Puebla, Aldo; Primack, Joel R.

2018-01-01

We present a simple, efficient and robust approach to improve cosmological redshift measurements. The method is based on the presence of a reference sample for which a precise redshift number distribution (dN/dz) can be obtained for different pencil-beam-like sub-volumes within the original survey. For each sub-volume we then impose that: (i) the redshift number distribution of the uncertain redshift measurements matches the reference dN/dz corrected by their selection functions and (ii) the rank order in redshift of the original ensemble of uncertain measurements is preserved. The latter step is motivated by the fact that random variables drawn from Gaussian probability density functions (PDFs) of different means and arbitrarily large standard deviations satisfy stochastic ordering. We then repeat this simple algorithm for multiple arbitrary pencil-beam-like overlapping sub-volumes; in this manner, each uncertain measurement has multiple (non-independent) 'recovered' redshifts which can be used to estimate a new redshift PDF. We refer to this method as the Stochastic Order Redshift Technique (SORT). We have used a state-of-the-art N-body simulation to test the performance of SORT under simple assumptions and found that it can improve the quality of cosmological redshifts in a robust and efficient manner. Particularly, SORT redshifts (zsort) are able to recover the distinctive features of the so-called 'cosmic web' and can provide unbiased measurement of the two-point correlation function on scales ≳4 h-1Mpc. Given its simplicity, we envision that a method like SORT can be incorporated into more sophisticated algorithms aimed to exploit the full potential of large extragalactic photometric surveys.

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): spectroscopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, A. M.; Driver, S. P.; Brough, S.; Owers, M. S.; Bauer, A. E.; Gunawardhana, M. L. P.; Cluver, M. E.; Colless, M.; Foster, C.; Lara-López, M. A.; Roseboom, I.; Sharp, R.; Steele, O.; Thomas, D.; Baldry, I. K.; Brown, M. J. I.; Liske, J.; Norberg, P.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Bamford, S.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Drinkwater, M. J.; Loveday, J.; Meyer, M.; Peacock, J. A.; Tuffs, R.; Agius, N.; Alpaslan, M.; Andrae, E.; Cameron, E.; Cole, S.; Ching, J. H. Y.; Christodoulou, L.; Conselice, C.; Croom, S.; Cross, N. J. G.; De Propris, R.; Delhaize, J.; Dunne, L.; Eales, S.; Ellis, S.; Frenk, C. S.; Graham, Alister W.; Grootes, M. W.; Häußler, B.; Heymans, C.; Hill, D.; Hoyle, B.; Hudson, M.; Jarvis, M.; Johansson, J.; Jones, D. H.; van Kampen, E.; Kelvin, L.; Kuijken, K.; López-Sánchez, Á.; Maddox, S.; Madore, B.; Maraston, C.; McNaught-Roberts, T.; Nichol, R. C.; Oliver, S.; Parkinson, H.; Penny, S.; Phillipps, S.; Pimbblet, K. A.; Ponman, T.; Popescu, C. C.; Prescott, M.; Proctor, R.; Sadler, E. M.; Sansom, A. E.; Seibert, M.; Staveley-Smith, L.; Sutherland, W.; Taylor, E.; Van Waerbeke, L.; Vázquez-Mata, J. A.; Warren, S.; Wijesinghe, D. B.; Wild, V.; Wilkins, S.

2013-04-01

The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey is a multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic survey, using the AAOmega spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain spectra for up to ˜300 000 galaxies over 280 deg2, to a limiting magnitude of rpet < 19.8 mag. The target galaxies are distributed over 0 < z ≲ 0.5 with a median redshift of z ≈ 0.2, although the redshift distribution includes a small number of systems, primarily quasars, at higher redshifts, up to and beyond z = 1. The redshift accuracy ranges from σv ≈ 50 km s-1 to σv ≈ 100 km s-1 depending on the signal-to-noise ratio of the spectrum. Here we describe the GAMA spectroscopic reduction and analysis pipeline. We present the steps involved in taking the raw two-dimensional spectroscopic images through to flux-calibrated one-dimensional spectra. The resulting GAMA spectra cover an observed wavelength range of 3750 ≲ λ ≲ 8850 Å at a resolution of R ≈ 1300. The final flux calibration is typically accurate to 10-20 per cent, although the reliability is worse at the extreme wavelength ends, and poorer in the blue than the red. We present details of the measurement of emission and absorption features in the GAMA spectra. These measurements are characterized through a variety of quality control analyses detailing the robustness and reliability of the measurements. We illustrate the quality of the measurements with a brief exploration of elementary emission line properties of the galaxies in the GAMA sample. We demonstrate the luminosity dependence of the Balmer decrement, consistent with previously published results, and explore further how Balmer decrement varies with galaxy mass and redshift. We also investigate the mass and redshift dependencies of the [N II]/Hα versus [O III]/Hβ spectral diagnostic diagram, commonly used to discriminate between star forming and nuclear activity in galaxies.

The accelerated build-up of the red sequence in high-redshift galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerulo, P.; Couch, W. J.; Lidman, C.; Demarco, R.; Huertas-Company, M.; Mei, S.; Sánchez-Janssen, R.; Barrientos, L. F.; Muñoz, R. P.

2016-04-01

We analyse the evolution of the red sequence in a sample of galaxy clusters at redshifts 0.8 < z < 1.5 taken from the HAWK-I Cluster Survey (HCS). The comparison with the low-redshift (0.04 < z < 0.08) sample of the WIde-field Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey (WINGS) and other literature results shows that the slope and intrinsic scatter of the cluster red sequence have undergone little evolution since z = 1.5. We find that the luminous-to-faint ratio and the slope of the faint end of the luminosity distribution of the HCS red sequence are consistent with those measured in WINGS, implying that there is no deficit of red galaxies at magnitudes fainter than M_V^{ast } at high redshifts. We find that the most massive HCS clusters host a population of bright red sequence galaxies at MV < -22.0 mag, which are not observed in low-mass clusters. Interestingly, we also note the presence of a population of very bright (MV < -23.0 mag) and massive (log (M*/M⊙) > 11.5) red sequence galaxies in the WINGS clusters, which do not include only the brightest cluster galaxies and which are not present in the HCS clusters, suggesting that they formed at epochs later than z = 0.8. The comparison with the luminosity distribution of a sample of passive red sequence galaxies drawn from the COSMOS/UltraVISTA field in the photometric redshift range 0.8 < zphot < 1.5 shows that the red sequence in clusters is more developed at the faint end, suggesting that halo mass plays an important role in setting the time-scales for the build-up of the red sequence.

Galaxy Distribution in Clusters of Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, T.; Yachi, S.; Habe, A.

beta-discrepancy have been pointed out from comparison of optical and X-ray observations of clusters of galaxies. To examine physical reason of beta-discrepancy, we use N-body simulation which contains two components, dark particles and galaxies which are identified by using adaptive-linking friend of friend technique at a certain red-shift. The gas component is not included here, since the gas distribution follows the dark matter distribution in dark halos (Jubio F. Navarro, Carlos S. Frenk and Simon D. M. White 1995). We find that the galaxy distribution follows the dark matter distribution, therefore beta-discrepancy does not exist, and this result is consistent with the interpretation of the beta-discrepancy by Bahcall and Lubin (1994), which was based on recent observation.

The optical and near-infrared colors of galaxies, 1: The photometric data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bershady, Matthew A.; Hereld, Mark; Kron, Richard G.; Koo, David C.; Munn, Jeffrey A.; Majewski, Steven R.

1994-01-01

We present optical and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopic redshifts of a well defined sample of 171 field galaxies selected from three high galactic latitude fields. This data set forms the basis for subsequent studies to characterize the trends, dispersion, and evolution of rest-frame colors and image structure. A subset of 143 galaxies constitutes a magnitude-limited sample to B approx. 19.9-20.75 (depending on field), with a median redshift of 0.14, and a maximum redshift of 0.54. This subset is statistically representative in its sampling of the apparent color distribution of galaxies. Thirty six galaxies were selected to have the reddest red-optical colors in two redshift intervals between 0.2 less than z less than 0.3. Photometric passbands are similar to U, B, V, I, and K, and sample galaxy spectral energy distributions between 0.37 and 2.2 micrometers in the observed frame, or down to 0.26 micrometers in the rest frame for the most distant galaxies. B and K images of the entire sample are assembled to form the first optical and near-infrared atlas of a statistically-representative sample of field galaxies. We discuss techniques for faint field-galaxy photometry, including a working definition of a total magnitude, and a method for matching magnitudes in different passbands and different seeing conditions to ensure reliable, integrated colors. Photographic saturation, which substantially affects the brightest 12% of our sample in the optical bands, is corrected with a model employing measured plate-density distributions for each galaxy, calibrated via similar measurements for stars as a function of known saturation level. Both the relative and absolute calibration of our photometry are demonstrated.

The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). The coevolution of galaxy morphology and colour to z 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krywult, J.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Pollo, A.; Vergani, D.; Bolzonella, M.; Davidzon, I.; Iovino, A.; Gargiulo, A.; Haines, C. P.; Scodeggio, M.; Guzzo, L.; Zamorani, G.; Garilli, B.; Granett, B. R.; de la Torre, S.; Abbas, U.; Adami, C.; Bottini, D.; Cappi, A.; Cucciati, O.; Franzetti, P.; Fritz, A.; Le Brun, V.; Le Fèvre, O.; Maccagni, D.; Małek, K.; Marulli, F.; Polletta, M.; Tojeiro, R.; Zanichelli, A.; Arnouts, S.; Bel, J.; Branchini, E.; Coupon, J.; De Lucia, G.; Ilbert, O.; McCracken, H. J.; Moscardini, L.; Takeuchi, T. T.

2017-02-01

Context. The study of the separation of galaxy types into different classes that share the same characteristics, and of the evolution of the specific parameters used in the classification are fundamental for understanding galaxy evolution. Aims: We explore the evolution of the statistical distribution of galaxy morphological properties and colours combining high-quality imaging data from the CFHT Legacy Survey with the large number of redshifts and extended photometry from the VIPERS survey. Methods: Galaxy structural parameters were combined with absolute magnitudes, colours and redshifts in order to trace evolution in a multi-parameter space. Using a new method we analysed the combination of colours and structural parameters of early- and late-type galaxies in luminosity-redshift space. Results: We find that both the rest-frame colour distributions in the (U-B) vs. (B-V) plane and the Sérsic index distributions are well fitted by a sum of two Gaussians, with a remarkable consistency of red-spheroidal and blue-disky galaxy populations, over the explored redshift (0.5 < z < 1) and luminosity (-1.5 < B-B∗ < 1.0) ranges. The combination of the rest-frame colour and Sérsic index as a function of redshift and luminosity allows us to present the structure of both galaxy types and their evolution. We find that early-type galaxies display only a slow change in their concentrations after z = 1. Their high concentrations were already established at z 1 and depend much more strongly on their luminosity than redshift. In contrast, late-type galaxies clearly become more concentrated with cosmic time with only little evolution in colour, which remains dependent mainly on their luminosity. Conclusions: The combination of rest-frame colours and Sérsic index as a function of redshift and luminosity leads to a precise statistical description of the structure of galaxies and their evolution. Additionally, the proposed method provides a robust way to split galaxies into early and late types. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Cerro Paranal, Chile, using the Very Large Telescope under programs 182.A-0886 and partly 070.A-9007. Also based on observations obtained with MegaPrime/MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, and the University of Hawaii. This work is based in part on data products produced at TERAPIX and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and CNRS. The VIPERS web site is http://vipers.inaf.it/A table of the fitted parameters is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/598/A120

Degradation analysis in the estimation of photometric redshifts from non-representative training sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, J. D.; Moraes, B.; Merson, A. I.; Jouvel, S.; Abdalla, F. B.; Abdalla, M. C. B.

2018-07-01

We perform an analysis of photometric redshifts estimated by using a non-representative training sets in magnitude space. We use the ANNz2 and GPz algorithms to estimate the photometric redshift both in simulations and in real data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (DR12). We show that for the representative case, the results obtained by using both algorithms have the same quality, using either magnitudes or colours as input. In order to reduce the errors when estimating the redshifts with a non-representative training set, we perform the training in colour space. We estimate the quality of our results by using a mock catalogue which is split samples cuts in the r band between 19.4 < r < 20.8. We obtain slightly better results with GPz on single point z-phot estimates in the complete training set case, however the photometric redshifts estimated with ANNz2 algorithm allows us to obtain mildly better results in deeper r-band cuts when estimating the full redshift distribution of the sample in the incomplete training set case. By using a cumulative distribution function and a Monte Carlo process, we manage to define a photometric estimator which fits well the spectroscopic distribution of galaxies in the mock testing set, but with a larger scatter. To complete this work, we perform an analysis of the impact on the detection of clusters via density of galaxies in a field by using the photometric redshifts obtained with a non-representative training set.

Degradation analysis in the estimation of photometric redshifts from non-representative training sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, J. D.; Moraes, B.; Merson, A. I.; Jouvel, S.; Abdalla, F. B.; Abdalla, M. C. B.

2018-04-01

We perform an analysis of photometric redshifts estimated by using a non-representative training sets in magnitude space. We use the ANNz2 and GPz algorithms to estimate the photometric redshift both in simulations as well as in real data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (DR12). We show that for the representative case, the results obtained by using both algorithms have the same quality, either using magnitudes or colours as input. In order to reduce the errors when estimating the redshifts with a non-representative training set, we perform the training in colour space. We estimate the quality of our results by using a mock catalogue which is split samples cuts in the r-band between 19.4 < r < 20.8. We obtain slightly better results with GPz on single point z-phot estimates in the complete training set case, however the photometric redshifts estimated with ANNz2 algorithm allows us to obtain mildly better results in deeper r-band cuts when estimating the full redshift distribution of the sample in the incomplete training set case. By using a cumulative distribution function and a Monte-Carlo process, we manage to define a photometric estimator which fits well the spectroscopic distribution of galaxies in the mock testing set, but with a larger scatter. To complete this work, we perform an analysis of the impact on the detection of clusters via density of galaxies in a field by using the photometric redshifts obtained with a non-representative training set.

Populating dark matter haloes with galaxies: comparing the 2dFGRS with mock galaxy redshift surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaohu; Mo, H. J.; Jing, Y. P.; van den Bosch, Frank C.; Chu, YaoQuan

2004-06-01

In two recent papers, we developed a powerful technique to link the distribution of galaxies to that of dark matter haloes by considering halo occupation numbers as a function of galaxy luminosity and type. In this paper we use these distribution functions to populate dark matter haloes in high-resolution N-body simulations of the standard ΛCDM cosmology with Ωm= 0.3, ΩΛ= 0.7 and σ8= 0.9. Stacking simulation boxes of 100 h-1 Mpc and 300 h-1 Mpc with 5123 particles each we construct mock galaxy redshift surveys out to a redshift of z= 0.2 with a numerical resolution that guarantees completeness down to 0.01L*. We use these mock surveys to investigate various clustering statistics. The predicted two-dimensional correlation function ξ(rp, π) reveals clear signatures of redshift space distortions. The projected correlation functions for galaxies with different luminosities and types, derived from ξ(rp, π), match the observations well on scales larger than ~3 h-1 Mpc. On smaller scales, however, the model overpredicts the clustering power by about a factor two. Modelling the `finger-of-God' effect on small scales reveals that the standard ΛCDM model predicts pairwise velocity dispersions (PVD) that are ~400 km s-1 too high at projected pair separations of ~1 h-1 Mpc. A strong velocity bias in massive haloes, with bvel≡σgal/σdm~ 0.6 (where σgal and σdm are the velocity dispersions of galaxies and dark matter particles, respectively) can reduce the predicted PVD to the observed level, but does not help to resolve the overprediction of clustering power on small scales. Consistent results can be obtained within the standard ΛCDM model only when the average mass-to-light ratio of clusters is of the order of 1000 (M/L)solar in the B-band. Alternatively, as we show by a simple approximation, a ΛCDM model with σ8~= 0.75 may also reproduce the observational results. We discuss our results in light of the recent WMAP results and the constraints on σ8 obtained independently from other observations.

SPECTROSCOPY OF LUMINOUS COMPACT BLUE GALAXIES IN DISTANT CLUSTERS. II. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF dE PROGENITOR CANDIDATES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, S. M.; Wirth, Gregory D.; Bershady, M. A.

2016-02-01

Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies (LCBGs) are an extreme star-bursting population of galaxies that were far more common at earlier epochs than today. Based on spectroscopic and photometric measurements of LCBGs in massive (M > 10{sup 15} M{sub ⊙}), intermediate redshift (0.5 < z < 0.9) galaxy clusters, we present their rest-frame properties including star formation rate, dynamical mass, size, luminosity, and metallicity. The appearance of these small, compact galaxies in clusters at intermediate redshift helps explain the observed redshift evolution in the size–luminosity relationship among cluster galaxies. In addition, we find the rest-frame properties of LCBGs appearing in galaxy clusters are indistinguishable from field LCBGs atmore » the same redshift. Up to 35% of the LCBGs show significant discrepancies between optical and infrared indicators of star formation, suggesting that star formation occurs in obscured regions. Nonetheless, the star formation for LCBGs shows a decrease toward the center of the galaxy clusters. Based on their position and velocity, we estimate that up to 10% of cluster LCBGs are likely to merge with another cluster galaxy. Finally, the observed properties and distributions of the LCBGs in these clusters lead us to conclude that we are witnessing the quenching of the progenitors of dwarf elliptical galaxies that dominate the number density of present-epoch galaxy clusters.« less

liger: mock relativistic light cones from Newtonian simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borzyszkowski, Mikolaj; Bertacca, Daniele; Porciani, Cristiano

2017-11-01

We introduce a method to create mock galaxy catalogues in redshift space including general relativistic effects to linear order in the cosmological perturbations. We dub our method liger, short for `light cones with general relativity'. liger takes a (N-body or hydrodynamic) Newtonian simulation as an input and outputs the distribution of galaxies in comoving redshift space. This result is achieved making use of a coordinate transformation and simultaneously accounting for lensing magnification. The calculation includes both local corrections and terms that have been integrated along the line of sight. Our fast implementation allows the production of many realizations that can be used to forecast the performance of forthcoming wide-angle surveys and to estimate the covariance matrix of the observables. To facilitate this use, we also present a variant of liger designed for large-volume simulations with low-mass resolution. In this case, the galaxy distribution on large scales is obtained by biasing the matter-density field. Finally, we present two sample applications of liger. First, we discuss the impact of weak gravitational lensing on to the angular clustering of galaxies in a Euclid-like survey. In agreement with previous analytical studies, we find that magnification bias can be measured with high confidence. Secondly, we focus on two generally neglected Doppler-induced effects: magnification and the change of number counts with redshift. We show that the corresponding redshift-space distortions can be detected at 5.5σ significance with the completed Square Kilometre Array.

A revised and updated catalog of quasi-stellar objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hewitt, A.; Burbidge, G.

1993-01-01

The paper contains a catalog of all known quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) with measured emission redshifts, and BL Lac objects, complete to 1992 December 31. The catalog contains 7315 objects, nearly all QSOs including about 90 BL Lac objects. The catalog and references contain extensive information on names, positions, magnitudes, colors, emission-line redshifts, absorption, variability, polarization, and X-ray, radio, and infrared data. A key in the form of subsidiary tables enables the reader to relate the name of a given object to its coordinate name, which is used throughout the compilation. Plots of the Hubble diagram, the apparent magnitude distribution, the emission redshift distribution, and the distribution of the QSOs on the sky are also given.

Sky Mining - Application to Photomorphic Redshift Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Pragyansmita

The field of astronomy has evolved from the ancient craft of observing the sky. In it's present form, astronomers explore the cosmos not just by observing through the tiny visible window used by our eyes, but also by exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays. The domain is undoubtedly at the forefront of data-driven science. The data growth rate is expected to be around 50%--100% per year. This data explosion is attributed largely to the large-scale wide and deep surveys of the different regions of the sky at multiple wavelengths (both ground and space-based surveys). This dissertation describes the application of machine learning methods to the estimation of galaxy redshifts leveraging such a survey data. Galaxy is a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space. Our view of the universe is closely tied to our understanding of galaxy formation. Thus, a better understanding of the relative location of the multitudes of galaxies is crucial. The position of each galaxy can be characterized using three coordinates. Right Ascension (ra) and Declination (dec) are the two coordinates that locate the galaxy in two dimensions on the plane of the sky. It is relatively straightforward to measure them. In contrast, fixing the third coordinate that is the galaxy's distance from the observer along the line of sight (redshift 'z') is considerably more challenging. "Spectroscopic redshift" method gives us accurate and precise measurements of z. However, it is extremely time-intensive and unusable for faint objects. Additionally, the rate at which objects are being identified via photometric surveys far exceeds the rate at which the spectroscopic redshift measurements can keep pace in determining their distance. As the surveys go deeper into the sky, the proportion of faint objects being identified also continues to increase. In order to tackle both these drawbacks increasing in severity every day, alternative method "Photometric redshift" has been studied in the past. It uses the brightness of the object viewed through various standard filters, each of which lets through a relatively broad spectrum of colors. However, these methods are bound by the degeneracy problem (objects with different color profiles have the same redshift) which leads to low predictive accuracy. As part of our study, we are looking beyond color attributes to identify other measured attributes as degeneracy resolvers as well as generate estimators that are highly accurate; termed as "Photomorphic redshift" estimators. The present study investigates the photometric information of the objects such as color and magnitude (= observed flux) and morphology attributes such as shape, size, orientation and concentration in the different wavelengths. The specific type of magnitude used in this study are the PSF, Fiber and Petrosian magnitude. The morphology attributes are the ratio of Fiber to Petrosian magnitude, concentration index and Petrosian radius. All these attributes are in the five bands ugriz of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Machine learning techniques based on Naive Bayes (NB), Bayesian Network (BN) and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) are researched to better understand their applicability, advantages and resulting predictive performance in terms of efficiency and accuracy. Note: The SDSS Data Release (DR) 10 data was used in the executed experiments (total of 700,777 galaxies with forty-five attributes associated with each galaxy). The significant findings of the present work are as follows: 1. Magnitude and morphology attributes have been found to be successful degeneracy resolvers. 2. Magnitude and morphology attributes have been found to be better redshift estimators than color attributes alone. 3. Naive Bayes, Bayesian Network and GLM have been found to be viable redshift estimation methods. Attribute selection is an important factor in computational performance. 4. In addition to the redshift estimate, the likelihood distribution of the estimate is even more useful, and my Bayesian Network models provide that information. This is particularly useful in ensemble methods as well as the kernel for mass distribution in the universe. 5. The generated Bayesian Network models can be applied to any of the variables, not just limited to redshift. Example applications include quality analysis and missing value imputation. Different types of Bayesian Network learning algorithms---constraint-based, score-based and hybrid---were investigated in detail.

Directionality of Flare-Accelerated Particles from γ -ray Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Share, G. H.; Murphy, R. J.

2000-05-01

The energies and widths of γ -ray lines emitted by ambient nuclei excited by flare-accelerated protons and α -particles provide information on their directionality, spectra, and on the uniformity of the interaction region. For example, the γ -rays observed from a downward beam of particles impacting at 0o heliocentric angle would exhibit a clear Doppler red-shift and some broadening, dependent on the spectrum of the particles. In contrast, γ -rays observed from the same beam of particles impacting at 90o would be neither observably shifted nor broadened. We have studied the energies and widths of strong lines from de-excitations of 20Ne, 12C, and 16O in solar flares as a function of heliocentric angle. We use spectra from 21 flares observed with NASA's Solar Maximum Mission/GRS and Compton Observatory/OSSE experiments. The line energies of all three nuclei exhibit ~0.9% red-shifts from their laboratory values for flares observed at heliocentric angles <40o. In contrast, the energies are not significantly shifted for flares observed at angles >80o. The lines at all heliocentric angles are broadened between ~2.5% to 4%. These results are suggestive of a broad downward distribution of accelerated particles in flares or an isotropic distribution in a medium that has a significant density gradient. Detailed comparisons of these data with results from the gamma-ray production code (Ramaty, et al. 1979, ApJS, 40, 487; Murphy, et al. 1991, ApJ, 371, 793) are required in order to place constraints on the angular distributions of particles. This research has been supported by NASA grant W-18995.

The Infrared-Radio Correlation of Dusty Star Forming Galaxies at High Redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lower, Sidney; Vieira, Joaquin Daniel; Jarugula, Sreevani

2018-01-01

Far-infrared (FIR) and radio continuum emission in galaxies are related by a common origin: massive stars and the processes triggered during their birth, lifetime, and death. FIR emission is produced by cool dust, heated by the absorption of UV emission from massive stars, which is then re-emitted in the FIR. Thermal free-free radiation emitted from HII regions dominates the spectral energy density (SED) of galaxies at roughly 30 GHz, while non-thermal synchrotron radiation dominates at lower frequencies. At low redshift, the infrared radio correlation (IRC, or qIR) holds as a tight empirical relation for many star forming galaxy types, but until recently, there has not been sensitive enough radio observations to extend this relation to higher redshifts. Many selection biases cloud the results of these analyses, leaving the evolution of the IRC with redshift ambiguous. In this poster, I present CIGALE fitted spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 24 gravitationally-lensed sources selected in the mm-wave from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) survey. I fit the IRC from infrared and submillimeter fluxes obtained with Herschel, Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), and SPT and radio fluxes obtained with ATCA at 2.1, 5.5, 9, and 30 GHz. This sample of SPT sources has a spectroscopic redshift range of 2.1

A cooling flow cluster at redshift Z = 0.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolter, Anna; Schild, R.; Gioia, I. M.; Maccacaro, T.; Morris, S. L.; Nesci, R.; Perola, G. C.

The cluster of galaxies 1E0839.9 + 2938, discovered in X-ray observations by Nesci et al. (1988), is characterized on the basis of VLA 6-cm radio observations, Whipple Observatory CCD photometry, and spectroscopic observations obtained with the Multiple Mirror Telescope and the 88-inch University of Hawaii Telescope at Mauna Kea. The data are presented in tables, maps, and sample images and spectra and briefly characterized. The bright X-ray object is identified with a cluster at redshift z = 0.195; its central galaxy has radio emission of 1.1 x 10 exp 24 W/Hz as well as strong optical line emission which is not restricted to its nucleus. It is concluded that 1E0839.9 + 2938 is a cooling-flow cluster similar to 3C295 (found at z = 0.461 by Henry et al., 1986). The need for space observations (by Rosat or the AXAF) to determine the object's X-ray luminosity distribution is indicated.

A cooling flow cluster at redshift z = 0.2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolter, Anna; Schild, R.; Gioia, I. M.; Maccacaro, T.; Morris, S. L.; Nesci, R.; Perola, G. C.

1990-01-01

The cluster of galaxies 1E0839.9 + 2938, discovered in X-ray observations by Nesci et al. (1988), is characterized on the basis of VLA 6-cm radio observations, Whipple Observatory CCD photometry, and spectroscopic observations obtained with the Multiple Mirror Telescope and the 88-inch University of Hawaii Telescope at Mauna Kea. The data are presented in tables, maps, and sample images and spectra and briefly characterized. The bright X-ray object is identified with a cluster at redshift z = 0.195; its central galaxy has radio emission of 1.1 x 10 exp 24 W/Hz as well as strong optical line emission which is not restricted to its nucleus. It is concluded that 1E0839.9 + 2938 is a cooling-flow cluster similar to 3C295 (found at z = 0.461 by Henry et al., 1986). The need for space observations (by Rosat or the AXAF) to determine the object's X-ray luminosity distribution is indicated.

The DEIMOS 10K Spectroscopic Survey Catalog of the COSMOS Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasinger, G.; Capak, P.; Salvato, M.; Barger, A. J.; Cowie, L. L.; Faisst, A.; Hemmati, S.; Kakazu, Y.; Kartaltepe, J.; Masters, D.; Mobasher, B.; Nayyeri, H.; Sanders, D.; Scoville, N. Z.; Suh, H.; Steinhardt, C.; Yang, Fengwei

2018-05-01

We present a catalog of 10,718 objects in the COSMOS field, observed through multi-slit spectroscopy with the Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph (DEIMOS) on the Keck II telescope in the wavelength range ∼5500–9800 Å. The catalog contains 6617 objects with high-quality spectra (two or more spectral features), and 1798 objects with a single spectroscopic feature confirmed by the photometric redshift. For 2024 typically faint objects, we could not obtain reliable redshifts. The objects have been selected from a variety of input catalogs based on multi-wavelength observations in the field, and thus have a diverse selection function, which enables the study of the diversity in the galaxy population. The magnitude distribution of our objects is peaked at I AB ∼ 23 and K AB ∼ 21, with a secondary peak at K AB ∼ 24. We sample a broad redshift distribution in the range 0 < z < 6, with one peak at z ∼ 1, and another one around z ∼ 4. We have identified 13 redshift spikes at z > 0.65 with chance probabilities < 4 × 10‑4, some of which are clearly related to protocluster structures of sizes >10 Mpc. An object-to-object comparison with a multitude of other spectroscopic samples in the same field shows that our DEIMOS sample is among the best in terms of fraction of spectroscopic failures and relative redshift accuracy. We have determined the fraction of spectroscopic blends to about 0.8% in our sample. This is likely a lower limit and at any rate well below the most pessimistic expectations. Interestingly, we find evidence for strong lensing of Lyα background emitters within the slits of 12 of our target galaxies, increasing their apparent density by about a factor of 4. The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Quasars at the High Redshift Frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosman, Sarah E. I.

2017-11-01

In recent years the formation of primordial galaxies, cosmic metal enrichment, and hydrogen reionisation have been studied using both refined observations and powerful numerical simulations. High-redshift quasars have become a ubiquitous tool in the study of this era with more than 115 quasars now spectroscopically confirmed at z>6.0. In this thesis, I use spectra of high-redshift quasars to provide improved observational constraints through a mixture of existing and new techniques. I first investigate the claim of neutral gas around the most distant known quasar, ULASJ1120+0641(J1120), with a cosmological redshift of z=7.1. Its spectrum shows a relatively weak Lyman-α emission line, which has been interpreted as evidence of absorption by neutral gas. Attributing this to a Gunn-Peterson damping wing has led to claims that the intergalactic medium is at least 10% neutral at that redshift. However, these claims rely on a reconstruction of the unabsorbed quasar emission. Initial attempts using composite spectra of lower-redshift quasars mismatched the CIV emission line of J1120, a feature known to correlate with Lyman-α and which is strongly blueshifted in J1120. I attempt to establish whether this mismatch could explain the apparently weak Lyman-α emission line. I find that among a C IV-matched sample the Lyman-α line of J1120 is not anomalous. This raises doubts as to the interpretation of absorbed Lyman-α emission lines in the context of reionisation. I then use a high quality X-Shooter spectrum of the same z=7 quasar to measure the abundances of diffuse metals within one billion years of the Big Bang. I measure the occurrence rates of CIV, CII, SiII, FeII and MgII, producing the first measurement at z>6 for many of these ions. I find that the incidence of CIV systems is consistent with a continuing decline in the total mass density of highly ionized metals, a trend seen at lower redshifts. The ratio CII/CIV, however, seems to remain constant or increase with redshift, in line with predictions from models which include a decline of the ionising ultraviolet background. The evolution in MgII appears somewhat more complex; while the number density of strong systems continues to decline at high redshift,the number density of weak systems remains high and may even increase. This could signal an increase with redshift in the cross-section of low-ionisation metals. Large numbers of weak MgII systems are also seen at z˜2, suggesting they were already in place when reionisation was ending. I use this X-Shooter spectrum to study metal absorbers associated with the z=7 quasar itself. I find that one such absorber shows signs of only partially covering the line-of-sight, and investigate the possible implications for the quasar's environment. Finally, I investigate the evolution of the intergalactic medium's Lyman-α opacity using spectra of quasars at 5.7

HIGHEST REDSHIFT IMAGE OF NEUTRAL HYDROGEN IN EMISSION: A CHILES DETECTION OF A STARBURSTING GALAXY AT z = 0.376

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernández, Ximena; Gim, Hansung B.; Yun, Min S.

2016-06-10

Our current understanding of galaxy evolution still has many uncertainties associated with the details of the accretion, processing, and removal of gas across cosmic time. The next generation of radio telescopes will image the neutral hydrogen (H i) in galaxies over large volumes at high redshifts, which will provide key insights into these processes. We are conducting the COSMOS H i Large Extragalactic Survey (CHILES) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, which is the first survey to simultaneously observe H i from z = 0 to z ∼ 0.5. Here, we report the highest redshift H i 21more » cm detection in emission to date of the luminous infrared galaxy COSMOS J100054.83+023126.2 at z = 0.376 with the first 178 hr of CHILES data. The total H i mass is (2.9 ± 1.0) × 10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙} and the spatial distribution is asymmetric and extends beyond the galaxy. While optically the galaxy looks undisturbed, the H i distribution suggests an interaction with a candidate companion. In addition, we present follow-up Large Millimeter Telescope CO observations that show it is rich in molecular hydrogen, with a range of possible masses of (1.8–9.9) × 10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙}. This is the first study of the H i and CO in emission for a single galaxy beyond z ∼ 0.2.« less

Morpho-z: improving photometric redshifts with galaxy morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soo, John Y. H.; Moraes, Bruno; Joachimi, Benjamin; Hartley, William; Lahav, Ofer; Charbonnier, Aldée; Makler, Martín; Pereira, Maria E. S.; Comparat, Johan; Erben, Thomas; Leauthaud, Alexie; Shan, Huanyuan; Van Waerbeke, Ludovic

2018-04-01

We conduct a comprehensive study of the effects of incorporating galaxy morphology information in photometric redshift estimation. Using machine learning methods, we assess the changes in the scatter and outlier fraction of photometric redshifts when galaxy size, ellipticity, Sérsic index, and surface brightness are included in training on galaxy samples from the SDSS and the CFHT Stripe-82 Survey (CS82). We show that by adding galaxy morphological parameters to full ugriz photometry, only mild improvements are obtained, while the gains are substantial in cases where fewer passbands are available. For instance, the combination of grz photometry and morphological parameters almost fully recovers the metrics of 5-band photometric redshifts. We demonstrate that with morphology it is possible to determine useful redshift distribution N(z) of galaxy samples without any colour information. We also find that the inclusion of quasar redshifts and associated object sizes in training improves the quality of photometric redshift catalogues, compensating for the lack of a good star-galaxy separator. We further show that morphological information can mitigate biases and scatter due to bad photometry. As an application, we derive both point estimates and posterior distributions of redshifts for the official CS82 catalogue, training on morphology and SDSS Stripe-82 ugriz bands when available. Our redshifts yield a 68th percentile error of 0.058(1 + z), and a outlier fraction of 5.2 per cent. We further include a deep extension trained on morphology and single i-band CS82 photometry.

Multiple Streaming and the Probability Distribution of Density in Redshift Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Lam; Kofman, Lev; Shandarin, Sergei F.

2000-07-01

We examine several aspects of redshift distortions by expressing the redshift-space density in terms of the eigenvalues and orientation of the local Lagrangian deformation tensor. We explore the importance of multiple streaming using the Zeldovich approximation (ZA), and compute the average number of streams in both real and redshift space. We find that multiple streaming can be significant in redshift space but negligible in real space, even at moderate values of the linear fluctuation amplitude (σl<~1). Moreover, unlike their real-space counterparts, redshift-space multiple streams can flow past each other with minimal interactions. Such nonlinear redshift-space effects, which are physically distinct from the fingers-of-God due to small-scale virialized motions, might in part explain the well-known departure of redshift distortions from the classic linear prediction by Kaiser, even at relatively large scales where the corresponding density field in real space is well described by linear perturbation theory. We also compute, using the ZA, the probability distribution function (PDF) of the density, as well as S3, in real and redshift space, and compare it with the PDF measured from N-body simulations. The role of caustics in defining the character of the high-density tail is examined. We find that (non-Lagrangian) smoothing, due to both finite resolution or discreteness and small-scale velocity dispersions, is very effective in erasing caustic structures, unless the initial power spectrum is sufficiently truncated.

Photometric redshifts and clustering of emission line galaxies selected jointly by DES and eBOSS

DOE PAGES

Jouvel, S.; Delubac, T.; Comparat, J.; ...

2017-03-24

We present the results of the first test plates of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. This paper focuses on the emission line galaxies (ELG) population targetted from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) photometry. We analyse the success rate, efficiency, redshift distribution, and clustering properties of the targets. From the 9000 spectroscopic redshifts targetted, 4600 have been selected from the DES photometry. The total success rate for redshifts between 0.6 and 1.2 is 71\\% and 68\\% respectively for a bright and faint, on average more distant, samples including redshifts measured from a single strong emission line. We find a meanmore » redshift of 0.8 and 0.87, with 15 and 13\\% of unknown redshifts respectively for the bright and faint samples. In the redshift range 0.6« less

Photometric redshifts and clustering of emission line galaxies selected jointly by DES and eBOSS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jouvel, S.; Delubac, T.; Comparat, J.

We present the results of the first test plates of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. This paper focuses on the emission line galaxies (ELG) population targetted from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) photometry. We analyse the success rate, efficiency, redshift distribution, and clustering properties of the targets. From the 9000 spectroscopic redshifts targetted, 4600 have been selected from the DES photometry. The total success rate for redshifts between 0.6 and 1.2 is 71\\% and 68\\% respectively for a bright and faint, on average more distant, samples including redshifts measured from a single strong emission line. We find a meanmore » redshift of 0.8 and 0.87, with 15 and 13\\% of unknown redshifts respectively for the bright and faint samples. In the redshift range 0.6« less

New redshift determinations for three 3C radio sources.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynaldi, V.

2017-01-01

I report the new redshift determinations of three radio sources 3C 196.1, 3C 268.2 and 3C 303.1 by using GMOS/Gemini North long-slit optical spectroscopy. The details of the observations are summarized in the following table (the B600 grating was used for the three observations): Object | RA(J2000) | DEC(J2000) | Date of obs. | width-slit(arcsec) | PA(deg) | Exp.Time(sec) 3C 196.1 | 8:15:27.8 | -03:08:27 | Mar 2012 | 0.5 | 50 | 2560 3C 268.2| |12:00:59.1 | 31:33:28 | Feb 2011 | 0.5 | 165 | 2576 3C 303.1 | 14:43:14.5 | 77:07:28 | Feb 2012 | 1 | 145 | 2560 The three of the sources have extended regions of ionized gas that do not obey a spherical distribution.

Using cross correlations to calibrate lensing source redshift distributions: Improving cosmological constraints from upcoming weak lensing surveys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Putter, Roland; Doré, Olivier; Das, Sudeep

2014-01-10

Cross correlations between the galaxy number density in a lensing source sample and that in an overlapping spectroscopic sample can in principle be used to calibrate the lensing source redshift distribution. In this paper, we study in detail to what extent this cross-correlation method can mitigate the loss of cosmological information in upcoming weak lensing surveys (combined with a cosmic microwave background prior) due to lack of knowledge of the source distribution. We consider a scenario where photometric redshifts are available and find that, unless the photometric redshift distribution p(z {sub ph}|z) is calibrated very accurately a priori (bias andmore » scatter known to ∼0.002 for, e.g., EUCLID), the additional constraint on p(z {sub ph}|z) from the cross-correlation technique to a large extent restores the cosmological information originally lost due to the uncertainty in dn/dz(z). Considering only the gain in photo-z accuracy and not the additional cosmological information, enhancements of the dark energy figure of merit of up to a factor of four (40) can be achieved for a SuMIRe-like (EUCLID-like) combination of lensing and redshift surveys, where SuMIRe stands for Subaru Measurement of Images and Redshifts). However, the success of the method is strongly sensitive to our knowledge of the galaxy bias evolution in the source sample and we find that a percent level bias prior is needed to optimize the gains from the cross-correlation method (i.e., to approach the cosmology constraints attainable if the bias was known exactly).« less

Supernovae in the Subaru Deep Field: the rate and delay-time distribution of Type Ia supernovae out to redshift 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graur, O.; Poznanski, D.; Maoz, D.; Yasuda, N.; Totani, T.; Fukugita, M.; Filippenko, A. V.; Foley, R. J.; Silverman, J. M.; Gal-Yam, A.; Horesh, A.; Jannuzi, B. T.

2011-10-01

The Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) rate, when compared to the cosmic star formation history (SFH), can be used to derive the delay-time distribution (DTD; the hypothetical SN Ia rate versus time following a brief burst of star formation) of SNe Ia, which can distinguish among progenitor models. We present the results of a supernova (SN) survey in the Subaru Deep Field (SDF). Over a period of 3 years, we have observed the SDF on four independent epochs with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru 8.2-m telescope, with two nights of exposure per epoch, in the R, i'and z' bands. We have discovered 150 SNe out to redshift z≈ 2. Using 11 photometric bands from the observer-frame far-ultraviolet to the near-infrared, we derive photometric redshifts for the SN host galaxies (for 24 we also have spectroscopic redshifts). This information is combined with the SN photometry to determine the type and redshift distribution of the SN sample. Our final sample includes 28 SNe Ia in the range 1.0 < z < 1.5 and 10 in the range 1.5 < z < 2.0. As our survey is largely insensitive to core-collapse SNe (CC SNe) at z > 1, most of the events found in this range are likely SNe Ia. Our SN Ia rate measurements are consistent with those derived from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) sample, but the overall uncertainty of our 1.5 < z < 2.0 measurement is a factor of 2 smaller, of 35-50 per cent. Based on this sample, we find that the SN Ia rate evolution levels off at 1.0 < z < 2.0, but shows no sign of declining. Combining our SN Ia rate measurements and those from the literature, and comparing to a wide range of possible SFHs, the best-fitting DTD (with a reduced χ2= 0.7) is a power law of the form Ψ(t) ∝tβ, with index β=-1.1 ± 0.1 (statistical) ±0.17 (systematic). This result is consistent with other recent DTD measurements at various redshifts and environments, and is in agreement with a generic prediction of the double-degenerate progenitor scenario for SNe Ia. Most single-degenerate models predict different DTDs. By combining the contribution from CC SNe, based on the wide range of SFHs, with that from SNe Ia, calculated with the best-fitting DTD, we predict that the mean present-day cosmic iron abundance is in the range ZFe= (0.09-0.37) ZFe, ⊙. We further predict that the high-z SN searches now beginning with HST will discover 2-11 SNe Ia at z > 2.

The Story of Supernova “Refsdal” Told by Muse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grillo, C.; Karman, W.; Suyu, S. H.; Rosati, P.; Balestra, I.; Mercurio, A.; Lombardi, M.; Treu, T.; Caminha, G. B.; Halkola, A.; Rodney, S. A.; Gavazzi, R.; Caputi, K. I.

2016-05-01

We present Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations in the core of the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) galaxy cluster MACS J1149.5+2223, where the first magnified and spatially resolved multiple images of supernova (SN) “Refsdal” at redshift 1.489 were detected. Thanks to a Director's Discretionary Time program with the Very Large Telescope and the extraordinary efficiency of MUSE, we measure 117 secure redshifts with just 4.8 hr of total integration time on a single 1 arcmin2 target pointing. We spectroscopically confirm 68 galaxy cluster members, with redshift values ranging from 0.5272 to 0.5660, and 18 multiple images belonging to seven background, lensed sources distributed in redshifts between 1.240 and 3.703. Starting from the combination of our catalog with those obtained from extensive spectroscopic and photometric campaigns using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we select a sample of 300 (164 spectroscopic and 136 photometric) cluster members, within approximately 500 kpc from the brightest cluster galaxy, and a set of 88 reliable multiple images associated with 10 different background source galaxies and 18 distinct knots in the spiral galaxy hosting SN “Refsdal.” We exploit this valuable information to build six detailed strong-lensing models, the best of which reproduces the observed positions of the multiple images with an rms offset of only 0.″26. We use these models to quantify the statistical and systematic errors on the predicted values of magnification and time delay of the next emerging image of SN “Refsdal.” We find that its peak luminosity should occur between 2016 March and June and should be approximately 20% fainter than the dimmest (S4) of the previously detected images but above the detection limit of the planned HST/WFC3 follow-up. We present our two-dimensional reconstruction of the cluster mass density distribution and of the SN “Refsdal” host galaxy surface brightness distribution. We outline the road map toward even better strong-lensing models with a synergetic MUSE and HST effort. This work is based in large part on data collected at ESO VLT (prog.ID 294.A-5032) and NASA HST.

THE STORY OF SUPERNOVA “REFSDAL” TOLD BY MUSE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grillo, C.; Karman, W.; Caputi, K. I.

2016-05-10

We present Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations in the core of the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) galaxy cluster MACS J1149.5+2223, where the first magnified and spatially resolved multiple images of supernova (SN) “Refsdal” at redshift 1.489 were detected. Thanks to a Director's Discretionary Time program with the Very Large Telescope and the extraordinary efficiency of MUSE, we measure 117 secure redshifts with just 4.8 hr of total integration time on a single 1 arcmin{sup 2} target pointing. We spectroscopically confirm 68 galaxy cluster members, with redshift values ranging from 0.5272 to 0.5660, and 18 multiple images belonging to sevenmore » background, lensed sources distributed in redshifts between 1.240 and 3.703. Starting from the combination of our catalog with those obtained from extensive spectroscopic and photometric campaigns using the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ), we select a sample of 300 (164 spectroscopic and 136 photometric) cluster members, within approximately 500 kpc from the brightest cluster galaxy, and a set of 88 reliable multiple images associated with 10 different background source galaxies and 18 distinct knots in the spiral galaxy hosting SN “Refsdal.” We exploit this valuable information to build six detailed strong-lensing models, the best of which reproduces the observed positions of the multiple images with an rms offset of only 0.″26. We use these models to quantify the statistical and systematic errors on the predicted values of magnification and time delay of the next emerging image of SN “Refsdal.” We find that its peak luminosity should occur between 2016 March and June and should be approximately 20% fainter than the dimmest (S4) of the previously detected images but above the detection limit of the planned HST /WFC3 follow-up. We present our two-dimensional reconstruction of the cluster mass density distribution and of the SN “Refsdal” host galaxy surface brightness distribution. We outline the road map toward even better strong-lensing models with a synergetic MUSE and HST effort.« less

THE PRISM MULTI-OBJECT SURVEY (PRIMUS). II. DATA REDUCTION AND REDSHIFT FITTING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cool, Richard J.; Moustakas, John; Blanton, Michael R.

2013-04-20

The PRIsm MUlti-object Survey (PRIMUS) is a spectroscopic galaxy redshift survey to z {approx} 1 completed with a low-dispersion prism and slitmasks allowing for simultaneous observations of {approx}2500 objects over 0.18 deg{sup 2}. The final PRIMUS catalog includes {approx}130,000 robust redshifts over 9.1 deg{sup 2}. In this paper, we summarize the PRIMUS observational strategy and present the data reduction details used to measure redshifts, redshift precision, and survey completeness. The survey motivation, observational techniques, fields, target selection, slitmask design, and observations are presented in Coil et al. Comparisons to existing higher-resolution spectroscopic measurements show a typical precision of {sigma}{sub z}/(1more » + z) = 0.005. PRIMUS, both in area and number of redshifts, is the largest faint galaxy redshift survey completed to date and is allowing for precise measurements of the relationship between active galactic nuclei and their hosts, the effects of environment on galaxy evolution, and the build up of galactic systems over the latter half of cosmic history.« less

The distribution of galaxies within the 'Great Wall'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramella, Massimo; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1992-01-01

The galaxy distribution within the 'Great Wall', the most striking feature in the first three 'slices' of the CfA redshift survey extension is examined. The Great Wall is extracted from the sample and is analyzed by counting galaxies in cells. The 'local' two-point correlation function within the Great Wall is computed and the local correlation length, is estimated 15/h Mpc, about 3 times larger than the correlation length for the entire sample. The redshift distribution of galaxies in the pencil-beam survey by Broadhurst et al. (1990) shows peaks separated about by large 'voids', at least to a redshift of about 0.3. The peaks might represent the intersections of their about 5/h Mpc pencil beams with structures similar to the Great Wall. Under this hypothesis, sampling of the Great Walls shows that l approximately 12/h Mpc is the minimum projected beam size required to detect all the 'walls' at redshifts between the peak of the selection function and the effective depth of the survey.

Evolution of the real-space correlation function from next generation cluster surveys. Recovering the real-space correlation function from photometric redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhar, Srivatsan; Maurogordato, Sophie; Benoist, Christophe; Cappi, Alberto; Marulli, Federico

2017-04-01

Context. The next generation of galaxy surveys will provide cluster catalogues probing an unprecedented range of scales, redshifts, and masses with large statistics. Their analysis should therefore enable us to probe the spatial distribution of clusters with high accuracy and derive tighter constraints on the cosmological parameters and the dark energy equation of state. However, for the majority of these surveys, redshifts of individual galaxies will be mostly estimated by multiband photometry which implies non-negligible errors in redshift resulting in potential difficulties in recovering the real-space clustering. Aims: We investigate to which accuracy it is possible to recover the real-space two-point correlation function of galaxy clusters from cluster catalogues based on photometric redshifts, and test our ability to detect and measure the redshift and mass evolution of the correlation length r0 and of the bias parameter b(M,z) as a function of the uncertainty on the cluster redshift estimate. Methods: We calculate the correlation function for cluster sub-samples covering various mass and redshift bins selected from a 500 deg2 light-cone limited to H < 24. In order to simulate the distribution of clusters in photometric redshift space, we assign to each cluster a redshift randomly extracted from a Gaussian distribution having a mean equal to the cluster cosmological redshift and a dispersion equal to σz. The dispersion is varied in the range σ(z=0)=\\frac{σz{1+z_c} = 0.005,0.010,0.030} and 0.050, in order to cover the typical values expected in forthcoming surveys. The correlation function in real-space is then computed through estimation and deprojection of wp(rp). Four mass ranges (from Mhalo > 2 × 1013h-1M⊙ to Mhalo > 2 × 1014h-1M⊙) and six redshift slices covering the redshift range [0, 2] are investigated, first using cosmological redshifts and then for the four photometric redshift configurations. Results: From the analysis of the light-cone in cosmological redshifts we find a clear increase of the correlation amplitude as a function of redshift and mass. The evolution of the derived bias parameter b(M,z) is in fair agreement with theoretical expectations. We calculate the r0-d relation up to our highest mass, highest redshift sample tested (z = 2,Mhalo > 2 × 1014h-1M⊙). From our pilot sample limited to Mhalo > 5 × 1013h-1M⊙(0.4 < z < 0.7), we find that the real-space correlation function can be recovered by deprojection of wp(rp) within an accuracy of 5% for σz = 0.001 × (1 + zc) and within 10% for σz = 0.03 × (1 + zc). For higher dispersions (besides σz > 0.05 × (1 + zc)), the recovery becomes noisy and difficult. The evolution of the correlation in redshift and mass is clearly detected for all σz tested, but requires a large binning in redshift to be detected significantly between individual redshift slices when increasing σz. The best-fit parameters (r0 and γ) as well as the bias obtained from the deprojection method for all σz are within the 1σ uncertainty of the zc sample.

CLASH: DISCOVERY OF A BRIGHT z {approx_equal} 6.2 DWARF GALAXY QUADRUPLY LENSED BY MACS J0329.6-0211

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zitrin, A.; Moustakas, J.; Bradley, L.

2012-03-15

We report the discovery of a z{sub phot} = 6.18{sup +0.05}{sub -0.07} (95% confidence level) dwarf galaxy, lensed into four images by the galaxy cluster MACS J0329.6-0211 (z{sub l} = 0.45). The galaxy is observed as a high-redshift dropout in HST/ACS/WFC3 CLASH and Spitzer/IRAC imaging. Its redshift is securely determined due to a clear detection of the Lyman break in the 18-band photometry, making this galaxy one of the highest-redshift multiply lensed objects known to date with an observed magnitude of F125W =24.00 {+-} 0.04 AB mag for its most magnified image. We also present the first strong-lensing analysis ofmore » this cluster uncovering 15 additional multiply imaged candidates of five lower-redshift sources spanning the range z{sub s} {approx_equal} 2-4. The mass model independently supports the high photometric redshift and reveals magnifications of 11.6{sup +8.9}{sub -4.1}, 17.6{sup +6.2}{sub -3.9}, 3.9{sup +3.0}{sub -1.7}, and 3.7{sup +1.3}{sub -0.2}, respectively, for the four images of the high-redshift galaxy. By delensing the most magnified image we construct an image of the source with a physical resolution of {approx}200 pc when the universe was {approx}0.9 Gyr old, where the z {approx_equal} 6.2 galaxy occupies a source-plane area of approximately 2.2 kpc{sup 2}. Modeling the observed spectral energy distribution using population synthesis models, we find a demagnified stellar mass of {approx}10{sup 9} M{sub Sun }, subsolar metallicity (Z/Z{sub Sun} {approx} 0.5), low dust content (A{sub V} {approx} 0.1 mag), a demagnified star formation rate (SFR) of {approx}3.2 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}, and a specific SFR of {approx}3.4 Gyr{sup -1}, all consistent with the properties of local dwarf galaxies.« less

The MUSE Hubble Ultra Deep Field Survey. IX. Evolution of galaxy merger fraction since z ≈ 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventou, E.; Contini, T.; Bouché, N.; Epinat, B.; Brinchmann, J.; Bacon, R.; Inami, H.; Lam, D.; Drake, A.; Garel, T.; Michel-Dansac, L.; Pello, R.; Steinmetz, M.; Weilbacher, P. M.; Wisotzki, L.; Carollo, M.

2017-11-01

We provide, for the first time, robust observational constraints on the galaxy major merger fraction up to z ≈ 6 using spectroscopic close pair counts. Deep Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) and Hubble Deep Field South (HDF-S) are used to identify 113 secure close pairs of galaxies among a parent sample of 1801 galaxies spread over a large redshift range (0.2 < z < 6) and stellar masses (107-1011 M⊙), thus probing about 12 Gyr of galaxy evolution. Stellar masses are estimated from spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting over the extensive UV-to-NIR HST photometry available in these deep Hubble fields, adding Spitzer IRAC bands to better constrain masses for high-redshift (z ⩾ 3) galaxies. These stellar masses are used to isolate a sample of 54 major close pairs with a galaxy mass ratio limit of 1:6. Among this sample, 23 pairs are identified at high redshift (z ⩾ 3) through their Lyα emission. The sample of major close pairs is divided into five redshift intervals in order to probe the evolution of the merger fraction with cosmic time. Our estimates are in very good agreement with previous close pair counts with a constant increase of the merger fraction up to z ≈ 3 where it reaches a maximum of 20%. At higher redshift, we show that the fraction slowly decreases down to about 10% at z ≈ 6. The sample is further divided into two ranges of stellar masses using either a constant separation limit of 109.5 M⊙ or the median value of stellar mass computed in each redshift bin. Overall, the major close pair fraction for low-mass and massive galaxies follows the same trend. These new, homogeneous, and robust estimates of the major merger fraction since z ≈ 6 are in good agreement with recent predictions of cosmological numerical simulations. Based on observations made with ESO telescopes at the La Silla-Paranal Observatory under programmes 094.A-0289(B), 095.A-0010(A), 096.A-0045(A) and 096.A-0045(B).

Probing the extent and content of low ionization gas in galaxies: QSO absorption and HI emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Womble, Donna S.

1993-01-01

The small projected separations of some QSO's and low-redshift galaxies provide unique opportunities to study the extent and content of gas in galaxies through observation of absorption in the QSO spectra. Observations of these systems provide valuable information on the connection between the absorbing gas and the galaxy, as well as detailed information on the morphology and environment of the galaxy itself. While there is direct evidence that galaxies can produce the intervening-type QSO absorption lines, over the past decade, the study of such 'QSO-galaxy pairs' (at low redshift) has been considered unsuccessful because new detections of absorption were seldom made. A fundamental problem concerning the relation between these low-redshift systems and those seen at moderate to high redshift remains unresolved. Direct and indirect measures of galaxy absorption cross sections at moderate to high redshifts (z is approximately greater than 20.5) are much larger than the optical and HI sizes of local galaxies. However, direct comparison of the low and moderate to high redshift systems is difficult since different ions are observed in different redshift regimes. Observations are presented for a new sample of QSO-galaxy pairs. Nine new QSO's which shine through nearby galaxies (on the sky-plane) were observed to search for CaII absorption in the QSO spectra at the foreground galaxy redshifts.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Galaxy Sample for BAO Measurement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crocce, M.; et al.

