Browsing by Author "Stierwalt, S."
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- ItemA 33GHz Survey of Local Major Mergers: Estimating the Sizes of the Energetically Dominant Regions from High-resolution Measurements of the Radio Continuum(2017) Barcos-Munoz, L.; Leroy, A. K.; Evans, A. S.; Condon, J.; Privon, G. C.; Thompson, T. A.; Armus, L.; Diaz-Santos, T.; Mazzarella, J. M.; Meier, D. S.; Momjian, E.; Murphy, E. J.; Ott, J.; Sanders, D. B.; Schinnerer, E.; Stierwalt, S.; Surace, J. A.; Walter, F.We present Very Large Array observations of the 33 GHz radio continuum emission from 22 local ultraluminous and luminous infrared (IR) galaxies (U/LIRGs). These observations have spatial (angular) resolutions of 30-720 pc (0.'' 07-0.'' 67) in a part of the spectrum that is likely to be optically thin. This allows us to estimate the size of the energetically dominant regions. We find half-light radii from 30 pc to 1.7 kpc. The 33 GHz flux density correlates well with the IR emission, and we take these sizes as indicative of the size of the region that produces most of the energy. Combining our 33 GHz sizes with unresolved measurements, we estimate the IR luminosity and star formation rate per area and the molecular gas surface and volume densities. These quantities span a wide range (4 dex) and include some of the highest values measured for any galaxy (e.g., Sigma(33 GHz)(SFR) <= 10(4.1) M-circle dot yr(-1) kpc(-2)) at least 13 sources appear Compton thick (N-H(33 GHz) >= 10(24) cm(-2)). Consistent with previous work, contrasting these data with observations of normal disk galaxies suggests a nonlinear and likely multivalued relation between star formation rate and molecular gas surface density, though this result depends on the adopted CO-to-H-2 conversion factor and the assumption that our 33 GHz sizes apply to the gas. Eleven sources appear to exceed the luminosity surface density predicted for starbursts supported by radiation pressure and supernova feedback; however, we note the need for more detailed observations of the inner disk structure. U/LIRGs with higher surface brightness exhibit stronger [C II] 158 mu m deficits, consistent with the suggestion that high energy densities drive this phenomenon.
- ItemA Herschel/PACS Far-infrared Line Emission Survey of Local Luminous Infrared Galaxies(IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017) Diaz Santos, T.; Armus, L.; Charmandaris, V.; Lu, N.; Stierwalt, S.; Stacey, G.; Malhotra, S.; van der Werf, P. P.; Howell, J. H.; Privon, G. C.; Mazzarella, J. M.; Goldsmith, P. F.; Murphy, E. J.; Barcos Munoz, L.; Linden, S. T.; Inami, H.; Larson, L.; Evans, A. S.; Appleton, P.; Iwasawa, K.; Lord, S.; Sanders, D. B.; Surace, J. A.We present an analysis of [O I](63), [O III](88), [N II](122), and [C II](158) far-infrared (FIR) fine-structure line observations obtained with Herschel/PACS, for similar to 240 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey. We find pronounced declines ("deficits") of line-to-FIR continuum emission for [N II](122), [O I](63), and [C II](158) as a function of FIR color and infrared luminosity surface density, Sigma(IR). The median electron density of the ionized gas in LIRGs, based on the [N II](122)/[N II](205) ratio, is n(e) = 41 cm(-3). We find that the dispersion in the [C II](158) deficit of LIRGs is attributed to a varying fractional contribution of photodissociation regions (PDRs) to the observed [C II](158) emission, f ([C II](158)(PDR)) = [C II](158)(PDR)/C II](158), which increases from similar to 60% to similar to 95% in the warmest LIRGs. The [O I](63)/[C II](158)(PDR) ratio is tightly correlated with the PDR gas kinetic temperaturein sources where [O I] 63 is not optically thick or self-absorbed. For each galaxy, we derive the average PDR hydrogen density, n(H), and intensity of the interstellar radiation field, G, in units of G(0) and find G/n(H) ratios of similar to 0.1-50 G(0) cm(3), with ULIRGs populating the upper end of the distribution. There is a relation between G/n(H) and Sigma(IR), showing a critical break at Sigma(IR)* similar or equal to 5 x 10(10) L-circle dot kpc(-2). Below Sigma(IR)*, G/n(H) remains constant, similar or equal to 0.32G(0) cm(3), and variations in Sigma(IR) are driven by the number density of star-forming regions within a galaxy, with no change in their PDR properties. Above Sigma(IR)*, G/n(H) increases rapidly with Sigma(IR), signaling a departure from the typical PDR conditions found in normal star-forming galaxies toward more intense/harder radiation fields and compact geometries typical of starbursting sources.
