arXiv subjects

I. Prandoni

Publications and source records attributed to I. Prandoni.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Radio afterglows of a complete sample of bright Swift GRBs: predictions from present days to the SKA era

Radio observations of Gamma Ray Bursts afterglows are fundamental in providing insights into their physics and environment, and in constraining the true energetics of these sources. Nonetheless, radio observations of GRB afterglows are presently sparse in the time/frequency domain. Starting from a complete sample of 58 bright Swift long bursts (BAT6), we constructed a homogeneous sub-sample of 38 radio detections/upper limits which preserves all the properties of the parent sample. One half of the bursts have detections between 1 and 5 days after the explosion with typical fluxes F>100 muJy at 8.4 GHz. Through a Population SYnthesis Code coupled with the standard afterglow Hydrodynamical Emission model (PSYCHE) we reproduce the radio flux distribution of the radio sub-sample. Based on these results we study the detectability in the time/frequency domain of the entire long GRB population by present and future radio facilities. We find that the GRBs that typically trigger Swift can be detected at 8.4 GHz by JVLA within few days with modest exposures even at high redshifts. The final SKA can potentially observe the whole GRB population provided that there will be a dedicated GRB gamma-ray detector more sensitive than Swift. For a sizable fraction (50%) of these bursts, SKA will allow us to perform radio-calorimetry, after the trans-relativistic transition (occurring ~100 d), providing an estimate of the true (collimation corrected) energetics of GRBs.

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arXiv2013

e-MERLIN observations at 5 GHz of the GOODS-N region: pinpointing AGN cores in high redshift galaxies

We present 5 GHz e-MERLIN observations of the GOODS-N region at sub-arcsec resolution (0.2--0.5 arcsec). These data form part of the early commissioning observations for the e-MERLIN interferometer and a pilot for the e-MERLIN legacy program eMERGE. A total of 17 sources were detected with S/N>3. These observations provide unique information on the radio source morphology at sub-arcsec scales. For twelve of these sources, deeper 1.4 GHz MERLIN+VLA observations at the same spatial resolution are available, allowing radio spectral indices to be derived for ten sources on sub-arcsec angular scales. Via analysis of the spectral indices and radio morphologies, these sources have been identified as AGN cores in moderate-to-high redshift (1<z<4) galaxies. These results have provided AGN (or AGN candidate) classification for six previously unclassified sources and confirmed the AGN nature of the rest of the sample. Ultimately the eMERGE project will image the GOODS-N region at 1.4 and 5 GHz with higher resolution (about 50 mas at 5 GHz) and down to sub-microJy sensitivities. The unique combination of sensitivity and spatial resolution will be exploited to study star formation and AGN activity in distant galaxies.

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arXiv2012

The faint source population at 15.7 GHz - I. The radio properties

We have studied a sample of 296 faint (> 0.5 mJy) radio sources selected from an area of the Tenth Cambridge (10C) survey at 15.7 GHz in the Lockman Hole. By matching this catalogue to several lower frequency surveys (e.g. including a deep GMRT survey at 610 MHz, a WSRT survey at 1.4 GHz, NVSS, FIRST and WENSS) we have investigated the radio spectral properties of the sources in this sample; all but 30 of the 10C sources are matched to one or more of these surveys. We have found a significant increase in the proportion of flat spectrum sources at flux densities below approximately 1 mJy - the median spectral index between 15.7 GHz and 610 MHz changes from 0.75 for flux densities greater than 1.5 mJy to 0.08 for flux densities less than 0.8 mJy. This suggests that a population of faint, flat spectrum sources is emerging at flux densities below 1 mJy. The spectral index distribution of this sample of sources selected at 15.7 GHz is compared to those of two samples selected at 1.4 GHz from FIRST and NVSS. We find that there is a significant flat spectrum population present in the 10C sample which is missing from the samples selected at 1.4 GHz. The 10C sample is compared to a sample of sources selected from the SKADS Simulated Sky by Wilman et al. and we find that this simulation fails to reproduce the observed spectral index distribution and significantly underpredicts the number of sources in the faintest flux density bin. It is likely that the observed faint, flat spectrum sources are a result of the cores of FRI sources becoming dominant at high frequencies. These results highlight the importance of studying this faint, high frequency population.

