arXiv subjects

A. J. Barger

Publications and source records attributed to A. J. Barger.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

An 850 Micron SCUBA Survey of the HDF-N GOODS Region

The Hubble Deep Field-North (HDF-N) is one of the best studied extragalactic fields, and ultra-deep optical, radio, X-ray, and mid-infrared wide-field images are available for this area. Here we present an 850 um survey around the HDF-N, covering most of the area imaged by the Advanced Camera for Surveys as a part of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey. Our map has 0.4-4 mJy sensitivities (1 sigma) over an area ~110 arcmin^2 and there are 45 sources detected at >3 sigma. After correcting the effects of noise, confusion, incompleteness, and the Eddington bias using Monte Carlo simulations, we find that the detected 850 $μ$m sources with fluxes greater than 2 mJy have a surface density of 3200^+1900_-1000 deg^-2 and account for about 24% to 34% of the far-infrared extragalactic background light. Using the deep radio interferometric image and the deep X-ray image, we are able to accurately locate ~60% of the bright submillimeter (submm) sources. In addition, by assuming the Arp 220 spectral energy distribution in the submm and radio, we estimate millimetric redshifts for the radio detected submm sources, and redshift lower limits for the ones not detected in the radio. Using the millimetric redshifts of the radio identified sources and spectroscopic and optical photometric redshifts for galaxies around the submm positions, we find a median redshift of 2.0 for 11 possibly identified sources, or a lower limit of 2.4 for the median redshift of our 4 sigma sample.

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arXiv2004

The Evolution of the Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxy Population from Redshift 0 to 1.5

We use redshift observations of two deep 1.4GHz fields to probe the evolution of the bright end of the radio galaxy luminosity function to z=1.5. We show that the number of galaxies with radio power that would correspond locally to an ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIG) evolves rapidly over this redshift range. The optical spectra and X-ray luminosities are used to refine this result by separating the sources with clear active galactic nucleus (AGN) signatures from those that may be dominated by star formation. Both populations show extremely rapid evolution over this redshift range. We find that the number of sources with ULIG radio power and no clear AGN signatures evolves as (1+z)^(7).

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arXiv2004

A large sample of spectroscopic redshifts in the ACS-GOODS region of the HDF-N

We report the results of an extensive spectroscopic survey of galaxies in the roughly 160 square arcminute ACS-GOODS region surrounding the HDF-N. We have identified 787 galaxies or stars with z'<24, R<24.5, or B<25 lying in the region. The spectra were obtained with either the DEIMOS or LRIS spectrographs on the Keck 10m telescopes. The results are compared with photometric redshift estimates and with redshifts from the literature, as well as with the redshifts of a parallel effort led by a group at Keck. Our sample, when combined with the literature data, provides identifications for 1180 sources. We use our results to determine the redshift distributions with magnitude, to analyze the rest-frame color distributions with redshift and spectral type, and to investigate the dependence of the X-ray galaxy properties on the local galaxy density in the redshift interval z=0-1.5. We find the rather surprising result that the galaxy X-ray properties are not strongly dependent on the local galaxy density for galaxies in the same luminosity range.

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arXiv2003

A Deep, Wide Field, Optical, and Near Infrared Catalog of a Large Area around the Hubble Deep Field North

We have conducted a deep multi-color imaging survey of 0.2 degrees^2 centered on the Hubble Deep Field North (HDF-N). We shall refer to this region as the Hawaii-HDF-N. Deep data were collected in U, B, V, R, I, and z' bands over the central 0.2 degrees^2 and in HK' over a smaller region covering the Chandra Deep Field North (CDF-N). The data were reduced to have accurate relative photometry and astrometry across the entire field to facilitate photometric redshifts and spectroscopic followup. We have compiled a catalog of 48,858 objects in the central 0.2 degrees^2 detected at 5 sigma significance in a 3" aperture in either R or z' band. Number counts and color-magnitude diagrams are presented and shown to be consistent with previous observations. Using color selection we have measured the density of objects at 3 5.5 using the Lyman break technique suffer from more contamination by low redshift objects than suggested by previous studies.

