Approximately 10% of active galactic nuclei exhibit relativistic jets, which are powered by the accretion of matter onto supermassive black holes. Although the measured width profiles of such jets on ...large scales agree with theories of magnetic collimation, the predicted structure on accretion disk scales at the jet launch point has not been detected. We report radio interferometry observations, at a wavelength of 1.3 millimeters, of the elliptical galaxy M87 that spatially resolve the base of the jet in this source. The derived size of 5.5 ± 0.4 Schwarzschild radii is significantly smaller than the innermost edge of a retrograde accretion disk, suggesting that the M87 jet is powered by an accretion disk in a prograde orbit around a spinning black hole.
Aims. The circumstellar disk of AB Aurigae has garnered strong attention owing to the apparent existence of spirals at a relatively young stage and also the asymmetric disk traced in thermal dust ...emission. However, the physical conditions of the spirals are still not well understood. The origin of the asymmetric thermal emission is unclear. Methods. We observed the disk at 230 GHz (1.3 mm) in both the continuum and the spectral line 12CO J = 2 → 1 with IRAM 30-m, the Plateau de Bure interferometer, and the SubMillimeter Array to sample all spatial scales from 0\hbox{$\farcs$} . ″ 37 to about 50′′. To combine the data obtained from these telescopes, several methods and calibration issues were checked and discussed. Results. The 1.3 mm continuum (dust) emission is resolved into inner disk and outer ring. The emission from the dust ring is highly asymmetric in azimuth, with intensity variations by a factor 3. Molecular gas at high velocities traced by the CO line is detected next to the stellar location. The inclination angle of the disk is found to decrease toward the center. On a larger scale, based on the intensity weighted dispersion and the integrated intensity map of 12CO J = 2 → 1, four spirals are identified, where two of them are also detected in the near infrared. The total gas mass of the 4 spirals (Mspiral) is 10-7 < Mspiral < 10-5M⊙, which is 3 orders of magnitude smaller than the mass of the gas ring. Surprisingly, the CO gas inside the spiral is apparently counter-rotating with respect to the CO disk, and it only exhibits small radial motion. Conclusions. The wide gap, the warped disk, and the asymmetric dust ring suggest that there is an undetected companion with a mass of 0.03 M⊙ at a radius of 45 AU. The different spirals would, however, require multiple perturbing bodies. While viable from an energetic point of view, this mechanism cannot explain the apparent counter-rotation of the gas in the spirals. Although an hypothetical fly-by cannot be ruled out, the most likely explanation of the AB Aurigae system may be inhomogeneous accretion well above or below the main disk plane from the remnant envelope, which can explain both the rotation and large-scale motions detected with the 30-m image.
Context. The filamentary structure of molecular clouds may set important constraints on the mass distribution of stars forming within them. It is therefore important to understand which physical ...mechanism dominates filamentary cloud fragmentation and core formation. Aims. Orion A is the nearest giant molecular cloud, and its so-called ∫-shaped filament is a very active star-forming region that is a good target for such a study. We have recently reported on the collapse and fragmentation properties of the northernmost part of this structure, located ~2.4 pc north of Orion KL – Orion Molecular Cloud (OMC) 3. As part of our project to study the ∫-shaped filament, we analyze the fragmentation properties of the northern OMC 1 filament (located ≲0.3 pc north of Orion KL). This filament is a dense structure previously identified by JCMT/SCUBA submillimeter continuum and VLA NH3 observations and was shown to have fragmented into clumps. Our aim is to search for cores and young protostars embedded within OMC 1n and to study how the filament is fragmenting to form them. Methods. We observed OMC 1North (hereafter OMC 1n) with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) at 1.3 mm and report on our analysis of the continuum data. Results. We discovered 24 new compact sources, ranging in mass from 0.1 to 2.3, in size from 400 to 1300 au, and in density from 2.6 × 107 to 2.8 × 106 cm-3. The masses of these sources are similar to those of the SMA protostars in OMC 3, but their typical sizes and densities are lower by a factor of ten. Only 8% of the new sources have infrared counterparts, but there are five associated CO molecular outflows. These sources are thus likely in the Class 0 evolutionary phase but it cannot be excluded that some of the sources might still be pre-stellar cores. The spatial analysis of the protostars shows that they are divided into small groups that coincide with previously identified JCMT/SCUBA 850 μm and VLA NH3 clumps, which are separated by a quasi-equidistant length of ≈30′ (0.06 pc). This separation is dominated by the Jeans length and therefore indicates that the main physical process in the filament evolution was thermal fragmentation. Within the protostellar groups, the typical separation is ≈6′′ (~2500 au), which is a factor 2−3 smaller than the Jeans length of the parental clumps within which the protostars are embedded. These results point to a hierarchical (two-level) thermal fragmentation process of the OMC 1n filament.
