arXiv subjects

T. Nagao

Publications and source records attributed to T. Nagao.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Dissecting Photometric redshift for Active Galactic Nuclei using XMM- and Chandra-COSMOS samples

With this paper, we release accurate photometric redshifts for 1692 counterparts to Chandra sources in the central square degree of the COSMOS field. The availability of a large training set of spectroscopic redshifts that extends to faint magnitudes enabled photometric redshifts comparable to the highest quality results presently available for normal galaxies. We demonstrate that morphologically extended, faint X-ray sources without optical variability are more accurately described by a library of normal galaxies (corrected for emission lines) than by AGN-dominated templates, even if these sources have AGN-like X-ray luminosities. Preselecting the library on the bases of the source properties allowed us to reach an accuracy sigma_(Delta z/(1+z_spec)) \sim0.015 with a fraction of outliers of 5.8% for the entire Chandra-COSMOS sample. In addition, we release revised photometric redshifts for the 1735 optical counterparts of the XMM-detected sources over the entire 2 sq. deg.of COSMOS. For 248 sources, our updated photometric redshift differs from the previous release by Delta z>0.2. These changes are predominantly due to the inclusion of newly available deep H-band photometry H_AB=24 mag. We illustrate once again the importance of a spectroscopic training sample and how an assumption about the nature of a source together with the number and the depth of the available bands influence the accuracy of the photometric redshifts determined for AGN. These considerations should be kept in mind when defining the observational strategies of upcoming large surveys targeting AGN, such as eROSITA at X-ray energies and ASKAP/EMU in the radio band.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Dynamical properties of AMAZE and LSD galaxies from gas kinematics and the Tully-Fisher relation at z~3

We present a SINFONI integral field kinematical study of 33 galaxies at z~3 from the AMAZE and LSD projects which are aimed at studying metallicity and dynamics of high-redshift galaxies. The number of galaxies analyzed in this paper constitutes a significant improvement compared to existing data in the literature and this is the first time that a dynamical analysis is obtained for a relatively large sample of galaxies at z~3. 11 galaxies show ordered rotational motions (~30% of the sample), in these cases we estimate dynamical masses by modeling the gas kinematics with rotating disks and exponential mass distributions. We find dynamical masses in the range 2 \times 10^9 M\odot - 2 \times 10^11 M\odot with a mean value of ~ 2 \times 10^10 M\odot. By comparing observed gas velocity dispersion with that expected from models, we find that most rotating objects are dynamically "hot", with intrinsic velocity dispersions of the order of ~90 km s-1. The median value of the ratio between the maximum disk rotational velocity and the intrinsic velocity dispersion for the rotating objects is 1.6, much lower than observed in local galaxies value (~10) and slightly lower than the z~2 value (2 - 4). Finally we use the maximum rotational velocity from our modeling to build a baryonic Tully-Fisher relation at z~3. Our measurements indicate that z~3 galaxies have lower stellar masses (by a factor of ten on average) compared to local galaxies with the same dynamical mass. However, the large observed scatter suggests that the Tully-Fisher relation is not yet "in place" at these early cosmic ages, possibly due to the young age of galaxies. A smaller dispersion of the Tuly-Fisher relation is obtained by taking into account the velocity dispersion with the use of the S_0.5 indicator, suggesting that turbulent motions might have an important dynamical role.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Probing the faint end of the quasar luminosity function at z ~ 4 in the COSMOS field

We searched for quasars that are ~ 3 mag fainter than the SDSS quasars in the redshift range 3.7 < z < 4.7 in the COSMOS field to constrain the faint end of the quasar luminosity function. Using optical photometric data, we selected 31 quasar candidates with 22 < i' < 24 at z ~ 4. We obtained optical spectra for most of these candidates using FOCAS on the Subaru telescope, and identified 8 low-luminosity quasars at z ~ 4. In order to derive the quasar luminosity function (QLF) based on our spectroscopic follow-up campaign, we estimated the photometric completeness of our quasar survey through detailed Monte Carlo simulations. Our QLF at z ~ 4 has a much shallower faint-end slope beta = -1.67^{+0.11}_{-0.17} than that obtained by other recent surveys in the same redshift. Our result is consistent with the scenario of downsizing evolution of active galactic nuclei inferred by recent optical and X-ray quasar surveys at lower redshifts.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The extinction law at high redshift and its implications

