arXiv subjects

C. A. Scharf

Publications and source records attributed to C. A. Scharf.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2013

The WARPS Survey. VIII. Evolution of the Galaxy Cluster X-ray Luminosity Function

We present measurements of the galaxy cluster X-ray Luminosity Function (XLF) from the Wide Angle ROSAT Pointed Survey (WARPS) and quantify its evolution. WARPS is a serendipitous survey of the central region of ROSAT pointed observations and was carried out in two phases (WARPS-I and WARPS-II). The results here are based on a final sample of 124 clusters, complete above a flux limit of 6.5 10E-15 erg/s/cm2, with members out to redshift z ~ 1.05, and a sky coverage of 70.9 deg2. We find significant evidence for negative evolution of the XLF, which complements the majority of X-ray cluster surveys. To quantify the suggested evolution, we perform a maximum likelihood analysis and conclude that the evolution is driven by a decreasing number density of high luminosity clusters with redshift, while the bulk of the cluster population remains nearly unchanged out to redshift z ~ 1.1, as expected in a low density Universe. The results are found to be insensitive to a variety of sources of systematic uncertainty that affect the measurement of the XLF and determination of the survey selection function. We perform a Bayesian analysis of the XLF to fully account for uncertainties in the local XLF on the measured evolution, and find that the detected evolution remains significant at the 95% level. We observe a significant excess of clusters in the WARPS at 0.1 < z < 0.3 and LX ~ 2 10E42 erg/s compared with the reference low-redshift XLF, or our Bayesian fit to the WARPS data. We find that the excess cannot be explained by sample variance, or Eddington bias, and is unlikely to be due to problems with the survey selection function.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

A 100-kpc inverse Compton X-ray halo around 4C60.07 at z=3.79

We analyse a 100-ks Chandra observation of the powerful radio galaxy, 4C60.07 at z=3.79. We identify extended X-ray emission with Lx~10^45 erg/s across a ~90-kpc region around the radio galaxy. The energetics of this X-ray halo and its morphological similarity to the radio emission from the galaxy suggest that it arises from inverse Compton (IC) scattering, by relativistic electrons in the radio jets, of Cosmic Microwave Background photons and potentially far-infrared photons from the dusty starbursts around this galaxy. The X-ray emission has a similar extent and morphology to the Ly-alpha halo around the galaxy, suggesting that it may be ionising this halo. Indeed we find that the GHz-radio and X-ray and Ly-alpha luminosities of the halo around 4C60.07 are identical to those of 4C41.17 (also at z=3.8) implying that these three components are linked by a single physical process. This is only the second example of highly-extended IC emission known at z>3, but it underlines the potential importance of IC emission in the formation of the most massive galaxies at high redshifts. In addition, we detect two X-ray luminous active galactic nuclei (AGN) within ~30kpc of the radio galaxy. These two companion AGN imply that the radio and starburst activity in the radio galaxy is triggered through multiple mergers of massive progenitors on a short timescale, ~100Myrs. These discoveries demonstrate the wealth of information which sensitive X-ray observations can yield into the formation of massive galaxies at high redshifts.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

The Chandra Deep Protocluster Survey: Ly-alpha Blobs are powered by heating, not cooling

We present the results of a 400ks Chandra survey of 29 extended Ly-alpha emitting nebulae (Ly-alpha Blobs, LABs) in the z=3.09 proto-cluster in the SSA22 field. We detect luminous X-ray counterparts in five LABs, implying a large fraction of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in LABs, f_AGN = 17% down to L_2-32keV ~ 10^44 erg/s. All of the AGN appear to be heavily obscured, with spectral indices implying obscuring column densities of N_H > 10^23 cm^-2. The AGN fraction should be considered a lower limit, since several more LABs not detected with Chandra show AGN signatures in their mid-infrared emission. We show that the UV luminosities of the AGN are easily capable of powering the extended Ly-alpha emission via photo-ionization alone. When combined with the UV flux from a starburst component, and energy deposited by mechanical feedback, we demonstrate that 'heating' by a central source, rather than gravitational cooling is the most likely power source of LABs. We argue that all LABs could be powered in this manner, but that the luminous host galaxies are often just below the sensitivity limits of current instrumentation, or are heavily obscured. No individual LABs show evidence for extended X-ray emission, and a stack equivalent to a >9Ms exposure of an average LAB also yields no statistical detection of a diffuse X-ray component. The resulting diffuse X-ray/Ly-alpha luminosity limit implies there is no hot (T>10^7 K) gas component in these halos, and also rules out inverse Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background photons, or local far-infrared photons, as a viable power source for LABs.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