Gas clouds in present-day galaxies are inefficient at forming stars. Low star-formation efficiency is a critical parameter in galaxy evolution: it is why stars are still forming nearly 14 billion ...years after the Big Bang and why star clusters generally do not survive their births, instead dispersing to form galactic disks or bulges. Yet the existence of ancient massive bound star clusters (globular clusters) in the Milky Way suggests that efficiencies were higher when they formed ten billion years ago. A local dwarf galaxy, NGC 5253, has a young star cluster that provides an example of highly efficient star formation. Here we report the detection of the J = 3→2 rotational transition of CO at the location of the massive cluster. The gas cloud is hot, dense, quiescent and extremely dusty. Its gas-to-dust ratio is lower than the Galactic value, which we attribute to dust enrichment by the embedded star cluster. Its star-formation efficiency exceeds 50 per cent, tenfold that of clouds in the Milky Way. We suggest that high efficiency results from the force-feeding of star formation by a streamer of gas falling into the galaxy.
We present a detailed analysis of the spatially and spectrally resolved super(12)CO J = 2-1 and J = 3-2 emission lines from the TW Hya circumstellar disk, based on science verification data from the ...Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). These lines exhibit substantial emission in their high-velocity wings (with projected velocities out to 2.1 km s super(-1), corresponding to intrinsic orbital velocities >20 km s super(-1)) that trace molecular gas as close as 2 AU from the central star. However, we are not able to reproduce the intensity of these wings and the general spatio-kinematic pattern of the lines with simple models for the disk structure and kinematics. Using three-dimensional non-local thermodynamic equilibrium molecular excitation and radiative transfer calculations, we construct some alternative models that successfully account for these features by modifying either (1) the temperature structure of the inner disk (inside the dust-depleted disk cavity; r < 4 AU), (2) the intrinsic (Keplerian) disk velocity field, or (3) the distribution of disk inclination angles (a warp). The latter approach is particularly compelling because a representative warped disk model qualitatively reproduces the observed azimuthal modulation of optical light scattered off the disk surface. In any model scenario, the ALMA data clearly require a substantial molecular gas reservoir located inside the region where dust optical depths are known to be substantially diminished in the TW Hya disk, in agreement with previous studies based on infrared spectroscopy. The results from these updated model prescriptions are discussed in terms of their potential physical origins, which might include dynamical perturbations from a low-mass companion with an orbital separation of a few AU.
We present high angular resolution observations of the massive star-forming core DR21(OH) at 880 mu m using the Submillimeter Array (SMA). The dense core exhibits an overall velocity gradient in a ...Keplerian-like pattern, which breaks at the center of the core where SMA 6 and SMA 7 are located. The dust polarization shows a complex magnetic field, compatible with a toroidal configuration. This is in contrast with the large, parsec-scale filament that surrounds the core, where there is a smooth magnetic field. The total magnetic field strengths in the filament and in the core are 0.9 and 2.1 mG, respectively. We found evidence of magnetic field diffusion at the core scales, far beyond the expected value for ambipolar diffusion. It is possible that the diffusion arises from fast magnetic reconnection in the presence of turbulence. The dynamics of the DR 21 (OH) core appear to be controlled energetically in equal parts by the magnetic field, magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, and the angular momentum. The effect of the angular momentum (this is a fast rotating core) is probably causing the observed toroidal field configuration. Yet, gravitation overwhelms all the forces, making this a clear supercritical core with a mass-to-flux ratio of Asymptotically = to6 times die critical value. However, simulations show that this is not enough for the high level of fragmentation observed at 1000 AU scales. Thus, rotation and outflow feedback are probably the main causes of the observed fragmentation.
Aims. Our aim is to characterize the polarized continuum emission properties including intensity, polarization position angle, and polarization percentage of Sgr A* at ~100 (3.0 mm), ~230 (1.3 mm), ...~345 (0.87 mm), ~500 (0.6 mm), and ~700 GHz (0.43 mm). Methods. We report continuum emission properties of Sgr A* at the above frequency bands, based on the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations. We measured flux densities of Sgr A* from ALMA single pointing and mosaic observations. We performed sinusoidal fittings to the observed (XX-YY)/I intensity ratios, to derive the polarization position angles and polarization percentages. Results. We successfully detect polarized continuum emission from all observed frequency bands. We observed lower Stokes I intensity at ~700 GHz than that at ~500 GHz, which suggests that emission at ≳500 GHz is from the optically thin part of a synchrotron emission spectrum. Both the Stokes I intensity and the polarization position angle at our highest observing frequency of ~700 GHz, may vary with time. However, as yet we do not detect variation in the polarization percentage at >500 GHz. The polarization percentage at ~700 GHz is likely lower than that at ~500 GHz. By comparing the ~500 GHz and ~700 GHz observations with the observations at lower frequency bands, we suggest that the intrinsic polarization position angle of Sgr A* varies with time. This paper also reports the measurable polarization properties from the observed calibration quasars. Conclusions. Future simultaneous multi-frequency polarization observations are required to clarify the time and frequency variation of the polarization position angle and polarization percentage.
