arXiv subjects

L. F. Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to L. F. Rodriguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Radio Detection of a Local Little Red Dot

Context. One of the most important discoveries by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the unexpected existence in the Early Universe (z > 4) of very large quantities of "Little Red Dots" (LRDs), compact luminous red galaxies of intriguing physical properties. One of those intriguing properties is the absence of radio detections in high redshift LRDs. Aims. We wish to know if LRDs have radio emission that may be produced by accreting Intermediate/Supermassive Black Holes (IMBHs/SMBHs) or by frequent supernovae (SNe) from a cluster of massive stars. Methods. Assuming LRDs at high redshifts have not been detected at radio wavelengths due to their large distances and/or present limitations of observational capabilities, we analyse here archive Very Large Array radio observations of J1047+0739 and J1025+1402, two analog candidates of LRDs in the Local Universe (LLRDs) at redshifts z = 0.1 - 0.2. Results. The LLRD source J1047+0739 at z = 0.1682 is detected at 6.0 GHz in 2018 with the VLA-A (Very Large Array) as a compact source with radius less than 0.2 arcsec ($<$700 pc at d = 750 Mpc). Its flux density was 117$\pm$8 $\mu$Jy and its in-band spectral index was -0.85$\pm$0.24, which is typical of optically-thin synchrotron emission. It was also detected at 5.0 GHz in 2010 with the VLA-C, showing a flux density of 130$\pm$9 $\mu$Jy. Conclusions. The observed flux densities can be provided by either a radio luminous supernova or an accreting IMBH/SMBH. However, the lack of important variation in flux density over eight years favors the IMBH/SMBH hypothesis. Radio time monitoring of this and other LLRDs could help clarify the mystery of the radio silence of its cosmological counterparts.

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arXiv2018

Resolving the polarized dust emission of the disk around the massive star powering the HH~80-81 radio jet

Here we present deep (16 mumJy), very high (40 mas) angular resolution 1.14 mm, polarimetric, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations towards the massive protostar driving the HH 80-81 radio jet. The observations clearly resolve the disk oriented perpendicular to the radio jet, with a radius of ~0.171 arcsec (~291 au at 1.7 kpc distance). The continuum brightness temperature, the intensity profile, and the polarization properties clearly indicate that the disk is optically thick for a radius of R<170 au. The linear polarization of the dust emission is detected almost all along the disk and its properties suggest that dust polarization is produced mainly by self-scattering. However, the polarization pattern presents a clear differentiation between the inner (optically thick) part of the disk and the outer (optically thin) region of the disk, with a sharp transition that occurs at a radius of 0.1 arcsec (~170 au). The polarization characteristics of the inner disk suggest that dust settling has not occurred yet with a maximum dust grain size between 50 and 500 mum. The outer part of the disk has a clear azimuthal pattern but with a significantly higher polarization fraction compared to the inner disk. This pattern is broadly consistent with self-scattering of a radiation field that is beamed radially outward, as expected in the optically thin outer region, although contribution from non-spherical grains aligned with respect to the radiative flux cannot be excluded.

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arXiv2017

A comparison of the radio and optical time-evolution of HH~1 and 2

We present a comparison between the time-evolution over the past $\sim 20$ years of the radio continuum and H$α$ emission of HH~1 and 2. We find that the radio continuum and the H$α$ emission of both objects show very similar trends, with HH~1 becoming fainter and HH~2 brightening quite considerably (about a factor of 2). We also find that the $F_{\rm Hα}/F_{ff}$ (H$α$ to free-free continuum) ratio of HH~1 and 2 has higher values than the ones typically found in planetary nebulae (PNe) which we interpret as an indication that the H$α$ and free-free emission of HH~1/2 is produced in emitting regions with lower temperatures ($\sim 2000$~K) than the emission of PNe (with $\sim 10^4$~K).