We define and characterise a sample of 1.3 million galaxies extracted from the first year of Dark Energy Survey data, optimised to measure Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in the presence of significant redshift uncertainties. The sample is dominated by luminous red galaxies located at redshiftsmore » $$z \\gtrsim 0.6$$. We define the exact selection using color and magnitude cuts that balance the need of high number densities and small photometric redshift uncertainties, using the corresponding forecasted BAO distance error as a figure-of-merit in the process. The typical photo-$z$ uncertainty varies from $$2.3\\%$$ to $$3.6\\%$$ (in units of 1+$z$) from $z=0.6$ to $1$, with number densities from $200$ to $130$ galaxies per deg$^2$ in tomographic bins of width $$\\Delta z = 0.1$$. Next we summarise the validation of the photometric redshift estimation. We characterise and mitigate observational systematics including stellar contamination, and show that the clustering on large scales is robust in front of those contaminants. We show that the clustering signal in the auto-correlations and cross-correlations is generally consistent with theoretical models, which serves as an additional test of the redshift distributions.« less

KiDS-i-800: comparing weak gravitational lensing measurements from same-sky surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amon, A.; Heymans, C.; Klaes, D.; Erben, T.; Blake, C.; Hildebrandt, H.; Hoekstra, H.; Kuijken, K.; Miller, L.; Morrison, C. B.; Choi, A.; de Jong, J. T. A.; Glazebrook, K.; Irisarri, N.; Joachimi, B.; Joudaki, S.; Kannawadi, A.; Lidman, C.; Napolitano, N.; Parkinson, D.; Schneider, P.; van Uitert, E.; Viola, M.; Wolf, C.

2018-07-01

We present a weak gravitational lensing analysis of 815 deg2 of i-band imaging from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-i-800). In contrast to the deep r-band observations, which take priority during excellent seeing conditions and form the primary KiDS data set (KiDS-r-450), the complementary yet shallower KiDS-i-800 spans a wide range of observing conditions. The overlapping KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 imaging therefore provides a unique opportunity to assess the robustness of weak lensing measurements. In our analysis we introduce two new `null' tests. The `nulled' two-point shear correlation function uses a matched catalogue to show that the calibrated KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 shear measurements agree at the level of 1 ± 4 per cent. We use five galaxy lens samples to determine a `nulled' galaxy-galaxy lensing signal from the full KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 surveys and find that the measurements agree to 7 ± 5 per cent when the KiDS-i-800 source redshift distribution is calibrated using either spectroscopic redshifts, or the 30-band photometric redshifts from the COSMOS survey.

Gamma-ray Burst Prompt Correlations: Selection and Instrumental Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dainotti, M. G.; Amati, L.

2018-05-01

The prompt emission mechanism of gamma-ray bursts (GRB) even after several decades remains a mystery. However, it is believed that correlations between observable GRB properties, given their huge luminosity/radiated energy and redshift distribution extending up to at least z ≈ 9, are promising possible cosmological tools. They also may help to discriminate among the most plausible theoretical models. Nowadays, the objective is to make GRBs standard candles, similar to supernovae (SNe) Ia, through well-established and robust correlations. However, differently from SNe Ia, GRBs span over several order of magnitude in their energetics, hence they cannot yet be considered standard candles. Additionally, being observed at very large distances, their physical properties are affected by selection biases, the so-called Malmquist bias or Eddington effect. We describe the state of the art on how GRB prompt correlations are corrected for these selection biases to employ them as redshift estimators and cosmological tools. We stress that only after an appropriate evaluation and correction for these effects, GRB correlations can be used to discriminate among the theoretical models of prompt emission, to estimate the cosmological parameters and to serve as distance indicators via redshift estimation.

KiDS-i-800: Comparing weak gravitational lensing measurements from same-sky surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amon, A.; Heymans, C.; Klaes, D.; Erben, T.; Blake, C.; Hildebrandt, H.; Hoekstra, H.; Kuijken, K.; Miller, L.; Morrison, C. B.; Choi, A.; de Jong, J. T. A.; Glazebrook, K.; Irisarri, N.; Joachimi, B.; Joudaki, S.; Kannawadi, A.; Lidman, C.; Napolitano, N.; Parkinson, D.; Schneider, P.; van Uitert, E.; Viola, M.; Wolf, C.

2018-04-01

We present a weak gravitational lensing analysis of 815deg2 of i-band imaging from the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS-i-800). In contrast to the deep r-band observations, which take priority during excellent seeing conditions and form the primary KiDS dataset (KiDS-r-450), the complementary yet shallower KiDS-i-800 spans a wide range of observing conditions. The overlapping KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 imaging therefore provides a unique opportunity to assess the robustness of weak lensing measurements. In our analysis we introduce two new `null' tests. The `nulled' two-point shear correlation function uses a matched catalogue to show that the calibrated KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 shear measurements agree at the level of 1 ± 4%. We use five galaxy lens samples to determine a `nulled' galaxy-galaxy lensing signal from the full KiDS-i-800 and KiDS-r-450 surveys and find that the measurements agree to 7 ± 5% when the KiDS-i-800 source redshift distribution is calibrated using either spectroscopic redshifts, or the 30-band photometric redshifts from the COSMOS survey.

Baryon Content in a Sample of 91 Galaxy Clusters Selected by the South Pole Telescope at 0.2 < z < 1.25

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiu, I.; et al.

2017-11-02

We estimate total mass (more » $$M_{500}$$), intracluster medium (ICM) mass ($$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$) and stellar mass ($$M_{\\star}$$) in a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) selected sample of 91 galaxy clusters with masses $$M_{500}\\gtrsim2.5\\times10^{14}M_{\\odot}$$ and redshift $0.2 < z < 1.25$ from the 2500 deg$^2$ South Pole Telescope SPT-SZ survey. The total masses $$M_{500}$$ are estimated from the SZE observable, the ICM masses $$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$ are obtained from the analysis of $Chandra$ X-ray observations, and the stellar masses $$M_{\\star}$$ are derived by fitting spectral energy distribution templates to Dark Energy Survey (DES) $griz$ optical photometry and $WISE$ or $Spitzer$ near-infrared photometry. We study trends in the stellar mass, the ICM mass, the total baryonic mass and the cold baryonic fraction with cluster mass and redshift. We find significant departures from self-similarity in the mass scaling for all quantities, while the redshift trends are all statistically consistent with zero, indicating that the baryon content of clusters at fixed mass has changed remarkably little over the past $$\\approx9$$ Gyr. We compare our results to the mean baryon fraction (and the stellar mass fraction) in the field, finding that these values lie above (below) those in cluster virial regions in all but the most massive clusters at low redshift. Using a simple model of the matter assembly of clusters from infalling groups with lower masses and from infalling material from the low density environment or field surrounding the parent halos, we show that the measured mass trends without strong redshift trends in the stellar mass scaling relation could be explained by a mass and redshift dependent fractional contribution from field material. Similar analyses of the ICM and baryon mass scaling relations provide evidence for the so-called "missing baryons" outside cluster virial regions.« less

Baryon Content in a Sample of 91 Galaxy Clusters Selected by the South Pole Telescope at 0.2 < z < 1.25

DOE PAGES

Chiu, I.; Mohr, J. J.; McDonald, M.; ...

2018-05-16

Here, we estimate total mass (more » $$M_{500}$$), intracluster medium (ICM) mass ($$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$) and stellar mass ($$M_{\\star}$$) in a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) selected sample of 91 galaxy clusters with masses $$M_{500}\\gtrsim2.5\\times10^{14}M_{\\odot}$$ and redshift $0.2 < z < 1.25$ from the 2500 deg$^2$ South Pole Telescope SPT-SZ survey. The total masses $$M_{500}$$ are estimated from the SZE observable, the ICM masses $$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$ are obtained from the analysis of $Chandra$ X-ray observations, and the stellar masses $$M_{\\star}$$ are derived by fitting spectral energy distribution templates to Dark Energy Survey (DES) $griz$ optical photometry and $WISE$ or $Spitzer$ near-infrared photometry. We study trends in the stellar mass, the ICM mass, the total baryonic mass and the cold baryonic fraction with cluster mass and redshift. We find significant departures from self-similarity in the mass scaling for all quantities, while the redshift trends are all statistically consistent with zero, indicating that the baryon content of clusters at fixed mass has changed remarkably little over the past $$\\approx9$$ Gyr. We compare our results to the mean baryon fraction (and the stellar mass fraction) in the field, finding that these values lie above (below) those in cluster virial regions in all but the most massive clusters at low redshift. Using a simple model of the matter assembly of clusters from infalling groups with lower masses and from infalling material from the low density environment or field surrounding the parent halos, we show that the measured mass trends without strong redshift trends in the stellar mass scaling relation could be explained by a mass and redshift dependent fractional contribution from field material. Similar analyses of the ICM and baryon mass scaling relations provide evidence for the so-called "missing baryons" outside cluster virial regions.« less

Baryon Content in a Sample of 91 Galaxy Clusters Selected by the South Pole Telescope at 0.2 < z < 1.25

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiu, I.; et al.

2017-11-02

We estimate total mass (more » $$M_{500}$$), intracluster medium (ICM) mass ($$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$) and stellar mass ($$M_{\\star}$$) in a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) selected sample of 91 galaxy clusters with masses $$M_{500}\\gtrsim2.5\\times10^{14}M_{\\odot}$$ and redshift $0.2 < z < 1.25$ from the 2500 deg$^2$ South Pole Telescope SPT-SZ survey. The total masses $$M_{500}$$ are estimated from the SZE observable, the ICM masses $$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$ are obtained from the analysis of $Chandra$ X-ray observations, and the stellar masses $$M_{\\star}$$ are derived by fitting spectral energy distribution templates to Dark Energy Survey (DES) $griz$ optical photometry and $WISE$ or $Spitzer$ near-infrared photometry. We study trends in the stellar mass, the ICM mass, the total baryonic mass and the cold baryonic fraction with cluster mass and redshift. We find significant departures from self-similarity in the mass scaling for all quantities, while the redshift trends are all statistically consistent with zero, indicating that the baryon content of clusters at fixed mass has changed remarkably little over the past $$\\approx9$$ Gyr. We compare our results to the mean baryon fraction (and the stellar mass fraction) in the field, finding that these values lie above (below) those in cluster virial regions in all but the most massive clusters at low redshift. Using a simple model of the matter assembly of clusters from infalling groups with lower masses and from infalling material from the low density environment or field surrounding the parent halos, we show that the strong mass and weak redshift trends in the stellar mass scaling relation suggest a mass and redshift dependent fractional contribution from field material. Similar analyses of the ICM and baryon mass scaling relations provide evidence for the so-called 'missing baryons' outside cluster virial regions.« less

Baryon Content in a Sample of 91 Galaxy Clusters Selected by the South Pole Telescope at 0.2 < z < 1.25

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiu, I.; Mohr, J. J.; McDonald, M.

Here, we estimate total mass (more » $$M_{500}$$), intracluster medium (ICM) mass ($$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$) and stellar mass ($$M_{\\star}$$) in a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) selected sample of 91 galaxy clusters with masses $$M_{500}\\gtrsim2.5\\times10^{14}M_{\\odot}$$ and redshift $0.2 < z < 1.25$ from the 2500 deg$^2$ South Pole Telescope SPT-SZ survey. The total masses $$M_{500}$$ are estimated from the SZE observable, the ICM masses $$M_{\\mathrm{ICM}}$$ are obtained from the analysis of $Chandra$ X-ray observations, and the stellar masses $$M_{\\star}$$ are derived by fitting spectral energy distribution templates to Dark Energy Survey (DES) $griz$ optical photometry and $WISE$ or $Spitzer$ near-infrared photometry. We study trends in the stellar mass, the ICM mass, the total baryonic mass and the cold baryonic fraction with cluster mass and redshift. We find significant departures from self-similarity in the mass scaling for all quantities, while the redshift trends are all statistically consistent with zero, indicating that the baryon content of clusters at fixed mass has changed remarkably little over the past $$\\approx9$$ Gyr. We compare our results to the mean baryon fraction (and the stellar mass fraction) in the field, finding that these values lie above (below) those in cluster virial regions in all but the most massive clusters at low redshift. Using a simple model of the matter assembly of clusters from infalling groups with lower masses and from infalling material from the low density environment or field surrounding the parent halos, we show that the measured mass trends without strong redshift trends in the stellar mass scaling relation could be explained by a mass and redshift dependent fractional contribution from field material. Similar analyses of the ICM and baryon mass scaling relations provide evidence for the so-called "missing baryons" outside cluster virial regions.« less

Baryon Content in a Sample of 91 Galaxy Clusters Selected by the South Pole Telescope at 0.2 < z < 1.25

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, I.; Mohr, J. J.; McDonald, M.; Bocquet, S.; Desai, S.; Klein, M.; Israel, H.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Stanford, A.; Benson, B. A.; Brodwin, M.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Bayliss, M.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Bleem, L.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Bulbul, E.; Capasso, R.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Rosell, A. Carnero; Carretero, J.; Castander, F. J.; Cunha, C. E.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; Davis, C.; Diehl, H. T.; Dietrich, J. P.; Doel, P.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Eifler, T. F.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; García-Bellido, J.; Garmire, G.; Gaztanaga, E.; Gerdes, D. W.; Gonzalez, A.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gschwend, J.; Gupta, N.; Gutierrez, G.; Hlavacek-L, J.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Jeltema, T.; Kraft, R.; Krause, E.; Kuehn, K.; Kuhlmann, S.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Lima, M.; Maia, M. A. G.; Marshall, J. L.; Melchior, P.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Murray, S.; Nord, B.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Plazas, A. A.; Rapetti, D.; Reichardt, C. L.; Romer, A. K.; Roodman, A.; Sanchez, E.; Saro, A.; Scarpine, V.; Schindler, R.; Schubnell, M.; Sharon, K.; Smith, R. C.; Smith, M.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Stalder, B.; Stern, C.; Strazzullo, V.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Weller, J.; Zhang, Y.

2018-05-01

We estimate total mass (M500), intracluster medium (ICM) mass (MICM) and stellar mass (M⋆) in a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) selected sample of 91 galaxy clusters with masses M500 ≳ 2.5 × 1014M⊙ and redshift 0.2 < z < 1.25 from the 2500 ° ^2 South Pole Telescope SPT-SZ survey. The total masses M500 are estimated from the SZE observable, the ICM masses MICM are obtained from the analysis of Chandra X-ray observations, and the stellar masses M⋆ are derived by fitting spectral energy distribution templates to Dark Energy Survey (DES) griz optical photometry and WISE or Spitzer near-infrared photometry. We study trends in the stellar mass, the ICM mass, the total baryonic mass and the cold baryonic fraction with cluster halo mass and redshift. We find significant departures from self-similarity in the mass scaling for all quantities, while the redshift trends are all statistically consistent with zero, indicating that the baryon content of clusters at fixed mass has changed remarkably little over the past ≈9 Gyr. We compare our results to the mean baryon fraction (and the stellar mass fraction) in the field, finding that these values lie above (below) those in cluster virial regions in all but the most massive clusters at low redshift. Using a simple model of the matter assembly of clusters from infalling groups with lower masses and from infalling material from the low density environment or field surrounding the parent halos, we show that the measured mass trends without strong redshift trends in the stellar mass scaling relation could be explained by a mass and redshift dependent fractional contribution from field material. Similar analyses of the ICM and baryon mass scaling relations provide evidence for the so-called "missing baryons" outside cluster virial regions.

HIRAX: a probe of dark energy and radio transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newburgh, L. B.; Bandura, K.; Bucher, M. A.; Chang, T.-C.; Chiang, H. C.; Cliche, J. F.; Davé, R.; Dobbs, M.; Clarkson, C.; Ganga, K. M.; Gogo, T.; Gumba, A.; Gupta, N.; Hilton, M.; Johnstone, B.; Karastergiou, A.; Kunz, M.; Lokhorst, D.; Maartens, R.; Macpherson, S.; Mdlalose, M.; Moodley, K.; Ngwenya, L.; Parra, J. M.; Peterson, J.; Recnik, O.; Saliwanchik, B.; Santos, M. G.; Sievers, J. L.; Smirnov, O.; Stronkhorst, P.; Taylor, R.; Vanderlinde, K.; Van Vuuren, G.; Weltman, A.; Witzemann, A.

2016-08-01

The Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) is a new 400{800MHz radio interferometer under development for deployment in South Africa. HIRAX will comprise 1024 six meter parabolic dishes on a compact grid and will map most of the southern sky over the course of four years. HIRAX has two primary science goals: to constrain Dark Energy and measure structure at high redshift, and to study radio transients and pulsars. HIRAX will observe unresolved sources of neutral hydrogen via their redshifted 21-cm emission line (`hydrogen intensity mapping'). The resulting maps of large-scale structure at redshifts 0.8{2.5 will be used to measure Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). BAO are a preferential length scale in the matter distribution that can be used to characterize the expansion history of the Universe and thus understand the properties of Dark Energy. HIRAX will improve upon current BAO measurements from galaxy surveys by observing a larger cosmological volume (larger in both survey area and redshift range) and by measuring BAO at higher redshift when the expansion of the universe transitioned to Dark Energy domination. HIRAX will complement CHIME, a hydrogen intensity mapping experiment in the Northern Hemisphere, by completing the sky coverage in the same redshift range. HIRAX's location in the Southern Hemisphere also allows a variety of cross-correlation measurements with large-scale structure surveys at many wavelengths. Daily maps of a few thousand square degrees of the Southern Hemisphere, encompassing much of the Milky Way galaxy, will also open new opportunities for discovering and monitoring radio transients. The HIRAX correlator will have the ability to rapidly and efficiently detect transient events. This new data will shed light on the poorly understood nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs), enable pulsar monitoring to enhance long-wavelength gravitational wave searches, and provide a rich data set for new radio transient phenomena searches. This paper discusses the HIRAX instrument, science goals, and current status.

Current Issues in Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecker, Jean-Claude; Narlikar, Jayant

2011-09-01

Part I. Observational Facts Relating to Discrete Sources: 1. The state of cosmology G. Burbidge; 2. The redshifts of galaxies and QSOs E. M. Burbidge and G. Burbidge; 3. Accretion discs in quasars J. Sulentic; Part II. Observational Facts Relating to Background Radiation: 4. CMB observations and consequences F. Bouchet; 5. Abundances of light nuclei K. Olive; 6. Evidence for an accelerating universe or lack of A. Blanchard; Part III. Standard Cosmology: 7. Cosmology, an overview of the standard model F. Bernardeau; 8. What are the building blocks of our universe? K. C. Wali; Part IV. Large-Scale Structure: 9. Observations of large-scale structure V. de Lapparent; 10. Reconstruction of large-scale peculiar velocity fields R. Mohayaee, B. Tully and U. Frisch; Part V. Alternative Cosmologies: 11. The quasi-steady state cosmology J. V. Narlikar; 12. Evidence for iron whiskers in the universe N. C. Wickramasinghe; 13. Alternatives to dark matter: MOND + Mach D. Roscoe; 14. Anthropic principle in cosmology B. Carter; Part VI. Evidence for Anomalous Redshifts: 15. Anomalous redshifts H. C. Arp; 16. Redshifts of galaxies and QSOs: the problem of redshift periodicities G. Burbidge; 17. Statistics of redshift periodicities W. Napier; 18. Local abnormal redshifts J.-C. Pecker; 19. Gravitational lensing and anomalous redshifts J. Surdej, J.-F. Claeskens and D. Sluse; Panel discussion; General discussion; Concluding remarks.

MEASUREMENTS OF CO REDSHIFTS WITH Z-SPEC FOR LENSED SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES DISCOVERED IN THE H-ATLAS SURVEY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lupu, R. E.; Scott, K. S.; Aguirre, J. E.

2012-10-01

We present new observations from Z-Spec, a broadband 185-305 GHz spectrometer, of five submillimeter bright lensed sources selected from the Herschel-Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey science demonstration phase catalog. We construct a redshift-finding algorithm using combinations of the signal to noise of all the lines falling in the Z-Spec bandpass to determine redshifts with high confidence, even in cases where the signal to noise in individual lines is low. We measure the dust continuum in all sources and secure CO redshifts for four out of five (z {approx} 1.5-3). In one source, SDP.17, we tentatively identify two independent redshifts andmore » a water line, confirmed at z = 2.308. Our sources have properties characteristic of dusty starburst galaxies, with magnification-corrected star formation rates of 10{sup 2-3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. Lower limits for the dust masses ({approx} a few 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun }) and spatial extents ({approx}1 kpc equivalent radius) are derived from the continuum spectral energy distributions, corresponding to dust temperatures between 54 and 69 K. In the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) approximation, we derive relatively low CO excitation temperatures ({approx}< 100 K) and optical depths ({tau} {approx}< 1). Performing a non-LTE excitation analysis using RADEX, we find that the CO lines measured by Z-Spec (from J = 4 {yields} 3 to 10 {yields} 9, depending on the galaxy) localize the best solutions to either a high-temperature/low-density region or a low/temperature/high-density region near the LTE solution, with the optical depth varying accordingly. Observations of additional CO lines, CO(1-0) in particular, are needed to constrain the non-LTE models.« less

Evidence for Cluster Evolution from an Improved Measurement of the Velocity Dispersion and Morphological Fraction of Cluster 1324+3011 at z=0.76

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Lori M.; Oke, J. B.; Postman, Marc

2002-10-01

We have carried out additional spectroscopic observations in the field of cluster Cl 1324+3011 at z=0.76. Combined with the spectroscopy recently presented by Postman, Lubin, & Oke, we now have spectroscopically confirmed 47 cluster members. With this significant number of redshifts, we measure accurately the cluster velocity dispersion to be 1016+126-93 km s-1. The distribution of velocity offsets is consistent with a Gaussian, indicating no substantial velocity substructure. As previously noted for other optically selected clusters at redshifts of z>~0.5, a comparison between the X-ray luminosity (LX) and the velocity dispersion (σ) of Cl 1324+3011 implies that this cluster is underluminous in X-rays by a factor of ~3-40 when compared with the LX-σ relation for local and moderate-redshift clusters. We also examine the morphologies of those cluster members that have available high angular resolution imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). There are 22 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members within the HST field of view. Twelve of these are visually classified as early-type (elliptical or S0) galaxies, implying an early-type fraction of 0.55+0.17-0.14 in this cluster. This fraction is a factor of ~1.5 lower than that observed in nearby rich clusters. Confirming previous cluster studies, the results for cluster Cl 1324+3011, combined with morphological studies of other massive clusters at redshifts of 0<=z<~1, suggest that the galaxy population in massive clusters is strongly evolving with redshift. This evolution implies that early-type galaxies are forming out of the excess of late-type (spiral, irregular, and peculiar) galaxies over the ~7 Gyr timescale.

Probing black hole accretion in quasar pairs at high redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vignali, C.; Piconcelli, E.; Perna, M.; Hennawi, J.; Gilli, R.; Comastri, A.; Zamorani, G.; Dotti, M.; Mathur, S.

2018-06-01

Models and observations suggest that luminous quasar activity is triggered by mergers, so it should preferentially occur in the most massive primordial dark matter haloes, where the frequency of mergers is expected to be the highest. Since the importance of galaxy mergers increases with redshift, we identify the high-redshift Universe as the ideal laboratory for studying dual AGN. Here, we present the X-ray properties of two systems of dual quasars at z = 3.0-3.3 selected from the SDSS DR6 at separations of 6-8 arcsec (43-65 kpc) and observed by Chandra for ≈65 ks each. Both members of each pair are detected with good photon statistics to allow us to constrain the column density, spectral slope and intrinsic X-ray luminosity. We also include a recently discovered dual quasar at z = 5 (separation of 21 arcsec, 136 kpc) for which XMM-Newton archival data allow us to detect the two components separately. Using optical spectra we derived bolometric luminosities, BH masses and Eddington ratios that were compared to those of luminous SDSS quasars in the same redshift ranges. We find that the brighter component of both quasar pairs at z ≈ 3.0-3.3 has high luminosities compared to the distribution of SDSS quasars at similar redshift, with J1622A having an order magnitude higher luminosity than the median. This source lies at the luminous end of the z ≈ 3.3 quasar luminosity function. While we cannot conclusively state that the unusually high luminosities of our sources are related to their having a close companion, for J1622A there is only a 3 per cent probability that it is by chance.

Probing the distance-duality relation with high- z data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holanda, R.F.L.; Busti, V.C.; Lima, F.S.

2017-09-01

Measurements of strong gravitational lensing jointly with type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observations have been used to test the validity of the cosmic distance duality relation (CDDR), D{sub L}( z )/[(1+ z ){sup 2D{sub A}}( z )]=η=1, where D{sub L}(z) and D{sub A}(z) are the luminosity and the angular diameter distances to a given redshift z , respectively. However, several lensing systems lie in the interval 1.4 ≤ z ≤ 3.6 i.e., beyond the redshift range of current SNe Ia compilations ( z ≈ 1.50), which prevents this kind of test to be fully explored. In this paper, we circumventmore » this problem by testing the CDDR considering observations of strong gravitational lensing along with SNe Ia and (a subsample from) the latest gamma-ray burst distance modulus data, whose redshift range is 0.033 ≤ z ≤ 9.3. We parameterize their luminosity distances with a second degree polynomial function and search for possible deviations from the CDDR validity by using four different η( z ) functions: η( z )=1+η{sub 0z}, η( z )=1+η{sub 0z}/(1+ z ), η( z )=(1+ z ){sup η{sub 0}} and η( z )=1+η{sub 0ln}(1+ z ). Unlike previous tests done at redshifts lower than 1.50, the likelihood for η{sub 0} depends strongly on the η( z ) function considered, but we find no significant deviation from the CDDR validity (η{sub 0}=0). However, our analyses also point to the fact that caution is needed when one fits data in higher redshifts to test the CDDR as well as a better understanding of the mass distribution of lenses also is required for more accurate results.« less

X-Ray Properties of K-Selected Galaxies at 0.5 Less than z Less than 2.0: Investigating Trends with Stellar Mass, Redshift and Spectral Type

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Therese M.; Kriek, Mariska; vanDokkum, Peter G.; Brammer, Gabriel; Franx, Marijn; Greene, Jenny E.; Labbe, Ivo; Whitaker, Katherine E.

2014-01-01

We examine how the total X-ray luminosity correlates with stellar mass, stellar population, and redshift for a K-band limited sample of approximately 3500 galaxies at 0.5 < z < 2.0 from the NEWFIRM Medium Band Survey in the COSMOS field. The galaxy sample is divided into 32 different galaxy types, based on similarities between the spectral energy distributions. For each galaxy type, we further divide the sample into bins of redshift and stellar mass, and perform an X-ray stacking analysis using the Chandra COSMOS data. We find that full band X-ray luminosity is primarily increasing with stellar mass, and at similar mass and spectral type is higher at larger redshifts. When comparing at the same stellar mass, we find that the X-ray luminosity is slightly higher for younger galaxies (i.e., weaker 4000 angstrom breaks), but the scatter in this relation is large. We compare the observed X-ray luminosities to those expected from low- and high-mass X-ray binaries (XRBs). For blue galaxies, XRBs can almost fully account for the observed emission, while for older galaxies with larger 4000 angstrom breaks, active galactic nuclei (AGN) or hot gas dominate the measured X-ray flux. After correcting for XRBs, the X-ray luminosity is still slightly higher in younger galaxies, although this correlation is not significant. AGN appear to be a larger component of galaxy X-ray luminosity at earlier times, as the hardness ratio increases with redshift. Together with the slight increase in X-ray luminosity this may indicate more obscured AGNs or higher accretion rates at earlier times.

Lens models and magnification maps of the six Hubble Frontier Fields clusters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Traci L.; Sharon, Keren; Bayliss, Matthew B.

2014-12-10

We present strong-lensing models as well as mass and magnification maps for the cores of the six Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Fields galaxy clusters. Our parametric lens models are constrained by the locations and redshifts of multiple image systems of lensed background galaxies. We use a combination of photometric redshifts and spectroscopic redshifts of the lensed background sources obtained by us (for A2744 and AS1063), collected from the literature, or kindly provided by the lensing community. Using our results, we (1) compare the derived mass distribution of each cluster to its light distribution, (2) quantify the cumulative magnification powermore » of the HST Frontier Fields clusters, (3) describe how our models can be used to estimate the magnification and image multiplicity of lensed background sources at all redshifts and at any position within the cluster cores, and (4) discuss systematic effects and caveats resulting from our modeling methods. We specifically investigate the effect of the use of spectroscopic and photometric redshift constraints on the uncertainties of the resulting models. We find that the photometric redshift estimates of lensed galaxies are generally in excellent agreement with spectroscopic redshifts, where available. However, the flexibility associated with relaxed redshift priors may cause the complexity of large-scale structure that is needed to account for the lensing signal to be underestimated. Our findings thus underline the importance of spectroscopic arc redshifts, or tight photometric redshift constraints, for high precision lens models. All products from our best-fit lens models (magnification, convergence, shear, deflection field) and model simulations for estimating errors are made available via the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.« less

An Overdensity of Massive, Dusty Starbursts Associated with the High-Redshift Radio Galaxy MRC1138-262 at z = 2.16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altieri, Bruno; Dannerbauer, Helmut

We present Herschel and APEX LABOCA 870 μm imaging of the field of the high-redshift radio galaxy MRC1138 at z = 2.16. We detect 16 submillimeter galaxies in this ˜140 arcmin2 large bolometer map, with flux densities in the range 3-11 mJy. The pure number counts indicate an overdensity of SMGs by a factor of five compared to blank field surveys. Based on an exquisite multi-wavelength database including VLA 1.4 GHz radio and infrared observations, we verifiy whether these sources are members of the proto-cluster structure at z = 2.2 or not. Based on Herschel PACS+ SPIRE and Spitzer MIPS photometry, we derived reliable far-infrared photometric redshifts for all of our sources. VLT-ISAAC near-infrared spectroscopic observations confirmed redshifts of z ≈ 2.2 for four of these SMGs. We conclude that in total at least seven sources are part of this proto-cluster at z = 2.16. We measure a star formation rate density S FRD ˜ 1500 M⊙ yr-1 Mpc-3, four magntiudes higher compared to the global SFRD at this redshift. Striklingly, these seven sources are concentrated within a region of 2 Mpc (the typical size of clusters in the local universe) and are not distributed in the filaments as predicted by theories and traced by the Hα emitters at z ≈ 2.2. This concentration of massive, dusty starbursts is not centered on the radio galaxy which is submm bright. A significant fraction, six out of 11 SMGs with z ≈ 2.2 Hα imaging coverage are associated with Hα emitters, demonstrating the potential of tracing SMG counterparts with this source population. Our results demonstrate that indeed submm observations enable us to reveal clusters of massive, dusty starbursts and will pave the road for systematic and detailed investigations with this technique in the future.

The LABOCA/ACT Survey of Clusters at All Redshifts: Multiwavelength Analysis of Background Submillimeter Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Paula; Lindner, Robert R.; Baker, Andrew J.; Bond, J. Richard; Dünner, Rolando; Galaz, Gaspar; Gallardo, Patricio; Hilton, Matt; Hughes, John P.; Infante, Leopoldo; Lima, Marcos; Menten, Karl M.; Sievers, Jonathan; Weiss, Axel; Wollack, Edward J.

2018-03-01

We present a multiwavelength analysis of 48 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) detected in the Large APEX Bolometer Camera/Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Survey of Clusters at All Redshifts, LASCAR, which acquired new 870 μm and Australia Telescope Compact Array 2.1 GHz observations of 10 galaxy clusters detected through their Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect (SZE) signal by the ACT. Far-infrared observations were also conducted with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (100/160 μm) and SPIRE (250/350/500 μm) instruments on Herschel for sample subsets of five and six clusters. LASCAR 870 μm maps were reduced using a multiscale iterative pipeline that removes the SZE increment signal, yielding point-source sensitivities of σ ∼ 2 mJy beam‑1. We detect in total 49 sources at the 4σ level and conduct a detailed multiwavelength analysis considering our new radio and far-IR observations plus existing near-IR and optical data. One source is identified as a foreground galaxy, 28 SMGs are matched to single radio sources, four have double radio counterparts, and 16 are undetected at 2.1 GHz but tentatively associated in some cases to near-IR/optical sources. We estimate photometric redshifts for 34 sources with secure (25) and tentative (9) matches at different wavelengths, obtaining a median z={2.8}-1.7+2.1. Compared to previous results for single-dish surveys, our redshift distribution has a comparatively larger fraction of sources at z > 3, and the high-redshift tail is more extended. This is consistent with millimeter spectroscopic confirmation of a growing number of high-z SMGs and relevant for testing of cosmological models. Analytical lens modeling is applied to estimate magnification factors for 42 SMGs at clustercentric radii >1.‧2 with the demagnified flux densities and source-plane areas, we obtain integral number counts that agree with previous submillimeter surveys.

Integrated HI emission in galaxy groups and clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ai, Mei; Zhu, Ming; Fu, Jian

2017-09-01

The integrated HI emission from hierarchical structures such as groups and clusters of galaxies can be detected by FAST at intermediate redshifts. Here we propose to use FAST to study the evolution of the global HI content of clusters and groups over cosmic time by measuring their integrated HI emissions. We use the Virgo Cluster as an example to estimate the detection limit of FAST, and have estimated the integration time to detect a Virgo type cluster at different redshifts (from z = 0.1 to z = 1.5).We have also employed a semi-analytic model (SAM) to simulate the evolution of HI contents in galaxy clusters. Our simulations suggest that the HI mass of a Virgo-like cluster could be 2-3 times higher and the physical size could be more than 50% smaller when redshift increases from z = 0.3 to z = 1. Thus the integration time could be reduced significantly and gas rich clusters at intermediate redshifts can be detected by FAST in less than 2 hours of integration time. For the local Universe, we have also used SAM simulations to create mock catalogs of clusters to predict the outcomes from FAST all sky surveys. Comparing with the optically selected catalogs derived by cross matching the galaxy catalogs from the SDSS survey and the ALFALFA survey, we find that the HI mass distribution of the mock catalog with 20 s of integration time agrees well with that of observations. However, the mock catalog with 120 s of integration time predicts many more groups and clusters that contain a population of low mass HI galaxies not detected by the ALFALFA survey. A future deep HI blind sky survey with FAST would be able to test such prediction and set constraints on the numerical simulation models. The observational strategy and sample selections for future FAST observations of galaxy clusters at high redshifts are also discussed.

A dust-obscured massive maximum-starburst galaxy at a redshift of 6.34.

PubMed

Riechers, Dominik A; Bradford, C M; Clements, D L; Dowell, C D; Pérez-Fournon, I; Ivison, R J; Bridge, C; Conley, A; Fu, Hai; Vieira, J D; Wardlow, J; Calanog, J; Cooray, A; Hurley, P; Neri, R; Kamenetzky, J; Aguirre, J E; Altieri, B; Arumugam, V; Benford, D J; Béthermin, M; Bock, J; Burgarella, D; Cabrera-Lavers, A; Chapman, S C; Cox, P; Dunlop, J S; Earle, L; Farrah, D; Ferrero, P; Franceschini, A; Gavazzi, R; Glenn, J; Solares, E A Gonzalez; Gurwell, M A; Halpern, M; Hatziminaoglou, E; Hyde, A; Ibar, E; Kovács, A; Krips, M; Lupu, R E; Maloney, P R; Martinez-Navajas, P; Matsuhara, H; Murphy, E J; Naylor, B J; Nguyen, H T; Oliver, S J; Omont, A; Page, M J; Petitpas, G; Rangwala, N; Roseboom, I G; Scott, D; Smith, A J; Staguhn, J G; Streblyanska, A; Thomson, A P; Valtchanov, I; Viero, M; Wang, L; Zemcov, M; Zmuidzinas, J

2013-04-18

Massive present-day early-type (elliptical and lenticular) galaxies probably gained the bulk of their stellar mass and heavy elements through intense, dust-enshrouded starbursts--that is, increased rates of star formation--in the most massive dark-matter haloes at early epochs. However, it remains unknown how soon after the Big Bang massive starburst progenitors exist. The measured redshift (z) distribution of dusty, massive starbursts has long been suspected to be biased low in z owing to selection effects, as confirmed by recent findings of systems with redshifts as high as ~5 (refs 2-4). Here we report the identification of a massive starburst galaxy at z = 6.34 through a submillimetre colour-selection technique. We unambiguously determined the redshift from a suite of molecular and atomic fine-structure cooling lines. These measurements reveal a hundred billion solar masses of highly excited, chemically evolved interstellar medium in this galaxy, which constitutes at least 40 per cent of the baryonic mass. A 'maximum starburst' converts the gas into stars at a rate more than 2,000 times that of the Milky Way, a rate among the highest observed at any epoch. Despite the overall downturn in cosmic star formation towards the highest redshifts, it seems that environments mature enough to form the most massive, intense starbursts existed at least as early as 880 million years after the Big Bang.

A Ks-band-selected catalogue of objects in the ALHAMBRA survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieves-Seoane, L.; Fernandez-Soto, A.; Arnalte-Mur, P.; Molino, A.; Stefanon, M.; Ferreras, I.; Ascaso, B.; Ballesteros, F. J.; Cristóbal-Hornillos, D.; López-Sanjuán, C.; Hurtado-Gil, Ll.; Márquez, I.; Masegosa, J.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Alfaro, E.; Aparicio-Villegas, T.; Benítez, N.; Broadhurst, T.; Cabrera-Caño, J.; Castander, F. J.; Cepa, J.; Cerviño, M.; González Delgado, R. M.; Husillos, C.; Infante, L.; Martínez, V. J.; Moles, M.; Olmo, A. del; Perea, J.; Pović, M.; Prada, F.; Quintana, J. M.; Troncoso-Iribarren, P.; Viironen, K.

2017-02-01

The original ALHAMBRA catalogue contained over 400 000 galaxies selected using a synthetic F814W image, to the magnitude limit AB(F814W) ≈ 24.5. Given the photometric redshift depth of the ALHAMBRA multiband data ( = 0.86) and the approximately I-band selection, there is a noticeable bias against red objects at moderate redshift. We avoid this bias by creating a new catalogue selected in the Ks band. This newly obtained catalogue is certainly shallower in terms of apparent magnitude, but deeper in terms of redshift, with a significant population of red objects at z > 1. We select objects using the Ks band images, which reach an approximate AB magnitude limit Ks ≈ 22. We generate masks and derive completeness functions to characterize the sample. We have tested the quality of the photometry and photometric redshifts using both internal and external checks. Our final catalogue includes ≈95 000 sources down to Ks ≈ 22, with a significant tail towards high redshift. We have checked that there is a large sample of objects with spectral energy distributions that correspond to that of massive, passively evolving galaxies at z > 1, reaching as far as z ≈ 2.5. We have tested the possibility of combining our data with deep infrared observations at longer wavelengths, particularly Spitzer IRAC data.

The effects of the small-scale DM power on the cosmological neutral hydrogen (HI) distribution at high redshifts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarkar, Abir; Sethi, Shiv K.; Mondal, Rajesh

The particle nature of dark matter remains a mystery. In this paper, we consider two dark matter models—Late Forming Dark Matter (LFDM) and Ultra-Light Axion (ULA) models—where the matter power spectra show novel effects on small scales. The high redshift universe offers a powerful probe of their parameters. In particular, we study two cosmological observables: the neutral hydrogen (HI) redshifted 21-cm signal from the epoch of reionization, and the evolution of the collapsed fraction of HI in the redshift range 2 < z < 5. We model the theoretical predictions of the models using CDM-like N-body simulations with modified initial conditions, and generate reionizationmore » fields using an excursion set model. The N-body approximation is valid on the length and halo mass scales studied. We show that LFDM and ULA models predict an increase in the HI power spectrum from the epoch of reionization by a factor between 2–10 for a range of scales 0.1 < k < 4 Mpc{sup −1}. Assuming a fiducial model where a neutral hydrogen fraction x-bar {sub HI} = 0.5 must be achieved by z = 8, the reionization process allows us to put approximate bounds on the redshift of dark matter formation z{sub f} > 4 × 10{sup 5} (for LFDM) and the axion mass m{sub a} > 2.6 × 10{sup −23} eV (for ULA). The comparison of the collapsed mass fraction inferred from damped Lyman-α observations to the theoretical predictions of our models lead to the weaker bounds: z{sub f} > 2 × 10{sup 5} and m{sub a} > 10{sup −23} eV. These bounds are consistent with other constraints in the literature using different observables; we briefly discuss how these bounds compare with possible constraints from the observation of luminosity function of galaxies at high redshifts. In the case of ULAs, these constraints are also consistent with a solution to the cusp-core problem of CDM.« less

Multiple Streaming and the Probability Distribution of Density in Redshift Space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hui, Lam; Kofman, Lev; Shandarin, Sergei F.

2000-07-01

We examine several aspects of redshift distortions by expressing the redshift-space density in terms of the eigenvalues and orientation of the local Lagrangian deformation tensor. We explore the importance of multiple streaming using the Zeldovich approximation (ZA), and compute the average number of streams in both real and redshift space. We find that multiple streaming can be significant in redshift space but negligible in real space, even at moderate values of the linear fluctuation amplitude ({sigma}{sub l}(less-or-similar sign)1). Moreover, unlike their real-space counterparts, redshift-space multiple streams can flow past each other with minimal interactions. Such nonlinear redshift-space effects, which aremore » physically distinct from the fingers-of-God due to small-scale virialized motions, might in part explain the well-known departure of redshift distortions from the classic linear prediction by Kaiser, even at relatively large scales where the corresponding density field in real space is well described by linear perturbation theory. We also compute, using the ZA, the probability distribution function (PDF) of the density, as well as S{sub 3}, in real and redshift space, and compare it with the PDF measured from N-body simulations. The role of caustics in defining the character of the high-density tail is examined. We find that (non-Lagrangian) smoothing, due to both finite resolution or discreteness and small-scale velocity dispersions, is very effective in erasing caustic structures, unless the initial power spectrum is sufficiently truncated. (c) 2000 The American Astronomical Society.« less

Surface Brightness Test and Plasma Redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brynjolfsson, Ari

2006-03-01

The plasma redshift of photons in a hot sparse plasma follows from basic axioms of physics. It has no adjustable parameters (arXiv:astro-ph/0406437). Both the distance-redshift relation and the magnitude-redshift relation for supernovae and galaxies are well-defined functions of the average electron densities in intergalactic space. We have previously shown that the predictions of the magnitude-redshift relation in plasma- redshift cosmology match well the observed relations for the type Ia supernovae (SNe). No adjustable parameters such as the time variable ``dark energy'' and ``dark matter'' are needed. We have also shown that plasma redshift cosmology predicts well the intensity and black body spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Plasma redshift explains also the spectrum below and above the 2.73 K black body CMB, and the X-ray background. In the following, we will show that the good observations and analyses of the relation between surface brightness and redshift for galaxies, as determined by Allan Sandage and Lori M. Lubin in 2001, are well predicted by the plasma redshift. All these relations are inconsistent with cosmic time dilation and the contemporary big-bang cosmology.

The spectral energy distribution of the redshift 7.1 quasar ULAS J1120+0641

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, R.; Warren, S. J.; Banerji, M.; McMahon, R. G.; Hewett, P. C.; Mortlock, D. J.; Simpson, C.; Venemans, B. P.; Ota, K.; Shibuya, T.

2015-03-01

We present new observations of the highest-redshift quasar known, ULAS J1120+0641, redshift z = 7.084, obtained in the optical, at near-, mid-, and far-infrared wavelengths, and in the sub-mm. We combine these results with published X-ray and radio observations to create the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution (SED), with the goals of measuring the bolometric luminosity Lbol, and quantifying the respective contributions from the AGN and star formation. We find three components are needed to fit the data over the wavelength range 0.12-1000 μm: the unobscured quasar accretion disk and broad-line region, a dusty clumpy AGN torus, and a cool 47K modified black body to characterise star formation. Despite the low signal-to-noise ratio of the new long-wavelength data, the normalisation of any dusty torus model is constrained within ±40%. We measure a bolometric luminosity Lbol = 2.6 ± 0.6 × 1047 erg s-1 = 6.7 ± 1.6 × 1013 L⊙, to which the three components contribute 31%,32%,3%, respectively, with the remainder provided by the extreme UV < 0.12 μm. We tabulate the best-fit model SED. We use local scaling relations to estimate a star formation rate (SFR) in the range 60-270 M⊙/yr from the [C ii] line luminosity and the 158 μm continuum luminosity. An analysis of the equivalent widths of the [C ii] line in a sample of z> 5.7 quasars suggests that these indicators are promising tools for estimating the SFR in high-redshift quasars in general. At the time observed the black hole was growing in mass more than 100 times faster than the stellar bulge, relative to the mass ratio measured in the local universe, i.e. compared to MBH/Mbulge ≃ 1.4 × 10-3, for ULAS J1120+0641 we measure ṀBH/Ṁbulge ≃ 0.2. Full Table 3 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/575/A31

Investigation of redshift- and duration-dependent clustering of gamma-ray bursts

DOE PAGES

Ukwatta, T. N.; Woźniak, P. R.

2015-11-05

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are detectable out to very large distances and as such are potentially powerful cosmological probes. Historically, the angular distribution of GRBs provided important information about their origin and physical properties. As a general population, GRBs are distributed isotropically across the sky. However, there are published reports that once binned by duration or redshift, GRBs display significant clustering. We have studied the redshift- and duration-dependent clustering of GRBs using proximity measures and kernel density estimation. Utilizing bursts detected by Burst and Transient Source Experiment, Fermi/gamma-ray burst monitor, and Swift/Burst Alert Telescope, we found marginal evidence for clustering inmore » very short duration GRBs lasting less than 100 ms. As a result, our analysis provides little evidence for significant redshift-dependent clustering of GRBs.« less

High Redshift Quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elvis, Martin S.

1996-01-01

The report for this period includes three papers: 'Associated Absorption at Low and High Redshift'; 'Strong X-ray Absorption in a Broad Absorption Line Quasar: PHL5200'; and 'ASCA and ROSAT X-ray Spectra of High-Redshift Radio-Loud Quasars'. The first gives examples from both low and high redshift for combining information on absorbing material in active galactic nuclei from both x-ray and the UV. The second presents ASCA observations of the z = 1.98 prototype broad absorption line quasar (BALQSO): PHL 5200, detected with both the solid-state imaging spectrometers and the gas imaging spectometers. The third paper presents results on the x-ray properties of 9 high-redshift radio-loud quasars observed by ASCA and ROSAT, including ASCA observations of S5 0014+81 (z = 3.38) and S5 0836+71 (z = 2.17) and ROSAT observations of PKS 2126-158.

Infrared/optical energy distributions of high redshifted quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soifer, B. T.; Neugebauer, G.; Oke, J. B.; Matthews, K.; Lacy, J. H.

1982-01-01

Measurements at 1.2, 1.6 and 2.2 microns were combined with visual spectrophotometry of 21 quasars having redshifts z or = 2.66. The primary result is that the rest frame visual/ultraviolet continua of the high redshift quasars are well described by a sum of a power law continuum with slope of approximately -0.4 and a 3000 A bump. The rest frame visual/ultraviolet continua of these quasars are quite similar to that of 3C273, the archetype of low redshift quasars. There does not appear to be any visual/ultraviolet properties distinguishing high redshift quasars selected via visual or radio techniques.

Morphology and Structure of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies at z ∼ 2 in the EGS Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Guan-Wen; Ma, Zhong-Yang; Chen, Yang; Kong, Xu

2015-04-01

Using the high-resolution F160W images observed by the HST WFC3 (Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3) in the CANDELS-EGS (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey-Extended Groth Strip) field, we have studied the morphological and structural features of 9 ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z ∼ 2. We find a wide range of morphological diversity for these ULIRGs, from ellipsoids to multiple bright nuclei or diffuse structures, e.g., the double nuclei, gaseous bridges, dual asym- metries, irregular or elliptical structures. In order to study the morphology of these ULIRGs quantitatively, their morphological parameters (the Gini coeffcient G and moment index M20) are measured in the rest-frame optical wave- band. Compared with the low-redshift counterparts, the high-redshift ULIRGs show a smaller value of G and a larger value of M20, indicating a less concen- tricity and a larger asymmetry of the stellar population distribution in these ULIRGs. Based on a 2-D fitting of the brightness profiles of these ULIRGs, we have derived their effective radii, which are distributed in a range from 2.4 to kpc, with a mean value of (3.9 ± 1.1) kpc. Moreover, we find that in average the sizes of the high-redshift ULIRGs are one to two times smaller than those of the nearby star-forming galaxies of analogous stellar mass. Our results are consistent with those of other studies under the similar conditions of redshift and infrared luminosity.

Noise estimates for measurements of weak lensing from the Ly α forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metcalf, R. Benton; Croft, Rupert A. C.; Romeo, Alessandro

2018-06-01

Lensing changes the apparent separation between pixels in the Ly α forest of separate quasars or high-redshift objects by changing their observed positions on the sky. This changes the implied correlations in the absorption and in particular makes the Ly α forest correlation function, or power spectrum, locally anisotropic in the plane of the sky. We have proposed a method for measuring weak lensing using this effect. Here, we estimate the noise expected in weak lensing maps and power spectra for different sets of observational parameters. We find that surveys of the size and quality of the ones being done today and ones planned for the future will be able to measure the lensing power spectrum at a source redshift of z ≃ 2.5 with high precision and even be able to image the distribution of foreground matter with high fidelity on degree scales. For example, we predict that Ly α forest lensing measurements from the DESI and WEAVE surveys should yield the mass fluctuation amplitude with a statistical error of ˜3 per cent, eBOSS ˜6 per cent. and the proposed MSE survey less than 1 per cent. By dividing the redshift range into multiple bins, some tomographic lensing information should be accessible as well. This would allow for cosmological lensing measurements at higher redshift than are accessible with galaxy shear surveys and correspondingly better constraints on the evolution of dark energy at relatively early times.

Towards equation of state of dark energy from quasar monitoring: Reverberation strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czerny, B.; Hryniewicz, K.; Maity, I.; Schwarzenberg-Czerny, A.; Życki, P. T.; Bilicki, M.

2013-08-01

Context. High-redshift quasars can be used to constrain the equation of state of dark energy. They can serve as a complementary tool to supernovae Type Ia, especially at z > 1. Aims: The method is based on the determination of the size of the broad line region (BLR) from the emission line delay, the determination of the absolute monochromatic luminosity either from the observed statistical relation or from a model of the formation of the BLR, and the determination of the observed monochromatic flux from photometry. This allows the luminosity distance to a quasar to be obtained, independently from its redshift. The accuracy of the measurements is, however, a key issue. Methods: We modeled the expected accuracy of the measurements by creating artificial quasar monochromatic lightcurves and responses from the BLR under various assumptions about the variability of a quasar, BLR extension, distribution of the measurements in time, accuracy of the measurements, and the intrinsic line variability. Results: We show that the five-year monitoring of a single quasar based on the Mg II line should give an accuracy of 0.06-0.32 mag in the distance modulus which will allow new constraints to be put on the expansion rate of the Universe at high redshifts. Successful monitoring of higher redshift quasars based on C IV lines requires proper selection of the objects to avoid sources with much higher levels of the intrinsic variability of C IV compared to Mg II.

OPTICAL SPECTRA OF CANDIDATE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE INTERNATIONAL CELESTIAL REFERENCE FRAME (ICRF) RADIO SOURCES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Titov, O.; Jauncey, D. L.; Johnston, H. M.

2011-11-15

We present the results of spectroscopic observations of the optical counterparts of 47 southern radio sources from the candidate International Celestial Reference Catalogue as part of a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) program to strengthen the celestial reference frame, especially in the south. We made the observations with the 3.58 m European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope. We obtained redshifts for 30 quasars and one radio galaxy, with a further seven objects being probable BL Lac objects with featureless spectra. Of the remainder, four were clear misidentifications with Galactic stars and five had low signal-to-noise spectra and could not bemore » classified. These results, in combination with new VLBI data of the radio sources with redshifts more than 2, add significantly to the existing data needed to refine the distribution of source proper motions over the celestial sphere.« less

Cosmic curvature tested directly from observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denissenya, Mikhail; Linder, Eric V.; Shafieloo, Arman

2018-03-01

Cosmic spatial curvature is a fundamental geometric quantity of the Universe. We investigate a model independent, geometric approach to measure spatial curvature directly from observations, without any derivatives of data. This employs strong lensing time delays and supernova distance measurements to measure the curvature itself, rather than just testing consistency with flatness. We define two curvature estimators, with differing error propagation characteristics, that can crosscheck each other, and also show how they can be used to map the curvature in redshift slices, to test constancy of curvature as required by the Robertson-Walker metric. Simulating realizations of redshift distributions and distance measurements of lenses and sources, we estimate uncertainties on the curvature enabled by next generation measurements. The results indicate that the model independent methods, using only geometry without assuming forms for the energy density constituents, can determine the curvature at the ~6×10‑3 level.

3D-HST+CANDELS: The Evolution of the Galaxy Size-Mass Distribution since z = 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Wel, A.; Franx, M.; van Dokkum, P. G.; Skelton, R. E.; Momcheva, I. G.; Whitaker, K. E.; Brammer, G. B.; Bell, E. F.; Rix, H.-W.; Wuyts, S.; Ferguson, H. C.; Holden, B. P.; Barro, G.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Chang, Yu-Yen; McGrath, E. J.; Häussler, B.; Dekel, A.; Behroozi, P.; Fumagalli, M.; Leja, J.; Lundgren, B. F.; Maseda, M. V.; Nelson, E. J.; Wake, D. A.; Patel, S. G.; Labbé, I.; Faber, S. M.; Grogin, N. A.; Kocevski, D. D.

2014-06-01

Spectroscopic+photometric redshifts, stellar mass estimates, and rest-frame colors from the 3D-HST survey are combined with structural parameter measurements from CANDELS imaging to determine the galaxy size-mass distribution over the redshift range 0 < z < 3. Separating early- and late-type galaxies on the basis of star-formation activity, we confirm that early-type galaxies are on average smaller than late-type galaxies at all redshifts, and we find a significantly different rate of average size evolution at fixed galaxy mass, with fast evolution for the early-type population, R effvprop(1 + z)-1.48, and moderate evolution for the late-type population, R effvprop(1 + z)-0.75. The large sample size and dynamic range in both galaxy mass and redshift, in combination with the high fidelity of our measurements due to the extensive use of spectroscopic data, not only fortify previous results but also enable us to probe beyond simple average galaxy size measurements. At all redshifts the slope of the size-mass relation is shallow, R_{eff}\\propto M_*^{0.22}, for late-type galaxies with stellar mass >3 × 109 M ⊙, and steep, R_{eff}\\propto M_*^{0.75}, for early-type galaxies with stellar mass >2 × 1010 M ⊙. The intrinsic scatter is lsim0.2 dex for all galaxy types and redshifts. For late-type galaxies, the logarithmic size distribution is not symmetric but is skewed toward small sizes: at all redshifts and masses, a tail of small late-type galaxies exists that overlaps in size with the early-type galaxy population. The number density of massive (~1011 M ⊙), compact (R eff < 2 kpc) early-type galaxies increases from z = 3 to z = 1.5-2 and then strongly decreases at later cosmic times.

Spectroscopic Needs for Imaging Dark Energy Experiments

DOE PAGES

Newman, Jeffrey A.; Slosar, Anze; Abate, Alexandra; ...

