- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/655/A109
- Title:
- Chandra view of the LX-LUV relation in quasars
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/655/A109
- Date:
- 22 Feb 2022
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a study of the relation between X-rays and ultraviolet emission in quasars for a sample of broad-line, radio-quiet objects obtained from the cross-match of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR14 with the latest Chandra Source Catalog 2.0 (2332 quasars) and the Chandra COSMOS Legacy survey (273 quasars). The non-linear relation between the ultraviolet (at 2500{AA}, LUV) and the X-ray (at 2keV, LX) emission in quasars has been proved to be characterised by a smaller intrinsic dispersion than the observed one, as long as a homogeneous selection, aimed at preventing the inclusion of contaminants in the sample, is fulfilled. By leveraging on the low background of Chandra, we performed a complete spectral analysis of all the data available for the SDSS-CSC2.0 quasar sample (i.e. 3430 X-ray observations), with the main goal of reducing the uncertainties on the source properties (e.g. flux, spectral slope). We analysed whether any evolution of the LX-LUV relation exists by dividing the sample in narrow redshift intervals across the redshift range spanned by our sample, z~=0.5-4. We find that the slope of the relation does not evolve with redshift and it is consistent with the literature value of 0.6 over the explored redshift range, implying that the mechanism underlying the coupling of the accretion disc and hot corona is the same at the different cosmic epochs. We also find that the dispersion decreases when examining the highest redshifts, where only pointed observations are available. These results further confirm that quasars are 'standardisable candles', that is we can reliably measure cosmological distances at high redshifts where very few cosmological probes are available.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/746/54
- Title:
- Chandra X-ray observations of SDSS-DR5 QSOs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/746/54
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We analyze the X-ray variability of 264 Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic quasars using the Chandra public archive. This data set consists of quasars with spectroscopic redshifts out to z {approx} 5 and covers rest-frame timescales up to {Delta}t_sys_{approx} 2000 days, with three or more X-ray observations available for 82 quasars. It therefore samples longer timescales and higher luminosities than previous large-scale analyses of active galactic nucleus (AGN) variability. We find significant ( >~ 3{sigma}) variation in {approx}30% of the quasars overall; the fraction of sources with detected variability increases strongly with the number of available source counts up to {approx}70% for sources with >= 1000 counts per epoch. Assuming that the distribution of fractional variation is Gaussian, its standard deviation is {approx}16% on >~ 1 week timescales, which is not enough to explain the observed scatter in quasar X-ray-to-optical flux ratios as being due to variability alone. We find no evidence in our sample that quasars are more variable at higher redshifts (z > 2), as has been suggested in previous studies. Quasar X-ray spectra vary similarly to some local Seyfert AGNs in that they steepen as they brighten, with evidence for a constant, hard spectral component that is more prominent in fainter stages. We identify one highly variable Narrow Line Seyfert 1-type spectroscopic quasar in the Chandra Deep Field-North. We constrain the rate of kilosecond-timescale flares in the quasar population using {approx}8 months of total exposure and also constrain the distribution of variation amplitudes between exposures; extreme changes (>100%) are quite rare, while variation at the 25% level occurs in <25% of observations. [O III] {lambda}5007 {AA} emission may be stronger in sources with lower levels of X-ray variability; if confirmed, this would represent an additional link between small-scale (corona) and large-scale (narrow-line region) AGN properties.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/637/A58
- Title:
- Chemical evolution of galaxy clusters
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/637/A58
