arXiv subjects

Marc S. Seigar

Publications and source records attributed to Marc S. Seigar.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Probing the Low-mass End of the Black Hole Mass Function via a Study of Faint Local Spiral Galaxies

We present an analysis of the pitch angle distribution function (PADF) for nearby galaxies and its resulting black hole mass function (BHMF) via the well-known relationship between pitch angle and black hole mass. Our sample consists of a subset of 74 spiral galaxies from the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey with absolute $B$-band magnitude $\mathfrak{M}_{B}>-19.12$ mag and luminosity distance $D_{\mathrm{L}} \leq 25.4$ Mpc, which is an extension of a complementary set of 140 more luminous ($\mathfrak{M}_{B}\leq-19.12$ mag) late-type galaxies. We find the PADFs of the two samples are, somewhat surprisingly, not strongly dissimilar; a result that may hold important implications for spiral formation theories. Our data show a distinct bimodal population manifest in the pitch angles of the Sa-Sc types and separately the Scd-Sm types, with Sa-Sc types having tighter spiral arms on average. Importantly, we uncover a distinct bifurcation of the BHMF, such that the Sa-Sc galaxies typically host so-called "supermassive" black holes ($M_{\bullet}\gtrsim10^6\,\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$), whereas Scd-Sm galaxies accordingly harbor black holes that are "less-than-supermassive" ($M_{\bullet}\lesssim10^6\,\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$). It is amongst this latter population of galaxies where we expect fruitful bounties of elusive intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), through which a better understanding will help form more precise benchmarks for future generations of gravitational wave detectors.

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arXiv2018

Updating the (Supermassive Black Hole Mass) - (Spiral Arm Pitch Angle) Relation: A Strong Correlation for Galaxies with Pseudobulges

We have conducted an image analysis of the (current) full sample of 44 spiral galaxies with directly measured supermassive black hole (SMBH) masses, $M_{\rm BH}$, to determine each galaxy's logarithmic spiral arm pitch angle, $ϕ$. For predicting black hole masses, we have derived the relation: $\log({M_{\rm BH}/{\rm M_{\odot}}}) = (7.01\pm0.07) - (0.171\pm0.017)[|ϕ|-15°]$. The total root mean square scatter associated with this relation is 0.43 dex in the $\log{M_{\rm BH}}$ direction, with an intrinsic scatter of $0.33\pm0.08$ dex. The $M_{\rm BH}$-$ϕ$ relation is therefore at least as accurate at predicting SMBH masses in spiral galaxies as the other known relations. By definition, the existence of an $M_{\rm BH}$-$ϕ$ relation demands that the SMBH mass must correlate with the galaxy discs in some manner. Moreover, with the majority of our sample (37 of 44) classified in the literature as having a pseudobulge morphology, we additionally reveal that the SMBH mass correlates with the large-scale spiral pattern and thus the discs of galaxies hosting pseudobulges. Furthermore, given that the $M_{\rm BH}$-$ϕ$ relation is capable of estimating black hole masses in bulge-less spiral galaxies, it therefore has great promise for predicting which galaxies may harbour intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs, $M_{\rm BH}<10^5$ ${\rm M_{\odot}}$). Extrapolating from the current relation, we predict that galaxies with $|ϕ| \geq 26.7°$ should possess IMBHs.

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arXiv2018

The Black Hole Mass Function Derived from Local Spiral Galaxies

We present our determination of the nuclear supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass function for spiral galaxies in the Local Universe, established from a volume-limited sample consisting of a statistically complete collection of the brightest spiral galaxies in the Southern Hemisphere. Our SMBH mass function agrees well at the high-mass end with previous values given in the literature. At the low-mass end, inconsistencies exist in previous works that still need to be resolved, but our work is more in line with expectations based on modeling of SMBH evolution. This low-mass end of the spectrum is critical to our understanding of the mass function and evolution of SMBHs since the epoch of maximum quasar activity. A luminosity distance $\leq$ 25.4 $Mpc$ and an absolute B-band magnitude $\leq$ -19.12 define the sample. These limits define a sample of 140 spiral galaxies, with 128 measurable pitch angles to establish the pitch angle distribution for this sample. This pitch angle distribution function may be useful in the study of the morphology of late-type galaxies. We then use an established relationship between the pitch angle and the mass of the central SMBH in a host galaxy in order to estimate the mass of the 128 respective SMBHs in this sample. This result effectively gives us the distribution of mass for SMBHs residing in spiral galaxies over a lookback time $\leq$ 82.1 $h_{67.77}^{-1}$ $Myr$ and contained within a comoving volume of 3.37 $\times$ $10^4$ $h_{67.77}^{-3}$ $Mpc^3$. We estimate the density of SMBHs residing in spiral galaxies in the Local Universe is $5.54_{-2.73}^{+6.55}$ $\times$ $10^4$ $h_{67.77}^3$ $M_{\odot}$ $Mpc^{-3}$. Thus, our derived cosmological SMBH mass density for spiral galaxies is $Ω_{BH} = 4.35_{-2.15}^{+5.14}$ $\times$ $10^{-7}$ $h_{67.77}$.

