arXiv subjects

G. Östlin

Publications and source records attributed to G. Östlin.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

The young star cluster population of M51 with LEGUS - II. Testing environmental dependencies

It has recently been established that the properties of young star clusters (YSCs) can vary as a function of the galactic environment in which they are found. We use the cluster catalogue produced by the Legacy Extragalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) collaboration to investigate cluster properties in the spiral galaxy M51. We analyse the cluster population as a function of galactocentric distance and in arm and inter-arm regions. The cluster mass function exhibits a similar shape at all radial bins, described by a power law with a slope close to $-2$ and an exponential truncation around $10^5\ \rm{M}_{\odot}$ . While the mass functions of the YSCs in the spiral arm and inter-arm regions have similar truncation masses, the inter-arm region mass function has a significantly steeper slope than the one in the arm region; a trend that is also observed in the giant molecular cloud mass function and predicted by simulations. The age distribution of clusters is dependent on the region considered, and is consistent with rapid disruption only in dense regions, while little disruption is observed at large galactocentric distances and in the inter-arm region. The fraction of stars forming in clusters does not show radial variations, despite the drop in the $H_2$ surface density measured as function of galactocentric distance. We suggest that the higher disruption rate observed in the inner part of the galaxy is likely at the origin of the observed flat cluster formation efficiency radial profile.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

MUSE Illuminates Channels for Lyman Continuum Escape in the Halo of SBS 0335-52E

We report on the discovery of ionised gas filaments in the circum-galactic halo of the extremely metal-poor compact starburst SBS 0335-052E in a 1.5h integration with the MUSE integral-field spectrograph. We detect these features in H$α$ and [OIII] emission down to surface-brightness levels of $5 \times 10^{-19}$erg s$^{-1}$cm$^{-2}$arcsec$^{-2}$. The filaments have projected diameters of 2.1 kpc and extend more than 9 kpc to the north and north-west from the main stellar body. We also detect extended nebular HeII $λ$4686 emission that brightens towards the north-west at the rim of a star-burst driven super-shell, suggestive of a locally enhanced UV radiation field due to shocks. We also present a velocity field of the ionised gas. The filaments appear to connect seamlessly in velocity space to the kinematical disturbances caused by the shell. Similar to high-$z$ star-forming galaxies, the ionised gas in this galaxy is dispersion dominated. We argue that the filaments were created via feedback from the starburst and that these ionised structures in the halo may act as escape channels for Lyman continuum radiation in this gas-rich system.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

The Young Star Cluster population of M51 with LEGUS: I. A comprehensive study of cluster formation and evolution

Recently acquired WFC3 UV (F275W and F336W) imaging mosaics under the Legacy Extragalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) combined with archival ACS data of M51 are used to study the young star cluster (YSC) population of this interacting system. Our newly extracted source catalogue contains 2834 cluster candidates, morphologically classified to be compact and uniform in colour, for which ages, masses and extinction are derived. In this first work we study the main properties of the YSC population of the whole galaxy, considering a mass-limited sample. Both luminosity and mass functions follow a power law shape with slope -2, but at high luminosities and masses a dearth of sources is observed. The analysis of the mass function suggests that it is best fitted by a Schechter function with slope -2 and a truncation mass at $1.00\pm0.12\times10^5\ M_\odot$. Through Monte Carlo simulations we confirm this result and link the shape of the luminosity function to the presence of a truncation in the mass function. A mass limited age function analysis, between 10 and 200 Myr, suggests that the cluster population is undergoing only moderate disruption. We observe little variation in the shape of the mass function at masses above $1\times10^4\ M_\odot$, over this age range. The fraction of star formation happening in the form of bound clusters in M51 is $\sim20\%$ in the age range 10 to 100 Myr and little variation is observed over the whole range from 1 to 200 Myr.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

A Comprehensive Comparative Test of Seven Widely-Used Spectral Synthesis Models Against Multi-Band Photometry of Young Massive Star Clusters

