arXiv subjects

Darach Watson

Publications and source records attributed to Darach Watson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Using machine learning to classify the diffuse interstellar bands

Using over a million and a half extragalactic spectra we study the correlations of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) in the Milky Way. We measure the correlation between DIB strength and dust extinction for 142 DIBs using 24 stacked spectra in the reddening range E(B-V) < 0.2, many more lines than ever studied before. Most of the DIBs do not correlate with dust extinction. However, we find 10 weak and barely studied DIBs with correlations that are higher than 0.7 with dust extinction and confirm the high correlation of additional 5 strong DIBs. Furthermore, we find a pair of DIBs, 5925.9A and 5927.5A which exhibits significant negative correlation with dust extinction, indicating that their carrier may be depleted on dust. We use Machine Learning algorithms to divide the DIBs to spectroscopic families based on 250 stacked spectra. By removing the dust dependency we study how DIBs follow their local environment. We thus obtain 6 groups of weak DIBs, 4 of which are tightly associated with C2 or CN absorption lines.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

A dusty, normal galaxy in the epoch of reionization

Candidates for the modest galaxies that formed most of the stars in the early universe, at redshifts $z > 7$, have been found in large numbers with extremely deep restframe-UV imaging. But it has proved difficult for existing spectrographs to characterise them in the UV. The detailed properties of these galaxies could be measured from dust and cool gas emission at far-infrared wavelengths if the galaxies have become sufficiently enriched in dust and metals. So far, however, the most distant UV-selected galaxy detected in dust emission is only at $z = 3.25$, and recent results have cast doubt on whether dust and molecules can be found in typical galaxies at this early epoch. Here we report thermal dust emission from an archetypal early universe star-forming galaxy, A1689-zD1. We detect its stellar continuum in spectroscopy and determine its redshift to be $z = 7.5\pm0.2$ from a spectroscopic detection of the Lyα break. A1689-zD1 is representative of the star-forming population during reionisation, with a total star-formation rate of about 12M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. The galaxy is highly evolved: it has a large stellar mass, and is heavily enriched in dust, with a dust-to-gas ratio close to that of the Milky Way. Dusty, evolved galaxies are thus present among the fainter star-forming population at $z > 7$, in spite of the very short time since they first appeared.

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arXiv2014

Dusting off the diffuse interstellar bands: DIBs and dust in extragalactic SDSS spectra

Using over a million and a half extragalactic spectra we study the properties of the mysterious Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) in the Milky Way. These data provide us with an unprecedented sampling of the skies at high Galactic-latitude and low dust-column-density. We present our method, study the correlation of the equivalent width of 8 DIBs with dust extinction and with a few atomic species, and the distribution of four DIBs - 5780.6A, 5797.1A, 6204.3A, and 6613.6A - over nearly 15000 squared degrees. As previously found, DIBs strengths correlate with extinction and therefore inevitably with each other. However, we show that DIBs can exist even in dust free areas. Furthermore, we find that the DIBs correlation with dust varies significantly over the sky. DIB under- or over-densities, relative to the expectation from dust, are often spread over hundreds of square degrees. These patches are different for the four DIBs, showing that they are unlikely to originate from the same carrier, as previously suggested.

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arXiv2014

A dust-parallax distance of 19 megaparsecs to the supermassive black hole in NGC 4151

The active galaxy NGC 4151 has a crucial role as one of only two active galactic nuclei for which black hole mass measurements based on emission line reverberation mapping can be calibrated against other dynamical methods. Unfortunately, effective calibration requires an accurate distance to NGC 4151, which is currently not available. Recently reported distances range from 4 to 29 megaparsecs (Mpc). Strong peculiar motions make a redshift-based distance very uncertain, and the geometry of the galaxy and its nucleus prohibit accurate measurements using other techniques. Here we report a dust-parallax distance to NGC 4151 of $D_A = 19.0^{+2.4}_{-2.6}$ Mpc. The measurement is based on an adaptation of a geometric method proposed previously using the emission line regions of active galaxies. Since this region is too small for current imaging capabilities, we use instead the ratio of the physical-to-angular sizes of the more extended hot dust emission as determined from time-delays and infrared interferometry. This new distance leads to an approximately 1.4-fold increase in the dynamical black hole mass, implying a corresponding correction to emission line reverberation masses of black holes if they are calibrated against the two objects with additional dynamical masses.

