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Armando Gil de Paz

Publications and source records attributed to Armando Gil de Paz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Constraining the gamma-ray efficiency of LINER outflows with Fermi-LAT and MEGARA

Low-Ionization Nuclear Emission-line Regions (LINERs) commonly host ionized gas outflows, but their role as high-energy particle accelerators remains debated, particularly following the very-high-energy $γ$-ray detection of NGC 4278, which implied extreme radiative efficiencies. We empirically determine the $γ$-ray radiative efficiency of a local sample of LINERs to test whether their high-energy emission can be powered by extended ionized outflows or requires compact nuclear jets. We combine spatially resolved optical integral-field kinematics from the Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía at the Gran Telescopio de Canarias, yielding ionized-outflow kinetic powers, with 17 years of Fermi-Large Area Telescope observations to derive 0.05--500 GeV luminosities or 95% confidence upper limits. We place the sample in an optical/$γ$-ray diagram alongside archetypal starbursts and radio galaxies. We present the first empirical upper limits on the $γ$-ray radiative efficiency of LINER outflows as a population. No LINER is formally detected ($TS \geq 16$). The strongest constraint is obtained for the radio-loud LINER NGC 1052, with $η< 41%$. For the remaining sources, the Fermi-LAT limits generally lie well above the outflow kinetic powers ($η\gg 100%$), while three sources show marginal hints of emission ($9 < TS < 16$). We conclude that extended ionized outflows in LINERs are highly inefficient high-energy particle accelerators, analogous to starburst superwinds. These constraints disfavor the outflows as the sole origin of extreme $γ$-ray efficiencies and favor compact nuclear jets for the most efficient $γ$-ray-emitting LINERs.

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Revealing the baryon cycle in Galaxy Clusters: connecting galaxy dynamics and gas thermodynamics using (sub-)mm-wave and optical IFU surveys

Observations in the visible and near infrared are transforming our view of the processes affecting galaxy evolution, much of which is dominated by interactions with the large scale environment. Yet a complete picture is missing, as no corresponding high resolution view of the warm/hot intracluster, circumgalactic, and intergalactic media exists over large areas and a comparably broad range of redshifts. Combined with wide-field optical IFU surveys such as CATARSIS, a large diameter sub-mm telescope with a degree-scale field of view would enable a joint view of galaxy dynamics and gas thermodynamics, transforming our understanding of environmental processes.

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A Repeating Fast Radio Burst Source in a Low-Luminosity Dwarf Galaxy

We present the localization and host galaxy of FRB 20190208A, a repeating source of fast radio bursts (FRBs) discovered using CHIME/FRB. As part of the PRECISE repeater localization program on the EVN, we monitored FRB 20190208A for 65.6 hours at $\sim1.4$ GHz and detected a single burst, which led to its VLBI localization with 260 mas uncertainty (2$σ$). Follow-up optical observations with the MMT Observatory ($i\gtrsim 25.7$ mag (AB)) found no visible host at the FRB position. Subsequent deeper observations with the GTC, however, revealed an extremely faint galaxy ($r=27.32 \pm0.16$ mag), very likely ($99.95 \%$) associated with FRB 20190208A. Given the dispersion measure of the FRB ($\sim580$ pc cm$^{-3}$), even the most conservative redshift estimate ($z_{\mathrm{max}}\sim0.83$) implies that this is the lowest-luminosity FRB host to date ($\lesssim10^8L_{\odot}$), even less luminous than the dwarf host of FRB 20121102A. We investigate how localization precision and the depth of optical imaging affect host association, and discuss the implications of such a low-luminosity dwarf galaxy. Unlike the other repeaters with low-luminosity hosts, FRB 20190208A has a modest Faraday rotation measure of a few tens of rad m$^{-2}$, and EVN plus VLA observations reveal no associated compact persistent radio source. We also monitored FRB 20190208A for 40.4 hours over 2 years as part of the ÉCLAT repeating FRB monitoring campaign on the Nançay Radio Telescope, and detected one burst. Our results demonstrate that, in some cases, the robust association of an FRB with a host galaxy will require both high localization precision, as well as deep optical follow-up.

