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J. Christopher Mihos

Publications and source records attributed to J. Christopher Mihos.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2014

The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. VIII. The Spatial Distribution of Globular Clusters in the Virgo Cluster

We report on a large-scale study of the distribution of globular clusters (GCs) throughout the Virgo cluster, based on photometry from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey, a large imaging survey covering Virgo's primary subclusters to their virial radii. Using the g', (g'-i') color-magnitude diagram of unresolved and marginally-resolved sources, we constructed 2-D maps of the GC distribution. We present the clearest evidence to date showing the difference in concentration between red and blue GCs over the extent of the cluster, where the red (metal-rich) GCs are largely located around the massive early-type galaxies, whilst the blue (metal-poor) GCs have a more extended spatial distribution, with significant populations present beyond 83' (215 kpc) along the major axes of M49 and M87. The GC distribution around M87 and M49 shows remarkable agreement with the shape, ellipticity and boxiness of the diffuse light surrounding both galaxies. We find evidence for spatial enhancements of GCs surrounding M87 that may be indicative of recent interactions or an ongoing merger history. We compare the GC map to the locations of Virgo galaxies and the intracluster X-ray gas, and find good agreement between these baryonic structures. The Virgo cluster contains a total population of 67300$\pm$14400 GCs, of which 35% are located in M87 and M49 alone. We compute a cluster-wide specific frequency S_N,CL=$2.8\pm0.7$, including Virgo's diffuse light. The GC-to-baryonic mass fraction is e_b=$5.7\pm1.1\times10^{-4} $and the GC-to-total cluster mass formation efficiency is e_t=$2.9\pm0.5\times10^{-5}$, values slightly lower than, but consistent with, those derived for individual galactic halos. Our results show that the production of the complex structures in the unrelaxed Virgo cluster core (including the diffuse intracluster light) is an ongoing process.(abridged)

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2013

The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. IV. NGC 4216: A Bombarded Spiral in the Virgo Cluster

We present an investigation into the origins of a series of interlaced narrow filamentary stellar structures, loops and plumes in the vicinity of the Virgo Cluster, edge-on spiral galaxy, NGC 4216 that were previously identified by the Blackbird Telescope. Using the deeper, higher-resolution and precisely calibrated optical CFHT/MegaCam images obtained as part of the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS), we confirm the previously identified features and identify a few additional structures. The NGVS data allowed us to make a physical study of these low-surface brightness features and investigate their origin. The likely progenitors of the structures were identified as either already catalogued VCC dwarfs or newly discovered satellites caught in the act of being destroyed. They have the same g-i color index and likely contain similar stellar populations. The alignment of three dwarfs along an apparently single stream is intriguing, and we cannot totally exclude that these are second-generation dwarf galaxies being born inside the filament from the debris of an original dwarf. The observed complex structures, including in particular a stream apparently emanating from a satellite of a satellite, point to a high rate of ongoing dwarf destruction/accretion in the region of the Virgo Cluster where NGC 4216 is located. We discuss the age of the interactions and whether they occurred in a group that is just falling into the cluster and shows signs of so-called "pre-processing" before it gets affected by the cluster environment, or in a group which already ventured towards the central regions of Virgo Cluster.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2012

Exploring the unusually high black hole-to-bulge mass ratios in NGC4342 and NGC4291: the asynchronous growth of bulges and black holes

We study two nearby, early-type galaxies, NGC4342 and NGC4291, that host unusually massive black holes relative to their low stellar mass. The observed black hole-to-bulge mass ratios of NGC4342 and NGC4291 are ~6.9% and ~1.9%, respectively, which significantly exceed the typical observed ratio of ~0.2%. As a consequence of the exceedingly large black hole-to-bulge mass ratios, NGC4342 and NGC4291 are ~5.1 sigma and ~3.4 sigma outliers from the M_BH - M_bulge scaling relation, respectively. In this paper, we explore the origin of the unusually high black hole-to-bulge mass ratio. Based on Chandra X-ray observations of the hot gas content of NGC4342 and NGC4291, we compute gravitating mass profiles, and conclude that both galaxies reside in massive dark matter halos, which extend well beyond the stellar light. The presence of dark matter halos around NGC4342 and NGC4291 and a deep optical image of the environment of NGC4342 indicate that tidal stripping, in which >90% of the stellar mass was lost, cannot explain the observed high black hole-to-bulge mass ratios. Therefore, we conclude that these galaxies formed with low stellar masses, implying that the bulge and black hole did not grow in tandem. We also find that the black hole mass correlates well with the properties of the dark matter halo, suggesting that dark matter halos may play a major role in regulating the growth of the supermassive black holes.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2012

