arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N. Panagia.
The high resolution obtained through the use of VLBI gives an unique opportunity to directly observe the interaction of an expanding radio supernova with its surrounding medium. We present here results from our VLBI observations of the young supernovae SN 1979C, SN 1986J, and SN 2001gd.
We have performed the first measures of mass accretion rates in the core of the Orion Nebula Cluster. Four adjacent fields centered on the Trapezium stars have been imaged in the U- and B-bands using the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope. In this paper we focus our attention on a group of 40 stars with known spectral types and complete UBVI WFPC2 photometry. Approximately three quarters of the sources show excess luminosity in the U-band, that we attribute to mass accretion. The known correlation between the U-band excess and the total accretion luminosity allows us to estimate the accretion rates. Overall, mass accretion rates appear lower than those measured by other authors in the Orion flanking fields or in Taurus-Auriga. Mass accretion rates remain low even in the vicinity of the birth line of Palla & Stahler, suggesting that in the core of the Trapezium cluster disk accretion has been recently depressed by an external mechanism. We suggest that the UV radiation generated by the Trapezium OB stars, responsible for the disk evaporation, may also cause the drop of the mass accretion rate. In this scenario, low-mass stars may terminate their pre-main sequence evolution with masses lower than those they would have reached if disk accretion could have proceeded undisturbed until the final disk consumption. In OB associations the low-mass end of the Initial Mass Function may therefore be affected by the rapid evolution of the most massive cluster's stars, causing a surplus "accretion aborted" very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, and a deficit of intermediate mass stars. This trend is in agreement with recent observations of the IMF in the Trapezium cluster.
Motivated by recent evidence that the epoch of reionization of hydrogen may have ended at a redshift as low as z~6 we consider the detectability of the sources responsible for this reionization. The main idea is that reionization places limits on the mean surface brightness of the population of reionization sources. Reducing the number of model-dependent assumptions to a minimum, we discuss the observability of these sources with existing and planned telescopes. We define a family of models characterized by two parameters: the Lyman continuum escape fraction f_c from the sources, and the clumpiness parameter C of the intergalactic medium. The minimum surface brightness model corresponds to a value of unity for both parameters. We find that the detection of the non-ionizing UV continuum of the reionization sources will be difficult to accomplish before the launch of JWST if these sources have a mean surface brightness close to the minimum value. However, if the values of f_c and C are more realistic, the reionization sources may well be detected by HST before JWST, perhaps by exploiting gravitational lensing amplification by foreground clusters of galaxies. Instead of a detection in the continuum, one may attempt to detect the Lyalpha emission line by narrow-band imaging. Present Lyalpha searches at z>6 suggest that either the typical sources are fainter than dwarf galaxies, or that the escape fraction of ionizing photons is much higher than 50%, so that there are no bright compact HII regions formed around the ionizing sources.
Supernova 2001ig in NGC 7424 has been observed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array at ~2 week intervals since its discovery, making this the best-studied Type IIb radio supernova since SN 1993J. We present radio light curves for frequencies from 1.4 to 20 GHz, and preliminary attempts to model the observed behaviour. Since peaking in radio luminosity at 8.6 and 4.8 GHz some 1-2 months after the explosion, SN 2001ig has on at least two occasions deviated significantly from a smooth decline, indicative of interaction with a dense circumstellar medium and possibly of periodic progenitor mass-loss.
Limiting the number of model-dependent assumptions to a minimum, we discuss the detectability of the sources responsible for reionization with existing and planned telescopes. We conclude that if reionization sources are UV-efficient, minimum luminosity sources, then it may be difficult to detect them before the advent of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The best approach before the launch of JWST may be either to exploit gravitational lensing by clusters of galaxies, or to search for strong Ly-alpha sources by means of narrow-band excess techniques or slitless grism spectroscopy.
We report measurements of $Ω_M$, $Ω_Λ$, and w from eleven supernovae at z=0.36-0.86 with high-quality lightcurves measured using WFPC-2 on the HST. This is an independent set of high-redshift supernovae that confirms previous supernova evidence for an accelerating Universe. Combined with earlier Supernova Cosmology Project data, the new supernovae yield a flat-universe measurement of the mass density $Ω_M=0.25^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$ (statistical) $\pm0.04$ (identified systematics), or equivalently, a cosmological constant of $Ω_Λ=0.75^{+0.06}_{-0.07}$ (statistical) $\pm0.04$ (identified systematics). When the supernova results are combined with independent flat-universe measurements of $Ω_M$ from CMB and galaxy redshift distortion data, they provide a measurement of $w=-1.05^{+0.15}_{-0.20}$ (statistical) $\pm0.09$ (identified systematic), if w is assumed to be constant in time. The new data offer greatly improved color measurements of the high-redshift supernovae, and hence improved host-galaxy extinction estimates. These extinction measurements show no anomalous negative E(B-V) at high redshift. The precision of the measurements is such that it is possible to perform a host-galaxy extinction correction directly for individual supernovae without any assumptions or priors on the parent E(B-V) distribution. Our cosmological fits using full extinction corrections confirm that dark energy is required with $P(Ω_Λ>0)>0.99$, a result consistent with previous and current supernova analyses which rely upon the identification of a low-extinction subset or prior assumptions concerning the intrinsic extinction distribution.