2015-03-15

Ongoing and near-future imaging-based dark energy experiments are critically dependent upon photometric redshifts (a.k.a. photo-z’s): i.e., estimates of the redshifts of objects based only on flux information obtained through broad filters. Higher-quality, lower-scatter photo-z’s will result in smaller random errors on cosmological parameters; while systematic errors in photometric redshift estimates, if not constrained, may dominate all other uncertainties from these experiments. The desired optimization and calibration is dependent upon spectroscopic measurements for secure redshift information; this is the key application of galaxy spectroscopy for imaging-based dark energy experiments. Hence, to achieve their full potential, imaging-based experiments will require large setsmore » of objects with spectroscopically-determined redshifts, for two purposes: Training: Objects with known redshift are needed to map out the relationship between object color and z (or, equivalently, to determine empirically-calibrated templates describing the rest-frame spectra of the full range of galaxies, which may be used to predict the color-z relation). The ultimate goal of training is to minimize each moment of the distribution of differences between photometric redshift estimates and the true redshifts of objects, making the relationship between them as tight as possible. The larger and more complete our “training set” of spectroscopic redshifts is, the smaller the RMS photo-z errors should be, increasing the constraining power of imaging experiments; Requirements: Spectroscopic redshift measurements for ~30,000 objects over >~15 widely-separated regions, each at least ~20 arcmin in diameter, and reaching the faintest objects used in a given experiment, will likely be necessary if photometric redshifts are to be trained and calibrated with conventional techniques. Larger, more complete samples (i.e., with longer exposure times) can improve photo-z algorithms and reduce scatter further, enhancing the science return from planned experiments greatly (increasing the Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit by up to ~50%); Options: This spectroscopy will most efficiently be done by covering as much of the optical and near-infrared spectrum as possible at modestly high spectral resolution (λ/Δλ > ~3000), while maximizing the telescope collecting area, field of view on the sky, and multiplexing of simultaneous spectra. The most efficient instrument for this would likely be either the proposed GMACS/MANIFEST spectrograph for the Giant Magellan Telescope or the OPTIMOS spectrograph for the European Extremely Large Telescope, depending on actual properties when built. The PFS spectrograph at Subaru would be next best and available considerably earlier, c. 2018; the proposed ngCFHT and SSST telescopes would have similar capabilities but start later. Other key options, in order of increasing total time required, are the WFOS spectrograph at TMT, MOONS at the VLT, and DESI at the Mayall 4 m telescope (or the similar 4MOST and WEAVE projects); of these, only DESI, MOONS, and PFS are expected to be available before 2020. Table 2-3 of this white paper summarizes the observation time required at each facility for strawman training samples. To attain secure redshift measurements for a high fraction of targeted objects and cover the full redshift span of future experiments, additional near-infrared spectroscopy will also be required; this is best done from space, particularly with WFIRST-2.4 and JWST; Calibration: The first several moments of redshift distributions (the mean, RMS redshift dispersion, etc.), must be known to high accuracy for cosmological constraints not to be systematics-dominated (equivalently, the moments of the distribution of differences between photometric and true redshifts could be determined instead). The ultimate goal of calibration is to characterize these moments for every subsample used in analyses - i.e., to minimize the uncertainty in their mean redshift, RMS dispersion, etc. – rather than to make the moments themselves small. Calibration may be done with the same spectroscopic dataset used for training if that dataset is extremely high in redshift completeness (i.e., no populations of galaxies to be used in analyses are systematically missed). Accurate photo-z calibration is necessary for all imaging experiments; Requirements: If extremely low levels of systematic incompleteness (<~0.1%) are attained in training samples, the same datasets described above should be sufficient for calibration. However, existing deep spectroscopic surveys have failed to yield secure redshifts for 30–60% of targets, so that would require very large improvements over past experience. This incompleteness would be a limiting factor for training, but catastrophic for calibration. If <~0.1% incompleteness is not attainable, the best known option for calibration of photometric redshifts is to utilize cross-correlation statistics in some form. The most direct method for this uses cross-correlations between positions on the sky of bright objects of known spectroscopic redshift with the sample of objects that we wish to calibrate the redshift distribution for, measured as a function of spectroscopic z. For such a calibration, redshifts of ~100,000 objects over at least several hundred square degrees, spanning the full redshift range of the samples used for dark energy, would be necessary; and Options: The proposed BAO experiment eBOSS would provide sufficient spectroscopy for basic calibrations, particularly for ongoing and near-future imaging experiments. The planned DESI experiment would provide excellent calibration with redundant cross-checks, but will start after the conclusion of some imaging projects. An extension of DESI to the Southern hemisphere would provide the best possible calibration from cross-correlation methods for DES and LSST. We thus anticipate that our two primary needs for spectroscopy – training and calibration of photometric redshifts – will require two separate solutions. For ongoing and future projects to reach their full potential, new spectroscopic samples of faint objects will be needed for training; those new samples may be suitable for calibration, but the latter possibility is uncertain. In contrast, wide-area samples of bright objects are poorly suited for training, but can provide high-precision calibrations via cross-correlation techniques. Additional training/calibration redshifts and/or host galaxy spectroscopy would enhance the use of supernovae and galaxy clusters for cosmology. We also summarize additional work on photometric redshift techniques that will be needed to prepare for data from ongoing and future dark energy experiments.« less

Giving cosmic redshift drift a whirl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Alex G.; Linder, Eric V.; Edelstein, Jerry; Erskine, David

2015-03-01

Redshift drift provides a direct kinematic measurement of cosmic acceleration but it occurs with a characteristic time scale of a Hubble time. Thus redshift observations with a challenging precision of 10-9 require a 10 year time span to obtain a signal-to-noise of 1. We discuss theoretical and experimental approaches to address this challenge, potentially requiring less observer time and having greater immunity to common systematics. On the theoretical side we explore allowing the universe, rather than the observer, to provide long time spans; speculative methods include radial baryon acoustic oscillations, cosmic pulsars, and strongly lensed quasars. On the experimental side, we explore beating down the redshift precision using differential interferometric techniques, including externally dispersed interferometers and spatial heterodyne spectroscopy. Low-redshift emission line galaxies are identified as having high cosmology leverage and systematics control, with an 8 h exposure on a 10-m telescope (1000 h of exposure on a 40-m telescope) potentially capable of measuring the redshift of a galaxy to a precision of 10-8 (few ×10-10). Low-redshift redshift drift also has very strong complementarity with cosmic microwave background measurements, with the combination achieving a dark energy figure of merit of nearly 300 (1400) for 5% (1%) precision on drift.

Angular power spectrum of galaxies in the 2MASS Redshift Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Shin'ichiro; Benoit-Lévy, Aurélien; Komatsu, Eiichiro

2018-02-01

We present the measurement and interpretation of the angular power spectrum of nearby galaxies in the 2MASS Redshift Survey catalogue with spectroscopic redshifts up to z ≈ 0.1. We detect the angular power spectrum up to a multipole of ℓ ≈ 1000. We find that the measured power spectrum is dominated by galaxies living inside nearby galaxy clusters and groups. We use the halo occupation distribution (HOD) formalism to model the power spectrum, obtaining a fit with reasonable parameters. These HOD parameters are in agreement with the 2MASS galaxy distribution we measure towards the known nearby galaxy clusters, confirming validity of our analysis.

Searching for Lyman-alpha Emitters as a Probe of Cosmic Reionization and Peering Inside Galaxies in the First Two Billion Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Intae; Finkelstein, Steven; CANDELS team

2018-01-01

In the reionization era an immediately accessible method for studying the intergalactic medium is to measure the equivalent width distribution of Lyman-alpha emission from galaxies with follow-up spectroscopy. To search for Lyman-alpha emission from galaxies at z ~ 5-8, we perform spectroscopic observations of candidate galaxies from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). We utilize data from the Keck DEIMOS (optical) and MOSFIRE (near-infrared) spectrographs, ensuring a comprehensive wavelength coverage of Lyman-alpha emission at z ~ 5-8. We have a total of 1170 object-hours of spectroscopic integration of galaxies at z > 5: 118 galaxies with DEIMOS and 69 galaxies with MOSFIRE. The equivalent width distribution of Lyman-alpha emission is constrained with the number of detected objects from our dataset by constructing detailed simulations of mock emission lines, which consider observational conditions and the photometric redshift probability distribution function. We present our robust measure of the evolution of the Lyman-alpha emission equivalent width distribution at z ~ 5-8.Understanding what drives star-formation quenching in the early universe is a long-standing puzzle. To reveal the hidden relation of quenching with galaxy structural properties, particularly central stellar mass density, we perform the first spatially resolved stellar population study of galaxies at z ~ 4, utilizing the CANDELS imaging data set over the GOODS-S field. We examine 166 photometric-redshift-selected galaxies at 3.5 < z < 4.0 with additional deep K-band survey data from the HAWK-I UDS and GOODS Survey which covers the 4000Å break at these redshifts. We estimate the stellar mass, star formation rate, and dust extinction for galaxy inner and outer regions via spatially resolved spectral energy distribution fitting based on a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. By comparing specific star formation rates (sSFRs) between inner and outer parts of the galaxies we find that the majority of galaxies with high central mass densities show evidence for a preferentially lower sSFR in their centers than in their outer regions, indicative of reduced sSFRs in their central regions.

Massive Structures of Galaxies at High Redshifts in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Eugene; Im, Myungshin

2015-02-01

If the Universe is dominated by cold dark matter and dark energy as in the currently popular ΛCDM cosmology, it is expected that large scale structures form gradually, with galaxy clusters of mass M & 1014M? appearing at around 6 Gy rs after the Big Bang (z ? 1). Here, we report the discovery of 59 massive structures of galaxies with masses greater than a few times 1013M? at redshifts between z = 0.6 and 4.5 in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey fields. The massive structures are identified by running top-hat filters on the two dimensional spatial distribution of magnitude-limited samples of galaxies using a combination of spectroscopic and photometric redshifts. We analyze the Millennium simulation data in a similar way to the analysis of the observational data in order to test the ΛCDM cosmology. We find that there are too many massive structures (M > 7?1013M?) observed at z > 2 in comparison with the simulation predictions by a factor of a few, giving a probability of < 1/2500 of the observed data being consistent with the simulation. Our result suggests that massive structures have emerged early, but the reason for the discrepancy with the simulation is unclear. It could be due to the limitation of the simulation such as the lack of key, unrecognized ingredients (strong non-Gaussianity or other baryonic physics), or simply a difficulty in the halo mass estimation from observation, or a fundamental problem of the ΛCDM cosmology. On the other hand, the over-abundance of massive structures at high redshifts does not favor heavy neutrino mass of ? 0.3 eV or larger, as heavy neutrinos make the discrepancy between the observation and the simulation more pronounced by a factor of 3 or more.

Photometric redshifts in the SWIRE Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowan-Robinson, Michael; Babbedge, Tom; Oliver, Seb; Trichas, Markos; Berta, Stefano; Lonsdale, Carol; Smith, Gene; Shupe, David; Surace, Jason; Arnouts, Stephane; Ilbert, Olivier; Le Févre, Olivier; Afonso-Luis, Alejandro; Perez-Fournon, Ismael; Hatziminaoglou, Evanthia; Polletta, Mari; Farrah, Duncan; Vaccari, Mattia

2008-05-01

We present the SWIRE Photometric Redshift Catalogue 1025119 redshifts of unprecedented reliability and of accuracy comparable with or better than previous work. Our methodology is based on fixed galaxy and quasi-stellar object templates applied to data at 0.36-4.5 μm, and on a set of four infrared emission templates fitted to infrared excess data at 3.6-170 μm. The galaxy templates are initially empirical, but are given greater physical validity by fitting star formation histories to them, which also allows us to estimate stellar masses. The code involves two passes through the data, to try to optimize recognition of active galactic nucleus (AGN) dust tori. A few carefully justified priors are used and are the key to supression of outliers. Extinction, AV, is allowed as a free parameter. The full reduced χ2ν (z) distribution is given for each source, so the full error distribution can be used, and aliases investigated. We use a set of 5982 spectroscopic redshifts, taken from the literature and from our own spectroscopic surveys, to analyse the performance of our method as a function of the number of photometric bands used in the solution and the reduced χ2ν. For seven photometric bands (5 optical + 3.6, 4.5 μm), the rms value of (zphot - zspec)/(1 + zspec) is 3.5 per cent, and the percentage of catastrophic outliers [defined as >15 per cent error in (1 + z)], is ~1 per cent. These rms values are comparable with the best achieved in other studies, and the outlier fraction is significantly better. The inclusion of the 3.6- and 4.5-μm IRAC bands is crucial in supression of outliers. We discuss the redshift distributions at 3.6 and 24 μm. In individual fields, structure in the redshift distribution corresponds to clusters which can be seen in the spectroscopic redshift distribution, so the photometric redshifts are a powerful tool for large-scale structure studies. 10 per cent of sources in the SWIRE photometric redshift catalogue have z > 2, and 4 per cent have z > 3, so this catalogue is a huge resource for high-redshift galaxies. A key parameter for understanding the evolutionary status of infrared galaxies is Lir/Lopt. For cirrus galaxies this is a measure of the mean extinction in the interstellar medium of the galaxy. There is a population of ultraluminous galaxies with cool dust and we have shown SEDs for some of the reliable examples. For starbursts, we estimate the specific star formation rate, φ*/M*. Although the very highest values of this ratio tend to be associated with Arp220 starbursts, by no means all ultraluminous galaxies are. We discuss an interesting population of galaxies with elliptical-like spectral energy distributions in the optical and luminous starbursts in the infrared. For dust tori around type 1 AGN, Ltor/Lopt is a measure of the torus covering factor and we deduce a mean covering factor of 40 per cent. Our infrared templates also allow us to estimate dust masses for all galaxies with an infrared excess.

Modelling and interpreting spectral energy distributions of galaxies with BEAGLE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevallard, Jacopo; Charlot, Stéphane

2016-10-01

We present a new-generation tool to model and interpret spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of galaxies, which incorporates in a consistent way the production of radiation and its transfer through the interstellar and intergalactic media. This flexible tool, named BEAGLE (for BayEsian Analysis of GaLaxy sEds), allows one to build mock galaxy catalogues as well as to interpret any combination of photometric and spectroscopic galaxy observations in terms of physical parameters. The current version of the tool includes versatile modelling of the emission from stars and photoionized gas, attenuation by dust and accounting for different instrumental effects, such as spectroscopic flux calibration and line spread function. We show a first application of the BEAGLE tool to the interpretation of broad-band SEDs of a published sample of ˜ 10^4 galaxies at redshifts 0.1 ≲ z ≲ 8. We find that the constraints derived on photometric redshifts using this multipurpose tool are comparable to those obtained using public, dedicated photometric-redshift codes and quantify this result in a rigorous statistical way. We also show how the post-processing of BEAGLE output data with the PYTHON extension PYP-BEAGLE allows the characterization of systematic deviations between models and observations, in particular through posterior predictive checks. The modular design of the BEAGLE tool allows easy extensions to incorporate, for example, the absorption by neutral galactic and circumgalactic gas, and the emission from an active galactic nucleus, dust and shock-ionized gas. Information about public releases of the BEAGLE tool will be maintained on http://www.jacopochevallard.org/beagle.

The Chandra Deepest Fields in the Infrared: Making the Connection between Normal Galaxies and AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grogin, N. A.; Ferguson, H. C.; Dickinson, M. E.; Giavalisco, M.; Mobasher, B.; Padovani, P.; Williams, R. E.; Chary, R.; Gilli, R.; Heckman, T. M.; Stern, D.; Winge, C.

2001-12-01

Within each of the two Chandra Deepest Fields (CDFs), there are ~10'x15' regions targeted for non-proprietary, deep SIRTF 3.6--24μ m imaging as part of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) Legacy program. In advance of the SIRTF observations, the GOODS team has recently begun obtaining non-proprietary, deep ground-based optical and near-IR imaging and spectroscopy over these regions, which contain virtually all of the current ≈1 Msec CXO coverage in the CDF North and much of the ≈1 Msec coverage in the CDF South. In particular, the planned depth of the near-IR imaging (JAB ~ 25.3; HAB ~ 24.8; KAB ~ 24.4) combined with the deep Chandra data can allow us to trace the evolutionary connection between normal galaxies, starbursts, and AGN out to z ~ 1 and beyond. We describe our CDF Archival program, which is integrating these GOODS-supporting observations together with the CDF archival data and other publicly-available datasets in these regions to create a multi-wavelength deep imaging and spectroscpic database available to the entire community. We highlight progress toward near-term science goals of this program, including: (a) pushing constraints on the redshift distribution and spectral-energy distributions of the faintest X-ray sources to the deepest possible levels via photometric redshifts; and (b) better characterizing the heavily-obscured and the high-redshift populations via both a near-IR search for optically-undetected CDF X-ray sources and also X-ray stacking analyses on the CXO-undetected EROs in these fields.

The Center for Astrophysics Redshift Survey - Recent results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1989-01-01

Six strips of the CfA redshift survey extension are now complete. The data continue to support a picture in which galaxies are on thin sheets which nearly surround vast low-density voids. The largest structures are comparable with the extent of the survey. Voids like the one in Bootes are a common feature of the large-scale distribution of galaxies. The issue of fair samples of the galaxy distribution is discussed, examining statistical measures of the galaxy distribution including the two-point correlation functions.

Deep Extragalactic X-Ray Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, W. N.; Hasinger, G.

2005-09-01

Deep surveys of the cosmic X-ray background are reviewed in the context of observational progress enabled by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission-Newton. The sources found by deep surveys are described along with their redshift and luminosity distributions, and the effectiveness of such surveys at selecting active galactic nuclei (AGN) is assessed. Some key results from deep surveys are highlighted, including (a) measurements of AGN evolution and the growth of supermassive black holes, (b) constraints on the demography and physics of high-redshift AGN, (c) the X-ray AGN content of infrared and submillimeter galaxies, and (d) X-ray emission from distant starburst and normal galaxies. We also describe some outstanding problems and future prospects for deep extragalactic X-ray surveys.

A Catalog of Photometric Redshift and the Distribution of Broad Galaxy Morphologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Nicholas; Virag, Nicholas; Shamir, Lior

2018-06-01

We created a catalog of photometric redshift of ~3,000,000 SDSS galaxies annotated by their broad morphology. The photometric redshift was optimized by testing and comparing several pattern recognition algorithms and variable selection strategies, trained and tested on a subset of the galaxies in the catalog that had spectra. The galaxies in the catalog have i magnitude brighter than 18 and Petrosian radius greater than 5.5''. The majority of these objects are not included in previous SDSS photometric redshift catalogs such as the photoz table of SDSS DR12. Analysis of the catalog shows that the number of galaxies in the catalog that are visually spiral increases until redshift of ~0.085, where it peaks and starts to decrease. It also shows that the number of spiral galaxies compared to elliptical galaxies drops as the redshift increases. The catalog is publicly available at https://figshare.com/articles/Morphology_and_photometric_redshift_catalog/4833593

The Abundance of Large Arcs From CLASH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bingxiao; Postman, Marc; Meneghetti, Massimo; Coe, Dan A.; Clash Team

2015-01-01

We have developed an automated arc-finding algorithm to perform a rigorous comparison of the observed and simulated abundance of large lensed background galaxies (a.k.a arcs). We use images from the CLASH program to derive our observed arc abundance. Simulated CLASH images are created by performing ray tracing through mock clusters generated by the N-body simulation calibrated tool -- MOKA, and N-body/hydrodynamic simulations -- MUSIC, over the same mass and redshift range as the CLASH X-ray selected sample. We derive a lensing efficiency of 15 ± 3 arcs per cluster for the X-ray selected CLASH sample and 4 ± 2 arcs per cluster for the simulated sample. The marginally significant difference (3.0 σ) between the results for the observations and the simulations can be explained by the systematically smaller area with magnification larger than 3 (by a factor of ˜4) in both MOKA and MUSIC mass models relative to those derived from the CLASH data. Accounting for this difference brings the observed and simulated arc statistics into full agreement. We find that the source redshift distribution does not have big impact on the arc abundance but the arc abundance is very sensitive to the concentration of the dark matter halos. Our results suggest that the solution to the "arc statistics problem" lies primarily in matching the cluster dark matter distribution.

A Photometric redshift galaxy catalog from the Red-Sequence Cluster Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsieh, Bau-Ching; /Taiwan, Natl. Central U. /Taipei, Inst. Astron. Astrophys.; Yee, H.K.C.

2005-02-01

The Red-Sequence Cluster Survey (RCS) provides a large and deep photometric catalog of galaxies in the z' and R{sub c} bands for 90 square degrees of sky, and supplemental V and B data have been obtained for 33.6 deg{sup 2}. They compile a photometric redshift catalog from these 4-band data by utilizing the empirical quadratic polynomial photometric redshift fitting technique in combination with CNOC2 and GOODS/HDF-N redshift data. The training set includes 4924 spectral redshifts. The resulting catalog contains more than one million galaxies with photometric redshifts < 1.5 and R{sub c} < 24, giving an rms scatter {delta}({Delta}z)

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cross-Correlation of Cosmic Microwave Background Lensing and Quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwin, Blake D; Das, Sudeep; Haijian, Amir; Addison, Graeme; Bond, Richard; Crichton, Devin; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Gralla, Megan B.; Halpern, Mark;

Galaxy Formation At Extreme Redshifts: Semi-Analytic Model Predictions And Challenges For Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yung, L. Y. Aaron; Somerville, Rachel S.

2017-06-01

The well-established Santa Cruz semi-analytic galaxy formation framework has been shown to be quite successful at explaining observations in the local Universe, as well as making predictions for low-redshift observations. Recently, metallicity-based gas partitioning and H2-based star formation recipes have been implemented in our model, replacing the legacy cold-gas based recipe. We then use our revised model to explore the high-redshift Universe and make predictions up to z = 15. Although our model is only calibrated to observations from the local universe, our predictions seem to match incredibly well with mid- to high-redshift observational constraints available-to-date, including rest-frame UV luminosity functions and the reionization history as constrained by CMB and IGM observations. We provide predictions for individual and statistical galaxy properties at a wide range of redshifts (z = 4 - 15), including objects that are too far or too faint to be detected with current facilities. And using our model predictions, we also provide forecasted luminosity functions and other observables for upcoming studies with JWST.

zBEAMS: a unified solution for supernova cosmology with redshift uncertainties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, Ethan; Lochner, Michelle; Bassett, Bruce A.

Supernova cosmology without spectra will be an important component of future surveys such as LSST. This lack of supernova spectra results in uncertainty in the redshifts which, if ignored, leads to significantly biased estimates of cosmological parameters. Here we present a hierarchical Bayesian formalism— zBEAMS—that addresses this problem by marginalising over the unknown or uncertain supernova redshifts to produce unbiased cosmological estimates that are competitive with supernova data with spectroscopically confirmed redshifts. zBEAMS provides a unified treatment of both photometric redshifts and host galaxy misidentification (occurring due to chance galaxy alignments or faint hosts), effectively correcting the inevitable contamination inmore » the Hubble diagram. Like its predecessor BEAMS, our formalism also takes care of non-Ia supernova contamination by marginalising over the unknown supernova type. We illustrate this technique with simulations of supernovae with photometric redshifts and host galaxy misidentification. A novel feature of the photometric redshift case is the important role played by the redshift distribution of the supernovae.« less

Probing the statistics of primordial fluctuations and their evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaztanaga, Enrique; Yokoyama, Jun'ichi

1993-01-01

The statistical distribution of fluctuations on various scales is analyzed in terms of the counts in cells of smoothed density fields, using volume-limited samples of galaxy redshift catalogs. It is shown that the distribution on large scales, with volume average of the two-point correlation function of the smoothed field less than about 0.05, is consistent with Gaussian. Statistics are shown to agree remarkably well with the negative binomial distribution, which has hierarchial correlations and a Gaussian behavior at large scales. If these observed properties correspond to the matter distribution, they suggest that our universe started with Gaussian fluctuations and evolved keeping hierarchial form.

Constraining the radio jet proper motion of the high-redshift quasar J2134-0419 at z = 4.3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perger, Krisztina; Frey, Sándor; Gabányi, Krisztina É.; An, Tao; Britzen, Silke; Cao, Hong-Min; Cseh, Dávid; Dennett-Thorpe, Jane; Gurvits, Leonid I.; Hong, Xiao-Yu; Hook, Isobel M.; Paragi, Zsolt; Schilizzi, Richard T.; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Yingkang

2018-06-01

To date, PMN J2134-0419 (at a redshift z = 4.33) is the second most distant quasar known with a milliarcsecond-scale morphology permitting direct estimates of the jet proper motion. Based on two-epoch observations, we constrained its radio jet proper motion using the very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) technique. The observations were conducted with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 5 GHz on 1999 November 26 and 2015 October 6. We imaged the central 10-pc scale radio jet emission and modelled its brightness distribution. By identifying a jet component at both epochs separated by 15.86 yr, a proper motion of μ = 0.035 ± 0.023 mas yr-1 is found. It corresponds to an apparent superluminal speed of βa = 4.1 ± 2.7 c. Relativistic beaming at both epochs suggests that the jet viewing angle with respect to the line of sight is smaller than 20°, with a minimum bulk Lorentz factor Γ = 4.3. The small value of the proper motion is in good agreement with the expectations from the cosmological interpretation of the redshift and the current cosmological model. Additionally we analysed archival Very Large Array observations of J2143-0419 and found indication of a bent jet extending to ˜30 kpc.

Stellar Photon Archaeology with Gamma-Rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, Floyd W.

2009-01-01

Ongoing deep surveys of galaxy luminosity distribution functions, spectral energy distributions and backwards evolution models of star formation rates can be used to calculate the past history of intergalactic photon densities and, from them, the present and past optical depth of the Universe to gamma-rays from pair production interactions with these photons. The energy-redshift dependence of the optical depth of the Universe to gamma-rays has become known as the Fazio-Stecker relation (Fazio & Stecker 1970). Stecker, Malkan & Scully have calculated the densities of intergalactic background light (IBL) photons of energies from 0.03 eV to the Lyman limit at 13.6 eV and for 0$ < z < $6, using deep survey galaxy observations from Spitzer, Hubble and GALEX and have consequently predicted spectral absorption features for extragalactic gamma-ray sources. This procedure can also be reversed. Determining the cutoff energies of gamma-ray sources with known redshifts using the recently launched Fermi gamma-ray space telescope may enable a more precise determination of the IBL photon densities in the past, i.e., the "archaeo-IBL.", and therefore allow a better measure of the past history of the total star formation rate, including that from galaxies too faint to be observed.

Evolution of HI from Z=5 to the present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storrie-Lombardi, L. J.

2002-01-01

Studies of damped Lya systems provide us with a good measure of the evolution of the HI column density distribution function and the contribution to the comoving mass density in neutral gas out to redshifts of z = 5 . The column density distribution function at high redshift steepens for the highest column density HI absorbers, though the contribution to the comoving mass density of neutral gas remains fiat from 2 < z < 5 . Results from studies at z < 2 are finding substantial numbers of damped absorbers identified from MgII absorption, compared to previous blind surveys. These results indicate that the contribution to the comoving mass density in neutral gas may be constant from z 0 to z 5. Details of recent work in the redshift range z < 2 work is covered elsewhere in this volume (see D. Nestor). We review here recent results for the redshift range 2 < z < 5.

Gravitational lensing effects in a time-variable cosmological 'constant' cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratra, Bharat; Quillen, Alice

1992-01-01

A scalar field phi with a potential V(phi) varies as phi exp -alpha(alpha is greater than 0) has an energy density, behaving like that of a time-variable cosmological 'constant', that redshifts less rapidly than the energy densities of radiation and matter, and so might contribute significantly to the present energy density. We compute, in this spatially flat cosmology, the gravitational lensing optical depth, and the expected lens redshift distribution for fixed source redshift. We find, for the values of alpha of about 4 and baryonic density parameter Omega of about 0.2 consistent with the classical cosmological tests, that the optical depth is significantly smaller than that in a constant-Lambda model with the same Omega. We also find that the redshift of the maximum of the lens distribution falls between that in the constant-Lambda model and that in the Einstein-de Sitter model.

Exploring stellar evolution with gravitational-wave observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorkin, Irina; Uzan, Jean-Philippe; Vangioni, Elisabeth; Silk, Joseph

2018-05-01

Recent detections of gravitational waves from merging binary black holes opened new possibilities to study the evolution of massive stars and black hole formation. In particular, stellar evolution models may be constrained on the basis of the differences in the predicted distribution of black hole masses and redshifts. In this work we propose a framework that combines galaxy and stellar evolution models and use it to predict the detection rates of merging binary black holes for various stellar evolution models. We discuss the prospects of constraining the shape of the time delay distribution of merging binaries using just the observed distribution of chirp masses. Finally, we consider a generic model of primordial black hole formation and discuss the possibility of distinguishing it from stellar-origin black holes.

Confronting models of star formation quenching in galaxy clusters with archival Spitzer data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudnick, Gregory

Large scale structures in the universe form hierarchically: small structures merge to form larger ones. Over the same epoch where these structures experience significant growth, the fraction of star forming galaxies within them decreases, and at a faster rate than for field galaxies. It is now widely accepted that there must be physical processes at work in these dense environments to actively quench star formation. However, despite no shortage of candidate mechanisms, sophisticated cosmological simulations still cannot reproduce the star formation rate distributions within dense environments, such as galaxy clusters. Insufficient observational constraints are a primary obstacle to further progress. In particular, the interpretation of observations of nearby clusters relies on untested assumptions about the properties of galaxies before they entered the dense cluster environment at higher redshifts. Clearly, direct constraints on these properties are required. Our group has assembled two data sets designed to address these concerns. The first focuses on an intermediate wide-field cluster sample and the second focuses on a well-matched low-redshift cluster sample. We will use these samples, along with sophisticated models of hierarchical galaxy formation, to meet the following objectives: 1. Directly measure the SFR distribution of the progenitors of present-day cluster galaxies. We will use ground-based spectroscopy to identify cluster members within four virial radii of eight intermediate-redshift clusters. We will couple this with archival Spitzer/MIPS data to measure the SFRs of galaxies out to the cluster outskirts. 2. Measure the SFR distribution of the present-day cluster galaxies using Spitzer and WISE. Robust N-body simulations tell us statistically which galaxies at intermediate redshifts will have entered the cluster virial radius by the current epoch. By combining our wide-field coverage at high redshift with our local cluster sample, we will determine the evolution in cluster galaxy SFRs over 6 billion years making minimal assumptions about the infalling galaxy population. 3. Provide a rigorous test of the quenching processes embedded in the theoretical models. We will create observed realizations of the theoretical models by subjecting them to our observational selection. This will enable a fair comparison between the models and the data, which will provide a valuable test of current theoretical implementations of quenching processes. We will also modify the quenching prescriptions in the models to determine the parameters required to reproduce the observations. The proposed research is novel for several reasons. 1) We have wide-field Spitzer/MIPS data that allows us to robustly measure SFRs in our distant cluster galaxies. WISE data on local clusters will provide us with analogous measurements in the nearby Universe. 2) Our significant investment in ancillary spectroscopy allows us to identify infalling galaxies that will eventually join the central regions of the cluster z=0. 3) Our intermediate redshift cluster sample was chosen to have characteristics expected for the progenitors of a large fraction of the known clusters at z=0. 4) We will take advantage of our own cosmological simulations of structure growth to interpret our data. 5) We have optical photometry over the full infall region, allowing us to control for stellar masses and to distinguish passive from dusty star-forming galaxies. We will learn which, if any, of the quenching prescriptions currently employed in semi-analytic models correctly reproduces the observed characteristics of the galaxies that will become cluster galaxies at z=0. We will pinpoint the cluster-centric radii over which quenching takes place between. We will determine the timescale (as a function of stellar mass) over which it must take place. This program will cement the legacy of Spitzer and WISE as tools for studying galaxy formation in clusters.

Discovery of a GeV blazar shining through the galactic plane

DOE PAGES

Vandenbroucke, J.; Buehler, R.; Ajello, M.; ...

2010-07-14

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovered a new gamma-ray source near the Galactic plane, Fermi J0109+6134, when it flared brightly in 2010 February. The low Galactic latitude (b = –1more » $$ο\\atop{.}$$2) indicated that the source could be located within the Galaxy, which motivated rapid multi-wavelength follow-up including radio, optical, and X-ray observations. Here, we report the results of analyzing all 19 months of LAT data for the source, and of X-ray observations with both Swift and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We determined the source redshift, z = 0.783, using a Keck Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer observation. Finally, we compiled a broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) from both historical and new observations contemporaneous with the 2010 February flare. The redshift, SED, optical line width, X-ray absorption, and multi-band variability indicate that this new GeV source is a blazar seen through the Galactic plane. Because several of the optical emission lines have equivalent width >5 Å, this blazar belongs in the flat-spectrum radio quasar category.« less

ULTRA STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCES IN THE LOCKMAN HOLE: SERVS IDENTIFICATIONS AND REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION AT THE FAINTEST RADIO FLUXES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Afonso, J.; Bizzocchi, L.; Grossi, M.

2011-12-20

Ultra steep spectrum (USS) radio sources have been successfully used to select powerful radio sources at high redshifts (z {approx}> 2). Typically restricted to large-sky surveys and relatively bright radio flux densities, it has gradually become possible to extend the USS search to sub-mJy levels, thanks to the recent appearance of sensitive low-frequency radio facilities. Here a first detailed analysis of the nature of the faintest USS sources is presented. By using Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and Very Large Array radio observations of the Lockman Hole at 610 MHz and 1.4 GHz, a sample of 58 USS sources, with 610more » MHz integrated fluxes above 100 {mu}Jy, is assembled. Deep infrared data at 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m from the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS) are used to reliably identify counterparts for 48 (83%) of these sources, showing an average total magnitude of [3.6]{sub AB} = 19.8 mag. Spectroscopic redshifts for 14 USS sources, together with photometric redshift estimates, improved by the use of the deep SERVS data, for a further 19 objects, show redshifts ranging from z = 0.1 to z = 2.8, peaking at z {approx} 0.6 and tailing off at high redshifts. The remaining 25 USS sources, with no redshift estimate, include the faintest [3.6] magnitudes, with 10 sources undetected at 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m (typically [3.6] {approx}> 22-23 mag from local measurements), which suggests the likely existence of higher redshifts among the sub-mJy USS population. The comparison with the Square Kilometre Array Design Studies Simulated Skies models indicates that Fanaroff-Riley type I radio sources and radio-quiet active galactic nuclei may constitute the bulk of the faintest USS population, and raises the possibility that the high efficiency of the USS technique for the selection of high-redshift sources remains even at the sub-mJy level.« less

Broad Redshifted Line as a Signature of Outflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titarchuk, Lev; Kazanas, Demos; Becker, Peter A.

2003-11-01

We formulate and solve the diffusion problem of line photon propagation in a bulk outflow from a compact object (black hole or neutron star) using a generic assumption regarding the distribution of line photons within the outflow. Thomson scattering of the line photons within the expanding flow leads to a decrease of their energy which is of first order in v/c, where v is the outflow velocity and c is the speed of light. We demonstrate that the emergent line profile is closely related to the time distribution of photons diffusing through the flow (the light curve) and consists of a broad redshifted feature. We analyzed the line profiles for the general case of outflow density distribution. We emphasize that the redshifted lines are intrinsic properties of the powerful outflow that are supposed to be in many compact objects.

Broad Red-Shifted Lines as a Signature of Outflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazanas, Demosthenes; Titarchuk, Lev; Becker, Peter A.

2004-07-01

We formulate and solve the diffusion problem of line photon propagation in a bulk outflow from a compact object (black hole or neutron star) using a generic assumption regarding the distribution of line photons within the outflow. Thomson scattering of the line photons within the expanding flow leads to a decrease of their energy which is of first order in v/c, where v is the outflow velocity and c the speed of light. We demonstrate that the emergent line profile is closely related to the time distribution of photons diffusing through the flow (the light curve) and consists of a broad redshifted feature. We analyzed the line profiles for the general case of outflow density distribution. We emphasize that the redshifted lines are intrinsic properties of the powerful outflow that are supposed to be in many compact objects.

Broad Red-Shifted Lines as a Signature of Outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titarchuck, Lev; Kazanas, Demos; Becker, Peter A.

2006-02-01

We formulate and solve the diffusion problem of line photon propagation in a bulk outflow from a compact object (black hole or neutron star) using a generic assumption regarding the distribution of line photons within the outflow. Thomson scattering of the line photons within the expanding flow leads to a decrease of their energy which is of first order in υ/c, where υ the outflow velocity and c is the speed of light. We demonstrate that the emergent line profile is closely related to the time distribution of photons diffusing through the flow (the light curve) and consists of a broad redshifted feature. We analyzed the line profiles for the general case of outflow density distribution. We emphasize that the redshifted lines are intrinsic properties of the powerful outflow that are supposed to be in many compact objects.

Red, redder, reddest: SCUBA-2 imaging of colour-selected Herschel sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duivenvoorden, S.; Oliver, S.; Scudder, J. M.; Greenslade, J.; Riechers, D. A.; Wilkins, S. M.; Buat, V.; Chapman, S. C.; Clements, D. L.; Cooray, A.; Coppin, K. E. K.; Dannerbauer, H.; De Zotti, G.; Dunlop, J. S.; Eales, S. A.; Efstathiou, A.; Farrah, D.; Geach, J. E.; Holland, W. S.; Hurley, P. D.; Ivison, R. J.; Marchetti, L.; Petitpas, G.; Sargent, M. T.; Scott, D.; Symeonidis, M.; Vaccari, M.; Vieira, J. D.; Wang, L.; Wardlow, J.; Zemcov, M.

2018-06-01

High-redshift, luminous, dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) constrain the extremity of galaxy formation theories. The most extreme are discovered through follow-up on candidates in large area surveys. Here, we present extensive 850 μm SCUBA-2 follow-up observations of 188 red DSFG candidates from the Herschel Multitiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) Large Mode Survey, covering 274 deg2. We detected 87 per cent with a signal-to-noise ratio >3 at 850 μm. We introduce a new method for incorporating the confusion noise in our spectral energy distribution fitting by sampling correlated flux density fluctuations from a confusion limited map. The new 850 μm data provide a better constraint on the photometric redshifts of the candidates, with photometric redshift errors decreasing from σz/(1 + z) ≈ 0.21 to 0.15. Comparison spectroscopic redshifts also found little bias (<(z - zspec)/(1 + zspec)> = 0.08). The mean photometric redshift is found to be 3.6 with a dispersion of 0.4 and we identify 21 DSFGs with a high probability of lying at z > 4. After simulating our selection effects we find number counts are consistent with phenomenological galaxy evolution models. There is a statistically significant excess of WISE-1 and SDSS sources near our red galaxies, giving a strong indication that lensing may explain some of the apparently extreme objects. Nevertheless, our sample includes examples of galaxies with the highest star formation rates in the Universe (≫103 M⊙ yr-1).

Clustering properties of g -selected galaxies at z ~ 0.8

DOE PAGES

Favole, Ginevra; Comparat, Johan; Prada, Francisco; ...

2016-06-21

In current and future large redshift surveys, as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS-IV/eBOSS) or the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), we will use emission-line galaxies (ELGs) to probe cosmological models by mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1.7. We explore the halo-galaxy connection, with current data and by measuring three clustering properties of g-selected ELGs as matter tracers in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1: (i) the redshift-space two-point correlation function using spectroscopic redshifts from the BOSS ELG sample and VIPERS; (ii)more » the angular two-point correlation function on the footprint of the CFHT-LS; (iii) the galaxy-galaxy lensing signal around the ELGs using the CFHTLenS. Furthermore, we interpret these observations by mapping them on to the latest high-resolution MultiDark Planck N-body simulation, using a novel (Sub)Halo-Abundance Matching technique that accounts for the ELG incompleteness. ELGs at z ~ 0.8 live in haloes of (1 ± 0.5) × 10 12 h -1 M⊙ and 22.5 ± 2.5 per cent of them are satellites belonging to a larger halo. The halo occupation distribution of ELGs indicates that we are sampling the galaxies in which stars form in the most efficient way, according to their stellar-to-halo mass ratio.« less

Fast Radio Burst/Gamma-Ray Burst Cosmography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, He; Li, Zhuo; Zhang, Bing

2014-06-01

Recently, both theoretical arguments and observational evidence suggested that a small fraction of fast radio bursts (FRBs) could be associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). If such FRB/GRB association systems are commonly detected in the future, the combination of dispersion measures (DM) derived from FRBs and redshifts derived from GRBs makes these systems a plausible tool to conduct cosmography. We quantify uncertainties in deriving the redshift-dependent DM_{IGM} as a function of z and test how well dark energy models can be constrained with Monte Carlo simulations. We show that with several tens of FRB/GRB systems potentially detected in a decade or so, one may reach reasonable constraints on wCDM models. When combined with Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) data, unprecedented constraints on the dark energy equation of state may be achieved, thanks to the prospects of detecting FRB/GRB systems at relatively high redshifts. The ratio between the mean value \\lt {DM_IGM} (z)\\gt and luminosity distance (D L(z)) is insensitive to dark energy models. This gives the prospect of applying SN Ia data to calibrate \\lt {DM_IGM} (z)\\gt using a relatively small sample of FRB/GRB systems, allowing a reliable constraint on the baryon inhomogeneity distribution as a function of redshift. The methodology developed in this paper can also be applied if the FRB redshifts can be measured by other means. Some caveats of putting this method into practice are also discussed.

Infrared-faint radio sources remain undetected at far-infrared wavelengths. Deep photometric observations using the Herschel Space Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzog, A.; Norris, R. P.; Middelberg, E.; Spitler, L. R.; Leipski, C.; Parker, Q. A.

2015-08-01

Context. Showing 1.4 GHz flux densities in the range of a few to a few tens of mJy, infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are a type of galaxy characterised by faint or absent near-infrared counterparts and consequently extreme radio-to-infrared flux density ratios up to several thousand. Recent studies showed that IFRS are radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at redshifts ≳2, potentially linked to high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs). Aims: This work explores the far-infrared emission of IFRS, providing crucial information on the star forming and AGN activity of IFRS. Furthermore, the data enable examining the putative relationship between IFRS and HzRGs and testing whether IFRS are more distant or fainter siblings of these massive galaxies. Methods: A sample of six IFRS was observed with the Herschel Space Observatory between 100 μm and 500 μm. Using these results, we constrained the nature of IFRS by modelling their broad-band spectral energy distribution (SED). Furthermore, we set an upper limit on their infrared SED and decomposed their emission into contributions from an AGN and from star forming activity. Results: All six observed IFRS were undetected in all five Herschel far-infrared channels (stacking limits: σ = 0.74 mJy at 100 μm, σ = 3.45 mJy at 500 μm). Based on our SED modelling, we ruled out the following objects to explain the photometric characteristics of IFRS: (a) known radio-loud quasars and compact steep-spectrum sources at any redshift; (b) starburst galaxies with and without an AGN and Seyfert galaxies at any redshift, even if the templates were modified; and (c) known HzRGs at z ≲ 10.5. We find that the IFRS analysed in this work can only be explained by objects that fulfil the selection criteria of HzRGs. More precisely, IFRS could be (a) known HzRGs at very high redshifts (z ≳ 10.5); (b) low-luminosity siblings of HzRGs with additional dust obscuration at lower redshifts; (c) scaled or unscaled versions of Cygnus A at any redshift; and (d) scaled and dust-obscured radio-loud quasars or compact steep spectrum sources. We estimated upper limits on the infrared luminosity, the black hole accretion rate, and the star formation rate of IFRS, which all agreed with corresponding numbers of HzRGs. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

A model for the formation of the Local Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peebles, P. J. E.; Melott, A. L.; Holmes, M. R.; Jiang, L. R.

1989-01-01

Observational tests of a model for the formation of the Local Group are presented and analyzed in which the mass concentration grows by gravitational accretion of local-pressure matter onto two seed masses in an otherwise homogeneous initial mass distribution. The evolution of the mass distribution is studied in an analytic approximation and a numerical computation. The initial seed mass and separation are adjusted to produce the observed present separation and relative velocity of the Andromeda Nebula and the Galaxy. If H(0) is adjusted to about 80 km/s/Mpc with density parameter Omega = 1, then the model gives a good fit to the motions of the outer members of the Local Group. The same model gives particle orbits at radius of about 100 kpc that reasonably approximate the observed distribution of redshifts of the Galactic satellites.

A near/mid infrared search for ultra-bright submillimetre galaxies: Searching for Cosmic Eyelash Analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias-Groth, S.; Díaz-Sánchez, A.; Rebolo, R.; Dannerbauer, H.

2017-05-01

We present results from a near-/mid-IR search for submillimetre galaxies over a region of 6230 deg2 of the southern sky. We used a cross-correlation of the VISTA Hemispheric Survey (VHS) and the WISE data base to identify bright galaxies (Ks ≤ 18.2) with near-/mid-IR colours similar to those of the high-redshift lensed submm galaxy SMM J2135-0102. We find seven galaxies that fulfil all five adopted near-/mid-IR colour (NMIRQC) criteria and resemble the SED of the reference galaxy at these wavelengths. For these galaxies, which are broadly distributed in the sky, we determined photometric redshifts in the range z = 1.6-3.2. We searched the VHS for clusters of galaxies, which may be acting as gravitational lenses, and found that six out of the seven galaxies are located within 3.5 arcmin of a cluster/group of galaxies. Using the J-Ks versus J sequences, we determine photometric redshifts for these clusters/groups in the range z = 0.2-0.9. We propose the newly identified sources are ultrabright high-redshift lensed SMG candidates. Follow-up observations in the submm and mm are key to determine the ultimate nature of these objects.

The MUSIC of Galaxy Clusters - III. Properties, evolution and Y-M scaling relation of protoclusters of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembolini, Federico; De Petris, Marco; Yepes, Gustavo; Foschi, Emma; Lamagna, Luca; Gottlöber, Stefan

2014-06-01

In this work, we study the properties of protoclusters of galaxies by employing the MultiDark SImulations of galaxy Clusters (MUSIC) set of hydrodynamical simulations, featuring a sample of 282 resimulated clusters with available merger trees up to z = 4. We study the characteristics and redshift evolution of the mass and the spatial distribution for all the protoclusters, which we define as the most massive progenitors of the clusters identified at z = 0. We extend the study of the baryon content to redshifts larger than 1 also in terms of gas and stars budgets: no remarkable variations with redshift are discovered. Furthermore, motivated by the proven potential of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich surveys to blindly search for faint distant objects, we compute the scaling relation between total object mass and integrated Compton y-parameter. We find that the slope of this scaling law is steeper than what expected for a self-similarity assumption among these objects, and it increases with redshift mainly when radiative processes are included. We use three different criteria to account for the dynamical state of the protoclusters, and find no significant dependence of the scaling parameters on the level of relaxation. We exclude the dynamical state as the cause of the observed deviations from self-similarity in protoclusters.

A Slow Merger History of Field Galaxies since z ~ 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bundy, Kevin; Fukugita, Masataka; Ellis, Richard S.; Kodama, Tadayuki; Conselice, Christopher J.

2004-02-01

Using deep infrared observations conducted with the CISCO imager on the Subaru Telescope, we investigate the field-corrected pair fraction and the implied merger rate of galaxies in redshift survey fields with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging. In the redshift interval, 0.5

The Quest for Dusty Primeval Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancuso, C.; Lapi, A.; Danese, L.

2016-06-01

We exploit the continuity equation approach and the 'main sequence' star-formation timescales to show that the observed high abundance of galaxies with stellar masses ? a few >10^10 M_⊙ at redshift z >? 4 implies the existence of a galaxy population featuring large star formation rates (SFRs) ψ >? 10^2 M_⊙ yr^-1 in heavily dust-obscured conditions. These galaxies constitute the high-redshift counterparts of the dusty star-forming population already surveyed for z<3 in the far-IR band by the Herschel space observatory. We work out specific predictions for the evolution of the corresponding stellar mass and SFR functions out to z ˜ 10, elucidating that the number density at z 30 M_⊙ yr^-1 cannot be estimated relying on the UV luminosity function alone, even when standard corrections for dust extinction based on the UV slope are applied. We compute the number counts and redshift distributions (including galaxy-scale gravitational lensing) of this galaxy population, and show that current data from AzTEC-LABOCA, SCUBA-2 and ALMA-SPT surveys are already digging into it. We substantiate how an observational strategy based on a color preselection in the far-IR or (sub-)mm band with Herschel and SCUBA-2, supplemented by photometric data via on-source observations with ALMA, can allow to reconstruct the bright end of the SFR functions out to z ? 8. In parallel, such a challenging task can be managed by exploiting current UV surveys in combination with (sub-)mm observations by ALMA and NIKA2 and/or radio observations by SKA and its precursors.

Analyzing the Signatures of High Red-shift Hydrogen: The Lyman Alpha and 21cm Emission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Matthew

Hydrogen line emission is an important window on galaxy formation due to the large abundance of neutral hydrogen in the early Universe. This dissertation comprises two theoretical/computational studies of two types of hydrogen line emission: Lyman alpha emission and escape from young stellar populations, and 21cm radiation from neutral hydrogen clouds at the time of the first luminous objects. The Lyman alpha research concerns the radiative transfer of resonant line radiation from a central source escaping from a multi-phase medium appropriate to young star forming regions. To analyze the properties of this novel radiative transfer problem I develop new theoretical formulations of the problem, substantiated by physically accurate monte carlo simulations of photon scattering and absorption through multi-phase gas geometries. I find that the escape fraction of resonant line photons from young star forming regions--ionized gas filled with neutral hydrogen clouds with low dust content--can exceed the continuum photon escape fraction by up to an order of magnitude. Additionally, I study the effect of gas outflow on the line profile of escaping resonant photons. In light of these results, I discuss why a young normal stellar populations surrounded by a clumpy multi-phase gas outflow can explain the Lyman alpha spectra seen from high red-shift Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs). The 21cm research concerns the ionization evolution of the Intergalactic Medium (IGM) during the era of the first luminous objects in the Universe. Large radio-array observatories are currently being built to specifically detect the red-shifted 21cm radiation from neutral hydrogen at red-shifts z ˜ 12 - - 6; the output will be three dimensional maps of ionized regions across the plane of the sky at various red-shift depths. The signal in the resulting ionization maps will be limited by observational noise, mainly from foreground galactic emission in radio frequencies. The research presented here is a unique approach to data mining the planned observational ionization map data. I develop the one-point statistics of the observed 21cm intensity appropriate for the IGM at high red-shifts using a mixture model technique. I show that physically interesting parameters of such mixture models, such as the total ionized gas fraction at a given red-shift slice, can be estimated by applying Maximum Likelihood Expectation to the mixture model of the observed 21cm intensity distribution. The confidence intervals on the expected model parameters are rigorously calculated, and applied to expected detection capabilities of the planned radio-array observatories. I find that at least one of the observatories, the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), will be able to statistically detect the evolution of the total ionized gas fraction with good precision.

Broadband Photometry of 105 Giant Arcs: Redshift Constraints and Implications for Giant Arc Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayliss, Matthew B.

2012-01-01

We measure the photometric properties of 105 giant arcs that were identified in systematic searches for galaxy-cluster-scale strong lenses in the Second Red-Sequence Cluster Survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The cluster lenses span 0.2 < zl < 1.2 in redshift, with a median \\bar{z}_{l}=0.58. Using broadband color criteria we sort the entire arc sample into redshift bins based on u-g and g-r colors, and also r-z colors for the ~90% of arcs that have z-band data. This analysis yields broad redshift constraints with 71+5 - 4% of the arcs at z >= 1.0, 64+6 - 4% at z >= 1.4, 56+5 - 4% at z >= 1.9, and 21+4 - 2% at z >= 2.7. The remaining 29+03 - 5% have z < 1. The inferred median redshift is \\bar{z}_{s} = 2.0+/- 0.1, in good agreement with a previous determination from a smaller sample of brighter arcs (g <~ 22.5). This agreement confirms that zs = 2.0 ± 0.1 is the typical redshift for giant arcs with g <~ 24 that are produced by cluster-scale strong lenses and that there is no evidence for strong evolution in the redshift distribution of arcs over a wide range of g-band magnitudes (20 <= g <=24). Establishing that half of all giant arcs are at z >~ 2 contributes significantly toward relieving the tension between the number of arcs observed and the number expected in a ΛCDM cosmology, but there is considerable evidence to suggest that a discrepancy persists. Additionally, this work confirms that forthcoming large samples of giant arcs will supply the observational community with many magnified galaxies at z >~ 2. Based on observations taken at the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR), a collaboration between CNP-Brazil, NOAO, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Michigan State University and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) on Mauna Kea, which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France, and the University of Hawaii. Additional supporting observations come from the 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma jointly by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, and the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: The United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina.

On the Validity of the Streaming Model for the Redshift-Space Correlation Function in the Linear Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Karl B.

1995-08-01

The relation between the galaxy correlation functions in real-space and redshift-space is derived in the linear regime by an appropriate averaging of the joint probability distribution of density and velocity. The derivation recovers the familiar linear theory result on large scales but has the advantage of clearly revealing the dependence of the redshift distortions on the underlying peculiar velocity field; streaming motions give rise to distortions of θ(Ω0.6/b) while variations in the anisotropic velocity dispersion yield terms of order θ(Ω1.2/b2). This probabilistic derivation of the redshift-space correlation function is similar in spirit to the derivation of the commonly used "streaming" model, in which the distortions are given by a convolution of the real-space correlation function with a velocity distribution function. The streaming model is often used to model the redshift-space correlation function on small, highly nonlinear, scales. There have been claims in the literature, however, that the streaming model is not valid in the linear regime. Our analysis confirms this claim, but we show that the streaming model can be made consistent with linear theory provided that the model for the streaming has the functional form predicted by linear theory and that the velocity distribution is chosen to be a Gaussian with the correct linear theory dispersion.

SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey data release 12: Galaxy target selection and large-scale structure catalogues

DOE PAGES

Reid, Beth; Ho, Shirley; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; ...

2015-11-17

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III project, has provided the largest survey of galaxy redshifts available to date, in terms of both the number of galaxy redshifts measured by a single survey, and the effective cosmological volume covered. Key to analysing the clustering of these data to provide cosmological measurements is understanding the detailed properties of this sample. Potential issues include variations in the target catalogue caused by changes either in the targeting algorithm or properties of the data used, the pattern of spectroscopic observations, the spatial distribution of targets formore » which redshifts were not obtained, and variations in the target sky density due to observational systematics. We document here the target selection algorithms used to create the galaxy samples that comprise BOSS. We also present the algorithms used to create large-scale structure catalogues for the final Data Release (DR12) samples and the associated random catalogues that quantify the survey mask. The algorithms are an evolution of those used by the BOSS team to construct catalogues from earlier data, and have been designed to accurately quantify the galaxy sample. Furthermore, the code used, designated mksample, is released with this paper.« less

Baryonic Content in the Warm-Hot IGM at Low Redshift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonneborn, George; Shull, M.; Danforth, C.; Moos, W.

2007-01-01

Baryons are 4.5% of the universe's mass/energy density; only 10% of these are in stars, galaxies, and clusters. At low-redshift 90% of baryons are in the IGM, 30% in Ly-alpha forest, but most are in hot gas (10(exp 5-7) K) produced by shocks during structure formation. O VI 1032-38 A are the best tracers of this gas. The distribution of O VI absorbers observed by FUSE rises as N(sup -2+/-0.2, down to 10(exp 13)/sq cm. Integrated to logN=13, 7% of baryons reside in the O VI-bearing IGM at 10% solar metallicity, T approx. 10(exp 5.5) K. At redshift z<0.1 metals have been transported less than 800/h kpc from L* galaxies and 200/h kpc from 0.1 L* galaxies. The steepness of dN/dz means that low-N absorbers contribute an equal mass of hot IGM as higher N gas. The total mass of O VI-bearing gas in the IGM depends on determining the turnover in dN/dz at low N(O VI). Future observations by FUSE are needed to reach lower N and to reduce the uncertainty in the dN/dz power law.

Unveiling the Galaxy Population at 1.3 < z < 4: the HUDF05 NICMOS Parallel Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petty, Sara M.; deMello, Duilia F.; Wiklind, Tomy; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Mountain, Matt

2010-01-01

Using the Hubble Ultra Deep Field Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (HUDF-NICMOS) UDF05 parallel fields, we cross-matched 301 out of 630 galaxies with the ACS filters V606 and z850, NICMOS filters J110 and H160, and Spitzer IRAC filters at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 , and 8.0 (mu)m. We modeled the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) to estimate: photometric redshifts, dust extinction, stellar mass, bolometric luminosity, starburst age and metallicity. To validate the photometric redshifts, comparisons with 16 spectroscopic redshifts give 75% within Delta < 0.2, which agrees with the sensitivities expected from the Balmer-break in our dataset. Five parallel fields observed by NICMOS have sensitivities in the H160-band of 80% at mAB = 25.4 and 50% at mAB = 26.7. Because the sample is H160-band selected, it is sensitive to stellar mass rather than UV luminosities. We also use Monte Carlo simulations to determine that the parameters from the best-fit SEDs are robust for the redshift ranges z > or approx. 1.3. Based on the robustness of the photometric redshifts, we analyze a subsample of the 301 galaxies at 1.3 < or = z < or = 2 (35 objects) and 3 < or = z < or = 4 (31 objects) and determine that L(BoI) and the star formation rate increase significantly from z approx. 1.5 to 4. The Balmer decrement is indicative of more evolved galaxies, and at high redshifts, they serve as records of some of the first galaxies. Therefore, the galaxies in this sample are great candidates for future surveys with the James Webb Space Telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter Array.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Physical Properties and Purity of a Galaxy Cluster Sample Selected Via the Sunyaev-Zel'Dovich Effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menanteau, Felipe; Gonzalez, Jorge; Juin, Jean-Baptiste; Marriage, Tobias; Reese, Erik D.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Aguirre, Paula; Appel, John Willam; Baker, Andrew J.; Barrientos, L. Felipe;

The Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey - VII. Redshift-space distortions in the power spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Outram, P. J.; Hoyle, Fiona; Shanks, T.