- ItemA Potential Recoiling Supermassive Black Hole, CXO J101527.2+625911(2017) Kim, D. -C.; Yoon, Ilsang; Privon, G. C.; Evans, A. S.; Harvey, D.; Stierwalt, S.; Kim, Ji HoonWe have carried out a systematic search for recoiling supermassive black holes (rSMBH) using the Chandra Source and SDSS Cross-Match Catalog. From the survey, we have detected a potential rSMBH, CXO J101527.2 +625911, at z = 0.3504. The source CXO J101527.2+625911 has a spatially offset (1.26 +/- 0.05 kpc) active SMBH and kinematically offset broad emission lines (175 +/- 25 km s(-1) relative to the systemic velocity). The observed spatial and velocity offsets suggest that this galaxy could be an rSMBH, but we have also considered the possibility of a dual SMBH scenario. The column density toward the galaxy center was found to be Compton thin, but no X-ray source was detected. The non-detection of the X-ray source in the nucleus suggests that either there is no obscured actively accreting SMBH or that there exists an SMBH, but it has a low accretion rate (i.e., a low luminosity AGN (LLAGN)). The possibility of the LLAGN was investigated and found to be unlikely based on the Ha luminosity, radio power, and kinematic arguments. This, along with the null detection of an X-ray source in the nucleus, supports our hypothesis that CXO J101527.2+625911 is an rSMBH. Our GALFIT analysis shows the host galaxy to be a bulge-dominated elliptical. The weak morphological disturbance and small spatial and velocity offsets suggest that CXO J101527.2+625911 could be in the final stage of a merging process and about to turn into a normal elliptical galaxy.
- ItemA Widespread, Clumpy Starburst in the Isolated Ongoing Dwarf Galaxy Merger dm1647+21(IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017) Privon, G. C.; Stierwalt, S.; Patton, D. R.; Besla, G.; Pearson, S.; Putman, M.; Johnson, K. E.; Kallivayalil, N.; Liss, S.Interactions between pairs of isolated dwarf galaxies provide a critical window into low-mass hierarchical, gas-dominated galaxy assembly and the build-up of stellar mass in low-metallicity systems. We present the first Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (VLT/MUSE) optical integral field unit (IFU) observations of the interacting dwarf pair dm1647+21 selected from the TiNy Titans survey. The Ha emission is widespread and corresponds to a total unobscured star formation rate (SFR) of 0.44 M-circle dot yr(-1), which is 2.7 times higher than the SFR inferred from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data. The implied specific SFR (sSFR) for the system is elevated by more than an order of magnitude above non-interacting dwarfs in the same mass range. This increase is dominated by the lower-mass galaxy, which has a sSFR enhancement of > 50. Examining the spatially resolved maps of classic optical line diagnostics, we find that the interstellar medium (ISM) excitation can be fully explained by star formation. The velocity field of the ionized gas is not consistent with simple rotation. Dynamical simulations indicate that the irregular velocity field and the stellar structure is consistent with the identification of this system as an ongoing interaction between two dwarf galaxies. The widespread, clumpy enhancements in the star formation in this system point to important differences in the effect of mergers on dwarf galaxies, compared to massive galaxies; rather than the funneling of gas to the nucleus and giving rise to a nuclear starburst, starbursts in low-mass galaxy mergers may be triggered by large-scale ISM compression, and thus may be more distributed.
- ItemDirect evidence of hierarchical assembly at low masses from isolated dwarf galaxy groups(2017) Stierwalt, S.; Liss, S. E.; Johnson, K. E.; Patton, D. R.; Privon, G. C.; Besla, G.; Kallivayalil, N.; Putman, M.The demographics of dwarf galaxy populations have long been in tension with predictions from the Cold Dark Matter (CDM) paradigm. If primordial density fluctuations were scale-free as predicted, dwarf galaxies should themselves host dark matter subhaloes, the most massive of which may have undergone star formation resulting in dwarf galaxy groups. Ensembles of dwarf galaxies are observed as satellites of more massive galaxies, and there is observational and theoretical evidence to suggest that these satellites at z=0 were captured by the massive host halo as a group. However, the evolution of dwarf galaxies is highly susceptible to environment making these satellite groups imperfect probes of CDM in the low mass regime. We have identified one of the clearest examples to date of hierarchical structure formation at low masses: seven isolated, spectroscopically confirmed groups with only dwarf galaxies as members. Each group hosts 3-5 known members, has a baryonic mass of similar to 4.4 x 10 degrees to 2 x 10(10) (M-circle dot and requires a mass-to-light ratio of <100 to be gravitationally bound. Such groups are predicted to be rare theoretically and found to be rare observationally at the current epoch and thus provide a unique window into the possible formation mechanism of more massive, isolated galaxies.
