arXiv subjects

Marcin Glowacki

Publications and source records attributed to Marcin Glowacki.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

A luminous fast radio burst that probes the Universe at redshift 1

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration pulses of radio emission originating from extragalactic distances. Radio dispersion on each burst is imparted by intervening plasma mostly located in the intergalactic medium. We observe a burst, FRB 20220610A, in a morphologically complex host galaxy system at redshift $z=1.016 \pm 0.002$. The burst redshift and dispersion are consistent with passage through a substantial column of material from the intergalactic medium. The burst shows evidence for passage through additional turbulent magnetized plasma, potentially associated with the host galaxy. We use the burst energy of $2 \times 10^{42}$ erg, to revise the maximum energy of an FRB.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The FLASH pilot survey: an HI absorption search against MRC 1-Jy radio sources

We report an ASKAP search for associated HI 21-cm absorption against bright radio sources from the Molonglo Reference Catalogue (MRC) 1-Jy sample. The search uses pilot survey data from the ASKAP First Large Absorption Survey in \hi (FLASH) covering the redshift range $0.42 < z < 1.00$. From a sample of 62 MRC 1-Jy radio galaxies and quasars in this redshift range we report three new detections of associated HI 21-cm absorption, yielding an overall detection fraction of $1.8\%^{+4.0\%}_{-1.5\%}$. The detected systems comprise two radio galaxies (MRC 2216$-$281 at $z=0.657$ and MRC 0531$-$237 at $z=0.851$) and one quasar (MRC 2156$-$245 at $z=0.862$). The MRC 0531$-$237 absorption system is the strongest found to date, with a velocity integrated optical depth of $\rm 143.8 \pm 0.4 \ km \ s^{-1}$. All three objects with detected HI 21-cm absorption are peaked-spectrum or compact steep-spectrum (CSS) radio sources, classified based on our SED fits to the spectra. Two of them show strong interplanetary scintillation at 162 MHz, implying that the radio continuum source is smaller than 1 arcsec in size even at low frequencies. Among the class of peaked-spectrum and compact steep-spectrum radio sources, the HI detection fraction is $23\%^{+22\%}_{-13\%}$. This is consistent within $1σ$ with a detection fraction of $\approx 42\%^{+21\%}_{-15\%}$ in earlier reported GPS and CSS samples at intermediate redshifts ($0.4 < z < 1.0$). All three detections have a high 1.4 GHz radio luminosity, with MRC 0531$-$237 and MRC 2216$-$281 having the highest values in the sample, $\rm > 27.5 \ W \ Hz^{-1}$. The preponderance of extended radio sources in our sample could partially explain the overall low detection fraction, while the effects of a redshift evolution in gas properties and AGN UV luminosity on the neutral gas absorption still need to be investigated.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Two-Screen Scattering in CRAFT FRBs

Temporal broadening is a commonly observed property of fast radio bursts (FRBs), associated with turbulent media which cause radiowave scattering. Similarly to dispersion, scattering is an important probe of the media along the line of sight to an FRB source, such as the circum-burst or circum-galactic mediums (CGM). Measurements of characteristic scattering times alone are insufficient to constrain the position of the dominant scattering media along the line of sight. However, where more than one scattering screen exists, Galactic scintillation can be leveraged to form strong constraints. We quantify the scattering and scintillation in 10 FRBs with 1) known host galaxies and redshifts and 2) captured voltage data enabling high-time resolution analysis. We find strong evidence for two screens in three cases. For FRBs 20190608B and 20210320C, we find evidence for scattering screens less than approximately 16.7 and 3000 kpc respectively, from their sources, consistent with the scattering occurring in the circum-burst environment, the host ISM (inter-stellar medium) or the CGM. For FRB 20201124A we find a low modulation index that evolves over the burst's scattering tail, indicating the presence of a scattering screen $\approx9$ kpc from the host, and excluding the circum-burst environment from potential scattering sites. By assuming that pulse broadening is contributed by the host galaxy ISM or circum-burst environment, the lack of observed scintillation in four FRBs in our sample suggests that existing models may be poor estimators of scattering times associated with the Milky Way's ISM, similar to the anomalously low scattering observed for FRB 20201124A.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The unseen host galaxy and high dispersion measure of a precisely-localised Fast Radio Burst suggests a high-redshift origin