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We study the chemical evolution of galaxy clusters by measuring the iron mass in the ICM after dissecting the abundance profiles into different components. We used Chandra archival observations of 186 morphologically regular clusters in the redshift range of [0.04, 1.07]. For each cluster, we computed the azimuthally averaged iron abundance and gas density profiles. In particular, our aim is to identify a central peak in the iron distribution, which is associated with the central galaxy, and an approximately constant plateau reaching the largest observed radii, which is possibly associated with early enrichment that occurred before or shortly after achieving virialization within the cluster. We were able to firmly identify two components in the iron distribution in a significant fraction of the sample simply by relying on the fit of the iron abundance profile. From the abundance and ICM density profiles, we computed the iron mass included in the iron peak and iron plateau, and the gas mass-weighted iron abundance of the ICM out to an extraction radius of 0.4r_500_ and to r_500_ by extending the abundance profile as a constant. We find that the iron plateau shows no evolution with redshift. On the other hand, we find a marginal (<2{sigma} c.l.) decrease with redshift in the iron mass included in the iron peak rescaled by the gas mass. We measure that the fraction of iron peak mass is typically a few percent (~1%) of the total iron mass within r_500_. Therefore, since the total iron mass budget is dominated by the plateau, we find consistently that the global gas mass-weighted iron abundance does not evolve significantly across our sample. We were also able to reproduce past claims of evolution in the global iron abundance, which turn out to be due to the use of cluster samples with different selection methods combined with the use of emission-weighted, instead of gas mass-weighted, abundance values. Finally, while the intrinsic scatter in the iron plateau mass is consistent with zero, the iron peak mass exhibits a large scatter, in line with the fact that the peak is produced after the virialization of the halo and depends on the formation history of the hosting cool core and the strength of the associated feedback processes. We conclude that only a spatially resolved approach can resolve the issue of iron abundance evolution in the ICM, reconciling the contradictory results obtained in the last ten years. Evolutionary effects below z~1 are marginally measurable with present-day data, while at z>1 the constraints are severely limited by poor knowledge of the high-z cluster population. The path towards a full and comprehensive chemical history of the ICM requires the application of high angular resolution X-ray bolometers and a dramatic increase in the number of faint, extended X-ray sources.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/806/268
- Title:
- Cheshire Cat galaxies: redshifts and magnitudes
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/806/268
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The Cheshire Cat is a relatively poor group of galaxies dominated by two luminous elliptical galaxies surrounded by at least four arcs from gravitationally lensed background galaxies that give the system a humorous appearance. Our combined optical/X-ray study of this system reveals that it is experiencing a line of sight merger between two groups with a roughly equal mass ratio with a relative velocity of ~1350 km/s. One group was most likely a low-mass fossil group, while the other group would have almost fit the classical definition of a fossil group. The collision manifests itself in a bimodal galaxy velocity distribution, an elevated central X-ray temperature and luminosity indicative of a shock, and gravitational arc centers that do not coincide with either large elliptical galaxy. One of the luminous elliptical galaxies has a double nucleus embedded off-center in the stellar halo. The luminous ellipticals should merge in less than a Gyr, after which observers will see a massive 1.2-1.5x10^14^ M_{sun}_ fossil group with an M_r_=-24.0 brightest group galaxy at its center. Thus, the Cheshire Cat offers us the first opportunity to study a fossil group progenitor. We discuss the limitations of the classical definition of a fossil group in terms of magnitude gaps between the member galaxies. We also suggest that if the merging of fossil (or near-fossil) groups is a common avenue for creating present-day fossil groups, the time lag between the final galactic merging of the system and the onset of cooling in the shock-heated core could account for the observed lack of well-developed cool cores in some fossil groups.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/846/105
- Title:
- [CII], [OI] and [OIII] line emission from z~6 gal.
