arXiv subjects

M. Bell

Publications and source records attributed to M. Bell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

GASKAP-HI Pilot Survey Science I: ASKAP Zoom Observations of HI Emission in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present the most sensitive and detailed view of the neutral hydrogen (HI) emission associated with the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), through the combination of data from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and Parkes (Murriyang), as part of the Galactic Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (GASKAP) pilot survey. These GASKAP-HI pilot observations, for the first time, reveal HI in the SMC on similar physical scales as other important tracers of the interstellar medium, such as molecular gas and dust. The resultant image cube possesses an rms noise level of 1.1 K (1.6 mJy/beam) per 0.98 km s$^{-1}$ spectral channel with an angular resolution of 30$''$ ($\sim$10 pc). We discuss the calibration scheme and the custom imaging pipeline that utilizes a joint deconvolution approach, efficiently distributed across a computing cluster, to accurately recover the emission extending across the entire $\sim$25 deg$^2$ field-of-view. We provide an overview of the data products and characterize several aspects including the noise properties as a function of angular resolution and the represented spatial scales by deriving the global transfer function over the full spectral range. A preliminary spatial power spectrum analysis on individual spectral channels reveals that the power-law nature of the density distribution extends down to scales of 10 pc. We highlight the scientific potential of these data by comparing the properties of an outflowing high velocity cloud with previous ASKAP+Parkes HI test observations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

ASKAP Commissioning Observations of the GAMA 23 Field

We have observed the G23 field of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in its commissioning phase, to validate the performance of the telescope and to characterize the detected galaxy populations. This observation covers $\sim$48 deg$^2$ with synthesized beam of 32.7$^{\prime\prime}$ by 17.8$^{\prime\prime}$ at 936 MHz, and $\sim$39 deg$^2$ with synthesized beam of 15.8$^{\prime\prime}$ by 12.0$^{\prime\prime}$ at 1320 MHz. At both frequencies, the r.m.s. (root-mean-square) noise is $\sim$0.1 mJy/beam. We combine these radio observations with the GAMA galaxy data, which includes spectroscopy of galaxies that are i-band selected with a magnitude limit of 19.2. Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) infrared (IR) photometry is used to determine which galaxies host an active galactic nucleus (AGN). In properties including source counts, mass distributions, and IR vs. radio luminosity relation, the ASKAP detected radio sources behave as expected. Radio galaxies have higher stellar mass and luminosity in IR, optical and UV than other galaxies. We apply optical and IR AGN diagnostics and find that they disagree for $\sim$30% of the galaxies in our sample. We suggest possible causes for the disagreement. Some cases can be explained by optical extinction of the AGN, but for more than half of the cases we do not find a clear explanation. Radio sources are more likely ($\sim$6%) to have an AGN than radio quiet galaxies ($\sim$1%), but the majority of AGN are not detected in radio at this sensitivity.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

A pilot survey for transients and variables with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

We present a pilot search for variable and transient sources at 1.4 GHz with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). The search was performed in a 30 deg$^{2}$ area centred on the NGC 7232 galaxy group over 8 epochs and observed with a near-daily cadence. The search yielded nine potential variable sources, rejecting the null hypothesis that the flux densities of these sources do not change with 99.9% confidence. These nine sources displayed flux density variations with modulation indices m $\geq 0.1$ above our flux density limit of 1.5 mJy. They are identified to be compact AGN/quasars or galaxies hosting an AGN, whose variability is consistent with refractive interstellar scintillation. We also detect a highly variable source with modulation index m $ > 0.5$ over a time interval of a decade between the Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey (SUMSS) and our latest ASKAP observations. We find the source to be consistent with the properties of long-term variability of a quasar. No transients were detected on timescales of days and we place an upper limit $\rho < 0.01$ deg$^{2}$ with 95% confidence for non-detections on near-daily timescales. The future VAST-Wide survey with 36-ASKAP dishes will probe the transient phase space with a similar cadence to our pilot survey, but better sensitivity, and will detect and monitor rarer brighter events.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

SMSS J130522.47-293113.0: a high-latitude stellar X-ray source with pc-scale outflow relics?