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arXiv2012

Radio Continuum Surveys with Square Kilometre Array Pathfinders

In the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP (Australia), eMERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR (The Netherlands), Meerkat (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective, the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and refining existing ones. Here we describe these projects, their science goals, and the technical challenges which are being addressed to maximise the science return.

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arXiv2012

A 20 GHz bright sample for δ > +72°: I. Catalogue

During 2010-2011, the Medicina 32-m dish hosted the 7-feed 18-26.5 GHz receiver built for the Sardinia Radio Telescope, with the goal to perform its commissioning. This opportunity was exploited to carry out a pilot survey at 20 GHz over the area for δ > + 72.3°. This paper describes all the phases of the observations, as they were performed using new hardware and software facilities. The map-making and source extraction procedures are illustrated. A customised data reduction tool was used during the follow-up phase, which produced a list of 73 confirmed sources down to a flux density of 115 mJy. The resulting catalogue, here presented, is complete above 200 mJy. Source counts are in agreement with those provided by the AT20G survey. This pilot activity paves the way to a larger project, the K-band Northern Wide Survey (KNoWS), whose final aim is to survey the whole Northern Hemisphere down to a flux limit of 50 mJy (5σ).

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arXiv2011

EMU: Evolutionary Map of the Universe

EMU is a wide-field radio continuum survey planned for the new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope. The primary goal of EMU is to make a deep (rms ~ 10 microJy/beam) radio continuum survey of the entire Southern Sky at 1.3 GHz, extending as far North as +30 degrees declination, with a resolution of 10 arcsec. EMU is expected to detect and catalogue about 70 million galaxies, including typical star-forming galaxies up to z~1, powerful starbursts to even greater redshifts, and AGNs to the edge of the visible Universe. It will undoubtedly discover new classes of object. This paper defines the science goals and parameters of the survey, and describes the development of techniques necessary to maximise the science return from EMU.

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arXiv2010

Molecular Disks in Radio Galaxies: The pathway to ALMA

Context. It has recently been proposed that the jets of low-luminosity radio galaxies are powered by direct accretion of the hot phase of the IGM onto the central black hole. Cold gas remains a plausible alternative fuel supply, however. The most compelling evidence that cold gas plays a role in fueling radio galaxies is that dust is detected more commonly and/or in larger quantities in (elliptical) radio galaxies compared with radio-quiet elliptical galaxies. On the other hand, only small numbers of radio galaxies have yet been detected in CO (and even fewer imaged), and whether or not all radio galaxies have enough cold gas to fuel their jets remains an open question. If so, then the dynamics of the cold gas in the nuclei of radio galaxies may provide important clues to the fuelling mechanism. Aims. The only instrument capable of imaging the molecular component on scales relevant to the accretion process is ALMA, but very little is yet known about CO in southern radio galaxies. Our aim is to measure the CO content in a complete volume-limited sample of southern radio galaxies, in order to create a well-defined list of nearby targets to be imaged in the near future with ALMA. Methods. APEX has recently been equipped with a receiver (APEX-1) able to observe the 230 GHz waveband. This allows us to search for CO(2-1) line emission in our target galaxies. Results. Here we present the results for our first three southern targets, proposed for APEX-1 spectroscopy during science verification: NGC3557, IC4296 and NGC1399. The experiment was successful with two targets detected, and possible indications for a double-horned CO line profile, consistent with ordered rotation. These early results are encouraging, demonstrating that APEX can efficiently detect CO in nearby radio galaxies. We therefore plan to use APEX to obtain CO spectroscopy for all our southern targets.

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arXiv2010

The AGN component in deep radio fields: Results from the First Look Survey

We are currently exploiting the deep radio/optical/IR information available for the extra-galactic component of the Spitzer First Look Survey (FLS) to investigate the physical properties of faint radio-selected AGNs, with the aim of studying the AGN component of sub-mJy radio fields. One of the key unresolved issues is whether, as a function of cosmic epoch, low-power AGNs are more related to efficiently accreting systems (mostly radio-quiet) or to systems with very low accretion rates (mostly radio-loud). Here we present a sample of optically identified radio-emitting AGNs extracted from the FLS. Preliminary results show that at the flux densities probed by the FLS (S(1.4 GHz)> 100 microJy) we still have a significant number of radio-loud AGNs, similarly to what found in 'brighter' sub-mJy radio samples. Very interestingly, however, we have also a clear and direct evidence of a population of radio-emitting AGNs in the FLS, whose properties are consistent with those expected from existing radio-quiet AGN modeling. Such AGNs could be recognised as such thanks to the availability of IR colors which proved to be especially useful to efficiently separate radio sources triggered by AGNs, from sources triggered by star-formation. This latter result supports the idea that radio-quiet AGNs are not necessarily radio silent, and very promisingly may indicate that the bulk of the radio-quiet AGN population could emerge from studies of deeper radio samples.

