arXiv subjects

C. Cicone

Publications and source records attributed to C. Cicone.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A new era for Dual AGN science with SHARP

The search for and the characterization of ultra-compact dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the hottest topics of current extragalactic astrophysics. These systems involve two accreting massive black holes (MBHs) embedded within the same host galaxy, with relative projected separations from a few hundred pc down to a few pc. They are central to understanding hierarchical galaxy formation, black hole growth and demographics, and accretion-feedback coupling in the most extreme interaction phases. Even more compellingly, such tight pairs are the most direct precursors of gravitationally bound binary MBHs (sub-pc scale separation), which are among the loudest emitters of gravitational waves (GWs) in the low-frequency ranges. SHARP will deliver the first statistical census and physical characterization of ultra-compact dual AGN up to cosmic distances, finally bridging the observational gap between kpc-scale pairs and sub-pc GW-emitting binaries, and enabling a breakthrough understanding of MBH growth, feedback and co-evolution across cosmic time.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Higher resolution optical spectra of $M_*<10^{10}~M_{\odot}$ galaxies reveal outflow signatures unresolved by the SDSS

Galactic outflows are predicted to be ubiquitous in low-mass galaxies, but observational evidence is lacking. Both a low signal-to-noise and a low spectral resolution can severely hamper the detection of galactic outflows, especially in small galaxies that have intrinsically narrow spectral lines. We obtained new, medium-high resolution (FWHM$_\mathrm{inst}\sim50-110$~km/s) optical spectra of 52 local star forming galaxies ($0.01 < z < 0.03$) with stellar masses $10^{8.5} 10^{-0.74}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$). We estimate ionized gas mass outflow rates ranging from $\sim0.1-50\times10^{-3}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$ (mean $\sim20\times10^{-3}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$) and corresponding mass loading factors between 0.03 and 0.14 (mean $\sim0.07$) for the sample.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Fast, dust-poor outflows in the local candidate dual AGN MCG-03-34-64 observed with VLT/ERIS

We present VLT/ERIS IFU J-band observations of MCG-03-34-64, a nearby (z = 0.0167) Seyfert galaxy hosting a candidate dual AGN system with a separation of ~100 pc between the nuclei. The observations cover, among others, the HeI1.083um, [FeII]1.257um and Pa$\beta$ emission lines, over a FoV of 3"x3"(~1x1 kpc$^2$). We analyse the ionised gas kinematics and identify two regions with enhanced velocity dispersion (W80~1500 km/s), suggestive of fast outflowing gas, spatially coincident with the position of the two candidate active nuclei. The spectra of the two outflows show a prominent blueshifted wing with velocities vmax ~ -1700 km/s corresponding to the highest 2-5 percentiles of samples of local AGN with similar bolometric luminosities. For the ionised phase of the two outflows, we derive comparable masses of $(4\pm1)\times 10^5$ $M_{\odot}$ and mass outflow rates of $20\pm5$ $M_{\odot}$/yr. The two distinct outflows could be associated with the two nuclei, or be generated by the interaction of the radio jet with the ISM. We also analyse the peculiar profile of the [Fe VII]6087A optical coronal line from an archival VLT/X-shooter spectrum. The comparison with the [NeV]3425A and [FeII]1.257um profiles indicates that [Fe VII] emission likely arises only from the outflow. The absence of the systemic component in [Fe VII] - unlike in [NeV], which has similar ionisation potential and critical density - suggests suppression of [Fe VII] due to iron depletion onto dust grains, while its detection in the outflow implies a lower dust content than in the host ISM. The additional information gained from the ERIS data are consistent with the scenario of a dual AGN, however further observations are required to confirm its nature.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Massive dusty multiphase outflow in local merger shows no sign of slowing on kiloparsec scales