We report the discovery of an unusual stellar system, SMSS J130522.47-293113.0. The optical spectrum is dominated by a blue continuum together with emission lines of hydrogen, neutral and ionized helium, and the N III, C III blend at around 4640-4650 Angstrom. The emission line profiles vary in strength and position on timescales as short as 1 day, while optical photometry reveals fluctuations of as much as ~0.2 mag in g on timescales as short as 10-15 min. The system is a weak X-ray source (f_{0.3-10} = (1.2 +/- 0.1) x 10^{-13} ergs cm^{-2} s^{-1} in the 0.3-10 keV band) but is not detected at radio wavelengths (3-sigma upper limit of 50 microJy at 5.5 GHz). The most intriguing property of the system, however, is the existence of two "blobs", a few arcsec in size, that are symmetrically located 3.8 arcmin (2.2 pc for our preferred system distance of ~2 kpc) each side of the central object. The blobs are detected in optical and near-IR broadband images but do not show any excess emission in Halpha images. We discuss the interpretation of the system, suggesting that the central object is most likely a nova-like CV, and that the blobs are relics of a pc-scale accretion-powered collimated outflow.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

LBCS: the LOFAR Long-Baseline Calibrator Survey

(abridged). We outline LBCS (the LOFAR Long-Baseline Calibrator Survey), whose aim is to identify sources suitable for calibrating the highest-resolution observations made with the International LOFAR Telescope, which include baselines >1000 km. Suitable sources must contain significant correlated flux density (50-100mJy) at frequencies around 110--190~MHz on scales of a few hundred mas. At least for the 200--300-km international baselines, we find around 1 suitable calibrator source per square degree over a large part of the northern sky, in agreement with previous work. This should allow a randomly selected target to be successfully phase calibrated on the international baselines in over 50% of cases. Products of the survey include calibrator source lists and fringe-rate and delay maps of wide areas -- typically a few degrees -- around each source. The density of sources with significant correlated flux declines noticeably with baseline length over the range 200--600~km, with good calibrators on the longest baselines appearing only at the rate of 0.5 per square degree. Coherence times decrease from 1--3 minutes on 200-km baselines to about 1 minute on 600-km baselines, suggesting that ionospheric phase variations contain components with scales of a few hundred kilometres. The longest median coherence time, at just over 3 minutes, is seen on the DE609 baseline, which at 227km is close to being the shortest. We see median coherence times of between 80 and 110 seconds on the four longest baselines (580--600~km), and about 2 minutes for the other baselines. The success of phase transfer from calibrator to target is shown to be influenced by distance, in a manner that suggests a coherence patch at 150-MHz of the order of 1 degree.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

The radio spectral energy distribution of infrared-faint radio sources

Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are a class of radio-loud (RL) active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshifts (z > 1.7) that are characterised by their relative infrared faintness, resulting in enormous radio-to-infrared flux density ratios of up to several thousand. We aim to test the hypothesis that IFRS are young AGN, particularly GHz peaked-spectrum (GPS) and compact steep-spectrum (CSS) sources that have a low frequency turnover. We use the rich radio data set available for the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey fields, covering the frequency range between 150 MHz and 34 GHz with up to 19 wavebands from different telescopes, and build radio spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 34 IFRS. We then study the radio properties of this class of object with respect to turnover, spectral index, and behaviour towards higher frequencies. We also present the highest-frequency radio observations of an IFRS, observed with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer at 105 GHz, and model the multi-wavelength and radio-far-infrared SED of this source. We find IFRS usually follow single power laws down to observed frequencies of around 150 MHz. Mostly, the radio SEDs are steep, but we also find ultra-steep SEDs. In particular, IFRS show statistically significantly steeper radio SEDs than the broader RL AGN population. Our analysis reveals that the fractions of GPS and CSS sources in the population of IFRS are consistent with the fractions in the broader RL AGN population. We find that at least 18% of IFRS contain young AGN, although the fraction might be significantly higher as suggested by the steep SEDs and the compact morphology of IFRS. The detailed multi-wavelength SED modelling of one IFRS shows that it is different from ordinary AGN, although it is consistent with a composite starburst-AGN model with a star formation rate of 170 solar masses per year.