FRB 20210912A is a fast radio burst (FRB), detected and localised to sub-arcsecond precision by the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder. No host galaxy has been identified for this burst despite the high precision of its localisation and deep optical and infrared follow-up, to 5-$σ$ limits of $R=26.7$ mag and $K_\mathrm{s}=24.9$ mag with the Very Large Telescope. The combination of precise radio localisation and deep optical imaging has almost always resulted in the secure identification of a host galaxy, and this is the first case in which the line-of-sight is not obscured by the Galactic disk. The dispersion measure of this burst, $\mathrm{DM_{FRB}}=1233.696\pm0.006~\mathrm{pc}\ \mathrm{cm}^{-3}$, allows for a large source redshift of $z>1$ according to the Macquart relation. It could thus be that the host galaxy is consistent with the known population of FRB hosts, but is too distant to detect in our observations ($z>0.7$ for a host like that of the first repeating FRB source, FRB 20121102A); that it is more nearby with a significant excess in $\mathrm{DM_{host}}$, and thus dimmer than any known FRB host; or, least likely, that the FRB is truly hostless. We consider each possibility, making use of the population of known FRB hosts to frame each scenario. The fact of the missing host has ramifications for the FRB field: even with high-precision localisation and deep follow-up, some FRB hosts may be difficult to detect, with more distant hosts being the less likely to be found. This has implications for FRB cosmology, in which high-redshift detections are valuable.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

A non-repeating fast radio burst in a dwarf host galaxy

We present the discovery of as-of-yet non-repeating Fast Radio Burst (FRB), FRB 20210117A, with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) as a part of the Commensal Real-time ASKAP Fast Transients (CRAFT) Survey. The sub-arcsecond localization of the burst led to the identification of its host galaxy at a $z=0.214(1)$. This redshift is much lower than what would be expected for a source dispersion measure (DM) of 729 pc cm$^{-3}$, given typical contributions from the intergalactic medium and the host galaxy. Optical observations reveal the host to be a dwarf galaxy with little on-going star formation, very different to the dwarf host galaxies of known repeating FRBs 20121102A, and 20190520B. We find an excess DM contribution from the host and attribute it to the FRB's local environment. We do not find any radio emission from the FRB site or host galaxy. The low magnetized environment and lack of a persistent radio source (PRS) indicate that the FRB source is older than those found in other dwarf host galaxies, and establish the diversity of FRB sources in dwarf galaxy environments. We find our observations to be fully consistent with the hypernebula model, where the FRB is powered by accretion-jet from a hyper-accreting black hole. Finally, our high-time resolution analysis reveals burst characteristics similar to those seen in repeating FRBs. We encourage follow-up observations of FRB 20210117A to establish any repeating nature.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

The Demographics, Stellar Populations, and Star Formation Histories of Fast Radio Burst Host Galaxies: Implications for the Progenitors

We present a comprehensive catalog of observations and stellar population properties for 23 highly secure host galaxies of fast radio bursts (FRBs). Our sample comprises six repeating FRBs and 17 apparent non-repeaters. We present 82 new photometric and eight new spectroscopic observations of these hosts. Using stellar population synthesis modeling and employing non-parametric star formation histories (SFHs), we find that FRB hosts have a median stellar mass of $\approx 10^{9.9}\,M_{\odot}$, mass-weighted age $\approx 5.1$ Gyr, and ongoing star formation rate $\approx 1.3\,M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ but span wide ranges in all properties. Classifying the hosts by degree of star formation, we find that 87% (20/23 hosts) are star-forming, two are transitioning, and one is quiescent. The majority trace the star-forming main sequence of galaxies, but at least three FRBs in our sample originate in less active environments (two non-repeaters and one repeater). Across all modeled properties, we find no statistically significant distinction between the hosts of repeaters and non-repeaters. However, the hosts of repeating FRBs generally extend to lower stellar masses, and the hosts of non-repeaters arise in more optically luminous galaxies. While four of the galaxies with the most clear and prolonged rises in their SFHs all host repeating FRBs, demonstrating heightened star formation activity in the last $\lesssim 100$ Myr, one non-repeating host shows this SFH as well. Our results support progenitor models with short delay channels (i.e., magnetars formed via core-collapse supernova) for most FRBs, but the presence of some FRBs in less active environments suggests a fraction form through more delayed channels.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Measuring the Variance of the Macquart Relation in z-DM Modeling