We use ALMA CO(1-0) observations and VLT/MUSE rest-frame optical data of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) IRAS20100-4156 at $z=0.1297$ to characterize its powerful outflow in multiple phases using tracers of cold molecular, ionized, and neutral atomic gas and dust as well. Our analysis uses the correspondence with the stellar velocity field to split the complex emission line profiles of the CO(1-0) line into components in gravitational and non-gravitational motion. We find a massive ($8\times10^{9}\,M_\odot$) molecular outflow containing about 40% of the total molecular gas mass in the system. The outflow shows a bi-conical morphology centered on the brightest galaxy in the merger, oriented along its minor axis and extending to $\sim5\,\mathrm{kpc}$. This outflow has a characteristic velocity of $170\,\mathrm{km/s}$, an outflow mass rate of $700\,M_\odot/\mathrm{yr}$, a depletion time of $16\,\mathrm{Myr}$, and energetics consistent with star formation as a driver. The neutral atomic and ionized gas phases traced by NaI absorption and H$\alpha$ emission show counterparts to the blueshifted cold molecular outflow but are only 15% and 3% as massive. None of the three gas phases show any signs of slowing down over the extent at which we detected the outflow, suggesting an acceleration mechanism acting on the outflowing gas at kiloparsec scales. We also detect $3.5\times 10^7\,M_\odot$ of dust, traced by optical extinction in the MUSE data, in the blueshifted outflowing cold molecular gas. The ionization state of the non-outflowing gas is consistent with star formation, while the outflowing component shows shock-like ionization. We conclude that the multiphase outflow in IRAS20100-4156 originates in the southeast nucleus of the merger and is driven by the starburst activity there, with radiation pressure likely playing a significant role in its acceleration.

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arXiv2025

Surveying Galaxy Clusters (in formation) in the Distant Universe

Present-day galaxy clusters are the largest virialized structures in the Universe, yet their early assembly remains poorly understood. At z$>$2, clusters in formation span tens of Mpc and host gas-rich, dust-obscured galaxies embedded in extended, low-surface-brightness gaseous environments. Current (sub-)millimeter facilities lack the mapping speed, sensitivity, and contiguous field of view needed to trace the cold gas and dust driving rapid galaxy growth across such scales. A future large single-dish observatory with degree-scale coverage, broad spectral access, and high-multiplex capability would enable comprehensive and uniform mapping of entire protoclusters, revealing where star formation is triggered or quenched, and quantifying the cold gas budget, thus providing information on gas cooling within protocluster environments. In synergy with wide-sky optical/NIR surveys such as Euclid, LSST, and Roman, this facility would provide the missing multi-scale and multiphase submillimeter view needed to uncover how the stellar, gaseous, and dark-matter components assemble in protoclusters, completing our view of early structure formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Cosmic Duets I. High-spatial resolution spectroscopy of dual and lensed AGN with MUSE-NFM

We present the first-year results of the MUSE Large Program "Cosmic Duets", whose goal is to obtain adaptive-optics assisted MUSE observations with an angular resolution of 0.1"-0.2" in order to provide integral-field spectroscopy of sub-arcsec separation dual and lensed active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates. These observations reveal previously unexplored properties of dual and lensed systems that are key to understanding galaxy evolution, supermassive black hole mergers, and strong-lensing modeling. Targets were efficiently selected using the Gaia multipeak (GMP) technique, which identifies pairs of point-like sources with separations below 0.8" in the Gaia catalog. MUSE spatially resolved spectroscopy provides accurate redshifts, ionization diagnostics, and identification of absorption systems along the line of sight. We report results for 30 GMP targets at z=0.5-3.5. All systems show at least 2 spatially resolved components. 19 objects are confirmed as AGN multiplets, including 6 dual AGN, 10 doubly lensed quasars, and 3 quadruply lensed systems, while the remaining 11 correspond to chance alignments with foreground stars. Among all the spectroscopically confirmed dual AGN in the literature, 27 pairs have projected separations below 7kpc in this redshift regime, and our sample accounts for 22% of the total. We studied dual and lensed AGN distributions as a function of redshift, magnitude, and projected separation while accounting for selection effects, and we find that bright systems are dominated by lensed quasars, whereas the relative fraction of dual AGN increases at fainter magnitudes. This first-year sample demonstrates the high efficiency of GMP selection combined with MUSE spectroscopy for identifying sub-arcsec dual and lensed AGN. The full program, targeting 150 systems, will enable statistical studies of dual AGN and constraints on mass distribution in lensing galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Connecting outflows with radio emission in active galactic nuclei at cosmic noon

