arXiv subjects

Joel N. Bregman

Publications and source records attributed to Joel N. Bregman.

158 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv1998

The Closest Damped Lyman Alpha System

A difficulty of studying damped Lyman alpha systems is that they are distant, so one knows little about the interstellar medium of the galaxy. Here we report upon a damped Lyman alpha system in the nearby galaxy NGC 4203, which is so close (v_helio = 1117 km/s) and bright (B_o = 11.62) that its HI disk has been mapped. The absorption lines are detected against Ton 1480, which lies only 1.9' (12 h_50 kpc) from the center of NGC 4203. Observations were obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph on HST (G270H grating) over the 2222-3277 Angstrom region with 200 km/s resolution. Low ionization lines of Fe, Mn, and Mg were detected, leading to metallicities of -2.29, < -0.68, and > -2.4, which are typical of other damped Lyman alpha systems, but well below the stellar metallicity of this type of galaxy. Most notably, the velocity of the lines is 1160 +- 10 km/s, which is identical to the HI rotational velocity of 1170 km/s at that location in NGC 4203, supporting the view that these absorption line systems can be associated with the rotating disks of galaxies. In addition, the line widths of the Mg lines give an upper limit to the velocity dispersion of 167 km/s, to the 99% confidence level.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

The Dependence of the Soft X-ray Properties of LMXBs on the Metallicity of Their Environment

We determine the X-ray spectral properties of a sample of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) which reside in globular clusters of M31, as well as five LMXBs in Galactic globular clusters and in the Large Magellanic Cloud using the ROSAT PSPC. We find a trend in the X-ray properties of the LMXBs as a function of globular cluster metallicity. The spectra of LMXBs become progressively softer as the metallicity of its environment increases. The one M31 globular cluster LMXB in our sample which has a metallicity greater than solar has spectral properties similar to those of LMXBs in the bulge of M31, but markedly different from those which reside in low metallicity globular clusters, both in M31 and the Galaxy. The spectral properties of this high metallicity LMXB is also similar to those of X-ray faint early-type galaxies. This lends support to the claim that a majority of the X-ray emission from these X-ray faint early-type galaxies results from LMXBs and not hot gas, as is the case in their X-ray bright counterparts.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

On the Extreme Ultraviolet Emission from Galaxy Clusters

An extremely soft X-ray excess throughout galaxy clusters has been claimed as a new feature of these sytems, with important physical implications. We have reexamined this feature in the five clusters for which it has been discussed, using the most recent X-ray absorption cross sections, X-ray data processing techniques, and a consistent set of HI data. For the Virgocluster, we find that the spectrum can be fit with a single-temperature thermal plasma and with an X-ray absorption column that is not significantly different than the Galactic HI column. The result for Abell 1367, Abell 1656 (Coma), Abell 1795, and Abell 2199 is similar in that the difference betweenthe X-ray absorption column and the Galactic HI column is less than 3-sigma for He/H = 0.09, and for He/H = 0.10 only one cluster location leads to a Galactic HI column more than 3-sigma above the X-ray absorption column (Coma, with one location with a 3.6-sigma difference). We conclude that there is no strong evidence for the extremely soft X-ray excess in galaxy clusters.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Measuring Molecular, Neutral Atomic, and Warm Ionized Galactic Gas Through X-Ray Absorption

We study the column densities of neutral atomic, molecular, and warm ionized Galactic gas through their continuous absorption of extragalactic X-ray spectra at |b| > 25 degrees. For N(H,21cm) < 5x10^20 cm^-2 there is an extremely tight relationship between N(H,21cm) and the X-ray absorption column, N(xray), with a mean ratio along 26 lines of sight of N(xray)/N(H,21cm) = 0.972 +- 0.022. This is significantly less than the anticpated ratio of 1.23, which would occur if He were half He I and half He II in the warm ionized component. We suggest that the ionized component out of the plane is highly ionized, with He being mainly He II and He III. In the limiting case that H is entirely HI, we place an upper limit on the He abundance in the ISM of He/H <= 0.103. At column densities N(xray) > 5x10^20 cm^-2, which occurs at our lower latitudes, the X-ray absorption column N(xray) is nearly double N(H,21cm). This excess column cannot be due to the warm ionized component, even if He were entirely He I, so it must be due to a molecular component. This result implies that for lines of sight out of the plane with |b| ~ 30 degrees, molecular gas is common and with a column density comprable to N(H,21cm). This work bears upon the far infrared background, since a warm ionized component, anticorrelated with N(H,21cm), might produce such a background. Not only is such an anticorrelation absent, but if the dust is destroyed in the warm ionized gas, the far infrared background may be slightly larger than that deduced by Puget et al. (1996).