We test the predictions of spectral synthesis models based on seven different massive-star prescriptions against Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) observations of eight young massive clusters in two local galaxies, NGC 1566 and NGC 5253, chosen because predictions of all seven models are available at the published galactic metallicities. The high angular resolution, extensive cluster inventory and full near-ultraviolet to near-infrared photometric coverage make the LEGUS dataset excellent for this study. We account for both stellar and nebular emission in the models and try two different prescriptions for attenuation by dust. From Bayesian fits of model libraries to the observations, we find remarkably low dispersion in the median E(B-V) (~0.03 mag), stellar masses (~10^4 M_\odot) and ages (~1 Myr) derived for individual clusters using different models, although maximum discrepancies in these quantities can reach 0.09 mag and factors of 2.8 and 2.5, respectively. This is for ranges in median properties of 0.05-0.54 mag, 1.8-10x10^4 M_\odot and 1.6-40 Myr spanned by the clusters in our sample. In terms of best fit, the observations are slightly better reproduced by models with interacting binaries and least well reproduced by models with single rotating stars. Our study provides a first quantitative estimate of the accuracies and uncertainties of the most recent spectral synthesis models of young stellar populations, demonstrates the good progress of models in fitting high-quality observations, and highlights the needs for a larger cluster sample and more extensive tests of the model parameter space.

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arXiv2015

Limits on Lyman Continuum escape from z=2.2 H-alpha emitting galaxies

The leakage of Lyman continuum photons from star forming galaxies is an elusive parameter. When observed, it provides a wealth of information on star formation in galaxies and the geometry of the interstellar medium, and puts constraints on the role of star forming galaxies in the reionization of the universe. H-alpha-selected galaxies at z~2 trace the highest star formation population at the peak of cosmic star formation history, providing a base for directly measuring Lyman continuum escape. Here we present this method, and highlight its benefits as well as caveats. We also use the method on 10 H-alpha emitters in the Chandra Deep Field South at z=2.2, also imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope in the ultraviolet. We find no individual Lyman continuum detections, and our stack puts a 5 sigma upper limit on the average absolute escape fraction of <24%, consistent with similar studies. With future planned observations, the sample sizes would rapidly increase and the method presented here would provide very robust constraints on the escape fraction.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Diversity in extinction laws of Type Ia supernovae measured between $0.2$ and $2\,μ\mathrm{m}$

We present ultraviolet (UV) observations of six nearby Type~Ia supernovae (SNe~Ia) obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, three of which were also observed in the near-IR (NIR) with Wide-Field Camera~3. UV observations with the Swift satellite, as well as ground-based optical and near-infrared data provide complementary information. The combined data-set covers the wavelength range $0.2$--$2~μ$m. By also including archival data of SN 2014J, we analyse a sample spanning observed colour excesses up to $E(B-V)=1.4~$mag. We study the wavelength dependent extinction of each individual SN and find a diversity of reddening laws when characterised by the total-to-selective extinction $R_V$. In particular, we note that for the two SNe with $E(B-V)\gtrsim1~$mag, for which the colour excess is dominated by dust extinction, we find $R_V=1.4\pm0.1$ and $R_V=2.8\pm0.1$. Adding UV photometry reduces the uncertainty of fitted $R_V$ by $\sim50\,$% allowing us to also measure $R_V$ of individual low-extinction objects which point to a similar diversity, currently not accounted for in the analyses when SNe~Ia are used for studying the expansion history of the universe.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Trident: A three-pronged galaxy survey. I. Lyman alpha emitting galaxies at z~2 in GOODS North

