arXiv subjects

Anil Seth

Publications and source records attributed to Anil Seth.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury X. Ultraviolet to Infrared Photometry of 117 Million Equidistant Stars

We have measured stellar photometry with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) in near ultraviolet (F275W, F336W), optical (F475W, F814W), and near infrared (F110W, F160W) bands for 117 million resolved stars in M31. As part of the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey, we measured photometry with simultaneous point spread function fitting across all bands and at all source positions after precise astrometric image alignment (<5-10 milliarcsecond accuracy). In the outer disk, the photometry reaches a completeness-limited depth of F475W~28, while in the crowded, high surface brightness bulge, the photometry reaches F475W~25. We find that simultaneous photometry and optimized measurement parameters significantly increase the detection limit of the lowest resolution filters (WFC3/IR) providing color-magnitude diagrams that are up to 2.5 magnitudes deeper when compared with color-magnitude diagrams from WFC3/IR photometry alone. We present extensive analysis of the data quality including comparisons of luminosity functions and repeat measurements, and we use artificial star tests to quantify photometric completeness, uncertainties and biases. We find that largest sources of systematic error in the photometry are due to spatial variations in the point spread function models and charge transfer efficiency corrections. This stellar catalog is the largest ever produced for equidistant sources, and is publicly available for download by the community.

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arXiv2014

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: Technical Overview

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping project (SDSS-RM) is a dedicated multi-object RM experiment that has spectroscopically monitored a sample of 849 broad-line quasars in a single 7 deg$^2$ field with the SDSS-III BOSS spectrograph. The RM quasar sample is flux-limited to i_psf=21.7 mag, and covers a redshift range of 0.1 0.3, and will investigate the prospects of RM with all major broad lines covered in optical spectroscopy. SDSS-RM will provide guidance on future multi-object RM campaigns on larger scales, and is aiming to deliver more than tens of BLR lag detections for a homogeneous sample of quasars. We describe the motivation, design and implementation of this program, and outline the science impact expected from the resulting data for RM and general quasar science.

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arXiv2014

Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury IX: A Photometric Survey of Planetary Nebulae in M31

We search Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) broadband imaging data from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey to identify detections of cataloged planetary nebulae (PNe). Of the 711 PNe currently in the literature within the PHAT footprint, we find 467 detected in the broadband. For these 467 we are able to refine their astrometric accuracy from ~0."3 to 0."05. Using the resolution of HST, we are able to show that 152 objects currently in the catalogs are definitively not PNe, and we show that 32 objects thought to be extended in ground-based images are actually point-like and therefore good PN candidates. We also find one PN candidate that is marginally resolved. If this is a PN, it is up to 0.7 pc in diameter. With our new photometric data, we develop a method of measuring the level of excitation in individual PNe by comparing broadband and narrowband imaging and describe the effects of excitation on a PN's photometric signature. Using the photometric properties of the known PNe in the PHAT catalogs, we search for more PN, but do not find any new candidates, suggesting that ground-based emission-line surveys are complete in the PHAT footprint to F475W $\simeq$ 24.

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arXiv2014

The Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury. Progression of Large-Scale Star Formation across Space and Time in M31

We investigate the clustering of early-type stars younger than 300 Myr on galactic scales in M31. Based on the stellar photometric catalogs of the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury program that also provides stellar parameters derived from the individual energy distributions, our analysis is focused on the young stars in three star-forming regions, located at galactocentric distances of about 5, 10, and 15 kpc, corresponding to the inner spiral arms, the ring structure, and the outer arm, respectively. We apply the two-point correlation function to our selected sample to investigate the clustering behavior of these stars across different time- and length-scales. We find that young stellar structure survives across the whole extent of M31 longer than 300 Myr. Stellar distribution in all regions appears to be self-similar, with younger stars being systematically more strongly clustered than the older, which are more dispersed. The observed clustering is interpreted as being induced by turbulence, the driving source for which is probably gravitational instabilities driven by the spiral arms, which are stronger closer to the galactic centre.