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Compact and High Excitation Molecular Clumps in the Extended Ultraviolet Disk of M83

The extended ultraviolet (XUV) disks of nearby galaxies show ongoing massive star formation, but their parental molecular clouds remain mostly undetected despite searches in CO(1-0) and CO(2-1). The recent detection of 23 clouds in the higher excitation transition CO(3-2) within the XUV disk of M83 requires an explanation. We test the hypothesis: the clouds in XUV disks have a clump-envelope structure similar to those in Galactic star-forming clouds, having star-forming dense clumps (or concentrations of multiple clumps) at their centers, which predominantly contribute to the CO(3-2) emission, surrounded by less-dense envelopes, where CO molecules are photo-dissociated due to the low-metallicity environment there. We utilize new high-resolution ALMA CO(3-2) observations of a subset (11) of the 23 clouds in the XUV disk. We confirm the compactness of the CO(3-2)-emitting dense clumps (or their concentrations), finding clump diameters below the spatial resolution of 6-9~pc. This is similar to the size of the dense gas region in the Orion A molecular cloud, the local star-forming cloud with massive star formation. The dense star-forming clumps are common between normal and XUV disks. This may also indicate that once the cloud structure is set, the process of star formation is governed by the cloud internal physics rather than by external triggers. This simple model explains the current observations of the clouds with ongoing massive star formation, although it may require some adjustment, e.g., including an effect of cloud evolution, for a general scenario of star formation in molecular clouds.

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Once in a blue stream: Detection of recent star formation in the NGC 7241 stellar stream with MEGARA

In this work we study the striking case of a narrow blue stream around the NGC 7241 galaxy and its foreground dwarf companion. We want to figure out if the stream was generated by tidal interaction with NGC 7241 or it first interacted with the foreground dwarf companion and later both fell together towards NGC 7241. We use four sets of observations, including a follow-up spectroscopic study with the MEGARA instrument at the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. Our data suggest that the compact object we detected in the stream is a foreground Milky Way halo star. Near this compact object we detect emission lines overlapping a bluer and fainter blob of the stream that is clearly visible in both ultra-violet and optical deep images. From its heliocentric systemic radial velocity (Vsyst= 1548.58+/-1.80 km s^-1) and new UV and optical broad-band photometry, we conclude that this over-density could be the actual core of the stream, with an absolute magnitude of M_g ~ -10 and a (g-r) = 0.08 +/- 0.11, consistent with a remnant of a low-mass dwarf satellite undergoing a current episode of star formation. From the width of the stream and assuming a circular orbit, we calculate that the progenitor mass can be the typical of a dwarf galaxy, but it could also be substantially lower if the stream is on a very radial orbit or it was created by tidal interaction with the companion dwarf instead of with NGC 7241. Finally, we find that blue stellar streams containing star formation regions are commonly predicted by high-resolution cosmological simulations of galaxies lighter than the Milky Way. This scenario is consistent with the processes explaining the bursty star formation history of some dwarf satellites, which are followed by a gas depletion and a fast quenching once they enter within the virial radius of their host galaxies for the first time.

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Diverse Molecular Structures Across The Whole Star-Forming Disk of M83: High fidelity Imaging at 40pc Resolution

We present high-fidelity CO(1-0) imaging of molecular gas across the full star-forming disk of M83, using ALMA's 12m, 7m, and TP arrays and the MIRIAD package. The data have a mass sensitivity and resolution of 10^4Msun and 40 pc. The full disk coverage shows that the characteristics of molecular gas change radially from the center to outer disk. The molecular gas distribution shows coherent large-scale structures in the inner part, including the central concentration, bar offset ridges, and prominent molecular spiral arms. In the outer disk, the spiral arms appear less spatially coherent, and even flocculent. Massive filamentary gas concentrations are abundant even in the interarm regions. Building up these structures in the interarm regions would require a very long time (~>100Myr). Instead, they must have formed within stellar spiral arms and been released into the interarm regions. For such structures to survive through the dynamical processes, the lifetimes of these structures and their constituent molecules and molecular clouds must be long (~>100Myr). These interarm structures host little or no star formation traced by Halpha. The new map also shows extended CO emission, which likely represents an ensemble of unresolved molecular clouds.