AGN feedback is a well known mechanism in the evolution of galaxies. One open question is the driving mechanism of galaxy-scale outflows. At low redshift, radio jets often interact with the ISM, generating turbulence and driving ionized outflows. Despite this evidence at low redshift, relatively few studies have investigated the radio-ionized gas connection at cosmic noon. Thus, our main goal is to conduct a pilot study using VLA data for three quasars with moderate/high radio power, which have ionized outflows identified in observations from the SUPER survey. We used [OIII] data from SINFONI analyzed in earlier studies, along with new 6.2 GHz VLA radio observations, at comparable spatial resolution. We also incorporate radio data from the literature to explore the radio emission. We detected extended radio structure in our VLA A-array data for two quasars. The extended structure in J1333+1649 aligns with the smaller-scale emission seen in archival images, suggesting a jet propagating from nuclear to galaxy-wide scales. In all three quasars, we found that the brightest radio emission and ionized gas have comparable spatial scales. Furthermore, the position angles of the radio emission and ionized gas present small offsets for the two targets with extended structures. Given that the kinematics of the ionized gas in all three quasars is dominated by outflows, our results suggest a strong connection between radio emission and ionized outflows in typical AGN at cosmic noon. Based on energetic considerations and comparisons with archival data, radio jets could be a significant mechanism for driving outflows in AGN from cosmic noon to low redshifts. However, with the exception of one object (J1333+1649), we cannot rule out the possibility that the radio emission arises from shocks in the interstellar medium caused by disk winds or radiatively driven outflows.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

ALMA survey of a massive node of the Cosmic Web at $z\sim 3$. II. A dynamically cold and massive disk galaxy in the proximity of a hyperluminous quasar

Advancing our understanding of the formation and evolution of early massive galaxies and black holes requires detailed studies of dense structures in the high-redshift Universe. In this work, we present high-angular resolution ($\simeq0.3''$) ALMA observations targeting the CO(4--3) line and the underlying 3-mm dust continuum toward the Cosmic Web node MQN01, a region identified through deep multiwavelength surveys as one of the densest concentrations of galaxies and AGN at cosmic noon. At the center of this structure, we identify a massive, rotationally supported disk galaxy located approximately at $\sim10\,{\rm kpc}$ projected-distance and $\sim-300\,{\rm km\,s^{-1}}$ from a hyperluminous quasar at $z=3.2510$. By accurately modeling the cold gas kinematics, we determine a galaxy dynamical mass of $2.5\times10^{11}\,{M_{\odot}}$ within the inner $\simeq 4\,{\rm kpc}$, and a high degree of rotational support of $V_{\rm rot}/\sigma \approx 11$. This makes it the first quasar companion galaxy confirmed as a massive, dynamically cold rotating disk at such an early cosmic epoch. Despite the small projected separation from the quasar host, we find no clear evidence of strong tidal interactions affecting the galaxy disk. This might suggest that the quasar is a satellite galaxy in the early stages of a merger. Furthermore, our spectroscopic analysis reveals a broad, blueshifted component in the CO(4--3) line profile of the quasar host, which may trace a powerful molecular outflow or kinematic disturbances induced by its interaction with the massive companion galaxy. Our findings show that rotationally supported cold disks are able to survive even in high-density environments of the early Universe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

JWST MIRI/MRS observations of hot molecular gas in an AGN host galaxy at Cosmic Noon