The Chandra Deep Protocluster Survey: Evidence for an Enhancement in the AGN Activity in the SSA22 Protocluster at z = 3.09

We present results from a new ultra-deep 400 ks Chandra observation of the SSA22 protocluster at z = 3.09. We have studied the X-ray properties of 234 z ~ 3 Lyman break galaxies (LBGs; protocluster and field) and 158 z = 3.09 Ly-alpha emitters (LAEs) in SSA22 to measure the influence of the high-density protocluster environment on the accretion activity of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in these UV-selected star forming populations. We detect individually X-ray emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in six LBGs and five LAEs; due to small overlap between the LBG and LAE source population, ten of these sources are unique. At least six and potentially eight of these sources are members of the protocluster. These sources have rest-frame 8-32 keV luminosities in the range of L_8-32 keV = (3-50) X 10^{43} ergs/s and an average observed-frame 2-8 keV to 0.5-2 keV band-ratio of ~0.8 (mean effective photon index of Gamma_eff = 1.1), suggesting significant absorption columns of N_H > 10^{22}-10^{24} cm^{-2}. We find that the fraction of LBGs and LAEs in the z = 3.09 protocluster harboring an AGN with L_8-32 keV > 3 X 10^{43} ergs/s is 9.5^{+12.7}_{-6.1}% and 5.1^{+6.8}_{-3.3}%, respectively. These AGN fractions are somewhat larger (by a mean factor of 6.1^{+10.3}_{-3.6}; significant at the 95% confidence level) than z ~ 3 sources found in lower-density "field" environments. Theoretical models imply that these results may be due to the presence of more actively growing and/or massive SMBHs in LBGs and LAEs within the protocluster compared to the field. Such a result is expected in a scenario where enhanced merger activity in the protocluster drives accelerated galaxy and SMBH growth at z > 2-3. (abridged)

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arXiv2004

The Chandra Fornax Survey - I: The Cluster Environment

We present the first results of a deep Chandra survey of the inner 1 degree of the Fornax cluster of galaxies. Ten 50 ksec pointings were obtained in a mosaic centered on the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 1399 at the nominal cluster center. Emission and temperature maps of Fornax are presented, and an initial study of 771 detected X-ray point sources is made. Regions as small as 100pc are resolved. The intra-cluster gas in Fornax exhibits a highly asymmetric morphology and temperature structure, dominated by a 180 kpc extended ``plume'' of low surface brightness, cool, ~1 keV) gas to the North-East of NGC 1399 with a sharper edge to the South West. The elliptical galaxy NGC 1404 also exhibits a cool halo of X-ray gas within the cluster, with a highly sharpened leading edge as it presumably falls into the cluster, and a cometary-like tail. We estimate that some ~200-400 point sources are physically associated with Fornax. Confirming earlier works, we find that the globular cluster population in NGC 1399 is highly X-ray active, extending to globulars which may in fact be intra-cluster systems. We have also found a remarkable correlation between the location of giant and dwarf cluster galaxies and the presence of X-ray counterparts, such that systems inhabiting regions of low gas density are more likely to show X-ray activity. Not only does this correlate with the asymmetry of the intra-cluster gas but also with the axis joining the center of Fornax to an infalling group 1 Mpc to the South-West. We suggest that Fornax may be experiencing an intergalactic ``headwind'' due to motion relative to the surrounding large-scale structure.

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arXiv2003

Chandra Detections of SCUBA Galaxies around High-z Radio Sources

The most massive galaxies in the present day universe are the giant ellipticals found in the centers of rich clusters. These have old, coeval stellar populations, suggesting they formed at high redshift, and are expected to host supermassive black holes (SMBHs). The recent detection of several high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs) at submm wavelengths confirms that indeed some massive galaxies may have formed the bulk of their stellar populations in spectacular dust-enshrouded starbursts at high-z. In this letter we compare sensitive Chandra X-ray images - which identify actively-fueled SMBHs - and submm observations - capable of detecting obscured activity in luminous galaxies at high redshift - of the environments of three HzRGs. These observations exhibit overdensities of X-ray sources in all 3 fields and a close correspondence between the Chandra and SCUBA populations. This suggests that both substantial star formation and nuclear activity may be occuring in these regions. We identify possible pairs of Chandra sources with each of 2 SCUBA sources, suggesting that their ultraluminous activity may be triggered by the interaction of two massive galaxies, each of which hosts an accreting SMBH. The presence of two SMBHs in the resulting remanent is predicted to produce a flattened stellar core in the galaxy, a morphological signature frequently seen in luminous cluster ellipticals. Hence the confirmation of pairs of Chandra sources within individual, luminous SCUBA galaxies would provide additional evidence that these galaxies at z~2-4 are the progenitors of the giant elliptical galaxies found in clusters at the present-day.