We analyze the optical-near infrared spectra of 33 quasars with redshifts 3.9 0.8), and characterized by very steep intrinsic slopes (alpha<-2.3). All of the individual quasars require extinction curve deviating from that of the SMC, with a tendency to flatten at lambda<2000 A (in the rest frame of the source). We obtain a mean extinction curve at z>4, both by performing a simultaneous fit of all quasars and by averaging the extinction curves inferred for individual quasars. In the case of broad absorption line quasars the mean extinction curve deviates from the SMC at a confidence level >95%. The difference between extinction curves in quasars at z>4 and in quasars at lower redshift is indicative of either a different dust production mechanism at high redshift, or a different mechanism for processing dust into the ISM. We suggest that the same transitions may also apply to normal, star-forming galaxies at z>4. In particular, the observed change in the average spectral slope of galaxies at z>4 may be partially ascribed to a variation in the extinction curve, rather than a lower dust content at high redshift. In this scenario, the extinction curve inferred at z>4 would imply a cosmic star-formation corrected for dust attenuation a factor of ~2 higher than estimated in the past.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

The metallicity of the most distant quasars

We investigate the metallicity of the broad line region (BLR) of a sample of 30 quasars in the redshift range 4 6 quasars. The latter result is puzzling, since the minimum enrichment timescale of carbon is about 1 Gyr, i.e. longer than the age of the universe at z~6.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Direct observation of localization in the minority-spin-band electrons of magnetite below the Verwey temperature

Two-dimensional spin-uncompensated momentum density distributions, $ρ_{\rm s}^{2D}({\bf p})$s, were reconstructed in magnetite at 12K and 300K from several measured directional magnetic Compton profiles. Mechanical de-twinning was used to overcome severe twinning in the single crystal sample below the Verwey transition. The reconstructed $ρ_{\rm s}^{2D}({\bf p})$ in the first Brillouin zone changes from being negative at 300 K to positive at 12 K. This result provides the first clear evidence that electrons with low momenta in the minority spin bands in magnetite are localized below the Verwey transition temperature.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

HST/ACS Morphology of Lyman Alpha Emitters at Redshift 5.7 in the COSMOS Field

We present detailed morphological properties of Lyman alpha emitters (LAEs) at z~ 5.7 in the COSMOS field, based on {\it Hubble Space Telescope} Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) data. The ACS imaging in the F814W filter covered 85 LAEs of the 119 LAEs identified in the full two square degree field, and 47 LAEs of them are detected in the ACS images. Nearly half of them are spatially extended with a size larger than 0.15 arcsec (~0.88 kpc at z=5.7) up to 0.4 arcsec (~2.5 kpc at z=5.7). The others are nearly unresolved compact objects. Two LAEs show double-component structures, indicating interaction or merging of building components to form more massive galaxies. By stacking the ACS images of all the detected sources, we obtain a Sersic parameter of n~0.7 with a half-light radius of 0.13 arcsec (0.76 kpc), suggesting that the majority of ACS detected LAEs have not spheroidal-like but disk-like or irregular light profiles. Comparing ACS F814W magnitudes (I_814) with Subaru/Suprime-Cam magnitudes in the NB816, i', and z' bands, we find that the ACS imaging in the F814W band mainly probes UV continuum rather than Lyman alpha line emission. UV continuum sizes tend to be larger for LAEs with larger Lyαemission regions as traced by the NB816 imaging. The non-detection of 38 LAEs in the ACS images is likely due to the fact that their surface brightness is even too low both in the UV continuum and Lyalpha emission. Estimating I_814 for the LAEs with ACS non-detection from the z' and NB816 magnitudes, we find that 16 of these are probably LAEs with a size larger than 0.15 arcsec in UV continuum. All these results suggest that our LAE sample contains systematically larger LAEs in UV continuum size than those previously studied at z~6.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Environmental Effects on the Star Formation Activity in Galaxies at z=1.2 in the COSMOS Field

