arXiv subjects

E. Terlevich

Publications and source records attributed to E. Terlevich.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Integral Field Spectroscopy of HII region complexes. The outer disk of NGC 6946

Integral Field Spectroscopy obtained with PPak and the 3.5m telescope at the Calar Alto Observatory has been used to study an outer HII region complex in the well studied galaxy NGC 6946. This technique provides detailed maps of the region in different emission lines yielding spatially resolved information about the physical properties of the gas. The configuration was chosen to cover the whole spectrum from 3600 up to 10000 A. We selected four luminous knots, to perform a detailed integrated spectroscopic analysis of these structures and of the whole PPak field-of-view (FOV). For all the knots the electron density has been found to be very similar and below 100 cm^-3. The [OIII] electron temperature was measured in knots A, B, C and in the integrated PPak-field, and was found to be around 8000 K. The temperatures of [OII] and [SIII] were estimated in the four cases. The elemental abundances computed from the "direct method" are typical of high metallicity disk HII regions, with a mean value of 12+log(O/H)= 8.65, comparable to what has been found in this galaxy by other authors for regions at similar galactocentric distance. Therefore, a remarkable abundance uniformity is found despite the different excitations found throughout the nebula. Wolf-Rayet features have been detected in three of the knots, leading to a derived total number of WR stars of 125, 22 and 5, for knots A, C and B, respectively. The integrated spectrum of the whole PPak FOV shows high excitation and a relatively evolved age which does not correspond to the individual knot evolutionary stages. Some effects associated to the loss of spatial resolution could also be evidenced by the higher ionising temperature that is deduced from the eta' parameter measured in the integrated PPak spectrum with respect to that of the individual knots.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Dark Energy Equation of State using Alternative High-z Cosmic Tracers

We propose to use alternative cosmic tracers to measure the dark energy equation of state and the matter content of the Universe [w(z) & Omega_m]. Our proposed method consists of two components: (a) tracing the Hubble relation using HII galaxies which can be detected up to very large redshifts, z~4, as an alternative to supernovae type Ia, and (b) measuring the clustering pattern of X-ray selected AGN at a median redshift of z~1. Each component of the method can in itself provide interesting constraints on the cosmological parameters, especially under our anticipation that we will reduce the corresponding random and systematic errors significantly. However, by joining their likelihood functions we will be able to put stringent cosmological constraints and break the known degeneracies between the dark energy equation of state (whether it is constant or variable) and the matter content of the universe and provide a powerful and alternative route to measure the contribution to the global dynamics and the equation of state of dark energy. A preliminary joint analysis of X-ray selected AGN (based on the largest to-date XMM survey; the 2XMM) and the currently largest SNIa sample (Hicken et al.), using as priors a flat universe and the WMAP5 normalization of the power-spectrum, provides: Omega_m=0.27+-0.02 and w=-0.96+-0.07. Equivalent and consistent results are provided by the joint analysis of X-ray selected AGN clustering and the latest Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation measures, providing: Omega_m=0.27+-0.02 and w=-0.97+-0.04.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Evolution of the X-ray Luminosity in Young HII Galaxies

In an effort to understand the correlation between X-ray emission and present star formation rate (SFR), we obtained XMM-Newton data to estimate the X-ray luminosities of a sample of actively starforming HII galaxies. The obtained X-ray luminosities are compared to other well known tracers of star formation activity such as the far infrared and the ultraviolet luminosities. We also compare the obtained results with empirical laws from the literature and with recently published analysis applying synthesis models. We use the time delay between the formation of the stellar cluster and that of the first X-ray binaries, in order to put limits on the age of a given stellar burst. We conclude that the generation of soft X-rays, as well as the Ha or infrared luminosities is instantaneous. The relation between the observed radio and hard X-ray luminosities, on the other hand, points to the existence of a time delay between the formation of the stellar cluster and the explosion of the first massive stars and the consequent formation of supernova remnants and high mass X-ray binaries (HMXB) which originate the radio and hard X-ray fluxes respectively. When comparing hard X-rays with a star formation indicator that traces the first million years of evolution (e.g. Ha luminosities) we found a deficit in the expected X-ray luminosity. This deficit is not found when the X-ray luminosities are compared with infrared luminosities, a star formation tracer that represents an average over the last 10^8 years. The results support the hypothesis that hard X-rays are originated in X-ray binaries which, as supernova remnants, have a formation time delay of a few mega years after the starforming burst.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Alternative High-z Cosmic Tracers and the Dark Energy Equation of State

