arXiv subjects

N. P. H. Nesvadba

Publications and source records attributed to N. P. H. Nesvadba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Jet--ISM Interactions in Gaseous Disks: Simulating Kinetic Feedback in the Radio Galaxy 3C 326 N

Several radio galaxies, such as 3C\,326\,N, show signatures of jet--ISM coupling, but a complete theoretical framework for explaining them is still lacking. Interpreting these observations requires a detailed understanding of the gas distribution, geometry, and outflow energetics. In this paper, we use three-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamic simulations to investigate jet--ISM coupling in inhomogeneous gaseous disks, exploring a parameter space spanning different cloud configurations, jet powers, and central disk densities. Our simulations incorporate a numerical turbulence injection scheme that maintains vertical support in the disk, preventing the unphysical collapse encountered in previous studies. We find that jet--ISM coupling is strongly governed by the underlying cloud configuration, leading to distinct outflow morphologies, velocity dispersions, and kinetic energies. Simulations with small-scale ($l_{\rm c,max}=50$~pc) clouds produce the highest velocity dispersions and kinetic energies, whereas large-scale cloud configurations ($l_{\rm c,max}=250$~pc) yield the lowest values, with mixed cloud distributions exhibiting intermediate behavior. In addition, mixed cloud configurations give rise to asymmetric jet propagation, naturally producing unequal lobe lengths similar to those observed in radio galaxies. We compare our fiducial simulation (a $10^{45}\,\rm erg\,s^{-1}$ jet interacting with a mixed cloud configuration) with observations of 3C\,326\,N, focusing on the morphology of the jet-driven bubble, synthetic emission and the gas kinematics. Our results successfully reproduce the observed properties, providing strong evidence that jet--ISM interactions can account for the wide bubble and the complex gas kinematics observed in this system.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Powerful Radio Sources in the Southern Sky. II. A SWIFT X-Ray Perspective

We recently constructed the G4Jy-3CRE, a catalog of extragalactic radio sources based on the GLEAM 4-Jy (G4Jy) sample, with the aim of increasing the number of powerful radio galaxies and quasars with similar selection criteria to those of the revised release of the Third Cambridge catalog (3CR). The G4Jy-3CRE consists of a total of 264 radio sources mainly visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we present an initial X-ray analysis of 89 G4Jy-3CRE radio sources with archival X- ray observations from the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. We reduced a total of 615 Swift observations, for about 0.89 Msec of integrated exposure time, we found X-ray counterparts for 61 radio sources belonging to the G4Jy-3CRE, 11 of them showing extended X-ray emission. The remaining 28 sources do not show any X-ray emission associated with their radio cores. Our analysis demonstrates that X-ray snapshot observations, even if lacking uniform exposure times, as those carried out with Swift, allow us to (i) verify and/or re ne the host galaxy identi cation; (ii) discover the extended X-ray emission around radio galaxies of the intracluster medium when harbored in galaxy clusters, as the case of G4Jy 1518 and G4Jy 1664, and (iii) detect X-ray radiation arising from their radio lobes, as for G4Jy 1863.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Powerful Radio Sources in the Southern Sky. I. Optical Identifications

Since the early sixties, our view of radio galaxies and quasars has been drastically shaped by discoveries made thanks to observations of radio sources listed in the Third Cambridge catalog and its revised version (3CR). However, the largest fraction of data collected to date on 3CR sources was performed with relatively old instruments, rarely repeated and/or updated. Importantly, the 3CR contains only objects located in the Northern Hemisphere thus having limited access to new and innovative astronomical facilities. To mitigate these limitations we present a new catalog of powerful radio sources visible from the Southern Hemisphere, extracted from the GLEAM 4-Jy (G4Jy) catalog and based on equivalent selection criteria as the 3CR. This new catalog, named G4Jy- 3CRE, where the E stands for "equivalent", lists a total of 264 sources at declination below -5 degrees and with 9 Jy limiting sensitivity at ~178 MHz. We explored archival radio maps obtained with different surveys and compared then with optical images available in the Pan-STARRS, DES and DSS databases to search for optical counterparts of their radio cores. We compared mid-infrared counterparts, originally associated in the G4Jy, with the optical ones identified here and we present results of a vast literature search carried out to collect redshift estimates for all G4Jy-3CRE sources resulting in a total of 145 reliable z measurements.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Deep Herschel observations of the 2Jy sample: assessing the non-thermal and AGN contributions to the far-IR continuum