(Abridged) We present new results on the Hubble diagram of distant type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) segregated according to the type of host galaxy. This makes it possible to check earlier evidence for a cosmological constant by explicitly comparing SNe residing in galaxies likely to contain negligible dust with the larger sample. The cosmological parameters derived from these SNe Ia hosted by presumed dust-free early-type galaxies supports earlier claims for a cosmological constant, which we demonstrate at 5 sigma significance, and the internal extinction implied is small even for late-type systems (A_B<0.2). Thus, our data demonstrate that host galaxy extinction is unlikely to systematically dim distant SNe Ia in a manner that would produce a spurious cosmological constant. We classify the host galaxies of 39 distant SNe discovered by the Supernova Cosmology Project (SCP) using the combination of HST STIS imaging, Keck ESI spectroscopy and ground-based broad-band photometry. We compare with a low-redshift sample of 25 SNe Ia. The scatter observed in the SNe Ia Hubble diagrams correlates closely with host galaxy morphology. We find the scatter in the SNe Ia Hubble diagram is smallest for SNe occurring in early-type hosts and largest for those occurring in late-type galaxies. Moreover, SNe residing in early-type hosts appear only ~0.14+/-0.09 mag brighter in their light-curve-width-corrected luminosity than those in late-type hosts, implying only a modest amount of dust extinction even in the late-type systems.
We study the cluster population in a region of 3.2x3.2 kpc^2 in the inner spiral arms of the intergacting galaxy M51, at a distance of about 1 to 3 kpc from the nucleus, based on HST--WFPC2 images taken through five broadband and two narrowband filters. We found 877 cluster candidates and we derived their ages, initial masses and extinctions by comparing their energy distribution with the Starburst99 cluster models. We describe the 3 and 2-dimensional least-square energy fitting method that was used (3DEF, 2DEF). The lack of [OIII] emission in even the youngest clusters with strong H-alpha emission, indicates the absence of the most massive stars and suggests a mass upper limit of about 25 to 30 solar masses. The mass versus age distribution of the clusters shows a drastic decrease in the number of clusters with age, which indicates that cluster disruption is occurring on a timescale of about 10 Myr for low mass clusters. The cluster initial mass function for clusters younger than 10 Myr has an exponent of alpha = 2.0 (+- 0.05) We derived the cluster formation history from clusters with an initial mass larger than 10^4 solar masses. There is no evidence for a peak in the cluster formation rate within a factor two at about 200 to 400 Myr ago, i.e. at the time of the interaction with the companion galaxy NGC 5194.
We present the first results of a study of the expected properties of the first stellar generations in the Universe. In particular, we consider and discuss a series of properties that, on the basis of the emission from associated HII regions, permit one to discern {\it bona fide} primeval stellar generations from the ones formed after pollution from supernova explosions. The expected performance of NGST for the study and the characterization of primordial sources is also discussed.
We present observations of the radio emission from the unusual SN 1988Z made with the VLA from 385 to 4,438 days after explosion. SN 1988Z is the most distant radio supernova ever detected. The radio light curves are well-described by a model involving the blastwave interacting with a high-density circumstellar cocoon, which consists almost entirely of clumps or filaments. However, at age ~ 1750 days the SN declines much more rapidly than expected, without a change in absorption parameters. This is due to a change in the number density of circum- stellar clumps without a change in the average properties of each clump. This also represents a change in the presupernova stellar wind properties ~ 10,000 yr before explosion. A massive wind (Mdot >~ 10^{-4} Msun/yr) and very high ZAMS mass, ~ 20--30 Msun, is implied for the SN progenitor, similar to what is likely the case for SNe 1986J and 1998bw.