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arXiv2016

Les Houches 2015: Physics at TeV Colliders Standard Model Working Group Report

This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2015 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt with (I) new developments relevant for high precision Standard Model calculations, (II) the new PDF4LHC parton distributions, (III) issues in the theoretical description of the production of Standard Model Higgs bosons and how to relate experimental measurements, (IV) a host of phenomenological studies essential for comparing LHC data from Run I with theoretical predictions and projections for future measurements in Run II, and (V) new developments in Monte Carlo event generators.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2016

A Large Scale, Low Frequency Murchison Widefield Array Survey of Galactic HII regions between 260< l <\340

We have compiled a catalogue of HII regions detected with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) between 72 and 231MHz. The multiple frequency bands provided by the MWA allow us identify the characteristic spectrum generated by the thermal Bremsstrahlung process in HII regions. We detect 302 HII regions between 260 < l < 340 and report on the positions, sizes, peak, integrated flux density, and spectral indices of these HII regions. By identifying the point at which HII regions transition from the optically thin to thick regime we derive the physical properties including the electron density, ionised gas mass and ionising photon flux, towards 61 HII regions. This catalogue of HII regions represents the most extensive and uniform low frequency survey of HII regions in the Galaxy to date.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Ionospheric Modelling using GPS to Calibrate the MWA. II: Regional ionospheric modelling using GPS and GLONASS to estimate ionospheric gradients

We estimate spatial gradients in the ionosphere using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and GLONASS (Russian global navigation system) observations, utilising data from multiple GPS stations in the vicinity of Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO). In previous work the ionosphere was characterised using a single-station to model the ionosphere as a single layer of fixed height and this was compared with ionospheric data derived from radio astronomy observations obtained from the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). Having made improvements to our data quality (via cycle slip detection and repair) and incorporating data from the GLONASS system, we now present a multi-station approach. These two developments significantly improve our modelling of the ionosphere. We also explore the effects of a variable-height model. We conclude that modelling the small-scale features in the ionosphere that have been observed with the MWA will require a much denser network of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations than is currently available at the MRO.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

High-energy sources at low radio frequency: the Murchison Widefield Array view of Fermi blazars

Low-frequency radio arrays are opening a new window for the study of the sky, both to study new phenomena and to better characterize known source classes. Being flat-spectrum sources, blazars are so far poorly studied at low radio frequencies. We characterize the spectral properties of the blazar population at low radio frequency compare the radio and high-energy properties of the gamma-ray blazar population, and search for radio counterparts of unidentified gamma-ray sources. We cross-correlated the 6,100 deg^2 Murchison Widefield Array Commissioning Survey catalogue with the Roma blazar catalogue, the third catalogue of active galactic nuclei detected by Fermi-LAT, and the unidentified members of the entire third catalogue of gamma-ray sources detected by \fermilat. When available, we also added high-frequency radio data from the Australia Telescope 20 GHz catalogue. We find low-frequency counterparts for 186 out of 517 (36%) blazars, 79 out of 174 (45%) gamma-ray blazars, and 8 out of 73 (11%) gamma-ray blazar candidates. The mean low-frequency (120--180 MHz) blazar spectral index is $\langle \alpha_\mathrm{low} \rangle=0.57\pm0.02$: blazar spectra are flatter than the rest of the population of low-frequency sources, but are steeper than at $\sim$GHz frequencies. Low-frequency radio flux density and gamma-ray energy flux display a mildly significant and broadly scattered correlation. Ten unidentified gamma-ray sources have a (probably fortuitous) positional match with low radio frequency sources. Low-frequency radio astronomy provides important information about sources with a flat radio spectrum and high energy. However, the relatively low sensitivity of the present surveys still misses a significant fraction of these objects. Upcoming deeper surveys, such as the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-Sky MWA (GLEAM) survey, will provide further insight into this population.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

A LOFAR census of non-recycled pulsars: average profiles, dispersion measures, flux densities, and spectra

We present first results from a LOFAR census of non-recycled pulsars. The census includes almost all such pulsars known (194 sources) at declinations ${\rm Dec}> 8^\circ$ and Galactic latitudes $|{\rm Gb}| > 3^\circ$, regardless of their expected flux densities and scattering times. Each pulsar was observed for $\geq 20$ minutes in the contiguous frequency range of 110--188 MHz. Full-Stokes data were recorded. We present the dispersion measures, flux densities, and calibrated total intensity profiles for the 158 pulsars detected in the sample. The median uncertainty in census dispersion measures ($1.5 \times 10^{-3}$ pc cm$^{-3}$) is ten times smaller, on average, than in the ATNF pulsar catalogue. We combined census flux densities with those in the literature and fitted the resulting broadband spectra with single or broken power-law functions. For 48 census pulsars such fits are being published for the first time. Typically, the choice between single and broken power-laws, as well as the location of the spectral break, were highly influenced by the spectral coverage of the available flux density measurements. In particular, the inclusion of measurements below 100 MHz appears essential for investigating the low-frequency turnover in the spectra for most of the census pulsars. For several pulsars, we compared the spectral indices from different works and found the typical spread of values to be within 0.5--1.5, suggesting a prevailing underestimation of spectral index errors in the literature. The census observations yielded some unexpected individual source results, as we describe in the paper. Lastly, we will provide this unique sample of wide-band, low-frequency pulse profiles via the European Pulsar Network Database.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Ionospheric modelling using GPS to calibrate the MWA. 1: Comparison of first order ionospheric effects between GPS models and MWA observations