The Macquart relation describes the correlation between the dispersion measure (DM) of fast radio bursts (FRBs) and the redshift $z$ of their host galaxies. The scatter of the Macquart relation is sensitive to the distribution of baryons in the intergalactic medium (IGM) including those ejected from galactic halos through feedback processes. The width of the distribution in DMs from the cosmic web (${\rm DM}_{\rm cosmic}$) is parameterized by a fluctuation parameter $F$, which is related to the cosmic DM variance by $σ_{\rm DM}= F z^{-0.5}$. In this work, we present a new measurement of $F$ using 78 FRBs of which 21 have been localized to host galaxies. Our analysis simultaneously fits for the Hubble constant $H_0$ and the DM distribution due to the FRB host galaxy. We find that the fluctuation parameter is degenerate with these parameters, most notably $H_0$, and use a uniform prior on $H_0$ to measure $\log_{10} F > -0.89$ at the $3σ$ confidence interval and a new constraint on the Hubble constant $H_0 = 85.3_{-8.1}^{+9.4} \, {\rm km \, s^{-1} \, Mpc^{-1}}$. Using a synthetic sample of 100 localized FRBs, the constraint on the fluctuation parameter is improved by a factor of $\sim 2$. Comparing our $F$ measurement to simulated predictions from cosmological simulation (IllustrisTNG), we find agreement between $0.4 < z < 2$. However, at $z < 0.4$, the simulations underpredict $F$ which we attribute to the rapidly changing extragalactic DM excess distribution at low redshift.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Calculation and Uncertainty of Fast Radio Burst Structure Based on Smoothed Data

Studies of the time-domain structure of fast radio bursts (FRBs) require an accurate estimate of the FRB dispersion measure in order to recover the intrinsic burst shape. Furthermore, the exact DM is itself of interest when studying the time-evolution of the medium through which multiple bursts from repeating FRBs propagate. A commonly used approach to obtain the dispersion measure is to take the value that maximizes the FRB structure in the time domain. However, various authors use differing methods to obtain this structure parameter, and do not document the smoothing method used. Furthermore, there are no quantitative estimates of the error in this procedure in the FRB literature. In this letter, we present a smoothing filter based on the discrete cosine transform, and show that computing the structure parameter by summing the squares of the derivatives and taking the square root immediately lends itself to calculation of uncertainty of the structure parameter. We illustrate this with FRB181112 and FRB210117 data, which were detected by the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, and for which high-time-resolution data is available.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Does a radio jet drive the massive multi-phase outflow in the ultra-luminous infrared galaxy IRAS 10565+2448?

We present new upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) HI 21-cm observations of the ultra-luminous infrared galaxy IRAS 10565+2448, previously reported to show blueshifted, broad, and shallow HI absorption indicating an outflow. Our higher spatial resolution observations have localised this blueshifted outflow, which is $\sim$ 1.36 kpc southwest of the radio centre and has a blueshifted velocity of $\sim 148\,\rm km\,s^{-1}$ and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of $\sim 581\,\rm km\,s^{-1}$. The spatial extent and kinematic properties of the HI outflow are consistent with the previously detected cold molecular outflows in IRAS 10565+2448, suggesting that they likely have the same driving mechanism and are tracing the same outflow. By combining the multi-phase gas observations, we estimate a total outflowing mass rate of at least $140\, \rm M_\odot \,yr^{-1}$ and a total energy loss rate of at least $8.9\times10^{42}\,\rm erg\,s^{-1}$, where the contribution from the ionised outflow is negligible, emphasising the importance of including both cold neutral and molecular gas when quantifying the impact of outflows. We present evidence of the presence of a radio jet and argue that this may play a role in driving the observed outflows. The modest radio luminosity $L_{\rm1.4GHz}$ $\sim1.3\times10^{23}\,{\rm W\,Hz^{-1}}$ of the jet in IRAS 10565+2448 implies that the jet contribution to driving outflows should not be ignored in low radio luminosity AGN.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

LADUMA: Discovery of a luminous OH megamaser at $z > 0.5$

In the local Universe, OH megamasers (OHMs) are detected almost exclusively in infrared-luminous galaxies, with a prevalence that increases with IR luminosity, suggesting that they trace gas-rich galaxy mergers. Given the proximity of the rest frequencies of OH and the hyperfine transition of neutral atomic hydrogen (HI), radio surveys to probe the cosmic evolution of HI in galaxies also offer exciting prospects for exploiting OHMs to probe the cosmic history of gas-rich mergers. Using observations for the Looking At the Distant Universe with the MeerKAT Array (LADUMA) deep HI survey, we report the first untargeted detection of an OHM at $z > 0.5$, LADUMA J033046.20$-$275518.1 (nicknamed "Nkalakatha"). The host system, WISEA J033046.26$-$275518.3, is an infrared-luminous radio galaxy whose optical redshift $z \approx 0.52$ confirms the MeerKAT emission line detection as OH at a redshift $z_{\rm OH} = 0.5225 \pm 0.0001$ rather than HI at lower redshift. The detected spectral line has 18.4$σ$ peak significance, a width of $459 \pm 59\,{\rm km\,s^{-1}}$, and an integrated luminosity of $(6.31 \pm 0.18\,{\rm [statistical]}\,\pm 0.31\,{\rm [systematic]}) \times 10^3\,L_\odot$, placing it among the most luminous OHMs known. The galaxy's far-infrared luminosity $L_{\rm FIR} = (1.576 \pm 0.013) \times 10^{12}\,L_\odot$ marks it as an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy; its ratio of OH and infrared luminosities is similar to those for lower-redshift OHMs. A comparison between optical and OH redshifts offers a slight indication of an OH outflow. This detection represents the first step towards a systematic exploitation of OHMs as a tracer of galaxy growth at high redshifts.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