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arXiv2017

JVLA Observations of Young Brown Dwarfs

We present sensitive 3.0 cm JVLA radio continuum observations of six regions of low-mass star formation that include twelve young brown dwarfs and four young brown dwarf candidates. We detect a total of 49 compact radio sources in the fields observed, of which 24 have no reported counterparts and are considered new detections. Twelve of the radio sources show variability in timescales of weeks to months, suggesting gyrosynchrotron emission produced in active magnetospheres. Only one of the target brown dwarfs, FU Tau A, was detected. However, we detected radio emission associated with two of the brown dwarf candidates, WL 20S and CHLT 2. The radio flux densities of the sources associated with these brown dwarf candidates are more than an order of magnitude larger than expected for a brown dwarf and suggest a revision of their classification. In contrast, FU Tau A falls on the well-known correlation between radio luminosity and bolometric luminosity, suggesting that the emission comes from a thermal jet and that this brown dwarf seems to be forming as a scaled-down version of low-mass stars.

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arXiv2016

The Radio Jet Associated with the Multiple V380 Ori System

The giant Herbig-Haro object 222 extends over $\sim$6$'$ in the plane of the sky, with a bow shock morphology. The identification of its exciting source has remained uncertain over the years. A non-thermal radio source located at the core of the shock structure was proposed to be the exciting source. However, Very Large Array studies showed that the radio source has a clear morphology of radio galaxy and a lack of flux variations or proper motions, favoring an extragalactic origin. Recently, an optical-IR study proposed that this giant HH object is driven by the multiple stellar system V380 Ori, located about 23$'$ to the SE of HH 222. The exciting sources of HH systems are usually detected as weak free-free emitters at centimeter wavelengths. Here we report the detection of an elongated radio source associated with the Herbig Be star or with its close infrared companion in the multiple V380 Ori system. This radio source has the characteristics of a thermal radio jet and is aligned with the direction of the giant outflow defined by HH~222 and its suggested counterpart to the SE, HH~1041. We propose that this radio jet traces the origin of the large scale HH outflow. Assuming that the jet arises from the Herbig Be star, the radio luminosity is a few times smaller than the value expected from the radio-bolometric correlation for radio jets, confirming that this is a more evolved object than those used to establish the correlation.

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arXiv2014

Jet-induced star formation by a microquasar

Theoretical and observational work show that jets from AGN can trigger star formation. However, in the Milky Way the first -and so far- only clear case of relativistic jets inducing star formation has been found in the surroundings of the microquasar GRS 1915+105. Here we summarize the multiwavelength observations of two compact star formation IRAS sources axisymmetrically located and aligned with the position angle of the sub-arcsec relativistic jets from the stellar black hole binary GRS 1915+105 (Mirabel & Rodriguez 1994). The observations of these two star forming regions at centimeter (Rodriguez & Mirabel 1998), millimeter and infrared (Chaty et al. 2001) wavelengths had suggested -despite the large uncertainties in the distances a decade ago- that the jets from GRS 1915+105 are triggering along the radio jet axis the formation of massive stars in a radio lobe of bow shock structure. Recently, Reid et al.(2014) found that the jet source and the IRAS sources are at the same distance, enhancing the evidence for the physical association between the jets from GRS 1915+105 and star formation in the IRAS sources. We conclude that as jets from AGN, jets from microquasars can trigger the formation of massive stars, but at distances of a few tens of parsecs. Although star formation induced by microquasar jets may not be statistically significant in the Milky Way, jets from stellar black holes may have been important to trigger star formation during the re-ionization epoch of the universe (Mirabel et al. 2011). Because of the relative proximity of GRS 1915+105 and the associated star forming regions, they may serve as a nearby laboratory to gain insight into the physics of jet-trigger star formation elsewhere in the universe.

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arXiv2014

JVLA Observations of IC 348SW: Compact Radio Sources and their Nature

We present sensitive 2.1 and 3.3 cm JVLA radio continuum observations of the region IC 348 SW. We detect a total of 10 compact radio sources in the region, of which seven are first reported here. One of the sources is associated with the remarkable periodic time-variable infrared source LRLL 54361, opening the possibility of monitoring this object at radio wavelengths. Four of the sources appear to be powering outflows in the region, including HH 211 and HH 797. In the case of the rotating outflow HH 797 we detect at its center a double radio source, separated by $\sim3"$. Two of the sources are associated with infrared stars that possibly have gyrosynchrotron emission produced in active magnetospheres. Finally, three of the sources are interpreted as background objects.