We compare first order (refractive) ionospheric effects seen by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) with the ionosphere as inferred from Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The first order ionosphere manifests itself as a bulk position shift of the observed sources across an MWA field of view. These effects can be computed from global ionosphere maps provided by GPS analysis centres, namely the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE), using data from globally distributed GPS receivers. However, for the more accurate local ionosphere estimates required for precision radio astronomy applications, data from local GPS networks needs to be incorporated into ionospheric modelling. For GPS observations, the ionospheric parameters are biased by GPS receiver instrument delays, among other effects, also known as receiver Differential Code Biases (DCBs). The receiver DCBs need to be estimated for any non-CODE GPS station used for ionosphere modelling, a requirement for establishing dense GPS networks in arbitrary locations in the vicinity of the MWA. In this work, single GPS station-based ionospheric modelling is performed at a time resolution of 10 minutes. Also the receiver DCBs are estimated for selected Geoscience Australia (GA) GPS receivers, located at Murchison Radio Observatory (MRO1), Yarragadee (YAR3), Mount Magnet (MTMA) and Wiluna (WILU). The ionospheric gradients estimated from GPS are compared with the ionospheric gradients inferred from radio source position shifts observed with the MWA. The ionospheric gradients at all the GPS stations show a correlation with the gradients observed with the MWA. The ionosphere estimates obtained using GPS measurements show promise in terms of providing calibration information for the MWA.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

An analysis of the halo and relic radio emission from Abell 3376 from Murchison Widefield Array observations

We have carried out multiwavelength observations of the near-by ($z=0.046$) rich, merging galaxy cluster Abell 3376 with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). As a part of the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA survey (GLEAM), this cluster was observed at 88, 118, 154, 188 and 215 MHz. The known radio relics, towards the eastern and western peripheries of the cluster, were detected at all the frequencies. The relics, with a linear extent of $\sim$ 1 Mpc each, are separated by $\sim$ 2 Mpc. Combining the current observations with those in the literature, we have obtained the spectra of these relics over the frequency range 80 -- 1400 MHz. The spectra follow power laws, with $\alpha$ = $-1.17\pm0.06$ and $-1.37\pm0.08$ for the west and east relics, respectively ($S \propto \nu^{\alpha}$). Assuming the break frequency to be near the lower end of the spectrum we estimate the age of the relics to be $\sim$ 0.4 Gyr. No diffuse radio emission from the central regions of the cluster (halo) was detected. The upper limit on the radio power of any possible halo that might be present in the cluster is a factor of 35 lower than that expected from the radio power and X-ray luminosity correlation for cluster halos. From this we conclude that the cluster halo is very extended ($>$ 500 kpc) and/or most of the radio emission from the halo has decayed. The current limit on the halo radio power is a factor of ten lower than the existing upper limits with possible implications for models of halo formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

The Murchison Widefield Array Correlator

The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) is a Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Precursor. The telescope is located at the Murchison Radio--astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia (WA). The MWA consists of 4096 dipoles arranged into 128 dual polarisation aperture arrays forming a connected element interferometer that cross-correlates signals from all 256 inputs. A hybrid approach to the correlation task is employed, with some processing stages being performed by bespoke hardware, based on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and others by Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) housed in general purpose rack mounted servers. The correlation capability required is approximately 8 TFLOPS (Tera FLoating point Operations Per Second). The MWA has commenced operations and the correlator is generating 8.3 TB/day of correlation products, that are subsequently transferred 700 km from the MRO to Perth (WA) in real-time for storage and offline processing. In this paper we outline the correlator design, signal path, and processing elements and present the data format for the internal and external interfaces.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

