scholarly journals The radio continuum perspective on cosmic-ray transport in external galaxies

2021 ◽  
Vol 366 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Heesen
Keyword(s):  
Formation Rate ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Galactic Winds ◽  
External Galaxies ◽  
Open Issue ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
User Friendly

AbstractRadio continuum observations of external galaxies provide us with an excellent outside view on the distribution of cosmic-ray electrons in the disc and halo. In this review, we summarise the current state of what we have learned from modelling such observations with cosmic-ray transport, paying particular attention to the question to what extent we can exploit radio haloes when studying galactic winds. We have developed the user-friendly framework spinnaker to model radio haloes with either pure advection or diffusion, allowing us to study both diffusion coefficients and advection speeds in nearby galaxies. Using these models, we show that we can identify galaxies with winds using both morphology and radio spectral indices of radio haloes. Advective radio haloes are ubiquitous, indicating that already fairly low values of the star formation rate (SFR) surface density ($\Sigma_{ \mathrm{SFR}}$ Σ SFR ) can trigger galactic winds. The advection speeds scale with SFR, $\Sigma_{\mathrm{SFR}}$ Σ SFR , and rotation speed as expected for stellar feedback-driven winds. Accelerating winds are in agreement with our radio spectral index data, but this is sensitive to the magnetic field parametrisation, so that constant wind speeds cannot be ruled out either. The question to what extent cosmic rays can be a driving force behind winds is still an open issue and we discuss only in passing how a simple iso-thermal wind model could fit our data. Nevertheless, the comparison with inferences from observations and theory looks promising with radio continuum offering a complementary view on galactic winds. We finish with a perspective on future observations and challenges lying ahead.

scholarly journals CHANG-ES

2018 ◽  
Vol 611 ◽  
pp. A72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marita Krause ◽  
Judith Irwin ◽  
Theresa Wiegert ◽  
Arpad Miskolczi ◽  
Ancor Damas-Segovia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Wind Velocity ◽  
Surface Density ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Scale Height ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Frequency Bands

Aim. The vertical halo scale height is a crucial parameter to understand the transport of cosmic-ray electrons (CRE) and their energy loss mechanisms in spiral galaxies. Until now, the radio scale height could only be determined for a few edge-on galaxies because of missing sensitivity at high resolution.Methods. We developed a sophisticated method for the scale height determination of edge-on galaxies. With this we determined the scale heights and radial scale lengths for a sample of 13 galaxies from the CHANG-ES radio continuum survey in two frequency bands.Results. The sample average values for the radio scale heights of the halo are 1.1 ± 0.3 kpc in C-band and 1.4 ± 0.7 kpc in L-band. From the frequency dependence analysis of the halo scale heights we found that the wind velocities (estimated using the adiabatic loss time) are above the escape velocity. We found that the halo scale heights increase linearly with the radio diameters. In order to exclude the diameter dependence, we defined a normalized scale height h˜ which is quite similar for all sample galaxies at both frequency bands and does not depend on the star formation rate or the magnetic field strength. However, h˜ shows a tight anticorrelation with the mass surface density.Conclusions. The sample galaxies with smaller scale lengths are more spherical in the radio emission, while those with larger scale lengths are flatter. The radio scale height depends mainly on the radio diameter of the galaxy. The sample galaxies are consistent with an escape-dominated radio halo with convective cosmic ray propagation, indicating that galactic winds are a widespread phenomenon in spiral galaxies. While a higher star formation rate or star formation surface density does not lead to a higher wind velocity, we found for the first time observational evidence of a gravitational deceleration of CRE outflow, e.g. a lowering of the wind velocity from the galactic disk.

scholarly journals High-Temperature Chemistry in External Galaxies

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S332) ◽  
pp. 25-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanase Harada
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Chemical Models ◽  
External Galaxies ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
High Temperature Chemistry

AbstractIn external galaxies, some galaxies have higher activities of star formation and central supermassive black holes. The interstellar medium in those galaxies can be heated by different mechanisms such as UV-heating, X-ray heating, cosmic-ray heating, and shock/mechanical heating. Chemical compositions can also be affected by those heating mechanisms. Observations of many molecular species in those nearby galaxies are now possible with the high sensitivity of Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA). Here I cover different chemical models for those heating mechanisms. In addition, I present recent ALMA results of extragalactic astrochemistry including our results of a face-on galaxy M83 and an infrared-luminous merger NGC 3256.

scholarly journals LOFAR MSSS: Flattening low-frequency radio continuum spectra of nearby galaxies