We investigate the relation between the star-formation activity in galaxies and environment at z=1.2 in the COSMOS field, using the fraction of [OII] emitters and the local galaxy density. The fraction of [OII] emitters appears to be almost constant over the surface density of galaxies between 0.2 and 10 Mpc^-2. This trend is different from that seen in the local universe where the star-formation activity is weaker in higher density regions. To understand this difference between z~1 and z~0, we study the fraction of non-isolated galaxies as a function of local galaxy density. We find that the fraction of non-isolated galaxies increases with increasing density. Our results suggest that the star formation in galaxies at z~1 is triggered by galaxy interaction and/or mergers.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

On the observed distributions of black hole masses and Eddington ratios from radiation pressure corrected virial indicators

The application of the virial theorem to the Broad Line Region of Active Galactic Nuclei allows Black Hole mass estimates for large samples of objects at all redshifts. In a recent paper we showed that ionizing radiation pressure onto BLR clouds affects virial BH mass estimates and we provided empirically calibrated corrections. More recently, a new test of the importance of radiation forces has been proposed: the MBH-sigma relation has been used to estimate MBH for a sample of type-2 AGN and virial relations (with and without radiation pressure) for a sample of type-1 AGN extracted from the same parent population. The observed L/LEdd distribution based on virial BH masses is in good agreement with that based on MBH-sigma only if radiation pressure effects are negligible, otherwise significant discrepancies are observed. In this paper we investigate the effects of intrinsic dispersions associated to the virial relations providing MBH, and we show that they explain the discrepancies between the observed L/LEdd distributions of type-1 and type-2 AGN. These discrepancies in the L/LEdd distributions are present regardless of the general importance of radiation forces, which must be negligible only for a small fraction of sources with large L/LEdd. Average radiation pressure corrections should then be applied in virial MBH estimators until their dependence on observed source physical properties has been fully calibrated. Finally, the comparison between MBH and L/LEdd distributions derived from sigma-based and virial estimators can constrain the variance of BLR physical properties in AGN.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Role of Oxygen Electrons in the Metal-Insulator Transition in the Magnetoresistive Oxide La$_{2-2x}$Sr$_{1+2x}$Mn$_2$O$_7$ Probed by Compton Scattering

We have studied the [100]-[110] anisotropy of the Compton profile in the bilayer manganite. Quantitative agreement is found between theory and experiment with respect to the anisotropy in the two metallic phases (i.e. the low temperature ferromagnetic and the colossal magnetoresistant phase under a magnetic field of 7 T). Robust signatures of the metal-insulator transition are identified in the momentum density for the paramagnetic phase above the Curie temperature. We interpret our results as providing direct evidence for the transition from the metallic-like to the admixed ionic-covalent bonding accompanying the magnetic transition. The number of electrons involved in this phase transition is estimated from the area enclosed by the Compton profile anisotropy differences. Our study demonstrates the sensitivity of the Compton scattering technique for identifying the number and type of electrons involved in the metal-insulator transition.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2009

Strong [CII] emission at high redshift

We report the detection of the [CII]157.74um fine-structure line in the lensed galaxy BRI 0952-0115 at z=4.43, using the APEX telescope. This is the first detection of the [CII] line in a source with L_FIR < 10^13 L_sun at high redshift. The line is very strong compared to previous [CII] detections at high-z (a factor of 5-8 higher in flux), partly due to the lensing amplification. The L_[CII]/L_FIR ratio is 10^-2.9, which is higher than observed in local galaxies with similar infrared luminosities. Together with previous observations of [CII] at high redshift, our result suggests that the [CII] emission in high redshift galaxies is enhanced relative to local galaxies of the same infrared luminosity. This finding may result from selection effects of the few current observations of [CII] at high redshift, and in particular the fact that non detections may have not been published (although the few published upper limits are still consistent with the [CII] enhancement scenario). If the trend is confirmed with larger samples, it would indicate that high-z galaxies are characterized by different physical conditions with respect to their local counterparts. Regardless of the physical origin of the trend, this effect would increase the potential of the [CII]158um line to search and characterize high-z sources.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Photometric properties of Ly alpha emitters at z=4.86 in the COSMOS 2 square degree field

