arXiv subjects

James Petley

Publications and source records attributed to James Petley.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The SKA-VLBI Perspective on Radio-Quiet AGN

The accretion-ejection mechanism in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) remains a central open problem in astrophysics, tied to the role of AGN feedback in galaxy formation and evolution. Radio-quiet AGN dominate the observed AGN population. Lacking luminous jets, their radio emission traces a rich set of processes spanning the host galaxy kpc scales down to the vicinity of the supermassive black hole: star formation, AGN-driven winds and shocks, free-free emission from photo-ionized gas, low-power jets, and coronal activity close to the inner accretion disk. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will probe these processes across a wide frequency range with unprecedented sensitivity, wide-field survey capability, and, critically, high-resolution VLBI imaging. Flux, spectral, and polarization monitoring will constrain dynamics and environmental coupling, while mapping nuclear regions on sub-pc to kpc scales will disentangle compact cores from host emission, resolving the diversity of radio activity across accretion regimes and jet powers from the local Universe to the cosmic dawn. At the full AA4 deployment, the SKA-MID phased into global VLBI arrays will deliver sub-milliarcsecond imaging and $\mu$Jy sensitivity over 0.35--15\,GHz, enabling the first population-level census of radio-quiet AGN nuclei. Earlier AA$\ast$ operations will support pilot studies of the brightest nearby systems.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

The sub-arcsecond ILT view of the Bo\"{o}tes Deep Field: A link between low-frequency kiloparsec radio morphology and AGN driven ionised outflows

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) outflows can regulate host galaxy evolution via AGN feedback. Ionised gas outflows have been linked to enhanced radio emission. In the first paper of this series, AGN detected with the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) at 6" were more likely to host an [O III] 5007 outflow than AGN not detected, although only high-powered jets were ruled out as the origin of radio emission. New wide-field, sub-arcsecond resolution imaging at 144 MHz with the ILT now enables a resolved morphological study of this sample. We present the first wide-field, sub-arcsecond images of the Bo\"otes Deep Field at 144 MHz, detecting 4074 sources in the $\sim$0.3" image with a central sensitivity of 33.8 uJy $\mathrm{beam^{-1}}$. For 47 AGN matched in AGN luminosity, we probe radio emission on kiloparsec-scales to investigate correlations with [O III] outflows. This sample spans $z<0.83$, $10^{40}<L_{\mathrm{[O III]}}<10^{43}~\mathrm{erg~s^{-1}}$, and $10^{21}<L_{\mathrm{144MHz}}<10^{24.5}~\mathrm{W~Hz^{-1}}$. We find that if we detect an AGN on both large-scales (6") and small-scales (0.3"), 90$\pm$7 per cent have an [O III] outflow, compared to 63$\pm$9 per cent of sources detected on large-scales, but undetected on small-scales. Furthermore, 17$\pm$6 per cent of sources without an [O III] outflow are detected on kiloparsec-scales, compared to 51$\pm$12 per cent of sources with an [O III] outflow. This implies a connection between [O III] outflows and kiloparsec-scale radio emission, which is likely AGN-driven. In contrast, AGN without an [O III] outflow are dominated by diffuse radio emission, likely to be associated with star formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

A decade of sub-arcsecond imaging with the International LOFAR Telescope

The International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) is a pan-European radio interferometer with baselines up to 2,000 km. This provides sub-arcsecond resolution at frequencies of <200 MHz. Since starting science operations in 2012, the ILT has carried out observations for the state-of-the-art LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey, which has 6 arcsec resolution at 144 MHz. Wide-area surveys at low frequencies, while scientifically productive, have to compromise on resolution. Sub-arcsecond imaging with the ILT has become more accessible over the last decade, thanks to efforts to build a publicly available pipeline using LOFAR-specific tools, which has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of publications. The ILT's combination of resolution, field of view, and low observing frequency make it a unique instrument for a wide range of scientific applications, and it will remain unparalleled even in the era of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory. Here we provide an overview of the technical considerations and calibration methods sub-arcsecond imaging with the ILT. This is followed by a review of the unique capabilities unlocked by sub-arcsecond imaging with the ILT, using examples from the literature for demonstration. Finally we describe ongoing work including: surveying large areas of the sky at high resolution, going deeper in fields with excellent ancillary information, producing images of polarisation, and extending to lower frequencies (<100 MHz).

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2024

Unveiling AGN Outflows: [O iii] Outflow Detection Rates and Correlation with Low-Frequency Radio Emission

Some Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) host outflows which have the potential to alter the host galaxy's evolution (AGN feedback). These outflows have been linked to enhanced radio emission. Here we investigate the connection between low-frequency radio emission using the International LOFAR Telescope and [O III] $\lambda$5007 ionised gas outflows using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) Deep Fields, we select 198 AGN with optical spectra, 115 of which are detected at 144 MHz, and investigate their low-frequency radio emission properties. The majority of our sample do not show a radio excess when considering radio luminosity - SFR relationship, and are therefore not driven by powerful jets. We extract the [O III] $\lambda$5007 kinematics and remove AGN luminosity dependencies by matching the radio detected and non-detected AGN in $L_{\mathrm{6\mu m}}$ and redshift. Using both spectral fitting and $W_{80}$ measurements, we find radio detected AGN have a higher outflow rate (67.2$\pm$3.4 percent) than the radio non-detected AGN (44.6$\pm$2.7 percent), indicating a connection between ionised outflows and the presence of radio emission. For spectra where there are two components of the [O III] emission line present, we normalise all spectra by the narrow component and find that the average broad component in radio detected AGN is enhanced compared to the radio non-detected AGN. This could be a sign of higher gas content, which is suggestive of a spatial relationship between [O III] outflows and radio emission in the form of either low-powered jets or shocks from AGN winds.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

A panchromatic view of infrared quasars: excess star formation and radio emission in the most heavily obscured systems

To understand the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) phenomenon and their impact on the evolution of galaxies, a complete AGN census is required; however, finding heavily obscured AGNs is observationally challenging. Here we use the deep and extensive multi-wavelength data in the COSMOS field to select a complete sample of 578 infrared (IR) quasars ($L_{\rm AGN,IR}>10^{45}\rm \: erg\: s^{-1}$) at $z<3$, with minimal obscuration bias, using detailed UV-to-far IR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. We complement our SED constraints with X-ray and radio observations to further investigate the properties of the sample. Overall, 322 of the IR quasars are detected by Chandra and have individual X-ray spectral constraints. From a combination of X-ray stacking and $L_{\rm 2-10\rm keV}$ - $L_{\rm 6\: μm}$ analyses, we show that the majority of the X-ray faint and undetected quasars are heavily obscured (many are likely Compton thick), highlighting the effectiveness of the mid-IR band to find obscured AGNs. We find that 355 ($\approx$61%) IR quasars are obscured ($N_{\rm H}>10^{22}\rm \: cm^{-2}$) and identify differences in the average properties between the obscured and unobscured quasars: (1) obscured quasars have star-formation rates $\approx 3$ times higher than unobscured systems for no significant difference in stellar mass and (2) obscured quasars have stronger radio emission than unobscured systems, with a radio-loudness parameter $\approx 0.2 \rm \: dex$ higher. These results are inconsistent with a simple orientation model but in general agreement with either extreme host-galaxy obscuration towards the obscured quasars or a scenario where obscured quasars are an early phase in the evolution of quasars.

astro-ph.GA↗