ABSTRACT
We present an astrometric and photometric wide-field study of the Galactic open star cluster M37 (NGC 2099). The studied field was observed with ground-based images covering a region of ...about four square degrees in the Sloan-like filters ugi. We exploited the Gaia catalogue to calibrate the geometric distortion of the large field mosaics, developing software routines that can be also applied to other wide-field instruments. The data are used to identify the hottest white dwarf (WD) member candidates of M37. Thanks to the Gaia EDR3 exquisite astrometry we identified seven such WD candidates, one of which, besides being a high-probability astrometric member, is the putative central star of a planetary nebula. To our knowledge, this is a unique object in an open cluster, and we have obtained follow-up low-resolution spectra that are used for a qualitative characterization of this young WD. Finally, we publicly release a three-colour atlas and a catalogue of the sources in the field of view, which represents a complement of existing material.
We present the first results of a radio survey of 79 narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) carried out with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) at 5 GHz in A configuration aimed at studying the radio ...properties of these sources. We report the detection of extended emission in one object: Mrk 783. This is intriguing, since the radio-loudness parameter R of this object is close to the threshold between radio-quiet and radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). The galaxy is one of the few NLS1 showing such an extended emission at z < 0.1. The radio emission is divided into a compact core component and an extended component, observed on both sides of the nucleus and extending from 14 kpc southeast to 12 kpc northwest. There is no sign of a collimated jet and the shape of the extended component is similar to those of some Seyfert galaxies. The properties of the emission are compatible with a relic produced by the intermittent activity cycle of the AGN.
V4743 Sgr, a magnetic nova? Zemko, P; Orio, M; Mukai, K ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
08/2016, Letnik:
460, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Two XMM–Newton observations of Nova V4743 Sgr (Nova Sgr 2002) were performed shortly after it returned to quiescence, 2 and 3.5 yr after the explosion. The X-ray light curves revealed a modulation ...with a frequency of ≃0.75 mHz, indicating that V4743 Sgr is most probably an intermediate polar (IP). The X-ray spectra have characteristics in common with known IPs, with a hard thermal plasma component that can be fitted only assuming a partially covering absorber. In 2004, the X-ray spectrum had also a supersoft blackbody-like component, whose temperature was close to that of the white dwarf (WD) in the supersoft X-ray phase following the outburst, but with flux by at least two orders of magnitude lower. In quiescent IPs, a soft X-ray flux component originates at times in the polar regions irradiated by an accretion column, but the supersoft component of V4743 Sgr disappeared in 2006, indicating a possible origin different from accretion. We suggest that it may have been due to an atmospheric temperature gradient on the WD surface, or to continuing localized thermonuclear burning at the bottom of the envelope, before complete turn-off. An optical spectrum obtained with Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) 11.5 yr after the outburst showed a prominent He ii λ4686 line and the Bowen blend, which reveal a very hot region, but with peak temperature shifted to the ultraviolet range. V4743 Sgr is the third post-outburst nova and IP candidate showing a low-luminosity supersoft component in the X-ray flux a few years after the outburst.
Narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies are a class of active galactic nuclei (AGN) that, in some cases, can harbor powerful relativistic jets. One of them, PKS 2004-447, shows
γ
-ray emission, and ...underwent its first recorded multifrequency flare in 2019. However, past studies revealed that in radio this source can be classified as a compact steep-spectrum source (CSS), suggesting that, unlike other
γ
-ray sources, the relativistic jets of PKS 2004-447 have a large inclination with respect to the line of sight. We present here a set of spectroscopic observations of this object, aimed at carefully measuring its black hole mass and Eddington ratio, determining the properties of its emission lines, and characterizing its long term variability. We find that the black hole mass is (1.5 ± 0.2)×10
7
M
⊙
, and the Eddington ratio is 0.08. Both values are within the typical range of NLS1s. The spectra also suggest that the 2019 flare was caused mainly by the relativistic jet, while the accretion disk played a minor role during the event. In conclusion, we confirm that PKS 2004-447 is one of the rare examples of
γ
-ray emitting CSS/NLS1s hybrid, and that these two classes of objects are likely connected in the framework of AGN evolution.