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arXiv2003

Extended X-ray emission around 4C 41.17 at z=3.8

We present sensitive, high-resolution, X-ray imaging from Chandra of the high-redshift radio galaxy 4C 41.17 (z=3.8). Our 150-ks Chandra exposure detects strong X-ray emission from a point source coincident with the nucleus of the radio galaxy. In addition we identify extended X-ray emission with a luminosity ~1e45 erg/s covering a 100kpc (15'') diameter region around the radio galaxy. The extended X-ray emission follows the general distribution of radio emission in the radio lobes of this source, and the distribution of a giant Lyman-alpha emission line halo, while the spectrum of the X-ray emission is non-thermal and has a power law index consistent with that of the radio synchrotron. We conclude that the X-ray emission is most likely Inverse-Compton scattering of far-infrared photons from a relativistic electron population probably associated with past and current activity from the central object. Assuming an equipartition magnetic field the CMB energy density at z=3.8 can only account for at most 40% of the Inverse-Compton emission. Published submillimeter maps of 4C 41.17 have detected an apparently extended and extremely luminous far-infrared emission around the radio galaxy. We demonstrate that this photon component and its spatial distribution, in combination with the CMB can reproduce the observed X-ray luminosity. We propose that photo-ionization by these Inverse-Compton X-ray photons plays a significant role in this system, and provides a new physical feedback mechanism to preferentially affect the gas within the most massive halos at high redshift. This is the highest redshift example of extended X-ray emission around a radio galaxy currently known. (Abridged)

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arXiv2002

The WARPS Survey: VI. Galaxy Cluster and Source Identifications from Phase I

We present in catalog form the optical identifications for objects from the first phase of the Wide Angle ROSAT Pointed Survey (WARPS). WARPS is a serendipitous survey of relatively deep, pointed ROSAT observations for clusters of galaxies. The X-ray source detection algorithm used by WARPS is Voronoi Tessellation and Percolation (VTP), a technique which is equally sensitive to point sources and extended sources of low surface brightness. WARPS-I is based on the central regions of 86 ROSAT PSPC fields, covering an area of 16.2 square degrees. We describe here the X-ray source screening and optical identification process for WARPS-I, which yielded 34 clusters at 0.06<z<0.75. Twenty-two of these clusters form a complete, statistically well defined sample drawn from 75 of these 86 fields, covering an area of 14.1 square degrees, with a flux limit of $F (0.5-2.0 keV) = 6.5 \times 10^{-14} erg cm^{-2} s^{-1}}$. This sample can be used to study the properties and evolution of the gas, galaxy and dark matter content of clusters, and to constrain cosmological parameters. We compare in detail the identification process and findings of WARPS to those from other recently published X-ray surveys for clusters, including RDCS, SHARC-Bright, SHARC-south and the CfA 160 deg$^2$ survey.

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arXiv2000

The 2-10 keV XRB dipole and its cosmological implications

The hard X-ray (>2 keV) emission of the local and distant Universe as observed with the HEAO1-A2 experiment is reconsidered in the context of large scale cosmic structure. Using all-sky X-ray samples of AGN and galaxy clusters we remove the dominant local X-ray flux from within a redshift of ~ 0.02. We evaluate the dipolar and higher order harmonic structure in 4 X-ray colours. The estimated dipole anisotropy of the unresolved flux appears to be consistent with a combination of the Compton-Getting effect due to the Local Group motion (dipole amplitude Delta = 0.0042) and remaining large scale structure (0.0023 <~ Delta <~ 0.0085), in good agreement with the expectations of Cold Dark Matter models. The observed anisotropy does however also suggest a non-negligible Galactic contribution which is more complex than current, simple models of >2 keV Galactic X-ray emission. Comparison of the soft and hard colour maps with a harmonic analysis of the 1.5 keV ROSAT all-sky data qualitatively suggests that at least a third of the faint, unresolved ~ 18 deg scale structure in the HEAO1-A2 data may be Galactic in origin. However, the effect on measured flux dipoles is small (<~3%). We derive an expression for dipole anisotropy and acceleration and demonstrate how the dipole anisotropy of the distant X-ray frame can constrain the amplitude of bulk motions of the universe. From observed bulk motions over a local ~ 50 Mpc/h radius volume we determine 0.14 <~ Omega^0.6/b_x(0) <~ 0.59.