Context. Lyman alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs) are used to probe the distant universe and are therefore important for galaxy evolution studies and for providing clues to the nature of the epoch of reionization, but the exact circumstances under which Lyman alpha escapes a galaxy are still not fully understood. Aims. The Trident project is designed to simultaneously examine Lyman alpha, H-alpha and Lyman Continuum emission from galaxies at redshift z~2, thus linking together these three aspects of ionising radiation in galaxies. In this paper, we outline the strategy of this project and examine the properties of LAEs in the GOODS North field. Methods. We performed a narrowband LAE survey in GOODS North using existing and two custom made filters at the Nordic Optical Telescope with MOSCA. We use complementary broad band archival data in the field to make a careful candidate selection and perform optical to near-IR SED fitting. We also estimate far-infrared luminosities by matching our candidates to detections in Spitzer/MIPS 24μm and Herschel/PACS catalogs. Results. We find a total of 25 LAE candidates, probing mainly the bright end of the LAE luminosity function with L_Ly α ~ 1-15e42 erg/s. They display a range of masses of ~0.5-50e9 M_solar, and average ages from a few tens of Myr to 1 Gyr when assuming a constant star formation history. The majority of our candidates also show signs of recent elevated star formation. Three candidates have counterparts in the GOODS-Herschel far-IR catalogue, with luminosities consistent with ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). Conclusions. The wide range of parameters derived from our SED fitting, as well as part of our sample being detected as ULIRGs, seems to indicate that at these Lyman alpha luminosities, LAEs do not necessarily have to be young dwarfs, and that a lack of dust is not required for Lyman alpha to escape.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

VLT/MUSE view of the highly ionized outflow cones in the nearby starburst ESO338-IG04

The Ly$α$ line is an important diagnostic for star formation at high redshift, but interpreting its flux and line profile is difficult because of the resonance nature of Ly$α$. Trends between the escape of Ly$α$ photons and dust and properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) have been found, but detailed comparisons between Ly$α$ emission and the properties of the gas in local high-redshift analogs are vital for understanding the relation between Ly$α$ emission and galaxy properties. For the first time, we can directly infer the properties of the ionized gas at the same location and similar spatial scales of the extended Ly$α$ halo around ESO 338-IG04. We obtained VLT/MUSE integral field spectra. We used ionization parameter mapping of the [SII]/[OIII] line ratio and the kinematics of H$α$ to study the ionization state and kinematics of the ISM of ESO338-IG04. The velocity map reveals two outflows. The entire central area of the galaxy is highly ionized by photons leaking from the HII regions around the youngest star clusters. Three highly ionized cones have been identified, of which one is associated with an outflow. We propose a scenario where the outflows are created by mechanical feedback of the older clusters, while the highly ionized gas is caused by the hard ionizing photons emitted by the youngest clusters. A comparison with the Ly$α$ map shows that the (approximately bipolar) asymmetries observed in the Ly$α$ emission are consistent with the base of the outflows detected in H$α$. No clear correlation with the ionization cones is found. The mechanical and ionization feedback of star clusters significantly changes the state of the ISM by creating ionized cones and outflows. The comparison with Ly$α$ suggests that especially the outflows could facilitate the escape of Ly$α$ photons [Abridged].

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Science Case and Requirements for the MOSAIC Concept for a Multi-Object Spectrograph for the European Extremely Large Telescope

Over the past 18 months we have revisited the science requirements for a multi-object spectrograph (MOS) for the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). These efforts span the full range of E-ELT science and include input from a broad cross-section of astronomers across the ESO partner countries. In this contribution we summarise the key cases relating to studies of high-redshift galaxies, galaxy evolution, and stellar populations, with a more expansive presentation of a new case relating to detection of exoplanets in stellar clusters. A general requirement is the need for two observational modes to best exploit the large (>40 sq. arcmin) patrol field of the E-ELT. The first mode ('high multiplex') requires integrated-light (or coarsely resolved) optical/near-IR spectroscopy of >100 objects simultaneously. The second ('high definition'), enabled by wide-field adaptive optics, requires spatially-resolved, near-IR of >10 objects/sub-fields. Within the context of the conceptual study for an ELT-MOS called MOSAIC, we summarise the top-level requirements from each case and introduce the next steps in the design process.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2013

Neutral gas in Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies Haro 11 and ESO 338-IG04 measured through sodium absorption

