arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Eric Emsellem.
I briefly report on the work conducted to probe the gravitational potential of active and non-active disk galaxies using two-dimensional gas and stellar kinematics, first emphasizing the need to make a distinction between ''fuelling the nucleus'' and ''building a gas reservoir''.
We investigate the accuracy of the parametric recovery of the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) of the stars in a galaxy, while working in pixel space. Problems appear when the data have a low signal-to-noise ratio, or the observed LOSVD is not well sampled by the data. We propose a simple solution based on maximum penalized likelihood and we apply it to the common situation in which the LOSVD is described by a Gauss-Hermite series. We compare different techniques by extracting the stellar kinematics from observations of the barred lenticular galaxy NGC 3384 obtained with the SAURON integral-field spectrograph.
We present dynamical modeling of nearby E4 galaxy NGC 2974. The galaxy was observed with the integral-field spectrograph SAURON. An axisymmetric stellar dynamical model is constructed using a three-integral orbit superposition Schwarschild modeling technique. We explore the dynamical structure and investigate the distribution and dynamics of the gas.
We investigate the ability of three-integral, axisymmetric, orbit-based modeling algorithms to recover the parameters defining the gravitational potential (M/L ratio and black hole mass Mh) in spheroidal stellar systems using stellar kinematical data. We show that the potential estimation problem is generically under-determined when applied to long-slit kinematical data of the kind used in most black hole mass determinations to date. A range of parameters (M/L, Mh) can provide equally good fits to the data, making it impossible to assign best-fit values. We illustrate the indeterminacy using a variety of data sets derived from realistic models as well as published observations of the galaxy M32. In the case of M32, our reanalysis demonstrates that data published prior to 2000 are equally consistent with Mh in the range 1.5x10^6-5x10^6 solar masses, with no preferred value in that range. While the HST/STIS data for this galaxy may overcome the degeneracy in Mh, HST data for most galaxies do not resolve the black hole's sphere of influence and in these galaxies the degree of degeneracy allowed by the data may be substantial. We investigate the effect on the degeneracy of enforcing smoothness (regularization) constraints. However we find no indication that the true potential can be recovered simply by enforcing smoothness. For a given smoothing level, all solutions in the minimum-chisquare valley exhibit similar levels of noise. These experiments affirm that the indeterminacy is real and not an artifact associated with non-smooth solutions. (Abridged)
TIGER integral-field spectrography and HST/WFPC2 imaging of the E3 galaxy NGC 2974 are used to derive the kinematics of the stellar and ionized gas components in its central 500 pc. We derive a numerical two-integral distribution function from a MGE mass model using the HQ formalism. The TIGER as well as published long-slit stellar kinematics are well fitted with this self-consistent model, requiring neither the addition of a significant mass contribution from a hidden disc structure, nor the presence of a central dark mass. The data reveal the presence of a striking, highly contrasted, two-arm gaseous spiral structure within a radius of ~200 pc, corresponding to a total mass of 6.8x10^4 Msun of ionized gas. We use a deconvolved TIGER datacube to probe its kinematics at a resolution of about 0.35 arcsec. Strong departures from circular motions are observed, as well as high velocity dispersion values on the inner side of the arms. We interpret the observed gas morphology and kinematics as the signature of streaming gas flows driven by a ~540 pc diameter bar with Ome=700+/-100 km/s/kpc. This hypothesis is strongly supported by the predictions of a density wave model. This model predicts that the bar should lie at about 35 degree from the line of nodes, and implies gas inflow towards the central ~50 pc. The quadrupole pertubation due to this bar is estimated to represent less than 2% of the underlying gravitational potential. Despite its weakness, the inner bar of NGC 2974 may be able to drive some gas within a 10 pc radius. We suggest that the presence of such inner bars might be more common among early-type disk galaxies than is generally thought, and that deep high-resolution emission-line imagery may be the best way to detect such structures.
I present here an heterogeneous selection of nearby galaxies in which inner density waves (bars, spirals, m=1 modes) have been observed, and which are presumed to host a supermassive black hole, to illustrate the importance of such inner waves in the fueling of the central 10s of parsecs.
We present adaptive optics assisted OASIS integral field spectrography of the S0 galaxy NGC 4621. Two-dimensional stellar kinematical maps (mean velocity and dispersion) reveal the presence of a 60 pc diameter counter-rotating core (CRC), the smallest observed to date. The OASIS data also suggests that the kinematic center of the CRC is slightly offset from the center of the outer isophotes. This seems to be confirmed by archival HST/STIS data. We also present the HST/WFPC2 V-I colour map, which exhibits a central elongated red structure, also slightly off-centered in the same direction as the kinematic centre. We then construct an axisymmetric model of NGC 4621: the two-integral distribution function is derived using the Multi-Gaussian Expansion and the Hunter & Qian (1993) formalisms. Although the stellar velocities are reasonably fitted, including the region of the counter-rotating core, significant discrepancies between the model and the observations demonstrate the need for a more general model (e.g. a three-integral model).