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arXiv2014

Ultraviolet Emission Lines in Young Low Mass Galaxies at z~2: Physical Properties and Implications for Studies at z>7

We present deep spectroscopy of 17 very low mass (M* ~ 2.0x10^6 Msun to 1.4x10^9 Msun) and low luminosity (M_UV ~ -13.7 to -19.9) gravitationally lensed galaxies in the redshift range z~1.5-3.0. Deep rest-frame ultraviolet spectra reveal large equivalent width emission from numerous lines (NIV], OIII], CIV, Si III], CIII]) which are rarely seen in individual spectra of more massive star forming galaxies. CIII] is detected in 16 of 17 low mass star forming systems with rest-frame equivalent widths as large as 13.5 Angstroms. Nebular CIV emission is present in the most extreme CIII] emitters, requiring an ionizing source capable of producing a substantial component of photons with energies in excess of 47.9 eV. Photoionization models support a picture whereby the large equivalent widths are driven by the increased electron temperature and enhanced ionizing output arising from metal poor gas and stars, young stellar populations, and large ionization parameters. The young ages implied by the emission lines and continuum SEDs indicate that the extreme line emitters in our sample are in the midst of a significant upturn in their star formation activity. The low stellar masses, blue UV colors, and large sSFRs of our sample are similar to those of typical z>6 galaxies. Given the strong attenuation of Ly-alpha in z>6 galaxies we suggest that CIII] is likely to provide our best probe of early star forming galaxies with ground-based spectrographs and one of the most efficient means of confirming z>10 galaxies with the James Webb Space Telescope.

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arXiv2014

Rapid formation of large dust grains in the luminous supernova SN 2010jl

The origin of dust in galaxies is still a mystery. The majority of the refractory elements are produced in supernova explosions but it is unclear how and where dust grains condense and grow, and how they avoid destruction in the harsh environments of star-forming galaxies. The recent detection of 0.1-0.5 solar masses of dust in nearby supernova remnants suggests in situ dust formation, while other observations reveal very little dust in supernovae the first few years after explosion. Observations of the bright SN 2010jl have been interpreted as pre-existing dust, dust formation or no dust at all. Here we report the rapid (40-240 days) formation of dust in its dense circumstellar medium. The wavelength dependent extinction of this dust reveals the presence of very large (> 1 micron) grains, which are resistant to destructive processes. At later times (500-900 days), the near-IR thermal emission shows an accelerated growth in dust mass, marking the transition of the supernova from a circumstellar- to an ejecta-dominated source of dust. This provides the link between the early and late dust mass evolution in supernovae with dense circumstellar media.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

Investigating CXOU J163802.6-471358: a new pulsar wind nebula in the Norma region?

We present the first analysis of the extended source CXOU J163802.6--471358, which was discovered serendipitously during the {\em Chandra} X-ray survey of the Norma region of the Galactic spiral arms. The X-ray source exhibits a cometary appearance with a point source and an extended tail region. The complete source spectrum is fitted well with an absorbed power law model and jointly fitting the {\em Chandra} spectrum of the full source with one obtained from an archived {\em XMM-Newton} observation results in best fit parameters $N_{\rm H}$ $=1.5^{+0.7}_{-0.5}\times10^{23} \text{cm}{^{-2}}$ and $Γ=1.1^{+0.7}_{-0.6}$ (90$%$ confidence uncertainties). The unabsorbed luminosity of the full source is then $L_X\sim 4.8\times10^{33}d_{10}^2$ergs s$^{-1}$ with $d_{10}=d/10$kpc, where a distance of 10 kpc is a lower bound inferred from the large column density. The radio counterpart found for the source using data from the Molonglo Galactic Plane Survey epoch-2 (MGPS-2) shows an elongated tail offset from the X-ray emission. No infrared counterpart was found. The results are consistent with the source being a previously unknown pulsar driving a bow shock through the ambient medium.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

The metals-to-dust ratio to very low metallicities using GRB and QSO absorbers; extremely rapid dust formation

