arXiv subjects

J. A. de Diego

Publications and source records attributed to J. A. de Diego.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

The Lockman-SpReSO project. Description, target selection, observations and preliminary results

Context. Extragalactic surveys are a key tool for better understanding the evolution of galaxies. Both deep and wide-field surveys serve to provide a clearer emerging picture of the physical processes that take place in and around galaxies, and to identify which of these processes are the most important in shaping the properties of galaxies. Aims. The Lockman Spectroscopic Redshift Survey using Osiris (Lockman-SpReSO) aims to provide one of the most complete optical spectroscopic follow-ups of the far-infrared (FIR) sources detected by the \textit{Herschel} Space Observatory in the Lockman Hole (LH) field. The optical spectroscopic study of the FIR-selected galaxies supplies valuable information about the relation between fundamental FIR and optical parameters, including extinction, star formation rate, and gas metallicity. In this article, we introduce and provide an in-depth description of the Lockman-SpReSO project and of its early results. Methods. We selected FIR sources from \textit{Herschel} observations of the central 24 arcmin $\times$ 24 arcmin of the LH field with an optical counterpart up to 24.5 $R_{\rm C}$(AB). The sample comprises 956 \textit{Herschel} FIR sources, plus 188 additional interesting objects in the field. These are point X-ray sources, cataclysmic variable star candidates, high-velocity halo star candidates, radio sources, very red quasi-stellar objects, and optical counterparts of sub-millimetre galaxies. The faint component of the catalogue ($R_{\rm C}(\mathrm{AB})\geq20$) was observed using the OSIRIS instrument on the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias in multi-object spectroscopy (MOS) mode. The bright component was observed using two multi-fibre spectrographs: the AF2-WYFFOS at the William Herschel Telescope and the HYDRA instrument at the WYIN telescope.

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arXiv2021

Cosmic rays, neutrinos and GeV-TeV gamma rays from Starburst Galaxy NGC 4945

The detection of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) provides a new way to explore sources of cosmic rays. One of the highest energy neutrino events detected by IceCube, tagged as IC35, is close to the UHECR anisotropy region detected by Pierre Auger Observatory. The nearby starburst galaxy (SBG), NGC 4945, is close to this anisotropic region and inside the mean angular error of the IC35 event. Considering the hypernovae contribution located in the SB region of NGC 4945, which can accelerate protons up to $\sim 10^{17} \, {\rm eV}$ and inject them into the interstellar medium, we investigate the origin of this event around this starburst galaxy. We show that the interaction of these protons with the SB region's gas density could explain Fermi-LAT gamma-ray and radio observations if the magnetic field's strength in the SB region is the order of $\sim \rm mG$. Our estimated PeV neutrino events, in ten years, for this source is approximately 0.01 ($4\times10^{-4}$) if a proton spectral index of 2.4 (2.7) is considered, which would demonstrate that IC35 is not produced in the central region of this SBG. Additionally, we consider the superwind region of NGC 4945 and show that protons can hardly be accelerated in it up to UHEs.

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arXiv2020

The quasar main sequence and its potential for cosmology

The main sequence offers a method for the systematization of quasar spectral properties. Extreme FeII emitters (or extreme Population A, xA) are believed to be sources accreting matter at very high rates. They are easily identifiable along the quasar main sequence, in large spectroscopic surveys over a broad redshift range. The very high accretion rate makes it possible that massive black holes hosted in xA quasars radiate at a stable, extreme luminosity-to-mass ratio. After reviewing the basic interpretation of the main sequence, we report on the possibility of identifying virial broadening estimators from low-ionization line widths, and provide evidence of the conceptual validity of redshift-independent luminosities based on virial broadening for a known luminosity-to-mass ratio.