Abstract
This paper presents the second data release of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program, a wide-field optical imaging survey using the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope. The release includes data ...from 174 nights of observation through 2018 January. The Wide layer data cover about 300 deg$^2$ in all five broad-band filters ($grizy$) to the nominal survey exposure (10 min in $gr$ and 20 min in $izy$). Partially observed areas are also included in the release; about 1100 deg$^2$ is observed in at least one filter and one exposure. The median seeing in the i-band is ${0_{.}^{\prime \prime }6}$, demonstrating the superb image quality of the survey. The Deep (26 deg$^2$) and UltraDeep (4 deg$^2$) data are jointly processed and the UltraDeep-COSMOS field reaches an unprecedented depth of $i\sim 28$ at $5 \, \sigma$ for point sources. In addition to the broad-band data, narrow-band data are also available in the Deep and UltraDeep fields. This release includes a major update to the processing pipeline, including improved sky subtraction, PSF modeling, object detection, and artifact rejection. The overall data quality has been improved, but this release is not without problems; there is a persistent deblender problem as well as new issues with masks around bright stars. The user is encouraged to review the issue list before utilizing the data for scientific explorations. All the image products as well as catalog products are available for download. The catalogs are also loaded into a database, which provides an easy interface for users to retrieve data for objects of interest. In addition to these main data products, detailed galaxy shape measurements withheld from Public Data Release 1 (PDR1) are now available to the community. The shape catalog is drawn from the S16A internal release, which has a larger area than PDR1 (160 deg$^2$). All products are available at the data release site, https://hsc-release.mtk.nao.ac.jp/.
Context.
Magnetic fields are predicted to play a significant role in the formation of filamentary structures and their fragmentation to form stars and star clusters.
Aims.
We aim to investigate the ...role of the magnetic field in the process of core fragmentation toward the two hub–filament systems in the infrared dark cloud G14.225-0.506, which present different levels of fragmentation.
Methods.
We performed observations of the thermal dust polarization at 350
μ
m using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) with an angular resolution of 10″ toward the two hubs (Hub-N and Hub-S) in the infrared dark cloud G14.225-0.506. We additionally applied the polarization–intensity-gradient method to estimate the significance of the magnetic field over the gravitational force.
Results.
The sky-projected magnetic field in Hub-N shows a rather uniform structure along the east–west orientation, which is roughly perpendicular to the major axis of the hub–filament system. The intensity gradient in Hub-N displays a single local minimum coinciding with the dust core MM1a detected with interferometric observations. Such a prevailing magnetic field orientation is slightly perturbed when approaching the dust core. Unlike the northern Hub, Hub-S shows two local minima, reflecting the bimodal distribution of the magnetic field. In Hub-N, both east and west of the hub–filament system, the intensity gradient and the magnetic field are parallel whereas they tend to be perpendicular when penetrating the dense filaments and hub. Analysis of the |
δ
|- and Σ
B
-maps indicates that, in general, the magnetic field cannot prevent gravitational collapse, both east and west, suggesting that the magnetic field is initially dragged by the infalling motion and aligned with it, or is channeling material toward the central ridge from both sides. Values of Σ
B
≳ 1 are found toward a north–south ridge encompassing the dust emission peak, indicating that in this region magnetic field dominates over gravity force, or that with the current angular resolution we cannot resolve a hypothetically more complex structure. We estimated the magnetic field strength, the mass-to-flux ratio, and the Alfvén Mach number, and found differences between the two hubs.
Conclusions.
The different levels of fragmentation observed in these two hubs could arise from differences in the properties of the magnetic field rather than from differences in the intensity of the gravitational field because the density in the two hubs is similar. However, environmental effects could also play a role.
HH 212 is a nearby (400 pc) Class 0 protostellar system recently found to host a "hamburger"-shaped dusty disk with a radius of ∼60 au, deeply embedded in an infalling-rotating flattened envelope. We ...have spatially resolved this envelope-disk system with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at up to ∼16 au (0 04) resolution. The envelope is detected in HCO+ J = 4-3 down to the dusty disk. Complex organic molecules (COMs) and doubly deuterated formaldehyde (D2CO) are detected above and below the dusty disk within ∼40 au of the central protostar. The COMs are methanol (CH3OH), deuterated methanol (CH2DOH), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), and formamide (NH2CHO, a prebiotic precursor). We have modeled the gas kinematics in HCO+ and COMs and found a centrifugal barrier (CB) at a radius of ∼44 au, within which a Keplerian rotating disk is formed. This indicates that HCO+ traces the infalling-rotating envelope down to the CB and COMs trace the atmosphere of a Keplerian rotating disk within the CB. The COMs are spatially resolved for the first time, both radially and vertically, in the atmosphere of a disk in the earliest, Class 0 phase of star formation. Our spatially resolved observations of COMs favor their formation in the disk rather than a rapidly infalling (warm) inner envelope. The abundances and spatial distributions of the COMs provide strong constraints on models of their formation and transport in low-mass star formation.
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