Among the key parameters defining the ISM of galaxies is the fraction of the metals that are locked up in dust: the metals-to-dust ratio. This ratio bears not only on the ISM and its evolution, but particularly on the origin of cosmic dust. We combine extinction and abundance data from GRB afterglows, from QSO absorbers, as well as from galaxy-lensed QSOs, to determine the metals-to-dust ratios for lines-of-sight through a wide diversity of galaxies from blue, dwarf starbursts to massive ellipticals, across a vast range in redshift z=0.1-6.3, and nearly three orders of magnitude in column density and metal abundance. We thus determine the metals-to-dust ratio in a unique way, providing direct determinations of in situ gas and dust columns without recourse to assumptions with large uncertainties. We find that the metals-to-dust ratios in these systems are surprisingly close to the value for the local group (10^{21.3} cm-2 A_V mag-1), with a mean value of 10^{21.2} cm-2 A_V mag-1 and a standard deviation of 0.3 dex. There is no evidence of deviation from this mean ratio as a function of metallicity, even down to our lowest metallicity of 0.01 Z/Z_sun. The lack of any obvious dependence of the metals-to-dust ratio on either column density, galaxy type or age, redshift, or metallicity indicates a close correspondence between the formation of the metals and the formation of dust. Any delay between the formation of metals and dust must be shorter than the typical metal-enrichment times of these galaxies. Formation of the bulk of the dust in low mass stars is therefore ruled out by these data at any cosmic epoch. Furthermore, dust destruction must not dominate over formation/growth in virtually any galaxy environment. The correlation between metals and dust is a natural consequence of the formation of the bulk of dust in SNe [Abridged].

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Thermal emission in the early X-ray afterglows of GRBs: following the prompt phase to the late times

Thermal radiation, peaking in soft X-rays, has now been detected in a handful of GRB afterglows and has to date been interpreted as shock break-out of the GRB's progenitor star. We present a search for thermal emission in the early X-ray afterglows of a sample of Swift bursts selected by their brightness in X-rays at early times. We identify a clear thermal component in eight GRBs and track the evolution. We show that at least some of the emission must come from highly relativistic material since two show an apparent super-luminal expansion of the thermal component. Furthermore we determine very large luminosities and high temperatures for many of the components-too high to originate in a SN shock break-out. Instead we suggest that the component may be modelled as late photospheric emission from the jet, linking it to the apparently thermal component observed in the prompt emission of some GRBs at gamma-ray and hard X-ray energies. By comparing the parameters from the prompt emission and the early afterglow emission we find that the results are compatible with the interpretation that we are observing the prompt quasi-thermal emission component in soft X-rays at a later point in its evolution.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

On inferring extinction laws in z~6 quasars as signatures of supernova dust

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 A Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z ~ 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broad-band optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A_1450 ~ 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (restframe) 2175 A or 3000 A features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044-0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 um. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 A kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 A feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshift show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Helium in natal HII regions: the origin of the X-ray absorption in gamma-ray burst afterglows

Soft X-ray absorption in excess of Galactic is observed in the afterglows of most gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), but the correct solution to its origin has not been arrived at after more than a decade of work, preventing its use as a powerful diagnostic tool. We resolve this long-standing problem and find that He in the GRB's host HII region is responsible for most of the absorption. We show that the X-ray absorbing column density (N_Hx) is correlated with both the neutral gas column density and with the optical afterglow extinction (Av). This correlation explains the connection between dark bursts and bursts with high N_Hx values. From these correlations we exclude an origin of the X-ray absorption which is not related to the host galaxy, i.e. the intergalactic medium or intervening absorbers are not responsible. We find that the correlation with the dust column has a strong redshift evolution, whereas the correlation with the neutral gas does not. From this we conclude that the column density of the X-ray absorption is correlated with the total gas column density in the host galaxy rather than the metal column density, in spite of the fact that X-ray absorption is typically dominated by metals. The strong redshift evolution of N_Hx/Av is thus a reflection of the cosmic metallicity evolution of star-forming galaxies. We conclude that the absorption of X-rays in GRB afterglows is caused by He in the HII region hosting the GRB. While dust is destroyed and metals are stripped of all of their electrons by the GRB to great distances, the abundance of He saturates the He-ionising UV continuum much closer to the GRB, allowing it to remain in the neutral or singly-ionised state. Helium X-ray absorption explains the correlation with total gas, the lack of strong evolution with redshift as well as the absence of dust, metal or hydrogen absorption features in the optical-UV spectra.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

TOUGH: Observational aspects of gamma-ray burst host galaxies

GRB-selected galaxies are broadly known to be faint, blue, young, star-forming dwarf galaxies. This insight, however, is based in part on heterogeneous samples of optically selected, lower-redshift galaxies. To study the statistical properties of GRB-selected galaxies we here introduce The Optically Unbiased GRB Host (TOUGH) complete sample of 69 X-ray selected Swift GRB host galaxies spanning the redshift range 0.03-6.30 and summarise the first results of a large observational survey of these galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The optically unbiased GRB host (TOUGH) survey. I. Survey design and catalogs