We propose to use alternative cosmic tracers to measure the dark energy equation of state and the matter content of the Universe [w(z) & Ω_m]. Our proposed method consists of two components: (a) tracing the Hubble relation using HII-like starburst galaxies, as an alternative to SNIa, which can be detected up to very large redshifts, z~4, and (b) measuring the clustering pattern of X-ray selected AGN at a median redshift of ~1. Each component of the method can in itself provide interesting constraints on the cosmological parameters, especially under our anticipation that we will reduce the corresponding random and systematic errors significantly. However, by joining their likelihood functions we will be able to put stringent cosmological constraints and break the known degeneracies between the dark energy equation of state (whether it is constant or variable) and the matter content of the universe and provide a powerful and alternative rute to measure the contribution to the global dynamics, and the equation of state, of dark energy. A preliminary joint analysis of X-ray selected AGN (based on a small XMM survey) and the currently largest SNIa sample (Kowalski et al 2008), provides: Omega_m=0.28^{+0.02}_{-0.04} and w=-1.0 +-0.1.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Star Formation in HII Galaxies. Properties of the ionized gas

We propose a methodology to perform a self-consistent analysis of the physical properties of the emitting gas of HII galaxies adequate to the data that can be obtained with the XXI century technology. This methodology requires the production and calibration of empirical relations between the different line temperatures that should superseed currently used ones based on very simple, and poorly tested, photo-ionization model sequences. Then, these observations are analysed applying a methodology designed to obtain accurate elemental abundances of oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen, neon, argon and iron in the ionsied gas. Four electron temperatures and one electron density are derived from the observed forbidden line ratios using the five-level atom approximation. For our best objects errors of 1% in T([OIII]), 3% in T([OII]) and 5% in T([SIII]) are achieved with a resulting accuracy between 5 and 9% in total oxygen abundances, O/H. These accuracies are expected to improve as better calibrations based on more precise measurements, both on electron temperatures and densities, are produced.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2007

Results of an analysis of SDSS galaxies in the VO

We present here the VO access to the results of an analysis of the spectra of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) galaxies performed with the STARLIGHT code by Cid Fernandes et al. (2005). The results include for each galaxy the original SDSS spectrum, the best-fit synthetic spectrum, the star formation history, the pure emission line spectrum corrected from underlying stellar population (in SDSS emission line galaxies) and the intensity of several emission/absorption lines. The database will be accessible from the PGos3 at the end of summer 2007.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Synthesis models in the VO framework

The theory interest group in the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) has the goal of ensuring that theoretical data and services are taken into account in the IVOA standards process. In this poster we present some of the efforts carried out by this group to include evolutionary synthesis models in the VO framework. In particular we present the VO tool PGos3, developed by the INAOE (Mexico) and the Spanish Virtual Observatory which includes most of public SSP models in the VO framework (e.g. VOSpec). We also describe the problems related with the inclusion of synthesis models in the VO framework and we try to encourage people to define the way in which synthesis models should be described. This issue has implications not only for the inclusion of synthesis models in the the VO framework but also for a proper usage of synthesis models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Gamow Legacy and the Primordial Abundance of Light Elements

The presently accepted "Theory of the Universe" was pioneered 60 years ago by Gamow, Alpher and Herman. As a consequence of the, later dubbed, Hot Big-Bang, matter was neutrons, and after some decay protons, and a history of successive captures built up the elements. It wasn't until some 15 years later (with the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation) that Gamow and colleagues theories were validated and present day Standard Big-bang Nucleosynthesis theory was developed. We will discuss the importance of state of the art observations and modelling in the quest to determine precise values of the primordial abundance of D and 4He, using observations of astrophysical objects and modern day atomic parameters. In particular, we will present the search for understanding and coping with systematic errors in such determinations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The metallicity of circumnuclear star forming regions

We present a spectrophotometric study of circumnuclear star forming regions (CNSFR) in the early type spiral galaxies: NGC 2903, NGC 3351 and NGC 3504, all of them of over solar metallicity according to standard empirical calibrations. A detailed determination of their abundances is made after careful subtraction of the very prominent underlying stellar absorption. It is found that most regions show the highest abundances in HII region-like objects. The relative N/O and S/O abundances are discussed. In is also shown that CNSFR, as a class, segregate from the disk HII region family, clustering around smaller ``softness parameter" -- η' -- values, and therefore higher ionizing temperatures.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Thermal Emission from HII Galaxies: Discovering the Youngest Systems

