- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/680/130
- Title:
- Mid-IR colors of AGNs in the MUSYC ECDF-S
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/680/130
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present the mid-infrared colors of X-ray-detected AGNs and explore mid-infrared selection criteria. Using a statistical matching technique, the likelihood ratio, over 900 IRAC counterparts were identified with a new MUSYC X-ray source catalog that includes ~1000 published X-ray sources in the Chandra Deep Field-South and Extended Chandra Deep Field-South. Most X-ray-selected AGNs have IRAC spectral shapes consistent with power-law slopes, f_{nu}_{prop.to}{nu}^{alpha}^, and display a wide range of colors, -2<=alpha}<=2 Although X-ray sources typically fit to redder (more negative {alpha}) power laws than non-X-ray-detected galaxies, more than 50% do have flat or blue (galaxy-like) spectral shapes in the observed 3-8um band. Only a quarter of the X-ray-selected AGNs detected at 24um are well fit by featureless red power laws in the observed 3.6-24um, likely the subset of our sample whose infrared spectra are dominated by emission from the central AGN region. Most IRAC color selection criteria fail to identify the majority of X-ray-selected AGNs, finding only the more luminous AGNs, the majority of which have broad emission lines. In deep surveys, these color selection criteria select 10%-20% of the entire galaxy population and miss many moderate-luminosity AGNs.
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- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/725/2270
- Title:
- Mid-IR emission lines in AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/725/2270
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We used Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph spectroscopic data on 426 galaxies including quasars, Seyferts, LINERs, and HII galaxies to investigate the relationship among the mid-IR emission lines. There is a tight linear correlation between the [NeV]14.3um and 24.3um (97.1eV) and the [OIV]25.9um (54.9eV) high-ionization emission lines. The correlation also holds for these high-ionization emission lines and the [NeIII]15.56um (41eV) emission line, although only for active galaxies. We used these correlations to calculate the [NeIII] excess due to star formation in Seyfert galaxies. We also estimated the [OIV] luminosity due to star formation in active galaxies and determined that it dominates the [OIV] emission only if the contribution of the active nucleus to the total luminosity is below 5%. We find that the active galactic nucleus dominates the [OIV] emission in most Seyfert galaxies, whereas star formation adequately explains the observed [OIV] emission in optically classified HII galaxies. Finally, we computed photoionization models to determine the physical conditions of the narrow-line region where these high-ionization lines originate. The estimated ionization parameter range is -2.8<logU<-2.5 and the total hydrogen column density range is 20<logn_H_(cm^-2^)<21.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/570/A110
- Title:
- Mid-IR properties of OH maser galaxies
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/570/A110
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We compiled all 119 OH maser galaxies (110 out of them are megamasers, i.e., L_OH_>10L_{sun}_) published so far and cross-identified these OH masers with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) catalog, to investigate the middle infrared (MIR) properties of OH maser galaxies. The WISE magnitude data at the 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22{mu}m (W1 to W4) are collected for the OH maser sample and one control sample, which are non-detection sources. The color-color diagrams show that both OH megamaser (OHM) and non-OHM (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs) are far away from the single blackbody model line and many of them can follow the path described by the power-law model. The active galaxy nuclei (AGN) fraction is about ~40% for both OHM and non-OHM (U)LIRGs, according to the AGN criteria W1-W2>=0.8. Among the Arecibo survey sample, OHM sources tend to have a lower luminosity at short MIR wavelengths (e.g., 3.4{mu}m and 4.6{mu}m) than that of non-OHM sources, which should come from the low OHM fraction among the survey sample with large 3.4{mu}m and 4.6{mu}m luminosity. The OHM fraction tends to increase with cooler MIR colors (larger F_22{mu}m_/F_3.4{mu}m_). These may be good for sample selection when searching OH megamasers, such as excluding extreme luminous sources at short MIR