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Probing the earliest phases in the formation of massive galaxies with simulated HST+JWST imaging data from Illustris

We use the Illustris-1 simulation to explore the capabilities of the $\textit{Hubble}$ and $\textit{James Webb Space Telescope}$ data to analyze the stellar populations in high-redshift galaxies, taking advantage of the combined depth, spatial resolution, and wavelength coverage. For that purpose, we use simulated broad-band ACS, WFC3 and NIRCam data and 2-dimensional stellar population synthesis (2D-SPS) to derive the integrated star formation history (SFH) of massive (M$_{\ast}>10^{10}\,$M$_{\odot}$) simulated galaxies at $1 10^{11}\,$M$_{\odot}$ galaxy. In particular, we explore the potential of HST and JWST datasets reaching a depth similar to those of the CANDELS and ongoing CEERS observations, respectively, and concentrate on determining the capabilities of this dataset for characterizing the first episodes in the SFH of local M$_{\ast}>10^{11}\,$M$_{\odot}$ galaxies by studying their progenitors at $z>1$. The 2D-SPS method presented in this paper has been calibrated to robustly recover the cosmic times when the first star formation episodes occurred in massive galaxies, i.e., the first stages in their integrated SFHs. In particular, we discuss the times when the first 1% to 50% of their total stellar mass formed in the simulation. We demonstrate that we can recover these ages with typical median systematic offset of less than 5% and scatter around 20%-30%. According to our measurements on Illustris data, we are able to recover that local M$_{\ast}>10^{11}\,$M$_{\odot}$ galaxies would have started their formation by $z=16$, forming the first 5% of their stellar mass present at $z \sim 1$ by $z=4.5$, 10% by $z=3.7$, and 25% by $z=2.7$.

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Optical spectroscopic characterization of Fermi blazar candidates of uncertain type with TNG and DOT: First Results

The classification of gamma-ray-detected blazar candidates of uncertain type (BCU) is a relevant problem in extragalactic gamma-ray astronomy. Here we report the optical spectroscopic characterization, using two 3-4~m class telescopes, Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and Devasthal Optical Telescope, of 27 BCUs detected with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Since the identification of emission lines is easier in broad-line blazars, which usually exhibit low frequency peaked (synchrotron peak frequency $\leqslant10^{14}$ Hz) spectral energy distribution, we primarily target such BCUs. We found that 8 out of 27 sources exhibit broad emission lines in their optical spectra, 3 of them have redshifts $>$1 and the farthest one is at $z=2.55$. The optical spectra of 2 of the 19 remaining objects are dominated by the absorption spectra of the host galaxy, and there is a tentative detection of the Lyman-$α$ absorption feature in one source. The spectra of the remaining 16 objects, on the other hand, are found to be featureless.

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The 60 pc Environment of FRB 20180916B

Fast Radio Burst FRB 20180916B in its host galaxy SDSS J015800.28+654253.0 at 149 Mpc is by far the closest-known FRB with a robust host galaxy association. The source also exhibits a 16.35-day period in its bursting. Here we present optical and infrared imaging as well as integral field spectroscopy observations of FRB 20180916B with the WFC3 camera on the Hubble Space Telescope and the MEGARA spectrograph on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. The 60-90 milliarcsecond (mas) resolution of the Hubble imaging, along with the previous 2.3-mas localization of FRB 20180916B, allow us to probe its environment with a 30-60 pc resolution. We constrain any point-like star-formation or HII region at the location of FRB 20180916B to have an H$α$ luminosity $L_\mathrm{Hα} \lesssim 10^{37}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$ and, correspondingly, constrain the local star-formation rate to be $\lesssim10^{-4}\,\mathrm{M_\odot\,yr^{-1}}$. The constraint on H$α$ suggests that possible stellar companions to FRB 20180916B should be of a cooler, less massive spectral type than O6V. FRB 20180916B is 250 pc away (in projected distance) from the brightest pixel of the nearest young stellar clump, which is $\sim380$\,pc in size (full-width at half maximum). With the typical projected velocities of pulsars, magnetars, or neutron stars in binaries (60-750 km s$^{-1}$), FRB 20180916B would need 800 kyr to 7 Myr to traverse the observed distance from its presumed birth site. This timescale is inconsistent with the active ages of magnetars ($\lesssim10$ kyr). Rather, the inferred age and observed separation are compatible with the ages of high-mass X-ray binaries and gamma-ray binaries, and their separations from the nearest OB associations.