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arXiv2003

The Changing AGN Population

We investigate how the fraction of broad-line sources in the AGN population changes with X-ray luminosity and redshift. We first construct the rest-frame hard-energy (2-8 keV) X-ray luminosity function (HXLF) at z=0.1-1 using Chandra Lockman Hole-Northwest wide-area data, Chandra Deep Field-North 2 Ms data, other Chandra deep field data, and the ASCA Large Sky Survey data. We find that broad-line AGNs dominate above 3e43 ergs/s and have a mean luminosity of 1.3e44 ergs/s. Type II AGNs can only become an important component of the X-ray population at Seyfert-like X-ray luminosities. We then construct z=0.1-0.5 and z=0.5-1 HXLFs and compare them with both the local HXLF measured from HEAO-1 A2 survey data and the z=1.5-3 HXLF measured from soft-energy (0.5-2 keV) Chandra and ROSAT data. We find that the number density of >1e44 ergs/s sources (quasars) steadily declines with decreasing redshift, while the number density of 1e43-1e44 ergs/s sources peaks at z=0.5-1. Strikingly, however, the number density of broad-line AGNs remains roughly constant with redshift while their average luminosities decline at the lower redshifts, showing another example of cosmic downsizing.

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arXiv2003

Optical and Infrared Properties of the 2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North X-ray Sources

We present an optical and NIR catalog for the X-ray sources in the 2 Ms Chandra observation of the Hubble Deep Field-North region. We have high-quality multicolor images of all 503 X-ray point sources and reliable spectroscopic redshifts for 284. We spectroscopically identify six z>1 type II quasars. Our spectroscopic completeness for the R<24 sources is 87%. The spectroscopic redshift distribution shows two broad redshift spikes that have clearly grown over those originally seen in the 1 Ms exposure. The spectroscopically identified extragalactic sources already comprise 75% of the measured 2-8 keV light. Redshift slices versus 2-8 keV flux show that an impressive 54% of the measured 2-8 keV light arises from sources at z<1 and 68% from sources at z<2. We use seven broadband colors and a Bayesian photometric redshift estimation code to obtain photometric redshifts. The photometric redshifts are within 25% of the spectroscopic redshifts for 94% of the non-broad-line sources with both photometric and spectroscopic measurements. We use our wide wavelength coverage to determine rest-frame colors for the X-ray sources with spectroscopic or photometric redshifts. Many of the X-ray sources have the rest-frame colors of evolved red galaxies and there is very little evolution in these colors with redshift. We also determine absolute magnitudes and find that many of the non-broad-line sources are more luminous than Mstar, even at high redshifts. We therefore infer that deep X-ray observations may provide an effective way of locating Mstar galaxies with colors similar to present-day early-type galaxies to high redshifts. (Abridged)

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arXiv2003

The Chandra Deep Field-North Survey. XIII. 2 Ms Point-Source Catalogs

We present catalogs for the ~2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North, currently the deepest X-ray observation of the Universe in the 0.5-8.0 keV band. Five hundred and three (503) X-ray sources are detected over an ~448 sq.arcmin area in up to seven bands; 20 of these X-ray sources lie in the Hubble Deep Field-North. Source positions are determined using matched-filter and centroiding techniques; the median positional uncertainty is ~0.3 arcsecs. The X-ray colors of the detected sources indicate a broad variety of source types, although absorbed AGNs (including some possible Compton-thick sources) are clearly the dominant type. We also match lower significance X-ray sources to optical counterparts and provide a list of 79 optically bright R<~23) lower significance Chandra sources. The majority of these sources appear to be starburst and normal galaxies. We investigate the source-free background, determine the maximum photon-limited exposures, and investigate source confusion. These analyses directly show that Chandra can achieve significantly higher sensitivities in an efficient nearly photon-limited manner and be largely free of source confusion. To allow consistent comparisons, we have also produced point-source catalogs for the ~1 Ms Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S). Three hundred and twenty-six (326) X-ray sources are included in the main Chandra catalog, and an additional 42 optically bright X-ray sources are included in a lower significance Chandra catalog. We find good agreement with the photometry of the previously published CDF-S catalogs; however, we provide significantly improved positional accuracy (ABRIDGED).