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arXiv2020

Extreme quasars as distance indicators in cosmology

Quasars accreting matter at very high rates (known as extreme Population A [xA] quasars, possibly associated with super-Eddington accreting massive black holes) may provide a new class of distance indicators covering cosmic epochs from present day up to less than 1 Gyr from the Big Bang. At a more fundamental level, xA quasars are of special interest in studies of the physics of AGNs and host galaxy evolution. However, their observational properties are largely unknown. xA quasars can be identified in relatively large numbers from major optical surveys over a broad range of redshifts, thanks to selection criteria defined from the systematic changes along the quasars main sequence. It has been possible to build a sample of about 250 quasars at low and intermediate redshift, and larger samples can be easily selected from the latest data releases of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. A large sample can clarify the main properties of xA quasars which are expected - unlike the general population of quasars - to radiate at an extreme, well defined Eddington ratio with small scatter. As a result of the small scatter in Eddington ratio shown by xA quasars, we propose a method to derive the main cosmological parameters based on redshift-independent "virial luminosity" estimates from measurements of emission line widths, roughly equivalent to the luminosity estimates based from line width in early and late type galaxies. A major issue related to the cosmological application of the xA quasar luminosity estimates from line widths is the identification of proper emission lines whose broadening is predominantly virial over a wide range of redshift and luminosity. We report on preliminary developments using the AlIII 1860 intermediate ionization line and the Hydrogen Balmer line H-beta as virial broadening estimators, and we briefly discuss the perspective of the method based on xA quasars.

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arXiv2019

Analysis of Fermi-LAT observations, UHECRs and neutrinos from the radio galaxy Centaurus B

Centaurus B (Cen B) is one of the closest and brightest radio-loud galaxy in the southern sky. This radio galaxy, proposed as a plausible candidate for accelerating ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), is near the highest-energy neutrino event reported (IC35) in the High-Energy Starting Events catalog. Pierre Auger observatory reported the highest energy comic rays during 10 years of collecting data with some of them around this source. In this paper, the analysis of the gamma-ray spectrum and the light curve above 200 MeV is presented with nine years of cumulative Fermi-LAT data around Cen B. Taking into consideration the multi-wavelength observations carried out about this radio galaxy, leptonic and hadronic scenarios are introduced in order to fit the spectral energy distribution, assuming that the gamma-ray flux is produced in a region close to the core and in the extended lobes. Using the best-fit values found, several physics properties of this radio galaxy are derived. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of the cosmic ray distribution around Cen B is performed, finding that this distribution is not different from the background at a level of significance of 5%. Considering the UHECR event associated to this source by Moskalenko et al. and extrapolating its luminosity to low energies, we do not find enough evidence to associate the highest-energy neutrino event (IC35) with this radio galaxy.

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arXiv2019

A multi-wavelength analysis of a collection of short-duration GRBs observed between 2012-2015

We investigate the prompt emission and the afterglow properties of short duration gamma-ray burst (sGRB) 130603B and another eight sGRB events during 2012-2015, observed by several multi-wavelength facilities including the GTC 10.4m telescope. Prompt emission high energy data of the events were obtained by INTEGRAL/SPI/ACS, Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM satellites. The prompt emission data by INTEGRAL in the energy range of 0.1-10 MeV for sGRB 130603B, sGRB 140606A, sGRB 140930B, sGRB 141212A and sGRB 151228A do not show any signature of the extended emission or precursor activity and their spectral and temporal properties are similar to those seen in case of other short bursts. For sGRB130603B, our new afterglow photometric data constraints the pre jet-break temporal decay due to denser temporal coverage. For sGRB 130603B, the afterglow light curve, containing both our new as well as previously published photometric data is broadly consistent with the ISM afterglow model. Modeling of the host galaxies of sGRB 130603B and sGRB 141212A using the LePHARE software supports a scenario in which the environment of the burst is undergoing moderate star formation activity. From the inclusion of our late-time data for 8 other sGRBs we are able to; place tight constraints on the non-detection of the afterglow, host galaxy or any underlying kilonova emission. Our late-time afterglow observations of the sGRB 170817A/GW170817 are also discussed and compared with the sub-set of sGRBs.