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/846/105
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Of the almost 40 star-forming galaxies at z>~5 (not counting quasi-stellar objects) observed in [CII] to date, nearly half are either very faint in [CII] or not detected at all, and fall well below expectations based on locally derived relations between star formation rate and [CII] luminosity. This has raised questions as to how reliable [CII] is as a tracer of star formation activity at these epochs and how factors such as metallicity might affect the [CII] emission. Combining cosmological zoom simulations of galaxies with SIGAME (SImulator of GAlaxy Millimeter/submillimeter Emission), we modeled the multiphased interstellar medium (ISM) and its emission in [CII], as well as in [OI] and [OIII], from 30 main-sequence galaxies at z~6 with star formation rates ~3-23M_{sun}_/yr, stellar masses ~(0.7-8)x10^9^M_{sun}_, and metallicities ~(0.1-0.4)xZ_{sun}_. The simulations are able to reproduce the aforementioned [CII] faintness of some normal star-forming galaxy sources at z>=5. In terms of [OI] and [OIII], very few observations are available at z>~5, but our simulations match two of the three existing z>~5 detections of [OIII] and are furthermore roughly consistent with the [OI] and [OIII] luminosity relations with star formation rate observed for local starburst galaxies. We find that the [CII] emission is dominated by the diffuse ionized gas phase and molecular clouds, which on average contribute ~66% and ~27%, respectively. The molecular gas, which constitutes only ~10% of the total gas mass, is thus a more efficient emitter of [CII] than the ionized gas, which makes up ~85% of the total gas mass. A principal component analysis shows that the [CII] luminosity correlates with the star formation activity of a galaxy as well as its average metallicity. The low metallicities of our simulations together with their low molecular gas mass fractions can account for their [CII] faintness, and we suggest that these factors may also be responsible for the [CII]-faint normal galaxies observed at these early epochs.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/755/171
- Title:
- [CII]158um line fluxes of AGN from Herschel
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/755/171
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Results are presented for [CII] 158{mu}m line fluxes observed with the Herschel PACS instrument in 112 sources with both starburst and active galactic nucleus (AGN) classifications, of which 102 sources have confident detections. Results are compared with mid-infrared spectra from the Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer and with L_ir_ from IRAS fluxes; AGN/starburst classifications are determined from equivalent width of the 6.2{mu}m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) feature. It is found that the [CII] line flux correlates closely with the flux of the 11.3{mu}m PAH feature independent of AGN/starburst classification, log[f([CII]158{mu}m)/f(11.3{mu}mPAH)]=-0.22+/-0.25. It is concluded that the [CII] line flux measures the photodissociation region associated with starbursts in the same fashion as the PAH feature. A calibration of star formation rate (SFR) for the starburst component in any source having [CII] is derived comparing [CII] luminosity L([CII]) to L_ir_ with the result that logSFR=logL([CII)])-7.08+/-0.3, for SFR in M_{sun}_/yr and L([CII]) in L_{sun}_. The decreasing ratio of L([CII]) to L_ir_ in more luminous sources (the "[CII] deficit") is shown to be a consequence of the dominant contribution to L_ir_arising from a luminous AGN component because the sources with the largest L_ir_ and smallest L([CII])/L_ir_ are AGNs.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/796/140
- Title:
- Circumgalactic medium surrounding z~2 quasars
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/796/140
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We survey the incidence and absorption strength of the metal-line transitions C II 1334 and C IV 1548 from the circumgalactic medium (CGM) surrounding z~2 quasars, which act as signposts for massive dark matter halos M_halo_~10^12.5^ M_{sun}_. On scales of the virial radius (r_vir_~160 kpc), we measure a high covering fraction f_C_=0.73+/-0.10 to strong C II 1334 absorption (rest equivalent width W_1334_>=0.2 {AA}), implying a massive reservoir of cool (T~10^4^ K) metal enriched gas. We conservatively estimate a metal mass exceeding 10^8^ M_{sun}_. We propose that these metals trace enrichment of the incipient intragroup/intracluster medium that these halos eventually inhabit. This cool CGM around quasars is the pinnacle among galaxies observed at all epochs, as regards covering the fraction and average equivalent width of H I Ly{alpha} and low-ion metal absorption. We argue that the properties of this cool CGM primarily reflect the halo mass, and that other factors such as feedback, star-formation rate, and accretion from the intergalactic medium are secondary. We further estimate that the CGM of massive, z~2 galaxies accounts for the majority of strong Mg II absorption along random quasar sightlines. Last, we detect an excess of strong C IV 1548 absorption (W_1548_>=0.3 {AA}) over random incidence to the 1 Mpc physical impact parameter and measure the quasar-C IV cross-correlation function: {zeta}_CIV_-Q(r)=(r/r_0_)^-{gamma}^ with r_0_=7.5_-1.4_^+2.8^ h^-1^ Mpc and {gamma}=1.7_-0.2_^+0.1^. Consistent with previous work on larger scales, we infer that this highly ionized C IV gas traces massive (10^12^ M_{sun}_) halos.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/132/1275
- Title:
- CIRS (Cluster Infall Regions in the SDSS). I.