Stripped gas as fuel for newly formed HII regions in the encounter between VCC1249 and M49: a unified picture from NGVS and GUViCS

Context: We study the peculiar interacting galaxy system of VCC1249/M49 located in the core of the Virgo B subcluster. Owing to a recent interaction between the dwarf galaxy VCC1249 and the halo gas of the gE M49, neutral hydrogen has been displaced from the interstellar medium of this dwarf into the Virgo ICM. Observations also reveal multiple compact star-forming regions that are embedded in this HI cloud, with a projected separation up to 13 kpc from VCC1249 in the northwest direction. Aims: Motivated by recent NUV imaging from GUViCS of the VCC1249/M49 system that shows significant ongoing/recent star formation in the compact regions, we aim to constrain the origin of these outlying HII regions with a multi-wavelength approach. Methods: Using deep optical (u, g, i, z) imaging from NGVS and new Halpha imaging obtained at the San Pedro Martir observatory together with Keck long-slit spectroscopy, we characterize the SFR, ages, and metallicity of VCC1249 and its outlying compact regions. Moreover, we analyze the color and luminosity profile of the galaxy to investigate its recent interaction with M49. Results: Our new observations indicate that VCC1249 underwent a recent interaction with M49 in which both ram-pressure stripping and tidal interaction occured. The joint action of the two mechanisms led to the removal of the HI gas from the ISM of VCC1249, while the gravitational tides triggered the stellar tail and counter-tail of VCC1249. Our SED analysis reveals that the star formation in this galaxy was truncated around 200 Myr ago and that the outlying HII regions were born in situ about 10 Myr ago out of pre-enriched gas removed from the dwarf galaxy. These observations also reveal that interactions between central and satellite galaxies similar to the one between VCC1249/M49 may be an effective way of dispersing metals into the halos of massive galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

The ongoing assembly of a central cluster galaxy: Phase-space substructures in the halo of M87

The halos of galaxies preserve unique records of their formation histories. We carry out the first combined observational and theoretical study of phase-space halo substructure in an early-type galaxy: M87, the central galaxy in the Virgo cluster. We analyze an unprecedented wide-field, high-precision photometric and spectroscopic data set for 488 globular clusters (GCs), which includes new, large-radius Subaru/Suprime-Cam and Keck/DEIMOS observations. We find signatures of two substructures in position-velocity phase-space. One is a small, cold stream associated with a known stellar filament in the outer halo; the other is a large shell-like pattern in the inner halo that implies a massive, hitherto unrecognized accretion event. We perform extensive statistical tests and independent metallicity analyses to verify the presence and characterize the properties of these features, and to provide more general methodologies for future extragalactic studies of phase-space substructure. The cold outer stream is consistent with a dwarf galaxy accretion event, while for the inner shell there is tension between a low progenitor mass implied by the cold velocity dispersion, and a high mass from the large number of GCs, which might be resolved by a ~0.5 L* E/S0 progenitor. We also carry out proof-of-principle numerical simulations of the accretion of smaller galaxies in an M87-like gravitational potential. These produce analogous features to the observed substructures, which should have observable lifetimes of ~1 Gyr. The shell and stream GCs together support a scenario where the extended stellar envelope of M87 has been built up by a steady rain of material that continues until the present day. This phase-space method demonstrates unique potential for detailed tests of galaxy formation beyond the Local Group.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

The Burrell-Optical-Kepler-Survey (BOKS) I: Survey Description and Initial Results

We present the initial results of a 40 night contiguous ground-based campaign of time series photometric observations of a 1.39 sq. deg field located within the NASA Kepler mission field of view. The goal of this pre-launch survey was to search for transiting extrasolar planets and to provide independent variability information of stellar sources. We have gathered a data set containing light curves of 54,687 stars from which we have created a statistical sub-sample of 13,786 stars between 14< r <18.5 and have statistically examined each light curve to test for variability. We present a summary of our preliminary photometric findings including the overall level and content of stellar variability in this portion of the Kepler field and give some examples of unusual variable stars found within. We present a preliminary catalog of 2,457 candidate variable stars, of which 776 show signs of periodicity. We also present three potential exoplanet candidates, all of which should be observable in detail by the Kepler mission.