wavelengths, choosing sources with cooler MIR colors. In the case of the power-law model, we derived the spectral indices for our samples. For the Arecibo survey sample, OHM (U)LIRGs tend to have larger spectral index {alpha}_22-12_ than non-OHM sources, which agrees with previous results. One significant correlation exists between the WISE infrared luminosity at 22{mu}m and the color [W1]-[W4] for the Arecibo OHM hosts. These clues should provide suitable constraints on the sample selection for OH megamaser surveys by future advanced telescopes (e.g., FAST). In addition, the correlation of maser luminosity and the MIR luminosity of maser hosts tends to be non-significant, which may indirectly support the pumping of OHM emission that is dominated by the far infrared radiation, instead of the MIR radiation.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/716/530
- Title:
- Mid-IR variability from the SDWFS
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/716/530
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use the multi-epoch, mid-infrared Spitzer Deep Wide-Field Survey (SDWFS; Ashby et al. 2009, Cat. J/ApJ/701/428) to investigate the variability of objects in 8.1deg^2^ of the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey Bootes field (NDWFS; Jannuzi & Dey 1999ASPC..191..111J). We perform a Difference Image Analysis of the four available epochs between 2004 and 2008, focusing on the deeper 3.6 and 4.5um bands. Out of 474, 179 analyzed sources, 1.1% meet our standard variability selection criteria that the two light curves are strongly correlated (r>0.8) and that their joint variance ({sigma}_12_) exceeds that for all sources with the same magnitude by 2{sigma}. We then examine the mid-IR colors of the variable sources and match them with X-ray sources from the XBootes survey (Murray et al. 2005ApJS..161....1M), radio catalogs (FIRST (Becker et al., Cat. VIII/71) and WSRT (de Vries et al. 2002, Cat. J/AJ/123/1784)), 24um selected active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates (see Houck et al. 2005ApJ...622L.105H), and spectroscopically identified AGNs from the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES; C. S. Kochanek et al. 2010, in prep). Based on their mid-IR colors, most of the variable sources are AGNs (76%), with smaller contributions from stars (11%), galaxies (6%), and unclassified objects, although most of the stellar, galaxy, and unclassified sources are false positives. For our standard selection criteria, 11%-12% of the mid-IR counterparts to X-ray sources, 24um AGN candidates, and spectroscopically identified AGNs show variability.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+AS/102/611
- Title:
- Millimeter continuum of extragal. sources III.
- Short Name:
- J/A+AS/102/611
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- (no description available)
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/719/763
- Title:
- Millimeter-wave sources in the SPT survey
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/719/763
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We report the results of an 87deg^2^ point-source survey centered at R.A. 5h30m, decl. -55{deg} taken with the South Pole Telescope at 1.4 and 2.0mm wavelengths with arcminute resolution and milli-Jansky depth. Based on the ratio of flux in the two bands, we separate the detected sources into two populations, one consistent with synchrotron emission from active galactic nuclei and the other consistent with thermal emission from dust. We present source counts for each population from 11 to 640mJy at 1.4mm and from 4.4 to 800mJy at 2.0mm. The 2.0mm counts are dominated by synchrotron-dominated sources across our reported flux range; the 1.4mm counts are dominated by synchrotron-dominated sources above ~15mJy and by dust-dominated sources below that flux level. We detect 141 synchrotron-dominated sources and 47 dust-dominated sources at signal-to-noise ratio S/N>4.5 in at least one band. All of the most significantly detected members of the synchrotron-dominated population are associated with sources in previously published radio catalogs. Some of the dust-dominated sources are associated with nearby (z<<1) galaxies whose dust emission is also detected by the Infrared Astronomy Satellite. However, most of the bright, dust-dominated sources have no counterparts in any existing catalogs. We argue that these sources represent the rarest and brightest members of the population commonly referred to as submillimeter galaxies (SMGs).
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJS/252/32
- Title:
- MIR outbursts in nearby SDSS gal. (MIRONG). I.
