Spatially resolved Lyman-α emission around radio bright quasars

We use Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) to perform long-slit spectroscopic observations of 23 newly discovered radio-loud quasars (RLQs) at 2.7 < z < 3.3. The sample consists of powerful AGN brighter than 200 mJy at 1.4 GHz and is selected on the basis of mid-infrared colors i.e., unbiased to the presence of dust. We report 7 confirmed and 5 tentative detections of diffuse Lyα emission in the sample. We present the properties of diffuse Lyα emission and discuss in detail its relationship to different quasar properties. We find strong dependence of Lyα halo detection rate on the extent of radio source, spectral luminosity of RLQ at 420 MHz (L420MHz), presence of associated C IV absorption and nuclear He II emission line equivalent width. As seen in previous surveys, the FWHM of diffuse Lyα emission in the case of confirmed detections are much higher (i.e.>1000 km/s in all, except one). Using the samples of high-z radio-loud quasars and galaxies from literature, we confirm the correlation between the Lyα halo luminosity and its size with L420MHz. The same quantities are found to be correlating weakly with the projected linear size of the radio emission. Our sample is the second largest sample of RLQs being studied for the presence of diffuse Lyα emission and fills in a redshift gap between previous such studies. Integral Field Spectroscopy is required to fully understand the relationship between the large scale radio emission and the overall distribution, kinematics and over density of Lyα emission in the field of these RLQs.

Dependence of equivalent width of quasar emission lines on UV-optical spectral index

Using 192 composite spectra stacked from subsamples of individual SDSS quasar spectra binned in spectral index, αλ, and logarithm of monochromatic luminosity at 1450 Å, log l1450, and modelling separate spectral ranges with superposition of emission lines it was found that: there is a dependence of emission line equivalent width (EW) on αλ (correlation or anti-correlation) for some lines, mostly for those lines for which the Baldwin effect is detected, while for the lines for which the Baldwin effect is not observed any αλ-dependence was found.

Which Galaxy Property Best Predicts Quiescence?

It is generally accepted that local elliptical galaxies assembled most of their mass in a burst of star formation between 1 < z < 3, yet today, their star formation has been almost entirely quenched. In order to constrain this quenching mechanism, we measure Hα line emission in galaxies sorted by multiple galaxy properties as a function of redshift to what galaxy parameter best predicts quiescence. This is done for samples of the most massive, most luminous, and galaxies with the highest velocity dispersion both locally (0.05 < z < 0.07 in the SDSS) and at high redshift (0.7 < z < 1.5 in 3D-HST). It is demonstrated through spectral stacking that velocity dispersion results in the lowest Hα line equivalent width both locally and at high redshift. The spatial distribution of the emission line flux is available from grism spectroscopy: the line flux from the high dispersion stack is centrally peaked and thus likely associated with AGN activity rather than star formation, strengthening this conclusion. Since velocity dispersion may also be the best predictor of halo mass (Wake et al. 2012), this may imply that the quenching mechanism is directly related to halo mass.

Confirmation of Solar-Like Oscillations in η Bootis

Kjeldsen et al. (1995) detected excess power in the GO subgiant η Boo from measurements of Balmer-line equivalent widths. The excess was at the expected level, and these authors were able to extract frequency separations and individual frequencies which agreed well with theoretical models (Christensen-Dalsgaard et al., 1995; Guenther & Demarque, 1996). A more detailed discussion of theoretical models for η Bootis was given by Di Mauro & Christensen-Dalsgaard (2001).Kjeldsen et al. (1995) estimated the average amplitude of the strongest modes to be 7 times solar, corresponding to 1.6 m/s in velocity. 13 individual oscillation modes were identified consistent with a large frequency separation of 40.3 μHz. We note, however, that a search for velocity oscillations in this star by Brown et al. (1997) failed to detect a signal, setting limits at a level below that expected on the basis of the Kjeldsen et al. result.In this paper we report further observations made in 1998. We observed this star in Balmer-line equivalent width with the 2.5-m Nordic Optical Telescope and in velocity with the 24-inch Lick CAT.

A Decoupled Nucleus in NGC 1052

The central part of NGC 1052 has been observed at the prime focus of the 6m telescope with the Multi-Pupil Spectrophotometer equipped with a two-dimensional IPCS. Ninety-nine spectra over the central 14.5″x11″ are registered in the spectral range of λλ4700 – 5400 AA and are used to map ionized-gas velocities (by [OIII]λ5007) and to derive radial profiles of absorption-line equivalent width for MgIλA5175, FeIλ5270, and Hβ.

Variability of the Solar He I 10830 Å Triplet

The He I 10830 Å triplet gives a unique view of the solar chromosphere. Digital spectroheliograms have been made regularly since early 1974 using this line and the NSO Vacuum Telescope on Kitt Peak. For many purposes (detection of coronal holes, giant two-ribbon flares, and dark point events) these images are sufficient. A Sun-as-a-star signal is also produced by averaging all the pixels in each daily image. To calibrate this ‘irradiance’ signal in terms of line equivalent width, a comparison is made with integrated sunlight spectrophotometric measurements obtained less frequently. After correction for the effects of water vapor blends, we find a linear relation between the two measurements. The daily averages have been assembled into a time series covering nearly two solar cycles. This time series shows cycle modulation of about ±30% and rotational modulation of about ±10%. The general variation is similar to that of other activity indices but with some interesting small differences. Since images are available, it has been possible to decompose the full disk index into components due to plages, filaments, coronal holes and background. At all times during the cycle, most of the signal comes from the background but most of the variability from plages.

Lithium Abundance and Spacial Distribution of T Tauri Stars

We determined temperatures and Lithium 6707 A resonance line equivalent width of a sample of 62 T Tauri stars. Lithium abundances were then estimated by using a grid of curves of growth. The lithium abundance is shown to decrease with the distance of the stars to the nearest dense core of a molecular cloud. This effect is interpreted as being due to the ages of the stars, the youngest ones being closer to still active star formation regions.

Wolf-Rayet Stars in M31

We have completed a survey of the closest giant spiral galaxy beyond our own for Wolf-Rayet stars, using narrow band imaging techniques (cf. Moffat and Shara 1983, Ap. J., 273, 544). About 90% of the main body of M31 has been thoroughly searched to B ≅ 21.5 (MB ≅ −3.5) to a level of emission line equivalent width We(HeII 4686 A) ≳ 60 A. We do not expect interstellar extinction to be a limiting factor in the detection of WR stars, except possibly in the localized neighborhoods of massive HII regions. The mean extinction for stars in the disk is estimated to be AB ≲ 0.9 mag. Although some weak-line WN stars will have escaped detection, the survey should be complete for WC stars.

A Search for Cataclysmic Binaries in the Globular Cluster M3

Deep Hβ narrowband and broadband images of M3 have been electronically blinked to search for cataclysmic binaries. Tests of the method on a known, faint cataclysmic enable us to set limits on the sensitivity of the technique. No bright (MB < 6) emission-line (equivalent width > 12 Å) cataclysmic binaries exist in M3 between 4 and 30 core radii from the center. Low luminosity globular X-ray sources could still be weak-lined (E.W. < 12 Å) and bright (MB ≃ +5 like some old novae) or strong-lined (E.W. ≃ 60 Å) and faint (MB > 7 like dwarf novae).