astro-ph.EP↗
arXiv2011

Optical Colors of Intracluster Light in the Virgo Cluster Core

We continue our deep optical imaging survey of the Virgo cluster using the CWRU Burrell Schmidt telescope by presenting B-band surface photometry of the core of the Virgo cluster in order to study the cluster's intracluster light (ICL). We find ICL features down to mu_b ~ 29 mag sq. arcsec, confirming the results of Mihos et al. (2005), who saw a vast web of low-surface brightness streams, arcs, plumes, and diffuse light in the Virgo cluster core using V-band imaging. By combining these two data sets, we are able to measure the optical colors of many of the cluster's low-surface brightness features. While much of our imaging area is contaminated by galactic cirrus, the cluster core near the cD galaxy, M87, is unobscured. We trace the color profile of M87 out to over 2000 arcsec, and find a blueing trend with radius, continuing out to the largest radii. Moreover, we have measured the colors of several ICL features which extend beyond M87's outermost reaches and find that they have similar colors to the M87's halo itself, B-V ~ 0.8. The common colors of these features suggests that the extended outer envelopes of cD galaxies, such as M87, may be formed from similar streams, created by tidal interactions within the cluster, that have since dissolved into a smooth background in the cluster potential.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2011

The Quantity of Intracluster Light: Comparing Theoretical and Observational Measurement Techniques Using Simulated Clusters

Using a suite of N-body simulations of galaxy clusters specifically tailored to study the intracluster light (ICL) component, we measure the quantity of ICL using a number of different methods previously employed in the literature for both observational and simulation data sets. By measuring the ICL of the clusters using multiple techniques, we identify systematic differences in how each detection method identifies the ICL. We find that techniques which define the ICL solely based on the current position of the cluster luminosity, such as a surface brightness or local density threshold, tend to find less ICL than methods utilizing time or velocity information, including stellar particles' density history or binding energy. The range of ICL fractions (the fraction of the clusters' total luminosity found in the ICL component) we measure at z=0 across all our clusters using any definition span the range from 9-36%, and even within a single cluster different methods can change the measured ICL fraction by up to a factor of two. Separating the cluster's central galaxy from the surrounding ICL component is a challenge for all ICL techniques, and because the ICL is centrally concentrated within the cluster, the differences in the measured ICL quantity between techniques are largely a consequence of this central galaxy/ICL separation. We thoroughly explore the free parameters involved with each measurement method, and find that adjusting these parameters can change the measured ICL fraction by up to a factor of two. While for all definitions the quantity of ICL tends to increase with time, the ICL fraction does not grow at a uniform rate, nor even monotonically under some definitions. Thus, the ICL can be used as a rough indicator of dynamical age, where more dynamically advanced clusters will on average have higher ICL fractions.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2010

Diffuse Tidal Structures in the Halos of Virgo Ellipticals

We use deep V-band surface photometry of five of the brightest elliptical galaxies in the Virgo cluster to search for diffuse tidal streams, shells, and plumes in their outer halos (r > 50 kpc). We fit and subtract elliptical isophotal models from the galaxy images to reveal a variety of substructure, with surface brightnesses in the range mu_V= 26-29 mag/arcsec^2. M49 possesses an extended, interleaved shell system reminiscent of the radial accretion of a satellite companion, while M89's complex system of shells and plumes suggests a more complicated accretion history involving either multiple events or a major merger. M87 has a set of long streamers as might be expected from stripping of low luminosity dwarfs on radial orbits in Virgo. M86 also displays a number of small streams indicative of stripping of dwarf companions, but these comprise much less luminosity than those of M87. Only M84 lacks significant tidal features. We quantify the photometric properties of these structures, and discuss their origins in the context of each galaxy's environment and kinematics within the Virgo cluster.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2009

The Connection Between Diffuse Light and Intracluster Planetary Nebulae in the Virgo Cluster