2018 ◽  
Vol 619 ◽  
pp. A36 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. T. Chyży ◽  
W. Jurusik ◽  
J. Piotrowska ◽  
B. Nikiel-Wroczyński ◽  
V. Heesen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Viewing Angle ◽  
Frequency Spectra ◽  
Nearby Star ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
5 Ghz ◽  
Thermal Absorption

Aims. The shape of low-frequency radio continuum spectra of normal galaxies is not well understood, the key question being the role of physical processes such as thermal absorption in shaping them. In this work we take advantage of the LOFAR Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS) to investigate such spectra for a large sample of nearby star-forming galaxies. Methods. Using the measured 150 MHz flux densities from the LOFAR MSSS survey and literature flux densities at various frequencies we have obtained integrated radio spectra for 106 galaxies characterised by different morphology and star formation rate. The spectra are explained through the use of a three-dimensional model of galaxy radio emission, and radiation transfer dependent on the galaxy viewing angle and absorption processes. Results. Our galaxies’ spectra are generally flatter at lower compared to higher frequencies: the median spectral index αlow measured between ≈50 MHz and 1.5 GHz is −0.57 ± 0.01 while the high-frequency one αhigh, calculated between 1.3 GHz and 5 GHz, is −0.77 ± 0.03. As there is no tendency for the highly inclined galaxies to have more flattened low-frequency spectra, we argue that the observed flattening is not due to thermal absorption, contradicting the suggestion of Israel & Mahoney (1990, ApJ, 352, 30). According to our modelled radio maps for M 51-like galaxies, the free-free absorption effects can be seen only below 30 MHz and in the global spectra just below 20 MHz, while in the spectra of starburst galaxies, like M 82, the flattening due to absorption is instead visible up to higher frequencies of about 150 MHz. Starbursts are however scarce in the local Universe, in accordance with the weak spectral curvature seen in the galaxies of our sample. Locally, within galactic disks, the absorption effects are distinctly visible in M 51-like galaxies as spectral flattening around 100–200 MHz in the face-on objects, and as turnovers in the edge-on ones, while in M 82-like galaxies there are strong turnovers at frequencies above 700 MHz, regardless of viewing angle. Conclusions. Our modelling of galaxy spectra suggests that the weak spectral flattening observed in the nearby galaxies studied here results principally from synchrotron spectral curvature due to cosmic ray energy losses and propagation effects. We predict much stronger effects of thermal absorption in more distant galaxies with high star formation rates. Some influence exerted by the Milky Way’s foreground on the spectra of all external galaxies is also expected at very low frequencies.

scholarly journals Deciphering the radio star formation correlation on kpc scales

2020 ◽  
Vol 633 ◽  
pp. A144 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Vollmer ◽  
M. Soida ◽  
R. Beck ◽  
M. Powalka
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Star Formation ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Smoothing Kernel ◽  
The Magnetic Field

One of the tightest correlations in astronomy is the relation between the integrated radio continuum and the far-infrared (FIR) emission. Within nearby galaxies, variations in the radio–FIR correlation have been observed, mainly because the cosmic ray electrons migrate before they lose their energy via synchrotron emission or escape. The major cosmic-ray electron transport mechanisms within the plane of galactic disks are diffusion, and streaming. A predicted radio continuum map can be obtained by convolving the map of cosmic-ray electron sources, represented by that of the star formation, with adaptive Gaussian and exponential kernels. The ratio between the smoothing lengthscales at 6 cm and 20 cm can be used to determine, between diffusion and streaming, which is the dominant transport mechanism. The dependence of the smoothing lengthscale on the star formation rate bears information on the dependence of the magnetic field strength, or the ratio between the ordered and turbulent magnetic field strengths on star formation. Star formation maps of eight rather face-on local and Virgo cluster spiral galaxies were constructed from Spitzer and Herschel infrared and GALEX UV observations. These maps were convolved with adaptive Gaussian and exponential smoothing kernels to obtain model radio continuum emission maps. It was found that in asymmetric ridges of polarized radio continuum emission, the total power emission is enhanced with respect to the star formation rate. At a characteristic star formation rate of $ \dot{\Sigma}_*=8 \times 10^{-3}\,M_{\odot} $ yr−1 kpc−2, the typical lengthscale for the transport of cosmic-ray electrons is l = 0.9 ± 0.3 kpc at 6 cm, and l = 1.8 ± 0.5 kpc at 20 cm. Perturbed spiral galaxies tend to have smaller lengthscales. This is a natural consequence of the enhancement of the magnetic field caused by the interaction. The discrimination between the two cosmic-ray electron transport mechanisms, diffusion, and streaming is based on (i) the convolution kernel (Gaussian or exponential); (ii) the dependence of the smoothing kernel on the local magnetic field, and thus on the local star formation rate; (iii) the ratio between the two smoothing lengthscales via the frequency dependence of the smoothing kernel, and (iv) the dependence of the smoothing kernel on the ratio between the ordered and the turbulent magnetic field. Based on our empirical results, methods (i) and (ii) cannot be used to determine the cosmic ray transport mechanism. Important asymmetric large-scale residuals and a local dependence of the smoothing length on Bord/Bturb are most probably responsible for the failure of methods (i) and (ii), respectively. On the other hand, the classifications based on l6 cm/l20 cm (method iii) and Bord/Bturb (method iv), are well consistent and complementary. We argue that in the six Virgo spiral galaxies, the turbulent magnetic field is globally enhanced in the disk. Therefore, the regions where the magnetic field is independent of the star formation rate are more common. In addition, Bord/Bturb decreases, leading to a diffusion lengthscale that is smaller than the streaming lengthscale. Therefore, cosmic ray electron streaming dominates in most of the Virgo spiral galaxies.

