arXiv subjects

Anand Raichoor

Publications and source records attributed to Anand Raichoor.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey - Infrared (NGVS-IR): I. A new Near-UV/Optical/Near-IR Globular Cluster selection tool

The NGVS-IR project (Next Generation Virgo Survey - Infrared) is a contiguous near-infrared imaging survey of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. It complements the optical wide-field survey of Virgo (NGVS). The current state of NGVS-IR consists of Ks-band imaging of 4 deg^2 centered on M87, and J and Ks-band imaging of 16 deg^2 covering the region between M49 and M87. In this paper, we present the observations of the central 4 deg^2 centered on Virgo's core region. The data were acquired with WIRCam on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the total integration time was 41 hours distributed in 34 contiguous tiles. A survey-specific strategy was designed to account for extended galaxies while still measuring accurate sky brightness within the survey area. The average 5σlimiting magnitude is Ks=24.4 AB mag and the 50% completeness limit is Ks=23.75 AB mag for point source detections, when using only images with better than 0.7" seeing (median seeing 0.54"). Star clusters are marginally resolved in these image stacks, and Virgo galaxies with μ_Ks=24.4 AB mag arcsec^-2 are detected. Combining the Ks data with optical and ultraviolet data, we build the uiK color-color diagram which allows a very clean color-based selection of globular clusters in Virgo. This diagnostic plot will provide reliable globular cluster candidates for spectroscopic follow-up campaigns needed to continue the exploration of Virgo's photometric and kinematic sub-structures, and will help the design of future searches for globular clusters in extragalactic systems. Equipped with this powerful new tool, future NGVS-IR investigations based on the uiK diagram will address the mapping and analysis of extended structures and compact stellar systems in and around Virgo galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The evolution of the mass-size relation for early type galaxies from z~1 to the present: dependence on environment, mass-range and detailed morphology

[abridged] We study the dependence of the galaxy size evolution on morphology, stellar mass and large scale environment for a sample of 298 group and 384 field quiescent early-type galaxies from the COSMOS survey, selected from z~1 to the present, and with masses $log(M/M_\odot)>10.5$. The galaxy size growth depends on galaxy mass and early-type galaxy morphology, e.g., elliptical galaxies evolve differently than lenticular galaxies. At the low mass end -$10.5 11.2$- approximately doubled their size. Interestingly, lenticular galaxies display different behavior: they appear more compact on average and they do show a size growth of \sim60% since z=1 independent of stellar mass. We compare our results with state-of-the art semi-analytic models. While major and minor mergers can account for most of the galaxy size growth, we find that with present data and the theoretical uncertainties in the modeling we cannot state clear evidence favoring either merger or mass loss via quasar and/or stellar winds as the primary mechanism driving the evolution. The galaxy mass--size relation and the size growth do not depend on environment in the halo mass range explored in this work (field to group mass $log(M_h/M_\odot)<14$), i.e., group and field galaxies follow the same trends, which is at variance with predictions from current hierarchical models that show a clear dependence of size growth on halo mass for massive ellipticals -$log(M_*/M_\odot)>11.2$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Early-type galaxies at z = 1.3. I. The Lynx supercluster: cluster and groups at z=1.3. Morphology and color-magnitude relation

We confirm the detection of 3 groups in the Lynx supercluster, at z~1.3, and give their redshifts and masses. We study the properties of the group galaxies as compared to the central clusters, RXJ0849+4452 and RXJ0848+4453, selecting 89 galaxies in the clusters and 74 galaxies in the groups. We morphologically classify galaxies by visual inspection, noting that our early-type galaxy (ETG) sample would have been contaminated at the 30% -40% level by simple automated classification methods (e.g. based on Sersic index). In luminosity selected samples, both clusters and groups show high fractions of Sa galaxies. The ETG fractions never rise above ~50% in the clusters, which is low compared to the fractions observed in clusters at z~1. However, ETG plus Sa fractions are similar to those observed for ETGs in clusters at z~1. Bulge-dominated galaxies visually classified as Sas might also be ETGs with tidal features or merger remnants. They are mainly red and passive, and span a large range in luminosity. Their star formation seems to have been quenched before experiencing a morphological transformation. Because their fraction is smaller at lower redshifts, they might be the spiral population that evolves into ETGs. For mass-selected samples, the ETG fraction show no significant evolution with respect to local clusters, suggesting that morphological transformations occur at lower masses and densities. The ETG mass-size relation shows evolution towards smaller sizes at higher redshift in both clusters and groups, while the late-type mass-size relation matches that observed locally. The group ETG red sequence shows lower zero points and larger scatters than in clusters, both expected to be an indication of a younger galaxy population. The estimated age difference is small when compared to the difference in age at different galaxy masses.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Near-infrared jet emission in the microquasar XTE J1550-564

Context: Microquasars are accreting Galactic sources that are also observed to launch relativistic jets. A key signature of the ejection is non-thermal radio emission. The level of this jet component at high frequencies is still poorly constrained. Aims: The X-ray binary and microquasar black hole candidate XTE J1550-564 exhibited a faint X-ray outburst in April 2003 during which it stayed in the X-ray low/hard state. We took optical and near-infrared (NIR) observations with the ESO/NTT telescope during this outburst to disentangle the various contributions to the spectral energy distribution (SED) and investigate the presence of a jet component. Methods: Photometric and spectroscopic observations allowed us to construct an SED and also to produce a high time-resolution lightcurve. Results: The SED shows an abrupt change of slope from the NIR domain to the optical. The NIR emission is attributed to non-thermal synchrotron emission from the compact, self-absorbed jet that is known to be present in the low/hard state. This is corroborated by the fast variability, colours, lack of prominent spectral features and evidence for intrinsic polarisation. The SED suggests the jet break from the optically thick to the thin regime occurs in the NIR. Conclusions: The simultaneous optical-NIR data allow an independent confirmation of jet emission in the NIR. The transition to optically thin synchrotron occurs at NIR frequencies or below, which leads to an estimated characteristic size greater than 2x10^8cm and magnetic field less than 5T for the jet base, assuming a homogeneous one-zone synchrotron model.

astro-ph.HE↗