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are powerful tracers of star-forming galaxies. We have defined a homogeneous subsample of 69 Swift GRB-selected galaxies spanning a very wide redshift range. Special attention has been devoted to making the sample optically unbiased through simple and well-defined selection criteria based on the high-energy properties of the bursts and their positions on the sky. Thanks to our extensive follow-up observations, this sample has now achieved a comparatively high degree of redshift completeness, and thus provides a legacy sample, useful for statistical studies of GRBs and their host galaxies. In this paper we present the survey design and summarize the results of our observing program conducted at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) aimed at obtaining the most basic properties of galaxies in this sample, including a catalog of R and Ks magnitudes and redshifts. We detect the host galaxies for 80 % of the GRBs in the sample, although only 42 % have Ks-band detections, which confirms that GRB-selected host galaxies are generally blue. The sample is not uniformly blue, however, with two extremely red objects detected. Moreover, galaxies hosting GRBs with no optical/NIR afterglows, whose identification therefore relies on X-ray localizations, are significantly brighter and redder than those with an optical/NIR afterglow. Our spectroscopic campaign has resulted in 77 % now having redshift measurements, with a median redshift of 2.14 +- 0.18. TOUGH alone includes 17 detected z > 2 Swift GRB host galaxies suitable for individual and statistical studies. Seven hosts have detections of the Ly-alpha emission line and we can exclude an early indication that Ly-alpha emission is ubiquitous among GRB hosts, but confirm that Ly-alpha is stronger in GRB-selected galaxies than in flux-limited samples of Lyman break galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Dust extinction bias in the column density distribution of gamma-ray bursts; high column density, low redshift GRBs are more heavily obscured

The afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have more soft X-ray absorption than expected from the foreground gas column in the Galaxy. While the redshift of the absorption can in general not be constrained from current X-ray observations, it has been assumed that the absorption is due to metals in the host galaxy of the GRB. The large sample of X-ray afterglows and redshifts now available allows the construction of statistically meaningful distributions of the metal column densities. We construct such a sample and show, as found in previous studies, that the typical absorbing column density (N_HX) increases substantially with redshift, with few high column density objects found at low to moderate redshifts. We show, however, that when highly extinguished bursts are included in the sample, using redshifts from their host galaxies, high column density sources are also found at low to moderate redshift. We infer from individual objects in the sample and from observations of blazars, that the increase in column density with redshift is unlikely to be related to metals in the intergalactic medium or intervening absorbers. Instead we show that the origin of the apparent increase with redshift is primarily due to dust extinction bias: GRBs with high X-ray absorption column densities found at $z\lesssim4$ typically have very high dust extinction column densities, while those found at the highest redshifts do not. It is unclear how such a strongly evolving N_HX/A_V ratio would arise, and based on current data, remains a puzzle.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The stellar masses and specific star-formation rates of submillimetre galaxies

Establishing the stellar masses (M*), and hence specific star-formation rates (sSFRs) of submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) is crucial for determining their role in the cosmic galaxy/star formation. However, there is as yet no consensus over the typical M* of SMGs. Specifically, even for the same set of SMGs, the reported average M* have ranged over an order of magnitude, from ~5x10^10 Mo to ~5x10^11 Mo. Here we study how different methods of analysis can lead to such widely varying results. We find that, contrary to recent claims in the literature, potential contamination of IRAC 3-8 um photometry from hot dust associated with an active nucleus is not the origin of the published discrepancies in derived M*. Instead, we expose in detail how inferred M* depends on assumptions made in the photometric fitting, and quantify the individual and cumulative effects of different choices of initial mass function, different brands of evolutionary synthesis models, and different forms of assumed star-formation history. We review current observational evidence for and against these alternatives as well as clues from the hydrodynamical simulations, and conclude that, for the most justifiable choices of these model inputs, the average M* of SMGs is ~2x10^11 Mo. We also confirm that this number is perfectly reasonable in the light of the latest measurements of their dynamical masses, and the evolving M* function of the overall galaxy population. M* of this order imply that the average sSFR of SMGs is comparable to that of other star-forming galaxies at z>2, at 2-3 Gyr^-1. This supports the view that, while rare outliers may be found at any M*, most SMGs simply form the top end of the main-sequence of star-forming galaxies at these redshifts. Conversely, this argues strongly against the viewpoint that SMGs are extreme pathological objects, of little relevance in the cosmic history of star-formation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The properties of the 2175AA extinction feature discovered in GRB afterglows