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are believed to play a central role in quenching star formation by removing or destroying molecular gas from host galaxies via radiation-pressure driven outflows and/or radio jets. Some studies of cold molecular gas in galaxies at Cosmic Noon ($z\sim2$) show that AGN have less cold gas ($<$100 K) compared to mass-matched star-forming galaxies. However, cold gas could also be shock-heated to warmer phases, detectable via H$_{2}$ transitions in the rest-frame near- and mid-infrared spectra. The Medium Resolution Spectrograph (MRS) of the Mid-infrared Instrument (MIRI) aboard JWST has opened a unique window to observe these emission lines in galaxies at Cosmic Noon. We present the first detection of hot molecular gas in cid_346, an X-ray AGN at $z\sim2.2$, via the H$_{2}$ ro-vibrational transition at 2.12 $\mu$m. We measure a hot molecular gas mass of $\sim 8.0 \times 10^{5}$ M$_{\odot}$, which is $\sim 10^{5}-10^{6}$ times lower than the cold molecular gas mass. cid_346 is located in an environment with extended gas structures and satellite galaxies. This is supported by detection of hot and cold molecular gas out to distances $>$10 kpc in MIRI/MRS and ALMA data, respectively and ancillary NIRCam imaging that reveals two satellite galaxies at distances of $\sim$0.4 arcsec (3.3 kpc) and $\sim$0.9 arcsec (7.4 kpc) from the AGN. Our results tentatively indicate that while the CO(3-2)-based cold gas phase dominates the molecular gas mass at Cosmic Noon, H$_{2}$ ro-vibrational transitions are effective in tracing hot molecular gas locally in regions that may lack CO emission.

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arXiv2025

Outflowing shocked gas dominates the NIR H$_2$ emission from the dual AGN NGC6240

[Abridged] We present a multi-line study of the kinematics of the molecular and ionised gas phases in the central 2 kpc of NGC6240, based on JWST/NIRSpec and ALMA observations. We devised a new spectral-line fitting approach to de-blend rotating and non-rotating gas components, which is better tailored to the extreme feedback mechanisms at work in NGC6240. We find that ~65% of the Pa$\alpha$, H$_2$, and [FeII] line fluxes within the NIRSpec field of view arise from gas components that are kinematically decoupled from the stars. The NIR H$_2$ lines show the most deviation from the stars, with peak emission between the two rotating stellar structures. The PAH 3.3$\mu$m feature does not follow the NIR H$_2$ morphology, indicating that the latter does not trace PDRs. In the non-rotating gas components, we identify a biconical wind launched from the northern AGN, expanding along the minor axis of stellar rotation. This wind is dominated by ionised gas and, although it entrains some H$_2$, it does not show a H$_2$/PAH enhancement, suggesting either high UV irradiation or expansion along a relatively gas-free path. Furthermore, we find bright non-rotating gas emission between the two AGN and around the southern AGN, which we interpret as due to an outflow launched from the southern nucleus, coinciding with the molecular outflow previously studied in cold (sub-)millimeter tracers. The strong H$_2$/PAH enhancement measured in this region, coextensive with high velocity redshifted gas ($v\sim900$ km s$^{-1}$), suggests that the shocks responsible for the high H$_2$/PAH ratios are due to the outflow rather than to the collision of media during the merger. Our results show that the bulk of the NIR line emission in NGC6240 is decoupled from the stars, and that most of the warm H$_2$ is shock-excited and embedded in a powerful outflow, where it coexists with colder molecular gas.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

KASHz+SUPER: Evidence of cold molecular gas depletion in AGN hosts at cosmic noon

The energy released by AGN has the potential to heat or remove the gas of the ISM, thus likely impacting the cold molecular gas reservoir of host galaxies at first, with star formation following on longer timescales. Previous works on high-z galaxies have yielded conflicting results, possibly due to selection biases and other systematics. To provide a reliable benchmark for galaxy evolution models at cosmic noon (z=1-3), two surveys were conceived: SUPER and KASHz, both targeting unbiased X-ray-selected AGN at z>1 that span a wide bolometric luminosity range. In this paper, we assess the effects of AGN feedback on the molecular gas content of host galaxies in a statistically robust, uniformly selected, coherently analyzed sample of AGN at z=1-2.6, drawn from the KASHz and SUPER surveys. By using ALMA data in combination with dedicated SED modeling, we retrieve CO and FIR luminosity as well as $M_*$ of SUPER and KASHz AGN. We selected non-active galaxies from PHIBBS, ASPECS and multiple ALMA/NOEMA surveys of sub-mm galaxies. By matching the samples in z, $M_*$ and $L_{FIR}$, we compared the properties of AGN and non-active galaxies within a Bayesian framework. We find that AGN hosts at given $L_{FIR}$ are on average CO depleted compared to non-active galaxies, confirming what was previously found in the SUPER survey. Moreover, the molecular gas fraction distributions of AGN and non-active galaxies are statistically different, with that of of AGN being skewed to lower values. Our results indicate that AGN can indeed reduce the total cold molecular gas reservoir of their host galaxies. Lastly, by comparing our results with predictions from three cosmological simulations (TNG, Eagle and Simba) filtered to match the observed properties, we confirm already known discrepancies and highlight new ones between observations and simulations.[Abridged]