The far-IR/sub-mm wavelength range contains a wealth of diagnostic information that is important for understanding the role of radio AGN in galaxy evolution. Here we present the results of Herschel PACS and SPIRE observations of a complete sample of 46 powerful 2Jy radio AGN at intermediate redshifts (0.05 < z < 0.7), which represent the deepest pointed observations of a major sample of radio AGN undertaken by Herschel. In order to assess the importance of non-thermal synchrotron emission at far-IR wavelengths, we also present new APEX sub-mm and ALMA mm data. We find that the overall incidence of non-thermal contamination in the PACS bands ($<$200$μ$m) is in the range 28 -- 43%; however, this rises to 30 -- 72% for wavelengths ($> $200$μ$m) sampled by the SPIRE instrument. Non-thermal contamination is strongest in objects with compact CSS/GPS or extended FRI radio morphologies, and in those with type 1 optical spectra. Considering thermal dust emission, we find strong correlations between the 100 and 160$μ$m monochromatic luminosities and AGN power indicators, providing further evidence that radiation from the AGN may be an important heating source for the far-IR emitting dust. Clearly, AGN contamination -- whether by the direct emission from synchrotron-emitting lobes and cores, or via radiative heating of the cool dust -- needs to be carefully considered when using the far-IR continuum to measure the star formation rates in the host galaxies of radio AGN.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Jet-driven AGN feedback on molecular gas and low star-formation efficiency in a massive local spiral galaxy with bright X-ray halo

It has long been suspected that powerful radio sources may lower the efficiency with which stars form from the molecular gas in their host galaxy, but so far, alternative mechanisms, in particular related to the stellar mass distribution in the massive bulges of their host galaxies, are not ruled out. We present new ALMA CO(1-0) interferometry of cold molecular gas in the nearby (z=0.0755), massive (M_stellar=4x10^11 M_sun), isolated, late-type spiral galaxy 2MASSX J23453269-044925, which is outstanding for having two pairs of powerful, giant radio jets, and a bright X-ray halo. The molecular gas is in a massive (M_gas=2x10^10 M_sun), 24 kpc wide, rapidly rotating ring, which is associated with the inner stellar disk. Broad (FWHM=70-180 km s^-1) lines with complex profiles associated with the radio source are seen over large regions in the ring, indicating gas velocities that are high enough to keep the otherwise marginally Toomre-stable gas from fragmenting into gravitationally bound, star-forming clouds. About 1-2% of the jet kinetic energy are required to power these motions. Resolved star-formation rate surface densities fall factors 50-75 short of expectations from the Kennicutt-Schmidt law of star-forming galaxies, and near gas-rich early-type galaxies with signatures of star formation lowered by jet feedback. We argue that radio AGN feedback is the only plausible mechanism to explain the low star-formation rates in this galaxy. Previous authors have already noted that the X-ray halo of J2345-0449 implies a baryon fraction near the cosmic average, which is very high for a galaxy. We contrast this finding with other, equally massive baryon-rich spiral galaxies without prominent radio sources. Most of the baryons in these galaxies are in stars, not in the halos. We also discuss the implications of our results for our general understanding of AGN feedback in massive galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Planck's Dusty GEMS. VIII. Dense-gas reservoirs in the most active dusty starbursts at z~3

