We use very long baseline interferometry data obtained between mid-1995 and the end of 2002 May together with older data to extend and revise the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). Revised positions of ICRF candidate and "other" sources, based on inclusion of the additional data, are presented. Positions, in the frame of the ICRF, for an additional 109 new sources are also presented. All but four of the new sources are located north of {delta}=-30{deg}. Positions of the ICRF defining sources remain unchanged. We present a summary of current astrometric and geodetic observing programs and discuss the evolution and future of the ICRF.
VLBI International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF)
Short Name:
I/251
Date:
21 Oct 2021
Publisher:
CDS
Description:
of the 1998AJ....116..516M paper: A quasi-inertial reference frame is defined based on the radio positions of 212 extragalactic sources distributed over the entire sky. The positional accuracy of these sources is better than about 1mas in both coordinates. The radio positions are based upon a general solution for all applicable dual-frequency 2.3 and 8.4GHz Mark III very long baseline interferometry data available through the middle of 1995, consisting of 1.6 million pairs of group delay and phase delay rate observations. Positions and details are also given for an additional 396 objects that either need further observation or are currently unsuitable for the definition of a high-accuracy reference frame. The final orientation of the frame axes has been obtained by a rotation of the positions into the system of the International Celestial Reference System and is consistent with the FK5 J2000.0 optical system, within the limits of the link accuracy. The resulting International Celestial Reference Frame has been adopted by the International Astronomical Union as the fundamental celestial reference frame, replacing the FK5 optical frame as of 1998 January 1.
We present a catalogue of 2135 galaxy redshifts from the VLT LBG Redshift Survey (VLRS), a spectroscopic survey of z~3 galaxies in wide fields centred on background quasi-stellar objects. We have used deep optical imaging to select galaxies via the Lyman-break technique. Spectroscopy of the Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) was then made using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) instrument, giving a mean redshift of z=2.79. We analyse the clustering properties of the VLRS sample and also of the VLRS sample combined with the smaller area Keck-based survey of Steidel et al. (2003, Cat. J/ApJ/592/728).
A census of faint and tiny star forming complexes at high redshift is key to improving our understanding of reionizing sources, galaxy growth, and the formation of globular clusters. We present the MUSE Deep Lensed Field (MDLF) program, which is aimed at unveiling the very faint population of high redshift sources that are magnified by strong gravitational lensing and to significantly increase the number of constraints for the lens model. We describe Deep MUSE observations of 17.1 hours of integration on a single pointing over the Hubble Frontier Field galaxy cluster MACS J0416, providing line flux limits down to 2x10^19^erg/s/cm^2^ within 300km/s and continuum detection down to magnitude 26, both at the three sigma level at {lambda}=7000{AA}. For point sources with a magnification ({mu}) greater than 2.5 (7.7), the MLDF depth is equivalent to integrating more than 100 (1000) hours in blank fields, as well as complementing non-lensed studies of very faint high-z sources. The source-plane effective area of the MDLF with {mu}>6.3 is <50% of the image-plane field of view. We confirm spectroscopic redshifts for all 136 multiple images of 48 source galaxies at 0.9<z<6.2. Within those galaxies, we securely identify 182 multiple images of 66 galaxy components that we use to constrain our lens model. This makes MACS J0416 the cluster with the largest number of confirmed constraints for any strong lens model to date. We identify 116 clumps belonging to background high-z galaxies; the majority of them are multiple images and span magnitude, size, and redshift intervals of [-18, -10], [~400-3] parsec and 1<z<6.6, respectively, with the faintest or most magnified ones probing possible single gravitationally bound star clusters. The multiplicity introduced by gravitational lensing allows us, in several cases, to triple the effective integration time up to 51 hours exposure per single family, leading to a detection limit for unresolved emission lines of a few 10^-20^erg/s/cm^2^, after correction for lensing magnification. Ultraviolet high-ionization metal lines (and HeII{lambda}1640) are detected with S/N>10 for individual objects down to de-lensed magnitudes between 28-30. The median stacked spectrum of 33 sources with a median M_UV_=~-17 and <z>=3.2 (1.7<z<3.9) shows high-ionization lines, suggesting that they are common in such faint sources. Deep MUSE observations, in combination with existing HST imaging, allowed us to: (1) confirm redshifts for extremely faint high-z sources; (2) peer into their internal structure to unveil clumps down to 100-200pc scale; (3) in some cases, break down such clumps into star-forming complexes matching the scales of bound star clusters (<20pc effective radius); (4) double the number of constraints for the lens model, reaching an unprecedented set of 182 bona-fide multiple images and confirming up to 213 galaxy cluster members. These results demonstrate the power of JWST and future adaptive optics facilities mounted on the Extremely Large Telescopes (e.g., European-ELT Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics RelaY, MAORY, coupled with the Multi-AO Imaging CamerA for Deep Observations, MICADO) or Very Large Telescope (e.g., MCAO Assisted Visible Imager and Spectrograph, MAVIS) when combined in studies with gravitational telescopes.