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arXiv2014

Circumnuclear Molecular Gas in Megamaser Disk Galaxies NGC 4388 and NGC 1194

We explore the warm molecular and ionized gas in the centers of two megamaser disk galaxies using K-band spectroscopy. Our ultimate goal is to determine how gas is funneled onto the accretion disk, here traced by megamaser spots on sub-pc scales. We present NIR IFU data with a resolution of ~50 pc for two galaxies: NGC 4388 with VLT/SINFONI and NGC 1194 with Keck/OSIRIS+AO. The high spatial resolution and rich spectral diagnostics allow us to study both the stellar and gas kinematics as well as gas excitation on scales only an order of magnitude larger than the maser disk. We find a drop in the stellar velocity dispersion in the inner ~100 pc of NGC 4388, a common signature of a dynamically cold central component seen in many active nuclei. We also see evidence for non-circular gas motions in the molecular hydrogen on similar scales, with the gas kinematics on 100-pc scales aligned with the megamaser disk. In contrast, the high ionization lines and Br-gamma trace outflow along the 100 pc-scale jet. In NGC 1194, the continuum from the accreting black hole is very strong, making it difficult to measure robust two-dimensional kinematics, but the spatial distribution and line ratios of the molecular hydrogen and Br-gamma have consistent properties between the two galaxies.

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arXiv2013

A Multi-Wavelength Analysis of NGC 4178: A Bulgeless Galaxy with an AGN

We present {\it Gemini} longslit optical spectroscopy and VLA radio observations of the nuclear region of NGC 4178, a late-type bulgeless disk galaxy recently confirmed to host an AGN through infrared and X-ray observations. Our observations reveal that the dynamical center of the galaxy is coincident with the location of the {\it Chandra} X-ray point source discovered in a previous work, providing further support for the presence of an AGN. While the X-ray and IR observations provide robust evidence for an AGN, the optical spectrum shows no evidence for the AGN, underscoring the need for the penetrative power of mid-IR and X-ray observations in finding buried or weak AGNs in this class of galaxy. Finally, the upper limit to the radio flux, together with our previous X-ray and IR results, is consistent with the scenario in which NGC 4178 harbors a deeply buried AGN accreting at a high rate.

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arXiv2013

The Densest Galaxy

We report the discovery of a remarkable ultra-compact dwarf galaxy around the massive Virgo elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 (M60), which we term M60-UCD1. With a dynamical mass of 2.0 x 10^8 M_sun but a half-light radius of only ~ 24 pc, M60-UCD1 is more massive than any ultra-compact dwarfs of comparable size, and is arguably the densest galaxy known in the local universe. It has a two-component structure well-fit by a sum of Sersic functions, with an elliptical, compact (r_h=14 pc; n ~ 3.3) inner component and a round, exponential, extended (r_h=49 pc) outer component. Chandra data reveal a variable central X-ray source with L_X ~ 10^38 erg/s that could be an active galactic nucleus associated with a massive black hole or a low-mass X-ray binary. Analysis of optical spectroscopy shows the object to be old (~> 10 Gyr) and of solar metallicity, with elevated [Mg/Fe] and strongly enhanced [N/Fe] that indicates light element self-enrichment; such self-enrichment may be generically present in dense stellar systems. The velocity dispersion (~ 70 km/s) and resulting dynamical mass-to-light ratio (M/L_V=4.9 +/- 0.7) are consistent with---but slightly higher than---expectations for an old, metal-rich stellar population with a Kroupa initial mass function. The presence of a massive black hole or a mild increase in low-mass stars or stellar remnants is therefore also consistent with this M/L_V. The stellar density of the galaxy is so high that no dynamical signature of dark matter is expected. However, the properties of M60-UCD1 suggest an origin in the tidal stripping of a nucleated galaxy with M_B ~ -18 to -19.