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arXiv2014

The Peculiar Radio Source M17 JVLA 35

M17 JVLA 35 is a radio source detected in projection against the M17 HII region. In recent observations, its spectrum between 4.96 and 8.46 GHz was found to be positive and very steep, with $α\geq 2.9 \pm 0.6$ ($S_ν\propto ν^α$). Here we present Very Large Array observations made in the 18.5 to 36.5 GHz region that indicate a spectral turnover at $\sim$13 GHz and a negative spectral index ($α\simeq -2.0$) at higher frequencies. The spectrum is consistent with that of an extragalactic High Frequency Peaker (HFP). However, M17 JVLA 35 has an angular size of $\sim0\rlap.{''}5$ at 8.46 GHz, while HFPs have extremely compact, milliarcsecond dimensions. We discuss other possible models for the spectrum of the source and do not find them feasible. Finally, we propose that M17 JVLA35 is indeed an HFP but that its angular size becomes broadened by plasma scattering as its radiation travels across M17. If our interpretation is correct, accurate measurements of the angular size of M17 JVLA35 across the centimeter range should reveal the expected $ν^{-2}$ dependence.

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arXiv2014

Radio Continuum Sources associated with the HH~92 and HH~34 Jets

We present high angular resolution, high sensitivity 8.46 GHz (3.6 cm) radio continuum observations made toward the core of the HH~92 outflow with the Very Large Array in 2002-2003 and with the Expanded Very Large Array in 2011. We detect a group of three compact sources distributed in a region 2$''$ in extension and discuss their nature. We conclude that one of the objects (VLA 1) is the exciting source of the giant outflow associated with HH~92. In the case of HH~34 we present new 43.3 GHz (7 mm) observations that reveal the presence of a structure associated with the exciting source and elongated perpendicular to the highly collimated optical jet in the region. We propose that this 7 mm source is a circumstellar disk with radius of $\sim$80 AU and mass of $\sim$0.21 $M_\odot$.

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arXiv2014

The planetary nebula nature and properties of IRAS18197-1118

IRAS18197-1118 is a stellar-like object that has been classified as a planetary nebula from its radio continuum emission and high [SIII]9532 to Paschen9 line intensity ratio, as derived from direct images. We present intermediate- and high-resolution, optical spectroscopy, VLA 8.46 GHz radio continuum data, and narrow-band optical images of IRAS18197-1118 aimed at confirming its planetary nebula nature, and analyzing its properties. The optical spectrum shows that IRAS18197-1118 is a medium-excitation planetary nebula suffering a high extinction (c(H_beta) ~3.37). The optical images do not resolve the object but the 8.46 GHz image reveals an elliptical shell of ~2.7x1.6 arcsec^2 in size, a compact central nebular region, and possible bipolar jet-like features, indicating several ejection events. The existence of a compact central nebula makes IRAS18197-1118 singular because this kind of structure is observed in a few PNe only. An expansion velocity ~20 km/s and a systemic velocity (LSR) ~+95 km/s are obtained for the object. An electron density of ~3.4x10^4 cm-3 and an ionized mass of ~2.1x10^-2 M_sun are deduced from the 8.46 GHz radio continuum data for an estimated statistical distance of 6 kpc. Helium abundance is high but nitrogen is not enriched, which is not consistently reproduced by evolutionary models, suggesting different abundances in the elliptical shell and central region. The properties of IRAS18197-1118 indicate a relatively young planetary nebula, favor a distance of >~6 kpc, and strongly suggest that it is an inner-disc planetary nebula.