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arXiv2018

Study of the PeV Neutrino, $γ$-rays and UHECRs around The Lobes of Centaurus A

Pierre Auger observatory reported the distribution of arrival directions of the highest energy cosmic rays. These events were collected in 10 years of operations with declinations between -90$^\circ$ and +45$^\circ$. The IceCube neutrino telescope reported the detection of 82 extraterrestrial neutrinos in the High-Energy Starting Events catalog. The highest-energy neutrino event (IC35) reported in this catalog had an energy of 2004$^{+236}_{-262}$ TeV and its reconstruction was centered at RA=$208.4^\circ$ and DEC=$-55.8^\circ$ (J2000). Being Centaurus A the nearest radio-loud active Galactic nucleus and one of the potential candidates for accelerating cosmic rays up to $\sim\, 10^{20}$ eV, we show that the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) around the direction of Centaurus A (15$^\circ$ radius) could be accelerated inside the giant lobes. Studying the composition of UHECRs through the photo-disintegration processes, the maximum energy that these can reach in the giant lobes and the average deflecting angles that nuclei undergo due to Galactic and extragalactic magnetic fields, it is shown that the most promise candidates of UHECR composition are light nuclei such as carbon/nitrogen nuclei. Considering the interactions of the relativistic carbon nuclei with photon fields (extragalactic background light and synchrotron) and materials (inside and outside the lobes), we do not find enough evidence to associate the IC35 event with the UHECRs reported by Pierre Auger observatory.

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arXiv2017

Photometric Observations of Supernova 2013cq Associated with GRB 130427A

We observed the afterglow of GRB 130427A with the RATIR instrument on the 1.5-m Harold L. Johnson telescope of the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional on Sierra San Pedro Mártir. Our homogenous $griZYJH$ photometry extends from the night of burst to three years later. We fit a model for the afterglow. There is a significant positive residual which matches the behavior of SN 1998bw in the $griZ$ filters; we suggest that this is a photometric signature of the supernova SN 2013cq associated with the GRB. The peak absolute magnitude of the supernova is $M_r=-18.43\pm0.11$.

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arXiv2016

Detecting microvariability in type 2 quasars using enhanced F-test

Microvariability (intra-night variability) is a low amplitude flux change at short time scales (i.e. hours). It has been detected in unobscured type 1 AGNs and blazars. However in type 2 AGNs, the detection is hampered by the low contrast between the presumably variable nucleus and the host galaxy. In this paper, we present a search for microvariability in a sample of four type 2 quasars as an astrostatistical problem. We are exploring the use of a newly introduced enhanced F-test, proposed by de Diego 2014. The presented results show that out of our four observed targets, we were able to apply this statistical method to three of them. Evidence of microvariations is clear in the case of quasar J0802+2552 in all used filters (g',r' and i') during both observing nights, the microvariations are present in one of the nights of observations of J1258+5239 in one filter (i'), while for the J1316+4452, there is evidence for microvariability within our detection levels during one night and two filters (r' and i'). We demonstrate the feasibility of the enhanced F-test to detect microvariability in obscured type 2 quasars. At the end of this paper, we discuss possible causes of microvariability. One of the options is the misclassification of the targets. A likely scenario for explanation of the phenomenon involves optically thin gaps in a clumpy obscuring medium, in accordance with the present view of the circumnuclear region. There is a possible interesting connection between the merging state of the targets and detection of microvariability.

