Line emission in the brightest cluster galaxies of the NOAO Fundamental Plane and Sloan Digital Sky Surveys

We examine the optical emission-line properties of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) selected from two large, homogeneous data sets. The first is the X-ray selected National Optical Astronomy Observatory Fundamental Plane Survey (NFPS), and the second is the C4 catalogue of optically selected clusters built from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3 (SDSS DR3). Our goal is to better understand the optical line emission in BCGs with respect to properties of the galaxy and the host cluster. Throughout the analysis we compare the line emission of the BCGs to that of a control sample made of the other bright galaxies near the cluster centre. Overall, both the NFPS and SDSS show a modest fraction of BCGs with emission lines (∼15 per cent). No trend in the fraction of emitting BCGs as a function of galaxy mass or cluster velocity dispersion is found. However, we find that, for those BCGs found in cooling flow clusters,  71⁺⁹₋₁₄  have optical emission. Furthermore, if we consider only BCGs within 50 kpc of the X-ray centre of a cooling flow cluster, the emission-line fraction rises further to  100⁺⁰₋₁₅  per cent. Excluding the cooling flow clusters, only ∼10 per cent of BCGs are line emitting, comparable to the control sample of galaxies. We show that the physical origin of the emission-line activity varies: in some cases it has LINER-like line ratios, whereas in others it is a composite of star-formation and LINER-like activity. We conclude that the presence of emission lines in BCGs is directly related to the cooling of X-ray gas at the cluster centre.     

Comparisons of Infrared Colors and Emission-line Intensities between Two types of Seyfert 2 Galaxies

We study the relation between the infrared colors[ OⅢ] emission lines,gaseous absorbing column density(NH) ,and the detectability of the polarized (hidden)broad-line region(HBLR) in a large sample of 75 Seyfert 2 galaxies(Sy2s).From the indicators of star-formation activity,f60/f100 and LFIR/LB,we find some evidence that the Sy2s without HBLR show higher star-formation activities than those with HBLR,in agreement with previous prediction.Also,we confirm that the HBLR Sy2s tend to have a larger luminosity ratio of the core to the host galaxy,suggesting that the HBLR Sy2s display more powerful AGN activity.Howerver,the level of obscuration found in previous papers in nearly indistinguishable between the two types of Sy2s.The results support the statement that the non-HBLR Sy2s,with a weaker core component and a stronger star-formation activity component,are intrinsically different from the HBLR Sy2s,which are Sy1 systems with a hidden powerful AGN core and a low star-formation activity.The indications are that the non-HBLR Sy2s might be at an earlier evolutionary phase than the HBLR Sy2s.     

棒在星系恒星形成中的作用

从理论Ｎ体模拟、射电辐射、红外辐射以及统计比较等几个方面，概述了棒在星系恒星形成中的作用，并讨论了在这一问题研究中出现的互相予盾的一些结果。     

Is I ZW 18 Really a Young Galaxy?

To understand the role of dwarfs in the context of galaxy formation and evolution, we are studying the star-formation history of some representative irregular and blue compact dwarf galaxies by comparing the observed colour–magnitude diagrams with synthetic ones based on homogeneous sets of stellar evolutionary tracks. Here we present the results obtained for the blue compact I Zw 18, the most metal-poor galaxy known. Our simulations suggest star-formation activity started around 1–0.3 Gyr ago, with evidence of an intense burst around 15–20 Myr ago. I Zw 18 has turned out not to be a young object as previously suggested. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sh2-205 – II. Quiescent star-formation activity

We present a study of active star-forming regions in the environs of the H  ii region Sh2-205. The analysis is based on data obtained from point source catalogues and images extracted from the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), Midcourse Space Experiment ( MSX ) and IRAS surveys. Complementary data are taken from a CO survey. The identification of primary candidates for star-formation activity is made following colour criteria and a correlation with molecular gas emission.
A number of star-formation tracer candidates are projected on to two substructures of the H  ii region: SH 148.83–0.67 and SH 149.25–0.00. However, the lack of molecular gas related to these structures casts doubt on the nature of the sources. Additional infrared sources may be associated with the H  i shell centred at  ( l , b ) = (149°0', −1°30')  .
The most striking active area was found in connection with the H  ii region LBN 148.11–0.45, where star-formation candidates are projected on to molecular gas. The analytical model of the 'collect and collapse' process shows that star-formation activity could have been triggered by the expansion of this H  ii region.     