We compare the distribution of diffuse intracluster light detected in the Virgo Cluster via broadband imaging with that inferred from searches for intracluster planetary nebulae (IPNe). We find a rough correspondence on large scales (~ 100 kpc) between the two, but with very large scatter (~ 1.3 mag/arcsec^2). On smaller scales (1 -- 10 kpc), the presence or absence of correlation is clearly dependent on the underlying surface brightness. On these scales, we find a correlation in regions of higher surface brightness (mu_V < ~27) which are dominated by the halos of large galaxies such as M87, M86, and M84. In those cases, we are likely tracing PNe associated with galaxies rather than true IPNe. In true intracluster fields, at lower surface brightness, the correlation between luminosity and IPN candidates is much weaker. While a correlation between broadband light and IPNe is expected based on stellar populations, a variety of statistical, physical, and methodological effects can act to wash out this correlation and explain the lack of a strong correlation at lower surface brightness found here. [abridged]

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2009

Tidal Streams of Intracluster Light

Using N-body simulations, we have modeled the production and evolution of substructures in the intracluster light (ICL) of a simulated galaxy cluster. We use a density-based definition of ICL, where ICL consists of luminous particles which are at low densities, to identify ICL particles and track their evolution. We have implemented a friends-of-friends-type clustering algorithm which finds groups of particles correlated in both position and velocity space to identify substructures in the ICL, hereafter referred to as ``streams''. We find that ~40% of the cluster's ICL is generated in the form of these massive (M > 7.0x10^8 Msun), dynamically cold streams. The fraction of the ICL generated in streams is greater early in the cluster's evolution, when galaxies are interacting in the group environment, than later in its evolution when the massive cluster potential has been assembled. The production of streams requires the strong tidal fields associated with close interactions between pairs of galaxies, and is usually associated with merging pairs of galaxies, or fast, close encounters with the cluster's central galaxy. Once streams are formed, they begin to decay as they are disrupted by the tidal field of the cluster. We find that streams have decay timescales which are ~1.5 times their dynamical time in the cluster.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2009

Luminous Infrared Galaxies with the Submillimeter Array: II. Comparing the CO(3-2) Sizes and Luminosities of Local and High-Redshift Luminous Infrared Galaxies

We present a detailed comparison of the CO(3-2) emitting molecular gas between a local sample of luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) and a high redshift sample that comprises submm selected galaxies (SMGs), quasars, and Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs). The U/LIRG sample consists of our recent CO(3-2) survey using the Submillimeter Array while the CO(3-2) data for the high redshift population are obtained from the literature. We find that the L(CO(3-2)) and L(FIR) relation is correlated over five orders of magnitude, which suggests that the molecular gas traced in CO(3-2) emission is a robust tracer of dusty star formation activity. The near unity slope of 0.93 +/- 0.03 obtained from a fit to this relation suggests that the star formation efficiency is constant to within a factor of two across different types of galaxies residing in vastly different epochs. The CO(3-2) size measurements suggest that the molecular gas disks in local U/LIRGs (0.3 - 3.1 kpc) are much more compact than the SMGs (3 - 16 kpc), and that the size scales of SMGs are comparable to the nuclear separation (5 - 40 kpc) of the widely separated nuclei of U/LIRGs in our sample. We argue from these results that the SMGs studied here are predominantly intermediate stage mergers, and that the wider line-widths arise from the violent merger of two massive gas-rich galaxies taking place deep in a massive halo potential.

astro-ph.CO↗
arXiv2008

Constraining the NFW Potential with Observations and Modeling of LSB Galaxy Velocity Fields

We model the NFW potential to determine if, and under what conditions, the NFW halo appears consistent with the observed velocity fields of low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. We present mock DensePak IFU velocity fields and rotation curves of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric potentials that are well-matched to the spatial resolution and velocity range of our sample galaxies. We find that the DensePak IFU can accurately reconstruct the velocity field produced by an axisymmetric NFW potential and that a tilted-ring fitting program can successfully recover the corresponding NFW rotation curve. We also find that non-axisymmetric potentials with fixed axis ratios change only the normalization of the mock velocity fields and rotation curves and not their shape. The shape of the modeled NFW rotation curves does not reproduce the data: these potentials are unable to simultaneously bring the mock data at both small and large radii into agreement with observations. Indeed, to match the slow rise of LSB galaxy rotation curves, a specific viewing angle of the non-axisymmetric potential is required. For each of the simulated LSB galaxies, the observer's line-of-sight must be along the minor axis of the potential, an arrangement which is inconsistent with a random distribution of halo orientations on the sky.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2008

Luminous Infrared Galaxies with the Submillimeter Array: I. Survey Overview and the Central Gas to Dust Ratio