Context. The Lyman alpha emission line of galaxies is an important tool for finding galaxies at high redshift, and thus probe the structure of the early universe. However, the resonance nature of the line and its sensitivity to dust and neutral gas is still not fully understood. Aims. We present measurements of the velocity, covering fraction and optical depth of neutral gas in front of two well known local blue compact galaxies that show Lyman alpha in emission: ESO 338-IG 04 and Haro 11. We thus test observationally the hypothesis that Lyman alpha can escape through neutral gas by being Doppler shifted out of resonance. Methods. We present integral field spectroscopy from the GIRAFFE/Argus spectrograph at VLT/FLAMES in Paranal, Chile. The excellent wavelength resolution allows us to accurately measure the velocity of the ionized and neutral gas through the H-alpha emission and Na D absorption, which traces the ionized medium and cold interstellar gas, respectively. We also present independent measurements with the VLT/X-shooter spectrograph which confirm our results. Results. For ESO 338-IG04, we measure no significant shift of neutral gas. The best fit velocity is -15 (16) km/s. For Haro 11, we see an outflow from knot B at 44 (13) km/s and infalling gas towards knot C with 32 (12) km/s. Based on the relative strength of the Na D absorption lines, we estimate low covering fractions of neutral gas (down to 10%) in all three cases. Conclusions. The Na D absorption likely occurs in dense clumps with higher column densities than where the bulk of the Ly-alpha scattering takes place. Still, we find no strong correlation between outflowing neutral gas and a high Lyman alpha escape fraction. The Lyman alpha photons from these two galaxies are therefore likely escaping due to a low column density and/or covering fraction.

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arXiv2012

The Rate of Supernovae at Redshift 0.1-1.0 - the Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey IV

We present supernova rate measurements at redshift 0.1-1.0 from the Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey (SVISS). The sample contains 16 supernovae in total. The discovered supernovae have been classified as core collapse or type Ia supernovae (9 and 7, respectively) based on their light curves, colour evolution and host galaxy photometric redshift. The rates we find for the core collapse supernovae are 3.29 (-1.78,-1.45)(+3.08,+1.98) x 10^-4 yr^-1 Mpc^-3 h70^3 (with statistical and systematic errors respectively) at average redshift 0.39 and 6.40 (-3.12,-2.11)(+5.30,+3.65) x 10^-4 yr^-1 Mpc^-3 h70^3 at average redshift 0.73. For the type Ia supernovae we find a rate of 1.29 (-0.57,-0.28)(+0.88,+0.27) x 10^-4 yr^-1 Mpc^-3 h70^3 at average redshift 0.62. All of these rate estimates have been corrected for host galaxy extinction, using a method that includes supernovae missed in infrared bright galaxies at high redshift. We use Monte Carlo simulations to make a thorough study of the systematic effects from assumptions made when calculating the rates and find that the most important errors come from misclassification, the assumed mix of faint and bright supernova types and uncertainties in the extinction correction. We compare our rates to other observations and to the predicted rates for core collapse and type Ia supernovae based on the star formation history and different models of the delay time distribution. Overall, our measurements, when taking the effects of extinction into account, agree quite well with the predictions and earlier results. Our results highlight the importance of understanding the role of systematic effects, and dust extinction in particular, when trying to estimate the rates of supernovae at moderate to high redshift.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

X-ray illumination of the ejecta of Supernova 1987A

We present the late-time optical light curve of the ejecta of SN 1987A measured from HST imaging observations spanning the past 17 years. We find that the flux from the ejecta declined up to around year 2001, powered by the radioactive decay of 44Ti. Then the flux started to increase, more than doubling by the end of 2009. We show that the increase is the result of energy deposited by X-rays produced in the interaction with the circumstellar medium. We suggest that the change of the dominant energy input to the ejecta, from internal to external, marks the transition from supernova to supernova remnant. The details of the observations and the modelling are described in the accompanying supplementary information.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