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arXiv2017

The Illustris Simulation: Supermassive Black Hole - Galaxy Connection Beyond the Bulge

We study the spiral arm morphology of a sample of the local spiral galaxies in the Illustris simulation and explore the supermassive black hole - galaxy connection beyond the bulge (e.g., spiral arm pitch angle, total stellar mass, dark matter mass, and total halo mass), finding good agreement with other theoretical studies and observational constraints. It is important to study the properties of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies through both observations and simulations and compare their results in order to understand their physics and formative histories.We find that Illustris prediction for supermassive black hole mass relative to pitch angle is in rather good agreement with observations and that barred and non-barred galaxies follow similar scaling relations. Our work shows that Illustris presents very tight correlations between supermassive black hole mass and large-scale properties of the host galaxy, not only for early-type galaxies but also low-mass, blue and star-forming galaxies. These tight relations beyond the bulge suggest that halo properties determine those of a disc galaxy and its supermassive black hole.

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arXiv2017

A photometric study of the peculiar and potentially double ringed, non-barred galaxy: PGC 1000714

We present a photometric study of PGC 1000714, a galaxy resembling Hoag's Object with a complete detached outer ring, that has not yet been described in the literature. Since the Hoag-type galaxies are extremely rare and peculiar systems, it is necessary to increase the sample of known objects by performing the detailed studies on the possible candidates to derive conclusions about their nature, evolution, and systematic properties. We therefore performed surface photometry of the central body by using the archival near-UV, infrared data and the new optical data (BVRI). This current work has revealed for the first time an elliptical galaxy with two fairly round rings. The central body follows well a r^(1/4) light profile, with no sign of a bar or stellar disc. By reconstructing the observed spectral energy distribution, we recover the stellar population properties of the central body and the outer ring. Our work suggests different formation histories for the galaxy components. Possible origins of the galaxy are discussed, and we conclude that a recent accretion event is the most plausible scenario that accounts for the observational characteristic of PGC 1000714.

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arXiv2017

Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in galaxies with Low Luminosity AGN: A multiple-method approach

Aims: This work is the first stage of a campaign to search for IMBHs, in low luminosity AGN (LLAGN) and dwarf galaxies. An additional, and equally important, aim of this pilot study is to investigate the consistency between the predictions of several BH scaling relations and the fundamental plane of black hole activity (FP-BH). Methods: We use X-ray and radio luminosity relations in accreting BHs, along with the latest scaling relations between the mass of the central black hole (MBH) and the properties of its host spheroid, to predict MBH in seven LLAGN, that were previously reported to be in the IMBH regime. Namely, we use the recently re-evaluated MBH - Msph (Msph : spheroid absolute magnitude at 3.6 microm) scaling relation for spiral galaxies, the MBH - nsph (nsph : major axis Sersic index of the bulge) relation, the MBH - PA (PA: pitch angle) relation and the FP-BH for weakly accreting BHs, to independently estimate MBH in all seven galaxies. Results: We find that all LLAGN in our list have low-mass central black holes - with log MBH/Msol~6.5 on average - but they are, not IMBHs. All 4 methods used predicted consistent BH masses, in the 1sigma range. Furthermore, we report that, in contrast to previous classification, galaxy NGC 4470 is bulge-less, and cast doubts on the AGN classification of NGC 3507. Conclusions: We find that our latest, state-of-the-art techniques for bulge magnitude & Sersic index computations and the most recent updates of the MBH - Lsph, MBH - nsph , MBH - PA relations and the FP-BH produce consistent results in the low mass regime. We establish a multiple method approach for predicting BH masses in the regime where their spheres-of- grav. influence cannot be spatially resolved. Our approach mitigates against outliers from any one relation and provides a more robust average prediction. We will use our new method to revisit more IMBH candidates in LLAGN