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arXiv2013

Using Megamaser Disks to Probe Black Hole Accretion

We examine the alignment between H_2O megamaser disks on sub-pc scales with circumnuclear disks and bars on <500 pc scales observed with HST/WFC3. The HST imaging reveals young stars, indicating the presence of gas. The megamaser disks are not well aligned with the circumnuclear bars or disks as traced by stars in the HST images. We speculate on the implications of the observed misalignments for fueling supermassive black holes in gas-rich spiral galaxies. In contrast, we find a strong preference for the rotation axes of the megamaser disks to align with radio continuum jets observed on >50 pc scales, in those galaxies for which radio continuum detections are available. Sub-arcsecond observations of molecular gas with ALMA will enable a more complete understanding of the interplay between circumnuclear structures.

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arXiv2012

Two stellar-mass black holes in the globular cluster M22

Hundreds of stellar-mass black holes likely form in a typical globular star cluster, with all but one predicted to be ejected through dynamical interactions. Some observational support for this idea is provided by the lack of X-ray-emitting binary stars comprising one black hole and one other star ("black-hole/X-ray binaries") in Milky Way globular clusters, even though many neutron-star/X-ray binaries are known. Although a few black holes have been seen in globular clusters around other galaxies, the masses of these cannot be determined, and some may be intermediate-mass black holes that form through exotic mechanisms. Here we report the presence of two flat-spectrum radio sources in the Milky Way globular cluster M22, and we argue that these objects are black holes of stellar mass (each ~ 10-20 times more massive than the Sun) that are accreting matter. We find a high ratio of radio-to-X-ray flux for these black holes, consistent with the larger predicted masses of black holes in globular clusters compared to those outside. The identification of two black holes in one cluster shows that the ejection of black holes is not as efficient as predicted by most models, and we argue that M22 may contain a total population of ~ 5-100 black holes. The large core radius of M22 could arise from heating produced by the black holes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

The Chandra View of NGC 4178: The Lowest Mass Black Hole in a Bulgeless Disk Galaxy?

Using high resolution Chandra data, we report the presence of a weak X-ray point source coincident with the nucleus of NGC 4178, a late-type bulgeless disk galaxy known to have high ionization mid-infrared (mid-IR) lines typically associated with active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Although the faintness of this source precludes a direct spectral analysis, we are able to infer its basic spectral properties using hardness ratios. X-ray modeling, combined with the nuclear mid-IR characteristics, suggests that NGC 4178 may host a highly absorbed AGN accreting at a high rate with a bolometric luminosity on order of 10^43 ergs/s. The black hole mass estimate, based on our Chandra data and archival VLA data using the most recent fundamental plane relations is \sim 10^4 - 10^5 M\odot, possibly the lowest mass nuclear black hole currently known. There are also three off-nuclear sources, two with a similar brightness to the nuclear source at 36" and 32" from the center. As with the nuclear source, hardness ratios are used to estimate spectra for these two sources, and both are consistent with a simple power- law model with absorption. These two sources have X-ray luminosities of the order of \sim 10^38 ergs/s, which place them at the threshold between X-ray binaries and ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). The third off-nuclear source, located 49" from the center, is the brightest source detected, with an X-ray luminosity of \sim 10^40 ergs/s. Its spectrum is well-fit with an absorbed power law model, suggesting that it is a ULX. We also fit its spectrum with the Bulk Motion Comptonization (BMC) model and suggest that this source is consistent with an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) of mass (6\times2)\times10^3 M\odot.