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arXiv2009

The ATESP 5 GHz radio survey. III. 4.8, 8.6 and 19 GHz follow-up observations of radio galaxies

[Abridged] Physical and evolutionary properties of the sub-mJy radio population are not entirely known. The radio/optical analysis of the ATESP 5 GHz sample has revealed a significant class of compact flat/inverted radio-spectrum sources associated to early-type galaxies up to redshift 2. Such sources are most plausibly triggered by an AGN, but their observational properties are not entirely consistent with those of standard radio galaxy populations. In the present work we aim at a better understanding of the radio spectra of such sources and ultimately of the nature of AGNs at sub-mJy flux levels. We used the ATCA to get multi-frequency (4.8, 8.6 and 19 GHz) quasi-simultaneous observations for a representative sub-sample of ATESP radio sources associated with early-type galaxies (26 objects with S>0.6 mJy). This can give us insight into the accretion/radiative mechanism that is at work, since different regimes display different spectral signatures in the radio domain. From the analysis of the radio spectra, we find that our sources are most probably jet-dominated systems. ADAF models are ruled out by the high frequency data, while ADAF+jet scenarios are still consistent with flat/moderately inverted-spectrum sources, but are not required to explain the data. We compared our sample with high (>20 GHz) frequency selected surveys, finding spectral properties very similar to the ones of much brighter (S>500 mJy) radio galaxies extracted from the Massardi et al. (2008) sample. Linear sizes of ATESP 5 GHz sources associated with early type galaxies are also often consistent with the ones of brighter B2 and 3C radio galaxies, with possibly a very compact component that could be associated at least in part to (obscured) radio-quiet quasar-like objects and/or low power BL Lacs.

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arXiv2008

A view of the sub-mJy populations, modelling and perspectives for future deep surveys

We use deep multi-colour (UBVRIJK) images mostly taken in the framework of the ESO Deep Public Survey (DPS) to optically identify and derive photometric redshifts for a complete sample of 131 radio sources with S>0.4 mJy, observed at both 1.4 and 5 GHz as part of the ATESP radio survey. The availability of multi-wavelength radio and optical information is exploited to infer the physical properties of the faint radio population. In particular we find that, considering both early-type galaxies and quasars as sources with an active nucleus, AGNs largely dominate our sample sub-mJy sample (78%). Further radio/optical analysis of such AGN component has revealed a somewhat unexpected class of flat/inverted-spectrum sources with low radio-to-optical ratios (R<100), which are preferentially identified with early-type galaxies. Such sources are quite compact (d<10-30 kpc), suggesting core-dominated radio emission triggered by low luminosity AGNs. This intriguing class of objects deserves further analysis, and new higher resolution radio observations are currently under way. In parallel we are developing radio source models, for both the AGN and the star-forming components of the sub-mJy radio pupulation. Here we discuss the first results.

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arXiv2007

The ATESP 5 GHz radio survey. II. Physical properties of the faint radio population

One of the most debated issues about sub-mJy radio sources, which are responsible for the steepening of the 1.4 GHz source counts, is the origin of their radio emission. Particularly interesting is the possibility of combining radio spectral index information with other observational properties to assess whether the sources are triggered by star formation or nuclear activity. The aim of this work is to study the optical and near infrared properties of a complete sample of 131 radio sources with S>0.4 mJy, observed at both 1.4 and 5 GHz as part of the ATESP radio survey. We use deep multi-colour (UBVRIJK) images, mostly taken in the framework of the ESO Deep Public Survey, to optically identify and derive photometric redshifts for the ATESP radio sources. Deep optical coverage and extensive colour information are available for 3/4 of the region covered by the radio sample. Typical depths of the images are U~25, B~26, V~25.4, R~25.5, I~24.3, 19.5 1000), typical of classical powerful radio galaxies and quasars. Flat-spectrum sources with low R values are preferentially identified with early type galaxies, where the radio emission is most probably triggered by low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. Considering both early type galaxies and quasars as sources with an active nucleus, such sources largely dominate our sample (78%). Flat-spectrum sources associated with early type galaxies are quite compact (d<10-30 kpc), suggesting core-dominated radio emission.