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arXiv2013

Signatures of infall motions in the images of the molecular emission of G31 HMC

Although gravitational collapse is supposed to play an essential role in the star formation process, infall motions have been always elusive to detect. So far, only a few observational signatures have been commonly used to claim for the presence of infall. Often these features consist in either "blue-asymmetries" or absorption at red-shifted velocities (e.g., inverse P-Cygni profiles). Both signatures are based only on the shape of the line profile and they do not guarantee by themselves the presence of dominant infall motions. More robust "mapping signatures" can be obtained from images that angularly resolve the infalling gas. Here we present VLA observations of the ammonia inversion transitions (2,2), (3,3), (4,4), (5,5), and (6,6) towards the hot molecular core (HMC) near G31.41+0.31 that show the signatures of protostellar infall theoretically predicted by Anglada et al. (1991). The intensity of the ammonia emission is compact and sharply increases towards the centre in the blue-shifted velocity channel maps, while it shows a more flattened distribution in the red-shifted velocity channels. Additionally, the emission becomes more compact with increasing (relative) velocity for both red and blue-shifted channels. We introduce a new infall signature, the "central blue spot", easily identifiable in the first-order moment maps. We show that rotation produces an additional, independent signature, making the distribution of the emission in the channel maps asymmetric with respect to the central position, but without masking the infall signatures. All these mapping signatures, which are identified here for the first time, are present in the observed ammonia transitions of G31 HMC.

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arXiv2013

Star formation in the massive "starless" infrared dark cloud G0.253$+$0.016

G0.253+0.016 is a remarkable massive infrared dark cloud located within $\sim$100 pc of the galactic center. With a high mass of $1.3 \times 10^5 M_\odot$, a compact average radius of $\sim$2.8 pc and a low dust temperature of 23 K, it has been believed to be a yet starless precursor to a massive Arches-like stellar cluster. We present sensitive JVLA 1.3 and 5.6 cm radio continuum observations that reveal the presence on three compact thermal radio sources projected against this cloud. These radio sources are interpreted as HII regions powered by $\sim$B0.5 ZAMS stars. We conclude that although G0.253+0.016 does not show evidence of O-type star formation, there are certainly early B-type stars embedded in it. We detect three more sources in the periphery of G0.253+0.016 with non-thermal spectral indices. We suggest that these sources may be related to the galactic center region and deserve further study.

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arXiv2012

A one-sided knot ejection at the core of the HH 111 outflow

We present an astrometry study of the radio source VLA 1 at the core of the HH 111 outflow using new data (2007) as well as archival observations (1992-1996). All data were taken at 3.6 cm with the Very Large Array in its most extended (A) configuration. The source VLA 1 has undergone a dramatic morphological change, showing a one-sided knot ejection in the 2007 epoch. We also report on the detection of a 3.6 cm compact continuum source (VLA 3) located at (-10.6",98.7") from VLA 1. No significant absolute proper motions were found for VLA 1 and VLA 3 and the upper limits are consistent with those found for (embedded) radio sources in the Orion Nebula. We favor the interpretation that in the continuum at 3.6 cm we are observing two nearly perpendicular jets. HH 111 presents a new case of one-sided jet ejection in a young stellar object. The Galactic (or extragalactic) nature of VLA 3 remains unclear.

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arXiv2011

Extended Non-Thermal Emission Possibly Associated with Cyg OB2 #5

Cyg OB2 #5 is a contact binary system (O6.5-7+O5.5-6) with associated radio continuum emission. Two compact ($\leq 0\rlap.{"}3$) radio continuum components have been reported previously: the primary one is associated with the contact binary and the secondary one is an arc-like source $\sim 0\rlap.{"}8$ to the NE of the primary. This arc-like source results from the interaction of the winds of the contact binary and a B-type star in the region. In this paper we report the detection of an extended ($\sim 30"$), non-thermal component to the NE of the compact components. We propose that this extended emission could be an unresolved background source (i. e. a radio galaxy), extended galactic emission, or non-thermal emission related with relativistic electrons that are produced in the shock between the contact binary and the B-type star and that are carried away to large distances by the wind from the contact binary.