The discovery and classification of 16 supernovae at high redshifts in ELAIS-S1 - the Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey II

Supernova surveys can be used to study a variety of subjects such as: (i) cosmology through type Ia supernovae (SNe), (ii) star-formation rates through core-collapse SNe, and (iii) supernova properties and their connection to host galaxy characteristics. The Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey (SVISS) is a multi-band imaging survey aiming to detect supernovae at redshift ~0.5 and derive thermonuclear and core-collapse supernova rates at high redshift. In this paper we present the supernovae discovered in the survey along with light curves and a photometric classification into thermonuclear and core-collapse types. To detect the supernovae in the VLT/VIMOS multi-epoch images, we used difference imaging and a combination of automatic and manual source detection to minimise the number of spurious detections. Photometry for the found variable sources was obtained and careful simulations were made to estimate correct errors. The light curves were typed using a Bayesian probability method and Monte Carlo simulations were used to study misclassification. We detected 16 supernovae, nine of which had a core-collapse origin and seven had a thermonuclear origin. The estimated misclassification errors are quite small, in the order of 5%, but vary with both redshift and type. The mean redshift of the supernovae is 0.58. Additionally, we found a variable source with a very extended light curve that could possibly be a pair instability supernova.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

Images IV: Strong evolution of the oxygen abundance in gaseous phases of intermediate mass galaxies since z=0.8

Intermediate mass galaxies (logM(Msun)>10) at z~0.6 are the likeliest progenitors of the present-day numerous population of spirals. There is growing evidence that they have evolved rapidly since the last 6 to 8 Gyr ago, and likely have formed a significant fraction of their stellar mass, often showing perturbed morphologies and kinematics. We have gathered a representative sample of 88 such galaxies and have provided robust estimates of their gas phase metallicity. For doing so, we have used moderate spectral resolution spectroscopy at VLT/FORS2 with unprecedented high S/N allowing to remove biases coming from interstellar absorption lines and extinction to establish robust values of R23=([OII]3727 + [OIII]4959,5007)/Hbeta. We definitively confirm that the predominant population of z~0.6 starbursts and luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs) are on average, two times less metal rich than the local galaxies at a given stellar mass. We do find that the metal abundance of the gaseous phase of galaxies is evolving linearly with time, from z=1 to z=0 and after comparing with other studies, from z=3 to z=0. Combining our results with the reported evolution of the Tully Fisher relation, we do find that such an evolution requires that ~30% of the stellar mass of local galaxies have been formed through an external supply of gas, thus excluding the close box model. Distant starbursts & LIRGs have properties (metal abundance, star formation efficiency & morphologies) similar to those of local LIRGs. Their underlying physics is likely dominated by gas infall probably through merging or interactions. Our study further supports the rapid evolution of z~0.4-1 galaxies. Gas exchanges between galaxies is likely the main cause of this evolution.

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arXiv2008

Detection efficiency and photometry in supernova surveys - the Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey I

The aim of the work presented in this paper is to test and optimise supernova detection methods based on the optimal image subtraction technique. The main focus is on applying the detection methods to wide field supernova imaging surveys and in particular to the Stockholm VIMOS Supernova Survey (SVISS). We have constructed a supernova detection pipeline for imaging surveys. The core of the pipeline is image subtraction using the ISIS 2.2 package. Using real data from the SVISS we simulate supernovae in the images, both inside and outside galaxies. The detection pipeline is then run on the simulated frames and the effects of image quality and subtraction parameters on the detection efficiency and photometric accuracy are studied. The pipeline allows efficient detection of faint supernovae in the deep imaging data. It also allows controlling and correcting for possible systematic effects in the SN detection and photometry. We find such a systematic effect in the form of a small systematic flux offset remaining at the positions of galaxies in the subtracted frames. This offset will not only affect the photometric accuracy of the survey, but also the detection efficiencies. Our study has shown that ISIS 2.2 works well for the SVISS data. We have found that the detection efficiency and photometric accuracy of the survey are affected by the stamp selection for the image subtraction and by host galaxy brightness. With our tools the subtraction results can be further optimised, any systematic effects can be controlled and photometric errors estimated, which is very important for the SVISS, as well as for future SN searches based on large imaging surveys such as Pan-STARRS and LSST.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