``Galaxies: the Third Dimension'' continues a tradition which started in Marseilles 1994 with the ``Tridimensional Optical Spectroscopic Methods in Astrophysics'' meeting, followed by ``Imaging the Universe in Three Dimensions'' at Walnut Creek in 1999. Since then, there have been developments both in instrumentation and in the way astronomy is conducted, and these need to be seen against a broad canvas. As we emphasize below, one of the main reasons for satisfaction is the trend towards talks focused on scientific results rather than on `yet another 3D spectroscopic technology.'
We present the SAURON project, which is aimed at studying the morphology, two-dimensional kinematics and stellar populations of a representative sample of elliptical galaxies and spiral bulges. SAURON, a dedicated integral-field spectrograph that is optimized for wide-field observations and has high throughput, was built in Lyon and is now operated at the WHT 4.2m telescope. At present, we have observed approximately two thirds of the seventy-two sample galaxies with SAURON. A comparison with published long-slit measurements demonstrates that the SAURON-data is of equal or better quality, and provides full two-dimensional coverage. The velocity and velocity dispersion fields exhibit a large variety of morphologies: from simple rotating systems to cylindrical, disky and triaxial velocity fields, bars and decoupled cores. Most of these kinematical signatures do not have counterparts in the light distribution. While some galaxies are consistent with axisymmetry, most are more complex systems than assumed previously. This suggests that the kinematical properties of nearby E/S0 galaxies do not agree with the often assumed simplistic two-family model, in which the giant non-rotating triaxial ellipticals are opposed to the fast-rotating axisymmetric faint ellipticals and S0s.
In this paper, I emphasize the need for integral field spectroscopy in the study of density waves (bars, spirals, m=1 modes) in the centre of galaxies. I illustrate this by focusing on the complex and time dependent structures revealed by such techniques.
The SAURON project will deliver two-dimensional spectroscopic data of a sample of nearby early-type galaxies with unprecedented quality. In this paper, we focus on the mapping of their stellar populations using the SAURON data, and present some preliminary results on a few prototypical cases.
Density waves in the central kpc of galaxies, taking the form of spirals, bars and/or lopsided density distributions, are potential actors of the redistribution of angular momentum. They may thus play an important role in the overall evolution of the central structures, not mentioning the possible link with the active/non-active central mass concentration. I present here some evidence for the presence of such structures, and discuss their importance in the context of dynamical evolution.
In this paper, I mention a few processes which may play a role in the evolution of the central regions of galaxies. In this context, I briefly discuss some issues regarding the formation of bulges in spirals, the role of supermassive black holes, and the importance of nuclear density waves.
Density waves in the central kpc of galaxies, taking the form of spirals, bars and/or lopsided density distributions are potential actors of the redistribution of angular momentum. They thus play an important role in the overall evolution of the central structures, not mentioning the possible link with the active/non-active nucleus. I present here kinematical evidences for the presence of such structures using new sets of observations: two-dimensional (OASIS/CFHT) and long-slit (ISAAC/VLT) spectrography of nuclear bars and spirals. I also discuss the importance of $m=1$ modes in the nuclear regions of galaxies, illustrating this with newly revealed cases and original N body simulations.
A new integral-field spectrograph, SAURON, is described. It is based on the Tiger principle, and uses a lenslet array. SAURON has a large field of view and high throughput, and allows simultaneous sky subtraction. Its design is optimized for studies of the stellar kinematics, gas kinematics, and line-strength distributions of nearby early-type galaxies. The instrument design and specifications are described, as well as the extensive analysis software which was developed to obtain fully calibrated spectra, and the associated kinematic and line-strength measurements. A companion paper reports on the first results obtained with SAURON on the William Herschel Telescope.
We report the first wide-field mapping of the kinematics and stellar populations in the E3 galaxy NGC 4365. The velocity maps extend previous long-slit work. They show two independent kinematic subsystems: the central 300 x 700 pc rotates about the projected minor axis, and the main body of the galaxy, 3 x 4 kpc, rotates almost at right angles to this. The line-strength maps show that the metallicity of the stellar population decreases from a central value greater than solar, to one-half solar at a radius of 2 kpc. The decoupled core and main body of the galaxy have the same luminosity-weighted age, of ~14 Gyr, and the same elevated magnesium-to-iron ratio. The two kinematically distinct components have thus shared a common star formation history. We infer that the galaxy underwent a sequence of mergers associated with dissipative star formation that ended >12 Gyr ago. The misalignment between the photometric and kinematic axes of the main body is unambiguous evidence of triaxiality. The similarity of the stellar populations in the two components suggests that the observed kinematic structure has not changed substantially in 12 Gyr.
We briefly describe the SAURON project, aimed at determining the intrinsic shape and internal dynamics of spheroids. We focus here on the ability of SAURON to identify gaseous and stellar disks and to measure their morphology and kinematics. We illustrate some of our results with complete maps of NGC3377, NGC3623, and NGC4365.
We present the results of new 3D TIGER spectroscopic observations and archived HST/WFPC2 and NICMOS images of the central region of M 104. The [NII]+Ha images reveal the presence of a nuclear spiral structure, and the gaseous kinematics in the central arcsecond shows evidence for kinematical decoupling of the central peak. A straight nuclear dust lane, with a weak symmetric counterpart, is seen in the V-I and V-H colour maps. These results hint for the presence of a strong nuclear bar, that would be located inside the inner Linblad resonance of the large-scale bar discussed by Emsellem (1995).