Observational Evidence for Cosmological Coupling of Black Holes and its Implications for an Astrophysical Source of Dark Energy
Observations have found black holes spanning 10 orders of magnitude in mass across most of cosmic history. The Kerr black hole solution is, however, provisional as its behavior at infinity is incompatible with an expanding universe. Black hole models with realistic behavior at infinity predict that the gravitating mass of a black hole can increase with the expansion of the universe independently of accretion or mergers, in a manner that depends on the black hole’s interior solution. We test this prediction by considering the growth of supermassive black holes in elliptical galaxies over 0 < z ≲ 2.5. We find evidence for cosmologically coupled mass growth among these black holes, with zero cosmological coupling excluded at 99.98% confidence. The redshift dependence of the mass growth implies that, at z ≲ 7, black holes contribute an effectively constant cosmological energy density to Friedmann’s equations. The continuity equation then requires that black holes contribute cosmologically as vacuum energy. We further show that black hole production from the cosmic star formation history gives the value of ΩΛ measured by Planck while being consistent with constraints from massive compact halo objects. We thus propose that stellar remnant black holes are the astrophysical origin of dark energy, explaining the onset of accelerating expansion at z ∼ 0.7. © 2023.
Detecting and analysing the topology of the cosmic web with spatial clustering algorithms I: methods
In this paper, we explore the use of spatial clustering algorithms as a new computational approach for modelling the cosmic web. We demonstrate that such algorithms are efficient in terms of computing time needed. We explore three distinct spatial methods which we suitably adjust for (i) detecting the topology of the cosmic web and (ii) categorizing various cosmic structures as voids, walls, clusters, and superclusters based on a variety of topological and physical criteria such as the physical distance between objects, their masses, and local densities. The methods explored are (1) a new spatial method called Gravity Lattice; (2) a modified version of another spatial clustering algorithm, the ABACUS; and (3) the well known spatial clustering algorithm HDBSCAN. We utilize HDBSCAN in order to detect cosmic structures and categorize them using their overdensity. We demonstrate that the ABACUS method can be combined with the classic DTFE method to obtain similar results in terms of the achieved accuracy with about an order of magnitude less computation time. To further solidify our claims, we draw insights from the computer science domain and compare the quality of the results with and without the application of our method. Finally, we further extend our experiments and verify their effectiveness by showing their ability to scale well with different cosmic web structures that formed at different redshifts.
The mid-infrared and CO gas properties of an extreme star-forming FeLoBAL quasar
We present a detailed study of a high-redshift iron low-ionization broad absorption line (FeLoBAL) quasar (SDSS1214 at z = 1.046), including new interferometric 12CO J = 2-1 observations, optical through far-infrared photometry, and mid-infrared spectroscopy. The CO line is well fit by a single Gaussian centred 40 km s-1 away from the systemic velocity and implies a total molecular gas mass of Mgas = 7.3 × 1010, M⊙. The infrared spectral energy distribution requires three components: an active galactic nucleus (AGN) torus, an AGN polar dust component, and a starburst. The starburst dominates the infrared emission with a luminosity of log(LSB[L⊙]) = 12.91+0.02-0.02, implying a star formation rate of about 2000 M⊙yr-1, the highest known among FeLoBAL quasars. The AGN torus and polar dust components are less luminous, at log(LAGN[L⊙]) = 12.36+0.14-0.15 and log(Ldust[L⊙]) = 11.75+0.26-0.46, respectively. If all of the molecular gas is used to fuel the ongoing star formation, then the lower limit on the subsequent duration of the starburst is 40 Myr. We do not find conclusive evidence that the AGN is affecting the CO gas reservoir. The properties of SDSS1214 are consistent with it representing the endpoint of an obscured starburst transitioning through a LoBAL phase to that of a classical quasar.