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arXiv2016

Optical and near-infrared observations of SN 2013dx associated with GRB 130702A

We present optical and near-infrared light curves and optical spectra of SN 2013dx, associated with the nearby (redshift 0.145) gamma-ray burst GRB 130702A. The prompt isotropic gamma-ray energy released from GRB 130702A is measured to be $E_{γ,iso}=6.4_{-1.0}^{+1.3}\times10^{50}$erg (1keV-10MeV in the rest frame), placing it intermediate between low-luminosity GRBs like GRB 980425/SN 1998bw and the broader cosmological population. We compare the observed $g'r'i'z'$ light curves of SN 2013dx to a SN 1998bw template, finding that SN 2013dx evolves ~20% faster (steeper rise time), with a comparable peak luminosity. Spectroscopically, SN 2013dx resembles other broad-lined Type Ic supernovae, both associated with (SN 2006aj and SN 1998bw) and lacking (SN 1997ef, SN 2007I, and SN 2010ah) gamma-ray emission, with photospheric velocities around peak of ~21,000km s$^{-1}$. We construct a quasi-bolometric ($g'r'i'z'yJ$) light curve for SN 2013dx, only the fifth GRB-associated SN with extensive NIR coverage and the third with a bolometric light curve extending beyond $Δt>40$d. Together with the measured photospheric velocity, we derive basic explosion parameters using simple analytic models. We infer a $^{56}$Ni mass of $M_{\mathrm{Ni}}=0.37\pm0.01$M$_{\odot}$, an ejecta mass of $M_{\mathrm{ej}}=3.1\pm0.1$M$_{\odot}$, and a kinetic energy of $E_{\mathrm{K}}=(8.2\pm0.43)\times10^{51}$ erg (statistical uncertainties only), consistent with previous GRB-associated SNe. When considering the ensemble population of GRB-associated SNe, we find no correlation between the mass of synthesized $^{56}$Ni and high-energy properties, despite clear predictions from numerical simulations that $M_{\mathrm{Ni}}$ should correlate with the degree of asymmetry. On the other hand, $M_{\mathrm{Ni}}$ clearly correlates with the kinetic energy of the supernova ejecta across a wide range of core-collapse events.

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arXiv2015

Jeans analysis of the Galactic thick disk and the local dark matter density

Dynamical estimates of the mass surface density at the solar radius can be made up to a height of 4 kpc using thick disk stars as tracers of the potential. We investigate why different Jeans estimators of the local surface density lead to puzzling and conflicting results. Using the Jeans equations, we compute the vertical (F_z) and radial (F_R) components of the gravitational force, as well as Gamma(z), defined as the radial derivative of V_c^2, with V_c^{2}= -RF_R. If we assume that the thick disk does not flare and that all the components of the velocity dispersion tensor of the thick disk have a uniform radial scalelength of 3.5 kpc, Gamma takes implausibly large negative values, when using the currently available kinematical data of the thick disk. This implies that the input parameters or the model assumptions must be revised. We have explored, using a simulated thick disk, the impact of the assumption that the scale lengths of the density and velocity dispersions do not depend on the vertical height z above the midplane. In the lack of any information about how these scale radii depend on z, we define a different strategy. By using a parameterized Galactic potential, we find that acceptable fits to F_z, F_R and Gamma are obtained for a flaring thick disk and a spherical dark matter halo with a local density larger than 0.0064 M_sun pc^{-3}. Disk-like dark matter distributions might be also compatible with the current data of the thick disk. A precise measurement of Gamma at the midplane could be very useful to discriminate between models.

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arXiv2015

Happy Birthday Swift: Ultra-long GRB141121A and its broad-band Afterglow

We present our extensive observational campaign on the Swift-discovered GRB141121A, al- most ten years after its launch. Our observations covers radio through X-rays, and extends for more than 30 days after discovery. The prompt phase of GRB 141121A lasted 1410 s and, at the derived redshift of z = 1.469, the isotropic energy is Eγ,iso = 8.0x10^52 erg. Due to the long prompt duration, GRB141121A falls into the recently discovered class of UL-GRBs. Peculiar features of this burst are a flat early-time optical light curve and a radio-to-X-ray rebrightening around 3 days after the burst. The latter is followed by a steep optical-to-X-ray decay and a much shallower radio fading. We analyze GRB 141121A in the context of the standard forward-reverse shock (FS,RS) scenario and we disentangle the FS and RS contributions. Finally, we comment on the puzzling early-time (t ~3 d) behavior of GRB 141121A, and suggest that its interpretation may require a two-component jet model. Overall, our analysis confirms that the class of UL-GRBs represents our best opportunity to firmly establish the prominent emission mechanisms in action during powerful GRB explosions, and future missions (like SVOM, XTiDE, or ISS-Lobster) will provide many more of such objects.