On the propensity of the formation of massive clumps via fragmentation of driven shells

Early type massive stars drive thin, dense shells whose edges often show evidence of star-formation. The possibility of fragmentation of these shells, leading to the formation of putative star-forming clumps is examined with the aid of semi-analytic arguments. We also derive a mass-spectrum for clumps condensing out of these shells by performing Monte–Carlo simulations of the problem. By extending on results from our previous work on the stability of thin, dense shells, we argue that clump-mass estimated by other authors in the past, under a set of simplifying assumptions, are several orders of magnitude smaller than those calculated here. Using the expression for the fastest growing unstable mode in a shock-confined shell, we show that fragmentation of a typical shell can produce clumps with a typical mass ?10³  M_⊙. It is likely that such clumps could spawn a second generation of massive and/or intermediate-mass stars which could in turn, trigger the next cycle of star-formation. We suggest that the ratio of shell thickness-to-radius evolves only weakly with time. Calculations have been performed for stars of seven spectral types, ranging from B1 to O5. We separately consider the stability of supernova remnants.     

Characteristics of gamma-ray line flares as observed in hard X-ray emissions and other phenomena

Observations of gamma-ray lines from solar flares by SMM demonstrated that energetic protons and heavy ions are accelerated during the impulsive phase. In order to understand the acceleration mechanism for gamma-ray producing protons and heavy ions, we have studied the characteristics of the flares from which gamma-ray lines were observed by SMM In order to identify the characteristics unique to the gamma-ray line flares, we have also studied intense hard X-ray flares with no gamma-ray line emissions. We have found the following characteristics: 1) Most of the gamma-ray line flares produced intense radio bursts of types II and IV. 2) For most of the gamma-ray line flares, the time profiles of high-energy (? 300 keV) hard X-rays are delayed by order of several seconds with respect to those of low-energy hard X-rays. The delay times seem to be correlated with the spatial sizes of the flares. 3) In Hα importance, the gamma-ray line flares range from sub-flares to importance-3 flares. 4) The hard X-ray spectra of the gamma-ray line flares are generally flatter (harder) than those of flares with no gamma-ray line emission. From these characteristics, we conclude that the first-order Fermi acceleration operating in a flare loop is likely to be the acceleration mechanism for energetic protons and heavy ions as well as relativistic electrons.     

Unstable objects in the galaxy and the star-formation process

Using observational data, we consider the problem of instability of astronomical objects and systems of objects and its close connection with the star-formation process. We show that it is only due to the discovery and study of stellar associations that the enormous role of stellar instability in the formation of stars in the Galaxy (and in other galaxies) has been definitively explained. Many kinematic properties of stellar associations are inexplicable from the old point of view. This gives grounds for doubting the correctness of the classical hypothesis that stars form from diffuse matter.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 38, No. 3, 1995.     

Starburst galaxies and structure in the submillimetre background towards the Hubble Deep Field

We use an 850-μm SCUBA map of the Hubble Deep Field (HDF) to study the dust properties of optically-selected starburst galaxies at high redshift. The optical/infrared (IR) data in the HDF allow a photometric redshift to be estimated for each galaxy, together with an estimate of the visible star-formation rate. The 850-μm flux density of each source provides the complementary information: the amount of hidden, dust-enshrouded star formation activity. Although the 850-μm map does not allow detection of the majority of individual sources, we show that the galaxies with the highest UV star-formation rates are detected statistically, with a flux density of about S ₈₅₀=0.2 mJy for an apparent UV star-formation rate of 1  h ⁻² M_⊙ yr⁻¹. This level of submillimetre output indicates that the total star-forming activity is on average a factor of approximately 6 times larger than the rate inferred from the UV output of these galaxies. The general population of optical starbursts is then predicted to contribute at least 25 per cent of the 850-μm background. We carry out a power-spectrum analysis of the map, which yields some evidence for angular clustering of the background source population, but at a level lower than that seen in Lyman-break galaxies. Together with other lines of argument, particularly from the NICMOS HDF data, this suggests that the 850-μm background originates over an extremely wide range of redshifts – perhaps 1≲ z ≲6.     

Line Shapes Emitted from Spiral Structures around Symmetric Orbits of Supermassive Binary Black Holes

Variability of active galactic nuclei is not well understood. One possible explanation is existence of supermassive binary black holes (SMBBH) in their centres. It is expected that major mergers are common in the Universe. It is expected that each supermassive black hole of every galaxy eventually finish as a SMBBH system in the core of newly formed galaxy. Here we model the emission line profiles of active galactic nuclei (AGN) assuming that the flux and emission line shape variations are induced by supermassive binary black hole systems (SMBBH). We assume that the accreting gas inside the circumbinary (CB) disk is photo ionized by mini accretion disk emission around each SMBBH. We calculate variations of emission line flux, shifts and shapes for different parameters of SMBBH orbits. We consider cases with different masses and inclinations for circular orbits and measure the effect to the shape of emission line profiles and flux variability.     