We model the IR Spectral Energy Distribution of circumstellar disks embedded in a HII region and photoevaporated by the external UV radiation. The model applies to the photoevaporated disks (proplyds) in Orion Nebula. First we calculate the IR emission of a PMS star surrounded by a dusty globule that is immersed within an HII region. The globule is assumed to be spherical, homogeneous, optically thin in the IR and photoevaporated according to the Dyson (1968) model. Second, we consider the IR emission of a disk directly exposed to the nebular environment. The disk is passive and treated according to the Chiang and Goldreich (1997) model. We improve over the CG97 treatment by tracing the propagation of the various radiative fluxes through the disk superheated atmosphere. Since the opposite disk sides receive different amounts of radiation, the flaring angle and the surface temperature distributions are different, resulting in well distinguished SEDs for the two disk faces. Finally, we combine the globule and disk models to estimate the IR emission of proplyds. The energy input from the central star and the nebular environment increase the disk flaring angle, and therefore also the amount of stellar radiation intercepted by the disk. The relative intensity of the disk vs. envelope emission varies with the tilt angle relative to the directions of th1Ori-C, and of the Earth. We explore the dependence of the SEDs upon the tilt angle with respect to the Earth, the distance from th1Ori-C, the size on the envelope, the inner disk radius and the temperature of the central star. The resulting SEDs are characterized by a broad peak of emission at 30-60micron, and are in general significantly different from those of isolated disks in low-mass star forming regions like Taurus-Auriga.
We present a measurement of the rate of distant Type Ia supernovae derived using 4 large subsets of data from the Supernova Cosmology Project. Within this fiducial sample, which surveyed about 12 square degrees, thirty-eight supernovae were detected at redshifts 0.25--0.85. In a spatially-flat cosmological model consistent with the results obtained by the Supernova Cosmology Project, we derive a rest-frame Type Ia supernova rate at a mean redshift $z\simeq0.55$ of $1.53 {^{+0.28}_{-0.25}} {^{+0.32}_{-0.31}} 10^{-4} h^3 {\rm Mpc}^{-3} {\rm yr}^{-1}$ or $0.58 {^{+0.10}_{-0.09}} {^{+0.10}_{-0.09}} h^2 {\rm SNu}$ (1 SNu = 1 supernova per century per $10^{10}$\Lbsun), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second includes systematic effects. The dependence of the rate on the assumed cosmological parameters is studied and the redshift dependence of the rate per unit comoving volume is contrasted with local estimates in the context of possible cosmic star formation histories and progenitor models.
Extensive early observations proved that the ejecta of supernova 1987A (SN 1987A) are aspherical. Fifteen years after the supernova explosion, the Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the rapidly expanding ejecta. The late-time images and spectroscopy provide a geometrical picture that is consistent with early observations and suggests a highly structured, axially symmetric geometry. We present here a new synthesis of the old and new data. We show that the Bochum event, presumably a clump of $^{56}$Ni, and the late-time image, the locus of excitation by $^{44}$Ti, are most naturally accounted for by sharing a common position angle of about 14\degree, the same as the mystery spot and early speckle data on the ejecta, and that they are both oriented along the axis of the inner circumstellar ring at 45\degree to the plane of the sky. We also demonstrate that the polarization represents a prolate geometry with the same position angle and axis as the early speckle data and the late-time image and hence that the geometry has been fixed in time and throughout the ejecta. The Bochum event and the Doppler kinematics of the [Ca II]/[O II] emission in spatially resolved HST spectra of the ejecta can be consistently integrated into this geometry. The radioactive clump is deduced to fall approximately along the axis of the inner circumstellar ring and therefore to be redshifted in the North whereas the [Ca II]/[O II] 7300 Åemission is redshifted in the South. We present a jet-induced model for the explosion and argue that such a model can account for many of the observed asymmetries. In the jet models, the oxygen and calcium are not expected to be distributed along the jet, but primarily in an expanding torus that shares the plane and northern blue shift of the inner circumstellar ring.
The probable association with GRB 980425 immediately put SN 1998bw at the forefront of supernova research. Here, we present revised late-time BVRI light curves of the supernova, based on template images taken at the VLT. To follow the supernova to the very last observable phases we have used HST/STIS. Deep images taken in June and November 2000 are compared to images taken in August 2001. The identification of the supernova is firmly established. This allows us to measure the light curve to about 1000 days past explosion. The main features are a rapid decline up to more than 500 days after explosion, with no sign of complete positron trapping from the Cobolt-56 decay. Thereafter, the light curve flattens out significantly. One possible explanation is powering by more long lived radioactive isotopes, if they are abundantly formed in this energetic supernova.