IMAGES I. Strong evolution of galaxy kinematics since z=1

(abbreviated) We present the first results of the ESO large program, ``IMAGES'' which aims at obtaining robust measurements of the kinematics of distant galaxies using the multi-IFU mode of GIRAFFE on the VLT. 3D spectroscopy is essential to robustly measure the often distorted kinematics of distant galaxies (e.g., Flores et al. 2006). We derive the velocity fields and $σ$-maps of 36 galaxies at 0.4 15 A) at z=0.4-0.75, which are a representative subsample of the population of M_stellar>1.5x10^{10} M_sun emission line galaxies in this redshift range, and are largely unaffected by cosmic variance. Taking into account all galaxies -with or without emission lines- in that redshift range, we find that at least 41+/-7% of them have anomalous kinematics, i.e., they are not dynamically relaxed. This includes 26+/-7% of distant galaxies with complex kinematics, i.e., they are not simply pressure or rotationally supported. Our result implies that galaxy kinematics are among the most rapidly evolving properties, because locally, only a few percent of the galaxies in this mass range have complex kinematics.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Star-gas decoupling and a non-rotating stellar core in He 2-10: Integral field spectroscopy with FLAMES/ARGUS

We study the two-dimensional distribution and kinematics of the stellar and gaseous components in the centre of the blue compact dwarf galaxy, He 2-10. The aim is to compare the kinematics of gas and stars in order to determine whether they are consistent with one another, or if stars and gas can be decoupled due to gravitational perturbations and feedback from star formation. We have used the integral field unit ARGUS, part of FLAMES on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, to target the near-infrared Ca-triplet in the central 300 times 480 parsecs of He 2-10. The selected wavelength regime includes several prominent spectral features, including the Paschen series and an [SIII] emission-line, which we have used to derive the kinematics of the ionised interstellar medium. We find no systematic trend in the velocities of the stars over the observed field of view and conclude that the stellar kinematics is governed by random motions. This is in contrast to the motions the ionised interstellar medium, where we find spatial velocity variations up to 60 km/s. Our gas velocity field is consistent with previous studies of both the molecular gas and the feedback-driven outflow in He 2-10. We interpret the kinematic decoupling between the stars and the gas as He 2-10 being in the process of transformation to a dwarf elliptical galaxy.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Supernova 2006aj and the associated X-Ray Flash 060218

We have studied the afterglow of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) of February 18, 2006. This is a nearby long GRB, with a very low peak energy, and is therefore classified as an X-ray Flash (XRF). XRF 060218 is clearly associated with a supernova -- dubbed SN 2006aj. We present early spectra for SN 2006aj as well as optical lightcurves reaching out to 50 days past explosion. Our optical lightcurves define the rise times, the lightcurve shapes and the absolute magnitudes in the U, V and R bands, and we compare these data with data for other relevant supernovae. SN 2006aj evolved quite fast, somewhat similarly to SN 2002ap, but not as fast as SN 1994I. Our spectra show the evolution of the supernova over the peak, when the U-band portion of the spectrum rapidly fades due to extensive line blanketing. We compare to similar spectra of very energetic Type Ic supernovae. Our first spectra are earlier than spectra for any other GRB-SN. The spectrum taken 12 days after burst in the rest frame is similar to somewhat later spectra of both SN 1998bw and SN 2003dh, implying a rapid early evolution. This is consistent with the fast lightcurve. From the narrow emission lines from the host galaxy we derive a redshift of z=0.0331+-0.0007. This makes XRF 060218 the second closest gamma-ray burst detected. The flux of these emission lines indicate a high-excitation state, and a modest metallicity and star formation rate of the host galaxy.

astro-ph↗