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arXiv2012

No Evidence for Intermediate-Mass Black Holes in Globular Clusters: Strong Constraints from the JVLA

With a goal of searching for accreting intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), we report the results of ultra-deep Jansky VLA radio continuum observations of the cores of three Galactic globular clusters: M15, M19, and M22. We reach rms noise levels of 1.5-2.1 uJy/beam at an average frequency of 6 GHz. No sources are observed at the center of any of the clusters. For a conservative set of assumptions about the properties of the accretion, we set 3-sigma upper limits on IMBHs from 360-980 M_sun. These limits are among the most stringent obtained for any globular cluster. They add to a growing body of work that suggests either (a) IMBHs ~> 1000 M_sun are rare in globular clusters, or (b) when present, IMBHs accrete in an extraordinarily inefficient manner.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

M94 As A Unique Testbed for Black Hole Mass Estimates and AGN Activity At Low Luminosities

We discuss the peculiar nature of the nucleus of M94 (NGC 4736) in the context of new measurements of the broad H_alpha emission from HST-STIS observations. We show that this component is unambiguously associated with the high-resolution X-ray, radio, and variable UV sources detected at the optical nucleus of this galaxy. These multi-wavelength observations suggest that NGC 4736 is one of the least luminous broad-line (type 1) LINERs, with Lbol = 2.5 \times 10^40 erg/s. This LINER galaxy has also possibly the least luminous broad line region known (LH_alpha =2.2\times10^37 erg/s). We compare black hole mass estimates of this system to the recently measured ~7 \times 10^6 M_sun dynamical black hole mass measurement. The fundamental plane and M-sigma relationship roughly agree with the measured black hole mass, while other accretion based estimates (the M-FWHM(H_alpha) relation, empirical correlation of BH mass with high-ionization mid IR emission lines, and the X-ray excess variance) provide much lower estimates (~10^5 M_sun). An energy budget test shows that the AGN in this system may be deficient in ionizing radiation relative to the observed emission-line activity. This deficiency may result from source variability or the superposition of multiple sources including supernovae.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Star Clusters in M31: V. Internal Dynamical Trends: Some Troublesome, Some Reassuring

We present internal velocity dispersions and precise radial velocities for 200 globular clusters (GCs) in M31 that are derived using new high-resolution spectra from MMT/Hectochelle. Of these, 163 also have King model structural parameters that allow us to estimate their mass-to-light ratios. This is, by far, the largest such dataset available for any galaxy, including the Milky Way. These data strongly confirm earlier suggestions that the optical and near-infrared mass-to-light ratios of M31 GCs decline with increasing metallicity. This behavior is the opposite of that predicted by stellar population models for a standard initial mass function. We show that this phenomenon does not appear to be caused by standard dynamical evolution. A shallower mass function for metal-rich GCs (with dN/dM ~ M^-0.8 to M^-1.3 below one solar mass) can explain the bulk of extant observations. We also observe a consistent, monotonic correlation between mass-to-light ratio and cluster mass. This correlation, in contrast to the correlation with metallicity, is well-explained by the accepted model of dynamical evolution of GCs through mass segregation and the preferential loss of low-mass stars, and these data are among the best available to constrain this process.

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arXiv2011

The M81 Group Dwarf Irregular Galaxy DDO 165. I. High Velocity Neutral Gas in a Post-Starburst System

We present new multi-configuration VLA HI spectral line observations of the M81 group dIrr post-starburst galaxy DDO 165. The HI morphology is complex, with multiple column density peaks surrounding a large region of very low HI surface density that is offset from the center of the stellar distribution. The bulk of the neutral gas is associated with the southern section of the galaxy; a secondary peak in the north contains ~15% of the total HI mass. These components appear to be kinematically distinct, suggesting that either tidal processes or large-scale blowout have recently shaped the ISM of DDO 165. Using spatially-resolved position-velocity maps, we find multiple localized high-velocity gas features. Cross-correlating with radius-velocity analyses, we identify eight shell/hole structures in the ISM with a range of sizes (~400-900 pc) and expansion velocities (~7-11 km/s). These structures are compared with narrow- and broad-band imaging from KPNO and HST. Using the latter data, recent works have shown that DDO 165's previous "burst" phase was extended temporally (>1 Gyr). We thus interpret the high-velocity gas features, HI holes, and kinematically distinct components of the galaxy in the context of the immediate effects of "feedback" from recent star formation. In addition to creating HI holes and shells, extended star formation events are capable of creating localized high velocity motion of the surrounding interstellar material. A companion paper connects the energetics from the HI and HST data.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The M81 Group Dwarf Irregular Galaxy DDO 165. II. Connecting Recent Star Formation with ISM Structures and Kinematics

