Host Stellar Mass Research Articles

The First Billion Years project: Finding infant globular clusters at z = 6

Aims. We aim to conduct an assessment of the demographics of substructures in cosmological simulations to identify low-mass stellar systems at high redshift, with a particular focus on globular cluster (GC) candidates. Methods. We explored a suite of high-resolution cosmological simulations from the First Billion Years Project (FiBY) at z ≥ 6. All substructures within the simulations have been identified with the SUBFIND algorithm. From our analysis, two distinct groups of objects emerge. We hypothesise that the substructures in the first group, which appear to have a high baryon fraction (fb ≥ 0.95), are possible infant GC candidates. Objects belonging to the second group have a high stellar fraction (f* ≥ 0.95) and show a potential resemblance to infant ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. Results. The high baryon fraction objects identified in this study are characterised by a stellar content similar to the one observed in present-day GCs, but they still contain a high gas fraction (fgas ∼ 0.95) and a relatively low amount of dark matter. They are compact systems, with densities higher than the average population of FiBY systems at the same stellar mass. Their sizes are consistent with recent estimates based on the first observations of possible proto-GCs at high redshifts. These types of infant GC candidates appear to be more massive and more abundant in massive host galaxies, indicating that the assembly of galaxies via mergers may play an important role in building several GC-host scaling relations. Specifically, we express the relation between the mass of the most massive infant GC and its host stellar mass as log(Mcl) = (0.31 ± 0.15) log (M*, gal + (4.17 ± 1.06). We also report a new relation between the most massive infant GC and the parent specific star formation rate of the form log(Mcl) = (0.85 ± 0.30) log (sSFR)+α that describes the data at both low and high redshift. Finally, we assess the present-day GC mass (GC number) – halo mass relation offers a satisfactory description of the behaviour of our infant GC candidates at high redshift, suggesting that such a relation may be set at formation.

One star, two stars, or both? Investigating metallicity-dependent models for gamma-ray burst progenitors with the IllustrisTNG simulation

ABSTRACT The rate of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been identified as a potential proxy for the star formation rate (SFR) across redshift, but the exact relationship depends on GRB progenitor models (single versus binary). The single-progenitor collapsar model accounts for the preference towards low-metallicity GRB progenitors, but is in apparent tension with some high-metallicity GRB host galaxy measurements. As a possible solution, we consider the scenario where high-metallicity GRB hosts harbour low-metallicity regions in which GRB progenitors form. For this, we use the IllustrisTNG cosmological hydrodynamical simulation to investigate the internal metallicity distribution of GRB hosts, implementing in post-processing different GRB formation models. Predictions (GRB rate, host metallicities, and stellar masses) are compared to the high-completeness GRB legacy surveys BAT6 and SHOALS and a sample of high-redshift GRB-DLA metallicities, allowing us to compute their relative likelihoods. When the internal metallicity distribution of galaxies is ignored, the best-fitting model requires a metallicity-independent channel, as previously proposed by Trenti, Perna, & Jimenez. However, when the internal metallicity distribution is considered, a basic metallicity bias model with a cutoff at $Z_{\rm max}=0.35\, \mathrm{\it Z}_\odot$ is the best-fitting one. Current data are insufficient to discriminate among more realistic metallicity bias models, such as weak metallicity dependence of massive binaries versus stronger metallicity bias of collapsars. An increased sample of objects, and direct measurements of host stellar masses at redshift z > 2 would allow to further constrain the origin of long GRBs.

Planet gap opening across stellar masses

ABSTRACT Annular structures in protoplanetary discs, such as gaps and rings, are now ubiquitously found by high-resolution Atacama Large Millimetre Array observations. Under the hypothesis that they are opened by planets, in this paper we investigate how the minimum planet mass needed to open a gap varies across different stellar host masses and distances from the star. The dependence on the stellar host mass is particularly interesting because, at least in principle, gap opening around low-mass stars should be possible for lower mass planets, giving us a look into the young, low-mass planet population. Using dusty hydrodynamical simulations, we find however the opposite behaviour, as a result of the fact that discs around low-mass stars are geometrically thicker: gap opening around low-mass stars can require more massive planets. Depending on the theoretical isochrone employed to predict the relationship between stellar mass and luminosity, the gap opening planet mass could also be independent of stellar mass, but in no case we find that gap opening becomes easier around low-mass stars. This would lead to the expectation of a lower incidence of such structures in lower mass stars, since exoplanet surveys show that low-mass stars have a lower fraction of giant planets. More generally, our study enables future imaging observations as a function of stellar mass to be interpreted using information on the mass versus luminosity relations of the observed samples.