HERUS : A Co Atlas from Spire spectroscopy of local ULIRGs
We present the Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) atlas for a complete flux-limited sample of local ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) as part of the HERschel Ultra Luminous InfraRed Galaxy Survey (HERUS). The data reduction is described in detail and was optimized for faint FTS sources ,with particular care being taken for the subtraction of the background, which dominates the continuum shape of the spectra. To improve the final spectra, special treatment in the data reduction has been given to any observation suffering from artifacts in the data caused by anomalous instrumental effects. Complete spectra are shown covering 200-671 μm, with photometry in the SPIRE bands at 250, 350, and 500 μm. The spectra include near complete CO ladders for over half of our sample, as well as fine structure lines from [C i] 370 μm, [C i] 609 μm, and [N ii] 205 μm. We also detect H2O lines in several objects. We construct CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) for the sample, and compare their slopes with the far-infrared (FIR) colors and luminosities. We show that the CO SLEDs of ULIRGs can be broadly grouped into three classes based on their excitation. We find that the mid-J (5 < J < 8) lines are better correlated with the total FIR luminosity, suggesting that the warm gas component is closely linked to recent star formation. The higher J transitions do not linearly correlate with the FIR luminosity, consistent with them originating in hotter, denser gas that is unconnected to the current star formation. We conclude that in most cases more than one temperature component is required to model the CO SLEDs.
E-MERLIN and VLBI observations of the luminous infrared galaxy IC 883: A nuclear starburst and an AGN candidate revealed
Context. The high star formation rates of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) make them ideal places for core-collapse supernova (CCSN) searches. Massive star formation can often be found in coexistence with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), contributing jointly to the energy source of LIRGs. At radio frequencies, where light is unaffected by dust extinction, it is possible to detect compact components within the innermost LIRG nuclear regions, such as SNe and SN remnants, as well as AGN buried deep in the LIRG nuclei. Aims. Our study of the LIRG IC 883 aims at: (i) investigating the parsec-scale radio structure of the (circum-)nuclear regions of IC 883; (ii) detecting at radio frequencies the two recently reported circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi, which were discovered by near-IR (NIR) adaptive optics observations of IC 883; and (iii) further investigating the nature of SN 2011hi at NIR wavelengths. Methods. We used the electronic European very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) Network (e-EVN) at 5 GHz, and the electronic Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) at 6.9 GHz, to observe contemporaneously the LIRG IC 883 at high angular-resolution (from tens to hundreds of milliarcsec) and with high sensitivity (<70 μJy), complemented by archival VLBI data at 5 GHz and 8.4 GHz. We also used the Gemini North telescope to obtain late-time JHK photometry for SN 2011hi. Results. The circumnuclear regions traced by e-MERLIN at 6.9 GHz have an extension of ∼ 1 kpc, at a position angle of 130°, and show a striking double-sided structure, which very likely corresponds to a warped rotating ring, in agreement with previous studies. Our e-EVN observations at 5 GHz and complementary archival VLBI data at 5 GHz and 8.4 GHz, reveal various milliarcsec compact components in the nucleus of IC 883. A single compact source, an AGN candidate, dominates the emission at both nuclear and circumnuclear scales, as imaged with the e-EVN and e-MERLIN, respectively. The other milliarcsec components are strongly indicative of ongoing nuclear CCSN activity. Our e-EVN observations also provided upper limits to the radio luminosity of the two SNe in IC 883 recently discovered at NIR wavelengths. We refine the classification of SN 2011hi as a Type IIP SN according to our latest epoch of Gemini North observations acquired in 2012, in agreement with a low-luminosity radio SN nature. We estimate a CCSN rate lower limit of 1.1 -0.6 +1.3 yr -1 for the entire galaxy, based on three nuclear radio SNe and the circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi.
A Preferential Growth Channel for Supermassive Black Holes in Elliptical Galaxies at z ≲ 2
The assembly of stellar and supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass in elliptical galaxies since z ∼ 1 can help to diagnose the origins of locally observed correlations between SMBH mass and stellar mass. We therefore construct three samples of elliptical galaxies, one at z ∼ 0 and two at 0.7 ≲ z ≲ 2.5, and quantify their relative positions in the M BH−M * plane. Using a Bayesian analysis framework, we find evidence for translational offsets in both stellar mass and SMBH mass between the local sample and both higher-redshift samples. The offsets in stellar mass are small, and consistent with measurement bias, but the offsets in SMBH mass are much larger, reaching a factor of 7 between z ∼ 1 and z ∼ 0. The magnitude of the SMBH offset may also depend on redshift, reaching a factor of ∼20 at z ∼ 2. The result is robust against variation in the high- and low-redshift samples and changes in the analysis approach. The magnitude and redshift evolution of the offset are challenging to explain in terms of selection and measurement biases. We conclude that either there is a physical mechanism that preferentially grows SMBHs in elliptical galaxies at z ≲ 2, or that selection and measurement biases are both underestimated, and depend on redshift.