Core-collapse supernovae (SNe) are the spectacular finale to massive stellar evolution. In this Letter, we identify a progenitor for the nearby core-collapse SN 2012aw in both ground-based ...near-infrared and space-based optical pre-explosion imaging. The SN itself appears to be a normal Type II Plateau event, reaching a bolometric luminosity of 10 super(42) erg s super(-1) and photospheric velocities of ~ 11,000 km s super(-1) from the position of the H beta P-Cygni minimum in the early SN spectra. We use an adaptive optics image to show that the SN is coincident to within 27 mas with a faint, red source in pre-explosion HST+WFPC2, VLT+ISAAC, and NTT+SOFI images. The source has magnitudes F555W = 26.70 + or - 0.06, F814W = 23.39 + or - 0.02, J = 21.1 + or - 0.2, K = 19.1 + or - 0.4, which, when compared to a grid of stellar models, best matches a red supergiant. Interestingly, the spectral energy distribution of the progenitor also implies an extinction of A sub(v) > 1.2 mag, whereas the SN itself does not appear to be significantly extinguished. We interpret this as evidence for the destruction of dust in the SN explosion. The progenitor candidate has a luminosity between 5.0 and 5.6 log L/L sub(middot in circle), corresponding to a zero-age main-sequence mass between 14 and 26 M sub(middot in circle) (depending on A sub(v)), which would make this one of the most massive progenitors found for a core-collapse SN to date.
Nova SMC 2016 has been the most luminous nova known in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds. It turned into a very luminous supersoft X-ray source between days 16 and 28 after the optical maximum. ...We observed it with Chandra, the HRC-S camera, and the Low Energy Transmission Grating on 2016 November and 2017 January (days 39 and 88 after optical maximum), and with XMM-Newton on 2016 December (day 75). We detected the compact white dwarf (WD) spectrum as a luminous supersoft X-ray continuum with deep absorption features of carbon, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, probably argon, and sulfur on day 39, and oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon on days 75 and 88. The spectral features attributed to the WD atmosphere are all blueshifted, by about 1800 km s−1 on day 39 and up to 2100 km s−1 in the following observations. Spectral lines attributed to low-ionization potential transitions in the interstellar medium are also observed. Assuming the distance to the Small Magellanic Cloud, the bolometric luminosity exceeded the Eddington level for at least three months. A preliminary analysis with atmospheric models indicates an effective temperature of around 700,000 K on day 39, peaking at the later dates in the 850,000-900,000 K range, as expected for a 1.25 M WD. We suggest a possible classification as an oxygen-neon WD, but more precise modeling is needed to accurately determine the abundances. The X-ray light curves show a large, aperiodic flux variability, which is not associated with spectral variability. We detected red noise, but did not find periodic or quasiperiodic modulations.
The first 2 months of spectroscopic and photometric monitoring of the nearby Type Ic SN 2007gr are presented. The very early discovery (less than 5 days after the explosion) and the relatively short ...distance of the host galaxy motivated an extensive observational campaign. SN 2007gr shows an average peak luminosity but unusually narrow spectral lines and an almost flat photospheric velocity profile. The detection of prominent carbon features in the spectra is shown and suggests a wide range in carbon abundance in stripped-envelope supernovae. SN 2007gr may be an important piece in the puzzle of the observed diversity of CC SNe.
ABSTRACT We report the discovery of Swift J221951−484240 (hereafter: J221951), a luminous slow-evolving blue transient that was detected by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Ultraviolet/Optical ...Telescope (Swift/UVOT) during the follow-up of gravitational wave alert S190930t, to which it is unrelated. Swift/UVOT photometry shows the UV spectral energy distribution of the transient to be well modelled by a slowly shrinking blackbody with an approximately constant temperature of T ∼ 2.5 × 104 K. At a redshift z = 0.5205, J221951 had a peak absolute magnitude of Mu,AB = −23 mag, peak bolometric luminosity $L_{max}=1.1\times 10^{45}~{\rm erg\, s}^{-1}$ and a total radiated energy of E > 2.6 × 1052 erg. The archival Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer IR photometry shows a slow rise prior to a peak near the discovery date. Spectroscopic UV observations display broad absorption lines in N v and O vi, pointing towards an outflow at coronal temperatures. The lack of emission in the higher H α lines, N i and other neutral lines is consistent with a viewing angle close to the plane of the accretion or debris disc. The origin of J221951 cannot be determined with certainty but has properties consistent with a tidal disruption event and the turn-on of an active galactic nucleus.
Aims. We analyze the ratios of the broad hydrogen Balmer emission lines (from Hα to Hε) in the context of estimating the physical conditions in the broad line region (BLR) of active galactic nuclei ...(AGNs). Methods. Our measurements of the ratios of the Balmer emission lines are obtained in three ways: i) using photoionization models obtained with a spectral synthesis code CLOUDY; ii) applying the recombination theory for hydrogenic ions; iii) measuring the lines in observed spectra taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database. We investigate the Balmer line ratios in the framework of the so-called Boltzmann plot (BP), analyzing the physical conditions of the emitting plasma for which we could use the BP method. The BP considers the ratio of Balmer lines normalized to the atomic data of the corresponding line transition, and in that way differs from the Balmer decrement. Results. We find that for a certain range of thermodynamic parameters, there are objects that follow the BP. These AGNs may have a BLR consisting of mostly high density plasma.
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