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Ultramassive black holes in the most massive galaxies: $M_{\rm BH}-σ$ versus $M_{\rm BH}-R_{\rm b}$

[Abridged] We investigate the nature of the relations between black hole (BH) mass ($M_{\rm BH}$) and the central velocity dispersion ($σ$) and, for core-Sérsic galaxies, the size of the depleted core ($R_{\rm b}$). Our sample of 144 galaxies with dynamically determined $M_{\rm BH}$ encompasses 24 core-Sérsic galaxies, thought to be products of gas-poor mergers, and reliably identified based on high-resolution HST imaging. For core-Sérsic galaxies -- i.e., combining normal-core ($R_{\rm b} < 0.5 $ kpc) and large-core galaxies ($R_{\rm b} \gtrsim 0.5$ kpc), we find that $M_{\rm BH}$ correlates remarkably well with $R_{\rm b}$ such that $M_{\rm BH} \propto R_{\rm b}^{1.20 \pm 0.14}$ (rms scatter in log $M_{\rm BH}$ of $Δ_{\rm rms} \sim 0.29$ dex), confirming previous works on the same galaxies except three new ones. Separating the sample into Sérsic, normal-core and large-core galaxies, we find that Sérsic and normal-core galaxies jointly define a single log-linear $M_{\rm BH}-σ$ relation $M_{\rm BH} \propto σ^{ 4.88 \pm 0.29}$ with $Δ_{\rm rms} \sim 0.47$ dex, however, at the high-mass end large-core galaxies (four with measured $M_{\rm BH}$) are offset upward from this relation by ($2.5-4) \times σ_{\rm s}$, explaining the previously reported steepening of the $M_{\rm BH}-σ$ relation for massive galaxies. Large-core spheroids have magnitudes $M_{V} \le -23.50$ mag, half-light radii Re $>$ 10 kpc and are extremely massive $M_{*} \ge 10^{12}M_{\odot}$. Furthermore, these spheroids tend to host ultramassive BHs ($M_{\rm BH} \ge 10^{10}M_{\odot}$) tightly connected with their $R_{\rm b}$ rather than $σ$. The less popular $M_{\rm BH}-R_{\rm b}$ relation exhibits $\sim$ 62% less scatter in log $M_{\rm BH}$ than the $M_{\rm BH}- σ$ relations.

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High Resolution Spectral Line Indices Useful for the Analysis of Stellar Populations

The well-known age-metallicity-attenuation degeneracy does not permit unique and good estimates of basic parameters of stars and stellar populations. The effects of dust can be avoided using spectral line indices, but current methods have not been able to break the age-metallicity degeneracy. Here we show that using at least two new spectral line indices defined and measured on high-resolution (R= 6000) spectra of a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 10 one gets unambiguous estimates of the age and metallicity of intermediate to old stellar populations. Spectroscopic data retrieved with new astronomical facilities, e.g., X-shooter, MEGARA, and MOSAIC, can be employed to infer the physical parameters of the emitting source by means of spectral line index and index--index diagram analysis.