We present ALMA, NOEMA, and IRAM-30m/EMIR observations of the high-density tracer molecules HCN, HCO+, and HNC in three of the brightest lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at z~3-3.5, part of the Planck's Dusty GEMS sample, to probe the gas reservoirs closely associated with their exceptional levels of star formation. We obtain robust detections of ten emission lines between J_up=4 and 6, as well as several additional flux upper limits. In PLCK_G244.8+54.9, the brightest source at z=3.0, the HNC(5-4) line emission at 0.1" resolution, together with other spatially-integrated line profiles, suggests comparable distributions of dense and more diffuse gas reservoirs, at least over the most strongly magnified regions. This rules out any major effect from differential lensing. The HCO+/HCN > 1 and HNC/HCN ~ 1 line ratios in our sample are similar to those of nearby ULIRGs and consistent with photon-dominated regions without any indication of important mechanical heating or AGN feedback. We characterize the dense-gas excitation in PLCK_G244.8+54.9 using radiative transfer models assuming pure collisional excitation and find that mid-J HCN, HCO+, and HNC lines arise from a high-density phase with H2 density n~10^5-6 cm^-3, although important degeneracies prevent determining the exact conditions. The three GEMS are consistent with extrapolations of dense-gas star-formation laws derived in the nearby Universe, adding further evidence that the extreme star-formation rates observed in the most active galaxies at z~3 are a consequence of their important dense-gas contents. The dense-gas-mass fractions traced by HCN/[CI] and HCO+/[CI] line ratios are elevated, but not exceptional compared to other lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at z>2 and fall near the upper envelope of local ULIRGs. Our results also favor constant dense-gas depletion times in these populations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Gas, dust, and star formation in the positive AGN feedback candidate 4C 41.17 at z=3.8

We present new, spatially resolved [CI]1-0, [CI]2-1, CO(7-6), and dust continuum observations of 4C 41.17 at $z=3.8$ obtained with the IRAM NOEMA interferometer. This is one of the best-studied radio galaxies in this epoch and is arguably the best candidate of jet-triggered star formation at high redshift currently known in the literature. 4C 41.17 shows a narrow ridge of dust continuum extending over 15 kpc near the radio jet axis. Line emission is found within the galaxy in the region with signatures of positive feedback. Using the [CI]1-0 line as a molecular gas tracer, and multifrequency observations of the far-infrared dust heated by star formation, we find a total gas mass of $7.6\times 10^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$, which is somewhat greater than that previously found from CO(4-3). The gas mass surface density of $10^3$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ pc$^{-2}$ and the star formation rate surface density of 10 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-2}$ were derived over the 12 kpc$\times$8 kpc area, where signatures of positive feedback have previously been found. These densities are comparable to those in other populations of massive, dusty star-forming galaxies in this redshift range, suggesting that the jet does not currently enhance the efficiency with which stars form from the gas. This is consistent with expectations from simulations, whereby radio jets may facilitate the onset of star formation in galaxies without boosting its efficiency over longer timescales, in particular after the jet has broken out of the interstellar medium, as is the case in 4C 41.17.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Planck's dusty GEMS. VI. Multi-J CO excitation and interstellar medium conditions in dusty starburst galaxies at z=2-4

We present an extensive CO emission-line survey of the Planck's dusty GEMS, a small set of 11 strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at z = 2-4 discovered with Planck and Herschel satellites, using EMIR on the IRAM 30-m telescope. We detected a total of 45 CO rotational lines from Jup=3 to Jup=11, and up to eight transitions per source, allowing a detailed analysis of the gas excitation and interstellar medium conditions within these extremely bright, vigorous starbursts. We applied radiative transfer models using the large velocity gradient approach to infer the spatially-averaged molecular gas densities, $n_{H_2}$~10$^{2.6-4.1}$ cm$^{-3}$, and kinetic temperatures, $T_k$~30-1000 K. In five sources, we find evidence of two distinct gas phases with different properties and model their CO ladder with two excitation components. The warm (70-320 K) and dense gas reservoirs in these galaxies are highly excited, while the cooler (15-60 K) and more extended low-excitation components cover a range of gas densities. In two sources, the latter is associated with diffuse Milky Way-like gas phases, which provides evidence that a significant fraction of the total gas masses of dusty starburst galaxies can be embedded in cool, low-density reservoirs. Finally, we show that the CO line luminosity ratios are consistent with those predicted by models of photon-dominated regions and disfavor scenarios of gas clouds irradiated by intense X-ray fields from active galactic nuclei. By combining CO, [CI] and [CII] line diagnostics, we obtain average PDR gas densities significantly higher than in normal star-forming galaxies at low-redshift, and far-ultraviolet radiation fields at least 100 times more intense than in the Milky Way. These spatially-averaged conditions are consistent with those in high-redshift SMGs and in a range of low-redshift environments.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Planck's dusty GEMS. V. Molecular wind and clump stability in a strongly lensed star-forming galaxy at z=2.2