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arXiv2016

The local black hole mass function derived from the M_{BH}-P and the M_{BH}-n relations

We present a determination of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass function for early- and late-type galaxies in the nearby universe (z<0.0057), established from a volume-limited sample consisting of a statistically complete collection of the brightest spiral galaxies in the southern hemisphere. The sample is defined by limiting luminosity (redshift-independent) distance, D_L=25.4 Mpc, and a limiting absolute B-band magnitude, M_B=-19.12. These limits define a sample of 140 spiral, 30 elliptical (E), and 38 lenticular (S0) galaxies. We established the Sersic index distribution for early-type (E/S0) galaxies in our sample. Davis et al. (2014) established the pitch angle distribution for their sample, which is identical to our late-type (spiral) galaxy sample. We then used the pitch angle and the Sersic index distributions in order to estimate the SMBH mass function for our volume-limited sample. The observational simplicity of our approach relies on the empirical relation between the mass of the central (SMBH) and the Sersic index (Graham et al. 2007) for an early-type galaxy or the logarithmic spiral arm pitch angle (Berrier et al. 2013) for a spiral galaxy. Our SMBH mass function agrees well at the high-mass end with previous values in the literature. At the low-mass end, while inconsistencies exist in previous works that still need to be resolved, our work is more in line with expectations based on modeling of black hole evolution.

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arXiv2015

Determination of resonance locations in barred spiral galaxies using multiband photometry

In this paper, we apply a method identified by Puerari & Dottori (1997) to find the corotation radii (CR) in spiral galaxies. We apply our method to 57 galaxies, 17 of which have already have their CR locations determined using other methods. The method we adopted entails taking Fourier transforms along radial cuts in the u, g, r, i, and z wavebands and comparing the phase angles as a function of radius between them. The radius at which the phase angles cross indicates the location of the corotation radius. We then calculated the relative bar pattern speed, $\mathcal{R}$, and classified the bar as "fast", where $\mathcal{R} < 1.4$, slow, where $\mathcal{R} \geq 1.4$, or intermediate, where the errors on $\mathcal{R}$ are consistent with the bar being "slow" or "fast". For the 17 galaxies that had their CR locations previously measured, we found that our results were consistent with the values of $\mathcal{R}$ obtained by the computer simulations of Rautiainen, Salo & Laurikainen (2008). For the larger sample, our results indicate that 34 out of 57 galaxies (~60%) have fast bars. We discuss these results in the context of its implications for dark matter concentrations in disk galaxies. We also discuss these results in the context of different models for spiral structure in disk galaxies.

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arXiv2014

Constraining dark matter halo profiles and galaxy formation models using spiral arm morphology. II. Dark and stellar mass concentrations for 13 nearby face-on galaxies

We investigate the use of spiral arm pitch angles as a probe of disk galaxy mass profiles. We confirm our previous result that spiral arm pitch angles (P) are well correlated with the rate of shear (S) in disk galaxy rotation curves. We use this correlation to argue that imaging data alone can provide a powerful probe of galactic mass distributions out to large look-back times. We then use a sample of 13 galaxies, with Spitzer 3.6-$μ$m imaging data and observed H$α$ rotation curves, to demonstrate how an inferred shear rate coupled with a bulge-disk decomposition model and a Tully-Fisher-derived velocity normalization can be used to place constraints on a galaxy's baryon fraction and dark matter halo profile. Finally we show that there appears to be a trend (albeit a weak correlation) between spiral arm pitch angle and halo concentration. We discuss implications for the suggested link between supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and dark halo concentration, using pitch angle as a proxy for SMBH mass.

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arXiv2013

Further Evidence for a Supermassive Black Hole Mass - Pitch Angle Relation

We present new and stronger evidence for a previously reported relationship between galactic spiral arm pitch angle P (a measure of the tightness of spiral structure) and the mass M_BH of a disk galaxy's nuclear supermassive black hole (SMBH). We use an improved method to accurately measure the spiral arm pitch angle in disk galaxies to generate quantitative data on this morphological feature for 34 galaxies with directly measured black hole masses. We find a relation of log(M/M_sun) = (8.21 +/- 0.16) - (0.062 +/- 0.009)P. This method is compared with other means of estimating black hole mass to determine its effectiveness and usefulness relative to other existing relations. We argue that such a relationship is predicted by leading theories of spiral structure in disk galaxies, including the density wave theory. We propose this relationship as a tool for estimating SMBH masses in disk galaxies. This tool is potentially superior when compared to other methods for this class of galaxy and has the advantage of being unambiguously measurable from imaging data alone.