We studied the radio properties of very young massive regions of star formation in HII galaxies, with the aim of detecting episodes of recent star formation in an early phase of evolution where the first supernovae start to appear. Our sample consists of 31 HII galaxies, characterized by strong Hydrogen emission lines, for which low resolution VLA 3.5cm and 6cm observations were obtained. The radio spectral energy distribution has a range of behaviours; 1) there are galaxies where the SED is characterized by a synchrotron-type slope, 2) galaxies with a thermal slope, and, 3) galaxies with possible free-free absorption at long wavelengths. The latter SEDs were found in a few galaxies and represent a signature of heavily embedded massive star clusters closely related to the early stages of massive star formation. Based on the comparison of the star formation rates determined from the recombination lines and those determined from the radio emission we find that SFR(Ha) is on average five times higher than SFR(1.4GHz). We confirm this tendency by comparing the ratio between the observed flux at 20 cm and the expected one, calculated based on the Ha star formation rates, both for the galaxies in our sample and for normal ones. This analysis shows that this ratio is a factor of 2 smaller in our galaxies than in normal ones, indicating that they fall below the FIR/radio correlation. These results suggest that the emission of these galaxies is dominated by a recent and massive star formation event in which the first supernovae (SN) just started to explode. We conclude that the systematic lack of synchrotron emission in those systems with the largest equivalent width of Hb can only be explained if those are young starbursts of less than 3.5Myr of age.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

The star formation history of Seyfert 2 nuclei

We present a study of the stellar populations in the central ~ 200 pc of a large and homogeneous sample comprising 79 nearby galaxies, most of which are type 2 Seyferts. The star-formation history of these nuclei is reconstructed by means of state-of-the art population synthesis modeling of their spectra in the 3500--5200 A interval. A QSO-like featureless continuum (FC) is added to the models to account for possible scattered light from a hidden AGN. We find that: (1) The star-formation history of Seyfert 2 nuclei is remarkably heterogeneous: young starbursts, intermediate age, and old stellar populations all appear in significant and widely varying proportions. (2) A significant fraction of the nuclei show a strong FC component, but this FC is not always an indication of a hidden AGN: it can also betray the presence of a young, dusty starburst. (3) We detect weak broad Hbeta emission in several Seyfert 2s after cleaning the observed spectrum by subtracting the synthesis model. These are most likely the weak scattered lines from the hidden Broad Line Region envisaged in the unified model, given that in most of these cases independent spectropolarimetry data finds a hidden Seyfert 1. (4) The FC strengths obtained by the spectral decomposition are substantially larger for the Seyfert 2s which present evidence of broad lines, implying that the scattered non-stellar continuum is also detected. (5) There is no correlation between the star-formation in the nucleus and either the central or overall morphology of the parent galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Computer science approach to the stellar fabric of violent starforming regions in AGN

In order to analyse the large numbers of Seyfert galaxy spectra available at present, we are testing new techniques to derive their physical parameters fastly and accurately. We present an experiment on such a new technique to segregate old and young stellar populations in galactic spectra using machine learning methods. We used an ensemble of classifiers, each classifier in the ensemble specializes in young or old populations and was trained with locally weighted regression and tested using ten-fold cross-validation. Since the relevant information concentrates in certain regions of the spectra we used the method of sequential floating backward selection offline for feature selection. Very interestingly, the application to Seyfert galaxies proved that this technique is very insensitive to the dilution by the Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) continuum. Comparing with exhaustive search we concluded that both methods are similar in terms of accuracy but the machine learning method is faster by about two orders of magnitude.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Lyman alpha emission in starbursts: implications for galaxies at high redshift

We present the results of a high resolution UV 2-D spectroscopic survey of star forming galaxies observed with HST-STIS. Our main aim was to map the Lyman alpha profiles to learn about the gas kinematics and its relation with the escape of Lyman alpha photons and to detect extended Lyman alpha emission due to scattering in gaseous halos. We have combined our data with previously obtained UV spectroscopy on other three star-forming galaxies. We find that the P-Cygni profile is spatially extended, smooth and spans several kiloparsecs covering a region much larger than the starburst itself. We propose a scenario whereby an expanding super-shell is generated by the interaction of the combined stellar winds and supernova ejecta from the young starbursts, with an extended low density halo. The variety of observed Lyman alpha profiles both in our sample and in high redshift starbursts is explained as phases in the time evolution of the super-shell expanding into the disk and halo of the host galaxy. The observed shapes, widths and velocities are in excellent agreement with the super-shell scenario predictions and represent a time sequence. We confirm that among the many intrinsic parameters of a star forming region that can affect the properties of the observed Lyman alpha profiles, velocity and density distributions of neutral gas along the line of sight are by far the dominant ones, while the amount of dust will determine the intensity of the emission line, if any.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Optical and near-IR Spectrophotometry of CNSFRs: Preliminary Results