We present new data obtained with the Submillimeter Array for a sample of fourteen nearby luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. The galaxies were selected to have luminosity distances D < 200 Mpc and far-infrared luminosities log(L_FIR) > 11.4. The galaxies were observed with spatial resolutions of order 1 kpc in the CO J=3-2, CO J=2-1, 13CO J=2-1, and HCO+ J=4-3 lines as well as the continuum at 880 microns and 1.3 mm. We have combined our CO and continuum data to measure an average gas-to-dust mass ratio of 120 +/- 28 (rms deviation 109) in the central regions of these galaxies, very similar to the value of 150 determined for the Milky Way. This similarity is interesting given the more intense heating from the starburst and possibly accretion activity in the luminous infrared galaxies compared to the Milky Way. We find that the peak H_2 surface density correlates with the far-infrared luminosity, which suggests that galaxies with higher gas surface densities inside the central kiloparsec have a higher star formation rate. The lack of a significant correlation between total H_2 mass and far-infrared luminosity in our sample suggests that the increased star formation rate is due to the increased availability of molecular gas as fuel for star formation in the central regions. In contrast to previous analyses by other authors, we do not find a significant correlation between central gas surface density and the star formation efficiency, as trace by the ratio of far-infrared luminosity to nuclear gas mass. Our data show that it is the star formation rate, not the star formation efficiency, that increases with increasing central gas surface density in these galaxies.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

The Toomre Sequence Revisited with HST/NICMOS: Nuclear Brightness Profiles and Colors of Interacting and Merging Galaxies

We discuss the near-infrared properties of the nuclei in the 11 merging galaxies of the Toomre sequence, based on high spatial resolution J, H, and K imaging data using NICMOS onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The observations are less affected by dust extinction than our previous HST/WFPC2 observations and offer higher spatial resolution than existing ground-based near-IR data. We see a marginal trend for the nuclei to become bluer with advancing merger stage, which we attribute to a dispersal of dust at late times in the merging process. Our data also indicate a statistically significant trend for the nuclei in the sequence to become more luminous, within an aperture of fixed physical size and after correcting for dust extinction, with advancing merger stage. We derive K-band surface brightness profiles for those nuclei for which the morphology allows a meaningful isophotal analysis, and fit the profiles with a ``Nuker law'' for comparison with other samples of galaxies observed with HST. The majority of the nuclei have steep profiles that can be characterized as power-law type. In general, the Toomre sequence galaxies tend to have steeper profiles and higher central luminosity surface densities than E/S0's. We derive V-K color profiles for the nuclei to further address this possibility, but find that the large amounts of dust extinction complicate their interpretation. Overall, our results are consistent with the generic predictions of N-body simulations of spiral galaxy mergers. If left to evolve and fade for several Gyrs, it is possible that the properties of the Toomre sequence nuclei would resemble theproperties of the nuclei of normal E/S0 galaxies. Our results therefore support the view that mergers of spiral galaxies can lead to the formation of early-type galaxies (Abridged).

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

The Formation and Evolution of Intracluster Light

Using N-body simulations, we have modeled the production and evolution of diffuse, low surface brightness intracluster light (ICL) in three simulated galaxy clusters. Using an observational definition of ICL to be luminosity at a surface brightness mu_V>26.5 mag/sq.arcsec, we have found that the fraction of cluster luminosity contained in ICL generally increases as clusters evolve, although there are large deviations from this trend over short timescales, including sustained periods of decreasing ICL luminosity. Most ICL luminosity increases come in short, discrete events which are highly correlated with group accretion events within the cluster. In evolved clusters we find that ~10-15% of the clusters' luminosity is at ICL surface brightness. The morphological structure of the ICL changes with time, evolving from a complex of filaments and small-scale, relatively high surface brightness features early in a cluster's history, to a more diffuse and amorphous cluster-scale ICL envelope at later times. Finally, we also see a correlation between the evolution of ICL at different surface brightnesses, including a time delay between the evolution of faint and extremely faint surface brightness features which is traced to the differing dynamical timescales in the group and cluster environment.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Simulating Diffuse Light in Galaxy Clusters

Using N-body simulations, we have modeled the production and evolution of low surface brightness, diffuse intra-cluster light (ICL) in galaxy clusters. By creating simulated observations of the clusters we have measured the evolution of the ICL luminosity throughout the dynamical history of the clusters. We find that ICL production tends to occur in short, discrete events, which correlate very strongly with strong, small-scale interactions and accretions between groups within the clusters.

astro-ph↗