The GLARE Survey – II. Faint z≈ 6 Lyα line emitters in the HUDF

The galaxy population at   z ≈ 6  has been the subject of intense study in recent years, culminating in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) – the deepest imaging survey yet. A large number of high-redshift galaxy candidates have been identified within the HUDF, but until now analysis of their properties has been hampered by the difficulty of obtaining spectroscopic redshifts for these faint galaxies. Our 'Gemini Lyman-Alpha at Reionization Era' (GLARE) project has been designed to undertake spectroscopic follow-up of faint  ( z ' < 28.5)  i '-drop galaxies at   z ≈ 6  in the HUDF. In a previous paper we presented preliminary results from the first 7.5 h of data from GLARE. In this paper we detail the complete survey. We have now obtained 36 h of spectroscopy on a single GMOS slitmask from Gemini-South, with a spectral resolution of  λ/Δλ_FWHM≈ 1000  . We identify five strong Lyα emitters at   z > 5.5  , and a further nine possible line emitters with detections at lower significance. We also place tight constraints on the equivalent width of Lyα emission for a further ten i '-drop galaxies and examine the equivalent width distribution of this faint spectroscopic sample of   z ≈ 6  galaxies. We find that the fraction of galaxies with little or no emission is similar to that at   z ≈ 3  , but that the   z ≈ 6  population has a tail of sources with high rest-frame equivalent widths. Possible explanations for this effect include a tendency towards stronger line emission in faint sources, which may arise from extreme youth or low metallicity in the Lyman-break population at high redshift, or possibly a top-heavy initial mass function.     

On the origin of the 511-keV emission in the Galactic Centre

Diffuse 511-keV line emission, from the annihilation of cold positrons, has been observed in the direction of the Galactic Centre for more than 30 yr. The latest high-resolution maps of this emission produced by the SPI instrument on INTEGRAL suggest at least one component of the emission is spatially coincident with the distribution of ∼70 luminous, low-mass X-ray binaries detected in the soft gamma-ray band. The X-ray band, however, is generally a more sensitive probe of X-ray binary populations. Recent X-ray surveys of the Galactic Centre have discovered a much larger population (>4000) of faint, hard X-ray point sources. We investigate the possibility that the positrons observed in the direction of the Galactic Centre originate in pair-dominated jets generated by this population of fainter accretion-powered X-ray binaries. We also consider briefly whether such sources could account for unexplained diffuse emission associated with the Galactic Centre in the microwave (the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 'haze') and at other wavelengths. Finally, we point out several unresolved problems in associating Galactic Centre 511-keV emission with the brightest X-ray binaries.     

The Effect of Mass Motions Inside the Coronal Loops on Emission Line Profiles

The observed green coronal emission line profiles have been often found to have multi-components. Further examinations reveal that the occurrence of multi-components in line profiles is related to the solar cycle variations as well as the activity of the coronal region. The spatial correspondence between the intense loops in active regions and strong multi-components in line profiles suggests that the presence of loops affects the line shapes. The emission line profiles have been found to be fitted well with single or multi-Gaussians with line-of-sight velocities up to 70 km s–1. A simple radiative transfer model of coronal emission line profiles is developed which shows that coronal loops with mass motions inside may give rise to multi-components in line profiles. The effects of loop parameters such as electron density, flow velocity and kinetic temperature and the line-of-sight variations are studied. It is found that line profiles strongly reflect the physical conditions inside the loop.     

Supernovae in early-type galaxies

It is argued that all SNI come from short-lived stars and do not occur in a typical, isolationist, gas-free early-type galaxy. SNI occur only in those galaxies which accrete gas and form stars. SN properties of E/SOs are, therefore, determined by environmental factors. Presence of gas and dust in early-type galaxies, SN occurrence, nuclear emission, and radio-activity are all manifestations of the same phenomenon, namely availability of gas.What is now urgently required is multi-colour photometry of supernovic early-type galaxies around the regions of recorded SN to see if there are signs of recent star-formation.     

The hard X-ray emission of Hercules X-l

Using the observational data of hard X-ray emission lines of Her X-l, we make a preliminary study of the physics of the emission region. We found the emission region opaque to X-ray line radiation, with an excitation temperature sim;2.4 × 10⁸K and a perpendicular cross section area ～2 × 10⁷cm². We predict that a third line will be $\text{1}\text{13}$ as intense as the first line and 3 times as wide.     