Preliminary results from spectrophotometric observations of Circumnuclear Star Forming Regions (CNSFRs) in the spiral galaxies NGC 2903, NGC 3351 and NGC 3504 are presented. The analysis is focused both on the determination of elemental abundances in the gas and the unveiling of the ionising stellar population responsible of the observed excitation in these regions.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Spectrophotometry of massive star forming regions with GTC

In these latest years, the detection of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in Giant HII Regions (GHRs) has yielded several questions about our current understanding of massive stars evolution and hot expanding atmospheres, the age of the ionizing populations and their impact onto the physical properties of GHRs. Here, we present spectrophotometric observations of 4 extragalactic GHRs which show WR features in their spectra. Our goal is to reproduce simultaneously the observed WR properties and the emission line spectra with the help of current evolutionary synthesis models. Finally, we address the main advantages that GTC will provide to our better understanding of massive star forming regions.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

An Empirical Calibration of Star Formation Rate Estimators

(Abridged) The observational determination of the behaviour of the star formation rate (SFR) with look-back time or redshift has two main weaknesses: 1- the large uncertainty of the dust/extinction corrections, and 2- that systematic errors may be introduced by the fact that the SFR is estimated using different methods at different redshifts. To assess the possible systematic differences among the different SFR estimators and the role of dust, we have compared SFR estimates using H$α$, SFR(H$α$), [OII]$λ$3727Å, SFR(OII), UV, SFR(UV) and FIR, SFR(FIR) luminosities of a sample comprising the 31 nearby star forming galaxies having high quality photometric data in the UV, optical and FIR. We review the different "standard" methods for the estimation of the SFR and find that while the standard method provides good agreement between SFR(H$α$) and SFR(FIR), both SFR(OII) and SFR(UV) are systematically higher than SFR(FIR), irrespective of the extinction law. We show that the excess in the SFR(OII) and SFR(UV) is mainly due to an overestimate of the extinction resulting from the effect of underlying stellar Balmer absorptions in the measured emission line fluxes. Taking this effect into consideration in the determination of the extinction brings the SFR(OII) and SFR(UV) in line with the SFR(FIR) and simultaneously reduces the internal scatter of the SFR estimations. Based on these results we have derived "unbiased" SFR expressions for the SFR(UV), SFR(OII) and SFR(H$α$). We have used these estimators to recompute the SFR history of the Universe using the results of published surveys.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Narrowband CCD Photometry of Giant HII Regions

We have obtained accurate CCD narrow band H_beta and H_alpha photometry of Giant HII Regions in M 33, NGC 6822 and M 101. Comparison with previous determinations of emission line fluxes show large discrepancies; their probable origins are discussed. Combining our new photometric data with global velocity dispersion (sigma) derived from emission line widths we have reviewed the L(H_beta)-sigma relation. A reanalysis of the properties of the GEHRs included in our sample shows that age spread and the superposition of components in multiple regions introduce a considerable spread in the regression. Combining the information available in the literature regarding ages of the associated clusters, evolutionary footprints on the interstellar medium, and kinematical properties of the knots that build up the multiple GEHRs, we have found that a subsample - which we refer to as young and single GEHRs - do follow a tight relation in the L-sigma plane.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Stellar indices and kinematics in Seyfert 1 nuclei

We present spectra of 6 type 1 Seyfert galaxies, 2 Seyfert 2, a starburst galaxy and a compact narrow line radiogalaxy, taken in two spectral ranges centered around the near--IR CaII triplet (CaT) (at ~8600 Angstroms), and the Mgb stellar feature at 5180 Angstroms. We measured the equivalent width (EWs) of these features and the Fe52 and Fe53 spectral indices. We found that the strength of the CaT in type 1 Seyfert galaxies with prominent central point sources, is larger than what would be expected from the observed strength of the blue indices. This could be explained by the presence of red supergiants in the nuclei of Seyfert 1 galaxies. On the other hand, the blue indices of these galaxies could also be diluted by the strong FeII multiplets that can be seen in their spectra. We have also measured the stellar and gas velocity dispersions of the galaxies in the sample. The stellar velocity dispersions were measured using both, the Mgb and CaT stellar features. The velocity dispersion of the gas in the narrow line region (NLR) was measured using the strong emission lines [OIII] 5007, 4959 and [SIII] 9069. We compare the gas and star velocity dispersions and find that both magnitudes are correlated in Seyfert galaxies. Most of the Seyfert 1 we observe have stellar velocity dispersion somehow greater than that of the gas in the NLR.

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