Pulsar polarisation below 200 MHz: Average profiles and propagation effects

We present the highest-quality polarisation profiles to date of 16 non-recycled pulsars and four millisecond pulsars, observed below 200 MHz with the LOFAR high-band antennas. Based on the observed profiles, we perform an initial investigation of expected observational effects resulting from the propagation of polarised emission in the pulsar magnetosphere and the interstellar medium. The predictions of magnetospheric birefringence in pulsars have been tested using spectra of the pulse width and fractional polarisation from multifrequency data. The derived spectra offer only partial support for the expected effects of birefringence on the polarisation properties, with only about half of our sample being consistent with the model's predictions. It is noted that for some pulsars these measurements are contaminated by the effects of interstellar scattering. For a number of pulsars in our sample, we have observed significant variations in the amount of Faraday rotation as a function of pulse phase, which is possibly an artefact of scattering. These variations are typically two orders of magnitude smaller than that observed at 1400 MHz by Noutsos et al. (2009), for a different sample of southern pulsars. In this paper we present a possible explanation for the difference in magnitude of this effect between the two frequencies, based on scattering. Finally, we have estimated the magnetospheric emission heights of low-frequency radiation from four pulsars, based on the phase lags between the flux-density and the PA profiles, and the theoretical framework of Blaskiewicz, Cordes & Wasserman (1991). These estimates yielded heights of a few hundred km; at least for PSR B1133+16, this is consistent with emission heights derived based on radius-to-frequency mapping, but is up to a few times larger than the recent upper limit based on pulsar timing.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Modelling of the Spectral Energy Distribution of Fornax A: Leptonic and Hadronic Production of High Energy Emission from the Radio Lobes

We present new low-frequency observations of the nearby radio galaxy Fornax A at 154 MHz with the Murchison Widefield Array, microwave flux-density measurements obtained from WMAP and Planck data, and gamma-ray flux densities obtained from Fermi data. We also compile a comprehensive list of previously published images and flux-density measurements at radio, microwave and X-ray energies. A detailed analysis of the spectrum of Fornax A between 154 MHz and 1510 MHz reveals that both radio lobes have a similar spatially-averaged spectral index, and that there exists a steep-spectrum bridge of diffuse emission between the lobes. Taking the spectral index of both lobes to be the same, we model the spectral energy distribution of Fornax A across an energy range spanning eighteen orders of magnitude, to investigate the origin of the X-ray and gamma-ray emission. A standard leptonic model for the production of both the X-rays and gamma-rays by inverse-Compton scattering does not fit the multi-wavelength observations. Our results best support a scenario where the X-rays are produced by inverse-Compton scattering and the gamma-rays are produced primarily by hadronic processes confined to the filamentary structures of the Fornax A lobes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

First Look Murchison Widefield Array observations of Abell 3667

The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) is a new low frequency interferometric radio telescope, operating in the remote Murchison Radio Observatory in Western Australia. In this paper we present the first MWA observations of the well known radio relics in Abell 3667 (A3667) between 120 and 226 MHz. We clearly detect the radio relics in A3667 and present flux estimates and spectral indices for these features. The average spectral index of the north-west (NW) and south-east (SE) relics is -0.9 +/- 0.1 between 120 and 1400 MHz. We are able to resolve spatial variation in the spectral index of the NW relic from -1.7 to -0.4, which is consistent with results found at higher frequencies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

The first Murchison Widefield Array low frequency radio observations of cluster scale non-thermal emission: the case of Abell 3667

We present the first Murchison Widefield Array observations of the well-known cluster of galaxies Abell 3667 (A3667) between 105 and 241 MHz. A3667 is one of the best known examples of a galaxy cluster hosting a double radio relic and has been reported to contain a faint radio halo and bridge. The origins of radio halos, relics and bridges is still unclear, however galaxy cluster mergers seems to be an important factor. We clearly detect the North-West (NW) and South-East (SE) radio relics in A3667 and find an integrated flux density at 149 MHz of 28.1 +/- 1.7 and 2.4 +/- 0.1 Jy, respectively, with an average spectral index, between 120 and 1400 MHz, of -0.9 +/- 0.1 for both relics. We find evidence of a spatial variation in the spectral index across the NW relic steepening towards the centre of the cluster, which indicates an ageing electron population. These properties are consistent with higher frequency observations. We detect emission that could be associated with a radio halo and bridge. How- ever, due to the presence of poorly sampled large-scale Galactic emission and blended point sources we are unable to verify the exact nature of these features.

astro-ph.GA↗