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arXiv2015

Mapping optically variable quasars towards the galactic plane

We present preliminary results of the CIDA Equatorial Variability Survey (CEVS), looking for quasar (hereafter QSO) candidates near the Galactic plane. The CEVS contains photometric data from extended and adjacent regions of the Milky Way disk ($\sim$ 500 sq. deg.). In this work 2.5 square degrees with moderately high temporal sampling in the CEVS were analyzed. The selection of QSO candidates was based on the study of intrinsic optical photometric variability of 14,719 light curves. We studied samples defined by cuts in the variability index (Vindex $>$ 66.5), periodicity index (Q $>$ 2), and the distribution of these sources in the plane (AT , $γ$), using a slight modification of the first-order of the structure function for the temporal sampling of the survey. Finally, 288 sources were selected as QSO candidates. The results shown in this work are a first attempt to develop a robust method to detect QSO towards the Galactic plane in the era of massive surveys such as VISTA and Gaia.

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arXiv2015

The central engine of GRB 130831A and the energy breakdown of a relativistic explosion

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions in the universe, yet the nature and physical properties of their energy sources are far from understood. Very important clues, however, can be inferred by studying the afterglows of these events. We present optical and X-ray observations of GRB 130831A obtained by Swift, Chandra, Skynet, RATIR, Maidanak, ISON, NOT, LT and GTC. This burst shows a steep drop in the X-ray light-curve at $\simeq 10^5$ s after the trigger, with a power-law decay index of $α\sim 6$. Such a rare behaviour cannot be explained by the standard forward shock (FS) model and indicates that the emission, up to the fast decay at $10^5$ s, must be of "internal origin", produced by a dissipation process within an ultrarelativistic outflow. We propose that the source of such an outflow, which must produce the X-ray flux for $\simeq 1$ day in the cosmological rest frame, is a newly born magnetar or black hole. After the drop, the faint X-ray afterglow continues with a much shallower decay. The optical emission, on the other hand, shows no break across the X-ray steep decrease, and the late-time decays of both the X-ray and optical are consistent. Using both the X-ray and optical data, we show that the emission after $\simeq 10^5$ s can be explained well by the FS model. We model our data to derive the kinetic energy of the ejecta and thus measure the efficiency of the central engine of a GRB with emission of internal origin visible for a long time. Furthermore, we break down the energy budget of this GRB into the prompt emission, the late internal dissipation, the kinetic energy of the relativistic ejecta, and compare it with the energy of the associated supernova, SN 2013fu.

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arXiv2015

Nature of Intra-night Optical Variability of BL Lacertae

We present the results of extensive multi-band intra-night optical monitoring of BL Lacertae during 2010--2012. BL Lacertae was very active in this period and showed intense variability in almost all wavelengths. We extensively observed it for a total for 38 nights; on 26 of them observations were done quasi-simultaneously in B, V, R and I bands (totaling 113 light curves), with an average sampling interval of around 8 minutes. BL Lacertae showed significant variations on hour-like timescales in a total of 19 nights in different optical bands. We did not find any evidence for periodicities or characteristic variability time-scales in the light curves. The intranight variability amplitude is generally greater at higher frequencies and decreases as the source flux increases. We found spectral variations in BL Lacertae in the sense that the optical spectrum becomes flatter as the flux increases but in several flaring states deviates from the linear trend suggesting different jet components contributing to the emission at different times.