2001-03-01

We investigate the effect of redshift-space distortions in the power spectrum parallel and perpendicular to the line of sight of the observer, PS(k∥,k⊥), using the optically selected Durham/UKST Galaxy Redshift Survey. On small, non-linear scales anisotropy in the power spectrum is dominated by the galaxy velocity dispersion; the `Finger of God' effect. On larger, linear scales coherent peculiar velocities caused by the infall of galaxies into overdense regions are the main cause of anisotropy. According to gravitational instability theory these distortions depend only on the density and bias parameters via β~Ωm0.6b. Geometrical distortions also occur if the wrong cosmology is assumed, although these would be relatively small given the low redshift of the survey. To quantify these effects, we assume the real-space power spectrum of the APM Galaxy Survey, and fit a simple model for the redshift-space and geometrical distortions. Assuming a flat Ωm=1 universe, we find values for the one-dimensional pairwise velocity dispersion of σp=410+/-170kms-1, and β=0.38+/-0.17. An open Ωm=0.3, and a flat Ωm=0.3, ΩΛ=0.7 universe yield σp=420kms-1, β=0.40, and σp=440kms-1, β=0.45, respectively, with comparable errors. These results are consistent with estimates using the two-point galaxy correlation function, ξ(σ,π), and favour either a low-density universe with Ωm~0.3 if galaxies trace the underlying mass distribution, or a bias factor of b~2.5 if Ωm=1.

The VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz Large Project: The infrared-radio correlation of star-forming galaxies and AGN to z ≲ 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delhaize, J.; Smolčić, V.; Delvecchio, I.; Novak, M.; Sargent, M.; Baran, N.; Magnelli, B.; Zamorani, G.; Schinnerer, E.; Murphy, E. J.; Aravena, M.; Berta, S.; Bondi, M.; Capak, P.; Carilli, C.; Ciliegi, P.; Civano, F.; Ilbert, O.; Karim, A.; Laigle, C.; Le Fèvre, O.; Marchesi, S.; McCracken, H. J.; Salvato, M.; Seymour, N.; Tasca, L.

2017-06-01

We examine the behaviour of the infrared-radio correlation (IRRC) over the range 0

Magnification-temperature correlation: The dark side of integrated Sachs-Wolfe measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LoVerde, Marilena; Hui, Lam; Gaztanaga, Enrique

2007-02-15

Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) measurements, which involve cross-correlating the microwave background anisotropies with the foreground large-scale structure (e.g. traced by galaxies/quasars), have proven to be an interesting probe of dark energy. We show that magnification bias, which is the inevitable modulation of the foreground number counts by gravitational lensing, alters both the scale dependence and amplitude of the observed ISW signal. This is true especially at high redshifts because (1) the intrinsic galaxy-temperature signal diminishes greatly back in the matter-dominated era, (2) the lensing efficiency increases with redshift and (3) the number count slope generally steepens with redshift in a magnitudemore » limited sample. At z > or approx. 2, the magnification-temperature correlation dominates over the intrinsic galaxy-temperature correlation and causes the observed ISW signal to increase with redshift, despite dark energy subdominance--a result of the fact that magnification probes structures all the way from the observer to the sources. Ignoring magnification bias therefore can lead to (significantly) erroneous conclusions about dark energy. While the lensing modulation opens up an interesting high z window for ISW measurements, high redshift measurements are not expected to add much new information to low redshift ones if dark energy is indeed the cosmological constant. This is because lensing introduces significant covariance across redshifts. The most compelling reasons for pursuing high redshift ISW measurements are to look for potential surprises such as early dark energy domination or signatures of modified gravity. We conclude with a discussion of existing measurements, the highest redshift of which is at the margin of being sensitive to the magnification effect. We also develop a formalism which might be of more general interest: to predict biases in estimating parameters when certain physical effects are ignored in interpreting observations.« less

Redshift remapping and cosmic acceleration in dark-matter-dominated cosmological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojtak, Radosław; Prada, Francisco

2017-10-01

The standard relation between the cosmological redshift and cosmic scalefactor underlies cosmological inference from virtually all kinds of cosmological observations, leading to the emergence of the Λ cold-dark-matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model. This relation is not a fundamental theory and thus observational determination of this function (redshift remapping) should be regarded as an insightful alternative to holding its standard form in analyses of cosmological data. Here we present non-parametric reconstructions of redshift remapping in dark-matter-dominated models and constraints on cosmological parameters from a joint analysis of all primary cosmological probes including the local measurement of the Hubble constant, Type Ia supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation (temperature power spectrum) and cosmic chronometers. The reconstructed redshift remapping points to an additional boost of redshift operating in late epoch of cosmic evolution, but affecting both low-redshift observations and the CMB. The model predicts a significant difference between the actual Hubble constant, h = 0.48 ± 0.02, and its local determination, hobs = 0.73 ± 0.02. The ratio of these two values coincides closely with the maximum expansion rate inside voids formed in the corresponding open cosmological model with Ωm = 0.87 ± 0.03, whereas the actual value of the Hubble constant implies the age of the Universe that is compatible with the Planck ΛCDM cosmology. The model with redshift remapping provides excellent fits to all data and eliminates recently reported tensions between the PlanckΛCDM cosmology, the local determination of the Hubble constant and the BAO measurements from the Ly α forest of high-redshift quasars.

Redshift remapping and cosmic acceleration in dark-matter-dominated cosmological models

DOE PAGES

Wojtak, Radosław; Prada, Francisco

2017-06-21

The standard relation between the cosmological redshift and cosmic scale factor underlies cosmological inference from virtually all kinds of cosmological observations, leading to the emergence of the LambdaCDM cosmological model. This relation is not a fundamental theory and thus observational determination of this function (redshift remapping) should be regarded as an insightful alternative to holding its standard form in analyses of cosmological data. We present non-parametric reconstructions of redshift remapping in dark-matter-dominated models and constraints on cosmological parameters from a joint analysis of all primary cosmological probes including the local measurement of the Hubble constant, Type Ia supernovae, baryonic acousticmore » oscillations (BAO), Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation (temperature power spectrum) and cosmic chronometers. The reconstructed redshift remapping points to an additional boost of redshift operating in late epoch of cosmic evolution, but affecting both low-redshift observations and the CMB. The model then predicts a significant difference between the actual Hubble constant, h=0.48±0.02, and its local determination, h obs=0.73±0.02. The ratio of these two values coincides closely with the maximum expansion rate inside voids formed in the corresponding open cosmological model with Ω m=0.87±0.03, whereas the actual value of the Hubble constant implies the age of the Universe that is compatible with the Planck LambdaCDM cosmology. The new dark-matter-dominated model with redshift remapping provides excellent fits to all data and eliminates recently reported tensions between the Planck LambdaCDM cosmology, the local determination of the Hubble constant and the BAO measurements from the Ly α forest of high-redshift quasars.« less

A Full Year's Chandra Exposure on Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasars from the Chandra Multiwavelength Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Paul J.; Aldcroft, T. L.; Richards, G. T.; Barkhouse, W. A.; Constantin, A.; Haggard, D.; Karovska, M.; Kim, D.-W.; Kim, M.; Vikhlinin, A.; Anderson, S. F.; Mossman, A.; Kashyap, V.; Myers, A. D.; Silverman, J. D.; Wilkes, B. J.; Tananbaum, H.

2009-01-01

We study the spectral energy distributions and evolution of a large sample of optically selected quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that were observed in 323 Chandra images analyzed by the Chandra Multiwavelength Project. Our highest-confidence matched sample includes 1135 X-ray detected quasars in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 5.4, representing some 36 Msec of effective exposure. We provide catalogs of QSO properties, and describe our novel method of calculating X-ray flux upper limits and effective sky coverage. Spectroscopic redshifts are available for about 1/3 of the detected sample; elsewhere, redshifts are estimated photometrically. We detect 56 QSOs with redshift z > 3, substantially expanding the known sample. We find no evidence for evolution out to z ~ 5 for either the X-ray photon index Γ or for the ratio of optical/UV to X-ray flux αox. About 10% of detected QSOs show best-fit intrinsic absorbing columns greater than 1022 cm-2, but the fraction might reach ~1/3 if most nondetections are absorbed. We confirm a significant correlation between αox and optical luminosity, but it flattens or disappears for fainter (MB gsim -23) active galactic nucleus (AGN) alone. We report significant hardening of Γ both toward higher X-ray luminosity, and for relatively X-ray loud quasars. These trends may represent a relative increase in nonthermal X-ray emission, and our findings thereby strengthen analogies between Galactic black hole binaries and AGN. For uniformly selected subsamples of narrow-line Seyfert 1s and narrow absorption line QSOs, we find no evidence for unusual distributions of either αox or Γ.

ALMA Imaging and Gravitational Lens Models of South Pole Telescope—Selected Dusty, Star-Forming Galaxies at High Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spilker, J. S.; Marrone, D. P.; Aravena, M.; Béthermin, M.; Bothwell, M. S.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Chapman, S. C.; Crawford, T. M.; de Breuck, C.; Fassnacht, C. D.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Greve, T. R.; Hezaveh, Y.; Litke, K.; Ma, J.; Malkan, M.; Rotermund, K. M.; Strandet, M.; Vieira, J. D.; Weiss, A.; Welikala, N.

2016-08-01

The South Pole Telescope has discovered 100 gravitationally lensed, high-redshift, dusty, star-forming galaxies (DSFGs). We present 0.″5 resolution 870 μ {{m}} Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array imaging of a sample of 47 DSFGs spanning z=1.9{--}5.7, and construct gravitational lens models of these sources. Our visibility-based lens modeling incorporates several sources of residual interferometric calibration uncertainty, allowing us to properly account for noise in the observations. At least 70% of the sources are strongly lensed by foreground galaxies ({μ }870μ {{m}}\\gt 2), with a median magnification of {μ }870μ {{m}}=6.3, extending to {μ }870μ {{m}}\\gt 30. We compare the intrinsic size distribution of the strongly lensed sources to a similar number of unlensed DSFGs and find no significant differences in spite of a bias between the magnification and intrinsic source size. This may indicate that the true size distribution of DSFGs is relatively narrow. We use the source sizes to constrain the wavelength at which the dust optical depth is unity and find this wavelength to be correlated with the dust temperature. This correlation leads to discrepancies in dust mass estimates of a factor of two compared to estimates using a single value for this wavelength. We investigate the relationship between the [C II] line and the far-infrared luminosity and find that the same correlation between the [C II]/{L}{{FIR}} ratio and {{{Σ }}}{{FIR}} found for low-redshift star-forming galaxies applies to high-redshift galaxies and extends at least two orders of magnitude higher in {{{Σ }}}{{FIR}}. This lends further credence to the claim that the compactness of the IR-emitting region is the controlling parameter in establishing the “[C II] deficit.”

The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). Star formation history of passive red galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siudek, M.; Małek, K.; Scodeggio, M.; Garilli, B.; Pollo, A.; Haines, C. P.; Fritz, A.; Bolzonella, M.; de la Torre, S.; Granett, B. R.; Guzzo, L.; Abbas, U.; Adami, C.; Bottini, D.; Cappi, A.; Cucciati, O.; De Lucia, G.; Davidzon, I.; Franzetti, P.; Iovino, A.; Krywult, J.; Le Brun, V.; Le Fèvre, O.; Maccagni, D.; Marchetti, A.; Marulli, F.; Polletta, M.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Tojeiro, R.; Vergani, D.; Zanichelli, A.; Arnouts, S.; Bel, J.; Branchini, E.; Ilbert, O.; Gargiulo, A.; Moscardini, L.; Takeuchi, T. T.; Zamorani, G.

2017-01-01

Aims: We trace the evolution and the star formation history of passive red galaxies, using a subset of the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). The detailed spectral analysis of stellar populations of intermediate-redshift passive red galaxies allows the build up of their stellar content to be followed over the last 8 billion years. Methods: We extracted a sample of passive red galaxies in the redshift range 0.4

Brighter galaxy bias: underestimating the velocity dispersions of galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Old, L.; Gray, M. E.; Pearce, F. R.

2013-09-01

We study the systematic bias introduced when selecting the spectroscopic redshifts of brighter cluster galaxies to estimate the velocity dispersion of galaxy clusters from both simulated and observational galaxy catalogues. We select clusters with Ngal ≥ 50 at five low-redshift snapshots from the publicly available De Lucia & Blaziot semi-analytic model galaxy catalogue. Clusters are also selected from the Tempel Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 8 groups and clusters catalogue across the redshift range 0.021 ≤ z ≤ 0.098. We employ various selection techniques to explore whether the velocity dispersion bias is simply due to a lack of dynamical information or is the result of an underlying physical process occurring in the cluster, for example, dynamical friction experienced by the brighter cluster members. The velocity dispersions of the parent dark matter (DM) haloes are compared to the galaxy cluster dispersions and the stacked distribution of DM particle velocities is examined alongside the corresponding galaxy velocity distribution. We find a clear bias between the halo and the semi-analytic galaxy cluster velocity dispersion on the order of σgal/σDM ˜ 0.87-0.95 and a distinct difference in the stacked galaxy and DM particle velocities distribution. We identify a systematic underestimation of the velocity dispersions when imposing increasing absolute I-band magnitude limits. This underestimation is enhanced when using only the brighter cluster members for dynamical analysis on the order of 5-35 per cent, indicating that dynamical friction is a serious source of bias when using galaxy velocities as tracers of the underlying gravitational potential. In contrast to the literature we find that the resulting bias is not only halo mass dependent but also that the nature of the dependence changes according to the galaxy selection strategy. We make a recommendation that, in the realistic case of limited availability of spectral observations, a strictly magnitude-limited sample should be avoided to ensure an unbiased estimate of the velocity dispersion.

Bayesian Redshift Classification of Emission-line Galaxies with Photometric Equivalent Widths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Andrew S.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Gawiser, Eric; Ciardullo, Robin; Komatsu, Eiichiro; Malz, A. I.; Zeimann, Gregory R.; Bridge, Joanna S.; Drory, Niv; Feldmeier, John J.; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Gebhardt, Karl; Gronwall, Caryl; Hagen, Alex; Hill, Gary J.; Schneider, Donald P.

2017-07-01

We present a Bayesian approach to the redshift classification of emission-line galaxies when only a single emission line is detected spectroscopically. We consider the case of surveys for high-redshift Lyα-emitting galaxies (LAEs), which have traditionally been classified via an inferred rest-frame equivalent width (EW {W}{Lyα }) greater than 20 Å. Our Bayesian method relies on known prior probabilities in measured emission-line luminosity functions and EW distributions for the galaxy populations, and returns the probability that an object in question is an LAE given the characteristics observed. This approach will be directly relevant for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX), which seeks to classify ˜106 emission-line galaxies into LAEs and low-redshift [{{O}} {{II}}] emitters. For a simulated HETDEX catalog with realistic measurement noise, our Bayesian method recovers 86% of LAEs missed by the traditional {W}{Lyα } > 20 Å cutoff over 2 < z < 3, outperforming the EW cut in both contamination and incompleteness. This is due to the method’s ability to trade off between the two types of binary classification error by adjusting the stringency of the probability requirement for classifying an observed object as an LAE. In our simulations of HETDEX, this method reduces the uncertainty in cosmological distance measurements by 14% with respect to the EW cut, equivalent to recovering 29% more cosmological information. Rather than using binary object labels, this method enables the use of classification probabilities in large-scale structure analyses. It can be applied to narrowband emission-line surveys as well as upcoming large spectroscopic surveys including Euclid and WFIRST.

H I OBSERVATIONS OF THE Ca II ABSORBING GALAXIES Mrk 1456 AND SDSS J211701.26-002633.7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cherinka, B.; Schulte-Ladbeck, R. E.; Rosenberg, J. L.

2009-12-15

In an effort to study Damped Ly{alpha} (DLA) galaxies at low redshift, we have been using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to identify galaxies projected onto quasi-stellar object (QSO) sight lines and to characterize their optical properties. For low-redshift galaxies, the H I 21 cm emission line can be used as an alternate tool for identifying possible DLA galaxies, since H I-emitting galaxies typically exhibit H I columns that are larger than the classical DLA limit. Here, we report on follow-up H I 21 cm emission-line observations of two DLA candidates that are both low-redshift spiral galaxies, Mrk 1456more » and SDSS J211701.26-002633.7. The observations were made using the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and Arecibo telescope, respectively. Analysis of their H I properties reveal the galaxies to be about one and two M*{sub HI} galaxies, respectively, and to have average H I mass, gas richness, and gas-mass fraction for their morphological types. We consider Mrk 1456 and SDSS J211701.26-002633.7 to be candidate DLA systems based upon the strength of the Ca II absorption lines they cause in their QSO's spectra, and impact parameters to the QSO that are smaller than the stellar disk. Compared to the small numbers of other H I detected DLA and candidate DLA galaxies, Mrk 1456 and SDSS J211701.26-002633.7 have high H I masses. Mrk 1456 and SDSS J211701.26-002633.7 have also been found to lie in galaxy groups that are high in H I gas mass compared to the group containing SBS 1543+593, the only DLA galaxy previously known to be situated in a galaxy group. When compared with the expected properties of low-z DLAs from an H I-detected sample of galaxies, Mrk 1456 and SDSS J211701.26-002633.7 fall within the ranges for impact parameter and M{sub B} ; and the H I mass distribution for the H I-detected DLAs agrees with that of the expected H I mass distribution for low-z DLAs. Our observations support galaxy-evolution models in which high-mass galaxies make up an increasing contribution to the DLA cross section at lower redshifts. We also report on the 21 cm line emission of Mrk 1457, a Seyfert galaxy observed within the beam of the GBT.« less

GALAXY INFALL BY INTERACTING WITH ITS ENVIRONMENT: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF 340 GALAXY CLUSTERS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gu, Liyi; Wen, Zhonglue; Gandhi, Poshak

To study systematically the evolution of the angular extents of the galaxy, intracluster medium (ICM), and dark matter components in galaxy clusters, we compiled the optical and X-ray properties of a sample of 340 clusters with redshifts <0.5, based on all the available data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Chandra / XMM-Newton . For each cluster, the member galaxies were determined primarily with photometric redshift measurements. The radial ICM mass distribution, as well as the total gravitational mass distribution, was derived from a spatially resolved spectral analysis of the X-ray data. When normalizing the radial profile of galaxymore » number to that of the ICM mass, the relative curve was found to depend significantly on the cluster redshift; it drops more steeply toward the outside in lower-redshift subsamples. The same evolution is found in the galaxy-to-total mass profile, while the ICM-to-total mass profile varies in an opposite way. The behavior of the galaxy-to-ICM distribution does not depend on the cluster mass, suggesting that the detected redshift dependence is not due to mass-related effects, such as sample selection bias. Also, it cannot be ascribed to various redshift-dependent systematic errors. We interpret that the galaxies, the ICM, and the dark matter components had similar angular distributions when a cluster was formed, while the galaxies traveling in the interior of the cluster have continuously fallen toward the center relative to the other components, and the ICM has slightly expanded relative to the dark matter although it suffers strong radiative loss. This cosmological galaxy infall, accompanied by an ICM expansion, can be explained by considering that the galaxies interact strongly with the ICM while they are moving through it. The interaction is considered to create a large energy flow of 10{sup 4445} erg s{sup 1} per cluster from the member galaxies to their environment, which is expected to continue over cosmological timescales.« less

Galaxy Infall by Interacting with Its Environment: A Comprehensive Study of 340 Galaxy Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Liyi; Wen, Zhonglue; Gandhi, Poshak; Inada, Naohisa; Kawaharada, Madoka; Kodama, Tadayuki; Konami, Saori; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Xu, Haiguang; Makishima, Kazuo

2016-07-01

To study systematically the evolution of the angular extents of the galaxy, intracluster medium (ICM), and dark matter components in galaxy clusters, we compiled the optical and X-ray properties of a sample of 340 clusters with redshifts <0.5, based on all the available data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Chandra/XMM-Newton. For each cluster, the member galaxies were determined primarily with photometric redshift measurements. The radial ICM mass distribution, as well as the total gravitational mass distribution, was derived from a spatially resolved spectral analysis of the X-ray data. When normalizing the radial profile of galaxy number to that of the ICM mass, the relative curve was found to depend significantly on the cluster redshift; it drops more steeply toward the outside in lower-redshift subsamples. The same evolution is found in the galaxy-to-total mass profile, while the ICM-to-total mass profile varies in an opposite way. The behavior of the galaxy-to-ICM distribution does not depend on the cluster mass, suggesting that the detected redshift dependence is not due to mass-related effects, such as sample selection bias. Also, it cannot be ascribed to various redshift-dependent systematic errors. We interpret that the galaxies, the ICM, and the dark matter components had similar angular distributions when a cluster was formed, while the galaxies traveling in the interior of the cluster have continuously fallen toward the center relative to the other components, and the ICM has slightly expanded relative to the dark matter although it suffers strong radiative loss. This cosmological galaxy infall, accompanied by an ICM expansion, can be explained by considering that the galaxies interact strongly with the ICM while they are moving through it. The interaction is considered to create a large energy flow of 1044-45 erg s-1 per cluster from the member galaxies to their environment, which is expected to continue over cosmological timescales.

Abell 2069 - An X-ray cluster of galaxies with multiple subcondensations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gioia, I. M.; Maccacaro, T.; Geller, M. J.; Huchra, J. P.; Stocke, J.; Steiner, J. E.

1982-01-01

X-ray and optical observations of the cluster Abell 2069 are presented. The cluster is at a mean redshift of 0.116. The cluster shows multiple condensations in both the X-ray emission and in the galaxy surface density and, thus, does not appear to be relaxed. There is a close correspondence between the gas and galaxy distributions which indicates that the galaxies in this system do map the mass distribution, contrary to what might be expected if low-mass neutrinos dominate the cluster mass.

Supernova Cosmology Inference with Probabilistic Photometric Redshifts (SCIPPR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Christina; Malz, Alex; Hlozek, Renée

2018-01-01

The Bayesian Estimation Applied to Multiple Species (BEAMS) framework employs probabilistic supernova type classifications to do photometric SN cosmology. This work extends BEAMS to replace high-confidence spectroscopic redshifts with photometric redshift probability density functions, a capability that will be essential in the era the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and other next-generation photometric surveys where it will not be possible to perform spectroscopic follow up on every SN. We present the Supernova Cosmology Inference with Probabilistic Photometric Redshifts (SCIPPR) Bayesian hierarchical model for constraining the cosmological parameters from photometric lightcurves and host galaxy photometry, which includes selection effects and is extensible to uncertainty in the redshift-dependent supernova type proportions. We create a pair of realistic mock catalogs of joint posteriors over supernova type, redshift, and distance modulus informed by photometric supernova lightcurves and over redshift from simulated host galaxy photometry. We perform inference under our model to obtain a joint posterior probability distribution over the cosmological parameters and compare our results with other methods, namely: a spectroscopic subset, a subset of high probability photometrically classified supernovae, and reducing the photometric redshift probability to a single measurement and error bar.

The nature of the redshift and directly observed quasar statistics.

PubMed

Segal, I E; Nicoll, J F; Wu, P; Zhou, Z

1991-07-01

The nature of the cosmic redshift is one of the most fundamental questions in modern science. Hubble's discovery of the apparent Expansion of the Universe is derived from observations on a small number of galaxies at very low redshifts. Today, quasar redshifts have a range more than 1000 times greater than those in Hubble's sample, and represent more than 100 times as many objects. A recent comprehensive compilation of published measurements provides the basis for a study indicating that quasar observations are not in good agreement with the original predictions of the Expanding Universe theory, but are well fit by the predictions of an alternative theory having fewer adjustable parameters.

The VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey first data release: Spectra and spectroscopic redshifts of 698 objects up to zspec 6 in CANDELS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasca, L. A. M.; Le Fèvre, O.; Ribeiro, B.; Thomas, R.; Moreau, C.; Cassata, P.; Garilli, B.; Le Brun, V.; Lemaux, B. C.; Maccagni, D.; Pentericci, L.; Schaerer, D.; Vanzella, E.; Zamorani, G.; Zucca, E.; Amorin, R.; Bardelli, S.; Cassarà, L. P.; Castellano, M.; Cimatti, A.; Cucciati, O.; Durkalec, A.; Fontana, A.; Giavalisco, M.; Grazian, A.; Hathi, N. P.; Ilbert, O.; Paltani, S.; Pforr, J.; Scodeggio, M.; Sommariva, V.; Talia, M.; Tresse, L.; Vergani, D.; Capak, P.; Charlot, S.; Contini, T.; de la Torre, S.; Dunlop, J.; Fotopoulou, S.; Guaita, L.; Koekemoer, A.; López-Sanjuan, C.; Mellier, Y.; Salvato, M.; Scoville, N.; Taniguchi, Y.; Wang, P. W.

2017-04-01

This paper describes the first data release (DR1) of the VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS). The VUDS-DR1 is the release of all low-resolution spectroscopic data obtained in 276.9 arcmin2 of the CANDELS-COSMOS and CANDELS-ECDFS survey areas, including accurate spectroscopic redshifts zspec and individual spectra obtained with VIMOS on the ESO-VLT. A total of 698 objects have a measured redshift, with 677 galaxies, two type-I AGN, and a small number of 19 contaminating stars. The targets of the spectroscopic survey are selected primarily on the basis of their photometric redshifts to ensure a broad population coverage. About 500 galaxies have zspec > 2, 48of which have zspec > 4; the highest reliable redshifts reach beyond zspec = 6. This data set approximately doubles the number of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts at z > 3 in these fields. We discuss the general properties of the VUDS-DR1 sample in terms of the spectroscopic redshift distribution, the distribution of Lyman-α equivalent widths, and physical properties including stellar masses M⋆ and star formation rates derived from spectral energy distribution fitting with the knowledge of zspec. We highlight the properties of the most massive star-forming galaxies, noting the wide range in spectral properties, with Lyman-α in emission or in absorption, and in imaging properties with compact, multi-component, or pair morphologies. We present the catalogue database and data products. All VUDS-DR1 data are publicly available and can be retrieved from a dedicated query-based database. Future VUDS data releases will follow this VUDS-DR1 to give access to the spectra and associated measurement of 8000 objects in the full 1 square degree of the VUDS survey. Based on data obtained with the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope, Paranal, Chile, under Large Program 185.A-0791. http://cesam.lam.fr/vuds

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): colour- and luminosity-dependent clustering from calibrated photometric redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christodoulou, L.; Eminian, C.; Loveday, J.; Norberg, P.; Baldry, I. K.; Hurley, P. D.; Driver, S. P.; Bamford, S. P.; Hopkins, A. M.; Liske, J.; Peacock, J. A.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Brough, S.; Cameron, E.; Conselice, C. J.; Croom, S. M.; Frenk, C. S.; Gunawardhana, M.; Jones, D. H.; Kelvin, L. S.; Kuijken, K.; Nichol, R. C.; Parkinson, H.; Pimbblet, K. A.; Popescu, C. C.; Prescott, M.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Sharp, R. G.; Sutherland, W. J.; Taylor, E. N.; Thomas, D.; Tuffs, R. J.; van Kampen, E.; Wijesinghe, D.

2012-09-01

We measure the two-point angular correlation function of a sample of 4289 223 galaxies with r < 19.4 mag from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) as a function of photometric redshift, absolute magnitude and colour down to Mr - 5 log h = -14 mag. Photometric redshifts are estimated from ugriz model magnitudes and two Petrosian radii using the artificial neural network package ANNz, taking advantage of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) spectroscopic sample as our training set. These photometric redshifts are then used to determine absolute magnitudes and colours. For all our samples, we estimate the underlying redshift and absolute magnitude distributions using Monte Carlo resampling. These redshift distributions are used in Limber's equation to obtain spatial correlation function parameters from power-law fits to the angular correlation function. We confirm an increase in clustering strength for sub-L* red galaxies compared with ˜L* red galaxies at small scales in all redshift bins, whereas for the blue population the correlation length is almost independent of luminosity for ˜L* galaxies and fainter. A linear relation between relative bias and log luminosity is found to hold down to luminosities L ˜ 0.03L*. We find that the redshift dependence of the bias of the L* population can be described by the passive evolution model of Tegmark & Peebles. A visual inspection of a random sample from our r < 19.4 sample of SDSS galaxies reveals that about 10 per cent are spurious, with a higher contamination rate towards very faint absolute magnitudes due to over-deblended nearby galaxies. We correct for this contamination in our clustering analysis.

Anomalies in the GRBs' distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagoly, Zsolt; Horvath, Istvan; Hakkila, Jon; Toth, Viktor

2015-08-01

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous objects known: they outshine their host galaxies making them ideal candidates for probing large-scale structure. Earlier, the angular distribution of different GRBs (long, intermediate and short) has been studied in detail with different methods and it has been found that the short and intermediate groups showed deviation from the full randomness at different levels (e.g. Vavrek, R., et al. 2008). However these result based only angular measurements of the BATSE experiment, without any spatial distance indicator involved.Currently we have more than 361 GRBs with measured precise position, optical afterglow and redshift, mainly due to the observations of the Swift mission. This sample is getting large enough that it its homogeneous and isotropic distribution a large scale can be checked. We have recently (Horvath, I. et al., 2014) identified a large clustering of gamma-ray bursts at redshift z ~ 2 in the general direction of the constellations of Hercules and Corona Borealis. This angular excess cannot be entirely attributed to known selection biases, making its existence due to chance unlikely. The scale on which the clustering occurs is disturbingly large, about 2-3 Gpc: the underlying distribution of matter suggested by this cluster is big enough to question standard assumptions about Universal homogeneity and isotropy.

Photometric redshifts as a tool for studying the Coma cluster galaxy populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adami, C.; Ilbert, O.; Pelló, R.; Cuillandre, J. C.; Durret, F.; Mazure, A.; Picat, J. P.; Ulmer, M. P.

2008-12-01

Aims: We apply photometric redshift techniques to an investigation of the Coma cluster galaxy luminosity function (GLF) at faint magnitudes, in particular in the u* band where basically no studies are presently available at these magnitudes. Methods: Cluster members were selected based on probability distribution function from photometric redshift calculations applied to deep u^*, B, V, R, I images covering a region of almost 1 deg2 (completeness limit R ~ 24). In the area covered only by the u* image, the GLF was also derived after a statistical background subtraction. Results: Global and local GLFs in the B, V, R, and I bands obtained with photometric redshift selection are consistent with our previous results based on a statistical background subtraction. The GLF in the u* band shows an increase in the faint end slope towards the outer regions of the cluster. The analysis of the multicolor type spatial distribution reveals that late type galaxies are distributed in clumps in the cluster outskirts, where X-ray substructures are also detected and where the GLF in the u* band is steeper. Conclusions: We can reproduce the GLFs computed with classical statistical subtraction methods by applying a photometric redshift technique. The u* GLF slope is steeper in the cluster outskirts, varying from α ~ -1 in the cluster center to α ~ -2 in the cluster periphery. The concentrations of faint late type galaxies in the cluster outskirts could explain these very steep slopes, assuming a short burst of star formation in these galaxies when entering the cluster. Based on observations obtained with MegaPrime/MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, and the University of Hawaii. This work is also partly based on data products produced at TERAPIX and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and CNRS. Also based on data from W. M. Keck Observatory which is operated as a scientific partnership between the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA. It was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Sunyaev–Zel’Dovich Signal from Quasar Hosts: Implications for Detection of Quasar Feedback

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chowdhury, Dhruba Dutta; Chatterjee, Suchetana, E-mail: dhruba.duttachowdhury@yale.edu

2017-04-10

Several analytic and numerical studies have indicated that the interstellar medium of a quasar host galaxy heated by feedback can contribute to a substantial secondary signal in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. Recently, many groups have tried to detect this signal by cross-correlating CMB maps with quasar catalogs. Using a self-similar model for the gas in the intra-cluster medium and a realistic halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescription for quasars, we estimate the level of SZ signal from gravitational heating of quasar hosts. The bias in the host halo signal estimation due to an unconstrainedmore » high mass HOD tail and yet unknown redshift dependence of the quasar HOD restricts us from drawing any robust conclusions at low redshift ( z < 1.5) from our analysis. However, at higher redshifts ( z > 2.5), we find an excess signal in recent observations than what is predicted from our model. The excess signal could be potentially generated from additional heating due to quasar feedback.« less

ISW-galaxy cross correlation: a probe of dark energy clustering and distribution of dark matter tracers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khosravi, Shahram; Mollazadeh, Amir; Baghram, Shant, E-mail: khosravi_sh@khu.ac.ir, E-mail: amirmollazadeh@khu.ac.ir, E-mail: baghram@sharif.edu

2016-09-01

Cross correlation of the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe signal (ISW) with the galaxy distribution in late time is a promising tool for constraining the dark energy properties. Here, we study the effect of dark energy clustering on the ISW-galaxy cross correlation and demonstrate the fact that the bias parameter between the distribution of the galaxies and the underlying dark matter introduces a degeneracy and complications. We argue that as the galaxy's host halo formation time is different from the observation time, we have to consider the evolution of the halo bias parameter. It will be shown that any deviation from ΛCDM modelmore » will change the evolution of the bias as well. Therefore, it is deduced that the halo bias depends strongly on the sub-sample of galaxies which is chosen for cross correlation and that the joint kernel of ISW effect and the galaxy distribution has a dominant effect on the observed signal. In this work, comparison is made specifically between the clustered dark energy models using two samples of galaxies. The first one is a sub-sample of galaxies from Sloan Digital Sky Survey, chosen with the r-band magnitude 18 < r < 21 and the dark matter halo host of mass M ∼10{sup 12} M {sub ⊙} and formation redshift of z {sub f} ∼ 2.5. The second one is the sub-sample of Luminous Red galaxies with the dark matter halo hosts of mass M ∼ 10{sup 13} M {sub ⊙} and formation redshift of z {sub f} ∼ 2.0. Using the evolved bias we improve the χ{sup 2} for the ΛCDM which reconciles the ∼1σ-2σ tension of the ISW-galaxy signal with ΛCDM prediction. Finally, we study the parameter estimation of a dark energy model with free parameters w {sub 0} and w {sub a} in the equation of state w {sub de} = w {sub 0} + w {sub az} /(1+ z ) with the constant bias parameter and also with an evolved bias model with free parameters of galaxy's host halo mass and the halo formation redshift.« less

Galaxy clustering with photometric surveys using PDF redshift information

DOE PAGES

Asorey, J.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; ...

2016-03-28

Here, photometric surveys produce large-area maps of the galaxy distribution, but with less accurate redshift information than is obtained from spectroscopic methods. Modern photometric redshift (photo-z) algorithms use galaxy magnitudes, or colors, that are obtained through multi-band imaging to produce a probability density function (PDF) for each galaxy in the map. We used simulated data to study the effect of using different photo-z estimators to assign galaxies to redshift bins in order to compare their effects on angular clustering and galaxy bias measurements. We found that if we use the entire PDF, rather than a single-point (mean or mode) estimate, the deviations are less biased, especially when using narrow redshift bins. When the redshift bin widths aremore » $$\\Delta z=0.1$$, the use of the entire PDF reduces the typical measurement bias from 5%, when using single point estimates, to 3%.« less

The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: testing the cosmological model with baryon acoustic oscillations at z= 0.6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Chris; Davis, Tamara; Poole, Gregory B.; Parkinson, David; Brough, Sarah; Colless, Matthew; Contreras, Carlos; Couch, Warrick; Croom, Scott; Drinkwater, Michael J.; Forster, Karl; Gilbank, David; Gladders, Mike; Glazebrook, Karl; Jelliffe, Ben; Jurek, Russell J.; Li, I.-Hui; Madore, Barry; Martin, D. Christopher; Pimbblet, Kevin; Pracy, Michael; Sharp, Rob; Wisnioski, Emily; Woods, David; Wyder, Ted K.; Yee, H. K. C.

2011-08-01

We measure the imprint of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the galaxy clustering pattern at the highest redshift achieved to date, z= 0.6, using the distribution of N= 132 509 emission-line galaxies in the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey. We quantify BAOs using three statistics: the galaxy correlation function, power spectrum and the band-filtered estimator introduced by Xu et al. The results are mutually consistent, corresponding to a 4.0 per cent measurement of the cosmic distance-redshift relation at z= 0.6 [in terms of the acoustic parameter 'A(z)' introduced by Eisenstein et al., we find A(z= 0.6) = 0.452 ± 0.018]. Both BAOs and power spectrum shape information contribute towards these constraints. The statistical significance of the detection of the acoustic peak in the correlation function, relative to a wiggle-free model, is 3.2σ. The ratios of our distance measurements to those obtained using BAOs in the distribution of luminous red galaxies at redshifts z= 0.2 and 0.35 are consistent with a flat Λ cold dark matter model that also provides a good fit to the pattern of observed fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background radiation. The addition of the current WiggleZ data results in a ≈30 per cent improvement in the measurement accuracy of a constant equation of state, w, using BAO data alone. Based solely on geometric BAO distance ratios, accelerating expansion (w < -1/3) is required with a probability of 99.8 per cent, providing a consistency check of conclusions based on supernovae observations. Further improvements in cosmological constraints will result when the WiggleZ survey data set is complete.

The MUSE Hubble Ultra Deep Field Survey. II. Spectroscopic redshifts and comparisons to color selections of high-redshift galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inami, H.; Bacon, R.; Brinchmann, J.; Richard, J.; Contini, T.; Conseil, S.; Hamer, S.; Akhlaghi, M.; Bouché, N.; Clément, B.; Desprez, G.; Drake, A. B.; Hashimoto, T.; Leclercq, F.; Maseda, M.; Michel-Dansac, L.; Paalvast, M.; Tresse, L.; Ventou, E.; Kollatschny, W.; Boogaard, L. A.; Finley, H.; Marino, R. A.; Schaye, J.; Wisotzki, L.

2017-11-01

We have conducted a two-layered spectroscopic survey (1' × 1' ultra deep and 3' × 3' deep regions) in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE). The combination of a large field of view, high sensitivity, and wide wavelength coverage provides an order of magnitude improvement in spectroscopically confirmed redshifts in the HUDF; i.e., 1206 secure spectroscopic redshifts for Hubble Space Telescope (HST) continuum selected objects, which corresponds to 15% of the total (7904). The redshift distribution extends well beyond z> 3 and to HST/F775W magnitudes as faint as ≈ 30 mag (AB, 1σ). In addition, 132 secure redshifts were obtained for sources with no HST counterparts that were discovered in the MUSE data cubes by a blind search for emission-line features. In total, we present 1338 high quality redshifts, which is a factor of eight increase compared with the previously known spectroscopic redshifts in the same field. We assessed redshifts mainly with the spectral features [O II] at z< 1.5 (473 objects) and Lyα at 2.9

Measuring the Stellar Populations of Individual Lyman Alpha Emitters During the Epoch of Peak Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Naveen

2010-09-01

Selecting galaxies by their strong Lyman-alpha emission provides a powerful means of probing the reionization epoch and the faint/low-mass galaxies that dominate star formation at high redshift. Yet, our understanding of high-redshift Lyman-alpha emitters {LAEs} has lagged behind that of other well-studied populations {e.g., Lyman break galaxies} due to their continuum faintness and the shifting of age/mass-sensitive features into the near-IR where the high terrestrial background inhibits deep observations. All existing studies of LAEs at z>2 have used stacked optical and/or Spitzer infrared data to discern their median properties, but the actual distributions of ages, reddenings, and stellar masses for these populations are poorly characterized. To fill this glaring gap in the observations and advance our understanding of this important population, we propose WFC3/IR+F160W imaging of fields where we have conducted a survey of low redshift {z 1.9} Lyman-alpha emitters {LAEs}, in order to measure their ages and stellar masses at an epoch where such observations directly probe the age-sensitive Balmer/4000 AA breaks. The targeted sample will include 45-50 spectroscopically confirmed LAEs at z=1.7-2.1 and roughly twice as many candidates, making it the largest sample of homogeneously selected LAEs with individual measurements of the ages, masses, and dust extinction. With these data we will {1} carefully take into account the age-dependence of the extinction curve to make robust comparisons between LAEs and continuum-selected galaxies at the same redshifts; {2} combine clustering and stellar mass measurements to infer the duty cycles of LAEs and determine if they are triggered in the presence of large-scale structures; and {3} quantify the importance of the LAE phase at different galaxy luminosity and mass scales, over a large dynamic range in these properties. An economical investment of just 12 orbits will allow us to accomplish these goals, and remains the only hope of efficiently studying such low luminosity high-redshift galaxies in the near-IR prior to the JWST-era.

A Faint Flux-limited Ly α Emitter Sample at z ∼ 0.3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wold, Isak G. B.; Finkelstein, Steven L.; Barger, Amy J.

2017-10-20

We present a flux-limited sample of z ∼ 0.3 Ly α emitters (LAEs) from Galaxy Evolution Explorer ( GALEX ) grism spectroscopic data. The published GALEX z ∼ 0.3 LAE sample is pre-selected from continuum-bright objects and thus is biased against high equivalent width (EW) LAEs. We remove this continuum pre-selection and compute the EW distribution and the luminosity function of the Ly α emission line directly from our sample. We examine the evolution of these quantities from z ∼ 0.3 to 2.2 and find that the EW distribution shows little evidence for evolution over this redshift range. As shownmore » by previous studies, the Ly α luminosity density from star-forming (SF) galaxies declines rapidly with declining redshift. However, we find that the decline in Ly α luminosity density from z = 2.2 to z = 0.3 may simply mirror the decline seen in the H α luminosity density from z = 2.2 to z = 0.4, implying little change in the volumetric Ly α escape fraction. Finally, we show that the observed Ly α luminosity density from AGNs is comparable to the observed Ly α luminosity density from SF galaxies at z = 0.3. We suggest that this significant contribution from AGNs to the total observed Ly α luminosity density persists out to z ∼ 2.2.« less

Linear clusters of galaxies - A194

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, G. N. F.; Geller, M. J.; Huchra, J. P.

1988-01-01

New measurements for 160 redshifts and previous measurements for 108 other redshifts are presented for galaxies within 5 deg of A194. The galaxy distribution in A194 is shown to be inconsistent with a spherically symmetric King model. A mass-to-light ratio is derived using the virial theorem which is lower than the mean for the groups in the CfA redshift survey (Huchra and Geller, 1982; Geller, 1984). A nonparametric test for galaxy-cluster alignment and a Chi-squared test are used to search for alignment of galaxy major axes with the axis of A194. Evidence for neither luminosity segregation nor significant differences in the velocity or surface distributions of galaxies as a function of morphological type is found.

Stellar Populations of Lyman Break Galaxies at z approx. to 1-3 in the HST/WFC3 Early Release Science Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathi, N. P.; Cohen, S. H.; Ryan, R. E., Jr.; Finkelstein, S. L.; McCarthy, P. J.; Windhorst, R. A.; Yan, H.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Rutkowski, M. J.; OConnell, R. W.;

WFIRST: Predicting the number density of Hα-emitting galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, Andrew; Merson, Alex; Wang, Yun; Faisst, Andreas; Masters, Daniel; Kiessling, Alina; Rhodes, Jason

2018-01-01

The WFIRST mission will measure the clustering of Hα-emitting galaxies to help probe the nature of dark energy. Knowledge of the number density of such galaxies is therefore vital for forecasting the precision of thesemeasurements and assessing the scientific impact of the WFIRST mission. In this poster we present predictions from a galaxy formation model, Galacticus, for the cumulative number counts of Hα-emitting galaxies. We couple Galacticus to three different dust attenuation methods and examine the counts using each method. A χ2 minimization approach is used to compare the model counts to observed galaxy counts and calibrate the dust parameters. With these calibrated dust methods, we find that the Hα luminosity function from Galacticus is broadly consistent with observed estimates. Finally we present forecasts for the redshift distributions and number counts for a WFIRST-like survey. We predict that over a redshift range of 1 ≤ z ≤ 2 and with a blended flux limit of 1×10-16 erg s-1cm-2 Galacticus predicts that WFIRST would expect to observe a number density between 10400-15200 Hα-emitting galaxies per square degree.

Large-scale structure in the Southern Sky Redshift Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Changbom; Gott, J. R., III; Da Costa, L. N.

1992-01-01

The power spectrum from the Southern Sky Redshift Survey and the CfA samples are measured in order to explore the amplitude of fluctuation in the galaxy density. At lambda of less than or equal to 30/h Mpc the observed power spectrum is quite consistent with the standard CDM model. At larger scales the data indicate an excess of power over the standard CDM model. The observed power spectrum from these optical galaxy samples is in good agreement with that drawn from the sparsely sampled IRAS galaxies. The shape of the power spectrum is also studied by examining the relation between the genus per unit volume and the smoothing length. It is found that, over Gaussian smoothing scales from 6 to 14/h Mpc, the power spectrum has a slope of about -1. The topology of the galaxy density field is studied by measuring the shift of the genus curve from the Gaussian case. Over all smoothing scales studied, the observed genus curves are consistent with a random phase distribution of the galaxy density field, as predicted by the inflationary scenarios.

Emitting electron spectra and acceleration processes in the jet of PKS 0447-439

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yao; Yan, Dahai; Dai, Benzhong; Zhang, Li

2014-02-01

We investigate the electron energy distributions (EEDs) and the corresponding acceleration processes in the jet of PKS 0447-439, and estimate its redshift through modeling its observed spectral energy distribution (SED) in the frame of a one-zone synchrotron-self Compton (SSC) model. Three EEDs formed in different acceleration scenarios are assumed: the power-law with exponential cut-off (PLC) EED (shock-acceleration scenario or the case of the EED approaching equilibrium in the stochastic-acceleration scenario), the log-parabolic (LP) EED (stochastic-acceleration scenario and the acceleration dominating), and the broken power-law (BPL) EED (no acceleration scenario). The corresponding fluxes of both synchrotron and SSC are then calculated. The model is applied to PKS 0447-439, and modeled SEDs are compared to the observed SED of this object by using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. The results show that the PLC model fails to fit the observed SED well, while the LP and BPL models give comparably good fits for the observed SED. The results indicate that it is possible that a stochastic acceleration process acts in the emitting region of PKS 0447-439 and the EED is far from equilibrium (acceleration dominating) or no acceleration process works (in the emitting region). The redshift of PKS 0447-439 is also estimated in our fitting: z = 0.16 ± 0.05 for the LP case and z = 0.17 ± 0.04 for BPL case.

Measuring our Universe from Galaxy Redshift Surveys.

PubMed

Lahav, Ofer; Suto, Yasushi

2004-01-01

Galaxy redshift surveys have achieved significant progress over the last couple of decades. Those surveys tell us in the most straightforward way what our local Universe looks like. While the galaxy distribution traces the bright side of the Universe, detailed quantitative analyses of the data have even revealed the dark side of the Universe dominated by non-baryonic dark matter as well as more mysterious dark energy (or Einstein's cosmological constant). We describe several methodologies of using galaxy redshift surveys as cosmological probes, and then summarize the recent results from the existing surveys. Finally we present our views on the future of redshift surveys in the era of precision cosmology.

AWAKENING OF THE HIGH-REDSHIFT BLAZAR CGRaBS J0809+5341

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paliya, Vaidehi S.; Stalin, C. S.; Parker, M. L.

2015-04-20

CGRaBS J0809+5341, a high-redshift blazar at z = 2.144, underwent a giant optical outburst on 2014 April 19 when it brightened by ∼5 mag and reached an unfiltered apparent magnitude of 15.7 mag. This implies an absolute magnitude of −30.5 mag, making it one of the brightest quasars in the universe. This optical flaring triggered us to carry out observations during the decaying part of the flare covering a wide energy range using the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, Swift, and ground-based optical facilities. For the first time, the source is detected in γ-rays by the Large Area Telescope on boardmore » the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. A high optical polarization of ∼10% is also observed. Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum, the accretion disk luminosity and black hole mass are estimated as 1.5 × 10{sup 45} erg s{sup −1} and 10{sup 8.4} M{sub ⊙}, respectively. Using a single zone leptonic emission model, we reproduce the spectral energy distribution of the source during the flaring activity. This analysis suggests that the emission region is probably located outside the broad-line region, and the jet becomes radiatively efficient. We also show that the overall properties of CGRaBS J0809+5341 seem to not be in agreement with the general properties observed in high-redshift blazars up to now.« less

Long-term multiwavelength studies of high-redshift blazar 0836+710

DOE PAGES

Akyuz, A.; Thompson, D. J.; Donato, D.; ...

2013-07-30

The observation of γ-ray flares from blazar 0836+710 in 2011, following a period of quiescence, offered an opportunity to study correlated activity at different wavelengths for a high-redshift (z = 2.218) active galactic nucleus. Here, optical and radio monitoring, plus Fermi-LAT γ-ray monitoring provided 20082–2012 coverage, while Swift offered auxiliary optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray information. Other contemporaneous observations were used to construct a broad-band spectral energy distribution. As a result, there is evidence of correlation but not a measurable lag between the optical and γ-ray flaring emission. In contrast, there is no clear correlation between radio and γ-ray activity, indicatingmore » radio emission regions that are unrelated to the parts of the jet that produce the γ rays. In conclusion, the γ-ray energy spectrum is unusual in showing a change of shape from a power law to a curved spectrum when going from the quiescent state to the active state.« less

The formation of ultra compact dwarf galaxies and massive globular clusters. Quasar-like objects to test for a variable stellar initial mass function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeřábková, T.; Kroupa, P.; Dabringhausen, J.; Hilker, M.; Bekki, K.

2017-12-01

The stellar initial mass function (IMF) has been described as being invariant, bottom-heavy, or top-heavy in extremely dense star-burst conditions. To provide usable observable diagnostics, we calculate redshift dependent spectral energy distributions of stellar populations in extreme star-burst clusters, which are likely to have been the precursors of present day massive globular clusters (GCs) and of ultra compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs). The retention fraction of stellar remnants is taken into account to assess the mass to light ratios of the ageing star-burst. Their redshift dependent photometric properties are calculated as predictions for James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations. While the present day GCs and UCDs are largely degenerate concerning bottom-heavy or top-heavy IMFs, a metallicity- and density-dependent top-heavy IMF implies the most massive UCDs, at ages < 100 Myr, to appear as objects with quasar-like luminosities with a 0.1-10% variability on a monthly timescale due to core collapse supernovae.

Simulations of deep galaxy fields. 1: Monte Carlo simulations of optical and near-infrared counts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chokshi, Arati; Lonsdale, Carol J.; Mazzei, Paola; De Zotti, Gianfranco

1994-01-01

Monte Carlo simulations of three-dimensional galaxy distributions are performed, following the 1988 prescription of Chokshi & Wright, to study the photometric properties of evolving galaxy populations in the optical and near-infrared bands to high redshifts. In this paper, the first of a series, we present our baseline model in which galaxy numbers are conserved, and in which no explicit 'starburst' population is included. We use the model in an attempt to simultaneously fit published blue and near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic observations of deep fields. We find that our baseline models, with a formation redshift, z(sub f), of 1000, and H(sub 0) = 50, are able to reproduce the blue counts to b(sub j) = 22, independent of the value of Omega(sub 0), and also to provide a satisfactory fit to the observed blue-band redshift distributions, but for no value of Omega(sub 0) do we achieve an acceptable fit to the fainter blue counts. In the K band, we fit the number counts to the limit of the present-day surveys only for an Omega(sub 0) = 0 cosmology. We investigate the effect on the model fits of varying the cosmological parameters H(sub 0), the formation red-shift z(sub f), and the local luminosity function. Changing H(sub 0) does not improve the fits to the observations. However, reducing the epoch of a galaxy formation used in our simulations has a substantial effect. In particular, a model with z(sub f) approximately equal to 5 in a low Omega(sub 0) universe improves the fit to the faintest photometric blue data without any need to invoke a new population of galaxies, substantial merging, or a significant starburst galaxy population. For an Omega(sub 0) = 1 universe, however, reducing z(sub f) is less successful at fitting the blue-band counts and has little effect at all at K. Varying the parameters of the local luminosity function can also have a significant effect. In particular the steep low end slope of the local luminosity function of Franceschini et al. allows an acceptable fit to the b(sub j) less than or equal to 25 counts for Omega(sub 0) = 1, but is incompatible with Omega(sub 0) = 0.

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Measurement of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation scale in the distribution of galaxies to redshift 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbott, T.M.C.; et al.

We present angular diameter distance measurements obtained by locating the BAO scale in the distribution of galaxies selected from the first year of Dark Energy Survey data. We consider a sample of over 1.3 million galaxies distributed over a footprint of 1318 degmore » $^2$ with $$0.6 < z_{\\rm photo} < 1$$ and a typical redshift uncertainty of $0.03(1+z)$. This sample was selected, as fully described in a companion paper, using a color/magnitude selection that optimizes trade-offs between number density and redshift uncertainty. We investigate the BAO signal in the projected clustering using three conventions, the angular separation, the co-moving transverse separation, and spherical harmonics. Further, we compare results obtained from template based and machine learning photometric redshift determinations. We use 1800 simulations that approximate our sample in order to produce covariance matrices and allow us to validate our distance scale measurement methodology. We measure the angular diameter distance, $$D_A$$, at the effective redshift of our sample divided by the true physical scale of the BAO feature, $$r_{\\rm d}$$. We obtain close to a 4 per cent distance measurement of $$D_A(z_{\\rm eff}=0.81)/r_{\\rm d} = 10.75\\pm 0.43 $$. These results are consistent with the flat $$\\Lambda$$CDM concordance cosmological model supported by numerous other recent experimental results.« less

Redshift Space Distortion on the Small Scale Clustering of Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyunbae; Sabiu, Cristiano; Li, Xiao-dong; Park, Changbom; Kim, Juhan

2018-01-01

The positions of galaxies in comoving Cartesian space varies under different cosmological parameter choices, inducing a redshift-dependent scaling in the galaxy distribution. The shape of the two-point correlation of galaxies exhibits a significant redshift evolution when the galaxy sample is analyzed under a cosmology differing from the true, simulated one. In our previous works, we can made use of this geometrical distortion to constrain the values of cosmological parameters governing the expansion history of the universe. This current work is a continuation of our previous works as a strategy to constrain cosmological parameters using redshift-invariant physical quantities. We now aim to understand the redshift evolution of the full shape of the small scale, anisotropic galaxy clustering and give a firmer theoretical footing to our previous works.

Precision cosmology with weak gravitational lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hearin, Andrew P.

In recent years, cosmological science has developed a highly predictive model for the universe on large scales that is in quantitative agreement with a wide range of astronomical observations. While the number and diversity of successes of this model provide great confidence that our general picture of cosmology is correct, numerous puzzles remain. In this dissertation, I analyze the potential of planned and near future galaxy surveys to provide new understanding of several unanswered questions in cosmology, and address some of the leading challenges to this observational program. In particular, I study an emerging technique called cosmic shear, the weak gravitational lensing produced by large scale structure. I focus on developing strategies to optimally use the cosmic shear signal observed in galaxy imaging surveys to uncover the physics of dark energy and the early universe. In chapter 1 I give an overview of a few unsolved mysteries in cosmology and I motivate weak lensing as a cosmological probe. I discuss the use of weak lensing as a test of general relativity in chapter 2 and assess the threat to such tests presented by our uncertainty in the physics of galaxy formation. Interpreting the cosmic shear signal requires knowledge of the redshift distribution of the lensed galaxies. This redshift distribution will be significantly uncertain since it must be determined photometrically. In chapter 3 I investigate the influence of photometric redshift errors on our ability to constrain dark energy models with weak lensing. The ability to study dark energy with cosmic shear is also limited by the imprecision in our understanding of the physics of gravitational collapse. In chapter 4 I present the stringent calibration requirements on this source of uncertainty. I study the potential of weak lensing to resolve a debate over a long-standing anomaly in CMB measurements in chapter 5. Finally, in chapter 6 I summarize my findings and conclude with a brief discussion of my outlook on the future of weak lensing studies of cosmology.