- Short Name:
- J/ApJS/252/32
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Optical time-domain astronomy has grown rapidly in the past decade, but the dynamic infrared sky is rarely explored. Aiming to construct a sample of mid-infrared outbursts in nearby galaxies (MIRONG), we have conducted a systematical search of low-redshift (z<0.35) Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic galaxies that have experienced recent mid-infrared (MIR) flares using their Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) light curves. A total of 137 galaxies have been selected by requiring a brightening amplitude of 0.5mag in at least one WISE band with respect to their quiescent phases. Only a small fraction (10.9%) has corresponding optical flares. Except for the four supernovae (SNe) in our sample, the MIR luminosities of the remaining sources (L_4.6{mu}m_>10^42^erg/s) are markedly brighter than known SNe, and their physical locations are very close to the galactic center (median <0.1"). Only four galaxies are radio-loud, indicating that synchrotron radiation from relativistic jets could contribute to MIR variability. We propose that these MIR outbursts are dominated by the dust echoes of transient accretion onto supermassive black holes, such as tidal disruption events (TDEs) and turn-on (changing-look) active galactic nuclei. Moreover, the inferred peak MIR luminosity function is generally consistent with the X-ray and optical TDEs at the high end, albeit with large uncertainties. Our results suggest that a large population of transients has been overlooked by optical surveys, probably due to dust obscuration or intrinsically optical weakness. Thus, a search in the infrared band is crucial for us to obtain a panoramic picture of nuclear outburst. The multiwavelength follow-up observations of the MIRONG sample are in progress and will be presented in a series of subsequent papers.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/886/33
- Title:
- MIR reverberation mapping analysis of 87 z<0.5 PG AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/886/33
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The continued operation of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), combined with several ground-based optical transient surveys (e.g., CRTS, ASAS-SN, and PTF), offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore the dust structures in luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We use these data for a mid-IR dust reverberation mapping (RM) study of 87 archetypal Palomar-Green quasars at z<~0.5. To cope with various contaminations of the photometry data and the sparse time sampling of the light curves, procedures to combine these data sets and retrieve the dust RM signals have been developed. We find that ~70% of the sample (with a completeness correction up to 95%) has convincing mid-IR time lags in the WISE W1 (~3.4{mu}m) and W2 (~4.5{mu}m) bands, and they are proportional to the square root of the AGN luminosity. Combined with previous K-band (~2.2{mu}m) RM results in the literature, the inferred dust emission size ratios are R_K_:R_W1_:R_W2_=0.6:1:1.2. Under simple assumptions, we put preliminary constraints on the projected dust surface density at these bands and reveal the possibly different torus structures among hot-dust-deficient, warm-dust-deficient, and normal quasars from the reverberation signals. With multi-epoch Spitzer data and later WISE photometry, we also explore AGN IR variability at 10-24{mu}m over a 5yr timescale. Except for blazars and flat-spectrum radio sources, the majority of AGNs have typical variation amplitudes at 24{mu}m of no more than 10% of that in the W1 band, indicating that the dust reverberation signals damp out quickly at longer wavelengths. In particular, steep-spectrum radio quasars also lack strong 24{mu}m variability, consistent with the unification picture of radio-loud AGNs.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/701/1123
- Title:
- MIR spectroscopic catalog of 150 galaxies
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/701/1123
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a catalog of mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of 150 infrared (IR) luminous galaxies in the Spitzer extragalactic first look survey obtained with the IR spectrograph on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. The sample is selected to be brighter than ~0.9mJy at 24um and it has a redshift distribution in the range [0.3, 3.5], with a peak at z=1. It primarily comprises ultraluminous IR galaxies (ULIRGs) at z>~1 and luminous IR galaxies at z<1, as estimated from their monochromatic rest-frame 14um luminosities. The number of sources with spectra that are dominated by an active galactic nucleus (AGN) continuum is 49, while 39 sources have strong, star formation related features.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/822/109
- Title:
- MIR view of polar dust emission in local AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/822/109
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Recent mid-infrared (MIR) interferometric observations have shown that in a few active galactic nuclei (AGNs) the bulk of the infrared emission originates from the polar region above the putative torus, where only a little dust should be present. Here, we investigate whether such strong polar dust emission is common in AGNs. Out of 149 Seyferts in the MIR atlas of local AGNs, 21 show extended MIR emission on single-dish images. In 18 objects, the extended MIR emission aligns with the position angle (PA) of the system axis, established by [O III], radio, polarization, and maser-based PA measurements. The relative amount of resolved MIR emission is at least 40% and scales with the [O IV] fluxes, implying a strong connection between the extended continuum and [O IV] emitters. These results together with the radio-quiet nature of the Seyferts support the scenario that the bulk of MIR emission is emitted by dust in the polar region and not by the torus, which would demand a new paradigm for the infrared emission structure in AGNs. The current low detection rate of polar dust in the AGNs of the MIR atlas is explained by the lack of sufficient high-quality MIR data and the requirements on the orientation, strength of narrow-line region, and distance of the AGNs. The James Webb Space Telescope will enable much deeper nuclear MIR studies with comparable angular resolution, allowing us to resolve the polar emission and surroundings in most of the nearby AGNs.