We report the discovery of a molecular wind signature from a massive intensely star-forming clump of a few $10^9$ Msun, in the strongly gravitationally lensed submillimeter galaxy "the Emerald" (PLCK_G165.7+49.0) at z=2.236. The Emerald is amongst the brightest high-redshift galaxies on the submillimeter sky, and was initially discovered with the Planck satellite. The system contains two magnificient structures with projected lengths of 28.5" and 21" formed by multiple, near-infrared arcs, falling behind a massive galaxy cluster at z=0.35, as well as an adjacent filament that has so far escaped discovery in other wavebands. We used HST/WFC3 and CFHT optical and near-infrared imaging together with IRAM and SMA interferometry of the CO(4-3) line and 850 $μ$m dust emission to characterize the foreground lensing mass distribution, construct a lens model with Lenstool, and calculate gravitational magnification factors between 20 and 50 in most of the source. The majority of the star formation takes place within two massive star-forming clumps which are marginally gravitationally bound and embedded in a $9 \times 10^{10}$ Msun, fragmented disk with 20% gas fraction. One of the clumps shows a pronounced blue wing in the CO(4-3) line profile, which we interpret as a wind signature. The mass outflow rates are high enough for us to suspect that the clump might become unbound within a few tens of Myr, unless the outflowing gas can be replenished by gas accretion from the surrounding disk. The velocity offset of -200 km s$^{-1}$ is above the escape velocity of the clump, but not that of the galaxy overall, suggesting that much of this material might ultimately rain back onto the galaxy and contribute to fueling subsequent star formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

Planck's Dusty GEMS. III. A massive lensing galaxy with a bottom-heavy stellar initial mass function at z=1.5

We study the properties of the foreground galaxy of the Ruby, the brightest gravitationally lensed high-redshift galaxy on the sub-millimeter sky as probed by the Planck satellite, and part of our sample of Planck's Dusty GEMS. The Ruby consists of an Einstein ring of 1.4" diameter at z = 3.005 observed with ALMA at 0.1" resolution, centered on a faint, red, massive lensing galaxy seen with HST/WFC3, which itself has an exceptionally high redshift, z = 1.525 $\pm$ 0.001, as confirmed with VLT/X-Shooter spectroscopy. Here we focus on the properties of the lens and the lensing model obtained with LENSTOOL. The rest-frame optical morphology of this system is strongly dominated by the lens, while the Ruby itself is highly obscured, and contributes less than 10% to the photometry out to the K band. The foreground galaxy has a lensing mass of (3.70 $\pm$ 0.35) $\times$ 10$^{11}$ M$_{\odot}$. Magnification factors are between 7 and 38 for individual clumps forming two image families along the Einstein ring. We present a decomposition of the foreground and background sources in the WFC3 images, and stellar population synthesis modeling with a range of star-formation histories for Chabrier and Salpeter initial mass functions (IMFs). Only the stellar mass range obtained with the latter agrees well with the lensing mass. This is consistent with the bottom-heavy IMFs of massive high-redshift galaxies expected from detailed studies of the stellar masses and mass profiles of their low-redshift descendants, and from models of turbulent gas fragmentation. This may be the first direct constraint on the IMF in a lens at z = 1.5, which is not a cluster central galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

