arXiv subjects

Edgar Cortes-Suárez

Publications and source records attributed to Edgar Cortes-Suárez.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Spectral Evolution and Transient Broad-Line Features in the Isolated AGN UNAM-KIAS 613

We present multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of the isolated elliptical galaxy UNAM-KIAS 613, hosting a low-luminosity Type 1 AGN. Analysis of archival Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data from 2006 reveals a distinctive double-peaked broad H$α$ profile, tentatively modeled by a relativistic accretion disk. Follow-up observations in 2018 and 2023 show the disappearance of the red and blue wings, leaving only a single-peaked, central broad component. No significant continuum variability is detected in ASAS-SN and Catalina light curves over 2012-2025, and multi-wavelength data (radio, mid-IR, X-ray) confirm a sub-Eddington, radio-quiet AGN (Eddington ratio $\approx$0.03-0.04, black hole mass $\approx$10$^{7.2}$ M$\odot$). We propose that the double-peak structure is in reality transient, and arose from a one-time bipolar outflow event rather than a stable disk or from a Tidal Disruption Event. The mid-IR SED and radio luminosity place UK 613 on the boundary between AGN and star formation dominance, suggesting residual star formation, while we have found that the isolated environment seems to be prone to the rejuvenation of ellipticals by recent ($\lesssim$ 1 Gyr) cold gas. We also examined its location within the cosmic web with the aim of identifying possible distinctive effects imprinted on its spectroscopic properties. Ultimately, our results are consistent that UNAM-KIAS 613 might have under gone a ''turn-off'' of the accretion disk emitting region or a transition between a radiatively-inefficient and radiatively-efficient accretion mode, and highlight the complex interplay of disk, outflow, host processes and environment in low-accretion, low-black hole mass AGNs, an AGN population still largely unexplored to-date.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

An iterative method to deblend AGN-Host contributions for Integral Field spectroscopic observations

We present a new iterative deblending method to separate the host galaxy (HG) and their Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) emission with the use of Integral Field spectroscopic (IFS) data. The method decomposes the resolved HG emission from the unresolved AGN emission by modelling the two-dimensional surface brightness (SB) profile of the point-spread function (PSF) and the two-dimensional SB HG continuum simultaneously per each monochromatic slide. Our method does not require any prior information about the observed SB profile or a detailed fitting of the PSF, making it ideal for the automatic analysis of large galaxy samples. In this work, we test the quality of our method, its advantages, and its disadvantages. We test our method by using a set of IFS mock data cubes to quantify the reliability of our deblending process and further compare our method with the {\sc QDeblend3D} analysis tool. Furthermore, we applied our method to three data cubes selected from the MaNGA survey according to the dominance of either its HG or its AGN. We show that our deblending method is capable of disengaging the bright, nonresolved AGN emission from the HG continuum and its narrow emission lines. However, the decoupling depends on how well the IFS spatially resolves the PSF, and on the relative flux intensity of the HG-AGN. Therefore, the method is ideal for disentangling the bright-flux contribution from AGN-dominated spectra.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

SDSS-IV MaNGA: The Incidence of Major Mergers in type I and II AGN Host Galaxies in the DR15 sample

We present a study on the incidence of major mergers and their impact on the triggering of nuclear activity in 47 type I and 236 type II optically-selected AGN from the MaNGA DR15 sample. From an estimate of non-parametric image predictors ($Gini$, M$_{20}$, concentration (C), asymmetry (A), clumpiness (S), Sérsic index (n), and shape asymmetry($A_S$)) using the SDSS images, in combination with a Linear Discriminant Analysis Method, we identified major mergers and merger stages. We reinforced our results by looking for bright tidal features in our post-processed SDSS and DESI legacy images. We find a statistically significant higher incidence of major mergers of 29\% $\pm$ 3\% in our type I+II AGN sample compared to 22\% $\pm$ 0.8\% for a non-AGN sample matched in redshift, stellar mass, color and morphological type, finding also a prevalence of post-coalescence (51\% $\pm$ 5\%) over pre-coalescence (23\% $\pm$ 6\%) merger stages. The levels of AGN activity among our massive major mergers are similar to those reported in other works using \oiii\ tracers. However, similar levels are produced by our AGN-galaxies hosting stellar bars, suggesting that major mergers are important promoters of nuclear activity but are not the main nor the only mechanism behind the AGN triggering. The tidal strength parameter $Q$ was considered at various scales looking for environmental differences that could affect our results on the merger incidence, finding non-significant differences. Finally, the H-H$β$ diagram could be used as an empirical predictor for the flux coming from an AGN source, useful to correct photometric quantities in large AGN samples emerging from surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

SDSS-IV MaNGA: Identification and Multiwavelength Properties of Type-1 AGN in the DR15 sample

We present a method to identify type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the central 3 arcsec integrated spectra of galaxies in the MaNGA DR15 sample. It is based on flux ratios estimates in spectral bands flanking the expected H$α$ broad component H$α_{BC}$. The high signal-to-noise ratio obtained (mean S/N = 84) permits the identification of H$α_{BC}$ without prior subtraction of the host galaxy (HG) stellar component. A final sample of 47 type-1 AGN is reported out of 4700 galaxies at $z$ < 0.15. The results were compared with those from other methods based on the SDSS DR7 and MaNGA data. Detection of type-1 AGN in those works compared to our method goes from 26% to 81%. Spectral indexes were used to classify the type-1 AGN spectra according to different levels of AGN-HG contribution, finding 9 AGN-dominated, 14 intermediate, and 24 HG-dominated objects. Complementary data in NIR-MIR allowed us to identify type I AGN-dominated objects as blue and HG-dominated as red in the WISE colors. From NVSS and FIRST radio continuum data, we identify 5 HERGs (high-excitation radio galaxies) and 4 LERGs (low-excitation radio galaxies), three showing evidence of radio-jets in the FIRST maps. Additional X-ray data from ROSAT allowed us to build [OIII] and H$α_{BC}$ versus X-ray, NIR-MIR, and radio continuum diagrams, showing that L(H$α_{BC}$) and L([OIII]) provide good correlations. The range in H$α_{BC}$ luminosity is wide 38 < logL(H$α_{BC}$) < 44, with log FWHM(H$α_{BC}$)$\sim$ 3-4, covering a range of Eddington ratios of -5.15 < log L$_{bol}$/L$_{edd}$ < 0.70. Finally, we also identify and report ten possible changing-look AGN candidates.

astro-ph.GA↗