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arXiv2006

ESO Imaging survey: Optical Deep Public Survey

This paper presents new five passbands (UBVRI) optical wide-field imaging data accumulated as part of the DEEP Public Survey (DPS) carried out as a public survey by the ESO Imaging Survey (EIS) project. Out of the 3 square degrees originally proposed, the survey covers 2.75 square degrees, in at least one band (normally R), and 1.00 square degrees in five passbands. The median seeing, as measured in the final stacked images, is 0.97", ranging from 0.75" to 2.0". The median limiting magnitudes (AB system, 2" aperture, 5 sigma detection limit) are U_(AB)=25.65, B_(AB)=25.54, V_(AB)=25.18, R_(AB) = 24.8 and I_(AB)=24.12 mag, consistent with those proposed in the original survey design. The paper describes the observations and data reduction using the EIS Data Reduction System and its associated EIS/MVM library. The quality of the individual images were inspected, bad images discarded and the remaining used to produce final image stacks in each passband, from which sources have been extracted. Finally, the scientific quality of these final images and associated catalogs was assessed qualitatively by visual inspection and quantitatively by comparison of statistical measures derived from these data with those of other authors as well as model predictions, and from direct comparison with the results obtained from the reduction of the same dataset using an independent (hands-on) software system. Finally to illustrate one application of this survey, the results of a preliminary effort to identify sub-mJy radio sources are reported. To the limiting magnitude reached in the R and I passbands the success rate ranges from 66 to 81% (depending on the fields). These data are publicly available at CDS.

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arXiv2006

A Molecular Gas Study of Low Luminosity Radio Galaxies

We discuss CO spectral line data of a volume-limited sample of 23 nearby (z<0.03) low luminosity radio galaxies, selected from the B2 catalogue. We investigate whether the CO properties of our sample are correlated with the properties of the host galaxy, and in particular with the dust component. We find strong evidences for a physical link between the dust disks probed by HST in the galaxy cores and the molecular gas probed by the CO spectral lines, which in two cases display a double-horn shape, consistent with ordered rotation. On the other hand, from a preliminary comparison with other samples of radio sources we find no significant differences in molecular gas properties between FRI and FRII radio sources. In order to confirm the suggestion that the CO is dynamically associated with the core dust disks, the most suitable sources of our sample will be proposed for interferometric imaging at PdBI.

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arXiv2006

A Search for Molecular Gas in Low Luminosity Radio Galaxies

We discuss CO spectral line data of a volume-limited sample of 23 nearby (z<0.03) low luminosity radi galaxies, selected from the B2 catalogue. Most of such objects (16/23) have HST imaging. Our aim is to establish the distribution of molecular gas masses in low luminosity radio galaxies, in comparison with other radio source samples, confirm the suggestion that the CO is in ordered rotation, determine its relation to the dust disks observed in these objects with HST and establish targets for future interferometric imaging.

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arXiv2006

The ATESP 5 GHz radio survey I. Source counts and spectral index properties of the faint radio population

[Abridged] The nature and evolutionary properties of the faint radio population, responsible for the steepening observed in the 1.4 GHz source counts below 1 milliJy, are not yet entirely clear. Radio spectral indices may help to constrain the origin of the radio emission in such faint radio sources and may be fundamental in understanding eventual links to the optical light. We study the spectral index behaviour of sources that were found in the 1.4 GHz ATESP survey (Prandoni et al. 2000a,b). Using the Australia Telescope Compact Array we observed at 5 GHz part of the region covered by the sub-mJy ATESP survey. In particular we imaged a one square degree area for which deep optical imaging in UBVRIJK is available. In this paper we present the 5 GHz survey and source catalogue, we derive the 5 GHz source counts and we discuss the 1.4-5 GHz spectral index properties of the ATESP sources. The analysis of the optical properties of the sample will be the subject of a following paper. The 5 GHz survey has produced a catalogue of 111 radio sources, complete down to a (6 sigma) limit S_lim(5 GHz)~0.4 mJy. We take advantage of the better spatial resolution at 5 GHz (~2 arcsec compared to ~8 arcsec at 1.4 GHz) to infer radio source structures and sizes. The 5 GHz source counts derived by the present sample are consistent with those reported in the literature, but improve significantly the statistics in the flux range 0.4< S(5 GHz)<1 mJy. The ATESP sources show a flattening of the 1.4-5 GHz spectral index with decreasing flux density, which is particularly significant for the 5 GHz selected sample. Such a flattening confirm previous results coming from smaller samples and is consistent with a flattening of the 5 GHz source counts occurring at fluxes <=0.5 mJy.