Feedback and Feeding in the Context of Galaxy Evolution with SPICA: Direct Characterisation of Molecular Outflows and Inflows
A far-infrared observatory such as the SPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, with its unprecedented spectroscopic sensitivity, would unveil the role of feedback in galaxy evolution during the last ~10 Gyr of the Universe (z = 1.5–2), through the use of far- and mid-infrared molecular and ionic fine structure lines that trace outflowing and infalling gas. Outflowing gas is identified in the far-infrared through P-Cygni line shapes and absorption blueshifted wings in molecular lines with high dipolar moments, and through emission line wings of fine-structure lines of ionised gas. We quantify the detectability of galaxy-scale massive molecular and ionised outflows as a function of redshift in AGN-dominated, starburst-dominated, and main-sequence galaxies, explore the detectability of metal-rich inflows in the local Universe, and describe the most significant synergies with other current and future observatories that will measure feedback in galaxies via complementary tracers at other wavelengths.
Characterizing the UV-to-NIR shape of the dust attenuation curve of IR luminous galaxies up to z ∼ 2
In this work, we investigate the far-ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR) shape of the dust attenuation curve of a sample of IR-selected dust obscured (ultra)luminous IR galaxies at z~2. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are fitted with Code Investigating GALaxy Emission, a physically motivated spectral-synthesis model based on energy balance. Its flexibility allows us to test a wide range of different analytical prescriptions for the dust attenuation curve, including the well-known Calzetti and Charlot & Fall curves, and modified versions of them. The attenuation curves computed under the assumption of our reference double power-law model are in very good agreement with those derived, in previousworks, with radiative transfer (RT) SED fitting. We investigate the position of our galaxies in the IRX-β diagram and find this to be consistent with greyer slopes, on average, in the UV. We also find evidence for a flattening of the attenuation curve in the NIR with respect to more classical Calzetti-like recipes. This larger NIR attenuation yields larger derived stellar masses from SED fitting, by a median factor of ~1.4 and up to a factor ~10 for the most extreme cases. The star formation rate appears instead to be more dependent on the total amount of attenuation in the galaxy. Our analysis highlights the need for a flexible attenuation curve when reproducing the physical properties of a large variety of objects.
Radio Spectra of Luminous, Heavily Obscured WISE-NVSS Selected Quasars
We present radio spectra spanning 0.1-10 GHz for the sample of heavily obscured luminous quasars with extremely red mid-infrared-optical colors and compact radio emission. The spectra are constructed from targeted 10 GHz observations and archival radio survey data that together yield 6-11 flux-density measurements for each object. Our primary result is that most (62%) of the sample have peaked or curved radio spectra and many (37%) could be classified as Gigahertz-Peaked Spectrum (GPS) sources. This indicates compact emission regions likely arising from recently triggered radio jets. Assuming synchrotron self-absorption (SSA) generates the peaks, we infer compact source sizes (3-100 pc) with strong magnetic fields (6-100 mG) and young ages (30-104 yr). Conversely, free-free absorption (FFA) could also create peaks due to the high column densities associated with the deeply embedded nature of the sample. However, we find no correlations between the existence or frequency of the peaks and any parameters of the MIR emission. The high-frequency spectral indices are steep (α ≈ -1) and correlate, weakly, with the ratio of MIR photon energy density to magnetic energy density, suggesting that the spectral steepening could arise from inverse Compton scattering off the intense MIR photon field. This study provides a foundation for combining multifrequency and mixed-resolution radio survey data for understanding the impact of young radio jets on the ISM and star-formation rates of their host galaxies. faGithub © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.
High-resolution VLA Imaging of Obscured Quasars: Young Radio Jets Caught in a Dense ISM
We present new subarcsecond-resolution Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) imaging at 10 GHz of 155 ultraluminous (L bol ∼ 1011.7-1014.2 L o˙) and heavily obscured quasars with redshifts z ∼ 0.4-3. The sample was selected to have extremely red mid-infrared-optical color ratios based on data from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) along with a detection of bright, unresolved radio emission from the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) or Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm Survey. Our high-resolution VLA observations have revealed that the majority of the sources in our sample (93 out of 155) are compact on angular scales [removed]