Understanding the formation and evolution of giant planets (>1M_Jup_) at wide orbital separation (>5AU) is one of the goals of direct imaging. Over the past 15 years, many surveys have placed strong constraints on the occurrence rate of wide-orbit giants, mostly based on non-detections, but very few have tried to make a direct link with planet formation theories. In the present work, we combine the results of our previously published VLT/NaCo large program with the results of 12 past imaging surveys to constitute a statistical sample of 199 FGK stars within 100 pc, including three stars with sub-stellar companions. Using Monte Carlo simulations and assuming linear flat distributions for the mass and semi-major axis of planets, we estimate the sub-stellar companion frequency to be within 0.75-5.70% at the 68% confidence level (CL) within 20-300AU and 0.5-75M_Jup_, which is compatible with previously published results. We also compare our results with the predictions of state-of-the-art population synthesis models based on the gravitational instability (GI) formation scenario with and without scattering. We estimate that in both the scattered and non-scattered populations, we would be able to detect more than 30% of companions in the 1-75M_Jup_ range (95% CL). With the three sub-stellar detections in our sample, we estimate the fraction of stars that host a planetary system formed by GI to be within 1.0-8.6% (95% CL). We also conclude that even though GI is not common, it predicts a mass distribution of wide-orbit massive companions that is much closer to what is observed than what the core accretion scenario predicts. Finally, we associate the present paper with the release of the Direct Imaging Virtual Archive (DIVA), a public database that aims at gathering the results of past, present, and future direct imaging surveys.
The star formation rate density (SFRD) evolution presents an area of great interest in the studies of galaxy evolution and reionization. The current constraints of SFRD at z>5 are based on the rest-frame UV luminosity functions with the data from photometric surveys. The VIMOS UltraDeep Survey (VUDS) was designed to observe galaxies at redshifts up to ~6 and opened a window for measuring SFRD at z>5 from a spectroscopic sample with a well-controlled selection function. We establish a robust statistical description of the star-forming galaxy population at the end of cosmic HI reionization (5.0<=z<=6.6) from a large sample of 49 galaxies with spectroscopically confirmed redshifts. We determine the rest-frame UV and Ly{alpha} luminosity functions and use them to calculate SFRD at the median redshift of our sample z=5.6. We selected a sample of galaxies at 5.0<=z_spec_<=6.6 from the VUDS. We cleaned our sample from low redshift interlopers using ancillary photometric data. We identified galaxies with Ly{alpha} either in absorption or in emission, at variance with most spectroscopic samples in the literature where Ly{alpha} emitters (LAE) dominate. We determined luminosity functions using the 1/V_max_ method. The galaxies in this redshift range exhibit a large range in their properties. A fraction of our sample shows strong Ly{alpha} emission, while another fraction shows Ly{alpha} in absorption. UV-continuum slopes vary with luminosity, with a large dispersion. We find that star-forming galaxies at these redshifts are distributed along the main sequence in the stellar mass vs. SFR plane, described with a slope {alpha}=0.85+/-0.05. We report a flat evolution of the specific SFR compared to lower redshift measurements. We find that the UV luminosity function is best reproduced by a double power law, while a fit with a Schechter function is only marginally inferior. The Ly{alpha} luminosity function is best fitted with a Schechter function. We derive a logSFRD_UV_(M_{sun}_/yr/Mpc^3^)=-1.45^+0.06^_-0.08_ and logSFRD_Ly{alpha}_(M_{sun}_/yr/Mpc^3^)=-1.40^+0.07^_-0.08_. The SFRD derived from the Ly{alpha} luminosity function is in excellent agreement with the UV-derived SFRD after correcting for IGM absorption.Conclusions. Our new SFRD measurements at a mean redshift of z=5.6 are ~0.2dex above the mean SFRD reported in Madau & Dickinson (2014ARA&A..52..415M), but in excellent agreement with results from Bouwens et al. (2015ApJ...803...34B). These measurements confirm the steep decline of the SFRD at z>2. The bright end of the Ly{alpha} luminosity function has a high number density, indicating a significant star formation activity concentrated in the brightest LAE at these redshifts. LAE with equivalent width EW>25{AA} contribute to about 75% of the total UV-derived SFRD. While our analysis favors low dust content in 5.0<z<6.6, uncertainties on the dust extinction correction and associated degeneracy in spectral fitting will remain an issue, when estimating the total SFRD until future surveys extending spectroscopy to the NIR rest-frame spectral domain, such as with JWST.