SCUBA-2 follow-up of Herschel-SPIRE observed Planck overdensities

We present SCUBA-2 follow-up of 61 candidate high-redshift Planck sources. Of these, 10 are confirmed strong gravitational lenses and comprise some of the brightest such submm sources on the observed sky, while 51 are candidate proto-cluster fields undergoing massive starburst events. With the accompanying Herschel-SPIRE observations and assuming an empirical dust temperature prior of $34^{+13}_{-9}$ K, we provide photometric redshift and far-IR luminosity estimates for 172 SCUBA-2-selected sources within these Planck overdensity fields. The redshift distribution of the sources peak between a redshift of 2 and 4, with one third of the sources having $S_{500}$/$S_{350} > 1$. For the majority of the sources, we find far-IR luminosities of approximately $10^{13}\,\mathrm{L}_\odot$, corresponding to star-formation rates of around $1000$ M$_\odot \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$. For $S_{850}>8$ mJy sources, we show that there is up to an order of magnitude increase in star-formation rate density and an increase in uncorrected number counts of $6$ for $S_{850}>8$ mJy when compared to typical cosmological survey fields. The sources detected with SCUBA-2 account for only approximately $5$ per cent of the Planck flux at 353 GHz, and thus many more fainter sources are expected in these fields.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

ALMA Finds Dew Drops in the Dusty Spider's Web

We present 0."5 resolution ALMA detections of the observed 246GHz continuum, [CI]^3P_2-^3P_1 fine structure line ([CI]2-1), CO(7-6) and H2O lines in the z=2.161 radio galaxy MRC1138-262, the 'Spiderweb Galaxy'. We detect strong [CI]2-1 emission both at the position of the radio core, and in a second component ~4kpc away from it. The 1100km/s broad [CI]2-1 line in this latter component, combined with its H2 mass of 1.6x10^10Msun implies this emission must come from a compact region <60pc, possibly containing a second AGN. The combined H2 mass derived for both objects using the [CI]2-1 emission is 3.3x10^10Msun. The total CO(7-6)/[CI]2-1 line flux ratio of 0.2 suggests a low excitation molecular gas reservoir and/or enhanced atomic carbon in cosmic-ray dominated regions. We detect spatially-resolved H2O 2_{11}-2_{02} emission - for the first time in a high-z un-lensed galaxy - near the outer radio lobe to the east, and near the bend of the radio jet to the west of the radio galaxy. No underlying 246GHz continuum emission is seen at either position. We suggest that the H2O emission is excited in the cooling region behind slow (10-40km/s) shocks in dense molecular gas (10^{3-5} cm^-3). The extended water emission is likely evidence of the radio jet's impact in cooling and forming molecules in the post-shocked gas in the halo and inter-cluster gas similar to what is seen in low-z clusters and other high-z radio galaxies. These observations imply that the passage of the radio jet in the interstellar and inter-cluster medium not only heats gas to high temperatures as is commonly assumed or found in simulations, but also induces cooling and dissipation which can lead to substantial amounts of cold dense molecular gas. The formation of molecules and strong dissipation in the halo gas of MRC1138-262 may explain both the extended diffuse molecular gas and young stars observed around MRC1138-262.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Kinematic signatures of AGN feedback in moderately powerful radio galaxies at z~2 observed with SINFONI

Most successful galaxy formation scenarios now postulate that the intense star formation in massive, high-redshift galaxies during their major growth period was truncated when powerful AGNs launched galaxy-wide outflows of gas that removed large parts of the interstellar medium. The most powerful radio galaxies at z~2 show clear signatures of such winds, but are too rare to be good representatives of a generic phase in the evolution of all massive galaxies at high redshift. Here we present SINFONI imaging spectroscopy of 12 radio galaxies at z~2 that are intermediate between the most powerful radio and vigorous starburst galaxies in radio power, and common enough to represent a generic phase in the early evolution of massive galaxies. The kinematic properties are diverse, with regular velocity gradients with amplitudes of Delta v=200-400 km s^-1 as in rotating disks as well as irregular kinematics with multiple velocity jumps of a few 100 km s^-1. Line widths are generally high, typically around FWHM=800 km s^-1, consistent with wind velocities in hydrodynamic models. A broad H-alpha line in one target implies a black hole mass of a few 10^9 M$_sun. The ratio of line widths, sigma, to bulk velocity, v, is so large that even the gas in galaxies with regular velocity fields is unlikely to be gravitationally bound. It is unclear, however, whether the large line widths are due to turbulence or unresolved, local outflows as are sometimes observed at low redshifts. Comparison of the kinetic energy with the energy supply from the AGN through jet and radiation pressure suggests that the radio source still plays a dominant role for feedback, consistent with low-redshift radio-loud quasars.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Probing star formation in the dense environments of z~1 lensing halos aligned with dusty star-forming galaxies detected with the South Pole Telescope