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The Initial Mass Function in the Extended Ultraviolet Disk of M83

Using Hubble Space Telescope ACS/WFC data we present the photometry and spatial distribution of resolved stellar populations of four fields within the extended ultraviolet disk (XUV disk) of M83. These observations show a clumpy distribution of main-sequence stars and a mostly smooth distribution of red giant branch stars. We constrain the upper-end of the initial mass function (IMF) in the outer disk using the detected population of main-sequence stars and an assumed constant star formation rate (SFR) over the last 300 Myr. By comparing the observed main-sequence luminosity function to simulations, we determine the best-fitting IMF to have a power law slope $α=-2.35 \pm 0.3$ and an upper-mass limit $\rm M_{u}=25_{-3}^{+17} \, M_\odot$. This IMF is consistent with the observed H$α$ emission, which we use to provide additional constraints on the IMF. We explore the influence of deviations from the constant SFR assumption, finding that our IMF conclusions are robust against all but strong recent variations in SFR, but these are excluded by causality arguments. These results, along with our similar studies of other nearby galaxies, indicate that some XUV disks are deficient in high-mass stars compared to a Kroupa IMF. There are over one hundred galaxies within 5 Mpc, many already observed with HST, thus allowing a more comprehensive investigation of the IMF, and how it varies, using the techniques developed here.

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The Nature of Low-Density Star Formation

How do stars manage to form within low-density, HI-dominated gas? Such environments provide a laboratory for studying star formation with physical conditions distinct from starbursts and the metal-rich disks of spiral galaxies where most effort has been invested. Here we outline fundamental open questions about the nature of star formation at low-density. We describe the wide-field, high-resolution UV-optical-IR-radio observations of stars, star clusters and gas clouds in nearby galaxies needed in the 2020's to provide definitive answers, essential for development of a complete theory of star formation.

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High-resolution MEGARA IFU spectroscopy and structural analysis of a fast-rotating, disky bulge in NGC 7025

Disky bulges in spiral galaxies are commonly thought to form out of disk materials (mainly) via bar driven secular processes, they are structurally and dynamically distinct from `classical bulges' built in violent merger events. We use high-resolution GTC/MEGARA integral-field unit spectroscopic observations of the Sa galaxy NGC 7025, obtained during the MEGARA commissioning run, together with detailed 1D and 2D decompositions of this galaxy's SDSS $i$-band data to investigate the formation of its disky (bulge) component which makes up $\sim 30\%$ of the total galaxy light. With a Sérsic index $n \sim 1.80 \pm 0.24$, half-light radius $R_{\rm e} \sim 1.70 \pm 0.43$ kpc and stellar mass $M_{*} \sim (4.34 \pm 1.70) \times10^{10} M_{\odot}$, this bulge dominates the galaxy light distribution in the inner $R \sim 15"$ ($\sim 4.7$ kpc). Measuring the spins ($λ$) and ellipticities ($ε$) enclosed within nine different circular apertures with radii $R \le R_{\rm e}$, we show that the bulge, which exhibits a spin track of an outwardly rising $λ$ and $ε$, is a fast rotator for all the apertures considered. Our findings suggest that this inner disky component is a pseudo-bulge, consistent with the stellar and dust spiral patterns seen in the galaxy down to the innermost regions but in contrast to the classical bulge interpretation favored in the past. We propose that a secular process involving the tightly wound stellar spiral arms of NGC 7025 may drive gas and stars out of the disk into the inner regions of the galaxy, building up the massive pseudo-bulge.

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The GALEX/S4G Surface Brightness and Color Profiles Catalog - I. Surface Photometry and Color Gradients of Galaxies

We present new, spatially resolved, surface photometry in FUV and NUV from images obtained by the $\textit{Galaxy Evolution Explorer}$ (GALEX), and IRAC1 (3.6 $μ$m) photometry from the $\textit{Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies}$ (S$^{4}$G) (Sheth et al. 2010). We analyze the radial surface brightness profiles $μ_{FUV}$, $μ_{NUV}$, and $μ_{[3.6]}$, as well as the radial profiles of (FUV $-$ NUV), (NUV $-$ [3.6]), and (FUV $-$ [3.6]) colors in 1931 nearby galaxies (z $<$ 0.01). The analysis of the 3.6 $μ$m surface brightness profiles also allows us to separate the bulge and disk components in a quasi-automatic way, and to compare their light and color distribution with those predicted by the chemo-spectrophotometric models for the evolution of galaxy disks of Boissier & Prantzos (2000). The exponential disk component is best isolated by setting an inner radial cutoff and an upper surface brightness limit in stellar mass surface density. The best-fitting models to the measured scale length and central surface brightness values yield distributions of spin and circular velocity within a factor of two to those obtained via direct kinematic measurements. We find that at a surface brightness fainter than $μ_{[3.6]}=20.89$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, or below $3\times 10^{8}$ $M_{\odot}$ kpc$^{-2}$ in stellar mass surface density, the average specific star formation rate for star forming and quiescent galaxies remains relatively flat with radius. However, a large fraction of GALEX Green Valley galaxies (defined in Bouquin et al. 2015) shows a radial decrease in specific star formation rate. This behavior suggests that an outside-in damping mechanism, possibly related to environmental effects, could be testimony of an early evolution of galaxies from the blue sequence of star forming galaxies towards the red sequence of quiescent galaxies.