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arXiv2011

Multiplicity, Disks and Jets in the NGC 2071 Star-Forming Region

We present centimeter and millimeter observations of the NGC 2071 star-forming region performed with the VLA and CARMA. We detected counterparts at 3.6 cm and 3 mm for the previously known sources IRS 1, IRS 2, IRS 3, and VLA 1. All these sources show SEDs dominated by free-free thermal emission at cm wavelengths, and thermal dust emission at mm wavelengths, suggesting that all of them are associated with YSOs. IRS 1 shows a complex morphology at 3.6 cm, with changes in the direction of its elongation. We discuss two possible explanations to this morphology: the result of changes in the direction of a jet due to interactions with a dense ambient medium, or that we are actually observing the superposition of two jets arising from two components of a binary system. Higher angular resolution observations at 1.3 cm support the second possibility, since a double source is inferred at this wavelength. IRS 3 shows a clear jet-like morphology at 3.6 cm. Over a time-span of four years, we observed changes in the morphology of this source that we interpret as due to ejection of ionized material in a jet. The emission at 3 mm of IRS 3 is angularly resolved, with a deconvolved size (FWHM) of ~120 AU, and seems to be tracing a dusty circumstellar disk perpendicular to the radio jet. An irradiated accretion disk model around an intermediate-mass YSO can account for the observed SED and spatial intensity profile at 3 mm, supporting this interpretation.

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arXiv2011

Radio continuum emission from knots in the DG Tau jet

Context: HH 158, the jet from the young star DG Tau, is one of the few sources of its type where jet knots have been detected at optical and X-ray wavelengths. Aims: To search, using Very Large Array observations of this source, radio knots and if detected, compare them with the optical and X-ray knots. To model the emission from the radio knots. Methods: We analyzed archive data and also obtained new Very Large Array observations of this source, as well as an optical image, to measure the present position of the knots. We also modeled the radio emission from the knots in terms of shocks in a jet with intrinsically time-dependent ejection velocities. Results: We detected radio knots in the 1996.98 and 2009.62 VLA data. These radio knots are,within error, coincident with optical knots. We also modeled satisfactorily the observed radio flux densities as shock features from a jet with intrinsic variability. All the observed radio, optical, and X-ray knot positions can be intepreted as four successive knots, ejected with a period of 4.80 years and traveling away from the source with a velocity of 198 km s$^{-1}$ in the plane of the sky. Conclusions: The radio and optical knots are spatially correlated and our model can explain the observed radio flux densities. However, the X-ray knots do not appear to have optical or radio counterparts and their nature remains poorly understood.

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arXiv2011

The Magnetic Field of the H~II Region NGC 6334A

We have studied the polarization characteristics and Faraday rotation of the extragalactic radio source J17204$-$3554, that appears projected on the north lobe of the galactic H II region NGC 6334A. From observations made with the Very Large Array at 6.0 and 3.6 cm in three different epochs (1994, 1997, and 2006), we estimate a rotation measure of +5100$\pm$900 rad m$^{-2}$ for the extragalactic source. This large rotation measure implies a line-of-sight average magnetic field of $B_\parallel \simeq +36\pm6$ $μ$G, the largest obtained by this method for an H II region. NGC 6334A is significantly denser than other H II regions studied and this larger magnetic field is expected on the grounds of magnetic flux conservation. The ratio of thermal to magnetic pressure is $\sim$5, in the range of values determined for more diffuse H II regions.

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arXiv2011

Radio Continuum Emission from FS CMa Stars

The FS CMa stars exhibit bright optical emission-line spectra and strong IR excesses. Very little is known of their radio characteristics. We analyzed archive Very Large Array data to search for radio continuum emission in a sample of them. There are good quality data for seven of the $\sim$40 known FS CMa stars. Of these seven stars, five turn out to have associated radio emission. Two of these stars, CI Cam and MWC 300, have been previously reported in the literature as radio emitters. We present and briefly discuss the radio detection of the other three sources: FS CMa (the prototype of the class), AS 381, and MWC 922. The radio emission is most probably of a free-free nature but additional observations are required to better characterize it.

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