We compare the stellar populations and complex neutral gas dynamics of the M81 group dIrr galaxy DDO 165 using data from the HST and the VLA. Paper I identified two kinematically distinct HI components, multiple localized high velocity gas features, and eight HI holes and shells (the largest of which spans ~2.2x1.1 kpc). Using the spatial and temporal information from the stellar populations in DDO 165, we compare the patterns of star formation over the past 500 Myr with the HI dynamics. We extract localized star formation histories within 6 of the 8 HI holes identified in Paper I, as well as 23 other regions that sample a range of stellar densities and neutral gas properties. From population synthesis modeling, we derive the energy outputs (from stellar winds and supernovae) of the stellar populations within these regions over the last 100 Myr, and compare with refined estimates of the energies required to create the HI holes. In all cases, we find that "feedback" is energetically capable of creating the observed structures in the ISM. Numerous regions with significant energy inputs from feedback lack coherent HI structures but show prominent localized high velocity gas features; this feedback signature is a natural product of temporally and spatially distributed star formation. In DDO 165, the extended period of heightened star formation activity (lasting more than 1 Gyr) is energetically capable of creating the observed holes and high velocity gas features in the neutral ISM.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Constraining the role of star cluster mergers in nuclear cluster formation: Simulations confront integral-field data

We present observations and dynamical models of the stellar nuclear clusters (NCs) at the centres of NGC 4244 and M33. We then compare these to an extensive set of simulations testing the importance of purely stellar dynamical mergers on the formation and growth of NCs. Mergers of star clusters are able to produce a wide variety of observed properties, including densities, structural scaling relations, shapes (including the presence of young discs) and even rapid rotation. Nonetheless, difficulties remain, most notably that the second order kinematic moment V_rms = (V^2 + sigma^2)^(1/2) of the models is too centrally peaked to match observations. This can be remedied by the merger of star clusters onto a pre-existing nuclear disc, but the line-of-sight velocity V is still more slowly rising than in NGC 4244. Our results therefore suggest that purely stellar dynamical mergers cannot form NCs, and that gas dissipation is a necessary ingredient for at least ~50% of a NC's mass. The negative vertical anisotropy found in NGC 4244 however requires at least 10% of the mass to be accreted as stars, since gas dissipation and in situ star formation leads to positive vertical anisotropy.

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arXiv2010

Nuclear Star Clusters and Black Holes

We summarize the recent results of our survey of the nearest nuclear star clusters. The purpose of the survey is to understand nuclear star cluster formation mechanisms and constrain the presence of black holes using adaptive optics assisted integral field spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy, and HST imaging in 13 galaxies within 5 Mpc. We discuss the formation history of the nuclear star cluster and possible detection of an intermediate mass BH in NGC 404, the nearest S0 galaxy.

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arXiv2009

Training the Next Generation of Astronomers

While both society and astronomy have evolved greatly over the past fifty years, the academic institutions and incentives that shape our field have remained largely stagnant. As a result, the astronomical community is faced with several major challenges, including: (1) the training that we provide does not align with the skills that future astronomers will need, (2) the postdoctoral phase is becoming increasingly demanding and demoralizing, and (3) our jobs are increasingly unfriendly to families with children. Solving these problems will require conscious engineering of our profession. Fortunately, this Decadal Review offers the opportunity to revise outmoded practices to be more effective and equitable. The highest priority of the Subcommittee on the State of the Profession should be to recommend specific, funded activities that will ensure the field meets the challenges we describe.

astro-ph.IM↗