- Short Name:
- J/AJ/132/1275
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use the Fourth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to test the ubiquity of infall patterns around galaxy clusters and measure cluster mass profiles to large radii. The Cluster and Infall Region Nearby Survey (CAIRNS) found infall patterns in nine clusters, but the cluster sample was incomplete. Here we match X-ray cluster catalogs with SDSS, search for infall patterns, and compute mass profiles for a complete sample of X-ray-selected clusters. Very clean infall patterns are apparent in most of the clusters, with the fraction decreasing with increasing redshift due to shallower sampling. All 72 clusters in a well-defined sample limited by redshift (ensuring good sampling) and X-ray flux (excluding superpositions) show infall patterns sufficient to apply the caustic technique. This sample is by far the largest sample of cluster mass profiles extending to large radii to date. Similar to CAIRNS, cluster infall patterns are better defined in observations than in simulations. Further work is needed to determine the source of this difference. We use the infall patterns to compute mass profiles for 72 clusters and compare them to model profiles. Cluster scaling relations using caustic masses agree well with those using X-ray or virial mass estimates, confirming the reliability of the caustic technique. We confirm the conclusion of CAIRNS that cluster infall regions are well fitted by Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) and Hernquist profiles and poorly fitted by singular isothermal spheres. This much larger sample enables new comparisons of cluster properties with those in simulations. The shapes (specifically NFW concentrations) of the mass profiles agree well with the predictions of simulations. The mass in the infall region is typically comparable to or larger than that in the virial region. Specifically, the mass inside the turnaround radius is on average 2.19+/-0.18 times that within the virial radius. This ratio agrees well with recent predictions from simulations of the final masses of dark matter halos.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/473/791
- Title:
- CIV absorption in DLAs and sub-DLAs systems
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/473/791
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a study of CIV absorption in a sample of 63 damped Lyman-{alpha} (DLA) systems and 11 sub-DLAs in the redshift range 1.75<z_abs_<3.61, using a dataset of high-resolution (6.6km/s FWHM), high signal-to-noise VLT/UVES spectra. The complex absorption line profiles show both narrow and broad CIV components, indicating the presence of both warm, photoionized and hot, collisionally ionized gas. We report new correlations between the metallicity (measured in the neutral-phase) and each of the CIV column density, the CIV total line width, and the maximum CIV velocity.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/702/767
- Title:
- CIV and FeK{alpha} Baldwin effects in AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/702/767
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use UV/optical and X-ray observations of 272 radio-quiet Type 1 active galactic nuclei and quasars to investigate the CIV Baldwin Effect (BEff). The UV/optical spectra are drawn from the Hubble Space Telescope, International Ultraviolet Explorer and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archives. The X-ray spectra are from the Chandra and XMM-Newton archives. We apply correlation and partial-correlation analyses to the equivalent widths (EWs), continuum monochromatic luminosities, and {alpha}_ox_, which characterizes the relative X-ray to UV brightness. The EW of the CIV{lambda}1549 emission line is correlated with both {alpha}_ox_ and luminosity. In our sample, narrow Fe K{alpha} 6.4keV emission lines are detected in 50 objects.