We have analyzed the disk morphologies of 325 edge-on galaxies to derive the warp statistics in spiral galaxies using Digital Sky Survey. Galaxies were included in our study if their isophotal diameter (D25) satisfied logD25>1, and if their major-to-minor axis ratio was in the range a/b>9.5. We found that 236 out of the 325 sample galaxies (73%) had warps: 165 S-shaped (51%) and 71 U-shaped (22%). We additionally found that the warp properties (warp angles, warp radius, and warp asymmetry) as well as the warp frequency did not depend on galaxy morphology. A quite tight anticorrelation was observed between warp radius and warp amplitude, and a positive correlation was found between warp asymmetry and warp amplitude. A detailed analysis of the relations between warp parameters and galaxy properties revealed that strong warps are mostly caused by tidal interactions, whereas weak warps are formed by a variety of mechanisms including gas accretion. The present results indicate that the fractional warp radius coupled with warp angles representing the warp amplitude and warp curvature provide useful diagnostic indicators of the origin of warps.
A catalog of optical warps of galaxies is presented. This can be considered complementary to that reported by Sanchez-Saavedra et al. (1990MNRAS.246..458S), with 42 galaxies in the northern hemisphere, and to that by Reshetnikov & Combes (1999A&AS..138..101R), with 60 optical warps. The limits of the present catalog are: logr_25_>0.60, B_1_<14.5, DE(2000)<0{deg}, -2.5<t.7. Therefore, lenticular galaxies have also been considered. This catalog lists 150 warped galaxies out of a sample of 276 edge-on galaxies and covers the whole southern hemisphere, except the Avoidance Zone. It is therefore very suitable for statistical studies of warps. It also provides a source guide for detailed particular observations. We confirm the large frequency of warped spirals: nearly all galaxies are warped. The frequency and warp angle do not present important differences for the different types of spirals. However, no lenticular warped galaxy has been found within the specified limits. This finding constitutes an important restriction for theoretical models.
This catalogue contains the two parts: the 9989 first stars are the standard and intermediary stars, +90 to -36 degrees of declination, observed in the years 1913 to 1926, and reduced without proper motion to the equinox 1920.0 ; the second part (stars numbered 9990 to 10571) are 582 miscellaneous stars.
The Wide-Field Plate Database (WFPDB) contains the descriptive information for the astronomical wide-field (~>1deg.) photographic observations stored in numerous archives all over the world. When finished it will provide an on-line access to the information for about 2 million observations from nearly 300 archives, obtained since the end of last century. Presently the WFPDB includes data for about 330 000 observations from 57 plate catalogues. About 120 000 observations more from 32 plate catalogs are in preparation to be included in the database. The WFPDB provides for each observation information for the corresponding archive, the parameters of the observational instrument, the observation parameters (position on sky, observation time, object name, method, exposure time, emulsion type, filter type, spectral band, plate size), as well as data on the plate quality, comments, and observers. Data on the plate availability and digitization will be supplemented in the WFPDB in the future.