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arXiv1998

Lensing and the luminosity of Gamma-ray bursts and their hosts

The quoted intrinsic luminosity of objects has a dependency on the assumed cosmology, and the (less often considered) assumed gravitational lensing due to the matter content of the viewing beam; the so called `filled' or `empty' beam cases. We consider the implications of filled vs empty beam assumptions for the derived total luminosities of recent gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in which counterparts at cosmological distances have been confirmed. Conversion factors between filled and empty beam bolometric luminosities are presented graphically for a range of cosmologies and redshifts. The tendency for sources to be most probably demagnified further supports the need for non-isotropic GRB emission in neutron star merger models, or the need for at least one massive star in other models. In the most extreme case the true energy of GRB971214 at z=3.418 could be as high as ~ 8 x 10^53 ergs, a factor ~ 2 more than previously estimated. Similarly, the effect may account for some of the observed bias towards fainter host magnitudes.

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arXiv1997

The Galaxy Cluster Luminosity-Temperature Relationship and Iron Abundances - A Measure of Formation History ?

Both the X-ray luminosity-temperature (L-T) relationship and the iron abundance distribution of galaxy clusters show intrinsic dispersion. Using a large set of galaxy clusters with measured iron abundances we find a correlation between abundance and the relative deviation of a cluster from the mean L-T relationship. We argue that these observations can be explained by taking into account the range of cluster formation epochs expected within a hierarchical universe. The known relationship of cooling flow mass deposition rate to luminosity and temperature is also consistent with this explanation. From the observed cluster population we estimate that the oldest clusters formed at z>~2. We propose that the iron abundance of a galaxy cluster can provide a parameterization of its age and dynamical history.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

The Luminosity-Temperature Relation at z=0.4 for Clusters of galaxies

We have obtained the first large sample of accurate temperatures for clusters at z>0.14 from ASCA. We compare the luminosity temperature (L-T) distribution for these clusters with the low redshift sample of David et al (1993) and find that there is no evidence for evolution. We also find that the intrinsic variance in this relation is roughly constant with redshift. Additionally, there is no detectable change in the relationship of optical velocity dispersion to X-ray temperature with redshift. Most cosmological simulations driven primarily by gravity predict substantial changes in the L-T relation due to the recent rapid growth of clusters. Our results are consistent either with models in which the cluster core entropy is dominated by pre-heating, or with low Omega models in which cluster structure does not evolve strongly with time. The intrinsic variance in the L-T relation at a fixed redshift can be due a variety of possibilites e.g. a change in the baryonic fraction from cluster to cluster, variation in the fraction of the total energy in the system arising from shocks or supernova heating or variations in the emission measure distributions in multiphase gas.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Cluster Evolution in the Wide Angle ROSAT Pointed Survey (WARPS)

A new flux limited catalogue of low luminosity (Lx <= 10^44 erg/s) X-ray galaxy clusters and groups covering a redshift range of z~0.1 to z~0.7 has been produced from the WARPS project. We present the number counts of this low luminosity population at high redshifts (z>0.3). The results are consistent with an unevolving population which does not exhibit the evolution seen in the higher luminosity cluster population. These observations can be qualitatively described by self-similarly evolving dark matter and preheated IGM models of X-ray cluster gas, with a power law index for the spectrum of matter density fluctuations n >= -1.

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arXiv1996

The WARPS X-ray survey of galaxies, groups and clusters I: Method and first results

We have embarked on a survey of ROSAT PSPC archival data with the aim of detecting all significant surface brightness enhancements due to sources in the innermost 15 arcmin of the PSPC field of view (0.5-2.0 keV). This project is part of the Wide Angle ROSAT Pointed Survey (WARPS) and is designed primarily to measure the low luminosity, high redshift, X-ray luminosity function of galaxy clusters and groups. The approach we have chosen for source detection [Voronoi Tessellation and Percolation (VTP)] represents a significant advance over conventional methods and is particularly suited for the detection and accurate quantification of extended and/or low surface brightness emission. In an extensive optical follow-up programme we are identifying galaxies, groups and clusters at redshifts ranging from z~0.1 to z~0.7. We present first results for an initial 17.2 deg^2 at detected fluxes > 3.5 x 10^-14 erg s^-1 cm^-2. We find the sky density of extended objects to be in the range 2.8 to 4.0 (+- 0.4) deg^-2. A comparison with a point source detection algorithm demonstrates that our VTP approach typically finds 1-2 more objects deg^-2 to this detected flux limit. The surface brightness limit of the WARPS cluster survey is ~1x10^-15 erg sec^-1 cm^-2 arcmin^-2, approximately 6 times lower than the EMSS. The WARPS LogN-LogS shows a significant excess over previous measurements for S > 8 x 10^-14 erg sec^-1 cm^-2.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