We present mid-IR photometric properties for a sample of 28 early-type galaxies observed at 6.75, 9.63 and 15 um with the ISOCAM instrument on board the ISO satellite. We find total mid-IR luminosities in the range 3-48x10^8 L_sun. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the galaxies were derived using the mid-IR data together with previously published UV, optical and near-IR data. These SEDs clearly show a mid-IR emission coming from dust heated at T ~ 260 K. Dust grains properties are inferred from the mid-IR colors. The masses of the hot dust component are in the range 10-400 M_sun. The relationship between the masses derived from mid-IR observations and those derived from visual extinction are discussed. The possible common heating source for the gas and dust is investigated through the correlations between Ha and mid-IR luminosities.
We studied the HST-WFPC2 observations of the inner kpc of the interacting galaxy M51 in six bands from 2550 to 8140 Angstrom. The images show an oval shaped area ("bulge") of 11x16 arcsec or 450x650 pc around the nucleus, dominated by a smooth population of old stars with overimposed dust lanes. We found 30 bright point-like sources in the bulge of M51; many of these are bright in the UV. They are located in elongated "strings" which follow the general pattern of the dust lanes. The spectral energy distributions of the pointsources are compared with those of clusters or single stars. We present arguments that the pointsources are isolated massive stars or small groups of a few massive stars. The energy distributions are best fitted with those of single stars with 4000<Teff<50000 K, 4.2<log L/Lsun<7.2, and 12<Mstar<200 Msun. We have derived upper limits to the total mass of low mass stars that could be "hiding" within the point sources. For the bluest sources the upper limit is only a few hundred Msun. We conclude that massive stars are formed outside clusters (or in very low mass clusters) in the bulge of M51. The estimated star formation rate in the bulge is 1 to 2x10^(-3) Msun/yr. This star formation rate could be sustained for about 200 to 400 Myrs, suggesting that the ongoing massive star formation in the bulge of M51 is fed/triggered by the interaction with its companion about 400 Mrs ago. Theoretical cloud-models show that CO is destroyed in low extinction clouds near the bright nucleus of M51, so that H_2, [OI] and [CII] are the dominants coolants. This condition favors the formation of massive stars, in agreement with the observations. This mode of massive-star formation in the bulge of M51 may resemble the star formation in the early Universe, when the CO and dust contents were low due to the low metallicity.
The high redshift galaxy MS1512-cB58 (z=2.724, m_V=20.64) has been observed with the very efficient high resolution echelle spectrograph VLT/UVES. Although this is a very challenging observational program for a Southern hemisphere telescope (the galaxy is located at +36 deg declination), high resolution spectra (FWHM ~ 26 km/s) have revealed, with unprecedented detail along a galaxy sight line, the Lyman-alpha forest due to intervening clouds in the intergalactic medium (IGM). The mean depression D_A due to IGM absorption blueward of the galaxy Ly-alpha wavelength and the number density dn/dz of Ly-alpha clouds have been compared with equivalent results obtained for QSO sight lines at similar redshifts. Our results indicate a possible excess of absorption close to the galaxy. The mean depression at ~ 150 h_65^-1 Mpc comoving (Omega_m=0.3, Omega_Lambda=0.7) from the galaxy is D_A=0.36+/-0.03, to be compared with 0.22+/-0.04, expected from a best fit to QSO sight lines. In the same region (z=2.610), the number density of lines with HI column density in excess of 10^14 atoms/cm2 is also about 3 sigma larger than expected. This high density region is at least 60 h_65^-1 Mpc comoving wide, but the large Ly-alpha absorption of the galaxy itself prevents us from detecting a possible structure extending down to the galaxy. This excess of Ly-alpha clouds is suggestive of two possible scenarios. One is the presence of a super cluster of Ly-alpha clouds not associated with cB58. The other is a high density of gas associated with the environment of cB58. Indeed, a hint of the complexity of cB58 and possibly its environment is given by the huge velocity range (almost 1000 km/s) between the optical emission of star forming regions and UV absorption of its interstellar medium.
We have carried out a search for Lyman alpha emission from galaxies at z~=2.4 over a field of 1200 sq. arcmin using the CFH12K camera at the CFHT and a custom medium band filter. The search has uncovered 58 candidates, corresponding to a completeness-corrected source density of ~0.07 sq. arcmin^-2. Our sources have red colors (B-I~=1.8) which imply either that a large fraction of the light is highly reddened and we are detecting Lyman alpha through special lines of sight, or that these objects contain an underlying older stellar population. While for each individual object we cannot discriminate between these alternatives, we conclude that most of the objects actually contain an older component because the star formation rates inferred from the picture based on reddening, applied to all candidates, would imply an exceedingly high star formation rate, i.e. more than two orders of magnitude above the peak cosmic star formation rate (e.g. Lilly et al. 1996).