scholarly journals The resolved radio–FIR correlation in nearby galaxies with Herschel and Spitzer

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S284) ◽  
pp. 400-403
Author(s):  
Fatemeh S. Tabatabaei ◽  
Eva Schinnerer ◽  
Eric Murphy ◽  
Rainer Beck ◽  
Annie Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Diffusion Length ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Scale Dependence ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Synchrotron Emission ◽  
Nearby Galaxies

AbstractWe investigate the correlation between the far-infrared (FIR) and radio continuum emission from NGC6946 on spatial scales between 0.9 and 17 kpc. We use the Herschel PACS (70, 100, 160μm) and SPIRE (250μm) data from the KINGFISH project. Separating the free-free and synchrotron components of the radio continuum emission, we find that FIR is better correlated with the free-free than the synchrotron emission. Compared to a similar study in M33 and M31, we find that the scale dependence of the synchrotron–FIR correlation in NGC6946 is more similar to M31 than M33. The scale dependence of the synchrotron–FIR correlation can be explained by the turbulent-to-ordered magnetic field ratio or, equivalently, the diffusion length of the cosmic ray electrons in these galaxies.

scholarly journals Calibrating the relation of low-frequency radio continuum to star formation rate at 1 kpc scale with LOFAR

2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. A8 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Heesen ◽  
E. Buie II ◽  
C. J. Huff ◽  
L. A. Perez ◽  
J. G. Woolsey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Gaussian Kernel ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Inverse Compton ◽  
Far Ultraviolet

Context. Radio continuum (RC) emission in galaxies allows us to measure star formation rates (SFRs) unaffected by extinction due to dust, of which the low-frequency part is uncontaminated from thermal (free–free) emission. Aims. We calibrate the conversion from the spatially resolved 140 MHz RC emission to the SFR surface density (ΣSFR) at 1 kpc scale. Radio spectral indices give us, by means of spectral ageing, a handle on the transport of cosmic rays using the electrons as a proxy for GeV nuclei. Methods. We used recent observations of three galaxies (NGC 3184, 4736, and 5055) from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), and archival LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) data of NGC 5194. Maps were created with the facet calibration technique and converted to radio ΣSFR maps using the Condon relation. We compared these maps with hybrid ΣSFR maps from a combination of GALEX far-ultraviolet and Spitzer 24 μm data using plots tracing the relation at the highest angular resolution allowed by our data at 1.2 × 1.2 kpc2 resolution. Results. The RC emission is smoothed with respect to the hybrid ΣSFR owing to the transport of cosmic-ray electrons (CREs) away from star formation sites. This results in a sublinear relation (ΣSFR)RC ∝ [(ΣSFR)hyb]a, where a = 0.59 ± 0.13 (140 MHz) and a = 0.75 ± 0.10 (1365 MHz). Both relations have a scatter of σ = 0.3 dex. If we restrict ourselves to areas of young CREs (α >  −0.65; Iν ∝ να), the relation becomes almost linear at both frequencies with a ≈ 0.9 and a reduced scatter of σ = 0.2 dex. We then simulate the effect of CRE transport by convolving the hybrid ΣSFR maps with a Gaussian kernel until the RC–SFR relation is linearised; CRE transport lengths are l = 1–5 kpc. Solving the CRE diffusion equation, assuming dominance of the synchrotron and inverse-Compton losses, we find diffusion coefficients of D = (0.13–1.5)  × 1028 cm2 s−1 at 1 GeV. Conclusions. A RC–SFR relation at 1.4 GHz can be exploited to measure SFRs at redshift z ≈ 10 using 140 MHz observations.