The Halo Occupation Distribution of Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Suchetana; Nagai, D.; Richardson, J.; Zheng, Z.; Degraf, C.; DiMatteo, T.

2011-05-01

We investigate the halo occupation distribution of active galactic nuclei (AGN) using a state-of-the-art cosmological hydrodynamic simulation that self-consistently incorporates the growth and feedback of supermassive black holes and the physics of galaxy formation (DiMatteo et al. 2008). We show that the mean occupation function can be modeled as a softened step function for central AGN and a power law for the satellite population. The satellite occupation is consistent with weak redshift evolution and a power law index of unity. The number of satellite black holes at a given halo mass follows a Poisson distribution. We show that at low redshifts (z=1.0) feedback from AGN is responsible for higher suppression of black hole growth in higher mass halos. This effect introduces a bias in the correlation between instantaneous AGN luminosity and the host halo mass, making AGN clustering depend weakly on luminosity at low redshifts. We show that the radial distribution of AGN follows a power law which is fundamentally different from those of galaxies and dark matter. The best-fit power law index is -2.26 ± 0.23. The power law exponent do not show any evolution with redshift, host halo mass and AGN luminosity within statistical limits. Incorporating the environmental dependence of supermassive black hole accretion and feedback, our formalism provides the most complete theoretical tool for interpreting current and future measurements of AGN clustering.

Galaxy evolution by color-log(n) type since redshift unity in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, E.; Driver, S. P.

2009-01-01

Aims: We explore the use of the color-log(n) (where n is the global Sérsic index) plane as a tool for subdividing the galaxy population in a physically-motivated manner out to redshift unity. We thereby aim to quantify surface brightness evolution by color-log(n) type, accounting separately for the specific selection and measurement biases against each. Methods: We construct (u-r) color-log(n) diagrams for distant galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (UDF) within a series of volume-limited samples to z=1.5. The color-log(n) distributions of these high redshift galaxies are compared against that measured for nearby galaxies in the Millennium Galaxy Catalogue (MGC), as well as to the results of visual morphological classification. Based on this analysis we divide our sample into three color-structure classes. Namely, “red, compact”, “blue, diffuse” and “blue, compact”. Luminosity-size diagrams are constructed for members of the two largest classes (“red, compact” and “blue, diffuse”), both in the UDF and the MGC. Artificial galaxy simulations (for systems with exponential and de Vaucouleurs profile shapes alternately) are used to identify “bias-free” regions of the luminosity-size plane in which galaxies are detected with high completeness, and their fluxes and sizes recovered with minimal surface brightness-dependent biases. Galaxy evolution is quantified via comparison of the low and high redshift luminosity-size relations within these “bias-free” regions. Results: We confirm the correlation between color-log(n) plane position and visual morphological type observed locally and in other high redshift studies in the color and/or structure domain. The combined effects of observational uncertainties, the morphological K-correction and cosmic variance preclude a robust statistical comparison of the shape of the MGC and UDF color-log(n) distributions. However, in the interval 0.75 < z <1.0 where the UDF i-band samples close to rest-frame B-band light (i.e., the morphological K-correction between our samples is negligible) we are able to present tentative evidence of bimodality, albiet for a very small sample size (17 galaxies). Our unique approach to quantifying selection and measurement biases in the luminosity-size plane highlights the need to consider errors in the recovery of both magnitudes and sizes, and their dependence on profile shape. Motivated by these results we divide our sample into the three color-structure classes mentioned above and quantify luminosity-size evolution by galaxy type. Specifically, we detect decreases in B-band, surface brightness of 1.57 ± 0.22 mag arcsec-2 and 1.65 ± 0.22 mag arcsec-2 for our “blue, diffuse” and “red, compact” classes respectively between redshift unity and the present day.

Dark energy equation of state parameter and its evolution at low redshift

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tripathi, Ashutosh; Sangwan, Archana; Jassal, H.K., E-mail: ashutosh_tripathi@fudan.edu.cn, E-mail: archanakumari@iisermohali.ac.in, E-mail: hkjassal@iisermohali.ac.in

In this paper, we constrain dark energy models using a compendium of observations at low redshifts. We consider the dark energy as a barotropic fluid, with the equation of state a constant as well the case where dark energy equation of state is a function of time. The observations considered here are Supernova Type Ia data, Baryon Acoustic Oscillation data and Hubble parameter measurements. We compare constraints obtained from these data and also do a combined analysis. The combined observational constraints put strong limits on variation of dark energy density with redshift. For varying dark energy models, the range ofmore » parameters preferred by the supernova type Ia data is in tension with the other low redshift distance measurements.« less

Is There a Maximum Star Formation Rate in High-redshift Galaxies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barger, A. J.; Cowie, L. L.; Chen, C.-C.; Owen, F. N.; Wang, W.-H.; Casey, C. M.; Lee, N.; Sanders, D. B.; Williams, J. P.

2014-03-01

We use the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope's SCUBA-2 camera to image a 400 arcmin2 area surrounding the GOODS-N field. The 850 μm rms noise ranges from a value of 0.49 mJy in the central region to 3.5 mJy at the outside edge. From these data, we construct an 850 μm source catalog to 2 mJy containing 49 sources detected above the 4σ level. We use an ultradeep (11.5 μJy at 5σ) 1.4 GHz image obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array together with observations made with the Submillimeter Array to identify counterparts to the submillimeter galaxies. For most cases of multiple radio counterparts, we can identify the correct counterpart from new and existing Submillimeter Array data. We have spectroscopic redshifts for 62% of the radio sources in the 9' radius highest sensitivity region (556/894) and 67% of the radio sources in the GOODS-N region (367/543). We supplement these with a modest number of additional photometric redshifts in the GOODS-N region (30). We measure millimetric redshifts from the radio to submillimeter flux ratios for the unidentified submillimeter sample, assuming an Arp 220 spectral energy distribution. We find a radio-flux-dependent K - z relation for the radio sources, which we use to estimate redshifts for the remaining radio sources. We determine the star formation rates (SFRs) of the submillimeter sources based on their radio powers and their submillimeter fluxes and find that they agree well. The radio data are deep enough to detect star-forming galaxies with SFRs >2000 M ⊙ yr-1 to z ~ 6. We find galaxies with SFRs up to ~6000 M ⊙ yr-1 over the redshift range z = 1.5-6, but we see evidence for a turn-down in the SFR distribution function above 2000 M ⊙ yr-1. The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is operated by the Joint Astronomy Centre on behalf of the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom, the National Research Council of Canada, and (until 2013 March 31) the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. The W. M. Keck Observatory is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA, and was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

LOFAR-Boötes: properties of high- and low-excitation radio galaxies at 0.5 < z < 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, W. L.; Calistro Rivera, G.; Best, P. N.; Hardcastle, M. J.; Röttgering, H. J. A.; Duncan, K. J.; de Gasperin, F.; Jarvis, M. J.; Miley, G. K.; Mahony, E. K.; Morabito, L. K.; Nisbet, D. M.; Prandoni, I.; Smith, D. J. B.; Tasse, C.; White, G. J.

2018-04-01

This paper presents a study of the redshift evolution of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) as a function of the properties of their galaxy hosts in the Boötes field. To achieve this we match low-frequency radio sources from deep 150-MHz LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) observations to an I-band-selected catalogue of galaxies, for which we have derived photometric redshifts, stellar masses, and rest-frame colours. We present spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to determine the mid-infrared AGN contribution for the radio sources and use this information to classify them as high- versus low-excitation radio galaxies (HERGs and LERGs) or star-forming galaxies. Based on these classifications, we construct luminosity functions for the separate redshift ranges going out to z = 2. From the matched radio-optical catalogues, we select a sub-sample of 624 high power (P150 MHz > 1025 W Hz-1) radio sources between 0.5 ≤ z < 2. For this sample, we study the fraction of galaxies hosting HERGs and LERGs as a function of stellar mass and host galaxy colour. The fraction of HERGs increases with redshift, as does the fraction of sources in galaxies with lower stellar masses. We find that the fraction of galaxies that host LERGs is a strong function of stellar mass as it is in the local Universe. This, combined with the strong negative evolution of the LERG luminosity functions over this redshift range, is consistent with LERGs being fuelled by hot gas in quiescent galaxies.

Dusty Quasars at High Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weedman, Daniel; Sargsyan, Lusine

2016-09-01

A population of quasars at z ˜ 2 is determined based on dust luminosities νL ν (7.8 μm) that includes unobscured, partially obscured, and obscured quasars. Quasars are classified by the ratio νL ν (0.25 μm)/νL ν (7.8 μm) = UV/IR, assumed to measure obscuration of UV luminosity by the dust that produces IR luminosity. Quasar counts at rest-frame 7.8 μm are determined for quasars in the Boötes field of the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey using 24 μm sources with optical redshifts from the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES) or infrared redshifts from the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph. Spectral energy distributions are extended to far-infrared wavelengths using observations from the Herschel Space Observatory Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE), and new SPIRE photometry is presented for 77 high-redshift quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. It is found that unobscured and obscured quasars have similar space densities at rest-frame 7.8 μm, but the ratio L ν (100 μm)/L ν (7.8 μm) is about three times higher for obscured quasars than for unobscured, so that far-infrared or submillimeter quasar detections are dominated by obscured quasars. We find that only ˜5% of high-redshift submillimeter sources are quasars and that existing 850 μm surveys or 2 mm surveys should already have detected sources at z ˜ 10 if quasar and starburst luminosity functions remain the same from z = 2 until z = 10.

Large-scale fluctuations in the number density of galaxies in independent surveys of deep fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirokov, S. I.; Lovyagin, N. Yu.; Baryshev, Yu. V.; Gorokhov, V. L.

2016-06-01

New arguments supporting the reality of large-scale fluctuations in the density of the visible matter in deep galaxy surveys are presented. A statistical analysis of the radial distributions of galaxies in the COSMOS and HDF-N deep fields is presented. Independent spectral and photometric surveys exist for each field, carried out in different wavelength ranges and using different observing methods. Catalogs of photometric redshifts in the optical (COSMOS-Zphot) and infrared (UltraVISTA) were used for the COSMOS field in the redshift interval 0.1 < z < 3.5, as well as the zCOSMOS (10kZ) spectroscopic survey and the XMM-COSMOS and ALHAMBRA-F4 photometric redshift surveys. The HDFN-Zphot and ALHAMBRA-F5 catalogs of photometric redshifts were used for the HDF-N field. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the fluctuations in the numbers of galaxies obtained for independent surveys of the same deep field reaches R = 0.70 ± 0.16. The presence of this positive correlation supports the reality of fluctuations in the density of visible matter with sizes of up to 1000 Mpc and amplitudes of up to 20% at redshifts z ~ 2. The absence of correlations between the fluctuations in different fields (the correlation coefficient between COSMOS and HDF-N is R = -0.20 ± 0.31) testifies to the independence of structures visible in different directions on the celestial sphere. This also indicates an absence of any influence from universal systematic errors (such as "spectral voids"), which could imitate the detection of correlated structures.

A distortion of very-high-redshift galaxy number counts by gravitational lensing.

PubMed

Wyithe, J Stuart B; Yan, Haojing; Windhorst, Rogier A; Mao, Shude

2011-01-13

The observed number counts of high-redshift galaxy candidates have been used to build up a statistical description of star-forming activity at redshift z ≳ 7, when galaxies reionized the Universe. Standard models predict that a high incidence of gravitational lensing will probably distort measurements of flux and number of these earliest galaxies. The raw probability of this happening has been estimated to be ∼0.5 per cent (refs 11, 12), but can be larger owing to observational biases. Here we report that gravitational lensing is likely to dominate the observed properties of galaxies with redshifts of z ≳ 12, when the instrumental limiting magnitude is expected to be brighter than the characteristic magnitude of the galaxy sample. The number counts could be modified by an order of magnitude, with most galaxies being part of multiply imaged systems, located less than 1 arcsec from brighter foreground galaxies at z ≈ 2. This lens-induced association of high-redshift and foreground galaxies has perhaps already been observed among a sample of galaxy candidates identified at z ≈ 10.6. Future surveys will need to be designed to account for a significant gravitational lensing bias in high-redshift galaxy samples.

Report on the Workshop ''Metal Production and Distribution in a Hierarchical Universe''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saviane, I.; Bonifacio, P.; Spite, M.; Monaco, L.

2014-06-01

The workshop aimed at taking a global view of the evolution of metal abundances from the Big Bang to the present day, considering both observations and simulations. Abundance studies in stars and galaxies, and the variety of interstellar and intergalactic media, were covered. A summary of the workshop topics in order of decreasing redshift is presented, with considerable attention given to abundance studies of the Milky Way.

A catalogue of optical to X-ray spectral energy distributions of z ≈ 2 quasars observed with Swift - I. First results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawther, D.; Vestergaard, M.; Raimundo, S.; Grupe, D.

2017-06-01

We present the Swift optical to X-ray spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 44 quasars at redshifts z ≈ 2 observed by Swift, part of a larger program to establish and characterize the optical through X-ray SEDs of moderate-redshift quasars. Here, we outline our analysis approach and present preliminary analysis and results for the first third of the full quasar sample. Not all quasars in the sample are detected in X-rays; all of the X-ray-detected objects so far are radio loud. As expected for radio-loud objects, they are X-ray bright relative to radio-quiet quasars of comparable optical luminosities, with an average αox =1.39 ± 0.03 (where αox is the power-law slope connecting the monochromatic flux at 2500 Å and at 2 keV), and display hard X-ray spectra. We find integrated 3000 Å-25 keV accretion luminosities of between 0.7 × 1046 erg s-1 and 5.2 × 1047 erg s-1. Based on single-epoch spectroscopic virial black hole mass estimates, we find that these quasars are accreting at substantial Eddington fractions, 0.1 ≲ L/LEdd ≲ 1.

Observation of redshifting and harmonic radiation in inverse Compton scattering

DOE PAGES

Sakai, Y.; Pogorelsky, I.; Williams, O.; ...

2015-06-17

Inverse Compton scattering of laser photons by ultrarelativistic electron beam provides polarized x- to γ-ray pulses due to the Doppler blueshifting. Nonlinear electrodynamics in the relativistically intense linearly polarized laser field changes the radiation kinetics established during the Compton interaction. These are due to the induced figure-8 motion, which introduces an overall redshift in the radiation spectrum, with the concomitant emission of higher order harmonics. To experimentally analyze the strong field physics associated with the nonlinear electron-laser interaction, clear modifications to the angular and wavelength distributions of x rays are observed. The relativistic photon wave field is provided by themore » ps CO 2 laser of peak normalized vector potential of 0.5L<0.7, which due to the quadratic dependence of the strength of nonlinear phenomena on aL permits sufficient effects not observed in past 2 nd harmonic study with a L ≈ 0.3 laser [M. Babzien et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 054802 (2006)]. The angular spectral characteristics are revealed using K-, L-edge, and high energy attenuation filters. The observation indicates existence of the electrons’ longitudinal motion through frequency redshifting understood as the mass shift effect. The 3 rd harmonic radiation has been observed containing on-axis x-ray component that is directly associated with the induced figure-8 motion. These are further supported by an initial evidence of off-axis 2 nd harmonic radiation produced in a circularly polarized laser wave field. Total x-ray photon number per pulse, scattered by 65 MeV electron beam of 0.3 nC, at the interaction point is measured to be approximately 10 9.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wojtak, Radosław; Prada, Francisco

The standard relation between the cosmological redshift and cosmic scale factor underlies cosmological inference from virtually all kinds of cosmological observations, leading to the emergence of the LambdaCDM cosmological model. This relation is not a fundamental theory and thus observational determination of this function (redshift remapping) should be regarded as an insightful alternative to holding its standard form in analyses of cosmological data. We present non-parametric reconstructions of redshift remapping in dark-matter-dominated models and constraints on cosmological parameters from a joint analysis of all primary cosmological probes including the local measurement of the Hubble constant, Type Ia supernovae, baryonic acousticmore » oscillations (BAO), Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation (temperature power spectrum) and cosmic chronometers. The reconstructed redshift remapping points to an additional boost of redshift operating in late epoch of cosmic evolution, but affecting both low-redshift observations and the CMB. The model then predicts a significant difference between the actual Hubble constant, h=0.48±0.02, and its local determination, h obs=0.73±0.02. The ratio of these two values coincides closely with the maximum expansion rate inside voids formed in the corresponding open cosmological model with Ω m=0.87±0.03, whereas the actual value of the Hubble constant implies the age of the Universe that is compatible with the Planck LambdaCDM cosmology. The new dark-matter-dominated model with redshift remapping provides excellent fits to all data and eliminates recently reported tensions between the Planck LambdaCDM cosmology, the local determination of the Hubble constant and the BAO measurements from the Ly α forest of high-redshift quasars.« less

Short gamma-ray bursts at the dawn of the gravitational wave era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghirlanda, G.; Salafia, O. S.; Pescalli, A.; Ghisellini, G.; Salvaterra, R.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Colpi, M.; Nappo, F.; D'Avanzo, P.; Melandri, A.; Bernardini, M. G.; Branchesi, M.; Campana, S.; Ciolfi, R.; Covino, S.; Götz, D.; Vergani, S. D.; Zennaro, M.; Tagliaferri, G.

2016-10-01

We derive the luminosity function φ(L) and redshift distribution Ψ(z) of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) using all the available observer-frame constraints (I.e. peak flux, fluence, peak energy and duration distributions) of the large population of Fermi SGRBs and the rest-frame properties of a complete sample of SGRBs detected by Swift. We show that a steep φ(L) ∝ L- α with α ≥ 2.0 is excluded if the full set of constraints is considered. We implement a Markov chain Monte Carlo method to derive the φ(L) and Ψ(z) functions assuming intrinsic Ep-Liso and Ep-Eiso correlations to hold or, alternatively, that the distributions of intrinsic peak energy, luminosity, and duration are independent. To make our results independent from assumptions on the progenitor (NS-NS binary mergers or other channels) and from uncertainties on the star formation history, we assume a parametric form for the redshift distribution of the population of SGRBs. We find that a relatively flat luminosity function with slope ~0.5 below a characteristic break luminosity ~3 × 1052 erg s-1 and a redshift distribution of SGRBs peaking at z ~ 1.5-2 satisfy all our constraints. These results also hold if no Ep-Liso and Ep-Eiso correlations are assumed and they do not depend on the choice of the minimum luminosity of the SGRB population. We estimate, within ~200 Mpc (I.e. the design aLIGO range for the detection of gravitational waves produced by NS-NS merger events), that there should be 0.007-0.03 SGRBs yr-1 detectable as γ-ray events. Assuming current estimates of NS-NS merger rates and that all NS-NS mergers lead to a SGRB event, we derive a conservative estimate of the average opening angle of SGRBs ⟨ θjet ⟩ ~ 3°-6°. The luminosity function implies a prompt emission average luminosity ⟨L⟩ ~ 1.5 × 1052 erg s-1, higher by nearly two orders of magnitude than previous findings in the literature, which greatly enhances the chance of observing SGRB "orphan" afterglows. Effort should go in the direction of finding and identifying such orphan afterglows as counterparts of GW events.

Some observational tests of a minimal galaxy formation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohn, J. D.

2017-04-01

Dark matter simulations can serve as a basis for creating galaxy histories via the galaxy-dark matter connection. Here, one such model by Becker is implemented with several variations on three different dark matter simulations. Stellar mass and star formation rates are assigned to all simulation subhaloes at all times, using subhalo mass gain to determine stellar mass gain. The observational properties of the resulting galaxy distributions are compared to each other and observations for a range of redshifts from 0 to 2. Although many of the galaxy distributions seem reasonable, there are noticeable differences as simulations, subhalo mass gain definitions or subhalo mass definitions are altered, suggesting that the model should change as these properties are varied. Agreement with observations may improve by including redshift dependence in the added-by-hand random contribution to star formation rate. There appears to be an excess of faint quiescent galaxies as well (perhaps due in part to differing definitions of quiescence). The ensemble of galaxy formation histories for these models tend to have more scatter around their average histories (for a fixed final stellar mass) than the two more predictive and elaborate semi-analytic models of Guo et al. and Henriques et al., and require more basis fluctuations (using principal component analysis) to capture 90 per cent of the scatter around their average histories. The codes to plot model predictions (in some cases alongside observational data) are publicly available to test other mock catalogues at https://github.com/jdcphysics/validation/. Information on how to use these codes is in Appendix A.

The Diverse Environments of Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perley, Daniel Alan

I present results from several years of concerted observations of the afterglows and host galaxies of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most energetic explosions in the Universe. Short gamma-ray bursts originate from a wide variety of environments, including disk galaxies, elliptical galaxies, galaxy haloes, and intracluster and intergalactic space. Long gamma ray bursts associate almost exclusively with star-forming hosts, but the properties of these galaxies also vary widely. Some are hosted in extremely small galaxies, difficult to identify directly in emission or infer from the absorption of afterglow light, but the host luminosity distribution extends up to very luminous (> L*) systems as well. A significant fraction of long GRBs are observed along highly dust-obscured sightlines through their host medium. Some of these events are hosted within conspicuously dusty galaxies, although the hosts of other dust-obscured events show no outward signs of significant internal dust content. By measuring the wavelength dependence of dust absorption profiles using a few well-observed GRB afterglows, I provide evidence for ordinary dust with properties similar to those of dust in the Milky Way in a system at z ˜ 3, but a very different absorption profile from the dust in a galaxy at z ˜ 5, providing tentative evidence to support a transition in dust composition early in the history of the Universe. I present an observationally-determined redshift distribution for Swift GRBs, showing few to originate from high redshifts (z ≳ 5). I also provide the first photometric and spectroscopic catalogs from one of the largest GRB host-galaxy surveys ever conducted, including observations of almost 150 distinct GRB fields.

A CONSTRAINT ON QUASAR CLUSTERING AT z = 5 FROM A BINARY QUASAR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGreer, Ian D.; Fan, Xiaohui; Eftekharzadeh, Sarah

2016-03-15

We report the discovery of a quasar pair at z = 5 separated by 21″. Both objects were identified as quasar candidates using simple color selection techniques applied to photometric catalogs from the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) Legacy Survey (CFHTLS). Spectra obtained with the MMT present no discernible offset in redshift between the two objects; on the other hand, there are clear differences in the emission line profiles and in the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions that strongly disfavor the hypothesis that they are gravitationally lensed images of a single quasar. Both quasars are surprisingly bright given their proximity (a projected separation of ∼135more » kpc), with i = 19.4 and i = 21.4. Previous measurements of the luminosity function demonstrate that luminous quasars are extremely rare at z = 5; the existence of this pair suggests that quasars have strong small-scale clustering at high redshift. Assuming a real-space correlation function of the form ξ(r) ∝ (r/r{sub 0}){sup −2}, this discovery implies a correlation length of r{sub 0} ≳ 20h{sup −1} Mpc, consistent with a rapid strengthening of quasar clustering at high redshift as seen in previous observations and predicted by theoretical models where feedback effects are inefficient at shutting down black hole growth at high redshift.« less

VizieR Online Data Catalog: XXL Survey: First results (Pierre+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre, M.; Pacaud, F.; Adami, C.; Alis, S.; Altieri, B.; Baran, B.; Benoist, C.; Birkinshaw, M.; Bongiorno, A.; Bremer, M. N.; Brusa, M.; Butler, A.; Ciliegi, P.; Chiappetti, L.; Clerc, N.; Corasaniti, P. S.; Coupon, J.; De Breuck, C.; Democles, J.; Desai, S.; Delhaize, J.; Devriendt, J.; Dubois, Y.; Eckert, D.; Elyiv, A.; Ettori, S.; Evrard, A.; Faccioli, L.; Farahi, A.; Ferrari, C.; Finet, F.; Fotopoulou, S.; Fourmanoit, N.; Gandhi, P.; Gastaldello, F.; Gastaud, R.; Georgantopoulos, I.; Giles, P.; Guennou, L.; Guglielmo, V.; Horellou, C.; Husband, K.; Huynh, M.; Iovino, A.; Kilbinger, M.; Koulouridis, E.; Lavoie, S.; Le Brun, A. M. C.; Lefevre, J. P.; Lidman, C.; Lieu, M.; Lin, C. A.; Mantz, A.; Maughan, B. J.; Maurogordato, S.; McCarthy, I. G.; McGee, S.; Melin, J. B.; Melnyk, O.; Menanteau, F.; Novak, M.; Paltani, S.; Plionis, M.; Poggianti, B. M.; Pomarede, D.; Pompei, E.; Ponman, T. J.; Ramos-Ceja, M. E.; Ranalli, P.; Rapetti, D.; Raychaudury, S.; Reiprich, T. H.; Rottgering, H.; Rozo, E.; Ryko, E.; Sadibekova, T.; Santos, J.; Sauvageot, J. L.; Schimd, C.; Sereno, M.; Smith, G. P.; Smolcic, V.; Snowden, S.; Spergel, D.; Stanford, S.; Surdej, J.; Valageas, P.; Valotti, A.; Valtchanov, I.; Vignali, C.; Willis, J.; Ziparo, F.

2016-03-01

Paper I. Scientific motivations - XMM-Newton observing plan. Follow-up observations and simulation programme. The table xxlpoint.dat is a list of all XMM survey-type observations (<=AO-10) in the XXL fields, providing the match between the internal naming and the ESA XXM log,the coordinates and useful exposure times of the XMM pointings, their quality and ancillary information. Paper II. The bright cluster sample: catalogue and luminosity function. Paper III. Luminosity-temperature relation of the bright cluster sample. Paper IV. Mass-temperature relation of the bright cluster sample. This article presents the XXL bright cluster sample, a subsample of 100 galaxy clusters selected from the full XXL catalogue by setting a lower limit of 3*10-14erg/cm2/s on the source flux within a 1' aperture. The selection function was estimated using a mixture of Monte Carlo simulations and analytical recipes that closely reproduce the source selection process. An extensive spectroscopic follow-up provided redshifts for 97 of the 100 clusters. We derived accurate X-ray parameters for all the sources. Scaling relations were self-consistently derived from the same sample in other publications of the series. On this basis, we study the number density, luminosity function, and spatial distribution of the sample. The bright cluster sample consists of systems with masses between M500=7*10+14 and 3*10+14Mȯ, mostly located between z=0.1 and 0.5. The observed sky density of clusters is slightly below the predictions from the WMAP9 model, and significantly below the prediction from the Planck 2015 cosmology. In general, within the current uncertainties of the cluster mass calibration, models with higher values of σ8 and/or ΩM appear more difficult to accommodate. We provide tight constraints on the cluster differential luminosity function and find no hint of evolution out to z~1. We also find strong evidence for the presence of large-scale structures in the XXL bright cluster sample and identify five new superclusters. We provide the XXL-100-GC catalogue (xxl100gc.dat), the master catalogue of the 100 brightest galaxy clusters from the XXL Survey. This catalogue summarizes all the information published on this sample by the XXL collaboration, which were initially distributed over several articles. It contains the sources positions, redshifts, fluxes and mass estimates published in Appendix D of paper II, combined with luminosities and temperatures from Table 1 of paper III, as well as gas masses from Table A.1 of paper XIII. Paper VI. The 1000 brightest X-ray point sources. We provide the XXL1000AGN catalogue (xxl1000a.dat), the first catalogue release of the XXL point source catalog, detected in the 2-10keV energy band. The catalogue contains the 1000 brightest sources, at the flux limit of F[2-10 keV]=4.8 10-14erg/s/cm2. We provide derived X-ray spectral parameters, and counterpart properties including four optical magnitudes, photometric and spectroscopic redshift estimates. We also provide the best photometric redshift class based on machine learning classification and the probability for a source to be a star or a photometric redshift outlier. Paper IX. Optical overdensity and radio continuum analysis of a supercluster at z=0.43. The table xxl_vla.dat contains the full source catalogue of all 155 radio sources detected with S/N>=6 in the Very Large Array 3GHz continuum survey of the XXL-North field. The observations covered the 0.7x0.7 square degrees subarea of the 25 square degree XXL-North field. The radio data has an angular resolution of 3.2x1.9 square arcsec and a mean rms of 20uJy per beam. There are 25 resolved sources, of which 8 are multicomponent objects. Paper XI. ATCA 2.1 GHz continuum observations. The table xxl_atca.dat contains the full source catalogue of all 1389 radio sources detected with S/N>=5 in the Australia Telescope Compact Array 2.1GHz continuum pilot survey of the XXL-South field. The observations covered the inner 6.5 square degrees of the 25 square degree XXL-South field. The radio data has an angular resolution of 4.7x4.2 square arcsec and a median rms of 50uJy per beam. There are 305 resolved sources, of which 77 are multicomponent objects. The table contains various observed parameters of the radio sources, such as position, peak flux density and signal-to-noise ratio. Paper XIV. AAOmega redshifts for the southern XXL field. We present a catalogue (xxlaaoz.dat) containing the redshifts of 3660 X-ray selected targets in the XXL southern field. The redshifts were obtained with the AAOmega spectrograph and 2dF fibre positioner on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. The catalogue contains 1515 broad line AGN, 528 stars, and redshifts for 41 out of the 49 brightest X-ray selected clusters in the XXL southern field. Paper XV. Evidence for dry merger driven BCG growth in XXL-100-GC X-ray clusters Given the availability of good quality multiband photometry together with photometric and spectroscopic redshifts to z<1, a simple set of criteria can be used to identify BCGs. For the present work, we define a BCG as: - the brightest galaxy in z-band, - within 0.5xr500 of the cluster X-ray centroid, - with a redshift that is consistent with that of the cluster as determined from all the redshifts available around the X-ray centroid. Our final sample (xxl100bc.dat) consists of 85 clusters, 45 of which are in the Northern field and 40 in the Southern field. (9 data files).

Constraints on the Energy Content of the Universe from a Combination of Galaxy Cluster Observables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molnar, Sandor M.; Haiman, Zoltan; Birkinshaw, Mark; Mushotzky, Richard F.

2003-01-01

We demonstrate that constraints on cosmological parameters from the distribution of clusters as a function of redshift (dN/dz) are complementary to accurate angular diameter distance (D(sub A)) measurements to clusters, and their combination significantly tightens constraints on the energy density content of the Universe. The number counts can be obtained from X-ray and/or SZ (Sunyaev-Ze'dovich effect) surveys, and the angular diameter distances can be determined from deep observations of the intra-cluster gas using their thermal bremsstrahlung X-ray emission and the SZ effect. We combine constraints from simulated cluster number counts expected from a 12 deg(sup 2) SZ cluster survey and constraints from simulated angular diameter distance measurements based on the X-ray/SZ method assuming a statistical accuracy of 10% in the angular diameter distance determination of 100 clusters with redshifts less than 1.5. We find that Omega(sub m), can be determined within about 25%, Omega(sub lambda) within 20% and w within 16%. We show that combined dN/dz+(sub lambda) constraints can be used to constrain the different energy densities in the Universe even in the presence of a few percent redshift dependent systematic error in D(sub lambda). We also address the question of how best to select clusters of galaxies for accurate diameter distance determinations. We show that the joint dN/dz+ D(lambda) constraints on cosmological parameters for a fixed target accuracy in the energy density parameters are optimized by selecting clusters with redshift upper cut-offs in the range 0.55 approx. less than 1. Subject headings: cosmological parameters - cosmology: theory - galaxies:clusters: general

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geier, S.; Man, A. W. S.; Krühler, T.

Quiescent massive galaxies at z ∼ 2 are thought to be the progenitors of present-day massive ellipticals. Observations revealed them to be extraordinarily compact. Until now, the determination of stellar ages, star formation rates, and dust properties via spectroscopic measurements has been feasible only for the most luminous and massive specimens (∼3 × M*). Here we present a spectroscopic study of two near-infrared-selected galaxies that are close to the characteristic stellar mass M* (∼0.9 × M* and ∼1.3 × M*) and whose observed brightness has been boosted by the gravitational lensing effect. We measure the redshifts of the two galaxiesmore » to be z = 1.71 ± 0.02 and z = 2.15 ± 0.01. By fitting stellar population synthesis models to their spectrophotometric spectral energy distributions we determine their ages to be 2.4{sup +0.8}{sub -0.6} Gyr and 1.7 ± 0.3 Gyr, respectively, which implies that the two galaxies have higher mass-to-light ratios than most quiescent z ∼ 2 galaxies in other studies. We find no direct evidence for active star formation or active galactic nucleus activity in either of the two galaxies, based on the non-detection of emission lines. Based on the derived redshifts and stellar ages we estimate the formation redshifts to be z=4.3{sup +3.4}{sub -1.2} and z=4.3{sup +1.0}{sub -0.6}, respectively. We use the increased spatial resolution due to the gravitational lensing to derive constraints on the morphology. Fitting Sérsic profiles to the de-lensed images of the two galaxies confirms their compactness, with one of them being spheroid-like and the other providing the first confirmation of a passive lenticular galaxy at a spectroscopically derived redshift of z ∼ 2.« less

Star Formation at z = 2.481 in the Lensed Galaxy SDSS J1110+6459: Star Formation Down to 30 pc Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Traci L.; Rigby, Jane R.; Sharon, Keren; Gladders, Michael D.; Florian, Michael; Bayliss, Matthew B.; Wuyts, Eva; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Livermore, Rachael; Murray, Katherine T.

2017-07-01

We present measurements of the surface density of star formation, the star-forming clump luminosity function, and the clump size distribution function, for the lensed galaxy SGAS J111020.0+645950.8 at a redshift of z = 2.481. The physical size scales that we probe, radii r = 30-50 pc, are considerably smaller scales than have yet been studied at these redshifts. The star formation surface density we find within these small clumps is consistent with surface densities measured previously for other lensed galaxies at similar redshift. Twenty-two percent of the rest-frame ultraviolet light in this lensed galaxy arises from small clumps, with r< 100 pc. Within the range of overlap, the clump luminosity function measured for this lensed galaxy is remarkably similar to those of z˜ 0 galaxies. In this galaxy, star-forming regions smaller than 100 pc—physical scales not usually resolved at these redshifts by current telescopes—are important locations of star formation in the distant universe. If this galaxy is representative, this may contradict the theoretical picture in which the critical size scale for star formation in the distant universe is of the order of 1 kpc. Instead, our results suggest that current telescopes have not yet resolved the critical size scales of star-forming activity in galaxies over most of cosmic time. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program #13003.

The mean star formation rates of unobscured QSOs: searching for evidence of suppressed or enhanced star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, F.; Alexander, D. M.; Harrison, C. M.; Rosario, D. J.; Wang, L.; Aird, J. A.; Bourne, N.; Dunne, L.; Dye, S.; Eales, S.; Knudsen, K. K.; Michałowski, M. J.; Valiante, E.; De Zotti, G.; Furlanetto, C.; Ivison, R.; Maddox, S.; Smith, M. W. L.

2017-12-01

We investigate the mean star formation rates (SFRs) in the host galaxies of ∼3000 optically selected quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey within the Herschel-ATLAS fields, and a radio-luminous subsample covering the redshift range of z = 0.2-2.5. Using Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Herschel photometry (12-500 μm) we construct composite spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in bins of redshift and active galactic nucleus (AGN) luminosity. We perform SED fitting to measure the mean infrared luminosity due to star formation, removing the contamination from AGN emission. We find that the mean SFRs show a weak positive trend with increasing AGN luminosity. However, we demonstrate that the observed trend could be due to an increase in black hole (BH) mass (and a consequent increase of inferred stellar mass) with increasing AGN luminosity. We compare to a sample of X-ray selected AGN and find that the two populations have consistent mean SFRs when matched in AGN luminosity and redshift. On the basis of the available virial BH masses, and the evolving BH mass to stellar mass relationship, we find that the mean SFRs of our QSO sample are consistent with those of main sequence star-forming galaxies. Similarly the radio-luminous QSOs have mean SFRs that are consistent with both the overall QSO sample and with star-forming galaxies on the main sequence. In conclusion, on average QSOs reside on the main sequence of star-forming galaxies, and the observed positive trend between the mean SFRs and AGN luminosity can be attributed to BH mass and redshift dependencies.

Redshift drift in an inhomogeneous universe: averaging and the backreaction conjecture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koksbang, S.M.; Hannestad, S., E-mail: koksbang@phys.au.dk, E-mail: sth@phys.au.dk

2016-01-01

An expression for the average redshift drift in a statistically homogeneous and isotropic dust universe is given. The expression takes the same form as the expression for the redshift drift in FLRW models. It is used for a proof-of-principle study of the effects of backreaction on redshift drift measurements by combining the expression with two-region models. The study shows that backreaction can lead to positive redshift drift at low redshifts, exemplifying that a positive redshift drift at low redshifts does not require dark energy. Moreover, the study illustrates that models without a dark energy component can have an average redshiftmore » drift observationally indistinguishable from that of the standard model according to the currently expected precision of ELT measurements. In an appendix, spherically symmetric solutions to Einstein's equations with inhomogeneous dark energy and matter are used to study deviations from the average redshift drift and effects of local voids.« less

Observations of three QSOs lying in the spiral arms of NGC 1073

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burbidge, E. M.; Junkkarinen, V.; Koski, A. T.

1979-01-01

Spectrophotometric observations of three QSOs lying in the field of the spiral galaxy NGC 1073 are presented. These objects have been reported by Arp and Sulentic (1979), who obtained redshifts for two of them. The present observations, made with the Shane telescope at Lick Observatory, extend the wavelength coverage, show L-alpha in BSO 1 at z = 1.945, yield a firm redshift of z = 0.599 for BSO 2, and confirm the redshift z = 1.41 of RSO obtained by Arp and Sulentic (1979).

The impact of clustering and angular resolution on far-infrared and millimeter continuum observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béthermin, Matthieu; Wu, Hao-Yi; Lagache, Guilaine; Davidzon, Iary; Ponthieu, Nicolas; Cousin, Morgane; Wang, Lingyu; Doré, Olivier; Daddi, Emanuele; Lapi, Andrea

2017-11-01

Follow-up observations at high-angular resolution of bright submillimeter galaxies selected from deep extragalactic surveys have shown that the single-dish sources are comprised of a blend of several galaxies. Consequently, number counts derived from low- and high-angular-resolution observations are in tension. This demonstrates the importance of resolution effects at these wavelengths and the need for realistic simulations to explore them. We built a new 2 deg2 simulation of the extragalactic sky from the far-infrared to the submillimeter. It is based on an updated version of the 2SFM (two star-formation modes) galaxy evolution model. Using global galaxy properties generated by this model, we used an abundance-matching technique to populate a dark-matter lightcone and thus simulate the clustering. We produced maps from this simulation and extracted the sources, and we show that the limited angular resolution of single-dish instruments has a strong impact on (sub)millimeter continuum observations. Taking into account these resolution effects, we are reproducing a large set of observables, as number counts and their evolution with redshift and cosmic infrared background power spectra. Our simulation consistently describes the number counts from single-dish telescopes and interferometers. In particular, at 350 and 500 μm, we find that the number counts measured by Herschel between 5 and 50 mJy are biased towards high values by a factor 2, and that the redshift distributions are biased towards low redshifts. We also show that the clustering has an important impact on the Herschel pixel histogram used to derive number counts from P(D) analysis. We find that the brightest galaxy in the beam of a 500 μm Herschel source contributes on average to only 60% of the Herschel flux density, but that this number will rise to 95% for future millimeter surveys on 30 m-class telescopes (e.g., NIKA2 at IRAM). Finally, we show that the large number density of red Herschel sources found in observations but not in models might be an observational artifact caused by the combination of noise, resolution effects, and the steepness of color- and flux density distributions. Our simulation, called Simulated Infrared Dusty Extragalactic Sky (SIDES), is publicly available. Our simulation Simulated Infrared Dusty Extragalactic Sky (SIDES) is available at http://cesam.lam.fr/sides.

SPECTROSCOPY OF HIGH-REDSHIFT SUPERNOVAE FROM THE ESSENCE PROJECT: THE FIRST FOUR YEARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foley, R. J.; Chornock, R.; Silverman, J. M.

We present the results of spectroscopic observations from the ESSENCE high-redshift supernova (SN) survey during its first four years of operation. This sample includes spectra of all SNe Ia whose light curves were presented by Miknaitis et al. and used in the cosmological analyses of Davis et al. and Wood-Vasey et al. The sample represents 273 hr of spectroscopic observations with 6.5-10 m class telescopes of objects detected and selected for spectroscopy by the ESSENCE team. We present 184 spectra of 156 objects. Combining this sample with that of Matheson et al., we have a total sample of 329 spectramore » of 274 objects. From this, we are able to spectroscopically classify 118 Type Ia SNe. As the survey has matured, the efficiency of classifying SNe Ia has remained constant while we have observed both higher-redshift SNe Ia and SNe Ia farther from maximum brightness. Examining the subsample of SNe Ia with host-galaxy redshifts shows that redshifts derived from only the SN Ia spectra are consistent with redshifts found from host-galaxy spectra. Moreover, the phases derived from only the SN Ia spectra are consistent with those derived from light-curve fits. By comparing our spectra to local templates, we find that the rate of objects similar to the overluminous SN 1991T and the underluminous SN 1991bg in our sample are consistent with that of the local sample. We do note, however, that we detect no object spectroscopically or photometrically similar to SN 1991bg. Although systematic effects could reduce the high-redshift rate we expect based on the low-redshift surveys, it is possible that SN 1991bg-like SNe Ia are less prevalent at high redshift.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, D.; Krühler, T.; Hjorth, J.

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at z < 1 are found in most cases to be accompanied by bright, broad-lined Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic-BL). The highest-energy GRBs are mostly located at higher redshifts, where the associated SNe are hard to detect observationally. Here, we present early and late observations of the optical counterpart of the very energetic GRB 130427A. Despite its moderate redshift, z = 0.3399 ± 0.0002, GRB 130427A is at the high end of the GRB energy distribution, with an isotropic-equivalent energy release of E{sub iso} ∼ 9.6 × 10{sup 53} erg, more than an order of magnitudemore » more energetic than other GRBs with spectroscopically confirmed SNe. In our dense photometric monitoring, we detect excess flux in the host-subtracted r-band light curve, consistent with that expected from an emerging SN, ∼0.2 mag fainter than the prototypical SN 1998bw. A spectrum obtained around the time of the SN peak (16.7 days after the GRB) reveals broad undulations typical of SNe Ic-BL, confirming the presence of an SN, designated SN 2013cq. The spectral shape and early peak time are similar to those of the high expansion velocity SN 2010bh associated with GRB 100316D. Our findings demonstrate that high-energy, long-duration GRBs, commonly detected at high redshift, can also be associated with SNe Ic-BL, pointing to a common progenitor mechanism.« less

Predicting the High Redshift Galaxy Population for JWST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flynn, Zoey; Benson, Andrew

2017-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope will be launched in Oct 2018 with the goal of observing galaxies in the redshift range of z = 10 - 15. As redshift increases, the age of the Universe decreases, allowing us to study objects formed only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. This will provide a valuable opportunity to test and improve current galaxy formation theory by comparing predictions for mass, luminosity, and number density to the observed data. We have made testable predictions with the semi-analytical galaxy formation model Galacticus. The code uses Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to determine viable sets of model parameters that match current astronomical data. The resulting constrained model was then set to match the specifications of the JWST Ultra Deep Field Imaging Survey. Predictions utilizing up to 100 viable parameter sets were calculated, allowing us to assess the uncertainty in current theoretical expectations. We predict that the planned UDF will be able to observe a significant number of objects past redshift z > 9 but nothing at redshift z > 11. In order to detect these faint objects at redshifts z = 11-15 we need to increase exposure time by at least a factor of 1.66.

HectoMAPping the Universe. Karl Schwarzschild Award Lecture 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geller, Margaret J.; Hwang, Ho Seong

2015-06-01

During the last three decades progress in mapping the Universe from an age of 400 000 years to the present has been stunning. Instrument/telescope combinations have naturally determined the sampling of various redshift ranges. Here we outline the impact of the Hectospec on the MMT on exploration of the Universe in the redshift range 0.2 ⪉ z ⪉ 0.8. We focus on dense redshift surveys, SHELS and HectoMAP. SHELS is a complete magnitude limited survey covering 8 square degrees. The HectoMAP survey combines a red-selected dense redshift survey and a weak lensing map covering 50 square degrees. Combining the dense redshift survey with a Subaru HyperSuprimeCam (HSC) weak lensing map will provide a powerful probe of the way galaxies trace the distribution of dark matter on a wide range of physical scales.

Optical And Near-infrared Variability Among Distant Galactic Nuclei Of The CANDELS EGS Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grogin, Norman A.; Dahlen, T.; Donley, J.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Salvato, M.; CANDELS Collaboration

2014-01-01

The CANDELS HST Multi-cycle Treasury Program completed its observations of the EGS field in May 2013. The coverage comprises WFC3/IR exposures in J-band and H-band across a contiguous 200 square arcminutes, and coordinated parallel ACS/WFC exposures in V-band and I-band across a contiguous 270 square arcminutes that largely overlaps the WFC3/IR coverage. These observations were split between two epochs with 52-day spacing for the primary purpose of high-redshift supernovae (SNe) detection and follow-up. However, this combination of sensitivity, high resolution, and time spacing is also well-suited to detect optical and near-infrared variability ("ONIV") among moderate- to high-redshift galaxy nuclei (H<25AB mag; I<26AB mag). These data are sensitive to rest-frame variability time-scales of up to several weeks, and in combination with the original EGS ACS imaging from 2004, to time-scales of up to several years in the V- and I-bands. The overwhelming majority of these variable galaxy nuclei will be AGN; the small fraction arising from SNe have already been meticulously culled by the CANDELS high-redshift SNe search effort. These ONIV galaxy nuclei potentially represent a significant addition to the census of distant lower-luminosity AGN subject to multi-wavelength scrutiny with CANDELS. We present the preliminary results of our EGS variability analysis, including a comparison of the HST ONIVs with the known AGN candidates in the field from deep Spitzer and Chandra imaging, and from extensive ground-based optical spectroscopy as well as HST IR-grism spectroscopy. We also assess the redshift distribution of the ONIVs from both spectroscopy and from robust SED-fitting incorporating ancillary deep ground-based imaging along with the CANDELS VIJH photometry. We compare these results with our prior variability analysis of the similarly-observed CANDELS UDS field from 2011 and CANDELS COSMOS field from 2012.

Instrument Performance of GISMO, a 2 Millimeter TES Bolometer Camera used at the IRAM 30 m Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staguhn, Johannes

2008-01-01

In November of 2007 we demonstrated a monolithic Backshort-Under-Grid (BUG) 8x16 array in the field using our 2 mm wavelength imager GISMO (Goddard IRAM Superconducting 2 Millimeter Observer) at the IRAM 30 m telescope in Spain for astronomical observations. The 2 mm spectral range provides a unique terrestrial window enabling ground-based observations of the earliest active dusty galaxies in the universe and thereby allowing a better constraint on the star formation rate in these objects. The optical design incorporates a 100 mm diameter silicon lens cooled to 4 K, which provides the required fast beam yielding 0.9 lambda/D pixels. With this spatial sampling, GISMO will be very efficient at detecting sources serendipitously in large sky surveys, while the capability for diffraction limited imaging is preserved. The camera provides significantly greater detection sensitivity and mapping speed at this wavelength than has previously been possible. The instrument will fill in the spectral energy distribution of high redshift galaxies at the Rayleigh-Jeans part of the dust emission spectrum, even at the highest redshifts. Here1 will we present early results from our observing run with the first fielded BUG bolometer array. We have developed key technologies to enable highly versatile, kilopixel, infrared through millimeter wavelength bolometer arrays. The Backshort-Under-Grid (BUG) array consists of three components: 1) a transition-edge-sensor (TES) based bolometer array with background-limited sensitivity and high filling factor, 2) a quarter-wave reflective backshort grid providing high optical efficiency, and 3) a superconducting bump-bonded large format Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) multiplexer readout. The array is described in more detail elsewhere (Allen et al., this conference). In November of 2007 we demonstrated a monolithic 8x 16 array with 2 mm-pitch detectors in the field using our 2 mm wavelength imager GISMO (Goddard IRAM Superconducting 2 Millimeter Observer) at the IRAM 30 m telescope in Spain for astronomical observations. The 2 mm spectral range provides a unique terrestrial window enabling ground-based observations of the earliest active dusty galaxies in the universe and thereby allowing a better constraint on the star formation rate in these objects. The optical design incorporates a 100 mm diameter silicon lens cooled to 4 K, which provides the required fast beam yielding 0.9 lambda1D pixels. With this spatial sampling, GISMO will be very efficient at detecting sources serendipitously in large sky surveys, while the capability for diffraction limited imaging is preserved. The camera provides significantly greater detection sensitivity and mapping speed at this wavelength than has previously been possible. The instrument will fill in the spectral energy distribution of high redshift galaxies at the Rayleigh-Jeans part of the dust emission spectrum, even at the highest redshifts. Here I will we present early results from our observing run with the first fielded BUG bolometer array.

VIMOS Ultra-Deep Survey (VUDS): IGM transmission towards galaxies with 2.5 < z < 5.5 and the colour selection of high-redshift galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, R.; Le Fèvre, O.; Le Brun, V.; Cassata, P.; Garilli, B.; Lemaux, B. C.; Maccagni, D.; Pentericci, L.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Zamorani, G.; Zucca, E.; Amorin, R.; Bardelli, S.; Cassarà, L.; Castellano, M.; Cimatti, A.; Cucciati, O.; Durkalec, A.; Fontana, A.; Giavalisco, M.; Grazian, A.; Hathi, N. P.; Ilbert, O.; Paltani, S.; Pforr, J.; Ribeiro, B.; Schaerer, D.; Scodeggio, M.; Sommariva, V.; Talia, M.; Tresse, L.; Vanzella, E.; Vergani, D.; Capak, P.; Charlot, S.; Contini, T.; Cuby, J. G.; de la Torre, S.; Dunlop, J.; Fotopoulou, S.; Koekemoer, A.; López-Sanjuan, C.; Mellier, Y.; Salvato, M.; Scoville, N.; Taniguchi, Y.; Wang, P. W.

2017-01-01

The observed UV rest-frame spectra of distant galaxies are the result of their intrinsic emission combined with absorption along the line of sight produced by the inter-galactic medium (IGM). Here we analyse the evolution of the mean IGM transmission Tr(Lyα) and its dispersion along the line of sight for 2127 galaxies with 2.5 < z < 5.5 in the VIMOS Ultra Deep Survey (VUDS). We fitted model spectra combined with a range of IGM transmission to the galaxy spectra using the spectral fitting algorithm GOSSIP+. We used these fits to derive the mean IGM transmission towards each galaxy for several redshift slices from z = 2.5 to z = 5.5. We found that the mean IGM transmission defined as Tr(Lyα) = e- τ (with τ as the HI optical depth) is 79%, 69%, 59%, 55%, and 46% at redshifts 2.75, 3.22, 3.70, 4.23, and 4.77, respectively. We compared these results to measurements obtained from quasar lines of sight and found that the IGM transmission towards galaxies is in excellent agreement with quasar values up to redshift z 4. We found tentative evidence for a higher IGM transmission at z ≥ 4 compared to results from QSOs, but a degeneracy between dust extinction and IGM prevents us from firmly concluding whether the internal dust extinction for star-forming galaxies at z > 4 takes a mean value significantly in excess of E(B-V) > 0.15. Most importantly, we found a large dispersion of IGM transmission along the lines of sight towards distant galaxies with 68% of the distribution within 10 to 17% of the median value in δz = 0.5 bins, similar to what is found on the lines of sight towards QSOs. We demonstrate that taking this broad range of IGM transmission into account is important when selecting high-redshift galaxies based on their colour properties (e.g. LBG or photometric redshiftselection) because failing to do so causes a significant incompleteness in selecting high-redshift galaxy populations. We finally discuss the observed IGM properties and speculate that the broad range of observed transmissions might be the result of cosmic variance and clustering along lines of sight. This clearly shows that the sources that cause this extinction need to be more completely modelled. Based on data obtained with the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope, Paranal, Chile, under Large Program 185.A-0791.

The DAFT/FADA survey. I. Photometric redshifts along lines of sight to clusters in the z = [0.4, 0.9] interval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guennou, L.; Adami, C.; Ulmer, M. P.; Lebrun, V.; Durret, F.; Johnston, D.; Ilbert, O.; Clowe, D.; Gavazzi, R.; Murphy, K.; Schrabback, T.; Allam, S.; Annis, J.; Basa, S.; Benoist, C.; Biviano, A.; Cappi, A.; Kubo, J. M.; Marshall, P.; Mazure, A.; Rostagni, F.; Russeil, D.; Slezak, E.

2010-11-01

Context. As a contribution to the understanding of the dark energy concept, the Dark energy American French Team (DAFT, in French FADA) has started a large project to characterize statistically high redshift galaxy clusters, infer cosmological constraints from weak lensing tomography, and understand biases relevant for constraining dark energy and cluster physics in future cluster and cosmological experiments. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to establish the basis of reference for the photo-z determination used in all our subsequent papers, including weak lensing tomography studies. Methods: This project is based on a sample of 91 high redshift (z ≥ 0.4), massive (⪆3 × 1014 M_⊙) clusters with existing HST imaging, for which we are presently performing complementary multi-wavelength imaging. This allows us in particular to estimate spectral types and determine accurate photometric redshifts for galaxies along the lines of sight to the first ten clusters for which all the required data are available down to a limit of IAB = 24./24.5 with the LePhare software. The accuracy in redshift is of the order of 0.05 for the range 0.2 ≤ z ≤ 1.5. Results: We verified that the technique applied to obtain photometric redshifts works well by comparing our results to with previous works. In clusters, photo-z accuracy is degraded for bright absolute magnitudes and for the latest and earliest type galaxies. The photo-z accuracy also only slightly varies as a function of the spectral type for field galaxies. As a consequence, we find evidence for an environmental dependence of the photo-z accuracy, interpreted as the standard used spectral energy distributions being not very well suited to cluster galaxies. Finally, we modeled the LCDCS 0504 mass with the strong arcs detected along this line of sight. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Institute and the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility. STScI is operated by the association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under the NASA contract NAS 5-26555. Also based on observations made with ESO Telescopes at Paranal and La Silla Observatories under programme ESO LP 166.A-0162. Also based on visiting astronomer observations, at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, under contract with the National Science Foundation.

3D-HST + CANDELS: the Evolution of the Galaxy Size-mass Distribution Since Z=3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDerWel, A.; Franx, M.; vanDokkum, P. G.; Skelton, R. E.; Momcheva, I. G.; Whitaker, K. E.; Brammer, G. B.; Bell, E. F.; Rix, H.-W.; Wuyts, S.;

Redshift measurement of Fermi blazars for the Cherenkov telescope array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pita, S.; Goldoni, P.; Boisson, C.; Cotter, G.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lenain, J.-P.; Lindfors, E.; Williams, D. A.

2017-01-01

Blazars are active galactic nuclei, and the most numerous High Energy (HE) and Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray emitters. Their optical emission is often dominated by non-thermal, and, in the case of BL Lacs, featureless continuum radiation. This makes the determination of their redshift extremely difficult. Indeed, as of today only about 50% of γ-ray blazars have a measured spectroscopic redshift. The knowledge of redshift is fundamental because it allows the precise modeling of the VHE emission and also of its interaction with the extragalactic background light (EBL). The beginning of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) operations in the near future will allow the detection of several hundreds of new blazars. Using the Fermi catalogue of sources above 50 GeV (2FHL), we performed simulations which indicate that a significant fraction of the 2FHL blazars detectable by CTA will not have a measured redshift. As a matter of fact, the organization of observing campaigns to measure the redshift of these blazars has been recognized as a necessary support for the AGN Key Science Project of CTA. We are planning such an observing campaign. In order to optimize our chances of success, we will perform preliminary deep imaging observations aimed at detecting or setting upper limits to the host galaxy. We will then take spectra of the candidates with the brightest host galaxies. Taking advantage of the recent success of an X-shooter GTO observing campaign, these observations will be different with respect to previous ones due to the use of higher resolution spectrographs and of 8 meter class telescopes. We are starting to submit proposals for these observations. In this paper we briefly describe how candidates are selected and the corresponding observation program.

High-redshift galaxy populations and their descendants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qi; White, Simon D. M.