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

SUPER VIII. Fast and Furious at $z\sim2$: obscured type-2 active nuclei host faster ionised winds than type-1 systems

We present spatially resolved VLT/SINFONI spectroscopy with adaptive optics of type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the SINFONI Survey for Unveiling the Physics and Effect of Radiative feedback (SUPER), which targeted X-ray bright ($L_{2-10 keV}\gtrsim10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$) AGN at Cosmic Noon ($z\sim2$). Our analysis of the rest-frame optical spectra unveils ionised outflows in all seven examined targets, as traced via [OIII]$\lambda$5007 line emission, moving at $v\gtrsim600$ km s$^{-1}$. In six objects these outflows are clearly spatially resolved and extend on 2-4 kpc scales, whereas marginally resolved in the remaining one. Interestingly, these SUPER type-2 AGN are all heavily obscured sources ($N_{H}\gtrsim10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$) and host faster ionised outflows than their type-1 counterparts within the same range of bolometric luminosity ($L_{bol} \sim 10^{44.8-46.5}$ erg s$^{-1}$). SUPER has hence provided observational evidence that the type-1/type-2 dichotomy at $z\sim2$ might not be driven simply by projection effects, but might reflect two distinct obscuring life stages of active galaxies, as predicted by evolutionary models. Within this picture, SUPER type-2 AGN might be undergoing the 'blow-out' phase, where the large amount of obscuring material efficiently accelerates large-scale outflows via radiation pressure on dust, eventually unveiling the central active nucleus and signal the start of the bright, unobscured type-1 AGN phase. Moreover, the overall population of ionised outflows detected in SUPER has velocities comparable with the escape speed of their dark matter halos, and in general high enough to reach 30-50 kpc distances from the centre. These outflows are hence likely to sweep away the gas (at least) out of the baryonic disk and/or to heat the host gas reservoir, thus reducing and possibly quenching star formation.

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arXiv2024

MUSE view of PDS 456: kpc-scale wind, extended ionized gas and close environment

PDS 456 is the most luminous RQQ at z<0.3 and can be regarded as a local counterpart of the powerful QSOs shining at Cosmic Noon. It hosts a strong nuclear X-ray ultra-fast outflow, and a massive and clumpy CO(3-2) molecular outflow extending up to 5 kpc from the nucleus. We analyzed the first MUSE WFM and AO-NFM optical integral field spectroscopic observations of PDS456. The AO-NFM observations provide an unprecedented spatial resolution, reaching up to 280 pc. Our findings reveal a complex circumgalactic medium around PDS 456, extending up to a maximum projected size of ~46 kpc. This includes a reservoir of gas with a mass of ~1e7-1e8 Modot, along with eight companion galaxies, and a multi-phase outflow. WFM and NFM MUSE data reveal an outflow on a large scale (~12 kpc from the quasar) in [OIII], and on smaller scales (within 3 kpc) with higher resolution (about 280 pc) in Halpha, respectively. The [OIII] outflow mass rate is 2.3 +/- 0.2 Modot/yr which is significantly lower than those typically found in other luminous quasars. Remarkably, the Ha outflow shows a similar scale, morphology, and kinematics to the CO(3-2) molecular outflow, with the latter dominating in terms of kinetic energy and mass outflow rate by two and one orders of magnitude, respectively. Our results therefore indicate that mergers, powerful AGN activity, and feedback through AGN-driven winds will collectively contribute to shaping the host galaxy evolution of PDS 456, and likely, that of similar objects at the brightest end of the AGN luminosity function across all redshifts. Moreover, the finding that the momentum boost of the total outflow deviates from the expected energy-conserving expansion for large-scale outflows highlights the need of novel AGN-driven outflow models to comprehensively interpret these phenomena.