The WARPS survey for faint Clusters of Galaxies

The WARPS cluster survey is based on the ROSAT PSPC archive of pointed observations. It includes extended X-ray sources, detected with the Voronoi Tessellation and Percolation algorithm (VTP), and point-like X-ray sources with non-stellar optical counterparts. It is designed to minimize selection effects whilst covering a large area of sky. The aims of the survey are to (a) measure the low luminosity (<10^44 ergs^-1), high redshift (z>0.2) X-ray luminosity function of clusters and groups, and (b) investigate cluster morphologies and unusual systems (e.g. merging clusters). In an initial 13 sq deg (66 fields) we have found 22 extended X-ray sources with detected flux >7x10^-14 erg cm^-2s^-1 (0.5-2.0keV) and sizes of 1 to 5 arcmin. Optically they range from a single bright nearby galaxy which has been resolved, an Abell cluster which is revealed to have two (probably merging) components and groups and clusters of galaxies at estimated redshifts beyond z=0.4.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Faint Extended X-ray Sources: A new Large Area Survey

We have searched for extended X-ray sources in the ROSAT PSPC archive using the Voronoi Tesslation and Percolation algorithm (VTP). This algorithm detects all significant sources regardless of shape or size, and is particularly suited to finding low surface brightness extended sources which could be missed or wrongly interpreted by other algorithms. In an initial 13 sq deg (66 fields) we have found 22 sources with detected flux $>$7x10$^{-14}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ (0.5-2 keV) and sizes of 1 to 5 arcmin. Optically, they range from a single bright nearby galaxy which has been resolved, an Abell cluster which is revealed to have two (probably merging) components, and groups and clusters of galaxies at estimated redshifts beyond z$=$0.4. This work is part of an ongoing survey with the aims of (a) measuring the low luminosity ($<$10$^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$), high redshift (z$>$0.2) X-ray luminosity function of clusters, and (b) investigating cluster morphologies and unusual systems (eg `fossil' groups).

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arXiv1995

ON THE MEASUREMENT OF A COSMOLOGICAL DIPOLE IN THE PHOTON NUMBER COUNTS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

If gamma-ray bursts are cosmological or in a halo distribution their properties are expected to be isotropic (at least to 1st order). However, our motion with respect to the burst parent population (whose proper frame is expected to be that of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), or that of a static halo) will cause a dipole effect in the distribution of bursts and in their photon number counts (together termed a Compton-Getting effect). We argue that the photon number count information is necessary to distinguish a genuine Compton-Getting effect from some other anisotropy and to fully test the proper frame isotropy of the bursts. Using the 2B burst catalogue and the dipole determined from the CMB, we find the surprising result that although the number weighted distribution is consistent with isotropy, the fluence weighted dipole has a correlation with the CMB dipole that has a probability of occuring only 10% of the time for an isotropic photon distribution. Furthermore, the photon and number dipoles are inconsistent under the hypothesis of isotropy, at the 2-sigma level. This could be an indication that a non-negligible fraction of gamma-ray bursts originate in the local, anisotropic universe. (shortened Abstract)

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arXiv1993

Wiener Reconstruction of Galaxy Surveys in Spherical Harmonics

The analysis of whole-sky galaxy surveys commonly suffers from the problems of shot-noise and incomplete sky coverage (e.g. at the Zone of Avoidance). The orthogonal set of spherical harmonics is utilized here to expand the observed galaxy distribution. We show that in the framework of Bayesian statistics and Gaussian random fields the $4 π$ harmonics can be recovered and the shot-noise can be removed, giving the most probable picture of the underlying density field. The correction factor from observed to reconstructed harmonics turns out to be the well-known Wiener filter (the ratio of signal to signal+noise), which is also derived by requiring minimum variance. We apply the method to the projected 1.2 Jy IRAS survey. The reconstruction confirms the connectivity of the Supergalactic Plane across the Galactic Plane (at Galactic longitude $l \sim 135^o$ and $l \sim 315^o$) and the Puppis cluster behind the Galactic Plane ($ l \sim 240^o$). The method can be extended to 3-D in both real and redshift space, and applied to other cosmic phenomena such as the COBE Microwave Background maps.

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