Population-level Eccentricity Distributions of Imaged Exoplanets and Brown Dwarf Companions: Dynamical Evidence for Distinct Formation Channels*

Abstract The orbital eccentricities of directly imaged exoplanets and brown dwarf companions provide clues about their formation and dynamical histories. We combine new high-contrast imaging observations of substellar companions obtained primarily with Keck/NIRC2 together with astrometry from the literature to test for differences in the population-level eccentricity distributions of 27 long-period giant planets and brown dwarf companions between 5 and 100 au using hierarchical Bayesian modeling. Orbit fits are performed in a uniform manner for companions with short orbital arcs; this typically results in broad constraints for individual eccentricity distributions, but together as an ensemble, these systems provide valuable insight into their collective underlying orbital patterns. The shape of the eccentricity distribution function for our full sample of substellar companions is approximately flat from e = 0–1. When subdivided by companion mass and mass ratio, the underlying distributions for giant planets and brown dwarfs show significant differences. Low mass ratio companions preferentially have low eccentricities, similar to the orbital properties of warm Jupiters found with radial velocities and transits. We interpret this as evidence for in situ formation on largely undisturbed orbits within massive extended disks. Brown dwarf companions exhibit a broad peak at e ≈ 0.6–0.9 with evidence for a dependence on orbital period. This closely resembles the orbital properties and period-eccentricity trends of wide (1–200 au) stellar binaries, suggesting that brown dwarfs in this separation range predominantly form in a similar fashion. We also report evidence that the “eccentricity dichotomy” observed at small separations extends to planets on wide orbits: the mean eccentricity for the multi-planet system HR 8799 is lower than for systems with single planets. In the future, larger samples and continued astrometric orbit monitoring will help establish whether these eccentricity distributions correlate with other parameters such as stellar host mass, multiplicity, and age.

The Mass Relations between Supermassive Black Holes and Their Host Galaxies at 1 < z < 2 with HST-WFC3

Abstract Correlations between the mass of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and the properties of its host galaxy (e.g., total stellar mass M *, luminosity L host) suggest an evolutionary connection. A powerful test of a coevolution scenario is to measure the relations  BH –L host and  BH –M * at high redshift and compare with local estimates. For this purpose, we acquired Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging with WFC3 of 32 X-ray-selected broad-line (type 1) active galactic nuclei at 1.2 < z < 1.7 in deep survey fields. By applying state-of-the-art tools to decompose the HST images including available ACS data, we measured the host galaxy luminosity and stellar mass along with other properties through the two-dimensional model fitting. The black hole mass (  BH ) was determined using the broad Hα line, detected in the near-infrared with the Subaru Fiber Multi-Object Spectrograph, which potentially minimizes systematic effects using other indicators. We find that the observed ratio of  BH to total M * is 2.7× larger at z ∼ 1.5 than in the local universe, while the scatter is equivalent between the two epochs. A nonevolving mass ratio is consistent with the data at the 2σ–3σ confidence level when accounting for selection effects (estimated using two independent and complementary methods) and their uncertainties. The relationship between  BH and host galaxy total luminosity paints a similar picture. Therefore, our results cannot distinguish whether SMBHs and their total host stellar mass and luminosity proceed in lockstep or whether the growth of the former somewhat overshoots the latter, given the uncertainties. Based on a statistical estimate of the bulge-to-total mass fraction, the ratio  BH /M *,bulge is offset from the local value by a factor of ∼7, which is significant even accounting for selection effects. Taken together, these observations are consistent with a scenario in which stellar mass is subsequently transferred from an angular momentum–supported component of the galaxy to a pressure-supported one through secular processes or minor mergers at a faster rate than mass accretion onto the SMBH.

Constraints on the Occurrence and Distribution of 1–20 MJup Companions to Stars at Separations of 5–5000 au from a Compilation of Direct Imaging Surveys

Abstract We present the first statistical analysis of exoplanet direct imaging surveys combining adaptive optics (AO) imaging at small separations with deep seeing-limited observations at large separations allowing us to study the entire orbital separation domain from 5 to 5000 au simultaneously. Our sample of 344 stars includes only confirmed members of nearby young associations and is based on all AO direct-imaging detection limits readily available online, with addition of our own previous seeing-limited surveys. Assuming that the companion distribution in mass and a semimajor axis follows a power-law distribution and adding a dependence on the mass of the host star, such as , we constrain the parameters to obtain , , and at a 68% confidence level, and we obtain for the overall planet occurrence rate for companions with masses between 1 and 20 in the range of 5–5000 au. Thus, we find that occurrence of companions is negatively correlated with a semimajor axis and companion mass (marginally) but is positively correlated with the stellar host mass. Our inferred mass distribution is in good agreement with other distributions found previously from direct imaging surveys for planets and brown dwarfs, but is shallower as a function of mass than the distributions inferred by radial velocity surveys of gas giants in the 1–3 au range. This may suggest that planets at these wide and very wide separations represent the low-mass tail of the brown dwarfs and stellar companion distribution rather than an extension of the distribution of the inner planets.