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

The Identification of Quasars Behind Elliptical Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies

The detection of resonance absorption lines against known objects such as individual galaxies and clusters of galaxies is a powerful approach for studying the gas content of these systems. We describe an efficient method of identifying background quasars suitable for absorption line studies. In this finding technique, we identify serendipitous X-ray sources, about 1/8 of which are suitably bright quasars at moderate redshift. We identify 16 new quasars and galaxies with active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and confirm 5 known quasars and AGNs, superimposed behind elliptical galaxies and clusters of galaxies. We also present 3 QSO/AGN candidates with uncertain redshift identifications.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Far-Infrared Emission From E and E/S0 Galaxies

Studies of cold material through IRAS 60um and 100um observations indicated that half of ordinary E and E/S0 galaxies were detected above the 3 sigma level, indicating that cold gas is common, although no correlation was found between the optical and far- infrared fluxes. Most detections were near the instrumental threshold, and given an improved understanding of detection confidence, we reconsider the 60um and 100um detection rate. After excluding active galactic nuclei, peculiar systems, and background contamination, only 15 non-peculiar E and E/S0 galaxies from the RSA catalog are detected above the 98% confidence level, about 12% of the sample. An unusually high percentage of these 15 galaxies possess cold gas (HI, CO) and optical emission lines (Halpha), supporting the presence of gas cooler than 10E4 K. The 60um to 100um flux ratios imply a median dust temperature for the sample of 30 K, with a range of 23-38 K. These detections define the upper envelope of the optical to far-infrared relationship, F_fir propto F_B^0.24+/-0.08, showing that optically bright objects are also brighter in the infrared, although with considerable dispersion. A luminosity correlation is present with L_fir propto L_B^1.65+/-0.28, but the dust temperature is uncorrelated with luminosity. Models that contain large dust grains composed of amorphous carbon plus silicates come close to reproducing the typical 60um to 100um flux ratios, the far-infrared luminosity, and the L_fir - L_B relationship.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

X-Ray Emission from Early-Type Galaxies: A Complete Sample Observed by ROSAT

To test the cooling flow model of early-type galaxies, we obtained a complete magnitude-limited sample of 34 early-type galaxies, observed with the PSPC and HRI on ROSAT. The X-ray to optical distribution of galaxies implies a lower envelope that is consistent with the stellar emission inferred from Cen A. When this stellar component is removed, the gaseous emission is related to the optical luminosity by Lx proportional to L_B^m, where m = 3.0-3.5, significantly steeper than the standard theory (m = 1.7). The dispersion about the correlation is large, with a full range of 30-100 in Lx for a fixed L_B. The X-ray temperature is related to the velocity dispersion temperature as Tx proportional to Tsigma^n, where n = 1.43 +/- 0.21, although for several galaxies, Tx is about twice Tsigma. The excessively hot galaxies are generally the most luminous and are associated with the richest environments. We suggest a model whereby environment influences the X-ray behavior of these galaxies: early-type galaxies attempt to drive partial or total galactic winds, which can be stifled by the pressure of their environment. Stifled winds should lead to hotter and higher luminosity systems, which would occur most commonly in the richest environments, as observed.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Far Infrared Emission from Galaxy Clusters and Early-Type Galaxies

Infrared emission has been detected from normal elliptical galaxies and from clusters of galaxies at 60um and 100um with the IRAS satellite. In both cases, the emission has the characteristics of cool dust with a temperature near 30K. For the elliptical galaxies, there is a correlation between the optical luminosities and the far infrared luminosities. The likely source of the dust in these systems is mass loss from stars, which is heated by starlight and either is distributed throughout the galaxy or falls into a central disk. Analysis of upcoming ISO data will permit us to distinguish between these possibilities. The far infrared emission from clusters of galaxies is of high luminosity but is only detected in 10% of the cases. The heating is either due to electron impact from the hot gas (a suitable explanation for one cluster) or photon absorption. The source of the dust is probably gas stripped from galaxies. For clusters, ISO data will provide good mass determinations and positions, thereby allowing us to determine the source of the heating.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Recent X-Ray Observations of SN1986J with ASCA and ROSAT

We present ASCA and ROSAT observations of SN 1986J covering the period 1991 August to 1996 January. From observations with the ROSAT HRI and PSPC, we find that the 0.5-2.5 keV flux decreased proportional to $t^{-2}$ during this period; the ASCA data are consistent with this result and extend it to the 2-10 keV band. ASCA spectra from 1994 January and 1996 January are consistent with thermal emission from a solar metallicity plasma at an equilibrium temperature kT = 5-7.5 keV, somewhat hotter than that observed from other X-ray supernovae. These spectra also show a clear Fe K emission line at 6.7 keV with FWHM < 20,000 km/s (90% confidence). This limit on the line width is consistent with the reverse shock model of Chevalier & Fransson (1994), but does not rule out the clumpy wind model of Chugai (1993).