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arXiv2024

Molecular gas scaling relations for local star-forming galaxies in the low-$M_*$ regime

We derived molecular gas fractions ($f_\mathrm{mol}=M_\mathrm{mol}/M_*$) and depletion times ($\tau_\mathrm{mol}= M_\mathrm{mol}/\mathrm{SFR} $) for 353 galaxies representative of the local star-forming population with $10^{8.5}\,M_\odot < M_* < 10^{10.5}\,M_\odot$ drawn from the ALLSMOG and xCOLDGASS surveys of CO(2-1) and CO(1-0) line emission. By adding constraints from low-mass galaxies and upper limits for CO non-detections, we find the median molecular gas fraction of the local star-forming population to be constant at $\log f_\mathrm{mol}=-0.99^{+0.22}_{-0.19}$, challenging previous reports of increased molecular gas fractions in low-mass galaxies. Above $M_*\sim 10^{10.5}\,M_\odot$, we find the $f_\mathrm{mol}$ vs. $M_*$ relation to be sensitive to the selection criteria for star-forming galaxies. We tested the robustness of our results against different prescriptions for the CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor and different selection criteria for star-forming galaxies. The depletion timescale $\tau_\mathrm{mol}$ weakly depends on $M_*$, following a power law with a best-fit slope of $0.16\pm 0.03$. This suggests that small variations in specific SFR ($ \mathrm{sSFR=SFR}/M_*$) across the local main sequence of star-forming galaxies with $M_* < 10^{10.5}\,M_\odot$ are mainly driven by differences in the efficiency of converting the available molecular gas into stars. We tested these results against a possible dependence of $f_\mathrm{mol}$ and $\tau_\mathrm{mol}$ on the surrounding (group) environment of the targets by splitting them into centrals, satellites, and isolated galaxies, and find no significant variation between these populations. We conclude that the group environment is unlikely to have a large systematic effect on the molecular gas content of star-forming galaxies in the local Universe.

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arXiv2024

A possible relation between global CO excitation and massive molecular outflows in local ULIRGs

Local ULIRGs host ubiquitous molecular outflows, including the most massive and powerful ever detected. These sources have also exceptionally excited global, galaxy-integrated CO ladders. A connection between outflows and molecular gas excitation has however never been established, since previous multi-J CO surveys were limited in spectral resolution and sensitivity and so could only probe the global molecular gas conditions. We address this question using new, ground-based, sensitive heterodyne spectroscopy of multiple CO rotational lines (up to CO(7-6)) in a sample of 17 local ULIRGs. We used the APEX telescope to survey the CO($J_{up}\geq4$) lines at a high signal-to-noise ratio, and complemented these data with CO($J_{up}\leq3$) observations presented in Montoya Arroyave et al. (2023). We detected 74 (out of 75) CO lines, with up to six transitions per source. Some CO SLEDs peak at $J_{up}\sim3,4$, which we classify as 'lower excitation', while others plateau or keep increasing up to the highest-J CO transition probed, and we classify these as 'higher excitation'. Our analysis includes the results of CO SLED fits performed with a single large velocity gradient component, but our main focus is the investigation of possible links between global CO excitation and the presence of broad and/or high-velocity CO spectral components that can contain outflowing gas. We discovered an increasing trend of line width as a function of $J_{up}$ of the CO transition, which is significant at the $4\sigma$ level and appears to be driven by the eight sources classified as 'higher excitation'. For such ULIRGs we found that the CO ladders are more excited for spectral components characterised by higher velocities and/or velocity dispersion. We favour an interpretation whereby the highly excited CO-emitting gas in ULIRGs resides in galactic-scale massive molecular outflows.