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arXiv2005

High-frequency radio observations of the Kuehr sample and the epoch-dependent luminosity function of the flat-spectrum quasars

We discuss our ATCA 18.5 and 22 GHz flux density measurements of the Southern extragalactic sources in the complete 5-GHz sample of Kuehr et al. (1981). The high-frequency (5-18.5 GHz) spectral indices of steep-spectrum sources for which we have 18.5-GHz data (66% of the complete sample) are systematically steeper than the low-frequency (2.7-5 GHz) ones, and there is evidence of an anti-correlation of high-frequency spectral index with luminosity. The completeness of the 18.5-GHz data is much higher (89%) for flat-spectrum sources (mostly quasars), which also exhibit a spectral steepening. Taking advantage of the almost complete redshift information on flat-spectrum quasars, we have estimated their 5-GHz luminosity function in several redshift bins. The results confirm that their radio luminosity density peaks at z_peak \simeq 2.5 but do not provide evidence for deviations from pure luminosity evolution as hinted at by other data sets. A comparison of our 22-GHz flux density with WMAP K-band data for flat-spectrum sources suggests that WMAP flux densities may be low by a median factor of \simeq 1.2. The extrapolations of 5-GHz counts and luminosity functions of flat-spectrum radio quasars using the observed distribution of the 5-18.5 GHz spectral indices match those derived directly from WMAP data, indicating that the high-frequency WMAP survey does not detect any large population of FSRQs with anomalous spectra.

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arXiv2005

GaBoDS: The Garching-Bonn Deep Survey; IV. Methods for the Image reduction of multi-chip Cameras

We present our image processing system for the reduction of optical imaging data from multi-chip cameras. In the framework of the Garching Bonn Deep Survey (GaBoDS; Schirmer et al. 2003) consisting of about 20 square degrees of high-quality data from WFI@MPG/ESO 2.2m, our group developed an imaging pipeline for the homogeneous and efficient processing of this large data set. Having weak gravitational lensing as the main science driver, our algorithms are optimised to produce deep co-added mosaics from individual exposures obtained from empty field observations. However, the modular design of our pipeline allows an easy adaption to different scientific applications. Our system has already been ported to a large variety of optical instruments and its products have been used in various scientific contexts. In this paper we give a thorough description of the algorithms used and a careful evaluation of the accuracies reached. This concerns the removal of the instrumental signature, the astrometric alignment, photometric calibration and the characterisation of final co-added mosaics. In addition we give a more general overview on the image reduction process and comment on observing strategies where they have significant influence on the data quality.

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arXiv2004

Modeling the faint radio population: the nanoJy radio sky

The apparent change in the composition of the parent optical objects of radio sources around 1 mJy (at 1.4 GHz) is now well established, although there is still some debate about the relative importance of classical radio galaxies and star-forming galaxies at sub-mJy levels (see e.g. Gruppioni et al. 1999; Prandoni et al. 2001b). It is clear, however, that at microJy levels star-forming galaxies are dominant (see Fomalont et al. 1997; Haarsma et al. 2000). Does this mean that SKA will basically tell us more about the history of star formation than about the space density (and its cosmological evolution) of active galactic nuclei? Using current best estimates of luminosity functions (and their evolution) of various classes of objects, we show that the increasing dominance of star-forming galaxies below 1 mJy is a natural consequence of the different luminosity functions, but that this does not at all mean that star-forming galaxies do necessarily dominate at all sub-mJy flux levels and all redshifts.

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