2009-06-01

We study predictions in the concordance Λ cold dark matter cosmology for the abundance and clustering of high-redshift galaxies and for the properties of their descendants. We focus on three high-redshift populations: Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ~ 3, optically selected star-forming galaxies at z ~ 2 (BXs) and distant red galaxies (DRGs) at z ~ 2. We select galaxies from mock catalogues based on the Millennium Simulation using the observational colour and apparent magnitude criteria. With plausible dust assumptions, our galaxy formation model can simultaneously reproduce the abundances, redshift distributions and clustering of all three observed populations. The star formation rates (SFRs) of model LBGs and BXs are lower than those quoted for the real samples, reflecting differing initial mass functions and scatter in model dust properties. About 85 per cent of model galaxies selected as DRGs are star forming, with SFRs in the range 1 to ~100Msolaryr-1. Model LBGs, BXs and DRGs together account for less than half of all star formation over the range 1.5 < z < 3.2; many massive, star-forming galaxies are predicted to be too heavily obscured to appear in these populations. Model BXs have metallicities which agree roughly with observation, but model LBGs are only slightly more metal poor, in disagreement with recent observational results. The model galaxies are predominantly disc dominated. Stellar masses for LBGs and BXs are ~109.9Msolar, and for DRGs are ~1010.7Msolar. Only about 30 per cent of model galaxies with M* > 1011Msolar are classified as LBGs or BXs at the relevant redshifts, while 65 per cent are classified as DRGs. Almost all model LBGs and BXs are the central galaxies of their dark haloes, but fewer than half of the haloes of any given mass have an LBG or BX central galaxy. Half of all LBG descendants at z = 2 would be identified as BXs, but very few as DRGs. Clustering increases with decreasing redshift for descendants of all three populations, becoming stronger than that of L* galaxies by z = 0, when many have become satellite galaxies and their typical stellar mass has increased by a factor of 10 for LBGs and BXs and by a factor of 3 for DRGs. This growth is dominated by star formation until z ~ 1 and thereafter by mergers. Merging is predicted to be more important for LBG and DRG descendants than for BX descendants. Most LBGs and DRGs end up as red ellipticals, while BXs have a more varied fate. Over 70 per cent of local galaxies with M* > 1011Msolar are predicted to have at least one LBG/BX/DRG progenitor.

Gone with the heat: a fundamental constraint on the imaging of dust and molecular gas in the early Universe.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Yu; Papadopoulos, Padelis P; Ivison, R J; Galametz, Maud; Smith, M W L; Xilouris, Emmanuel M

2016-06-01

Images of dust continuum and carbon monoxide (CO) line emission are powerful tools for deducing structural characteristics of galaxies, such as disc sizes, H2 gas velocity fields and enclosed H2 and dynamical masses. We report on a fundamental constraint set by the cosmic microwave background (CMB) on the observed structural and dynamical characteristics of galaxies, as deduced from dust continuum and CO-line imaging at high redshifts. As the CMB temperature rises in the distant Universe, the ensuing thermal equilibrium between the CMB and the cold dust and H2 gas progressively erases all spatial and spectral contrasts between their brightness distributions and the CMB. For high-redshift galaxies, this strongly biases the recoverable H2 gas and dust mass distributions, scale lengths, gas velocity fields and dynamical mass estimates. This limitation is unique to millimetre/submillimetre wavelengths and unlike its known effect on the global dust continuum and molecular line emission of galaxies, it cannot be addressed simply. We nevertheless identify a unique signature of CMB-affected continuum brightness distributions, namely an increasing rather than diminishing contrast between such brightness distributions and the CMB when the cold dust in distant galaxies is imaged at frequencies beyond the Raleigh-Jeans limit. For the molecular gas tracers, the same effect makes the atomic carbon lines maintain a larger contrast than the CO lines against the CMB.

Gamma-Ray Bursts and Cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norris, Jay P.

2003-01-01

The unrivalled, extreme luminosities of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) make them the favored beacons for sampling the high redshift Universe. To employ GRBs to study the cosmic terrain -- e.g., star and galaxy formation history -- GRB luminosities must be calibrated, and the luminosity function versus redshift must be measured or inferred. Several nascent relationships between gamma-ray temporal or spectral indicators and luminosity or total energy have been reported. These measures promise to further our understanding of GRBs once the connections between the luminosity indicators and GRB jets and emission mechanisms are better elucidated. The current distribution of 33 redshifts determined from host galaxies and afterglows peaks near z $\\sim$ 1, whereas for the full BATSE sample of long bursts, the lag-luminosity relation predicts a broad peak z $\\sim$ 1--4 with a tail to z $\\sim$ 20, in rough agreement with theoretical models based on star formation considerations. For some GRB subclasses and apparently related phenomena -- short bursts, long-lag bursts, and X-ray flashes -- the present information on their redshift distributions is sparse or entirely lacking, and progress is expected in Swift era when prompt alerts become numerous.

Peculiar velocity effect on galaxy correlation functions in nonlinear clustering regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsubara, Takahiko

1994-03-01

We studied the distortion of the apparent distribution of galaxies in redshift space contaminated by the peculiar velocity effect. Specifically we obtained the expressions for N-point correlation functions in redshift space with given functional form for velocity distribution f(v) and evaluated two- and three-point correlation functions quantitatively. The effect of velocity correlations is also discussed. When the two-point correlation function in real space has a power-law form, Xir(r) is proportional to r(-gamma), the redshift-space counterpart on small scales also has a power-law form but with an increased power-law index: Xis(s) is proportional to s(1-gamma). When the three-point correlation function has the hierarchical form and the two-point correlation function has the power-law form in real space, the hierarchical form of the three-point correlation function is almost preserved in redshift space. The above analytic results are compared with the direct analysis based on N-body simulation data for cold dark matter models. Implications on the hierarchical clustering ansatz are discussed in detail.

The Kinematics of Multiple-peaked Lyα Emission in Star-forming Galaxies at z ~ 2-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulas, Kristin R.; Shapley, Alice E.; Kollmeier, Juna A.; Zheng, Zheng; Steidel, Charles C.; Hainline, Kevin N.

2012-01-01

We present new results on the Lyα emission-line kinematics of 18 z ~ 2-3 star-forming galaxies with multiple-peaked Lyα profiles. With our large spectroscopic database of UV-selected star-forming galaxies at these redshifts, we have determined that ~30% of such objects with detectable Lyα emission display multiple-peaked emission profiles. These profiles provide additional constraints on the escape of Lyα photons due to the rich velocity structure in the emergent line. Despite recent advances in modeling the escape of Lyα from star-forming galaxies at high redshifts, comparisons between models and data are often missing crucial observational information. Using Keck II NIRSPEC spectra of Hα (z ~ 2) and [O III]λ5007 (z ~ 3), we have measured accurate systemic redshifts, rest-frame optical nebular velocity dispersions, and emission-line fluxes for the objects in the sample. In addition, rest-frame UV luminosities and colors provide estimates of star formation rates and the degree of dust extinction. In concert with the profile sub-structure, these measurements provide critical constraints on the geometry and kinematics of interstellar gas in high-redshift galaxies. Accurate systemic redshifts allow us to translate the multiple-peaked Lyα profiles into velocity space, revealing that the majority (11/18) display double-peaked emission straddling the velocity-field zero point with stronger red-side emission. Interstellar absorption-line kinematics suggest the presence of large-scale outflows for the majority of objects in our sample, with an average measured interstellar absorption velocity offset of langΔv absrang = -230 km s-1. A comparison of the interstellar absorption kinematics for objects with multiple- and single-peaked Lyα profiles indicate that the multiple-peaked objects are characterized by significantly narrower absorption line widths. We compare our data with the predictions of simple models for outflowing and infalling gas distributions around high-redshift galaxies. While popular "shell" models provide a qualitative match with many of the observations of Lyα emission, we find that in detail there are important discrepancies between the models and data, as well as problems with applying the framework of an expanding thin shell of gas to explain high-redshift galaxy spectra. Our data highlight these inconsistencies, as well as illuminating critical elements for success in future models of outflow and infall in high-redshift galaxies. Based, in part, on data obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA, and was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Weighing the Giants - I. Weak-lensing masses for 51 massive galaxy clusters: project overview, data analysis methods and cluster images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von der Linden, Anja; Allen, Mark T.; Applegate, Douglas E.; Kelly, Patrick L.; Allen, Steven W.; Ebeling, Harald; Burchat, Patricia R.; Burke, David L.; Donovan, David; Morris, R. Glenn; Blandford, Roger; Erben, Thomas; Mantz, Adam

2014-03-01

This is the first in a series of papers in which we measure accurate weak-lensing masses for 51 of the most X-ray luminous galaxy clusters known at redshifts 0.15 ≲ zCl ≲ 0.7, in order to calibrate X-ray and other mass proxies for cosmological cluster experiments. The primary aim is to improve the absolute mass calibration of cluster observables, currently the dominant systematic uncertainty for cluster count experiments. Key elements of this work are the rigorous quantification of systematic uncertainties, high-quality data reduction and photometric calibration, and the `blind' nature of the analysis to avoid confirmation bias. Our target clusters are drawn from X-ray catalogues based on the ROSAT All-Sky Survey, and provide a versatile calibration sample for many aspects of cluster cosmology. We have acquired wide-field, high-quality imaging using the Subaru Telescope and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope for all 51 clusters, in at least three bands per cluster. For a subset of 27 clusters, we have data in at least five bands, allowing accurate photometric redshift estimates of lensed galaxies. In this paper, we describe the cluster sample and observations, and detail the processing of the SuprimeCam data to yield high-quality images suitable for robust weak-lensing shape measurements and precision photometry. For each cluster, we present wide-field three-colour optical images and maps of the weak-lensing mass distribution, the optical light distribution and the X-ray emission. These provide insights into the large-scale structure in which the clusters are embedded. We measure the offsets between X-ray flux centroids and the brightest cluster galaxies in the clusters, finding these to be small in general, with a median of 20 kpc. For offsets ≲100 kpc, weak-lensing mass measurements centred on the brightest cluster galaxies agree well with values determined relative to the X-ray centroids; miscentring is therefore not a significant source of systematic uncertainty for our weak-lensing mass measurements. In accompanying papers, we discuss the key aspects of our photometric calibration and photometric redshift measurements (Kelly et al.), and measure cluster masses using two methods, including a novel Bayesian weak-lensing approach that makes full use of the photometric redshift probability distributions for individual background galaxies (Applegate et al.). In subsequent papers, we will incorporate these weak-lensing mass measurements into a self-consistent framework to simultaneously determine cluster scaling relations and cosmological parameters.

The abundance, distribution, and physical nature of highly ionized oxygen O VI, O VII, and O VIII in IllustrisTNG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Dylan; Kauffmann, Guinevere; Pillepich, Annalisa; Genel, Shy; Springel, Volker; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Hernquist, Lars; Weinberger, Rainer; Torrey, Paul; Vogelsberger, Mark; Marinacci, Federico

2018-06-01

We explore the abundance, spatial distribution, and physical properties of the O VI, O VII, and O VIII ions of oxygen in circumgalactic and intergalactic media (the CGM, IGM, and WHIM). We use the TNG100 and TNG300 large volume cosmological magnetohydrodynamical simulations. Modelling the ionization states of simulated oxygen, we find good agreement with observations of the low-redshift O VI column density distribution function (CDDF), and present its evolution for all three ions from z = 0 to z = 4. Producing mock quasar absorption line spectral surveys, we show that the IllustrisTNG simulations are fully consistent with constraints on the O VI content of the CGM from COS-haloes and other low-redshift observations, producing columns as high as observed. We measure the total amount of mass and average column densities of each ion using hundreds of thousands of simulated galaxies spanning 10^{11} < {M}_halo/ M⊙<1015 corresponding to 109 < M⋆/ M⊙<1012 in stellar mass. Stacked radial profiles of O VI are computed in 3D number density and 2D projected column density, decomposing into 1-halo and 2-halo terms. Relating halo O VI to properties of the central galaxy, we find a correlation between the (g - r) colour of a galaxy and the total amount of O VI in its CGM. In comparison to the COS-Haloes finding, this leads to a dichotomy of columns around star-forming versus passive galaxies at fixed stellar (or halo) mass. We demonstrate that this correlation is a direct result of black hole feedback associated with quenching and represents a causal consequence of galactic-scale baryonic feedback impacting the physical state of the circumgalactic medium.

Implications of the Low Binary Black Hole Aligned Spins Observed by LIGO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hotokezaka, Kenta; Piran, Tsvi

We explore the implications of the low-spin components along the orbital axis observed in an Advanced LIGO O1 run on binary black hole (BBH) merger scenarios in which the merging BBHs have evolved from field binaries. The coalescence time determines the initial orbital separation of BBHs. This, in turn, determines whether the stars are synchronized before collapse, and hence determines their projected spins. Short coalescence times imply synchronization and large spins. Among known stellar objects, Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars seem to be the only progenitors consistent with the low aligned spins observed in LIGO’s O1, provided that the orbital axis maintainsmore » its direction during the collapse. We calculate the spin distribution of BBH mergers in the local universe, and its redshift evolution for WR progenitors. Assuming that the BBH formation rate peaks around a redshift of ∼2–3, we show that BBH mergers in the local universe are dominated by low-spin events. The high-spin population starts to dominate at a redshift of ∼0.5–1.5. WR stars are also progenitors of long gamma-ray bursts that take place at a comparable rate to BBH mergers. We discuss the possible connection between the two phenomena. Additionally, we show that hypothetical Population III star progenitors are also possible. Although WR and Population III progenitors are consistent with the current data, both models predict a non-vanishing fraction of high positive values of the BBHs’ aligned spin. If those are not detected within the coming LIGO/Virgo runs, it will be unlikely that the observed BBHs formed via field binaries.« less

Probing the very high energy  γ-ray spectral curvature in the blazar PG 1553+113 with the MAGIC telescopes

DOE PAGES

Aleksi , J.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.; ...

2015-05-13

PG 1553+113 is a very high energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emitter classified as a BL Lac object. Its redshift is constrained by intergalactic absorption lines in the range 0.4 < z < 0.58. The MAGIC telescopes have monitored the source's activity since 2005. In early 2012, PG 1553+113 was found in a high state, and later, in April of the same year, the source reached its highest VHE flux state detected so far. Simultaneous observations carried out in X-rays during 2012 April show similar flaring behaviour. In contrast, the γ-ray flux at E < 100 GeV observedmore » by Fermi-LAT is compatible with steady emission. Here, in this paper, a detailed study of the flaring state is presented. The VHE spectrum shows clear curvature, being well fitted either by a power law with an exponential cut-off or by a log-parabola. A simple power-law fit hypothesis for the observed shape of the PG 1553+113 VHE γ-ray spectrum is rejected with a high significance (fit probability P = 2.6 × 10 -6). The observed curvature is compatible with the extragalactic background light (EBL) imprint predicted by current generation EBL models assuming a redshift z ~ 0.4. New constraints on the redshift are derived from the VHE spectrum. These constraints are compatible with previous limits and suggest that the source is most likely located around the optical lower limit, z = 0.4, based on the detection of Lyα absorption. Lastly, we find that the synchrotron self-Compton model gives a satisfactory description of the observed multiwavelength spectral energy distribution during the flare.« less

Perturbed redshifts from N -body simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamek, Julian

2018-01-01

In order to keep pace with the increasing data quality of astronomical surveys the observed source redshift has to be modeled beyond the well-known Doppler contribution. In this article I want to examine the gauge issue that is often glossed over when one assigns a perturbed redshift to simulated data generated with a Newtonian N -body code. A careful analysis reveals the presence of a correction term that has so far been neglected. It is roughly proportional to the observed length scale divided by the Hubble scale and therefore suppressed inside the horizon. However, on gigaparsec scales it can be comparable to the gravitational redshift and hence amounts to an important relativistic effect.

AGES: THE AGN AND GALAXY EVOLUTION SURVEY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kochanek, C. S.; Eisenstein, D. J.; Caldwell, N.

2012-05-01

The AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES) is a redshift survey covering, in its standard fields, 7.7 deg{sup 2} of the Booetes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. The final sample consists of 23,745 redshifts. There are well-defined galaxy samples in 10 bands (the B{sub W} , R, I, J, K, IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 {mu}m, and MIPS 24 {mu}m bands) to a limiting magnitude of I < 20 mag for spectroscopy. For these galaxies, we obtained 18,163 redshifts from a sample of 35,200 galaxies, where random sparse sampling was used to define statistically complete sub-samples inmore » all 10 photometric bands. The median galaxy redshift is 0.31, and 90% of the redshifts are in the range 0.085 < z < 0.66. Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) were selected as radio, X-ray, IRAC mid-IR, and MIPS 24 {mu}m sources to fainter limiting magnitudes (I < 22.5 mag for point sources). Redshifts were obtained for 4764 quasars and galaxies with AGN signatures, with 2926, 1718, 605, 119, and 13 above redshifts of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. We detail all the AGES selection procedures and present the complete spectroscopic redshift catalogs and spectral energy distribution decompositions. Photometric redshift estimates are provided for all sources in the AGES samples.« less

The Sherwood simulation suite: overview and data comparisons with the Lyman α forest at redshifts 2 ≤ z ≤ 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolton, James S.; Puchwein, Ewald; Sijacki, Debora; Haehnelt, Martin G.; Kim, Tae-Sun; Meiksin, Avery; Regan, John A.; Viel, Matteo

2017-01-01

We introduce a new set of large-scale, high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of the intergalactic medium: the Sherwood simulation suite. These are performed in volumes of 103-1603h-3 comoving Mpc3, span almost four orders of magnitude in mass resolution with up to 17.2 billion particles, and employ a variety of physics variations including warm dark matter and galactic outflows. We undertake a detailed comparison of the simulations to high-resolution, high signal-to-noise observations of the Ly α forest over the redshift range 2 ≤ z ≤ 5. The simulations are in very good agreement with the observational data, lending further support to the paradigm that the Ly α forest is a natural consequence of the web-like distribution of matter arising in Λcold dark matter cosmological models. Only a small number of minor discrepancies remain with respect to the observational data. Saturated Ly α absorption lines with column densities N_{H I}>10^{14.5} cm^{-2} at 2 < z < 2.5 are underpredicted in the models. An uncertain correction for continuum placement bias is required to match the distribution and power spectrum of the transmitted flux, particularly at z > 4. Finally, the temperature of intergalactic gas in the simulations may be slightly too low at z = 2.7 and a flatter temperature-density relation is required at z = 2.4, consistent with the expected effects of non-equilibrium ionization during He II reionization.

Dust Evolution in Galaxy Cluster Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gjergo, Eda; Granato, Gian Luigi; Murante, Giuseppe; Ragone-Figueroa, Cinthia; Tornatore, Luca; Borgani, Stefano

2018-06-01

We implement a state-of-the-art treatment of the processes affecting the production and Interstellar Medium (ISM) evolution of carbonaceous and silicate dust grains within SPH simulations. We trace the dust grain size distribution by means of a two-size approximation. We test our method on zoom-in simulations of four massive (M200 ≥ 3 × 1014M⊙) galaxy clusters. We predict that during the early stages of assembly of the cluster at z ≳ 3, where the star formation activity is at its maximum in our simulations, the proto-cluster regions are rich in dusty gas. Compared to the case in which only dust production in stellar ejecta is active, if we include processes occurring in the cold ISM,the dust content is enhanced by a factor 2 - 3. However, the dust properties in this stage turn out to be significantly different from those observationally derived for the average Milky Way dust, and commonly adopted in calculations of dust reprocessing. We show that these differences may have a strong impact on the predicted spectral energy distributions. At low redshift in star forming regions our model reproduces reasonably well the trend of dust abundances over metallicity as observed in local galaxies. However we under-produce by a factor of 2 to 3 the total dust content of clusters estimated observationally at low redshift, z ≲ 0.5 using IRAS, Planck and Herschel satellites data. This discrepancy does not subsist by assuming a lower sputtering efficiency, which erodes dust grains in the hot Intracluster Medium (ICM).

Small-scale modification to the lensing kernel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadzhiyska, Boryana; Spergel, David; Dunkley, Joanna

2018-02-01

Calculations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing power implemented into the standard cosmological codes such as camb and class usually treat the surface of last scatter as an infinitely thin screen. However, since the CMB anisotropies are smoothed out on scales smaller than the diffusion length due to the effect of Silk damping, the photons which carry information about the small-scale density distribution come from slightly earlier times than the standard recombination time. The dominant effect is the scale dependence of the mean redshift associated with the fluctuations during recombination. We find that fluctuations at k =0.01 Mpc-1 come from a characteristic redshift of z ≈1090 , while fluctuations at k =0.3 Mpc-1 come from a characteristic redshift of z ≈1130 . We then estimate the corrections to the lensing kernel and the related power spectra due to this effect. We conclude that neglecting it would result in a deviation from the true value of the lensing kernel at the half percent level at small CMB scales. For an all-sky, noise-free experiment, this corresponds to a ˜0.1 σ shift in the observed temperature power spectrum on small scales (2500 ≲l ≲4000 ).

Redshift Measurement and Spectral Classification for eBoss Galaxies with the Redmonster Software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hutchinson, Timothy A.; Bolton, Adam S.; Dawson, Kyle S.

“Cosmological redshift surveys” are experiments conducted with astronomical telescopes, imagers, and spectrographs, which map the three-dimensional structure of the universe on the largest scales. These maps are delineated by the positions of galaxies, quasars, and intergalactic hydrogen clouds. When interpreted in the context of Einstein’s theory of gravity, these maps can be used to infer the nature of the contents of the universe, including the mysterious “dark energy” that is driving the expansion of the universe to accelerate. While the directional positions of galaxies and other objects can be measured directly in images of the sky, the third dimension ofmore » their position (i.e., their distance from the Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy) must be measured by spectrographs that distribute their light as a function of frequency, enabling a measurement of their cosmological Doppler shift (or “redshift”), which serves as an observable proxy for distance. The largest cosmological redshift surveys, such as the “eBOSS” experiment of the fourth Sloan Digital Sky Survey, collect spectroscopic data for hundreds of thousands to millions of galaxies. Future experiments such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument will in turn collect tens of millions of spectra. To be feasible, redshift measurement methods in datasets of this scale must be made with automated software. This paper describes the algorithms, astrophysical templates, and implementation of a new redshift measurement software package that is optimized to run on large numbers of spectra with relatively low signal-to-noise ratio, typical of the most ambitious current and future cosmological redshift surveys. The software is demonstrated on spectroscopic data from the eBOSS survey, with performance that meets the scientific requirements of that experiment. The software is implemented in a general framework that will allow application to spectra from the DESI project in the future.« less

Redshift Measurement and Spectral Classification for eBoss Galaxies with the Redmonster Software

DOE PAGES

Hutchinson, Timothy A.; Bolton, Adam S.; Dawson, Kyle S.; ...

2016-12-02

“Cosmological redshift surveys” are experiments conducted with astronomical telescopes, imagers, and spectrographs, which map the three-dimensional structure of the universe on the largest scales. These maps are delineated by the positions of galaxies, quasars, and intergalactic hydrogen clouds. When interpreted in the context of Einstein’s theory of gravity, these maps can be used to infer the nature of the contents of the universe, including the mysterious “dark energy” that is driving the expansion of the universe to accelerate. While the directional positions of galaxies and other objects can be measured directly in images of the sky, the third dimension ofmore » their position (i.e., their distance from the Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy) must be measured by spectrographs that distribute their light as a function of frequency, enabling a measurement of their cosmological Doppler shift (or “redshift”), which serves as an observable proxy for distance. The largest cosmological redshift surveys, such as the “eBOSS” experiment of the fourth Sloan Digital Sky Survey, collect spectroscopic data for hundreds of thousands to millions of galaxies. Future experiments such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument will in turn collect tens of millions of spectra. To be feasible, redshift measurement methods in datasets of this scale must be made with automated software. This paper describes the algorithms, astrophysical templates, and implementation of a new redshift measurement software package that is optimized to run on large numbers of spectra with relatively low signal-to-noise ratio, typical of the most ambitious current and future cosmological redshift surveys. The software is demonstrated on spectroscopic data from the eBOSS survey, with performance that meets the scientific requirements of that experiment. The software is implemented in a general framework that will allow application to spectra from the DESI project in the future.« less

Extending pure luminosity evolution models into the mid-infrared, far-infrared and submillimetre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Michael D.; Shanks, Tom

2011-07-01

Simple pure luminosity evolution (PLE) models, in which galaxies brighten at high redshift due to increased star formation rates (SFRs), are known to provide a good fit to the colours and number counts of galaxies throughout the optical and near-infrared. We show that optically defined PLE models, where dust reradiates absorbed optical light into infrared spectra composed of local galaxy templates, fit galaxy counts and colours out to 8 μm and to at least z≈ 2.5. At 24-70 μm, the model is able to reproduce the observed source counts with reasonable success if 16 per cent of spiral galaxies show an excess in mid-IR flux due to a warmer dust component and a higher SFR, in line with observations of local starburst galaxies. There remains an underprediction of the number of faint-flux, high-z sources at 24 μm, so we explore how the evolution may be altered to correct this. At 160 μm and longer wavelengths, the model fails, with our model of normal galaxies accounting for only a few percent of sources in these bands. However, we show that a PLE model of obscured AGN, which we have previously shown to give a good fit to observations at 850 μm, also provides a reasonable fit to the Herschel/BLAST number counts and redshift distributions at 250-500 μm. In the context of a ΛCDM cosmology, an AGN contribution at 250-870 μm would remove the need to invoke a top-heavy IMF for high-redshift starburst galaxies.

Adiabatic wavelength redshift by dynamic carrier depletion using p -i -n -diode-loaded photonic crystal waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, K.; Baba, T.

2018-03-01

We demonstrate an adiabatic wavelength redshift using dynamic carrier depletion. Free carriers are first induced through two-photon absorption of a control pulse and then extracted by a reverse-biased p-i-n diode formed on a Si photonic crystal waveguide, resulting in rapid carrier depletion. A copropagating signal pulse is redshifted by the consequent increase in refractive index. We experimentally evaluated the dynamics of the carrier depletion by the pump-probe method and explored suitable conditions for adiabatic redshift. The signal's redshift was observed, and was confirmed to originate in the dynamic carrier depletion. The redshift was experimentally determined as 0.21 nm.

The x-ray luminosity-redshift relationship of quasars

PubMed Central

Segal, I. E.; Segal, W.

1980-01-01

Chronometric cosmology provides an excellent fit for the phenomenological x-ray luminosity-redshift relationship for 49 quasars observed by the Einstein satellite. Analysis of the data on the basis of the Friedmann cosmology leads to a correlation of absolute x-ray luminosity with redshift of >0.8, which is increased to ∼1 in the bright envelope. Although the trend might be ascribed a priori to an observational magnitude bias, it persists after nonparametric, maximum-likelihood removal of this bias. PMID:16592826

FRB strength distribution challenges the cosmological principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, J. I.

2017-11-01

The distribution of fast radio burst (FRB) fluxes and fluences is characterized by a few very bright events and a deficiency of fainter events, compared to expectations for a homogeneous space-filling distribution. I define a metric to quantify this, and apply it to the 17 presently known Parkes FRB, products of a comparatively homogeneous search. With 98 per cent confidence, we reject the hypothesis of a homogeneous distribution in Euclidean space. Possible explanations include a reduction of fainter events by cosmological redshifts or evolution or a cosmologically local concentration of events. The former is opposed by the small value of the one known FRB redshift. The latter contradicts the Cosmological Principle, but may be explained if the brighter FRB originates in the Local Supercluster.

The DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey: Design, Observations, Data Reduction, and Redshifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Jeffrey A.; Cooper, Michael C.; Davis, Marc; Faber, S. M.; Coil, Alison L; Guhathakurta, Puraga; Koo, David C.; Phillips, Andrew C.; Conroy, Charlie; Dutton, Aaron A.;

Techniques of Global analysis applied to gravitation theories: A cosmological black hole?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Debney, G.

1977-01-01

An elementary model of freely falling observers and emitters within a black hole's radius is examined to determine the redshift spectrum reaching a typical observer. The model is independent of scale, the fundamental unit being the radius (mass) of the black hole. The observers/emitters all follow the same kinds of trajectories: radially inward and starting from rest at spatial infinity. The test-particle role is assumed throughout; i.e., the observers/emitters do not themselves contribute to the gravitational field of the system. By means of redshift formulas and luminosity distance to the emitters, a picture of actual redshifts and blueshifts, with their intensities, emerges for an observer within the black hole's radius. No luminosity distances greater than approximately one-half the radius are considered in this particular study; nevertheless, redshifts and blueshifts up to approximately 0.6 are seen in portions of the observer's celestial sphere. An exotic application can be made, as a curiosity, to a black hole the size of the universe, resulting in a particular anisotropic "cosmology."

Probing primordial non-Gaussianity via iSW measurements with SKA continuum surveys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raccanelli, Alvise; Doré, Olivier, E-mail: alvise@jhu.edu, E-mail: olivier.dore@caltech.edu; Bacon, David J.

The Planck CMB experiment has delivered the best constraints so far on primordial non-Gaussianity, ruling out early-Universe models of inflation that generate large non-Gaussianity. Although small improvements in the CMB constraints are expected, the next frontier of precision will come from future large-scale surveys of the galaxy distribution. The advantage of such surveys is that they can measure many more modes than the CMB—in particular, forthcoming radio surveys with the Square Kilometre Array will cover huge volumes. Radio continuum surveys deliver the largest volumes, but with the disadvantage of no redshift information. In order to mitigate this, we use twomore » additional observables. First, the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect—the cross-correlation of the radio number counts with the CMB temperature anisotropies—helps to reduce systematics on the large scales that are sensitive to non-Gaussianity. Second, optical data allows for cross-identification in order to gain some redshift information. We show that, while the single redshift bin case can provide a σ(f{sub NL}) ∼ 20, and is therefore not competitive with current and future constraints on non-Gaussianity, a tomographic analysis could improve the constraints by an order of magnitude, even with only two redshift bins. A huge improvement is provided by the addition of high-redshift sources, so having cross-ID for high-z galaxies and an even higher-z radio tail is key to enabling very precise measurements of f{sub NL}. We use Fisher matrix forecasts to predict the constraining power in the case of no redshift information and the case where cross-ID allows a tomographic analysis, and we show that the constraints do not improve much with 3 or more bins. Our results show that SKA continuum surveys could provide constraints competitive with CMB and forthcoming optical surveys, potentially allowing a measurement of σ(f{sub NL}) ∼ 1 to be made. Moreover, these measurements would act as a useful check of results obtained with other probes at other redshift ranges with other methods.« less

Spectral Confusion for Cosmological Surveys of Redshifted C II Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kogut, A.; Dwek, E.; Moseley, S. H.

2015-01-01

Far-infrared cooling lines are ubiquitous features in the spectra of star-forming galaxies. Surveys of redshifted fine-structure lines provide a promising new tool to study structure formation and galactic evolution at redshifts including the epoch of reionization as well as the peak of star formation. Unlike neutral hydrogen surveys, where the 21 cm line is the only bright line, surveys of redshifted fine-structure lines suffer from confusion generated by line broadening, spectral overlap of different lines, and the crowding of sources with redshift. We use simulations to investigate the resulting spectral confusion and derive observing parameters to minimize these effects in pencilbeam surveys of redshifted far-IR line emission. We generate simulated spectra of the 17 brightest far-IR lines in galaxies, covering the 150-1300 µm wavelength region corresponding to redshifts 0 < z < 7, and develop a simple iterative algorithm that successfully identifies the 158 µm [C II] line and other lines. Although the [C II] line is a principal coolant for the interstellar medium, the assumption that the brightest observed lines in a given line of sight are always [C II] lines is a poor approximation to the simulated spectra once other lines are included. Blind line identification requires detection of fainter companion lines from the same host galaxies, driving survey sensitivity requirements. The observations require moderate spectral resolution 700 < R < 4000 with angular resolution between 20? and 10', sufficiently narrow to minimize confusion yet sufficiently large to include a statistically meaningful number of sources.

Radio spectra of bright compact sources at z > 4.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppejans, Rocco; van Velzen, Sjoert; Intema, Huib T.; Müller, Cornelia; Frey, Sándor; Coppejans, Deanne L.; Cseh, Dávid; Williams, Wendy L.; Falcke, Heino; Körding, Elmar G.; Orrú, Emanuela; Paragi, Zsolt; Gabányi, Krisztina É.

2017-05-01

High-redshift quasars are important to study galaxy and active galactic nuclei evolution, test cosmological models and study supermassive black hole growth. Optical searches for high-redshift sources have been very successful, but radio searches are not hampered by dust obscuration and should be more effective at finding sources at even higher redshifts. Identifying high-redshift sources based on radio data is, however, not trivial. Here we report on new multifrequency Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope observations of eight z > 4.5 sources previously studied at high angular resolution with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Combining these observations with those from the literature, we construct broad-band radio spectra of all 30 z > 4.5 sources that have been observed with VLBI. In the sample we found flat, steep and peaked spectra in approximately equal proportions. Despite several selection effects, we conclude that the z > 4.5 VLBI (and likely also non-VLBI) sources have diverse spectra and that only about a quarter of the sources in the sample have flat spectra. Previously, the majority of high-redshift radio sources were identified based on their ultrasteep spectra. Recently, a new method has been proposed to identify these objects based on their megahertz-peaked spectra. No method would have identified more than 18 per cent of the high-redshift sources in this sample. More effective methods are necessary to reliably identify complete samples of high-redshift sources based on radio data.

High redshift QSOs and the x ray background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Impey, Chris

1993-01-01

ROSAT pointed observations were made of 9 QSO's from the Large Bright Quasar Survey (LBQS). The LBQS is based on machine measurement of objective prism plates taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Software has been used to select QSO's by both color and by the presence of spectral features and continuum breaks. The probability of detection can be calculated as a function of magnitude, redshift and spectral features, and the completeness of the survey can be accurately estimated. Nine out of 1040 QSO's in the LBQS have z greater than 3. The observations will provide an important data point in the X-ray luminosity function of QSO's at high redshift. The QSO's with z greater than 3 span less than a magnitude in M(sub B), so can be combined as a homogeneous sample. This analysis is only possible with a sample drawn from a large and complete catalog such as the LBQS. Four of the 9 QSO's that were observed with the ROSAT PSPC for this proposal were detected, including one of the most luminous X-ray sources ever observed. The April 1992 version of the PROS DETECT package was used to reduce the data. The results have been used to search for evolution of the X-ray properties of QSO's in redshift. The 9 QSO's lie in the range -28.7 less than M(sub B) less than -27.8. When combined with data for 16 QSO's in a similar luminosity range at lower redshift correlations with luminosity and redshift can be separated out. The LBQS sample also yields a new constraint on the contribution of high redshift QSO's to the X-ray background. An initial requirement is knowledge of the X-ray properties (alpha(sub OX)) as a function of redshift. Integration over the evolving luminosity function of the LBQS then gives the QSO contribution to the source counts.

N-body simulations with a cosmic vector for dark energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlesi, Edoardo; Knebe, Alexander; Yepes, Gustavo; Gottlöber, Stefan; Jiménez, Jose Beltrán.; Maroto, Antonio L.

2012-07-01

We present the results of a series of cosmological N-body simulations of a vector dark energy (VDE) model, performed using a suitably modified version of the publicly available GADGET-2 code. The set-ups of our simulations were calibrated pursuing a twofold aim: (1) to analyse the large-scale distribution of massive objects and (2) to determine the properties of halo structure in this different framework. We observe that structure formation is enhanced in VDE, since the mass function at high redshift is boosted up to a factor of 10 with respect to Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM), possibly alleviating tensions with the observations of massive clusters at high redshifts and early reionization epoch. Significant differences can also be found for the value of the growth factor, which in VDE shows a completely different behaviour, and in the distribution of voids, which in this cosmology are on average smaller and less abundant. We further studied the structure of dark matter haloes more massive than 5 × 1013 h-1 M⊙, finding that no substantial difference emerges when comparing spin parameter, shape, triaxiality and profiles of structures evolved under different cosmological pictures. Nevertheless, minor differences can be found in the concentration-mass relation and the two-point correlation function, both showing different amplitudes and steeper slopes. Using an additional series of simulations of a ΛCDM scenario with the same ? and σ8 used in the VDE cosmology, we have been able to establish whether the modifications induced in the new cosmological picture were due to the particular nature of the dynamical dark energy or a straightforward consequence of the cosmological parameters. On large scales, the dynamical effects of the cosmic vector field can be seen in the peculiar evolution of the cluster number density function with redshift, in the shape of the mass function, in the distribution of voids and on the characteristic form of the growth index γ(z). On smaller scales, internal properties of haloes are almost unaffected by the change of cosmology, since no statistical difference can be observed in the characteristics of halo profiles, spin parameters, shapes and triaxialities. Only halo masses and concentrations show a substantial increase, which can, however, be attributed to the change in the cosmological parameters.

Distribution function approach to redshift space distortions. Part IV: perturbation theory applied to dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlah, Zvonimir; Seljak, Uroš; McDonald, Patrick; Okumura, Teppei; Baldauf, Tobias

2012-11-01

We develop a perturbative approach to redshift space distortions (RSD) using the phase space distribution function approach and apply it to the dark matter redshift space power spectrum and its moments. RSD can be written as a sum over density weighted velocity moments correlators, with the lowest order being density, momentum density and stress energy density. We use standard and extended perturbation theory (PT) to determine their auto and cross correlators, comparing them to N-body simulations. We show which of the terms can be modeled well with the standard PT and which need additional terms that include higher order corrections which cannot be modeled in PT. Most of these additional terms are related to the small scale velocity dispersion effects, the so called finger of god (FoG) effects, which affect some, but not all, of the terms in this expansion, and which can be approximately modeled using a simple physically motivated ansatz such as the halo model. We point out that there are several velocity dispersions that enter into the detailed RSD analysis with very different amplitudes, which can be approximately predicted by the halo model. In contrast to previous models our approach systematically includes all of the terms at a given order in PT and provides a physical interpretation for the small scale dispersion values. We investigate RSD power spectrum as a function of μ, the cosine of the angle between the Fourier mode and line of sight, focusing on the lowest order powers of μ and multipole moments which dominate the observable RSD power spectrum. Overall we find considerable success in modeling many, but not all, of the terms in this expansion. This is similar to the situation in real space, but predicting power spectrum in redshift space is more difficult because of the explicit influence of small scale dispersion type effects in RSD, which extend to very large scales.

The Foundation Supernova Survey: motivation, design, implementation, and first data release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Ryan J.; Scolnic, Daniel; Rest, Armin; Jha, S. W.; Pan, Y.-C.; Riess, A. G.; Challis, P.; Chambers, K. C.; Coulter, D. A.; Dettman, K. G.; Foley, M. M.; Fox, O. D.; Huber, M. E.; Jones, D. O.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Kirshner, R. P.; Schultz, A. S. B.; Siebert, M. R.; Flewelling, H. A.; Gibson, B.; Magnier, E. A.; Miller, J. A.; Primak, N.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.; Willman, M.

2018-03-01

The Foundation Supernova Survey aims to provide a large, high-fidelity, homogeneous, and precisely calibrated low-redshift Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) sample for cosmology. The calibration of the current low-redshift SN sample is the largest component of systematic uncertainties for SN cosmology, and new data are necessary to make progress. We present the motivation, survey design, observation strategy, implementation, and first results for the Foundation Supernova Survey. We are using the Pan-STARRS telescope to obtain photometry for up to 800 SNe Ia at z ≲ 0.1. This strategy has several unique advantages: (1) the Pan-STARRS system is a superbly calibrated telescopic system, (2) Pan-STARRS has observed 3/4 of the sky in grizyP1 making future template observations unnecessary, (3) we have a well-tested data-reduction pipeline, and (4) we have observed ˜3000 high-redshift SNe Ia on this system. Here, we present our initial sample of 225 SN Ia grizP1 light curves, of which 180 pass all criteria for inclusion in a cosmological sample. The Foundation Supernova Survey already contains more cosmologically useful SNe Ia than all other published low-redshift SN Ia samples combined. We expect that the systematic uncertainties for the Foundation Supernova Sample will be two to three times smaller than other low-redshift samples. We find that our cosmologically useful sample has an intrinsic scatter of 0.111 mag, smaller than other low-redshift samples. We perform detailed simulations showing that simply replacing the current low-redshift SN Ia sample with an equally sized Foundation sample will improve the precision on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter by 35 per cent, and the dark energy figure of merit by 72 per cent.

Recovering the systemic redshift of galaxies from their Lyman alpha line profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verhamme, A.; Garel, T.; Ventou, E.; Contini, T.; Bouché, N.; Herenz, EC; Richard, J.; Bacon, R.; Schmidt, KB; Maseda, M.; Marino, RA; Brinchmann, J.; Cantalupo, S.; Caruana, J.; Clément, B.; Diener, C.; Drake, AB; Hashimoto, T.; Inami, H.; Kerutt, J.; Kollatschny, W.; Leclercq, F.; Patrício, V.; Schaye, J.; Wisotzki, L.; Zabl, J.

2018-07-01

The Lyman alpha (Ly α) line of Hydrogen is a prominent feature in the spectra of star-forming galaxies, usually redshifted by a few hundreds of km s-1 compared to the systemic redshift. This large offset hampers follow-up surveys, galaxy pair statistics, and correlations with quasar absorption lines when only Ly α is available. We propose diagnostics that can be used to recover the systemic redshift directly from the properties of the Ly α line profile. We use spectroscopic observations of Ly α emitters for which a precise measurement of the systemic redshift is available. Our sample contains 13 sources detected between z ≈ 3 and z ≈ 6 as part of various multi-unit spectroscopic explorer guaranteed time observations. We also include a compilation of spectroscopic Ly α data from the literature spanning a wide redshift range (z ≈ 0-8). First, restricting our analysis to double-peaked Ly α spectra, we find a tight correlation between the velocity offset of the red peak with respect to the systemic redshift, V_peak^red, and the separation of the peaks. Secondly, we find a correlation between V_peak^red and the full width at half-maximum of the Ly α line. Fitting formulas to estimate systemic redshifts of galaxies with an accuracy of ≤100 km s-1, when only the Ly α emission line is available, are given for the two methods.

A Model-independent Photometric Redshift Estimator for Type Ia Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yun

2007-01-01

The use of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as cosmological standard candles is fundamental in modern observational cosmology. In this Letter, we derive a simple empirical photometric redshift estimator for SNe Ia using a training set of SNe Ia with multiband (griz) light curves and spectroscopic redshifts obtained by the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS). This estimator is analytical and model-independent it does not use spectral templates. We use all the available SNe Ia from SNLS with near-maximum photometry in griz (a total of 40 SNe Ia) to train and test our photometric redshift estimator. The difference between the estimated redshifts zphot and the spectroscopic redshifts zspec, (zphot-zspec)/(1+zspec), has rms dispersions of 0.031 for 20 SNe Ia used in the training set, and 0.050 for 20 SNe Ia not used in the training set. The dispersion is of the same order of magnitude as the flux uncertainties at peak brightness for the SNe Ia. There are no outliers. This photometric redshift estimator should significantly enhance the ability of observers to accurately target high-redshift SNe Ia for spectroscopy in ongoing surveys. It will also dramatically boost the cosmological impact of very large future supernova surveys, such as those planned for the Advanced Liquid-mirror Probe for Astrophysics, Cosmology, and Asteroids (ALPACA) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).

Spectroscopic characterization of galaxy clusters in RCS-1: spectroscopic confirmation, redshift accuracy, and dynamical mass-richness relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbank, David G.; Barrientos, L. Felipe; Ellingson, Erica; Blindert, Kris; Yee, H. K. C.; Anguita, T.; Gladders, M. D.; Hall, P. B.; Hertling, G.; Infante, L.; Yan, R.; Carrasco, M.; Garcia-Vergara, Cristina; Dawson, K. S.; Lidman, C.; Morokuma, T.

2018-05-01

We present follow-up spectroscopic observations of galaxy clusters from the first Red-sequence Cluster Survey (RCS-1). This work focuses on two samples, a lower redshift sample of ˜30 clusters ranging in redshift from z ˜ 0.2-0.6 observed with multiobject spectroscopy (MOS) on 4-6.5-m class telescopes and a z ˜ 1 sample of ˜10 clusters 8-m class telescope observations. We examine the detection efficiency and redshift accuracy of the now widely used red-sequence technique for selecting clusters via overdensities of red-sequence galaxies. Using both these data and extended samples including previously published RCS-1 spectroscopy and spectroscopic redshifts from SDSS, we find that the red-sequence redshift using simple two-filter cluster photometric redshifts is accurate to σz ≈ 0.035(1 + z) in RCS-1. This accuracy can potentially be improved with better survey photometric calibration. For the lower redshift sample, ˜5 per cent of clusters show some (minor) contamination from secondary systems with the same red-sequence intruding into the measurement aperture of the original cluster. At z ˜ 1, the rate rises to ˜20 per cent. Approximately ten per cent of projections are expected to be serious, where the two components contribute significant numbers of their red-sequence galaxies to another cluster. Finally, we present a preliminary study of the mass-richness calibration using velocity dispersions to probe the dynamical masses of the clusters. We find a relation broadly consistent with that seen in the local universe from the WINGS sample at z ˜ 0.05.

New Constraints on ΩM, ΩΛ, and w from an Independent Set of 11 High-Redshift Supernovae Observed with the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knop, R. A.; Aldering, G.; Amanullah, R.; Astier, P.; Blanc, G.; Burns, M. S.; Conley, A.; Deustua, S. E.; Doi, M.; Ellis, R.; Fabbro, S.; Folatelli, G.; Fruchter, A. S.; Garavini, G.; Garmond, S.; Garton, K.; Gibbons, R.; Goldhaber, G.; Goobar, A.; Groom, D. E.; Hardin, D.; Hook, I.; Howell, D. A.; Kim, A. G.; Lee, B. C.; Lidman, C.; Mendez, J.; Nobili, S.; Nugent, P. E.; Pain, R.; Panagia, N.; Pennypacker, C. R.; Perlmutter, S.; Quimby, R.; Raux, J.; Regnault, N.; Ruiz-Lapuente, P.; Sainton, G.; Schaefer, B.; Schahmaneche, K.; Smith, E.; Spadafora, A. L.; Stanishev, V.; Sullivan, M.; Walton, N. A.; Wang, L.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Yasuda, N.

2003-11-01

We report measurements of ΩM, ΩΛ, and w from 11 supernovae (SNe) at z=0.36-0.86 with high-quality light curves measured using WFPC2 on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This is an independent set of high-redshift SNe that confirms previous SN evidence for an accelerating universe. The high-quality light curves available from photometry on WFPC2 make it possible for these 11 SNe alone to provide measurements of the cosmological parameters comparable in statistical weight to the previous results. Combined with earlier Supernova Cosmology Project data, the new SNe yield a measurement of the mass density ΩM=0.25+0.07-0.06(statistical)+/-0.04 (identified systematics), or equivalently, a cosmological constant of ΩΛ=0.75+0.06-0.07(statistical)+/-0.04 (identified systematics), under the assumptions of a flat universe and that the dark energy equation-of-state parameter has a constant value w=-1. When the SN results are combined with independent flat-universe measurements of ΩM from cosmic microwave background and galaxy redshift distortion data, they provide a measurement of w=-1.05+0.15-0.20(statistical)+/-0.09 (identified systematic), if w is assumed to be constant in time. In addition to high-precision light-curve measurements, the new data offer greatly improved color measurements of the high-redshift SNe and hence improved host galaxy extinction estimates. These extinction measurements show no anomalous negative E(B-V) at high redshift. The precision of the measurements is such that it is possible to perform a host galaxy extinction correction directly for individual SNe without any assumptions or priors on the parent E(B-V) distribution. Our cosmological fits using full extinction corrections confirm that dark energy is required with P(ΩΛ>0)>0.99, a result consistent with previous and current SN analyses that rely on the identification of a low-extinction subset or prior assumptions concerning the intrinsic extinction distribution. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs GO-7336, GO-7590, and GO-8346. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Based in part on observations obtained at the WIYN Observatory, which is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Indiana University, Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Based in part on observations made with the European Southern Observatory telescopes (ESO programs 60.A-0586 and 265.A-5721). Based in part on observations made with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, operated by the National Research Council of Canada, le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, and the University of Hawaii.

VLA observations of unidentified Leiden-Berkeley Deep-Survey sources - Luminosity and redshift dependence of spectral properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapahi, Vijay K.; Kulkarni, Vasant K.

1990-01-01

VLA observations of a complete subset of the Leiden-Berkeley Deep Survey sources that have S(1.4 GHz) greater than 10 mJy and are not optically identified down to F=22 mag are reported. By comparing the spectral and structural properties of the sources with samples from the literature, an attempt was made to disentangle the luminosity and redshift dependence of the spectral indices of extended emission in radio galaxies and of the incidence of compact steep-spectrum sources. It is found that the fraction of compact sources among those with a steep spectrum is related primarily to redshift, being much larger at high redshifts for sources of similar radio luminosity. Only a weak and marginally significant dependence of spectral indices of the extended sources on luminosity and redshift is found in samples selected at 1.4 and 2.7 GHz. It is pointed out that the much stronger correlation of spectral indices with luminosity may be arising partly from spectral curvature, and partly due to the preferential inclusion of very steep-spectrum sources from high redshift in low-frequency surveys.

Strong-lensing analysis of A2744 with MUSE and Hubble Frontier Fields images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahler, G.; Richard, J.; Clément, B.; Lagattuta, D.; Schmidt, K.; Patrício, V.; Soucail, G.; Bacon, R.; Pello, R.; Bouwens, R.; Maseda, M.; Martinez, J.; Carollo, M.; Inami, H.; Leclercq, F.; Wisotzki, L.

2018-01-01

We present an analysis of Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations obtained on the massive Frontier Fields (FFs) cluster A2744. This new data set covers the entire multiply imaged region around the cluster core. The combined catalogue consists of 514 spectroscopic redshifts (with 414 new identifications). We use this redshift information to perform a strong-lensing analysis revising multiple images previously found in the deep FF images, and add three new MUSE-detected multiply imaged systems with no obvious Hubble Space Telescope counterpart. The combined strong-lensing constraints include a total of 60 systems producing 188 images altogether, out of which 29 systems and 83 images are spectroscopically confirmed, making A2744 one of the most well-constrained clusters to date. Thanks to the large amount of spectroscopic redshifts, we model the influence of substructures at larger radii, using a parametrization including two cluster-scale components in the cluster core and several group scale in the outskirts. The resulting model accurately reproduces all the spectroscopic multiple systems, reaching an rms of 0.67 arcsec in the image plane. The large number of MUSE spectroscopic redshifts gives us a robust model, which we estimate reduces the systematic uncertainty on the 2D mass distribution by up to ∼2.5 times the statistical uncertainty in the cluster core. In addition, from a combination of the parametrization and the set of constraints, we estimate the relative systematic uncertainty to be up to 9 per cent at 200 kpc.

Redshifts for 2410 Galaxies in the Century Survey Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegner, Gary; Thorstensen, John R.; Kurtz, Michael J.; Brown, Warren R.; Fabricant, Daniel G.; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.; Marzke, Ronald O.; Sakai, Shoko

2001-12-01

The Century Survey strip covers 102 deg2 within the limits 8h5<=α<=16h5, 29.0d<=δ<=30.0d, equinox B1950.0. The strip passes through the Corona Borealis supercluster and the outer region of the Coma cluster. Within the Century Survey region, we have measured 2410 redshifts that constitute four overlapping complete redshift surveys: (1) 1728 galaxies with Kron-Cousins Rph<=16.13 covering the entire strip, (2) 507 galaxies with Rph<=16.4 in right ascension range 8h32m<=α<=10 h45m, equinox B1950.0, (3) 1251 galaxies with absorption- and K-corrected RCCDc<=16.2 (where ``c'' indicates ``corrected'') covering the right ascension range 8h5<=α<=13h5, equinox B1950.0, and (4) 1255 galaxies with absorption- and K-corrected VCCDc<=16.7 also covering the right ascension range 8h5<=α<=13h5, equinox B1950.0. All these redshift samples are more than 98% complete to the specified magnitude limit. We derived samples 1 and 2 from scans of the POSS1 red (E) plates calibrated with CCD photometry. We derived samples 3 and 4 from deep V and R CCD images covering the entire region. We include coarse morphological types for all the galaxies in sample 1. The distribution of (V-R)CCD for each type corresponds appropriately with the classification. Work reported here is based partly on observations obtained at the Michigan-Dartmouth-MIT Observatory.

A cooperative approach among methods for photometric redshifts estimation: an application to KiDS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavuoti, S.; Tortora, C.; Brescia, M.; Longo, G.; Radovich, M.; Napolitano, N. R.; Amaro, V.; Vellucci, C.; La Barbera, F.; Getman, F.; Grado, A.

2017-04-01

Photometric redshifts (photo-z) are fundamental in galaxy surveys to address different topics, from gravitational lensing and dark matter distribution to galaxy evolution. The Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS), I.e. the European Southern Observatory (ESO) public survey on the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), provides the unprecedented opportunity to exploit a large galaxy data set with an exceptional image quality and depth in the optical wavebands. Using a KiDS subset of about 25000 galaxies with measured spectroscopic redshifts, we have derived photo-z using (I) three different empirical methods based on supervised machine learning; (II) the Bayesian photometric redshift model (or BPZ); and (III) a classical spectral energy distribution (SED) template fitting procedure (LE PHARE). We confirm that, in the regions of the photometric parameter space properly sampled by the spectroscopic templates, machine learning methods provide better redshift estimates, with a lower scatter and a smaller fraction of outliers. SED fitting techniques, however, provide useful information on the galaxy spectral type, which can be effectively used to constrain systematic errors and to better characterize potential catastrophic outliers. Such classification is then used to specialize the training of regression machine learning models, by demonstrating that a hybrid approach, involving SED fitting and machine learning in a single collaborative framework, can be effectively used to improve the accuracy of photo-z estimates.

The Effect of AGN Heating on the Low-redshift Lyα Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurvich, Alex; Burkhart, Blakesley; Bird, Simeon

2017-02-01

We investigate the effects of AGN heating and the ultraviolet background on the low-redshift Lyα forest column density distribution (CDD) using the Illustris simulation. We show that Illustris reproduces observations at z = 0.1 in the column density range {10}12.5{--}{10}13.5 cm-2, relevant for the “photon underproduction crisis.” We attribute this to the inclusion of AGN feedback, which changes the gas distribution so as to mimic the effect of extra photons, as well as the use of the Faucher-Giguère ultraviolet background, which is more ionizing at z = 0.1 than the Haardt & Madau background previously considered. We show that the difference between simulations run with smoothed particle hydrodynamics and simulations using a moving mesh is small in this column density range but can be more significant at larger column densities. We further consider the effect of supernova feedback, Voigt profile fitting, and finite resolution, all of which we show to have little influence on the CDD. Finally, we identify a discrepancy between our simulations and observations at column densities {10}14{--}{10}16 cm-2, where Illustris produces too few absorbers, which suggests the AGN feedback model should be further refined. Since the “photon underproduction crisis” primarily affects lower column density systems, we conclude that AGN feedback and standard ionizing background models can resolve the crisis.

CMB-galaxy correlation in Unified Dark Matter scalar field cosmologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bertacca, Daniele; Bartolo, Nicola; Matarrese, Sabino

We present an analysis of the cross-correlation between the CMB and the large-scale structure (LSS) of the Universe in Unified Dark Matter (UDM) scalar field cosmologies. We work out the predicted cross-correlation function in UDM models, which depends on the speed of sound of the unified component, and compare it with observations from six galaxy catalogues (NVSS, HEAO, 2MASS, and SDSS main galaxies, luminous red galaxies, and quasars). We sample the value of the speed of sound and perform a likelihood analysis, finding that the UDM model is as likely as the ΛCDM, and is compatible with observations for amore » range of values of c{sub ∞} (the value of the sound speed at late times) on which structure formation depends. In particular, we obtain an upper bound of c{sub ∞}{sup 2} ≤ 0.009 at 95% confidence level, meaning that the ΛCDM model, for which c{sub ∞}{sup 2} = 0, is a good fit to the data, while the posterior probability distribution peaks at the value c{sub ∞}{sup 2} = 10{sup −4} . Finally, we study the time dependence of the deviation from ΛCDM via a tomographic analysis using a mock redshift distribution and we find that the largest deviation is for low-redshift sources, suggesting that future low-z surveys will be best suited to constrain UDM models.« less

Constraining the redshift distribution of ultrahigh-energy-cosmic-ray sources by isotropic gamma-ray background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruo-Yu; Taylor, Andrew; Wang, Xiang-Yu; Aharonian, Felix

2017-01-01

By interacting with the cosmic background photons during their propagation through intergalactic space, ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) produce energetic electron/positron pairs and photons which will initiate electromagnetic cascades, contributing to the isotropic gamma-ray background (IGRB). The generated gamma-ray flux level highly depends on the redshift evolution of the UHECR sources. Recently, the Fermi-LAT collaboration reported that 86-14+16 of the total extragalactic gamma-ray flux comes from extragalactic point sources including those unresolved ones. This leaves a limited room for the diffusive gamma ray generated via UHECR propagation, and subsequently constrains their source distribution in the Universe. Normalizing the total cosmic ray energy budget with the observed UHECR flux in the energy band of (1-4)×1018 eV, we calculate the diffuse gamma-ray flux generated through UHECR propagation. We find that in order to not overshoot the new IGRB limit, these sub-ankle UHECRs should be produced mainly by nearby sources, with a possible non-negligible contribution from our Galaxy. The distance for the majority of UHECR sources can be further constrained if a given fraction of the observed IGRB at 820 GeV originates from UHECR. We note that our result should be conservative since there may be various other contributions to the IGRB that is not included here.