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arXiv2003

Imaging Large Scale Structure in the X-ray Sky

We present the first results from a wide solid angle, moderately deep {\it Chandra} survey of the Lockman Hole North-West region. Our 9 ACIS-I fields cover an effective solid angle of 0.4 deg$^{2}$ and reach a depth of $3 \times 10^{-16}$ \ergpcmsqps in the 0.4--2 keV band and $3 \times 10^{-15}$ \ergpcmsqps in the 2--8 keV band. The best fit logN-logS for the entire field, the largest contiguous {\it Chandra} field yet observed, matches well onto that of the {\it Chandra} Deep Field North. We show that the full range of the `cosmic variance' previously seen in different {\it Chandra} fields is reproduced in this small region of the sky. Counts-in-cells analysis shows that the hard band sources are more strongly correlated than the soft band sources.

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arXiv2003

The Redshift Evolution of the 2-8 keV X-ray Luminosity Function

The high angular resolution and sensitivity of the Chandra X-ray Observatory has yielded large numbers of faint X-ray sources with measured redshifts in the soft (0.5-2 keV) and hard (2-8 keV) energy bands. Many of these sources show few obvious optical signatures of active galactic nuclei (AGN). We use Chandra observations of the Hubble Deep Field North region, A370, and the Hawaii Survey Fields SSA13 and SSA22, together with the ROSAT Ultra Deep Survey soft sample and the ASCA Large Sky Survey hard sample, to construct rest-frame 2-8 keV luminosity functions versus redshift for all the X-ray sources, regardless of their optical AGN characteristics. At z=0.1-1 most of the 2-8 keV light density arises in sources with luminosities in the 10^42 erg/s to 10^44 erg/s range. We show that the number density of sources in this luminosity range is rising, or is at least constant, with decreasing redshift. Broad-line AGN are the dominant population at higher luminosities, and these sources show the well-known rapid positive evolution with increasing redshift to z~3. We argue that the dominant supermassive black hole formation has occurred at recent times in objects with low accretion mass flow rates rather than at earlier times in more X-ray luminous objects with high accretion mass flow rates.

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arXiv2003

Very High Redshift X-ray Selected AGN in the Chandra Deep Field-North

Deep Chandra X-ray exposures provide an efficient route for locating optically faint active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshifts. We use deep multicolor optical data to search for z>5 AGN in the 2 Ms X-ray exposure of the Chandra Deep Field-North. Of the 423 X-ray sources bright enough (z'<25.2) for a color-color analysis, at most one lies at z=5-6 and none at z>6. The z>5 object is spectroscopically confirmed at z=5.19. Only 31 of the 77 sources with z'>25.2 are undetected in the B or V bands at the 2-sigma level and could lie at z>5. There are too few moderate luminosity AGN at z=5-6.5 to ionize the intergalactic medium.

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arXiv2002

The Properties of Microjansky Radio Sources in the HDF-N, SSA13, and SSA22 Fields

(abridged) We present multiwavelength observations for a large sample of microjansky radio sources detected in ultradeep 1.4GHz maps centered on the Hubble Deep Field-North (HDF-N) and the Hawaii Survey Fields SSA13 and SSA22. Our spectroscopic redshifts for 169 radio sources reveal a flat median redshift distribution, and these sources are hosted by similarly luminous optical L* galaxies, regardless of redshift. This is a serious concern for radio estimates of the local star formation rate density, as a substantial fraction of the ultraviolet luminosity density is generated by sub-L* galaxies at low redshifts. From our submillimeter measurements for 278 radio sources, we find error-weighted mean 850micron fluxes of 1.72$\pm$0.09 mJy for the total sample, 2.37$\pm$0.13 mJy for the optically-faint (I>23.5) subsample, and 1.04$\pm$0.13 mJy for the optically-bright (I<23.5) subsample. We significantly (>3σ) detect in the submillimeter 50 of the radio sources, 38 with I>23.5. Spectroscopic redshifts for three of the I<23.5 submillimeter-detected radio sources are in the range z=1.0-3.4, and all show AGN signatures. Using only the submillimeter mapped regions we find that 69\pm9% of the submillimeter-detected radio population are at I>23.5. We also find that 66\pm7% of the S850>5 mJy (>4σ) sources are radio-identified. We find that millimetric redshift estimates at low redshifts are best made with a FIR template intermediate between a Milky Way type galaxy and a starburst galaxy, and at high redshifts with an Arp220 template.