We present results of a survey for Ly alpha emitters at z=4.86 based on optical narrowband (lambda_c=7126 angstrom, Delta lambda=73 angstrom) and broadband (B, V, r', i', and z') observations of the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field using Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. We find 79 LAE candidates at z=4.86 over a contiguous survey area of 1.83 deg^2, down to the Ly alpha line flux of 1.47 x 10^-17 ergs s^-1 cm^-2. We obtain the Ly alpha luminosity function with a best-fit Schechter parameters of log L^*=42.9^+0.5_-0.3 ergs s^-1 and phi^* = 1.2^+8.0_-1.1 x 10^-4 Mpc^-3 for alpha=-1.5 (fixed). The two-point correlation function for our LAE sample is xi(r) = (r/4.4^+5.7_-2.9 Mpc)^-1.90+/-0.22. In order to investigate the field-to-field variations of the properties of Ly alpha emitters, we divide the survey area into nine tiles of 0.5^circ x 0.5^circ each. We find that the number density varies with a factor of ~ 2 from field to field with high statistical significance. However, we find no significant field-to-field variance when we divide the field into four tiles with 0.7^circ x 0.7^circ each. We conclude that at least 0.5 deg^2 survey area is required to derive averaged properties of LAEs at z~5, and our survey field is wide enough to overcome the cosmic variance.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

Weighing black holes from zero to high redshift

The application of the virial theorem provides a tool to estimate supermassive black hole (BH) masses in large samples of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with broad emission lines at all redshifts and luminosities, if the broad line region (BLR) is gravitationally bound. In this paper we discuss the importance of radiation forces on BLR clouds arising from the deposition of momentum by ionizing photons. Such radiation forces counteract gravitational ones and, if not taken into account, BH masses can be severely underestimated. We provide virial relations corrected for the effect of radiation pressure and we discuss their physical meaning and application. If these corrections to virial masses, calibrated with low luminosity objects, are extrapolated to high luminosities then the BLRs of most quasars might be gravitationally unbound. The importance of radiation forces in high luminosity objects must be thoroughly investigated to assess the reliability of quasar BH masses.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

AMAZE. I. The evolution of the mass-metallicity relation at z>3

We present initial results of an ESO-VLT large programme (AMAZE) aimed at determining the evolution of the mass-metallicity relation at z>3 by means of deep near-IR spectroscopy. Gas metallicities are measured, for an initial sample of nine star forming galaxies at z~3.5, by means of optical nebular lines redshifted into the near-IR. Stellar masses are accurately determined by using Spitzer-IRAC data, which sample the rest-frame near-IR stellar light in these distant galaxies. When compared with previous surveys, the mass-metallicity relation inferred at z~3.5 shows an evolution much stronger than observed at lower redshifts. The evolution is prominent even in massive galaxies, indicating that z~3 is an epoch of major action in terms of star formation and metal enrichment also for massive systems. There are also indications that the metallicity evolution of low mass galaxies is stronger relative to high mass systems, an effect which can be considered the chemical version of the galaxy downsizing. The mass-metallicity relation observed at z~3.5 is difficult to reconcile with the predictions of some hierarchical evolutionary models. Such discrepancies suggest that at z>3 galaxies are assembled mostly with relatively un-evolved sub-units, i.e. small galaxies with low star formation efficiency. The bulk of the star formation and metallicity evolution probably occurs once small galaxies are already assembled into bigger systems.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The evolution of the mass-metallicity relation at z~3

We present preliminary results of an ESO-VLT large programme (AMAZE) aimed at determining the evolution of the mass-metallicity relation at z~3 by means of deep near-IR spectroscopy. Gas metallicities and stellar masses are measured for an initial sample of nine star forming galaxies at z~3.3. When compared with previous surveys, the mass-metallicity relation inferred at z~3.3 shows an evolution significantly stronger than observed at lower redshifts. There are also some indications that the metallicity evolution of low mass galaxies is stronger relative to high mass systems, an effect which can be considered as the chemical version of the galaxy downsizing. The mass-metallicity relation observed at z~3.3 is difficult to reconcile with the predictions of some hierarchical evolutionary models. We shortly discuss the possible implications of such discrepancies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The H$α$ Luminosity Function and Star Formation Rate at $z \approx 0.24$ in the Cosmos 2 Square-Degree Field