A Lyman Break Galaxy in the Epoch of Reionization from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Grism Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhoads, James E.; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Stern, Daniel K.; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Dickinson, Mark; Pirzkal, Norbert; Spinrad, Hyron; Reddy, Naveen; Dey, Arjun; Hathi, Nimish;

Evidence of redshifts in the average solar line profiles of C IV and Si IV from OSO-8 observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roussel-Dupre, D.; Shine, R. A.

1982-01-01

Line profiles of C IV and Si V obtained by the Colorado spectrometer on OSO-8 are presented. It is shown that the mean profiles are redshifted with a magnitude varying from 6-20 km/s, and with a mean of 12 km/s. An apparent average downflow of material in the 50,000-100,000 K temperature range is measured. The redshifts are observed in the line center positions of spatially and temporally averaged profiles and are measured either relative to chromospheric Si I lines or from a comparison of sun center and limb profiles. The observations of 6-20 km/s redshifts place constraints on the mechanisms that dominate EUV line emission since it requires a strong weighting of the emission in regions of downward moving material, and since there is little evidence for corresponding upward moving materials in these lines.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asaba, Shinsuke; Hikage, Chiaki; Koyama, Kazuya

We perform a principal component analysis to assess ability of future observations to measure departures from General Relativity in predictions of the Poisson and anisotropy equations on linear scales. In particular, we focus on how the measurements of redshift-space distortions (RSD) observed from spectroscopic galaxy redshift surveys will improve the constraints when combined with lensing tomographic surveys. Assuming a Euclid-like galaxy imaging and redshift survey, we find that adding the 3D information decreases the statistical uncertainty by a factor between 3 and 7 compared to the case when only observables from lensing tomographic surveys are used. We also find thatmore » the number of well-constrained modes increases by a factor between 3 and 6. Our study indicates the importance of joint galaxy imaging and redshift surveys such as SuMIRe and Euclid to give more stringent tests of the ΛCDM model and to distinguish between various modified gravity and dark energy models.« less

The Angular Three-Point Correlation Function in the Quasi-linear Regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buchalter, Ari; Kamionkowski, Marc; Jaffe, Andrew H.

2000-02-10

We calculate the normalized angular three-point correlation function (3PCF), q, as well as the normalized angular skewness, s{sub 3}, assuming the small-angle approximation, for a biased mass distribution in flat and open cold dark matter (CDM) models with Gaussian initial conditions. The leading-order perturbative results incorporate the explicit dependence on the cosmological parameters, the shape of the CDM transfer function, the linear evolution of the power spectrum, the form of the assumed redshift distribution function, and linear and nonlinear biasing, which may be evolving. Results are presented for different redshift distributions, including that appropriate for the APM Galaxy Survey, asmore » well as for a survey with a mean redshift of z{approx_equal}1 (such as the VLA FIRST Survey). Qualitatively, many of the results found for s{sub 3} and q are similar to those obtained in a related treatment of the spatial skewness and 3PCF, such as a leading-order correction to the standard result for s{sub 3} in the case of nonlinear bias (as defined for unsmoothed density fields), and the sensitivity of the configuration dependence of q to both cosmological and biasing models. We show that since angular correlation functions (CFs) are sensitive to clustering over a range of redshifts, the various evolutionary dependences included in our predictions imply that measurements of q in a deep survey might better discriminate between models with different histories, such as evolving versus nonevolving bias, that can have similar spatial CFs at low redshift. Our calculations employ a derived equation, valid for open, closed, and flat models, to obtain the angular bispectrum from the spatial bispectrum in the small-angle approximation. (c) (c) 2000. The American Astronomical Society.« less

Is cosmic acceleration proven by local cosmological probes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tutusaus, I.; Lamine, B.; Dupays, A.; Blanchard, A.

2017-06-01

Context. The cosmological concordance model (ΛCDM) matches the cosmological observations exceedingly well. This model has become the standard cosmological model with the evidence for an accelerated expansion provided by the type Ia supernovae (SNIa) Hubble diagram. However, the robustness of this evidence has been addressed recently with somewhat diverging conclusions. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to assess the robustness of the conclusion that the Universe is indeed accelerating if we rely only on low-redshift (z ≲ 2) observations, that is to say with SNIa, baryonic acoustic oscillations, measurements of the Hubble parameter at different redshifts, and measurements of the growth of matter perturbations. Methods: We used the standard statistical procedure of minimizing the χ2 function for the different probes to quantify the goodness of fit of a model for both ΛCDM and a simple nonaccelerated low-redshift power law model. In this analysis, we do not assume that supernovae intrinsic luminosity is independent of the redshift, which has been a fundamental assumption in most previous studies that cannot be tested. Results: We have found that, when SNIa intrinsic luminosity is not assumed to be redshift independent, a nonaccelerated low-redshift power law model is able to fit the low-redshift background data as well as, or even slightly better, than ΛCDM. When measurements of the growth of structures are added, a nonaccelerated low-redshift power law model still provides an excellent fit to the data for all the luminosity evolution models considered. Conclusions: Without the standard assumption that supernovae intrinsic luminosity is independent of the redshift, low-redshift probes are consistent with a nonaccelerated universe.

Contemporaneous broadband observations of three high-redshift BL Lac objects

DOE PAGES

Ackerman, M.

2016-03-20

We have collected broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of three BL Lac objects, 3FGL J0022.1-1855 (z=0.689), 3FGL J0630.9-2406 (z > ~1.239), and 3FGL J0811.2-7529 (z=0.774), detected by Fermi with relatively flat GeV spectra. By observing simultaneously in the near-IR to hard X-ray band, we can well characterize the high end of the synchrotron component of the SED. Thus, fitting the SEDs to synchro-Compton models of the dominant emission from the relativistic jet, we can constrain the underlying particle properties and predict the shape of the GeV Compton component. Standard extragalactic background light (EBL) models explain the high-energy absorption well, withmore » poorer fits for high UV models. The fits show clear evidence for EBL absorption in the Fermi spectrum of our highest redshift source 3FGL J0630.9-2406. While synchrotron self-Compton models adequately describe the SEDs, the situation may be complicated by possible external Compton components.« less

Deriving photometric redshifts using fuzzy archetypes and self-organizing maps - II. Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speagle, Joshua S.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.

2017-07-01

With an eye towards the computational requirements of future large-scale surveys such as Euclid and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) that will require photometric redshifts (photo-z's) for ≳ 109 objects, we investigate a variety of ways that 'fuzzy archetypes' can be used to improve photometric redshifts and explore their respective statistical interpretations. We characterize their relative performance using an idealized LSST ugrizY and Euclid YJH mock catalogue of 10 000 objects spanning z = 0-6 at Y = 24 mag. We find most schemes are able to robustly identify redshift probability distribution functions that are multimodal and/or poorly constrained. Once these objects are flagged and removed, the results are generally in good agreement with the strict accuracy requirements necessary to meet Euclid weak lensing goals for most redshifts between 0.8 ≲ z ≲ 2. These results demonstrate the statistical robustness and flexibility that can be gained by combining template-fitting and machine-learning methods and provide useful insights into how astronomers can further exploit the colour-redshift relation.

The dependence of gamma-ray burst X-ray column densities on the model for Galactic hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcodia, R.; Campana, S.; Salvaterra, R.

2016-05-01

We study the X-ray absorption of a complete sample of 99 bright Swift gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). In recent years, a strong correlation has been found between the intrinsic X-ray absorbing column density (NH(z)) and the redshift. This absorption excess in high-z GRBs is now thought to be due to the overlooked contribution of the absorption along the intergalactic medium (IGM), by means of both intervening objects and the diffuse warm-hot intergalactic medium along the line of sight. In this work we neglect the absorption along the IGM, because our purpose is to study the eventual effect of a radical change in the Galactic absorption model on the NH(z) distribution. Therefore, we derive the intrinsic absorbing column densities using two different Galactic absorption models: the Leiden Argentine Bonn HI survey and the more recent model that includes molecular hydrogen. We find that if, on the one hand, the new Galactic model considerably affects the single column density values, on the other hand, there is no drastic change in the distribution as a whole. It becomes clear that the contribution of Galactic column densities alone, no matter how improved, is not sufficient to change the observed general trend and it has to be considered as a second order correction. The cosmological increase of NH(z) as a function of redshift persists and, to explain the observed distribution, it is necessary to include the contribution of both the diffuse intergalactic medium and the intervening systems along the line of sight of the GRBs.

Upper Limits from Five Years of Blazar Observations with the VERITAS Cherenkov Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archambault, S.; Archer, A.; Benbow, W.; Bird, R.; Biteau, J.; Buchovecky, M.; Buckley, J. H.; Bugaev, V.; Byrum, K.; Cerruti, M.; Chen, X.; Ciupik, L.; Connolly, M. P.; Cui, W.; Eisch, J. D.; Errando, M.; Falcone, A.; Feng, Q.; Finley, J. P.; Fleischhack, H.; Fortin, P.; Fortson, L.; Furniss, A.; Gillanders, G. H.; Griffin, S.; Grube, J.; Gyuk, G.; Hütten, M.; Håkansson, N.; Hanna, D.; Holder, J.; Humensky, T. B.; Johnson, C. A.; Kaaret, P.; Kar, P.; Kelley-Hoskins, N.; Kertzman, M.; Kieda, D.; Krause, M.; Krennrich, F.; Kumar, S.; Lang, M. J.; Maier, G.; McArthur, S.; McCann, A.; Meagher, K.; Moriarty, P.; Mukherjee, R.; Nguyen, T.; Nieto, D.; O'Faoláin de Bhróithe, A.; Ong, R. A.; Otte, A. N.; Park, N.; Perkins, J. S.; Pichel, A.; Pohl, M.; Popkow, A.; Pueschel, E.; Quinn, J.; Ragan, K.; Reynolds, P. T.; Richards, G. T.; Roache, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Santander, M.; Sembroski, G. H.; Shahinyan, K.; Smith, A. W.; Staszak, D.; Telezhinsky, I.; Tucci, J. V.; Tyler, J.; Vincent, S.; Wakely, S. P.; Weiner, O. M.; Weinstein, A.; Williams, D. A.; Zitzer, B.; VERITAS Collaboration; Fumagalli, M.; Prochaska, J. X.

2016-06-01

Between the beginning of its full-scale scientific operations in 2007 and 2012, the VERITAS Cherenkov telescope array observed more than 130 blazars; of these, 26 were detected as very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray sources. In this work, we present the analysis results of a sample of 114 undetected objects. The observations constitute a total live-time of ˜570 hr. The sample includes several unidentified Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) sources (located at high Galactic latitude) as well as all the sources from the second Fermi-LAT catalog that are contained within the field of view of the VERITAS observations. We have also performed optical spectroscopy measurements in order to estimate the redshift of some of these blazars that do not have spectroscopic distance estimates. We present new optical spectra from the Kast instrument on the Shane telescope at the Lick observatory for 18 blazars included in this work, which allowed for the successful measurement or constraint on the redshift of four of them. For each of the blazars included in our sample, we provide the flux upper limit in the VERITAS energy band. We also study the properties of the significance distributions and we present the result of a stacked analysis of the data set, which shows a 4σ excess.

The Tolman Surface Brightness Test for the Reality of the Expansion. III. Hubble Space Telescope Profile and Surface Brightness Data for Early-Type Galaxies in Three High-Redshift Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Lori M.; Sandage, Allan

2001-09-01

Photometric data for 34 early-type galaxies in the three high-redshift clusters Cl 1324+3011 (z=0.76), Cl 1604+4304 (z=0.90), and Cl 1604+4321 (z=0.92), observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and with the Keck 10 m telescopes by Oke, Postman, & Lubin, are analyzed to obtain the photometric parameters of mean surface brightness, magnitudes for the growth curves, and angular radii at various Petrosian η radii. The angular radii at η=1.3 mag for the program galaxies are all larger than 0.24". All the galaxies are well resolved at this angular size using HST, whose point-spread function is 0.05", half-width at half-maximum. The data for each of the program galaxies are listed at η=1.0, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, and 2.0 mag. They are corrected by color equations and K-terms for the effects of redshift to the rest-frame Cape/Cousins I for Cl 1324+3011 and Cl 1604+4304 and R for Cl 1604+4321. The K-corrections are calculated from synthetic spectral energy distributions derived from evolving stellar population models of Bruzual & Charlot, that have been fitted to the observed broadband (BVRI) AB magnitudes of each program galaxy. The listed photometric data are independent of all cosmological parameters. They are the source data for the Tolman surface brightness test made in Paper IV.

Searching for Spectroscopic Signs of Termination Shocks in Solar Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galan, G.; Polito, V.; Reeves, K.

2017-12-01

The standard flare model predicts the presence of a termination shock located above the flare loop tops, however terminations shocks have not yet been well observed. We analyze flare observations by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), which provides cotemporal UV imaging and spectral data. Specifically, we study plasma emissions in the Fe XXI line, formed at the very hot plasma temperatures in flares (> 10 MK). Imaging observations that point to shocks include fast hot reconnection downflows above the loop tops and localized dense, bright plasma at the loop tops; spectral signatures that suggest shocks in the locality of the loop tops include redshifts and nonthermal broadening of the Fe XXI line. We identify possibly significant redshifts in some on-disk flare events observed by IRIS. Redshifts are observed in the vicinity of the bright loop top source that is thought to coincide with the site of the shock. In these events, the Fe XXI emissions at the time of the redshifted structures are dominated by at the at-rest components. The much more less intense redshifted components are broader, with velocities of 200 km/s. The spatial location of these shifts might indicate plasma motions and speeds indicative of termination shocks. This work is supported by the NSF-REU solar physics program at SAO, grant number AGS-1560313, and by NASA Grant NNX15AJ93G. Keywords: Solar flares, Solar magnetic reconnection, Termination shocks

Improving Photometric Redshifts for Hyper Suprime-Cam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speagle, Josh S.; Leauthaud, Alexie; Eisenstein, Daniel; Bundy, Kevin; Capak, Peter L.; Leistedt, Boris; Masters, Daniel C.; Mortlock, Daniel; Peiris, Hiranya; HSC Photo-z Team; HSC Weak Lensing Team

2017-01-01

Deriving accurate photometric redshift (photo-z) probability distribution functions (PDFs) are crucial science components for current and upcoming large-scale surveys. We outline how rigorous Bayesian inference and machine learning can be combined to quickly derive joint photo-z PDFs to individual galaxies and their parent populations. Using the first 170 deg^2 of data from the ongoing Hyper Suprime-Cam survey, we demonstrate our method is able to generate accurate predictions and reliable credible intervals over ~370k high-quality redshifts. We then use galaxy-galaxy lensing to empirically validate our predicted photo-z's over ~14M objects, finding a robust signal.

Chasing passive galaxies in the early Universe: a critical analysis in CANDELS GOODS-South

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merlin, E.; Fontana, A.; Castellano, M.; Santini, P.; Torelli, M.; Boutsia, K.; Wang, T.; Grazian, A.; Pentericci, L.; Schreiber, C.; Ciesla, L.; McLure, R.; Derriere, S.; Dunlop, J. S.; Elbaz, D.

2018-01-01

We search for passive galaxies at z > 3 in the GOODS-South field, using different techniques based on photometric data, and paying attention to develop methods that are sensitive to objects that have become passive shortly before the epoch of observation. We use CANDELS HST catalogues, ultra-deep Ks data and new IRAC photometry, performing spectral energy distribution fitting using models with abruptly quenched star formation histories. We then single out galaxies which are best fitted by a passively evolving model, and having only low probability (<5 per cent) star-forming solutions. We verify the effects of including nebular lines emission, and we consider possible solutions at different redshifts. The number of selected sources dramatically depends on the models used in the spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Without including emission lines and with photometric redshifts fixed at the CANDELS estimate, we single out 30 candidates; the inclusion of nebular lines emission reduces the sample to 10 objects; allowing for solutions at different redshifts, only two galaxies survive as robust candidates. Most of the candidates are not far-infrared emitters, corroborating their association with passive galaxies. Our results translate into an upper limit in the number density of ∼0.173 arcmin2 above the detection limit. However, we conclude that the selection of passive galaxies at z > 3 is still subject to significant uncertainties, being sensitive to assumptions in the SED modelling adopted and to the relatively low S/N of the objects. By means of dedicated simulations, we show that JWST will greatly enhance the accuracy, allowing for a much more robust classification.

Metallicity Evolution of Damped Lyα Systems Out to z ~ 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafelski, Marc; Wolfe, Arthur M.; Prochaska, J. Xavier; Neeleman, Marcel; Mendez, Alexander J.

2012-08-01

We present chemical abundance measurements for 47 damped Lyα (DLA) systems, 30 at z > 4, observed with the Echellette Spectrograph and Imager and the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer on the Keck telescopes. H I column densities of the DLAs are measured with Voigt profile fits to the Lyα profiles, and we find an increased number of false DLA identifications with Sloan Digital Sky Survey at z > 4 due to the increased density of the Lyα forest. Ionic column densities are determined using the apparent optical depth method, and we combine our new metallicity measurements with 195 from previous surveys to determine the evolution of the cosmic metallicity of neutral gas. We find the metallicity of DLAs decreases with increasing redshift, improving the significance of the trend and extending it to higher redshifts, with a linear fit of -0.22 ± 0.03 dex per unit redshift from z = 0.09-5.06. The metallicity "floor" of ≈1/600 solar continues out to z ~ 5, despite our sensitivity for finding DLAs with much lower metallicities. However, this floor is not statistically different from a steep tail to the distribution. We also find that the intrinsic scatter of metallicity among DLAs of ~0.5 dex continues out to z ~ 5. In addition, the metallicity distribution and the α/Fe ratios of z > 2 DLAs are consistent with being drawn from the same parent population with those of halo stars. It is therefore possible that the halo stars in the Milky Way formed out of gas that commonly exhibits DLA absorption at z > 2.

Quasars Probing Quasars. IX. The Kinematics of the Circumgalactic Medium Surrounding z ∼ 2 Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, Marie Wingyee; Prochaska, J. Xavier; Hennawi, Joseph F.

2018-04-01

We examine the kinematics of the gas in the environments of galaxies hosting quasars at z ∼ 2. We employ 148 projected quasar pairs to study the circumgalactic gas of the foreground quasars in absorption. The sample selects foreground quasars with precise redshift measurements, using emission lines with precision ≲300 km s‑1 and average offsets from the systemic redshift ≲ | 100 {km} {{{s}}}-1| . We stack the background quasar spectra at the foreground quasar’s systemic redshift to study the mean absorption in C II, C IV, and Mg II. We find that the mean absorptions exhibit large velocity widths σv ≈ 300 km s‑1. Further, the mean absorptions appear to be asymmetric about the systemic redshifts. The mean absorption centroids exhibit small redshift relative to the systemic δv ≈ +200 km s‑1, with large intrinsic scatter in the centroid velocities of the individual absorption systems. We find the observed widths are consistent with gas in gravitational motion and Hubble flow. However, while the observation of large widths alone does not require galactic-scale outflows, the observed offsets suggest that the gas is on average outflowing from the galaxy. The observed offsets also suggest that the ionizing radiation from the foreground quasars is anisotropic and/or intermittent.

correlcalc: Two-point correlation function from redshift surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohin, Yeluripati

2017-11-01

correlcalc calculates two-point correlation function (2pCF) of galaxies/quasars using redshift surveys. It can be used for any assumed geometry or Cosmology model. Using BallTree algorithms to reduce the computational effort for large datasets, it is a parallelised code suitable for running on clusters as well as personal computers. It takes redshift (z), Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (DEC) data of galaxies and random catalogs as inputs in form of ascii or fits files. If random catalog is not provided, it generates one of desired size based on the input redshift distribution and mangle polygon file (in .ply format) describing the survey geometry. It also calculates different realisations of (3D) anisotropic 2pCF. Optionally it makes healpix maps of the survey providing visualization.

The Effects of Physically Unrelated Near Neighbors on the Weak Galaxy-Galaxy Lensing Signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brainerd, Tereasa

2018-01-01

The effects of physically unrelated near neighbors on the weak galaxy-galaxy lensing signal are explored. Physically unrelated near neighbors are galaxies that are close to a given lens galaxy in projection on the sky, but are located at substantially different redshifts. Typically, the effects of such physically unrelated near neighbors are assumed to cancel. If that were truly the case, these objects would not contribute to the mean tangential shear around the lenses and they can be ignored when using an observed weak lensing signal to infer the excess surface mass density surrounding a set of lens galaxies. Here, observed galaxies with known redshifts and luminosities are used as the basis of a suite of Monte Carlo simluations of weak galaxy-galaxy lensing. The simulations incorporate the intrinsic clustering of the lens galaxies, as well as the intrinsic distribution of the lens galaxy masses. Dark matter halos of appropriate sizes and masses are assigned to each of the lens galaxies, and the net effect of all lenses on a set of background source galaxies is determined. The net weak lensing signal (i.e., the mean tangential shear due to all lenses along the line of sight) is computed and then compared to the excess surface mass density surrounding the lenses. Due to the broad redshift and mass distributions of the lenses, the effects of physically unrelated near neighbors in the simulations do not cancel. On scales equal to or greater than the scale for which the two-halo term contributes substantially to the shear, this non-cancellation of the effects of physically unrelated near neighbors significantly affects the accuracy with which the excess surface mass density may be inferred from the mean tangential shear via the standard formula: < ΔΣ > = < Σc γt > . The effects of physically unrelated near neighbors are greatest for the least massive lens galaxies but can also be important for the most massive lens galaxies.

Catastrophic photometric redshift errors: Weak-lensing survey requirements

DOE PAGES

Bernstein, Gary; Huterer, Dragan

2010-01-11

We study the sensitivity of weak lensing surveys to the effects of catastrophic redshift errors - cases where the true redshift is misestimated by a significant amount. To compute the biases in cosmological parameters, we adopt an efficient linearized analysis where the redshift errors are directly related to shifts in the weak lensing convergence power spectra. We estimate the number N spec of unbiased spectroscopic redshifts needed to determine the catastrophic error rate well enough that biases in cosmological parameters are below statistical errors of weak lensing tomography. While the straightforward estimate of N spec is ~10 6 we findmore » that using only the photometric redshifts with z ≤ 2.5 leads to a drastic reduction in N spec to ~ 30,000 while negligibly increasing statistical errors in dark energy parameters. Therefore, the size of spectroscopic survey needed to control catastrophic errors is similar to that previously deemed necessary to constrain the core of the z s – z p distribution. We also study the efficacy of the recent proposal to measure redshift errors by cross-correlation between the photo-z and spectroscopic samples. We find that this method requires ~ 10% a priori knowledge of the bias and stochasticity of the outlier population, and is also easily confounded by lensing magnification bias. In conclusion, the cross-correlation method is therefore unlikely to supplant the need for a complete spectroscopic redshift survey of the source population.« less

The Redshift Completeness of Local Galaxy Catalogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, S. R.; Perley, D. A.; Miller, A. A.

2018-06-01

There is considerable interest in understanding the demographics of galaxies within the local universe (defined, for our purposes, as the volume within a radius of 200 Mpc or z ≤ 0.05). In this pilot paper, using supernovae (SNe) as signposts to galaxies, we investigate the redshift completeness of catalogs of nearby galaxies. In particular, type Ia SNe are bright and are good tracers of the bulk of the galaxy population, as they arise in both old and young stellar populations. Our input sample consists of SNe with redshift ≤0.05, discovered by the flux-limited ASAS-SN survey. We define the redshift completeness fraction (RCF) as the number of SN host galaxies with known redshift prior to SN discovery, determined, in this case, via the NASA Extragalactic Database, divided by the total number of newly discovered SNe. Using SNe Ia, we find {RCF}=78{+/- }76% (90% confidence interval) for z < 0.03. We examine the distribution of host galaxies with and without cataloged redshifts as a function of absolute magnitude and redshift, and, unsurprisingly, find that higher-z and fainter hosts are less likely to have a known redshift prior to the detection of the SN. However, surprisingly, some {L}* galaxies are also missing. We conclude with thoughts on the future improvement of RCF measurements that will be made possible from large SN samples resulting from ongoing and especially upcoming time-domain surveys.

The kinematic component of the cosmological redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chodorowski, Michał J.

2011-05-01

It is widely believed that the cosmological redshift is not a Doppler shift. However, Bunn & Hogg have recently pointed out that to solve this problem properly, one has to transport parallelly the velocity four-vector of a distant galaxy to the observer's position. Performing such a transport along the null geodesic of photons arriving from the galaxy, they found that the cosmological redshift is purely kinematic. Here we argue that one should rather transport the velocity four-vector along the geodesic connecting the points of intersection of the world-lines of the galaxy and the observer with the hypersurface of constant cosmic time. We find that the resulting relation between the transported velocity and the redshift of arriving photons is not given by a relativistic Doppler formula. Instead, for small redshifts it coincides with the well-known non-relativistic decomposition of the redshift into a Doppler (kinematic) component and a gravitational one. We perform such a decomposition for arbitrary large redshifts and derive a formula for the kinematic component of the cosmological redshift, valid for any Friedman-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology. In particular, in a universe with Ωm= 0.24 and ΩΛ= 0.76, a quasar at a redshift 6, at the time of emission of photons reaching us today had the recession velocity v= 0.997c. This can be contrasted with v= 0.96c, had the redshift been entirely kinematic. Thus, for recession velocities of such high-redshift sources, the effect of deceleration of the early Universe clearly prevails over the effect of its relatively recent acceleration. Last but not the least, we show that the so-called proper recession velocities of galaxies, commonly used in cosmology, are in fact radial components of the galaxies' four-velocity vectors. As such, they can indeed attain superluminal values, but should not be regarded as real velocities.

OzDES multifibre spectroscopy for the Dark Energy Survey: First-year operation and results

DOE PAGES

Yuan, Fang

2015-07-29

The Australian Dark Energy Survey (OzDES) is a five-year, 100-night, spectroscopic survey on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, whose primary aim is to measure redshifts of approximately 2500 Type Ia supernovae host galaxies over the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.2, and derive reverberation-mapped black hole masses for approximately 500 active galactic nuclei and quasars over 0.3 < z < 4.5. This treasure trove of data forms a major part of the spectroscopic follow-up for the Dark Energy Survey for which we are also targeting cluster galaxies, radio galaxies, strong lenses, and unidentified transients, as well as measuring luminous red galaxiesmore » and emission line galaxies to help calibrate photometric redshifts. Here, we present an overview of the OzDES programme and our first-year results. Between 2012 December and 2013 December, we observed over 10 000 objects and measured more than 6 000 redshifts. Our strategy of retargeting faint objects across many observing runs has allowed us to measure redshifts for galaxies as faint as m r = 25 mag. We outline our target selection and observing strategy, quantify the redshift success rate for different types of targets, and discuss the implications for our main science goals. In conclusion, we highlight a few interesting objects as examples of the fortuitous yet not totally unexpected discoveries that can come from such a large spectroscopic survey.« less

OzDES multifibre spectroscopy for the Dark Energy Survey: first-year operation and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Fang; Lidman, C.; Davis, T. M.; Childress, M.; Abdalla, F. B.; Banerji, M.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carollo, D.; Castander, F. J.; D'Andrea, C. B.; Diehl, H. T.; Cunha, C. E.; Foley, R. J.; Frieman, J.; Glazebrook, K.; Gschwend, J.; Hinton, S.; Jouvel, S.; Kessler, R.; Kim, A. G.; King, A. L.; Kuehn, K.; Kuhlmann, S.; Lewis, G. F.; Lin, H.; Martini, P.; McMahon, R. G.; Mould, J.; Nichol, R. C.; Norris, R. P.; O'Neill, C. R.; Ostrovski, F.; Papadopoulos, A.; Parkinson, D.; Reed, S.; Romer, A. K.; Rooney, P. J.; Rozo, E.; Rykoff, E. S.; Sako, M.; Scalzo, R.; Schmidt, B. P.; Scolnic, D.; Seymour, N.; Sharp, R.; Sobreira, F.; Sullivan, M.; Thomas, R. C.; Tucker, D.; Uddin, S. A.; Wechsler, R. H.; Wester, W.; Wilcox, H.; Zhang, B.; Abbott, T.; Allam, S.; Bauer, A. H.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bertin, E.; Brooks, D.; Burke, D. L.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Covarrubias, R.; Crocce, M.; da Costa, L. N.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Doel, P.; Eifler, T. F.; Evrard, A. E.; Fausti Neto, A.; Flaugher, B.; Fosalba, P.; Gaztanaga, E.; Gerdes, D.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Honscheid, K.; James, D.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Li, T. S.; Maia, M. A. G.; Makler, M.; Marshall, J.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Roodman, A.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thaler, J.; Walker, A. R.

2015-09-01

The Australian Dark Energy Survey (OzDES) is a five-year, 100-night, spectroscopic survey on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, whose primary aim is to measure redshifts of approximately 2500 Type Ia supernovae host galaxies over the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.2, and derive reverberation-mapped black hole masses for approximately 500 active galactic nuclei and quasars over 0.3 < z < 4.5. This treasure trove of data forms a major part of the spectroscopic follow-up for the Dark Energy Survey for which we are also targeting cluster galaxies, radio galaxies, strong lenses, and unidentified transients, as well as measuring luminous red galaxies and emission line galaxies to help calibrate photometric redshifts. Here, we present an overview of the OzDES programme and our first-year results. Between 2012 December and 2013 December, we observed over 10 000 objects and measured more than 6 000 redshifts. Our strategy of retargeting faint objects across many observing runs has allowed us to measure redshifts for galaxies as faint as mr = 25 mag. We outline our target selection and observing strategy, quantify the redshift success rate for different types of targets, and discuss the implications for our main science goals. Finally, we highlight a few interesting objects as examples of the fortuitous yet not totally unexpected discoveries that can come from such a large spectroscopic survey.

THE STELLAR MASS FUNDAMENTAL PLANE AND COMPACT QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT z < 0.6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zahid, H. Jabran; Damjanov, Ivana; Geller, Margaret J.

2016-04-20

We examine the evolution of the relation between stellar mass surface density, velocity dispersion, and half-light radius—the stellar mass fundamental plane (MFP)—for quiescent galaxies at z < 0.6. We measure the local relation from galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the intermediate redshift relation from ∼500 quiescent galaxies with stellar masses 10 ≲ log( M {sub *}/ M {sub ⊙}) ≲ 11.5. Nearly half of the quiescent galaxies in our intermediate redshift sample are compact. After accounting for important selection and systematic effects, the velocity dispersion distribution of galaxies at intermediate redshifts is similar to that of galaxiesmore » in the local universe. Galaxies at z < 0.6 appear to be smaller (≲0.1 dex) than galaxies in the local sample. The orientation of the stellar MFP is independent of redshift for massive quiescent galaxies at z < 0.6 and the zero-point evolves by ∼0.04 dex. Compact quiescent galaxies fall on the same relation as the extended objects. We confirm that compact quiescent galaxies are the tail of the size and mass distribution of the normal quiescent galaxy population.« less

Understanding the nature of luminous red galaxies (LRGs): connecting LRGs to central and satellite subhaloes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaki, Shogo; Hikage, Chiaki; Takada, Masahiro; Spergel, David N.; Sugiyama, Naoshi

2013-08-01

We develop a novel abundance matching method to construct a mock catalogue of luminous red galaxies (LRGs) in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), using catalogues of haloes and subhaloes in N-body simulations for a Λ-dominated cold dark matter model. Motivated by observations suggesting that LRGs are passively evolving, massive early-type galaxies with a typical age ≳5 Gyr, we assume that simulated haloes at z = 2 (z2-halo) are progenitors for LRG-host subhaloes observed today, and we label the most tightly bound particles in each progenitor z2-halo as LRG `stars'. We then identify the subhaloes containing these stars to z = 0.3 (SDSS redshift) in descending order of the masses of z2-haloes until the comoving number density of the matched subhaloes becomes comparable to the measured number density of SDSS LRGs, bar{n}_LRG=10^{-4} h^3 Mpc^{-3}. Once the above prescription is determined, our only free parameter is the number density of haloes identified at z = 2 and this parameter is fixed to match the observed number density at z = 0.3. By tracing subsequent merging and assembly histories of each progenitor z2-halo, we can directly compute, from the mock catalogue, the distributions of central and satellite LRGs and their internal motions in each host halo at z = 0.3. While the SDSS LRGs are galaxies selected by the magnitude and colour cuts from the SDSS images and are not necessarily a stellar-mass-selected sample, our mock catalogue reproduces a host of SDSS measurements: the halo occupation distribution for central and satellite LRGs, the projected autocorrelation function of LRGs, the cross-correlation of LRGs with shapes of background galaxies (LRG-galaxy weak lensing) and the non-linear redshift-space distortion effect, the Finger-of-God effect, in the angle-averaged redshift-space power spectrum. The mock catalogue generated based on our method can be used for removing or calibrating systematic errors in the cosmological interpretation of LRG clustering measurements as well as for understanding the nature of LRGs such as their formation and assembly histories.

Recovering the systemic redshift of galaxies from their Lyman-alpha line profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verhamme, A.; Garel, T.; Ventou, E.; Contini, T.; Bouché, N.; Herenz, E. C.; Richard, J.; Bacon, R.; Schmidt, K. B.; Maseda, M.; Marino, R. A.; Brinchmann, J.; Cantalupo, S.; Caruana, J.; Clément, B.; Diener, C.; Drake, A. B.; Hashimoto, T.; Inami, H.; Kerutt, J.; Kollatschny, W.; Leclercq, F.; Patrício, V.; Schaye, J.; Wisotzki, L.; Zabl, J.

2018-04-01

The Lyman alpha (Lyα) line of Hydrogen is a prominent feature in the spectra of star-forming galaxies, usually redshifted by a few hundreds of km s-1 compared to the systemic redshift. This large offset hampers follow-up surveys, galaxy pair statistics and correlations with quasar absorption lines when only Lyα is available. We propose diagnostics that can be used to recover the systemic redshift directly from the properties of the Lyα line profile. We use spectroscopic observations of Lyman-Alpha Emitters (LAEs) for which a precise measurement of the systemic redshift is available. Our sample contains 13 sources detected between z ≈ 3 and z ≈ 6 as part of various Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO). We also include a compilation of spectroscopic Lyα data from the literature spanning a wide redshift range (z ≈ 0 - 8). First, restricting our analysis to double-peaked Lyα spectra, we find a tight correlation between the velocity offset of the red peak with respect to the systemic redshift, V_peak^red, and the separation of the peaks. Secondly, we find a correlation between V_peak^red and the full width at half maximum of the Lyα line. Fitting formulas, to estimate systemic redshifts of galaxies with an accuracy of ≤100 km s-1 when only the Lyα emission line is available, are given for the two methods.

The inevitable youthfulness of known high-redshift radio galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blundell, Katherine M.; Rawlings, Steve

1999-05-01

Some galaxies are very luminous in the radio part of the spectrum. These `radio galaxies' have extensive (hundreds of kiloparsecs) lobes of emission powered by plasma jets originating at a central black hole. Some radio galaxies can be seen at very high redshifts, where in principle they can serve as probes of the early evolution of the Universe. Here we show that, for any model of radio-galaxy evolution in which the luminosity decreases with time after an initial rapid increase (that is, essentially all reasonable models), all observable high-redshift radio galaxies must be seen when the lobes are less than 107 years old. This means that high-redshift radio galaxies can be used as a high-time-resolution probe of evolution in the early Universe. Moreover, this result explains many observed trends of radio-galaxy properties with redshift, without needing to invoke explanations based on cosmology or strong evolution of the surrounding intergalactic medium with cosmic time, thereby avoiding conflict with current theories of structure formation.

Intra-cluster Globular Clusters in a Simulated Galaxy Cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos-Almendares, Felipe; Abadi, Mario; Muriel, Hernán; Coenda, Valeria

2018-01-01

Using a cosmological dark matter simulation of a galaxy-cluster halo, we follow the temporal evolution of its globular cluster population. To mimic the red and blue globular cluster populations, we select at high redshift (z∼ 1) two sets of particles from individual galactic halos constrained by the fact that, at redshift z = 0, they have density profiles similar to observed ones. At redshift z = 0, approximately 60% of our selected globular clusters were removed from their original halos building up the intra-cluster globular cluster population, while the remaining 40% are still gravitationally bound to their original galactic halos. As the blue population is more extended than the red one, the intra-cluster globular cluster population is dominated by blue globular clusters, with a relative fraction that grows from 60% at redshift z = 0 up to 83% for redshift z∼ 2. In agreement with observational results for the Virgo galaxy cluster, the blue intra-cluster globular cluster population is more spatially extended than the red one, pointing to a tidally disrupted origin.

Galaxy power spectrum in redshift space: Combining perturbation theory with the halo model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Teppei; Hand, Nick; Seljak, Uroš; Vlah, Zvonimir; Desjacques, Vincent

2015-11-01

Theoretical modeling of the redshift-space power spectrum of galaxies is crucially important to correctly extract cosmological information from galaxy redshift surveys. The task is complicated by the nonlinear biasing and redshift space distortion (RSD) effects, which change with halo mass, and by the wide distribution of halo masses and their occupations by galaxies. One of the main modeling challenges is the existence of satellite galaxies that have both radial distribution inside the halos and large virial velocities inside halos, a phenomenon known as the Finger-of-God (FoG) effect. We present a model for the redshift-space power spectrum of galaxies in which we decompose a given galaxy sample into central and satellite galaxies and relate different contributions to the power spectrum to 1-halo and 2-halo terms in a halo model. Our primary goal is to ensure that any parameters that we introduce have physically meaningful values, and are not just fitting parameters. For the lowest order 2-halo terms we use the previously developed RSD modeling of halos in the context of distribution function and perturbation theory approach. This term needs to be multiplied by the effect of radial distances and velocities of satellites inside the halo. To this one needs to add the 1-halo terms, which are nonperturbative. We show that the real space 1-halo terms can be modeled as almost constant, with the finite extent of the satellites inside the halo inducing a small k2R2 term over the range of scales of interest, where R is related to the size of the halo given by its halo mass. We adopt a similar model for FoG in redshift space, ensuring that FoG velocity dispersion is related to the halo mass. For FoG k2 type expansions do not work over the range of scales of interest and FoG resummation must be used instead. We test several simple damping functions to model the velocity dispersion FoG effect. Applying the formalism to mock galaxies modeled after the "CMASS" sample of the BOSS survey, we find that our predictions for the redshift-space power spectra are accurate up to k ≃0.4 h Mpc-1 within 1% if the halo power spectrum is measured using N -body simulations and within 3% if it is modeled using perturbation theory.

A high deuterium abundance at redshift z = 0.7.

PubMed

Webb, J K; Carswell, R F; Lanzetta, K M; Ferlet, R; Lemoine, M; Vidal-Madjar, A; Bowen, D V

1997-07-17

Of the light elements, the primordial abundance of deuterium relative to hydrogen, (D/H)p, provides the most sensitive diagnostic for the cosmological mass density parameter, omegaB. Recent high-redshift D/H measurements are highly discrepant, although this may reflect observational uncertainties. The larger primordial D/H values imply a low omegaB (requiring the Universe to be dominated by non-baryonic matter), and cause problems for galactic chemical evolution models, which have difficulty in reproducing the steep decline in D/H to the present-day values. Conversely, the lower D/H values measured at high redshift imply an omegaB greater than that derived from 7Li and 4He abundance measurements, and may require a deuterium-abundance evolution that is too low to easily explain. Here we report the first measurement of D/H at intermediate redshift (z = 0.7010), in a gas cloud selected to minimize observational uncertainties. Our analysis yields a value of D/H ((2.0 +/- 0.5) x 10[-4]) which is at the upper end of the range of values measured at high redshifts. This finding, together with other independent observations, suggests that there may be inhomogeneity in (D/H)p of at least a factor of ten.

On the recovery of the local group motion from galaxy redshift surveys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nusser, Adi; Davis, Marc; Branchini, Enzo, E-mail: adi@physics.technion.ac.il, E-mail: mdavis@berkeley.edu, E-mail: branchin@fis.uniroma3.it

2014-06-20

There is an ∼150 km s{sup –1} discrepancy between the measured motion of the Local Group (LG) of galaxies with respect to the cosmic microwave background and the linear theory prediction based on the gravitational force field of the large-scale structure in full-sky redshift surveys. We perform a variety of tests which show that the LG motion cannot be recovered to better than 150-200 km s{sup –1} in amplitude and within ≈10° in direction. The tests rely on catalogs of mock galaxies identified in the Millennium simulation using semi-analytic galaxy formation models. We compare these results to the K{sub s}more » = 11.75 Two-Mass Galaxy Redshift Survey, which provides the deepest and most complete all-sky spatial distribution of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts available thus far. In our analysis, we use a new concise relation for deriving the LG motion and bulk flow from the true distribution of galaxies in redshift space. Our results show that the main source of uncertainty is the small effective depth of surveys like the Two-Mass Redshift Survey (2MRS), which prevents a proper sampling of the large-scale structure beyond ∼100 h {sup –1} Mpc. Deeper redshift surveys are needed to reach the 'convergence scale' of ≈250 h {sup –1} Mpc in a ΛCDM universe. Deeper surveys would also mitigate the impact of the 'Kaiser rocket' which, in a survey like 2MRS, remains a significant source of uncertainty. Thanks to the quiet and moderate density environment of the LG, purely dynamical uncertainties of the linear predictions are subdominant at the level of ∼90 km s{sup –1}. Finally, we show that deviations from linear galaxy biasing and shot noise errors provide a minor contribution to the total error budget.« less

The luminosity function for different morphological types in the CfA Redshift Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzke, Ronald O.; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.; Corwin, Harold G., Jr.

1994-01-01

We derive the luminosity function for different morphological types in the original CfA Redshift Survey (CfA1) and in the first two slices of the CfA Redshift Survey Extension (CfA2). CfA1 is a complete sample containing 2397 galaxies distributed over 2.7 steradians with m(sub z) less than or equal 14.5. The first two complete slices of CfA2 contain 1862 galaxies distributed over 0.42 steradians with m(sub z)=15.5. The shapes of the E-S0 and spiral luminosity functions (LF) are indistinguishable. We do not confirm the steeply decreasing faint end in the E-S0 luminosity function found by Loveday et al. for an independent sample in the southern hemisphere. We demonstrate that incomplete classification in deep redshift surveys can lead to underestimates of the faint end of the elliptical luminosity function and could be partially responsible for the difference between the CfA survey and other local field surveys. The faint end of the LF for the Magellanic spirals and irregulars is very steep. The Sm-Im luminosity function is well fit by a Schechter function with M*=-18.79, alpha=-1.87, and phi*=0.6x10(exp -3) for M(sub z) less than or equal to -13. These galaxies are largely responsible for the excess at the faint end of the general CfA luminosity function. The abundance of intrinsically faint, blue galaxies nearby affects the interpretation of deep number counts. The dwarf population increases the expected counts at B=25 in a no-evolution, q(sub 0)=0.05 model by a factor of two over standard no-evolution estimates. These dwarfs change the expected median redshift in deep redshift surveys by less than 10 percent . Thus the steep Sm-Im LF may contribute to the reconciliation of deep number counts with deep redshift surveys.

A coasting cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolb, Edward W.

1989-01-01

A Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology with energy density decreasing in expansion as 1/R-squared, where R is the Robertson-Walker scale factor, is studied. In such a model the universe expands with constant velocity; hence the term coasting cosmology. Observational consequences of such a model include the age of the universe, the luminosity distance-redshift relation (the Hubble diagram), the angular diameter distance-redshift relation, and the galaxy number count as a function of redshift. These observations are used to limit the parameters of the model. Among the interesting consequences of the model are the possibility of an ever-expanding closed universe, a model universe with multiple images at different redshifts of the same object, a universe with Omega - 1 not equal to 0 stable in expansion, and a closed universe with radius smaller than 1/H(0).

Cooperative photometric redshift estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavuoti, S.; Tortora, C.; Brescia, M.; Longo, G.; Radovich, M.; Napolitano, N. R.; Amaro, V.; Vellucci, C.

2017-06-01

In the modern galaxy surveys photometric redshifts play a central role in a broad range of studies, from gravitational lensing and dark matter distribution to galaxy evolution. Using a dataset of ~ 25,000 galaxies from the second data release of the Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS) we obtain photometric redshifts with five different methods: (i) Random forest, (ii) Multi Layer Perceptron with Quasi Newton Algorithm, (iii) Multi Layer Perceptron with an optimization network based on the Levenberg-Marquardt learning rule, (iv) the Bayesian Photometric Redshift model (or BPZ) and (v) a classical SED template fitting procedure (Le Phare). We show how SED fitting techniques could provide useful information on the galaxy spectral type which can be used to improve the capability of machine learning methods constraining systematic errors and reduce the occurrence of catastrophic outliers. We use such classification to train specialized regression estimators, by demonstrating that such hybrid approach, involving SED fitting and machine learning in a single collaborative framework, is capable to improve the overall prediction accuracy of photometric redshifts.

COSMOGRAIL: the COSmological MOnitoring of GRAvItational Lenses. III. Redshift of the lensing galaxy in eight gravitationally lensed quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eigenbrod, A.; Courbin, F.; Meylan, G.; Vuissoz, C.; Magain, P.

2006-06-01

Aims.We measure the redshift of the lensing galaxy in eight gravitationally lensed quasars in view of determining the Hubble parameter H0 from the time delay method. Methods.Deep VLT/FORS1 spectra of lensed quasars are spatially deconvolved in order to separate the spectrum of the lensing galaxies from the glare of the much brighter quasar images. A new observing strategy is devised. It involves observations in Multi-Object-Spectroscopy (MOS) which allows the simultaneous observation of the target and of several PSF and flux calibration stars. The advantage of this method over traditional long-slit observations is a much more reliable extraction and flux calibration of the spectra. Results.For the first time we measure the redshift of the lensing galaxy in three multiply-imaged quasars: SDSS J1138+0314 (z_lens = 0.445), SDSS J1226-0006 (z_lens = 0.517), SDSS J1335+0118 (z_lens = 0.440), and we give a tentative estimate of the redshift of the lensing galaxy in Q 1355-2257 (z_lens = 0.701). We confirm four previously measured redshifts: HE 0047-1756 (z_lens = 0.407), HE 0230-2130 (z_lens = 0.523), HE 0435-1223 (z_lens = 0.454) and WFI J2033-4723 (z_lens = 0.661). In addition, we determine the redshift of the second lensing galaxy in HE 0230-2130 (z_lens = 0.526). The spectra of all lens galaxies are typical for early-type galaxies, except for the second lensing galaxy in HE 0230-2130 which displays prominent [OII] emission.

The 5-10 keV AGN luminosity function at 0.01 < z < 4.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fotopoulou, S.; Buchner, J.; Georgantopoulos, I.; Hasinger, G.; Salvato, M.; Georgakakis, A.; Cappelluti, N.; Ranalli, P.; Hsu, L. T.; Brusa, M.; Comastri, A.; Miyaji, T.; Nandra, K.; Aird, J.; Paltani, S.

2016-03-01

The active galactic nuclei (AGN) X-ray luminosity function traces actively accreting supermassive black holes and is essential for the study of the properties of the AGN population, black hole evolution, and galaxy-black hole coevolution. Up to now, the AGN luminosity function has been estimated several times in soft (0.5-2 keV) and hard X-rays (2-10 keV). AGN selection in these energy ranges often suffers from identification and redshift incompleteness and, at the same time, photoelectric absorption can obscure a significant amount of the X-ray radiation. We estimate the evolution of the luminosity function in the 5-10 keV band, where we effectively avoid the absorbed part of the spectrum, rendering absorption corrections unnecessary up to NH ~ 1023 cm-2. Our dataset is a compilation of six wide, and deep fields: MAXI, HBSS, XMM-COSMOS, Lockman Hole, XMM-CDFS, AEGIS-XD, Chandra-COSMOS, and Chandra-CDFS. This extensive sample of ~1110 AGN (0.01 < z < 4.0, 41 < log Lx < 46) is 98% redshift complete with 68% spectroscopic redshifts. For sources lacking a spectroscopic redshift estimation we use the probability distribution function of photometric redshift estimation specifically tuned for AGN, and a flat probability distribution function for sources with no redshift information. We use Bayesian analysis to select the best parametric model from simple pure luminosity and pure density evolution to more complicated luminosity and density evolution and luminosity-dependent density evolution (LDDE). We estimate the model parameters that describe best our dataset separately for each survey and for the combined sample. We show that, according to Bayesian model selection, the preferred model for our dataset is the LDDE. Our estimation of the AGN luminosity function does not require any assumption on the AGN absorption and is in good agreement with previous works in the 2-10 keV energy band based on X-ray hardness ratios to model the absorption in AGN up to redshift three. Our sample does not show evidence of a rapid decline of the AGN luminosity function up to redshift four.

NUCLEAR ACTIVITY IS MORE PREVALENT IN STAR-FORMING GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosario, D. J.; Lutz, D.; Berta, S.

2013-07-01

We explore the question of whether low and moderate luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are preferentially found in galaxies that are undergoing a transition from active star formation (SF) to quiescence. This notion has been suggested by studies of the UV-optical colors of AGN hosts, which find them to be common among galaxies in the so-called Green Valley, a region of galaxy color space believed to be composed mostly of galaxies undergoing SF quenching. Combining the deepest current X-ray and Herschel/PACS far-infrared (FIR) observations of the two Chandra Deep Fields with redshifts, stellar masses, and rest-frame photometry derived from themore » extensive and uniform multi-wavelength data in these fields, we compare the rest-frame U - V color distributions and star formation rate distributions of AGNs and carefully constructed samples of inactive control galaxies. The UV-to-optical colors of AGNs are consistent with equally massive inactive galaxies at redshifts out to z {approx} 2, but we show that such colors are poor tracers of SF. While the FIR distributions of both star-forming AGNs and star-forming inactive galaxies are statistically similar, we show that AGNs are preferentially found in star-forming host galaxies, or, in other words, AGNs are less likely to be found in weakly star-forming or quenched galaxies. We postulate that, among X-ray-selected AGNs of low and moderate accretion luminosities, the supply of cold gas primarily determines the accretion rate distribution of the nuclear black holes.« less

Gone with the heat: a fundamental constraint on the imaging of dust and molecular gas in the early Universe

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhi-Yu; Smith, M. W. L.; Xilouris, Emmanuel M.

2016-01-01

Images of dust continuum and carbon monoxide (CO) line emission are powerful tools for deducing structural characteristics of galaxies, such as disc sizes, H2 gas velocity fields and enclosed H2 and dynamical masses. We report on a fundamental constraint set by the cosmic microwave background (CMB) on the observed structural and dynamical characteristics of galaxies, as deduced from dust continuum and CO-line imaging at high redshifts. As the CMB temperature rises in the distant Universe, the ensuing thermal equilibrium between the CMB and the cold dust and H2 gas progressively erases all spatial and spectral contrasts between their brightness distributions and the CMB. For high-redshift galaxies, this strongly biases the recoverable H2 gas and dust mass distributions, scale lengths, gas velocity fields and dynamical mass estimates. This limitation is unique to millimetre/submillimetre wavelengths and unlike its known effect on the global dust continuum and molecular line emission of galaxies, it cannot be addressed simply. We nevertheless identify a unique signature of CMB-affected continuum brightness distributions, namely an increasing rather than diminishing contrast between such brightness distributions and the CMB when the cold dust in distant galaxies is imaged at frequencies beyond the Raleigh–Jeans limit. For the molecular gas tracers, the same effect makes the atomic carbon lines maintain a larger contrast than the CO lines against the CMB. PMID:27429763

Fast Radio Bursts’ Recipes for the Distributions of Dispersion Measures, Flux Densities, and Fluences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niino, Yuu

2018-05-01

We investigate how the statistical properties of dispersion measure (DM) and apparent flux density/fluence of (nonrepeating) fast radio bursts (FRBs) are determined by unknown cosmic rate density history [ρ FRB(z)] and luminosity function (LF) of the transient events. We predict the distributions of DMs, flux densities, and fluences of FRBs taking account of the variation of the receiver efficiency within its beam, using analytical models of ρ FRB(z) and LF. Comparing the predictions with the observations, we show that the cumulative distribution of apparent fluences suggests that FRBs originate at cosmological distances and ρ FRB increases with redshift resembling the cosmic star formation history (CSFH). We also show that an LF model with a bright-end cutoff at log10 L ν (erg s‑1 Hz‑1) ∼ 34 are favored to reproduce the observed DM distribution if ρ FRB(z) ∝ CSFH, although the statistical significance of the constraints obtained with the current size of the observed sample is not high. Finally, we find that the correlation between DM and flux density of FRBs is potentially a powerful tool to distinguish whether FRBs are at cosmological distances or in the local universe more robustly with future observations.

KiDS-450: cosmological parameter constraints from tomographic weak gravitational lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildebrandt, H.; Viola, M.; Heymans, C.; Joudaki, S.; Kuijken, K.; Blake, C.; Erben, T.; Joachimi, B.; Klaes, D.; Miller, L.; Morrison, C. B.; Nakajima, R.; Verdoes Kleijn, G.; Amon, A.; Choi, A.; Covone, G.; de Jong, J. T. A.; Dvornik, A.; Fenech Conti, I.; Grado, A.; Harnois-Déraps, J.; Herbonnet, R.; Hoekstra, H.; Köhlinger, F.; McFarland, J.; Mead, A.; Merten, J.; Napolitano, N.; Peacock, J. A.; Radovich, M.; Schneider, P.; Simon, P.; Valentijn, E. A.; van den Busch, J. L.; van Uitert, E.; Van Waerbeke, L.

2017-02-01

We present cosmological parameter constraints from a tomographic weak gravitational lensing analysis of ˜450 deg2 of imaging data from the Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS). For a flat Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology with a prior on H0 that encompasses the most recent direct measurements, we find S_8≡ σ _8√{Ω _m/0.3}=0.745± 0.039. This result is in good agreement with other low-redshift probes of large-scale structure, including recent cosmic shear results, along with pre-Planck cosmic microwave background constraints. A 2.3σ tension in S8 and `substantial discordance' in the full parameter space is found with respect to the Planck 2015 results. We use shear measurements for nearly 15 million galaxies, determined with a new improved `self-calibrating' version of lensFIT validated using an extensive suite of image simulations. Four-band ugri photometric redshifts are calibrated directly with deep spectroscopic surveys. The redshift calibration is confirmed using two independent techniques based on angular cross-correlations and the properties of the photometric redshift probability distributions. Our covariance matrix is determined using an analytical approach, verified numerically with large mock galaxy catalogues. We account for uncertainties in the modelling of intrinsic galaxy alignments and the impact of baryon feedback on the shape of the non-linear matter power spectrum, in addition to the small residual uncertainties in the shear and redshift calibration. The cosmology analysis was performed blind. Our high-level data products, including shear correlation functions, covariance matrices, redshift distributions, and Monte Carlo Markov chains are available at http://kids.strw.leidenuniv.nl.