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arXiv2002

A Submillimeter and Radio Survey of Gamma-Ray Burst Host Galaxies: A Glimpse into the Future of Star Formation Studies

We present the first comprehensive search for submillimeter and radio emission from the host galaxies of twenty well-localized gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). With the exception of a single source, all observations were undertaken months to years after the GRB explosions to ensure negligible contamination from the afterglows. We detect the host galaxy of GRB 000418 in both the sub-mm and radio, and the host galaxy of GRB 000210 only in the sub-mm. These observations, in conjunction with the previous detections of the host galaxies of GRB 980703 and GRB 010222, indicate that about 20% of GRB host galaxies are ultra-luminous and have star formation rates of about 500 M_sun/yr. As an ensemble, the non-detected hosts have a star formation rate of about 100 M_sun/yr (5-sigma) based on their radio emission. The detected and ensemble star formation rates exceed the optical values by an order of magnitude, indicating significant dust obscuration. In the same vein, the ratio of bolometric dust luminosity to UV luminosity for the hosts detected in the sub-mm and radio ranges from 20-800, and follows the known trend of increasing obscuration with increasing bolometric luminosity. We also show that, both as a sample and individually, the GRB host galaxies have bluer R-K colors as compared with galaxies selected in the sub-mm in the same redshift range. This possibly indicates that the stellar populations in the GRB hosts are on average younger, supporting the massive stellar progenitor scenario for GRBs, but it is also possible that GRB hosts are on average less dusty.

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arXiv2002

The Submillimeter Properties of Extremely Red Objects

We use deep near-infrared and submillimeter observations of three massive lensing cluster fields, A370, A851, and A2390, to determine the average submillimeter properties of a K'-selected sample. The 38 Extremely Red Objects (EROs; I-K'>4) with K'<21.25 have a very significant error-weighted mean 850-micron flux of 1.58 +/- 0.13 mJy. The ERO contribution to the 850-micron background is 1.88 +/- 0.16 x 10^4 mJy per square degree, or about half the background light. The 17 Very Red Objects (VROs; 3.5<I-K'<4) are also significantly detected (1.32 +/- 0.19 mJy), bringing the combined VRO and ERO contribution to 2.59 +/- 0.19 x 10^4 mJy per square degree. There is a substantial systematic uncertainty (about a factor of two) in this value due to field-to-field variation, but even with this uncertainty it is clear that a large fraction of the 850-micron background arises from red objects. An analysis of the VRO and ERO number counts shows that half of the population's 850-micron light arises in objects with demagnified magnitudes K'<20 and half in fainter objects. On the basis of the I-J versus J-K' colors of the galaxies, the bulk of the submillimeter signal appears to arise from the dusty starburst galaxies in the red object population rather than from the high-redshift elliptical galaxies.

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arXiv2002

X-ray, Optical, and Infrared Imaging and Spectral Properties of the 1 Ms Chandra Deep Field North Sources

We present the optical, near-infrared, submillimeter, and radio follow-up catalog of the X-ray selected sources from the 1 Ms Chandra observation of the Hubble Deep Field North region. We have B, V, R, I, and z' magnitudes for the 370 X-ray point sources, HK' magnitudes for 276, and spectroscopic redshifts for 182. We present high-quality spectra for 175 of these. The redshift distribution shows indications of structures at z=0.843 and z=1.0175 (also detected in optical surveys) which could account for a part of the field-to-field variation seen in the X-ray number counts. The flux contributions separated into unit bins of redshift show that the z<1 spectroscopically identified sources already contribute about one-third of the total flux in both the hard and soft bands. We find from ratios of the X-ray counts that the X-ray spectra are well-described by absorption of an intrinsic Gamma=1.8 power-law, with log NH values ranging from 21 to 23.7. We estimate that the Chandra sources that produce 87% of the HEAO-A X-ray background (XRB) at 3 keV produce 57% at 20 keV, provided that at high energies the spectral shape of the sources continues to be well-described by a Gamma=1.8 power-law. However, when the Chandra contributions are renormalized to the BeppoSAX XRB at 3 keV, the shape matches fairly well the observed XRB at both energies. Thus, whether a substantial population of as-yet undetected Compton-thick sources is required to completely resolve the XRB above 10 keV depends critically on how the currently discrepant XRB measurements in the 1-10 keV energy range tie together with the higher energy XRB. (Abridged)

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arXiv2002

Faint Submillimeter Counts from Deep 850 Micron Observations of the Lensing Clusters A370, A851, and A2390