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Global Models of the Galactic Interstellar Medium: Comparison to X-Ray and H I Observations

In a previous paper, we calculated numerical hydrodynamic models of the interstellar medium in the Galaxy, which suggested that hot gas (T $\ge$ 3 $\times$ 10$^5$ K) has a filling factor near 50\% in the midplane (Rosen \& Bregman 1995, ApJ 440, 634). Here we extend the work to examine the X-ray emission characteristics of the best model and calculate a variety of observable measures for comparison with the observed soft X-ray background. We calculate the X-ray intensities, spectra, and hardness ratios in two soft X-ray bands as Galactic latitude and cool gas column are varied, and make comparisons with observational data. The observed distribution of N$_{H I}$ is similar to that seen from one of the simulated bubbles, with the important exception that the minimum hydrogen column in the model is too low. Also, there are clear examples of anticorrelations between H I and X-ray emission as well as correlations between H I and X-rays, which is caused by an increased emission measure as a shock enters a cool gas region. Statistically, anticorrelations are slightly more common than correlations. X-ray spectra are calculated from the models and these reveal that for observations to have strong diagnostic power in probing the hot ISM, a spectral resolution of E/$Δ$E $>$ 30 is required. This analysis demonstrates several shortcomings of our model, which may be solved by future simulations that include magnetic fields.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Properties of Simulated Compact Groups of Galaxies

We analyze compact groups of galaxies appearing in a galaxy formation simulation dominated by cold dark matter (omega_0=1, omega_{baryon}=0.1). The simulation uses an N-body code to model the behavior of the non-baryonic matter and smoothed particle hydrodynamics to model the baryons. One run includes gas dynamics alone, and the other incorporates star formation as well. Groups identified as physically compact at z=0 form originally along filaments and become compact in the final ~20% of the simulation; they contain x-ray--luminous diffuse gas well before becoming compact. The component masses, baryon fractions, and gas-to-galaxy mass fractions of the simulated groups are roughly similar somewhat more gas-rich and have x-ray temperatures a factor of 3 lower than those seen in HCGs. These discrepancies may be alleviated by adding the effects of energy input into the diffuse group gas by star formation and supernovae.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Deep Optical Observations of Compact Groups of Galaxies

Compact groups of galaxies appear to be extremely dense, making them likely sites of intense galaxy interaction, while their small populations make them relatively simple to analyze. In order to search for optical interaction tracers such as diffuse light and galaxy tidal features in Hickson compact groups (HCGs), we carried out deep photometry in three filters on a sample of HCGs with $ROSAT$ observations. Using a modeling procedure to subtract the light of bright early-type galaxies, we found shell systems and extended envelopes around many, but not all, of those galaxies. Only one group in our sample, HCG 94, has diffuse light in the group potential (with a luminosity of 7 L$^*$); the other groups do not contain more than 1/3 L$^*$ in diffuse light. With the exception of HCG 94 (which is the most X-ray--luminous HCG), we found no correlation between the presence of shells or other tidal features and the X-ray luminosity of a group. Better predictors of detectable group X-ray emission are a low spiral fraction and belonging to a larger galaxy condensation---neither of which are correlated with optical disturbances in the group galaxies. Two elliptical galaxies that are extremely optically luminous but X-ray--faint are found to have shells and very complex color structures. This is likely due to recent infall of gas-rich material into the galaxies, which would produce both the disruption of stellar orbits and a significant amount of star formation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

ROSAT Observations of Compact Groups of Galaxies

We have systematically analyzed a sample of 13 new and archival ROSAT PSPC observations of compact groups of galaxies: 12 Hickson Compact Groups plus the NCG 2300 group. We find that approximately two-thirds of the groups have extended X-ray emission and, in four of these, the emission is resolved into diffuse emission from gas at a temperature of $k$T $\sim 1$ keV in the group potential. All but one of the groups with extended emission have a spiral fraction of less than 50\%. The baryon fraction of groups with diffuse emission is 5--19\%, similar to the values in clusters of galaxies. However, with a single exception (HCG 62), the gas-to-stellar-mass ratio in our groups has a median value near 5\%, somewhat greater than the values for individual early-type galaxies and two orders of magnitude lower than in clusters of galaxies. The X-ray luminosities of individual group galaxies are comparable to those of similar field galaxies, although the L$_X$-L$_B$ relation for early-type galaxies may be flatter in compact groups than in the field.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1992

Extended Hot Gas Halos Around Starburst Galaxies

Reanalysis of Einstein IPC data and new observations from the GINGA LAC indicate the presence of extended X-ray emission (10-50 kpc) around the starburst galaxy M82. Here we model this emission by calculating numerical hydrodynamic simulations of the starburst event to much later times and larger scales than previously considered. For our models, we adopt a supernova rate of 0.1 ${\rm yr}^{-1}$, and an extended low-density static halo that is bound to the galaxy. There are three stages to the evolution of the wind-blown bubble and the propagation of the shock front: the bubble expands in an almost uniform density disk gas, with a deceleration of the shock front ($t \alt $ 3.6 Myr); breakout from the disk and the upward acceleration of the shock front (3.6 Myr $\alt t \alt$ 18 Myr); propagation into the halo, leading to a more spherical system and shock deceleration (18 Myr $\alt t$). For a halo density of $10^{-3} {\rm cm}^{-3}$, the outflow reaches a distance of 40-50 kpc from the center of the starburst galaxy in 50 Myr. We calculate the time evolution of the X-ray luminosity and find that the extended starburst emits $3\times 10^{39}\lcgs$ to $10^{40}\lcgs$ in the GINGA LAC band and $\sim 10^{41}\lcgs$ in the Einstein or ROSAT HRI band. The degree of the ionization equilibrium in the outflow and its effect on the iron K$α$ line emission are discussed.

astro-ph↗