scholarly journals Radio Emission from Nearby Galaxies at High Frequencies

1981 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
pp. 225-226
Author(s):  
Rainer Beck ◽  
Ulrich Klein
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Frequency Synthesis ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Nearby Galaxies

High resolution observations of the radio continuum emission from nearby galaxies at several frequencies provide information about the cosmic ray electrons. Optimum results are expected by combining low-frequency synthesis observations with high-frequency single dish data, e.g. Westerbork 610 MHz / Effelsberg 10.7 GHz (1′ resolution) or Cambridge 150 MHz / Effelsberg 2.7 GHz (4′ resolution). Maps of 15 nearby spiral galaxies at 10.7 GHz have been made with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope. Maps of M31 and M33 are available at 2.7 and 4.8 GHz.

scholarly journals Radio Studies of Cosmic Rays in Nearby Galaxies

1991 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 257-266
Author(s):  
E. Hummel
Keyword(s):  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Electron Sources ◽  
Radio Studies ◽  
Nearby Galaxies

The constraints on cosmic ray electron sources and propagation as derived from radio continuum observations of galaxies are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the inferences which can be obtained from the radio continuum properties of spiral galaxies seen edge-on.

scholarly journals Dust entrainment in galactic winds

2021 ◽  
Vol 503 (1) ◽  
pp. 336-343
Author(s):  
R Kannan ◽  
M Vogelsberger ◽  
F Marinacci ◽  
L V Sales ◽  
P Torrey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Galactic Winds ◽  
Dust Entrainment ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
History Of ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Insight Into

ABSTRACT Winds driven by stellar feedback are an essential part of the galactic ecosystem and are the main mechanism through which low-mass galaxies regulate their star formation. These winds are generally observed to be multiphase with detections of entrained neutral and molecular gas. They are also thought to enrich the circumgalactic medium around galaxies with metals and dust. This ejected dust encodes information about the integrated star formation and outflow history of the galaxy. Therefore it is important to understand how much dust is entrained and driven out of the disc by galactic winds. Here, we demonstrate that stellar feedback is efficient in driving dust-enriched winds and eject enough material to account for the amount of extraplanar dust observed in nearby galaxies. The amount of ejected dust depends on the sites from where they are launched, with dustier galaxies launching more dust-enriched outflows. Moreover, the outflowing cold and dense gas is significantly more dust enriched than the volume filling hot and tenuous material. These results provide an important new insight into the dynamics, structure, and composition of galactic winds and their role in determining the dust content of the extragalactic gas in galaxies.

scholarly journals Cosmic rays or turbulence can suppress cooling flows (where thermal heating or momentum injection fail)

2019 ◽  
Vol 491 (1) ◽  
pp. 1190-1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kung-Yi Su ◽  
Philip F Hopkins ◽  
Christopher C Hayward ◽  
Claude-André Faucher-Giguère ◽  
Dušan Kereš ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Formation Rate ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Elliptical Galaxies ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Thermal Heating ◽  
Cooling Flow ◽  
Flow Problems ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Feedback Model ◽  
Physical Form

ABSTRACT The quenching ‘maintenance’ and ‘cooling flow’ problems are important from the Milky Way through massive cluster elliptical galaxies. Previous work has shown that some source of energy beyond that from stars and pure magnetohydrodynamic processes is required, perhaps from active galactic nuclei, but even the qualitative form of this energetic input remains uncertain. Different scenarios include thermal ‘heating’, direct wind or momentum injection, cosmic ray heating or pressure support, or turbulent ‘stirring’ of the intracluster medium (ICM). We investigate these in $10^{12}\!-\!10^{14}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$ haloes using high-resolution non-cosmological simulations with the FIRE-2 (Feedback In Realistic Environments) stellar feedback model, including simplified toy energy injection models, where we arbitrarily vary the strength, injection scale, and physical form of the energy. We explore which scenarios can quench without violating observational constraints on energetics or ICM gas. We show that turbulent stirring in the central $\sim 100\,$ kpc, or cosmic ray injection, can both maintain a stable low-star formation rate halo for >Gyr time-scales with modest energy input, by providing a non-thermal pressure that stably lowers the core density and cooling rates. In both cases, associated thermal-heating processes are negligible. Turbulent stirring preserves cool-core features while mixing condensed core gas into the hotter halo and is by far the most energy efficient model. Pure thermal heating or nuclear isotropic momentum injection require vastly larger energy, are less efficient in lower mass haloes, easily overheat cores, and require fine tuning to avoid driving unphysical temperature gradients or gas expulsion from the halo centre.

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