We probe star formation in the environments of massive $\sim10^{13}\,M_{\odot}$ dark matter halos at redshifts of $z$$\sim$$1$. This star formation is linked to a sub-millimetre clustering signal which we detect in maps of the Planck High Frequency Instrument that are stacked at the positions of a sample of high-redshift ($z$$>$$2$) strongly-lensed dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) selected from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) 2500 deg$^2$ survey. The clustering signal has sub-millimetre colours which are consistent with the mean redshift of the foreground lensing halos ($z$$\sim$$1$). We report a mean excess of star formation rate (SFR) compared to the field, of $(2700\pm700)\,M_{\odot}\,{yr}^{-1}$ from all galaxies contributing to this clustering signal within a radius of 3.5' from the SPT DSFGs. The magnitude of the Planck excess is in broad agreement with predictions of a current model of the cosmic infrared background. The model predicts that 80$\%$ of the excess emission measured by Planck originates from galaxies lying in the neighbouring halos of the lensing halo. Using Herschel maps of the same fields, we find a clear excess, relative to the field, of individual sources which contribute to the Planck excess. The mean excess SFR compared to the field is measured to be ($370\pm40)$$\,M_{\odot}\,{yr}^{-1}$ per resolved, clustered source. Our findings suggest that the environments around these massive $z$$\sim$$1$ lensing halos host intense star formation out to about $2\,$Mpc. The flux enhancement due to clustering should also be considered when measuring flux densities of galaxies in Planck data.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Defying jet-gas alignment in two radio galaxies at z~2 with extended light profiles: Similarities to brightest cluster galaxies

We report the detection of extended warm ionized gas in two powerful high-redshift radio galaxies, NVSS J210626-314003 at z=2.10 and TXS 2353-003 at z=1.49, that does not appear to be associated with the radio jets. This is contrary to what would be expected from the alignment effect, a characteristic feature of distant, powerful radio galaxies at z> 0.6. The gas also has smaller velocity gradients and line widths than most other high-z radio galaxies with similar data. Both galaxies are part of a systematic study of 50 high-redshift radio galaxies with SINFONI, and are the only two that are characterized by the presence of high surface-brightness gas not associated with the jet axis and by the absence of such gas aligned with the jet. Both galaxies are spatially resolved with ISAAC broadband imaging covering the rest-frame R band, and have extended wings that cannot be attributed to line contamination. We argue that the gas and stellar properties of these galaxies are more akin to gas-rich brightest cluster galaxies in cool-core clusters than the general population of high-redshift radio galaxies at z>2. In support of this interpretation, one of our sources, TXS 2353-003, for which we have Hα narrowband imaging, is associated with an overdensity of candidate Hα emitters by a factor of 8 relative to the field at z=1.5. We discuss possible scenarios of the evolutionary state of these galaxies and the nature of their emission line gas within the context of cyclical AGN feedback.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Planck's Dusty GEMS: Gravitationally lensed high-redshift galaxies discovered with the Planck survey