To derive a new H$α$ luminosity function and to understand the clustering properties of star-forming galaxies at $z \approx 0.24$, we have made a narrow-band imaging survey for H$α$ emitting galaxies in the HST COSMOS 2 square degree field. We used the narrow-band filter NB816 ($λ_c = 8150$ Å, $Δλ= 120$ Å) and sampled H$α$ emitters with $EW_{\rm obs}(\rm Hα+ [N\textsc{ii}]) > 12$ Åin a redshift range between $z=0.233$ and $z=0.251$ corresponding to a depth of 70 Mpc. We obtained 980 H$α$ emitting galaxies in a sky area of 5540 arcmin$^2$, corresponding to a survey volume of $3.1 \times 10^4 {\rm Mpc^3}$. We derive a H$α$ luminosity function with a best-fit Schechter function parameter set of $α= -1.35^{+0.11}_{-0.13}$, $\logϕ_* = -2.65^{+0.27}_{-0.38}$, and $\log L_* ({\rm erg s^{-1}}) = 41.94^{+0.38}_{-0.23}$. The H$α$ luminosity density is $2.7^{+0.7}_{-0.6} \times 10^{39}$ ergs s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-3}$. After subtracting the AGN contribution (15 %) to the H$α$ luminosity density, the star formation rate density is evaluated as $1.8^{+0.7}_{-0.4} \times 10^{-2}$ $M_{\sun}$ yr$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-3}$. The angular two-point correlation function of H$α$ emitting galaxies of $\log L({\rm Hα}) > 39.8$ is well fit by a power law form of $w(θ) = 0.013^{+0.002}_{-0.001} θ^{-0.88 \pm 0.03}$, corresponding to the correlation function of $ξ(r) = (r/1.9{\rm Mpc})^{-1.88}$. We also find that the H$α$ emitters with higher H$α$ luminosity are more strongly clustered than those with lower luminosity.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Molecular gas in QSO host galaxies at z>5

We present observations with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer of three QSOs at z>5 aimed at detecting molecular gas in their host galaxies as traced by CO transitions. CO (5-4) is detected in SDSSJ033829.31+002156.3 at z=5.0267, placing it amongst the most distant sources detected in CO. The CO emission is unresolved with a beam size of ~1", implying that the molecular gas is contained within a compact region, less than ~3kpc in radius. We infer an upper limit on the dynamical mass of the CO emitting region of ~3x10^10 Msun/sin(i)^2. The comparison with the Black Hole mass inferred from near-IR data suggests that the BH-to-bulge mass ratio in this galaxy is significantly higher than in local galaxies. From the CO luminosity we infer a mass reservoir of molecular gas as high as M(H2)=2.4x10^10 Msun, implying that the molecular gas accounts for a significant fraction of the dynamical mass. When compared to the star formation rate derived from the far-IR luminosity, we infer a very short gas exhaustion timescale (~10^7 yrs), comparable to the dynamical timescale. CO is not detected in the other two QSOs (SDSSJ083643.85+005453.3 and SDSSJ163033.90+401209.6) and upper limits are given for their molecular gas content. When combined with CO observations of other type 1 AGNs, spanning a wide redshift range (0 5) the CO luminosity appears to saturate. We discuss the implications of these findings in terms of black hole-galaxy co-evolution.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The First Release COSMOS Optical and Near-IR Data and Catalog

We present imaging data and photometry for the COSMOS survey in 15 photometric bands between 0.3um and 2.4um. These include data taken on the Subaru 8.3m telescope, the KPNO and CTIO 4m telescopes, and the CFHT 3.6m telescope. Special techniques are used to ensure that the relative photometric calibration is better than 1% across the field of view. The absolute photometric accuracy from standard star measurements is found to be 6%. The absolute calibration is corrected using galaxy spectra, providing colors accurate to 2% or better. Stellar and galaxy colors and counts agree well with the expected values. Finally, as the first step in the scientific analysis of these data we construct panchromatic number counts which confirm that both the geometry of the universe and the galaxy population are evolving.

astro-ph↗