- ItemExcitation Mechanisms for HCN (1-0) and HCO+ (1-0) in Galaxies from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey.(2015) Privon, G. C.; Treister, Ezequiel; Herrero-Illana, R.; Evans, Aaron S.; Iwasawa, K.; Perez-Torres, M. A.; Armus, Lee; Díaz-Santos, T.; Murphy, E. J.; Stierwalt, S.; Aalto, S.
- ItemKINEMATICALLY IDENTIFIED RECOILING SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE CANDIDATES IN SDSS QSOs WITH z < 0.25(2016) Kim, D. -C.; Evans, A. S.; Stierwalt, S.; Privon, G. C.We have performed a spectral decomposition to search for recoiling supermassive black holes (rSMBHs) in Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) with z < 0.25. Out of 1271 QSOs, we have identified 26 rSMBH candidates that are recoiling toward us. The projected recoil velocities range from -76 to -307 km s(-1) with a mean of -149 +/- 58 km s(-1). Most of the rSMBH candidates are hosted by gas-rich luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs)/ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), but only 23% of them show signs of tidal features, which suggests that a majority of them are advanced mergers. We find that the black hole masses M-BH of the rSMBH candidates are on average similar to 5 times smaller than those of their stationary counterparts and cause a scatter in the M-BH -sigma(*) relation. The Eddington ratios of all of the rSMBH candidates are larger than 0.1, with a mean of 0.52 +/- 0.27, suggesting that they are actively accreting mass. Velocity shifts in high-excitation coronal lines suggest that the rSMBH candidates are recoiling with an average velocity of about -265 km s(-1). The electron density in the narrow line region of the H II rSMBH candidates is about 1/10 of that in active galactic nucleus (AGN) rSMBH candidates, probably because the AGN in the former was more spatially offset than that in the latter. The estimated spatial offsets between the rSMBH candidate and the center of the host galaxy range from 0."21 to 1."97 and need to be confirmed spatially with high-resolution adaptive optics imaging observations.
- ItemMolecular gas and dust properties of galaxies from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey(2019) Herrero-Illana, R.; Privon, G. C.; Evans, A. S.; Diaz-Santos, T.; Perez-Torres, M. A.; Alberdi, A.; Iwasawa, K.; Armus, L.; Aalto, S.; Mazzarella, J.; Chu, J.; Sanders, D. B.; Barcos-Munoz, L.; Charmandaris, V; Linden, S. T.; Yoon, I; Frayer, D. T.; Inami, H.; Kim, D-C; Borish, H. J.; Conway, J.; Murphy, E. J.; Song, Y.; Stierwalt, S.; Surace, J.We present IRAM-30 m Telescope (CO)-C-12 and (CO)-C-13 observations of a sample of 55 luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) in the local universe. This sample is a subset of the Great Observatory All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), for which we use ancillary multi-wavelength data to better understand their interstellar medium and star formation properties. Fifty-three (96%) of the galaxies are detected in (CO)-C-12, and 29 (52%) are also detected in (CO)-C-13 above a 3 sigma level. The median full width at zero intensity (FWZI) velocity of the CO line emission is 661 km s(-1), and similar to 54% of the galaxies show a multi-peak CO profile. Herschel photometric data is used to construct the far-IR spectral energy distribution of each galaxy, which are fit with a modified blackbody model that allows us to derive dust temperatures and masses, and infrared luminosities. We make the assumption that the gas-to-dust mass ratio of (U)LIRGs is comparable to local spiral galaxies with a similar stellar mass (i.e., gas/dust of mergers is comparable to their progenitors) to derive a CO-to-H-2 conversion factor of = 1.8(-0.8)(+1.3) M-circle dot (K km s(-1) pc(2))(-1); such a value is comparable to that derived for (U)LIRGs based on dynamical mass arguments. We derive gas depletion times of 400 600 Myr for the (U)LIRGs, compared to the 1.3 Gyr for local spiral galaxies. Finally, we re-examine the relationship between the (CO)-C-12/(CO)-C-13 ratio and dust temperature, confirming a transition to elevated ratios in warmer systems.