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arXiv2015

Testing microvariability in quasar differential light curves using several field stars

Microvariability consists in small time scale variations of low amplitude in the photometric light curves of quasars, and represents an important tool to investigate their inner core. Detection of quasar microvariations is challenging for their non-periodicity, as well as the need for high monitoring frequency and high signal-to-noise ratio. Statistical tests developed for the analysis of quasar differential light curves usually show either low power or low reliability, or both. In this paper we compare two statistical procedures that include several stars to perform tests with enhanced power and high reliability. We perform light curve simulations of variable quasars and non-variable stars, and analyze them with statistical procedures developed from the F-test and the analysis of variance. The results show a large improvement in the power of both statistical probes, and a larger reliability, when several stars are included in the analysis. The results from the simulations agree with those obtained from observations of real quasars. The high power and high reliability of the tests discussed in this paper improve the results that can be obtained from short and long time scale variability studies. These techniques are not limited to quasar variability; on the contrary, they can be easily implemented to other sources such as variable stars. Their applications to future research and to the analysis of large field photometric monitoring archives can reveal new variable sources.

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arXiv2015

A detailed study of the optical attenuation of gamma-ray bursts in the Swift era

We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) photometry of 28 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the \textit{Swift} satellite and rapidly observed by the Reionization and Transients Infrared/Optical (RATIR) camera. We compare the optical flux at fiducial times of 5.5 and 11 hours after the high-energy trigger to that in the X-ray regime to quantify optical darkness. 46$\pm$9 per cent (13/28) of all bursts in our sample and 55$\pm$10 per cent (13/26) of long GRBs are optically dark, which is statistically consistently with previous studies. Fitting RATIR optical and NIR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 19 GRBs, most (6/7) optically dark GRBs either occur at high-redshift ($z>4.5$) or have a high dust content in their host galaxies ($A_{\rm V} > 0.3$). Performing K-S tests, we compare the RATIR sample to those previously presented in the literature, finding our distributions of redshift, optical darkness, host dust extinction and X-ray derived column density to be consistent. The one reported discrepancy is with host galaxy dust content in the BAT6 sample, which appears inconsistent with our sample and other previous literature. Comparing X-ray derived host galaxy hydrogen column densities to host galaxy dust extinction, we find that GRBs tend to occur in host galaxies with a higher metal-to-dust ratio than our own Galaxy, more akin to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Finally, to mitigate time evolution of optical darkness, we measure $β_{\rm OX,rest}$ at a fixed rest frame time, $t_{\rm rest}=1.5$ hours and fixed rest frame energies in the X-ray and optical regimes. Choosing to evaluate optical flux at $λ_{\rm rest}=0.25~μ$m, we remove high-redshift as a source of optical darkness, demonstrating that optical darkness must result from either high-redshift, dust content in the host galaxy along the GRB sight line, or a combination of the two.

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arXiv2014

A Trio of GRB-SNe: GRB 120729A, GRB 130215A / SN 2013ez and GRB 130831A / SN 2013fu

We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) photometry for three gamma-ray burst supernovae (GRB-SNe): GRB 120729A, GRB 130215A / SN 2013ez and GRB 130831A / SN 2013fu. In the case of GRB 130215A / SN 2013ez, we also present optical spectroscopy at t-t0=16.1 d, which covers rest-frame 3000-6250 Angstroms. Based on Fe II (5169) and Si (II) (6355), our spectrum indicates an unusually low expansion velocity of 4000-6350 km/s, the lowest ever measured for a GRB-SN. Additionally, we determined the brightness and shape of each accompanying SN relative to a template supernova (SN 1998bw), which were used to estimate the amount of nickel produced via nucleosynthesis during each explosion. We find that our derived nickel masses are typical of other GRB-SNe, and greater than those of SNe Ibc that are not associated with GRBs. For GRB 130831A / SN 2013fu, we use our well-sampled R-band light curve (LC) to estimate the amount of ejecta mass and the kinetic energy of the SN, finding that these too are similar to other GRB-SNe. For GRB 130215A, we take advantage of contemporaneous optical/NIR observations to construct an optical/NIR bolometric LC of the afterglow. We fit the bolometric LC with the millisecond magnetar model of Zhang & Meszaros (2001), which considers dipole radiation as a source of energy injection to the forward shock powering the optical/NIR afterglow. Using this model we derive an initial spin period of P=12 ms and a magnetic field of B=1.1 x 10^15 G, which are commensurate with those found for proposed magnetar central engines of other long-duration GRBs.

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