We present deep 850 micron maps of three massive lensing clusters, A370, A851, and A2390, with well-constrained mass models. Our cluster exposure times are more than 2 to 5 times longer than any other published cluster field observations. We catalog the sources and determine the submillimeter number counts. The counts are best determined in the 0.3 to 2 mJy range where the areas are large enough to provide a significant sample. At 0.3 mJy the cumulative counts are 3.3 (1.3,6.3) 10^4 per square degree, where the upper and lower bounds in the brackets are the 90% confidence range. The surface density at these faint count limits enters the realm of significant overlap with other galaxy populations.The corresponding percentage of the extragalactic background light (EBL) residing in this flux range is about 45-65%, depending on the EBL measurement used. Given that 20-30% of the EBL is resolved at flux densities between 2 and 10 mJy, most of the submillimeter EBL is arising in sources above 0.3 mJy. We also performed a noise analysis to obtain an independent estimate of the counts. The upper bounds on the counts determined from the noise analysis closely match the upper limits obtained from the direct counts. The differential counts from this and other surveys can reasonably be described by the parameterization n(S)=3 10^4/(0.7 + S^3) per square degree per mJy with S in mJy, which also integrates to match the EBL.

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arXiv2002

2-8 keV X-ray number counts determined from Chandra blank field observations

We present the 2-8 keV number counts from the 1Ms Chandra observation of the Chandra Deep Field North (CDF-N). We combine these with the number counts from a 78ks exposure of the Hawaii Survey Field SSA22 and with the number counts obtained in independent analyses of the CDF-S and the Hawaii Survey Field SSA13 to determine the number counts from 2.10^(-16) to 10^(-13) ergs/cm2/s. Over this flux range the contribution to the X-ray background is 1.1 10^(-11) ergs/cm2/s/square degree. When the contributions above 10^(-13) ergs/cm2/s from BeppoSAX or ASCA observations are included, the total rises to 1.4 10^(-11) ergs/cm2/s/square degree. However, there appears to be substantial field-to-field variation in the counts in excess of the statistical uncertainties. When the statistical and flux calibration uncertainties (in both the background and source measurements) are taken into account, as much as 0.5 10^(-11) ergs/cm2/s/square degree could still be present in an unresolved component.

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arXiv2001

The Chandra Deep Field North Survey. V. 1 Ms Source Catalogs

An extremely deep X-ray survey (about 1 Ms) of the Hubble Deep Field North and its environs (about 450 arcmin^2) has been performed with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on board the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is one of the two deepest X-ray surveys ever performed; for point sources near the aim point it reaches 0.5-2.0 keV and 2-8 keV flux limits of 3 x 10^{-17} erg/cm^2/s and 2 x 10^{-16} erg/cm^2/s, respectively. Here we provide source catalogs along with details of the observations, data reduction, and technical analysis. Observing conditions, such as background, were excellent for almost all of the exposure. We have detected 370 distinct point sources: 360 in the 0.5-8.0 keV band, 325 in the 0.5-2.0 keV band, 265 in the 2-8 keV band, and 145 in the 4-8 keV band. Two new Chandra sources in the HDF-N itself are reported and discussed. Source positions are accurate to within 0.6-1.7 arcsec (at 90% confidence) depending mainly on the off-axis angle. We also detect two highly significant extended X-ray sources and several other likely extended X-ray sources. We present basic number count results for sources located near the center of the field. Source densities of 7100^{+1100}_{-940} deg^{-2} (at 4.2 x 10^{-17} erg/cm^2/s) and 4200^{+670}_{-580} deg^{-2} (at 3.8 x 10^{-16} erg/cm^2/s) are observed in the soft and hard bands, respectively.

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arXiv2001

The Submillimeter Properties of the 1 Ms Chandra Deep Field North X-ray Sample

We present submillimeter observations for 136 of the 370 X-ray sources detected in the 1 Ms exposure of the Chandra Deep Field North. Ten of the X-ray sources are significantly detected in the submillimeter. The average X-ray source in the sample has a significant 850 micron flux of 1.69+/-0.27 mJy. This value shows little dependence on the 2-8 keV flux from 5e-16 erg/cm^2/s to 1e-14 erg/cm^2/s. The ensemble of X-ray sources contribute about 10% of the extragalactic background light at 850 microns. The submillimeter excess is found to be strongest in the optically faint X-ray sources that are also seen at 20 cm, which is consistent with these X-ray sources being obscured and at high redshift (z>1).

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