Soho Observations of the Connection Between Line Profile Parameters in Active and Quiet Regions and the Net Red Shift in Euv Emission Lines

We present high spatial and spectral resolution observations of one active and one quiet-Sun region, obtained with CDS and SUMER on SOHO. The connections between the line profile parameters are studied and a systematic wavelength shift towards the red with increasing peak line intensity (line broadening) is detected. The large scatter in the data calls for another approach. We apply conditional probability analysis to a series of EUV emission lines and find significant correlations between line profile parameters. For a given interval in wavelength shift we find that: (1) line profiles with large intensities (line widths) and red shifts above the average constitute an increasing fraction of the profiles as the relative wavelength shift increases, (2) line profiles with large intensities (line widths) and blue shifts compared to the average, on the other hand, constitute a decreasing fraction of the profiles as the relative wavelength shift increases. These results extend the findings of an earlier quiet-Sun study from one to several emission lines and expand the validity to include the active region. Interestingly, the active region observations show correlations between peak line intensity and wavelength shift in the coronal lines.The tendency for red-shifted profiles to be more intense than blue-shifted profiles will shift line profiles derived by integrating along the slit towards the red. From the present observations we are not able to determine the fraction of the net red shift that emerges from this correlation. We suggest that the same mechanism is responsible both for the correlation between the line profile parameters and for the differential red shift between the transition region and chromospheric emission lines.     

Neutral atom imaging at Mercury

The feasibility of neutral atom detection and imaging in the Hermean environment is discussed in this study. In particular, we consider those energetic neutral atoms (ENA) whose emission is directly related to solar wind entrance into Mercury's magnetosphere. In fact, this environment is characterised by a weak magnetic field; thus, cusp regions are extremely large if compared to the Earth's ones, and intense proton fluxes are expected there. Our study includes a model of H⁺ distribution in space, energy and pitch angle, simulated by means of a single-particle, Monte-Carlo simulation. Among processes that could generate neutral atom emission, we focus our attention on charge-exchange and ion sputtering, which, in principle, are able to produce directional ENA fluxes. Simulated neutral atom images are investigated in the frame of the neutral particle analyser-ion spectrometer (NPA-IS) SERENA experiment, proposed to fly on board the ESA mission BepiColombo/MPO. The ELENA (emitted low-energy neutral atoms) unit, which is part of this experiment, will be able to detect such fluxes; instrumental details and predicted count rates are given.     

Ni I 6768 Å line profile variations during a solar flare and their effect on the SOHO/MDI magnetic field measurements

Observational data on the Ni I 6768 Å line profile variations during the impulsive and post-impulsive phases of the July 18, 2002 while light flare (WLF) in the kernel of WLF emission and in other flare kernels are presented. The line profiles at the sites of intense photospheric motions in active regions are also studied. The effect of the observed Ni I 6768 Å line profile variations on the SOHO/MDI magnetic field measurements is estimated. The following conclusions have been reached. (1) The thermodynamic structure of the photo-spheric layers changes significantly during the flare. As a result, the Ni I line profile changes, particularly at the site of WLF emission. At this time, the line depth decreases significantly, but the line does not show any emission reversal. Subsequently, a relatively slow return to the conditions of an undisturbed photosphere is observed. (2) The technique of SOHO/MDI magnetic field measurements is insensitive to such line variations. Therefore, the detected variations during the flare did not result in any noticeable errors in the MDI longitudinal magnetic field measurements. (3) The line profile is broadened, shifted as a whole, and asymmetric at the sites of active regions where intense photospheric motions appear. In the MDI measurements, such changes in the profile lead to an underestimation of the magnetic field by approximately 10% if the line-of-sight velocity of the photo-spheric ejection is about 1.6 km s^?1.     

The relation between cerenkov redshift of H-I lines of quasars and the intensity ratio lyman-alpha / CIV

In the framework of the Cerenkov line enission theory we discuss the intrinsic relation between the Cerenkov redshift of HI emission lines of quasars and the line intensity ratio . Neglecting the contributions of HI recombination lines in the outer optically thin zones of quasars we can use the observed relative shift of the Ly line with respect to the CIV line, i.e., the Cerenkov redshift, to obtain an estimate of the particle population at the 2nd energy level, R₂≈ 0.02. We can also use the observed value to estimate the parameter Xβ ≈ 14.0. For a temperature of 11000 K, the predicted Cerenkov redshifts of HI Balmer lines and the intensity ratio are then both in good agreement with the observations. This is a strong support for the Cerenkov line emission theory.