We present an analysis of 11 bright far-IR/submm sources discovered through a combination of the Planck survey and follow-up Herschel-SPIRE imaging. Each source has a redshift z=2.2-3.6 obtained through a blind redshift search with EMIR at the IRAM 30-m telescope. Interferometry obtained at IRAM and the SMA, and optical/near-infrared imaging obtained at the CFHT and the VLT reveal morphologies consistent with strongly gravitationally lensed sources. Additional photometry was obtained with JCMT/SCUBA-2 and IRAM/GISMO at 850 um and 2 mm, respectively. All objects are bright, isolated point sources in the 18 arcsec beam of SPIRE at 250 um, with spectral energy distributions peaking either near the 350 um or the 500 um bands of SPIRE, and with apparent far-infrared luminosities of up to 3x10^14 L_sun. Their morphologies and sizes, CO line widths and luminosities, dust temperatures, and far-infrared luminosities provide additional empirical evidence that these are strongly gravitationally lensed high-redshift galaxies. We discuss their dust masses and temperatures, and use additional WISE 22-um photometry and template fitting to rule out a significant contribution of AGN heating to the total infrared luminosity. Six sources are detected in FIRST at 1.4 GHz. Four have flux densities brighter than expected from the local far-infrared-radio correlation, but in the range previously found for high-z submm galaxies, one has a deficit of FIR emission, and 6 are consistent with the local correlation. The global dust-to-gas ratios and star-formation efficiencies of our sources are predominantly in the range expected from massive, metal-rich, intense, high-redshift starbursts. An extensive multi-wavelength follow-up programme is being carried out to further characterize these sources and the intense star-formation within them.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Spitzer Mid-IR Spectroscopy of Powerful 2Jy and 3CRR Radio Galaxies. II. AGN Power Indicators and Unification

It remains uncertain which continuum and emission line diagnostics best indicate the bolometric powers of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), especially given the attenuation caused by the circumnuclear material and the possible contamination by components related to star formation. Here we use mid-IR spectra along with multiwavelength data to investigate the merit of various diagnostics of AGN radiative power, including the mid-IR [Ne III] lambda25.89 mum and [O IV] lambda25.89 mum fine-structure lines, the optical [O III] lambda5007 forbidden line, and mid-IR 24 mum, 5 GHz radio, and X-ray continuum emission, for complete samples of 46 2Jy radio galaxies (0.05 < z < 0.7) and 17 3CRR FRII radio galaxies (z < 0.1). We find that the mid-IR [O IV] line is the most reliable indicator of AGN power for powerful radio-loud AGNs. By assuming that the [O IV] is emitted isotropically, and comparing the [O III] and 24 mum luminosities of the broad- and narrow-line AGNs in our samples at fixed [O IV] luminosity, we show that the [O III] and 24 mum emission are both mildly attenuated in the narrow-line compared to the broad-line objects by a factor of #2. However, despite this attenuation, the [O III] and 24 mum luminosities are better AGN power indicators for our sample than either the 5 GHz radio or the X-ray continuum luminosities. We also detect the mid-IR 9.7 mum silicate feature in the spectra of many objects but not ubiquitously: at least 40% of the sample shows no clear evidence for these features. We conclude that, for the majority of powerful radio galaxies, the mid-IR lines are powered by AGN photoionization.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2013

Cold gas dynamics in Hydra-A: evidence for a rotating disk

We present multi-frequency observations of the radio galaxy Hydra-A (3C218) located in the core of a massive, X-ray luminous galaxy cluster. IFU spectroscopy is used to trace the kinematics of the ionised and warm molecular hydrogen which are consistent with a ~ 5 kpc rotating disc. Broad, double-peaked lines of CO(2-1), [CII]157 $μ$m and [OI]63 $μ$m are detected. We estimate the mass of the cold gas within the disc to be M$_{gas}$ = 2.3 $\pm$ 0.3 x 10$^9$ M$_{\odot}$. These observations demonstrate that the complex line profiles found in the cold atomic and molecular gas are related to the rotating disc or ring of gas. Finally, an HST image of the galaxy shows that this gas disc contains a substantial mass of dust. The large gas mass, SFR and kinematics are consistent with the levels of gas cooling from the ICM. We conclude that the cold gas originates from the continual quiescent accumulation of cooled ICM gas. The rotation is in a plane perpendicular to the projected orientation of the radio jets and ICM cavities hinting at a possible connection between the kpc-scale cooling gas and the accretion of material onto the black hole. We discuss the implications of these observations for models of cold accretion, AGN feedback and cooling flows.

astro-ph.CO↗