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UV-IR color profiles of the outer regions of 2K nearby S$^{4}$G galaxies

We present our new, spatially-resolved, photometry in FUV and NUV from images obtained by GALEX, and IRAC1 (3.6 $μ$m) photometry obtained by the Spitzer Space Telescope. We analyzed the surface brightness profiles $μ_{\rm{FUV}}$, $μ_{\rm{NUV}}$, $μ_{[3.6]}$, as well as the radial evolution of the (FUV-NUV), (FUV - [3.6]), and (NUV - [3.6]) colors in the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structures in Galaxies (S$^{4}$G) galaxies (d$<$40 Mpc) sample. We defined the GALEX Blue Sequence (GBS) and GALEX Red Sequence (GBR) from the (FUV - NUV) versus (NUV - [3.6]) color-color diagram, populated by late-type star forming galaxies and quiescent early-type galaxies respectively. While most disk becomes radially bluer for GBS galaxies, and stay constant for GRS galaxies, a large fraction ($>$50%) of intermediary GALEX Green Valley (GGV) galaxies' outer disks are becoming redder. An outside-in quenching mechanism such as environmentally-related mechanisms such as starvation or ram-pressure-stripping could explain our results.

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The Odd Offset between the Galactic Disk and Its Bar in NGC 3906

We use mid-infrared 3.6 and 4.5microns imaging of NGC 3906 from the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) to understand the nature of an unusual offset between its stellar bar and the photometric center of an otherwise regular, circular outer stellar disk. We measure an offset of ~720 pc between the center of the stellar bar and photometric center of the stellar disk; the bar center coincides with the kinematic center of the disk determined from previous HI observations. Although the undisturbed shape of the disk suggests that NGC 3906 has not undergone a significant merger event in its recent history, the most plausible explanation for the observed offset is an interaction. Given the relatively isolated nature of NGC 3906 this interaction could be with dark matter sub structure in the galaxy's halo or from a recent interaction with a fast moving neighbor which remains to be identified. Simulations aimed at reproducing the observed offset between the stellar bar / kinematic center of the system and the photometric center of the disk are necessary to confirm this hypothesis and constrain the interaction history of the galaxy.

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The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G): Stellar Masses, Sizes and Radial Profiles for 2352 Nearby Galaxies

The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) is a volume, magnitude, and size-limited survey of 2352 nearby galaxies with deep imaging at 3.6 and 4.5um. In this paper we describe our surface photometry pipeline and showcase the associated data products that we have released to the community. We also identify the physical mechanisms leading to different levels of central stellar mass concentration for galaxies with the same total stellar mass. Finally, we derive the local stellar mass-size relation at 3.6um for galaxies of different morphologies. Our radial profiles reach stellar mass surface densities below 1 Msun pc-2. Given the negligible impact of dust and the almost constant mass-to-light ratio at these wavelengths, these profiles constitute an accurate inventory of the radial distribution of stellar mass in nearby galaxies. From these profiles we have also derived global properties such as asymptotic magnitudes (and the corresponding stellar masses), isophotal sizes and shapes, and concentration indices. These and other data products from our various pipelines (science-ready mosaics, object masks, 2D image decompositions, and stellar mass maps), can be publicly accessed at IRSA (http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/data/SPITZER/S4G/).

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