The unequivocal, spectroscopic detection of the 2175 bump in extinction curves outside the Local Group is rare. To date, the properties of the bump have been examined in only two GRB afterglows (GRB 070802 and GRB 080607). In this work we analyse in detail the detections of the 2175 extinction bump in the optical spectra of the two further GRB afterglows: GRB 080605 and 080805. We gather all available optical/NIR photometric, spectroscopic and X-ray data to construct multi-epoch SEDs for both GRB afterglows. We fit the SEDs with the Fitzpatrick & Massa (1990) model with a single or broken PL. We also fit a sample of 38 GRB afterglows, known to prefer a SMC-type extinction curve, with the same model. We find that the SEDs of GRB 080605 and GRB 080805 at two epochs are fit well with a single PL with a derived extinction of A_V = 0.52(+0.13 -0.16) and 0.50 (+0.13 -0.10), and 2.1(+0.7-0.6) and 1.5+/-0.2 respectively. While the slope of the extinction curve of GRB 080805 is not well-constrained, the extinction curve of GRB 080605 has an unusual very steep far-UV rise together with the 2175 bump. Such an extinction curve has previously been found in only a small handful of sightlines in the MW. One possible explanation of such an extinction curve may be dust arising from two different regions with two separate grain populations, however we cannot distinguish the origin of the curve. We finally compare the four 2175 bump sightlines to the larger GRB afterglow sample and to Local Group sightlines. We find that while the width and central positions of the bumps are consistent with what is observed in the Local Group, the relative strength of the detected bump (A_bump) for GRB afterglows is weaker for a given A_V than for almost any Local Group sightline. Such dilution of the bump strength may offer tentative support to a dual dust-population scenario.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The extinction curves of star-forming regions from z=0.1 to 6.7 using GRB afterglow spectroscopy

GRB afterglows are well suited to extinction studies due to their brightness, simple power-law spectra and the occurrence of GRBs in distant star forming galaxies. In this paper we present results from the SED analysis of a sample of 41 GRB afterglows, from X-ray to NIR wavelengths. This is the largest sample of extinction curves outside the Local Group and, to date, the only extragalactic sample of absolute extinction curves based on spectroscopy. Visual extinction correlation with HI column density as well as total and gas-phase metal column density are examined. Approximately half the sample require a cooling break between the optical and X-ray regimes. The broken power-law SEDs show an average change in the spectral index of delta_beta=0.51 with a standard deviation of 0.02. This is consistent with the expectation from a simple synchrotron model. Of the sample, 63% are well described by the SMC-type extinction curve and have moderate or low extinction, with AV<0.65. Almost a quarter of our sample is consistent with no significant extinction (typically AV<0.1). The 2175AA extinction bump is detected unequivocally in 7% of our sample (3 GRBs), which all have A_V>1.0. We find an anti-correlation between gas-to-dust ratio and metallicity consistent with the Local Group relation. Our metals-to-dust ratios derived from the soft X-ray absorption are always larger (3-30 times) than the Local Group value, which may mean that GRB hosts may be less efficient at turning their metals into dust. However, we find that gas, dust, and metal column densities are all likely to be influenced by photo-ionization and dust destruction effects from the GRB. [abridged]

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The Galactic dust-to-metals ratio and metallicity using gamma-ray bursts

The metallicity and dust-to-metals ratio of the Galaxy are fundamental parameters in understanding the ISM, but there is still uncertainty surrounding these parameters. In this paper, the dust-to-metals ratio in the Galaxy is determined using the photoelectric absorption of the X-ray afterglows of a sample of several hundred gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) to determine the metal column density in combination with Galactic dust maps to determine the line-of-sight dust extinction through the Galaxy in the direction of the GRB. GRB afterglows often have large extragalactic soft X-ray absorptions and therefore the GRB sample's upper-bound will define the Galactic dust-to-metals relation. Using a two-dimensional two-sample KS test, we determine this upper-bound and so derive the dust-to-metals ratio of the Galaxy. We find N_H = 2.2^{+0.3}_{-0.4}e21 cm^-2 A_V assuming solar, Anders & Grevesse (1989), metallicity. This result is consistent with previous findings using bright X-ray sources in the Galaxy. Using the same technique but substituting the HI maps from the Leiden-Argentine-Bonn survey for the dust maps, allows us to place a limit on the metallicity in the Galaxy. We find a metallicity consistent with the Anders & Grevesse (1989) solar values often used in X-ray fitting. Based on this and previous studies, we suggest that the metallicity of a typical ISM sightline through the Galaxy is ~0.25 dex higher than the current best estimate of the solar metallicity. We further show that the dust-to-gas ratio seems to be correlated with the total gas column density, and that this may be due to the metallicity gradient observed toward the Galactic centre. Based on the non-constant nature of the dust-to-gas ratio, we propose that the dust column density, at N_H = 2.2e21 cm^-2 A_V, represents a better proxy for the soft X-ray absorption column density than HI maps.

astro-ph.GA↗