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arXiv2012

Measurement of Galactic Logarithmic Spiral Arm Pitch Angle Using Two-Dimensional Fast Fourier Transform Decomposition

A logarithmic spiral is a prominent feature appearing in a majority of observed galaxies. This feature has long been associated with the traditional Hubble classification scheme, but historical quotes of pitch angle of spiral galaxies have been almost exclusively qualitative. We have developed a methodology, utilizing two-dimensional fast Fourier transformations of images of spiral galaxies, in order to isolate and measure the pitch angles of their spiral arms. Our technique provides a quantitative way to measure this morphological feature. This will allow comparison of spiral galaxy pitch angle to other galactic parameters and test spiral arm genesis theories. In this work, we detail our image processing and analysis of spiral galaxy images and discuss the robustness of our analysis techniques.

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arXiv2012

On the Link Between Central Black Holes, Bar Dynamics, and Dark Matter Halos in Spiral Galaxies

The discovery of a relationship between supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and spiral arm pitch angle (P) is evidence that SMBHs are tied to the overall secular evolution of a galaxy. The discovery of SMBHs in late-type galaxies with little or no bulge suggests that an underlying correlation between the dark matter halo concentration and SMBH mass (MBH) exists, rather than between the bulge mass and MBH. In this paper we measure P using a two-dimensional fast fourier transform and estimate the bar pattern speeds of 40 barred spiral galaxies from the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey. The pattern speeds were derived by estimating the gravitational potentials of our galaxies from Ks-band images and using them to produce dynamical simulation models. The pattern speeds allow us to identify those galaxies with low central dark halo densities, or fast rotating bars, while P provides an estimate of MBH. We find that a wide range of MBH exists in galaxies with low central dark matter halo densities, which appears to support other theoretical results. We also find that galaxies with low central dark halo densities appear to follow more predictable trends in P versus de Vaucouleurs morphological type (T) and bar strength versus T than barred galaxies in general. The empirical relationship between MBH and total gravitational mass of a galaxy (Mtot) allows us to predict the minimum Mtot that will be observationally measured of our fast bar galaxies. These predictions will be investigated in a subsequent paper.

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arXiv2011

The Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey. I. Overview and Atlas of Optical Images

The Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey (CGS) is a long-term program to investigate the photometric and spectroscopic properties of a statistically complete sample of 605 bright (B_T < 12.9 mag), southern (Dec. < 0) galaxies using the facilities at Las Campanas Observatory. This paper, the first in a series, outlines the scientific motivation of CGS, defines the sample, and describes the technical aspects of the optical broadband (BVRI) imaging component of the survey, including details of the observing program, data reduction procedures, and calibration strategy. The overall quality of the images is quite high, in terms of resolution (median seeing 1"), field of view (8.9' X 8.9'), and depth (median limiting surface brightness 27.5, 26.9, 26.4, and 25.3 mag/arcsec2 in the B, V, R, and I bands, respectively). We prepare a digital image atlas showing several different renditions of the data, including three-color composites, star-cleaned images, stacked images to enhance faint features, structure maps to highlight small-scale features, and color index maps suitable for studying the spatial variation of stellar content and dust. In anticipation of upcoming science analyses, we tabulate an extensive set of global properties for the galaxy sample. These include optical isophotal and photometric parameters derived from CGS itself, as well as published information on multiwavelength (ultraviolet, U-band, near-infrared, far-infrared) photometry, internal kinematics (central stellar velocity dispersions, disk rotational velocities), environment (distance to nearest neighbor, tidal parameter, group or cluster membership), and H I content. The digital images and science-level data products will be made publicly accessible to the community.

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arXiv2011

The dark matter halo density profile, spiral arm morphology and black hole mass of M33

In this paper, we investigate the dark matter halo density profile of M33. We find that the HI rotation curve of M33 is best described by a NFW dark matter halo density profile model, with a halo concentration of cvir = 4.0\pm1.0 and a virial mass of Mvir = (2.2\pm0.1)\times10^11 Msun. We go on to use the NFW concentration (cvir)of M33, along with the values derived for other galaxies (as found in the literature), to show that cvir correlates with both spiral arm pitch angle and supermassive black hole mass.