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arXiv2024

maria: A novel simulator for forecasting (sub-)mm observations

Millimeter-wave single-dish telescopes offer two key advantages compared to interferometers: they can efficiently map larger portions of the sky, and they can recover larger spatial scales. Nonetheless, fluctuations in the atmosphere limit the accurate retrieval of signals from astronomical sources. To efficiently reduce atmospheric noise and filtering effects in current and future facilities, we introduce {\tt maria}, a versatile and user-friendly multi-purpose telescope simulator that optimizes scanning strategies and instrument designs, produces synthetic time-ordered data, time streams, and maps from hydrodynamical simulations, thereby enabling a fair comparison between theory and observations. Each mock observatory scans through the atmosphere in a configurable pattern over the celestial object. We generate evolving and location-and-time-specific weather for each of the fiducial sites using a combination of satellite and ground-based measurements. While {\tt maria} is a generic virtual telescope, this study specifically focuses on mimicking broadband bolometers observing at 100 GHz. We compare the mock time streams with real MUSTANG-2 observations and find that they are quantitatively similar by conducting a k-sample Anderson-Darling test resulting in a p-value of p<0.001. Subsequently, we image the TODs to create noise maps and realistic mock observations of clusters of galaxies for both MUSTANG-2 and an instrument concept for the 50m Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST). Furthermore, using {\tt maria}, we find that a 50m dish provides the highest levels of correlation of atmospheric signals across adjacent detectors compared to smaller apertures (e.g., 42-cm and 6-m), facilitating removal of atmospheric signal on large scales.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2024

ALMA survey of a massive node of the Cosmic Web at z~3. I. Discovery of a large overdensity of CO emitters

Sub-mm surveys toward overdense regions in the early Universe are essential to uncover the obscured star-formation and the cold gas content of assembling galaxies within massive dark matter halos. In this work, we present deep ALMA mosaic observations covering an area of $\sim 2'\times2'$ around MQN01 (MUSE Quasar Nebula 01), one of the largest and brightest Ly-$\alpha$ emitting nebulae discovered thus far surrounding a radio-quiet quasar at $z\simeq3.25$. Our observations target the 1.2- and the 3-mm dust continuum, as well as the carbon monoxide CO(4-3) transition in galaxies in the vicinity of the quasar. We identify a robust sample of eleven CO line-emitting galaxies (including a closely-separated quasar companion) which lie within $\pm 4000\,{\rm km\,s^{-1}}$ relatively to the quasar systemic redshift. A fraction of these objects are missed in previous deep rest-frame optical/UV surveys thus highlighting the critical role of (sub-)mm imaging. We also detect a total of eleven sources revealed in their 1.2-mm dust continuum with six of them having either high-fidelity spectroscopic redshift information from rest-frame UV metal absorptions, or CO line which place them in the same narrow redshift range. A comparison of the CO luminosity function (LF) and 1.2-mm number count density with that of the general fields points to a galaxy overdensity of $\delta > 10$. We find evidence of a systematic flattening at the bright-end of the CO LF with respect to the trend measured in blank fields. Our findings reveal that galaxies in dense regions at $z\sim3$ are more massive and significantly richer in molecular gas than galaxies in fields, hence enabling a faster and accelerated assembly. This is the first of a series of studies to characterize one of the densest regions of the Universe found so far at $z > 3$.

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arXiv2023

MUSE adaptive-optics spectroscopy confirms dual active galactic nuclei and strongly lensed systems at sub-arcsec separation

The novel Gaia Multi Peak (GMP) technique has proven to be able to successfully select dual and lensed AGN candidates at sub-arcsec separations. Both populations are important because dual AGN represent one of the central, still largely untested, predictions of lamdaCDM cosmology, and compact lensed quasars allow to probe the central regions of the lensing galaxies. In this work, we present high spatial resolution spectroscopy of twelve GMP-selected systems. We use the the adaptive-optics assisted integral-field spectrograph MUSE at VLT to resolve each system and study the nature of each component. All the targets reveal the presence of two components confirming the GMP selection. We classify five targets as dual AGN, two as lensed systems, and five as a chance alignment of a star and and AGN. Having separations between 0.30" and 0.86", these dual and lensed systems are, to date, among the most compact ever discovered at z >0.3. This is the largest sample of distant dual AGN with sub-arcsec separations ever presented in a single paper.

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