A multicomponent matched filter cluster confirmation tool for eROSITA: initial application to the RASS and DES-SV data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, M.; Mohr, J. J.; Desai, S.; Israel, H.; Allam, S.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Cunha, C. E.; da Costa, L. N.; Dietrich, J. P.; Eifler, T. F.; Evrard, A. E.; Frieman, J.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Gutierrez, G.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Kuehn, K.; Lima, M.; Maia, M. A. G.; March, M.; Melchior, P.; Menanteau, F.; Miquel, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Reil, K.; Romer, A. K.; Sanchez, E.; Santiago, B.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, M.; Soares-Santos, M.; Sobreira, F.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Collaboration, the DES

2018-03-01

We describe a multicomponent matched filter (MCMF) cluster confirmation tool designed for the study of large X-ray source catalogues produced by the upcoming X-ray all-sky survey mission eROSITA. We apply the method to confirm a sample of 88 clusters with redshifts 0.05 < z < 0.8 in the recently published 2RXS catalogue from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) over the 208 deg2 region overlapped by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Science Verification (DES-SV) data set. In our pilot study, we examine all X-ray sources, regardless of their extent. Our method employs a multicolour red sequence (RS) algorithm that incorporates the X-ray count rate and peak position in determining the region of interest for follow-up and extracts the positionally and colour-weighted optical richness λMCMF as a function of redshift for each source. Peaks in the λMCMF-redshift distribution are identified and used to extract photometric redshifts, richness and uncertainties. The significances of all optical counterparts are characterized using the distribution of richnesses defined along random lines of sight. These significances are used to extract cluster catalogues and to estimate the contamination by random superpositions of unassociated optical systems. The delivered photometric redshift accuracy is δz/(1 + z) = 0.010. We find a well-defined X-ray luminosity-λMCMF relation with an intrinsic scatter of δln (λMCMF|Lx) = 0.21. Matching our catalogue with the DES-SV redMaPPer catalogue yields good agreement in redshift and richness estimates; comparing our catalogue with the South Pole Telescope (SPT) selected clusters shows no inconsistencies. SPT clusters in our data set are consistent with the high-mass extension of the RASS-based λMCMF-mass relation.

Quasar Photometric Redshifts and Candidate Selection: A New Algorithm Based on Optical and Mid-infrared Photometric Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qian; Wu, Xue-Bing; Fan, Xiaohui; Jiang, Linhua; McGreer, Ian; Green, Richard; Yang, Jinyi; Schindler, Jan-Torge; Wang, Feige; Zuo, Wenwen; Fu, Yuming

2017-12-01

We present a new algorithm to estimate quasar photometric redshifts (photo-zs), by considering the asymmetries in the relative flux distributions of quasars. The relative flux models are built with multivariate Skew-t distributions in the multidimensional space of relative fluxes as a function of redshift and magnitude. For 151,392 quasars in the SDSS, we achieve a photo-z accuracy, defined as the fraction of quasars with the difference between the photo-z z p and the spectroscopic redshift z s , | {{Δ }}z| =| {z}s-{z}p| /(1+{z}s) within 0.1, of 74%. Combining the WISE W1 and W2 infrared data with the SDSS data, the photo-z accuracy is enhanced to 87%. Using the Pan-STARRS1 or DECaLS photometry with WISE W1 and W2 data, the photo-z accuracies are 79% and 72%, respectively. The prior probabilities as a function of magnitude for quasars, stars, and galaxies are calculated, respectively, based on (1) the quasar luminosity function, (2) the Milky Way synthetic simulation with the Besançon model, and (3) the Bayesian Galaxy Photometric Redshift estimation. The relative fluxes of stars are obtained with the Padova isochrones, and the relative fluxes of galaxies are modeled through galaxy templates. We test our classification method to select quasars using the DECaLS g, r, z, and WISE W1 and W2 photometry. The quasar selection completeness is higher than 70% for a wide redshift range 0.5< z< 4.5, and a wide magnitude range 18< r< 21.5 mag. Our photo-z regression and classification method has the potential to extend to future surveys. The photo-z code will be publicly available.

EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS AT z = 0.1-3 IN COSMOS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scoville, N.; Benson, A.; Fu, Hai

2013-05-01

Large-scale structures (LSSs) out to z < 3.0 are measured in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) using extremely accurate photometric redshifts (photoz). The K{sub s} -band-selected sample (from Ultra-Vista) is comprised of 155,954 galaxies. Two techniques-adaptive smoothing and Voronoi tessellation-are used to estimate the environmental densities within 127 redshift slices. Approximately 250 statistically significant overdense structures are identified out to z = 3.0 with shapes varying from elongated filamentary structures to more circularly symmetric concentrations. We also compare the densities derived for COSMOS with those based on semi-analytic predictions for a {Lambda}CDM simulation and find excellent overall agreement between themore » mean densities as a function of redshift and the range of densities. The galaxy properties (stellar mass, spectral energy distributions (SEDs), and star formation rates (SFRs)) are strongly correlated with environmental density and redshift, particularly at z < 1.0-1.2. Classifying the spectral type of each galaxy using the rest-frame b - i color (from the photoz SED fitting), we find a strong correlation of early-type galaxies (E-Sa) with high-density environments, while the degree of environmental segregation varies systematically with redshift out to z {approx} 1.3. In the highest density regions, 80% of the galaxies are early types at z = 0.2 compared to only 20% at z = 1.5. The SFRs and the star formation timescales exhibit clear environmental correlations. At z > 0.8, the SFR density is uniformly distributed over all environmental density percentiles, while at lower redshifts the dominant contribution is shifted to galaxies in lower density environments.« less

The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS). The distinct build-up of dense and normal massive passive galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargiulo, A.; Bolzonella, M.; Scodeggio, M.; Krywult, J.; De Lucia, G.; Guzzo, L.; Garilli, B.; Granett, B. R.; de la Torre, S.; Abbas, U.; Adami, C.; Arnouts, S.; Bottini, D.; Cappi, A.; Cucciati, O.; Davidzon, I.; Franzetti, P.; Fritz, A.; Haines, C.; Hawken, A. J.; Iovino, A.; Le Brun, V.; Le Fèvre, O.; Maccagni, D.; Małek, K.; Marulli, F.; Moutard, T.; Polletta, M.; Pollo, A.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Tojeiro, R.; Vergani, D.; Zanichelli, A.; Zamorani, G.; Bel, J.; Branchini, E.; Coupon, J.; Ilbert, O.; Moscardini, L.; Peacock, J. A.

2017-10-01

We have used the final data from the VIPERS redshift survey to extract an unparalleled sample of more than 2000 massive ℳ≥1011 M⊙ passive galaxies (MPGs) at redshift 0.5≤z≤1.0, based on their NUVrK colours. This has enabled us to investigate how the population of these objects was built up over cosmic time. We find that the evolution of the number density depends on the galaxy mean surface stellar mass density, Σ. In particular, dense (Σ≥2000 M⊙ pc-2) MPGs show a constant comoving number density over this redshift range, whilst this increases by a factor of approximately four for the least dense objects, defined as having Σ < 1000 M⊙ pc-2. We estimated stellar ages for the MPG population both fitting the spectral energy distribution (SED) and through the D4000n index, obtaining results in good agreement. Our findings are consistent with passive ageing of the stellar content of dense MPGs. We show that at any redshift the less dense MPGs are younger than dense ones and that their stellar populations evolve at a slower rate than predicted by passive evolution. This points to a scenario in which the overall population of MPGs was built up over the cosmic time by continuous addition of less dense galaxies: on top of an initial population of dense objects that passively evolves, new, larger, and younger MPGs continuously join the population at later epochs. Finally, we demonstrate that the observed increase in the number density of MPGs is totally accounted for by the observed decrease in the number density of correspondingly massive star forming galaxies (I.e. all the non-passive ℳ≥1011 M⊙ objects). Such systems observed at z ≃ 1 in VIPERS, therefore, represent the most plausible progenitors of the subsequent emerging class of larger MPGs. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Cerro Paranal, Chile, using the Very Large Telescope under programs 182.A-0886 and partly 070.A-9007. Also based on observations obtained with MegaPrime/MegaCam, a joint project of CFHT and CEA/DAPNIA, at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which is operated by the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) of France, and the University of Hawaii. This work is based in part on data products produced at TERAPIX and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and CNRS. The VIPERS web site is http://www.vipers.inaf.it/

The Origin of Dust in the Early Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli

2011-01-01

In this talk I will describe the origin of dust in the early universe. I will be presenting observations of the spectral energy distribution of the galaxy J1148+5251, and present estimates of the dust mass in this high redshift (z=6.4) object. I will then discuss the origin of this dust, and the role of SN and AGB stars as dust sources, and the effect of SNRs on the destruction of dust in the interstellar medium of this galaxy.

The Origin of Dust in the Early Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eliahu

2010-01-01

In this talk I will describe the origin of dust in the early universe. I will be presenting observations of the spectral energy distribution of the galaxy J1148+5251, and present estimates of the dust mass in this high redshift (z=6.4) object. I will then discuss the origin of this dust, and the role of SN and AGB stars as dust sources, and the effect of SNRs on the destruction of dust in the interstellar medium of this galaxy.

A luminous quasar at a redshift of z = 7.085.

PubMed

Mortlock, Daniel J; Warren, Stephen J; Venemans, Bram P; Patel, Mitesh; Hewett, Paul C; McMahon, Richard G; Simpson, Chris; Theuns, Tom; Gonzáles-Solares, Eduardo A; Adamson, Andy; Dye, Simon; Hambly, Nigel C; Hirst, Paul; Irwin, Mike J; Kuiper, Ernst; Lawrence, Andy; Röttgering, Huub J A

2011-06-29

The intergalactic medium was not completely reionized until approximately a billion years after the Big Bang, as revealed by observations of quasars with redshifts of less than 6.5. It has been difficult to probe to higher redshifts, however, because quasars have historically been identified in optical surveys, which are insensitive to sources at redshifts exceeding 6.5. Here we report observations of a quasar (ULAS J112001.48+064124.3) at a redshift of 7.085, which is 0.77 billion years after the Big Bang. ULAS J1120+0641 has a luminosity of 6.3 × 10(13)L(⊙) and hosts a black hole with a mass of 2 × 10(9)M(⊙) (where L(⊙) and M(⊙) are the luminosity and mass of the Sun). The measured radius of the ionized near zone around ULAS J1120+0641 is 1.9 megaparsecs, a factor of three smaller than is typical for quasars at redshifts between 6.0 and 6.4. The near-zone transmission profile is consistent with a Lyα damping wing, suggesting that the neutral fraction of the intergalactic medium in front of ULAS J1120+0641 exceeded 0.1.

VLA observations of unidentified Leiden-Berkeley Deep-Survey sources - Luminosity and redshift dependence of spectral properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapahi, V.K.; Kulkarni, V.K.

1990-05-01

VLA observations of a complete subset of the Leiden-Berkeley Deep Survey sources that have S(1.4 GHz) greater than 10 mJy and are not optically identified down to F=22 mag are reported. By comparing the spectral and structural properties of the sources with samples from the literature, an attempt was made to disentangle the luminosity and redshift dependence of the spectral indices of extended emission in radio galaxies and of the incidence of compact steep-spectrum sources. It is found that the fraction of compact sources among those with a steep spectrum is related primarily to redshift, being much larger at highmore » redshifts for sources of similar radio luminosity. Only a weak and marginally significant dependence of spectral indices of the extended sources on luminosity and redshift is found in samples selected at 1.4 and 2.7 GHz. It is pointed out that the much stronger correlation of spectral indices with luminosity may be arising partly from spectral curvature, and partly due to the preferential inclusion of very steep-spectrum sources from high redshift in low-frequency surveys. 54 refs.« less

Understanding redshift space distortions in density-weighted peculiar velocity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugiyama, Naonori S.; Okumura, Teppei; Spergel, David N., E-mail: nao.s.sugiyama@gmail.com, E-mail: teppei.oku@gmail.com, E-mail: dns@astro.princeton.edu

2016-07-01

Observations of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect measure the density-weighted velocity field, a potentially powerful cosmological probe. This paper presents an analytical method to predict the power spectrum and two-point correlation function of the density-weighted velocity in redshift space, the direct observables in kSZ surveys. We show a simple relation between the density power spectrum and the density-weighted velocity power spectrum that holds for both dark matter and halos. Using this relation, we can then extend familiar perturbation expansion techniques to the kSZ power spectrum. One of the most important features of density-weighted velocity statistics in redshift space is themore » change in sign of the cross-correlation between the density and density-weighted velocity at mildly small scales due to nonlinear redshift space distortions. Our model can explain this characteristic feature without any free parameters. As a result, our results can precisely predict the non-linear behavior of the density-weighted velocity field in redshift space up to ∼ 30 h {sup -1} Mpc for dark matter particles at the redshifts of z =0.0, 0.5, and 1.0.« less

Broadband Observations of High Redshift Blazars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paliya, Vaidehi S.; Parker, M. L.; Fabian, A. C.; Stalin, C. S.

2016-07-01

We present a multi-wavelength study of four high redshift blazars, S5 0014+81 (z = 3.37), CGRaBS J0225+1846 (z = 2.69), BZQ J1430+4205 (z = 4.72), and 3FGL J1656.2-3303 (z = 2.40) using quasi-simultaneous data from the Swift, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) and also archival XMM-Newton observations. Other than 3FGL J1656.2-3303, none of the sources were known as γ-ray emitters, and our analysis of ˜7.5 yr of LAT data reveals the first time detection of statistically significant γ-ray emission from CGRaBS J0225+1846. We generate the broadband spectral energy distributions (SED) of all the objects, centering at the epoch of NuSTAR observations and reproduce them using a one-zone leptonic emission model. The optical-UV emission in all the objects can be explained by radiation from the accretion disk, whereas the X-ray to γ-ray windows of the SEDs are found to be dominated by inverse Compton scattering off the broad line region photons. All of them host black holes that are billions of solar masses. Comparing the accretion disk luminosity and the jet power of these sources with a large sample of blazars, we find them to occupy a high disk luminosity-jet power regime. We also investigate the X-ray spectral properties of the sources in detail with a major focus on studying the causes of soft X-ray deficit, a feature generally seen in high redshift radio-loud quasars. We summarize that this feature could be explained based on the intrinsic curvature in the jet emission rather than being due to the external effects predicted in earlier studies, such as host galaxy and/or warm absorption.

High-redshift Galaxies and Black Holes Detectable with the JWST: A Population Synthesis Model from Infrared to X-Rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volonteri, Marta; Reines, Amy E.; Atek, Hakim; Stark, Daniel P.; Trebitsch, Maxime

2017-11-01

The first billion years of the Universe has been a pivotal time: stars, black holes (BHs), and galaxies formed and assembled, sowing the seeds of galaxies as we know them today. Detecting, identifying, and understanding the first galaxies and BHs is one of the current observational and theoretical challenges in galaxy formation. In this paper we present a population synthesis model aimed at galaxies, BHs, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at high redshift. The model builds a population based on empirical relations. The spectral energy distribution of galaxies is determined by age and metallicity, and that of AGNs by BH mass and accretion rate. We validate the model against observations, and predict properties of galaxies and AGN in other wavelength and/or luminosity ranges, estimating the contamination of stellar populations (normal stars and high-mass X-ray binaries) for AGN searches from the infrared to X-rays, and vice versa for galaxy searches. For high-redshift galaxies with stellar ages < 1 {Gyr}, we find that disentangling stellar and AGN emission is challenging at restframe UV/optical wavelengths, while high-mass X-ray binaries become more important sources of confusion in X-rays. We propose a color-color selection in the James Webb Space Telescope bands to separate AGN versus star-dominated galaxies in photometric observations. We also estimate the AGN contribution, with respect to massive, hot, and metal-poor stars, at driving high-ionization lines, such as C IV and He II. Finally, we test the influence of the minimum BH mass and occupation fraction of BHs in low-mass galaxies on the restframe UV/near-IR and X-ray AGN luminosity function.

IMPROVING THE PRECISION OF TIME-DELAY COSMOGRAPHY WITH OBSERVATIONS OF GALAXIES ALONG THE LINE OF SIGHT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greene, Zach S.; Suyu, Sherry H.; Treu, Tommaso

2013-05-01

In order to use strong gravitational lens time delays to measure precise and accurate cosmological parameters the effects of mass along the line of sight must be taken into account. We present a method to achieve this by constraining the probability distribution function of the effective line-of-sight convergence {kappa}{sub ext}. The method is based on matching the observed overdensity in the weighted number of galaxies to that found in mock catalogs with {kappa}{sub ext} obtained by ray-tracing through structure formation simulations. We explore weighting schemes based on projected distance, mass, luminosity, and redshift. This additional information reduces the uncertainty ofmore » {kappa}{sub ext} from {sigma}{sub {kappa}} {approx} 0.06 to {approx}0.04 for very overdense LOSs like that of the system B1608+656. For more common LOSs, {sigma}{sub {kappa}} is reduced to {approx}<0.03, corresponding to an uncertainty of {approx}< 3% on distance. This uncertainty has comparable effects on cosmological parameters to that arising from the mass model of the deflector and its immediate environment. Photometric redshifts based on g, r, i and K photometries are sufficient to constrain {kappa}{sub ext} almost as well as with spectroscopic redshifts. As an illustration, we apply our method to the system B1608+656. Our most reliable {kappa}{sub ext} estimator gives {sigma}{sub {kappa}} = 0.047 down from 0.065 using only galaxy counts. Although deeper multiband observations of the field of B1608+656 are necessary to obtain a more precise estimate, we conclude that griK photometry, in addition to spectroscopy to characterize the immediate environment, is an effective way to increase the precision of time-delay cosmography.« less

Supernova rates from the SUDARE VST-OmegaCAM search. I. Rates per unit volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cappellaro, E.; Botticella, M. T.; Pignata, G.; Grado, A.; Greggio, L.; Limatola, L.; Vaccari, M.; Baruffolo, A.; Benetti, S.; Bufano, F.; Capaccioli, M.; Cascone, E.; Covone, G.; De Cicco, D.; Falocco, S.; Della Valle, M.; Jarvis, M.; Marchetti, L.; Napolitano, N. R.; Paolillo, M.; Pastorello, A.; Radovich, M.; Schipani, P.; Spiro, S.; Tomasella, L.; Turatto, M.

2015-12-01

Aims: We describe the observing strategy, data reduction tools, and early results of a supernova (SN) search project, named SUDARE, conducted with the ESO VST telescope, which is aimed at measuring the rate of the different types of SNe in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.8. Methods: The search was performed in two of the best studied extragalactic fields, CDFS and COSMOS, for which a wealth of ancillary data are available in the literature or in public archives. We developed a pipeline for the data reduction and rapid identification of transients. As a result of the frequent monitoring of the two selected fields, we obtained light curve and colour information for the transients sources that were used to select and classify SNe by means of an especially developed tool. To accurately characterise the surveyed stellar population, we exploit public data and our own observations to measure the galaxy photometric redshifts and rest frame colours. Results: We obtained a final sample of 117 SNe, most of which are SN Ia (57%) with the remaining ones being core collapse events, of which 44% are type II, 22% type IIn and 34% type Ib/c. To link the transients, we built a catalogue of ~1.3 × 105 galaxies in the redshift range 0 < z ≤ 1, with a limiting magnitude KAB = 23.5 mag. We measured the SN rate per unit volume for SN Ia and core collapse SNe in different bins of redshifts. The values are consistent with other measurements from the literature. Conclusions: The dispersion of the rate measurements for SNe-Ia is comparable to the scatter of the theoretical tracks for single degenerate (SD) and double degenerate (DD) binary systems models, therefore it is not possible to disentangle among the two different progenitor scenarios. However, among the three tested models (SD and the two flavours of DD that either have a steep DDC or a wide DDW delay time distribution), the SD appears to give a better fit across the whole redshift range, whereas the DDC better matches the steep rise up to redshift ~1.2. The DDW instead appears to be less favoured. Unlike recent claims, the core collapse SN rate is fully consistent with the prediction that is based on recent estimates of star formation history and standard progenitor mass range. Based on observations made with ESO telescopes at the Paranal Observatory under programme ID 088.D-4006, 088.D-4007, 089.D-0244, 089.D-0248, 090.D-0078, 090.D-0079, 088.D-4013, 089.D-0250, 090.D-0081.Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Clumpy Galaxies in CANDELS. II. Physical Properties of UV-bright Clumps at 0.5 ≤ z < 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yicheng; Rafelski, Marc; Bell, Eric F.; Conselice, Christopher J.; Dekel, Avishai; Faber, S. M.; Giavalisco, Mauro; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Koo, David C.; Lu, Yu; Mandelker, Nir; Primack, Joel R.; Ceverino, Daniel; de Mello, Duilia F.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Hathi, Nimish; Kocevski, Dale; Lucas, Ray A.; Pérez-González, Pablo G.; Ravindranath, Swara; Soto, Emmaris; Straughn, Amber; Wang, Weichen

2018-02-01

Studying giant star-forming clumps in distant galaxies is important to understand galaxy formation and evolution. At present, however, observers and theorists have not reached a consensus on whether the observed “clumps” in distant galaxies are the same phenomenon that is seen in simulations. In this paper, as a step to establish a benchmark of direct comparisons between observations and theories, we publish a sample of clumps constructed to represent the commonly observed “clumps” in the literature. This sample contains 3193 clumps detected from 1270 galaxies at 0.5≤slant z< 3.0. The clumps are detected from rest-frame UV images, as described in our previous paper. Their physical properties (e.g., rest-frame color, stellar mass ({M}* ), star formation rate (SFR), age, and dust extinction) are measured by fitting the spectral energy distribution (SED) to synthetic stellar population models. We carefully test the procedures of measuring clump properties, especially the method of subtracting background fluxes from the diffuse component of galaxies. With our fiducial background subtraction, we find a radial clump U ‑ V color variation, where clumps close to galactic centers are redder than those in outskirts. The slope of the color gradient (clump color as a function of their galactocentric distance scaled by the semimajor axis of galaxies) changes with redshift and {M}* of the host galaxies: at a fixed {M}* , the slope becomes steeper toward low redshift, and at a fixed redshift, it becomes slightly steeper with {M}* . Based on our SED fitting, this observed color gradient can be explained by a combination of a negative age gradient, a negative E(B ‑ V) gradient, and a positive specific SFR gradient of the clumps. We also find that the color gradients of clumps are steeper than those of intra-clump regions. Correspondingly, the radial gradients of the derived physical properties of clumps are different from those of the diffuse component or intra-clump regions.

Physical Properties of UV-bright Clumps in Star-forming Galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z < 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yicheng; Rafelski, Marc; Bell, Eric F.; Dekel, Avishai; Mandelker, Nir; Primack, Joel R.; CANDELS

2018-06-01

Studying giant star-forming clumps in distant galaxies is important to understand galaxy formation and evolution. At present, however, observers and theorists have not reached a consensus on whether the observed “clumps” in distant galaxies are the same phenomenon that is seen in simulations. As a step to establish a benchmark of direct comparisons between observations and theories, we publish a sample of clumps constructed to represent the commonly observed “clumps” in the literature. This sample contains 3193 clumps detected from the rest-frame images of 1270 galaxies at 0.5≤z<3.0. The physical properties of clumps (e.g., rest-frame color, stellar mass, star formation rate, age, and dust extinction) are measured by fitting the spectral energy distribution (SED) to synthetic stellar population models. We carefully test the procedures of measuring clump properties, especially the method of subtracting background fluxes from the diffuse component of galaxies. With our fiducial background subtraction, we find a radial clump U-V color variation, where clumps close to galactic centers are redder than those in outskirts. The slope of the color gradient (clump color as a function of their galactocentric distance scaled by the semimajor axis of galaxies) changes with redshift and stellar mass of the host galaxies: at a fixed stellar mass, the slope becomes steeper toward low redshift, and at a fixed redshift, it becomes slightly steeper with stellar mass. Based on our SED fitting, this observed color gradient can be explained by a combination of a negative age gradient, a negative E(B-V) gradient, and a positive specific star formation rate gradient of the clumps. We also find that the color gradients of clumps are steeper than those of intra-clump regions. Correspondingly, the radial gradients of the derived physical properties of clumps are different from those of the diffuse component or intra-clump regions.

Multi-level structure in the large scale distribution of optically luminous galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Xin-fa; Deng, Zu-gan; Liu, Yong-zhen

1992-04-01

Fractal dimensions in the large scale distribution of galaxies have been calculated with the method given by Wen et al. [1] Samples are taken from CfA redshift survey in northern and southern galactic [2] hemisphere in our analysis respectively. Results from these two regions are compared with each other. There are significant differences between the distributions in these two regions. However, our analyses do show some common features of the distributions in these two regions. All subsamples show multi-level fractal character distinctly. Combining it with the results from analyses of samples given by IRAS galaxies and results from samples given by redshift survey in pencil-beam fields, [3,4] we suggest that multi-level fractal structure is most likely to be a general and important character in the large scale distribution of galaxies. The possible implications of this character are discussed.

Bulge Growth and Quenching Since Z=2.5 in Candels/3D-HST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Phillip; Wuyts, Stijn; Somerville, Rachel S.; Schreiber, Natascha M. Foerster; Genzel, Reinhard; Bell, Eric F.; Brammer, Gabe; Dekel, Avishai; Faber, Sandra M.; Ferguson, Henry C.;

New constraints on Lyman-α opacity with a sample of 62 quasars at z > 5.7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosman, Sarah E. I.; Fan, Xiaohui; Jiang, Linhua; Reed, Sophie; Matsuoka, Yoshiki; Becker, George; Haehnelt, Martin

2018-05-01

We present measurements of the mean and scatter of the IGM Lyman-α opacity at 4.9 < z < 6.1 along the lines of sight of 62 quasars at zsource > 5.7, the largest sample assembled at these redshifts to date by a factor of two. The sample size enables us to sample cosmic variance at these redshifts more robustly than ever before. The spectra used here were obtained by the SDSS, DES-VHS and SHELLQs collaborations, drawn from the ESI and X-Shooter archives, reused from previous studies or observed specifically for this work. We measure the effective optical depth of Lyman-α in bins of 10, 30, 50 and 70 cMpc h-1, construct cumulative distribution functions under two treatments of upper limits on flux and explore an empirical analytic fit to residual Lyman-α transmission. We verify the consistency of our results with those of previous studies via bootstrap re-sampling and confirm the existence of tails towards high values in the opacity distributions, which may persist down to z ˜ 5.2. Comparing our results with predictions from cosmological simulations, we find further strong evidence against models that include a spatially uniform ionizing background and temperature-density relation. We also compare to IGM models that include either a fluctuating UVB dominated by rare quasars or temperature fluctuations due to patchy reionization. Although both models produce better agreement with the observations, neither fully captures the observed scatter in IGM opacity. Our sample of 62 z > 5.7 quasar spectra opens many avenues for future study of the reionisation epoch.

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: understanding observations of large-scale outflows at low redshift with EAGLE simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tescari, E.; Cortese, L.; Power, C.; Wyithe, J. S. B.; Ho, I.-T.; Crain, R. A.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Croom, S. M.; Kewley, L. J.; Schaye, J.; Bower, R. G.; Theuns, T.; Schaller, M.; Barnes, L.; Brough, S.; Bryant, J. J.; Goodwin, M.; Gunawardhana, M. L. P.; Lawrence, J. S.; Leslie, S. K.; López-Sánchez, Á. R.; Lorente, N. P. F.; Medling, A. M.; Richards, S. N.; Sweet, S. M.; Tonini, C.

2018-01-01

This work presents a study of galactic outflows driven by stellar feedback. We extract main-sequence disc galaxies with stellar mass 109 ≤ M⋆/ M⊙ ≤ 5.7 × 1010 at redshift z = 0 from the highest resolution cosmological simulation of the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) set. Synthetic gas rotation velocity and velocity dispersion (σ) maps are created and compared to observations of disc galaxies obtained with the Sydney-AAO (Australian Astronomical Observatory) Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI), where σ-values greater than 150 km s-1 are most naturally explained by bipolar outflows powered by starburst activity. We find that the extension of the simulated edge-on (pixelated) velocity dispersion probability distribution depends on stellar mass and star formation rate surface density (ΣSFR), with low-M⋆/low-ΣSFR galaxies showing a narrow peak at low σ (∼30 km s-1) and more active, high-M⋆/high-ΣSFR galaxies reaching σ > 150 km s-1. Although supernova-driven galactic winds in the EAGLE simulations may not entrain enough gas with T <105 K compared to observed galaxies, we find that gas temperature is a good proxy for the presence of outflows. There is a direct correlation between the thermal state of the gas and its state of motion as described by the σ-distribution. The following equivalence relations hold in EAGLE: (i) low-σ peak ⇔ disc of the galaxy ⇔ gas with T <105 K; (ii) high-σ tail ⇔ galactic winds ⇔ gas with T ≥105 K.

Dynamics of voids and their shapes in redshift space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeda, Kei-ichi; Sakai, Nobuyuki; Triay, Roland, E-mail: maeda@waseda.jp, E-mail: nsakai@e.yamagata-u.ac.jp, E-mail: triay@cpt.univ-mrs.fr

2011-08-01

We investigate the dynamics of a single spherical void embedded in a Friedmann-Lemaitre universe, and analyze the void shape in the redshift space. We find that the void in the redshift space appears as an ellipse shape elongated along the line of sight (i.e., an opposite deformation to the Kaiser effect). Applying this result to observed void candidates at the redshift z ∼ 1-2, it may provide us with a new method to evaluate the cosmological parameters, in particular the value of a cosmological constant.

Spectrophotometric Redshifts in the Faint Infrared Grism Survey: Finding Overdensities of Faint Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pharo, John; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Rhoads, James; Ryan, Russell; Tilvi, Vithal; Pirzkal, Norbert; Finkelstein, Steven; Windhorst, Rogier; Grogin, Norman; Koekemoer, Anton; Zheng, Zhenya; Hathi, Nimish; Kim, Keunho; Joshi, Bhavin; Yang, Huan; Christensen, Lise; Cimatti, Andrea; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Zakamska, Nadia; Ferreras, Ignacio; Hibon, Pascale; Pasquali, Anna

2018-04-01

We improve the accuracy of photometric redshifts by including low-resolution spectral data from the G102 grism on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), which assists in redshift determination by further constraining the shape of the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) and identifying spectral features. The photometry used in the redshift fits includes near-infrared photometry from FIGS+CANDELS, as well as optical data from ground-based surveys and HST ACS, and mid-IR data from Spitzer. We calculated the redshifts through the comparison of measured photometry with template galaxy models, using the EAZY photometric redshift code. For objects with F105W < 26.5 AB mag with a redshift range of 0 < z < 6, we find a typical error of Δz = 0.03 ∗ (1 + z) for the purely photometric redshifts; with the addition of FIGS spectra, these become Δz = 0.02 ∗ (1 + z), an improvement of 50%. Addition of grism data also reduces the outlier rate from 8% to 7% across all fields. With the more accurate spectrophotometric redshifts (SPZs), we searched the FIGS fields for galaxy overdensities. We identified 24 overdensities across the four fields. The strongest overdensity, matching a spectroscopically identified cluster at z = 0.85, has 28 potential member galaxies, of which eight have previous spectroscopic confirmation, and features a corresponding X-ray signal. Another corresponding to a cluster at z = 1.84 has 22 members, 18 of which are spectroscopically confirmed. Additionally, we find four overdensities that are detected at an equal or higher significance in at least one metric to the two confirmed clusters.

Lyman Break Analogs: Constraints on the Formation of Extreme Starbursts at Low and High Redshift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goncalves, Thiago S.; Overzier, Roderik; Basu-Zych, Antara; Martin, D. Christopher

2011-01-01

Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs), characterized by high far-UV luminosities and surface brightnesses as detected by GALEX, are intensely star-forming galaxies in the low-redshift universe (z approximately equal to 0.2), with star formation rates reaching up to 50 times that of the Milky Way. These objects present metallicities, morphologies and other physical properties similar to higher redshift Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs), motivating the detailed study of LBAs as local laboratories of this high-redshift galaxy population. We present results from our recent integral-field spectroscopy survey of LBAs with Keck/OSIRIS, which shows that these galaxies have the same nebular gas kinematic properties as high-redshift LBGs. We argue that such kinematic studies alone are not an appropriate diagnostic to rule out merger events as the trigger for the observed starburst. Comparison between the kinematic analysis and morphological indices from HST imaging illustrates the difficulties of properly identifying (minor or major) merger events, with no clear correlation between the results using either of the two methods. Artificial redshifting of our data indicates that this problem becomes even worse at high redshift due to surface brightness dimming and resolution loss. Whether mergers could generate the observed kinematic properties is strongly dependent on gas fractions in these galaxies. We present preliminary results of a CARMA survey for LBAs and discuss the implications of the inferred molecular gas masses for formation models.

Cosmic distribution of highly ionized metals and their physical conditions in the EAGLE simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmati, Alireza; Schaye, Joop; Crain, Robert A.; Oppenheimer, Benjamin D.; Schaller, Matthieu; Theuns, Tom

2016-06-01

We study the distribution and evolution of highly ionized intergalactic metals in the Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment (EAGLE) cosmological, hydrodynamical simulations. EAGLE has been shown to reproduce a wide range of galaxy properties while its subgrid feedback was calibrated without considering gas properties. We compare the predictions for the column density distribution functions (CDDFs) and cosmic densities of Si IV, C IV, N V, O VI and Ne VIII absorbers with observations at redshift z = 0 to ˜6 and find reasonable agreement, although there are some differences. We show that the typical physical densities of the absorbing gas increase with column density and redshift, but decrease with the ionization energy of the absorbing ion. The typical metallicity increases with both column density and time. The fraction of collisionally ionized metal absorbers increases with time and ionization energy. While our results show little sensitivity to the presence or absence of AGN feedback, increasing/decreasing the efficiency of stellar feedback by a factor of 2 substantially decreases/increases the CDDFs and the cosmic densities of the metal ions. We show that the impact of the efficiency of stellar feedback on the CDDFs and cosmic densities is largely due to its effect on the metal production rate. However, the temperatures of the metal absorbers, particularly those of strong O VI, are directly sensitive to the strength of the feedback.

Cluster redshifts in five suspected superclusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ciardullo, R.; Ford, H.; Harms, R.

1985-01-01

Redshift surveys for rich superclusters were carried out in five regions of the sky containing surface-density enhancements of Abell clusters. While several superclusters are identified, projection effects dominate each field, and no system contains more than five rich clusters. Two systems are found to be especially interesting. The first, field 0136 10, is shown to contain a superposition of at least four distinct superclusters, with the richest system possessing a small velocity dispersion. The second system, 2206 - 22, though a region of exceedingly high Abell cluster surface density, appears to be a remarkable superposition of 23 rich clusters almost uniformly distributed in redshift space between 0.08 and 0.24. The new redshifts significantly increase the three-dimensional information available for the distance class 5 and 6 Abell clusters and allow the spatial correlation function around rich superclusters to be estimated.

Galaxies and large scale structure at high redshifts

PubMed Central

Steidel, Charles C.

1998-01-01

It is now straightforward to assemble large samples of very high redshift (z ∼ 3) field galaxies selected by their pronounced spectral discontinuity at the rest frame Lyman limit of hydrogen (at 912 Å). This makes possible both statistical analyses of the properties of the galaxies and the first direct glimpse of the progression of the growth of their large-scale distribution at such an early epoch. Here I present a summary of the progress made in these areas to date and some preliminary results of and future plans for a targeted redshift survey at z = 2.7–3.4. Also discussed is how the same discovery method may be used to obtain a “census” of star formation in the high redshift Universe, and the current implications for the history of galaxy formation as a function of cosmic epoch. PMID:9419319

THE CHANDRA COSMOS-LEGACY SURVEY: THE z > 3 SAMPLE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marchesi, S.; Civano, F.; Urry, C. M.

2016-08-20

We present the largest high-redshift (3 < z < 6.85) sample of X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) on a contiguous field, using sources detected in the Chandra COSMOS-Legacy survey. The sample contains 174 sources, 87 with spectroscopic redshift and the other 87 with photometric redshift (z {sub phot}). In this work, we treat z {sub phot} as a probability-weighted sum of contributions, adding to our sample the contribution of sources with z {sub phot} < 3 but z {sub phot} probability distribution >0 at z > 3. We compute the number counts in the observed 0.5–2 keV band, finding amore » decline in the number of sources at z > 3 and constraining phenomenological models of the X-ray background. We compute the AGN space density at z > 3 in two different luminosity bins. At higher luminosities (log L (2–10 keV) > 44.1 erg s{sup −1}), the space density declines exponentially, dropping by a factor of ∼20 from z ∼ 3 to z ∼ 6. The observed decline is ∼80% steeper at lower luminosities (43.55 erg s{sup −1} < logL(2–10 keV) < 44.1 erg s{sup −1}) from z ∼ 3 to z ∼ 4.5. We study the space density evolution dividing our sample into optically classified Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs. At log L (2–10 keV) > 44.1 erg s{sup −1}, unobscured and obscured objects may have different evolution with redshift, with the obscured component being three times higher at z ∼ 5. Finally, we compare our space density with predictions of quasar activation merger models, whose calibration is based on optically luminous AGNs. These models significantly overpredict the number of expected AGNs at log L (2–10 keV) > 44.1 erg s{sup −1} with respect to our data.« less

High-resolution observations of radio-source hot spots at 329 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linfield, R.; Simon, R. S.

1984-01-01

The hot spots of several luminous double radio sources have been observed at 329 MHz with VLBI at fringe spacings ranging from 0.05 to 0.70 arcsec. Two out of two high-redshift (z = about 0.5) sources, but only one of six low-redshift (z = about 0.05) sources, were detected. For the low-redshift source (3C 234) which was detected, either the hot spot is larger at 329 MHz than at 15 GHz, or else the brightness contrast between it and the surrounding lobe is lower at the lower frequency.

AGN-driven helium reionization and the incidence of extended He III regions at redshift z > 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compostella, Michele; Cantalupo, Sebastiano; Porciani, Cristiano

2014-12-01

We use hydrodynamic simulations post-processed with the radiative-transfer code RADAMESH to assess recent claims that the low He II opacity observed in z > 3 quasar spectra may be incompatible with models of He II reionization driven by the observed population of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In particular, building upon our previous work, we consider an early population of sources and start the radiative-transfer calculation at redshifts z ≥ 5. Our model faithfully reproduces the emissivity of optically selected AGNs as inferred from measurements of their luminosity function. We find that He II reionization is very extended in redshift (Δz ≥ 2) and highly spatially inhomogeneous. In fact, mock spectra extracted from the simulations show a large variability in the evolution of the He II effective optical depth within chunks of size Δz = 0.04. Regions with low opacity (τ_ {He {II}}^eff < 3) can be found at high redshift, in agreement with the most recent observations of UV-transmitting quasars. At the highest redshift currently probed by observations (z ˜ 3.4), our updated model predicts a much lower He II effective optical depth than previous simulations in the literature relieving most of the tension with the current data, that, however, still persists at about the (Gaussian) 1σ to 2σ level. Given the very small number of observed lines of sight, our analysis indicates that current data cannot rule out a purely AGN-driven scenario with high statistical significance.

The co-evolution of total density profiles and central dark matter fractions in simulated early-type galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remus, Rhea-Silvia; Dolag, Klaus; Naab, Thorsten; Burkert, Andreas; Hirschmann, Michaela; Hoffmann, Tadziu L.; Johansson, Peter H.

2017-01-01

We present evidence from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations for a co-evolution of the slope of the total (dark and stellar) mass density profile, γtot, and the dark matter fraction within the half-mass radius, fDM, in early-type galaxies. The relation can be described as γtot = A fDM + B for all systems at all redshifts. The trend is set by the decreasing importance of gas dissipation towards lower redshifts and for more massive systems. Early-type galaxies are smaller, more concentrated, have lower fDM and steeper γtot at high redshifts and at lower masses for a given redshift; fDM and γtot are good indicators for growth by `dry' merging. The values for A and B change distinctively for different feedback models, and this relation can be used as a test for such models. A similar correlation exists between γtot and the stellar mass surface density Σ*. A model with weak stellar feedback and feedback from black holes is in best agreement with observations. All simulations, independent of the assumed feedback model, predict steeper γtot and lower fDM at higher redshifts. While the latter is in agreement with the observed trends, the former is in conflict with lensing observations, which indicate constant or decreasing γtot. This discrepancy is shown to be artificial: the observed trends can be reproduced from the simulations using observational methodology to calculate the total density slopes.

Analysis of the observed and intrinsic durations of Swift/BAT gamma-ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarnopolski, Mariusz

2016-07-01

The duration distribution of 947 GRBs observed by Swift/BAT, as well as its subsample of 347 events with measured redshift, allowing to examine the durations in both the observer and rest frames, are examined. Using a maximum log-likelihood method, mixtures of two and three standard Gaussians are fitted to each sample, and the adequate model is chosen based on the value of the difference in the log-likelihoods, Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion. It is found that a two-Gaussian is a better description than a three-Gaussian, and that the presumed intermediate-duration class is unlikely to be present in the Swift duration data.

Frequency-based redshift for cosmological observation and Hubble diagram from the 4-D spherical model in comparison with observed supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagao, Shigeto

2017-08-01

According to the formerly reported 4-D spherical model of the universe, factors on Hubble diagrams are discussed. The observed redshift is not the prolongation of wavelength from that of the source at the emission but from the wavelength of spectrum of the present atom of the same element. It is equal to the redshift based on the shift of frequency from the time of emission. We demonstrate that the K-correction corresponds to conversion of the light propagated distance (luminosity distance) to the proper distance at present (present distance). Comparison of the graph of the present distance times 1 + z versus the frequency-based redshift with the reported Hubble diagrams from the Supernova Cosmology Project, which were time-dilated by 1 + z and K-corrected, showed an excellent fit for the Present Time (the radius of 4-D sphere) being c.a. 0.7 of its maximum.

Redshifts in the Southern Abell Redshift Survey Clusters. I. The Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Way, M. J.; Quintana, H.; Infante, L.; Lambas, D. G.; Muriel, H.

2005-11-01

The Southern Abell Redshift Survey (SARS) contains 39 clusters of galaxies with redshifts in the range 0.021h (while avoiding the LMC and SMC), with |b|>40°. Cluster locations were chosen from the Abell and Abell-Corwin-Olowin catalogs, while galaxy positions were selected from the Automatic Plate Measuring Facility galaxy catalog with extinction-corrected magnitudes in the range 15<=bJ<19. SARS used the Las Campanas 2.5 m du Pont telescope, observing either 65 or 128 objects concurrently over a 1.5 deg2 field. New redshifts for 3440 galaxies are reported in the fields of these 39 clusters of galaxies.

Charting the Parameter Space of the 21-cm Power Spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, Aviad; Fialkov, Anastasia; Barkana, Rennan

2018-05-01

The high-redshift 21-cm signal of neutral hydrogen is expected to be observed within the next decade and will reveal epochs of cosmic evolution that have been previously inaccessible. Due to the lack of observations, many of the astrophysical processes that took place at early times are poorly constrained. In recent work we explored the astrophysical parameter space and the resulting large variety of possible global (sky-averaged) 21-cm signals. Here we extend our analysis to the fluctuations in the 21-cm signal, accounting for those introduced by density and velocity, Lyα radiation, X-ray heating, and ionization. While the radiation sources are usually highlighted, we find that in many cases the density fluctuations play a significant role at intermediate redshifts. Using both the power spectrum and its slope, we show that properties of high-redshift sources can be extracted from the observable features of the fluctuation pattern. For instance, the peak amplitude of ionization fluctuations can be used to estimate whether heating occurred early or late and, in the early case, to also deduce the cosmic mean ionized fraction at that time. The slope of the power spectrum has a more universal redshift evolution than the power spectrum itself and can thus be used more easily as a tracer of high-redshift astrophysics. Its peaks can be used, for example, to estimate the redshift of the Lyα coupling transition and the redshift of the heating transition (and the mean gas temperature at that time). We also show that a tight correlation is predicted between features of the power spectrum and of the global signal, potentially yielding important consistency checks.

ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY OF RAPIDLY ROTATING SOLAR-MASS STARS: EMISSION-LINE REDSHIFTS AS A TEST OF THE SOLAR-STELLAR CONNECTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Bushinsky, Rachel; Ayres, Tom

2012-07-20

We compare high-resolution ultraviolet spectra of the Sun and thirteen solar-mass main-sequence stars with different rotational periods that serve as proxies for their different ages and magnetic field structures. In this, the second paper in the series, we study the dependence of ultraviolet emission-line centroid velocities on stellar rotation period, as rotation rates decrease from that of the Pleiades star HII314 (P{sub rot} = 1.47 days) to {alpha} Cen A (P{sub rot} = 28 days). Our stellar sample of F9 V to G5 V stars consists of six stars observed with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescopemore » (HST) and eight stars observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on HST. We find a systematic trend of increasing redshift with more rapid rotation (decreasing rotation period) that is similar to the increase in line redshift between quiet and plage regions on the Sun. The fastest-rotating solar-mass star in our study, HII314, shows significantly enhanced redshifts at all temperatures above log T = 4.6, including the corona, which is very different from the redshift pattern observed in the more slowly rotating stars. This difference in the redshift pattern suggests that a qualitative change in the magnetic-heating process occurs near P{sub rot} = 2 days. We propose that HII314 is an example of a solar-mass star with a magnetic heating rate too large for the physical processes responsible for the redshift pattern to operate in the same way as for the more slowly rotating stars. HII314 may therefore lie above the high activity end of the set of solar-like phenomena that is often called the 'solar-stellar connection'.« less

Kinematics and dynamics of the MKW/AWM poor clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beers, Timothy C.; Kriessler, Jeffrey R.; Bird, Christina M.; Huchra, John P.

1995-01-01

We report 472 new redshifts for 416 galaxies in the regions of the 23 poor clusters of galaxies originally identified by Morgan, Kayser, and White (MKW), and Albert, White, and Morgan (AWM). Eighteen of the poor clusters now have 10 or more available redshifts within 1.5/h Mpc of the central galaxy; 11 clusters have at least 20 available redshifts. Based on the 21 clusters for which we have sufficient velocity information, the median velocity scale is 336 km/s, a factor of 2 smaller than found for rich clusters. Several of the poor clusters exhibit complex velocity distributions due to the presence of nearby clumps of galaxies. We check on the velocity of the dominant galaxy in each poor cluster relative to the remaining cluster members. Significantly high relative velocities of the dominant galaxy are found in only 4 of 21 poor clusters, 3 of which we suspect are due to contamination of the parent velocity distribution. Several statistical tests indicate that the D/cD galaxies are at the kinematic centers of the parent poor cluster velocity distributions. Mass-to-light ratios for 13 of the 15 poor clusters for which we have the required data are in the range 50 less than or = M/L(sub B(0)) less than or = 200 solar mass/solar luminosity. The complex nature of the regions surrounding many of the poor clusters suggests that these groupings may represent an early epoch of cluster formation. For example, the poor clusters MKW7 and MKWS are shown to be gravitationally bound and likely to merge to form a richer cluster within the next several Gyrs. Eight of the nine other poor clusters for which simple two-body dynamical models can be carried out are consistent with being bound to other clumps in their vicinity. Additional complex systems with more than two gravitationally bound clumps are observed among the poor clusters.

Reconstruction of halo power spectrum from redshift-space galaxy distribution: cylinder-grouping method and halo exclusion effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Teppei; Takada, Masahiro; More, Surhud; Masaki, Shogo

2017-07-01

The peculiar velocity field measured by redshift-space distortions (RSD) in galaxy surveys provides a unique probe of the growth of large-scale structure. However, systematic effects arise when including satellite galaxies in the clustering analysis. Since satellite galaxies tend to reside in massive haloes with a greater halo bias, the inclusion boosts the clustering power. In addition, virial motions of the satellite galaxies cause a significant suppression of the clustering power due to non-linear RSD effects. We develop a novel method to recover the redshift-space power spectrum of haloes from the observed galaxy distribution by minimizing the contamination of satellite galaxies. The cylinder-grouping method (CGM) we study effectively excludes satellite galaxies from a galaxy sample. However, we find that this technique produces apparent anisotropies in the reconstructed halo distribution over all the scales which mimic RSD. On small scales, the apparent anisotropic clustering is caused by exclusion of haloes within the anisotropic cylinder used by the CGM. On large scales, the misidentification of different haloes in the large-scale structures, aligned along the line of sight, into the same CGM group causes the apparent anisotropic clustering via their cross-correlation with the CGM haloes. We construct an empirical model for the CGM halo power spectrum, which includes correction terms derived using the CGM window function at small scales as well as the linear matter power spectrum multiplied by a simple anisotropic function at large scales. We apply this model to a mock galaxy catalogue at z = 0.5, designed to resemble Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS galaxies, and find that our model can predict both the monopole and quadrupole power spectra of the host haloes up to k < 0.5 {{h Mpc^{-1}}} to within 5 per cent.

Galaxy luminosity function: evolution at high redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinet, N.; Durret, F.; Guennou, L.; Adami, C.

2014-12-01

There are some disagreements about the abundance of faint galaxies in high redshift clusters. DAFT/FADA (Dark energy American French Team) is a medium redshift (0.4

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): AUTOZ spectral redshift measurements, confidence and errors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldry, I. K.; Alpaslan, M.; Bauer, A. E.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Brough, S.; Cluver, M. E.; Croom, S. M.; Davies, L. J. M.; Driver, S. P.; Gunawardhana, M. L. P.; Holwerda, B. W.; Hopkins, A. M.; Kelvin, L. S.; Liske, J.; López-Sánchez, Á. R.; Loveday, J.; Norberg, P.; Peacock, J.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Taylor, E. N.

2014-07-01

The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has obtained spectra of over 230 000 targets using the Anglo-Australian Telescope. To homogenize the redshift measurements and improve the reliability, a fully automatic redshift code was developed (AUTOZ). The measurements were made using a cross-correlation method for both the absorption- and the emission-line spectra. Large deviations in the high-pass-filtered spectra are partially clipped in order to be robust against uncorrected artefacts and to reduce the weight given to single-line matches. A single figure of merit (FOM) was developed that puts all template matches on to a similar confidence scale. The redshift confidence as a function of the FOM was fitted with a tanh function using a maximum likelihood method applied to repeat observations of targets. The method could be adapted to provide robust automatic redshifts for other large galaxy redshift surveys. For the GAMA survey, there was a substantial improvement in the reliability of assigned redshifts and in the lowering of redshift uncertainties with a median velocity uncertainty of 33 km s-1.

Evaluating and improving the redshifts of z > 2.2 quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, Michelle; Brotherton, Michael S.; Myers, Adam

2017-08-01

Quasar redshifts require the best possible precision and accuracy for a number of applications, such as setting the velocity scale for outflows as well as measuring small-scale quasar-quasar clustering. The most reliable redshift standard in luminous quasars is arguably the narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission line doublet in the rest-frame optical. We use previously published [O III] redshifts obtained using near-infrared spectra in a sample of 45 high-redshift (z > 2.2) quasars to evaluate redshift measurement techniques based on rest-frame ultraviolet spectra. At redshifts above z = 2.2, the Mg II λ2798 emission line is not available in observed-frame optical spectra and the most prominent unblended and unabsorbed spectral feature available is usually C IV λ1549. Peak and centroid measurements of the C IV profile are often blueshifted relative to the rest-frame of the quasar, which can significantly bias redshift determinations. We show that redshift determinations for these high-redshift quasars are significantly correlated with the emission-line properties of C IV (I.e. the equivalent width, or EW, and the full width at half-maximum, or FWHM) as well as the luminosity, which we take from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. We demonstrate that empirical corrections based on multiple regression analyses yield significant improvements in both the precision and accuracy of the redshifts of the most distant quasars and are required to establish consistency with redshifts determined in more local quasars.

Photometric Selection of a Massive Galaxy Catalog with z ≥ 0.55

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Núñez, Carolina; Spergel, David N.; Ho, Shirley

2017-02-01

We present the development of a photometrically selected massive galaxy catalog, targeting Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) and massive blue galaxies at redshifts of z≥slant 0.55. Massive galaxy candidates are selected using infrared/optical color-color cuts, with optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and infrared data from “unWISE” forced photometry derived from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The selection method is based on previously developed techniques to select LRGs with z> 0.5, and is optimized using receiver operating characteristic curves. The catalog contains 16,191,145 objects, selected over the full SDSS DR10 footprint. The redshift distribution of the resulting catalog is estimated using spectroscopic redshifts from the DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey and photometric redshifts from COSMOS. Restframe U - B colors from DEEP2 are used to estimate LRG selection efficiency. Using DEEP2, the resulting catalog has an average redshift of z = 0.65, with a standard deviation of σ =2.0, and an average restframe of U-B=1.0, with a standard deviation of σ =0.27. Using COSMOS, the resulting catalog has an average redshift of z = 0.60, with a standard deviation of σ =1.8. We estimate 34 % of the catalog to be blue galaxies with z≥slant 0.55. An estimated 9.6 % of selected objects are blue sources with redshift z< 0.55. Stellar contamination is estimated to be 1.8%.

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: First measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

DOE PAGES

Ata, Metin

2017-06-20

Here, we present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshifts 0.8 < z < 2.2 and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5σ . We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to z = 1.52 to 4.4 per cent precision: D V (zmore » = 1:52) = 3855 170 (r d/r d,fid) Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Bu using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find Ω Λ > 0 at 6.5σ significance when testing a CDM model with free curvature.« less

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: First measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ata, Metin

Here, we present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshifts 0.8 < z < 2.2 and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5σ . We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to z = 1.52 to 4.4 per cent precision: D V (zmore » = 1:52) = 3855 170 (r d/r d,fid) Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Bu using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find Ω Λ > 0 at 6.5σ significance when testing a CDM model with free curvature.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Jinyi; Wu, Xue-Bing; Wang, Feige

We present initial results from the first systematic survey of luminous z  ∼ 5.5 quasars. Quasars at z ∼ 5.5, the post-reionization epoch, are crucial tools to explore the evolution of intergalactic medium, quasar evolution, and the early super-massive black hole growth. However, it has been very challenging to select quasars at redshifts 5.3 ≤ z ≤ 5.7 using conventional color selections, due to their similar optical colors to late-type stars, especially M dwarfs, resulting in a glaring redshift gap in quasar redshift distributions. We develop a new selection technique for z ∼ 5.5 quasars based on optical, near-IR, and mid-IRmore » photometric data from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), UKIRT InfraRed Deep Sky Surveys—Large Area Survey (ULAS), VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS), and Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer . From our pilot observations in the SDSS-ULAS/VHS area, we have discovered 15 new quasars at 5.3 ≤ z ≤ 5.7 and 6 new lower redshift quasars, with SDSS z band magnitude brighter than 20.5. Including other two z ∼ 5.5 quasars already published in our previous work, we now construct a uniform quasar sample at 5.3 ≤ z ≤ 5.7, with 17 quasars in a ∼4800 square degree survey area. For further application in a larger survey area, we apply our selection pipeline to do a test selection by using the new wide field J-band photometric data from a preliminary version of the UKIRT Hemisphere Survey (UHS). We successfully discover the first UHS selected z ∼ 5.5 quasar.« less

The metallicity of the intracluster medium over cosmic time: further evidence for early enrichment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantz, Adam B.; Allen, Steven W.; Morris, R. Glenn; Simionescu, Aurora; Urban, Ondrej; Werner, Norbert; Zhuravleva, Irina

2017-12-01

We use Chandra X-ray data to measure the metallicity of the intracluster medium (ICM) in 245 massive galaxy clusters selected from X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect surveys, spanning redshifts 0 < z < 1.2. Metallicities were measured in three different radial ranges, spanning cluster cores through their outskirts. We explore trends in these measurements as a function of cluster redshift, temperature and surface brightness 'peakiness' (a proxy for gas cooling efficiency in cluster centres). The data at large radii (0.5-1 r500) are consistent with a constant metallicity, while at intermediate radii (0.1-0.5 r500) we see a late-time increase in enrichment, consistent with the expected production and mixing of metals in cluster cores. In cluster centres, there are strong trends of metallicity with temperature and peakiness, reflecting enhanced metal production in the lowest entropy gas. Within the cool-core/sharply peaked cluster population, there is a large intrinsic scatter in central metallicity and no overall evolution, indicating significant astrophysical variations in the efficiency of enrichment. The central metallicity in clusters with flat surface brightness profiles is lower, with a smaller intrinsic scatter, but increases towards lower redshifts. Our results are consistent with other recent measurements of ICM metallicity as a function of redshift. They reinforce the picture implied by observations of uniform metal distributions in the outskirts of nearby clusters, in which most of the enrichment of the ICM takes place before cluster formation, with significant later enrichment taking place only in cluster centres, as the stellar populations of the central galaxies evolve.