MIGHTEE-HI: the HI Size-Mass relation over the last billion years

We present the observed HI size-mass relation of $204$ galaxies from the MIGHTEE Survey Early Science data. The high sensitivity of MeerKAT allows us to detect galaxies spanning more than 4 orders of magnitude in HI mass, ranging from dwarf galaxies to massive spirals, and including all morphological types. This is the first time the relation has been explored on a blind homogeneous data set which extends over a previously unexplored redshift range of $0 < z < 0.084$, i.e. a period of around one billion years in cosmic time. The sample follows the same tight logarithmic relation derived from previous work, between the diameter ($D_{\rm HI}$) and the mass ($M_{\rm HI}$) of HI discs. We measure a slope of $0.501\pm 0.008$, an intercept of $-3.252^{+0.073}_{-0.074}$, and an observed scatter of $0.057$ dex. For the first time, we quantify the intrinsic scatter of $0.054 \pm 0.003$ dex (${\sim} 10 \%$), which provides a constraint for cosmological simulations of galaxy formation and evolution. We derive the relation as a function of galaxy type and find that their intrinsic scatters and slopes are consistent within the errors. We also calculate the $D_{\rm HI} - M_{\rm HI}$ relation for two redshift bins and do not find any evidence for evolution with redshift. These results suggest that over a period of one billion years in lookback time, galaxy discs have not undergone significant evolution in their gas distribution and mean surface mass density, indicating a lack of dependence on both morphological type and redshift.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

MIGHTEE-HI: The baryonic Tully-Fisher relation over the last billion years

Using a sample of 67 galaxies from the MIGHTEE Survey Early Science data we study the HI-based baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (bTFr), covering a period of $\sim$one billion years ($0 \leq z \leq 0.081 $). We consider the bTFr based on two different rotational velocity measures: the width of the global HI profile and $\rm V_{out}$, measured as the outermost rotational velocity from the resolved HI rotation curves. Both relations exhibit very low intrinsic scatter orthogonal to the best-fit relation ($σ_{\perp}=0.07\pm0.01$), comparable to the SPARC sample at $z \simeq 0$. The slopes of the relations are similar and consistent with the $ z \simeq 0$ studies ($3.66^{+0.35}_{-0.29}$ for $\rm W_{50}$ and $3.47^{+0.37}_{-0.30}$ for $\rm V_{out}$). We find no evidence that the bTFr has evolved over the last billion years, and all galaxies in our sample are consistent with the same relation independent of redshift and the rotational velocity measure. Our results set up a reference for all future studies of the HI-based bTFr as a function of redshift that will be conducted with the ongoing deep SKA pathfinders surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

MIGHTEE-HI: Discovery of an HI-rich galaxy group at z = 0.044 with MeerKAT

We present the serendipitous discovery of a galaxy group in the XMM-LSS field with MIGHTEE Early Science observations. Twenty galaxies are detected in HI in this $z\sim0.044$ group, with a $3σ$ column density sensitivity of $N_\mathrm{HI} = 1.6\times10^{20}\,\mathrm{cm}^{-2}$. This group has not been previously identified, despite residing in a well-studied extragalactic legacy field. We present spatially-resolved HI total intensity and velocity maps for each of the objects, which reveal environmental influence through disturbed morphologies. The group has a dynamical mass of $\log_{10}(M_\mathrm{dyn}/\mathrm{M}_\odot) = 12.32$, and is unusually gas-rich, with an HI-to-stellar mass ratio of $\log_{10}(f_\mathrm{HI}^\mathrm{*}) = -0.2$, which is 0.7 dex greater than expected. The group's high HI content, spatial, velocity, and identified galaxy type distributions strongly suggest that it is in the early stages of its assembly. The discovery of this galaxy group is an example of the importance of mapping spatially-resolved HI in a wide range of environments, including galaxy groups. This scientific goal has been dramatically enhanced by the high sensitivity, large field-of-view, and wide instantaneous bandwidth of the MeerKAT telescope.

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