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arXiv2010

Unusual Double-peaked Emission in the SDSS Quasar J093201.60+031858.7

We examine spectral properties of the SDSS quasar J093201.60+031858.7, in particular the presence of strong blue peaks in the Balmer emission lines offset from the narrow lines by approximately 4200 km/s. Asymmetry in the broad central component of the Hbeta line indicates the presence of a double-peaked emitter. However, the strength and sharpness of the blue Hbeta and blue Hgamma peaks make this quasar spectrum unique amongst double-peaked emitters identified from SDSS spectra. We fit a disk model to the Hbeta line and compare this object with other unusual double-peaked quasar spectra, particularly candidate binary supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Under the binary SMBH scenario, we test the applicability of a model in which a second SMBH may produce the strong blue peak in the Balmer lines of a double-peaked emitter. If there were only one SMBH, a circular, Keplerian disk model fit would be insufficient, indicating some sort of asymmetry is required to produce the strength of the blue peak. In either case, understanding the nature of the complex line emission in this object will aid in further discrimination between a single SMBH with a complex accretion disk and the actual case of a binary SMBH.

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arXiv2008

Discovery of a relationship between spiral arm morphology and supermassive black hole mass in disk galaxies

We present a relationship between spiral arm pitch angle (a measure of the tightness of spiral structure) and the mass of supermassive black holes (BHs) in the nuclei of disk galaxies. We argue that this relationship is expected through a combination of other relationships, whose existence has already been demonstrated. The recent discovery of AGN in bulgeless disk galaxies suggests that halo concentration or virial mass may be one of the determining factors in BH mass. Taken together with the result that mass concentration seems to determine spiral arm pitch angle, one would expect a relation to exist between spiral arm pitch angle and supermassive BH mass in disk galaxies, and we find that this is indeed the case. We conclude that this relationship may be important for estimating evolution in BH masses in disk galaxies out to intermediate redshifts, since regular spiral arm structure can be seen in galaxies out to z~1.

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arXiv2008

A Revised LCDM Mass Model For The Andromeda Galaxy

We present an updated mass model for M31 that makes use of a Spitzer 3.6 $μ$m image, a mass-to-light ratio gradient based on the galaxy's B-R colour profile, and observed rotation curve data from a variety of sources. We examine cases where the dark matter follows a pure NFW profile and where an initial NFW halo contracts adiabatically in response to the formation of the galaxy. We find that both of these scenarios can produce a reasonable fit to the observed rotation curve data. However, a pure NFW model requires a concentration c_{vir}=51 that is well outside the range predicted in LCDM cosmology and is therefore disfavoured. An adiabatically contracted NFW halo favors an initial concentration c_{vir}=20 and virial mass 8.2x10^{11} M_{\odot}, and this is in line with the cosmological expectations for a galaxy of the size of M31. The best-fit mass is consistent with published estimates from Andromeda Stream kinematics, satellite galaxy radial velocities, and planetary nebulae studies. Finally, using the known linear correlation between rotation curve shear and spiral arm pitch angle, we show that the stellar spiral arm pitch angle of M31 (which cannot be deduced from imaging data due to the galaxy's inclination) is P=24.7\pm4.4 degrees.

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arXiv2008

A cosmologically motivated description of the dark matter halo profile for the Low Surface Brightness Galaxy, Malin 1

In this paper we derive a possible mass profile for the low surface brightness galaxy, Malin 1, based upon previously published space-based and ground-based photometric properties and kinematics. We use properties of the bulge, normal disk, outer extended disk and \ion{H}{1} mass as inputs into mass profile models. We find that the dark matter halo model of Malin 1 is best described by a halo profile that has undergone adiabatic contraction, inconsistent with the findings for most disk galaxies to date, yet consistent with rotation curve studies of M31. More importantly, we find that Malin 1 is baryon dominated in its central regions out to a radius of $\sim10$ kpc (in the bulge region). Low-surface brightness galaxies are often referred to as being dark matter dominated at all radii. If this is the case, then Malin 1 would seem to have characteristics similar to those of normal barred disk galaxies, as suggested by other recent work. We also find that Malin 1 also falls on the rotation curve shear versus spiral arm pitch angle relation for normal galaxies, although more LSB galaxies need to be studied to determine if this is typical.

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