A Catastrophic Failure to Build a Massive Galaxy around a Supermassive Black Hole at z = 3.84

Abstract We present observations of the stellar and molecular gas mass of SDSS J163909+282447.1, a luminous quasar at z = 3.84 with an extreme mass for a supermassive black hole (SMBH; M BH = 2.5 × 1010 M ⊙). The local SMBH mass–galaxy mass relation predicts a massive host galaxy with M stellar ≳ 1012 M ⊙ for this quasar. Based on sensitive near-infrared imaging with adaptive optics (AO) using Subaru, the stellar light from the host is undetected, thus resulting in an upper limit on the mass, M stellar < 6.3 × 1010 M ⊙, a factor of ≳16 less than expected. The CO(4 − 3) observations at 0.″2 resolution using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array indicate a molecular gas mass from CO of M ⊙ and a dynamical mass within a radius of 0.45 ± 0.2 kpc of M ⊙. With the SMBH accounting for ∼60% of the dynamical mass and considering the amount of molecular gas, we find an upper limit on the stellar mass to be M stellar ≲ 1.5 × 1010 M ⊙, a value consistent with the limit from Subaru AO imaging. Based on these results, this SMBH has one of the largest host stellar mass deficits known given its SMBH mass; hence, it is unclear how to grow a SMBH/host galaxy to such a state since there is not enough molecular gas available to form a substantial amount of stellar mass to make up for the difference. Any physical model is likely to require an earlier phase of super-Eddington accretion onto the SMBH.

Satellite galaxies in the Illustris-1 simulation: anisotropic locations around relatively isolated hosts

ABSTRACT We investigate the locations of satellite galaxies in the z = 0 redshift slice of the hydrodynamical Illustris-1 simulation. As expected from previous work, the satellites are distributed anisotropically in the plane of the sky, with a preference for being located near the major axes of their hosts. Due to misalignment of mass and light within the hosts, the degree of anisotropy is considerably less when satellite locations are measured with respect to the hosts’ stellar surface mass density than when they are measured with respect to the hosts’ dark matter surface mass density. When measured with respect to the hosts’ dark matter surface mass density, the mean satellite location depends strongly on host stellar mass and luminosity, with the satellites of the faintest, least massive hosts showing the greatest anisotropy. When measured with respect to the hosts’ stellar surface mass density, the mean satellite location is essentially independent of host stellar mass and luminosity. In addition, the satellite locations are largely insensitive to the amount of stellar mass used to define the hosts’ stellar surface mass density, as long as at least 50–70 per cent of the hosts’ total stellar mass is used. The satellite locations are dependent upon the stellar masses of the satellites, with the most massive satellites having the most anisotropic distributions.

New Constraints From Dust Lines on the Surface Densities of Protoplanetary Disks

Abstract We present new determinations of disk surface density, independent of an assumed dust opacity, for a sample of seven bright, diverse, protoplanetary disks using measurements of disk dust lines. We develop a robust method for determining the location of dust lines by modeling disk interferometric visibilities at multiple wavelengths. The disks in our sample have newly derived masses that are 9%–27% of their host stellar mass, substantially larger than the minimum mass solar nebula. All are stable to gravitational collapse, except for one that approaches the limit of Toomre-Q stability. Our mass estimates are 2–15 times larger than estimates from integrated optically thin dust emission. We derive depleted dust-to-gas ratios with typical values of ∼10−3 in the outer disk. Using coagulation models, we derive dust surface density profiles that are consistent with millimeter dust observations. In these models, the disks formed with an initial dust mass that is a factor of ∼10 greater than is presently observed. Of the three disks in our sample with resolved CO line emission, the masses of HD 163296, AS 209, and TW Hya are roughly 3, 115, and 40 times more massive than estimates from CO respectively. This range indicates that CO depletion is not uniform across different disks and that dust is a more robust tracer of total disk mass. Our method of determining surface density using dust lines is robust even if particles form as aggregates and is useful even in the presence of dust substructure caused by pressure traps. The low Toomre-Q values observed in this sample indicate that at least some disks do not accrete efficiently.

The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey: Giant Planet and Brown Dwarf Demographics from 10 to 100 au

Abstract We present a statistical analysis of the first 300 stars observed by the Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey. This subsample includes six detected planets and three brown dwarfs; from these detections and our contrast curves we infer the underlying distributions of substellar companions with respect to their mass, semimajor axis, and host stellar mass. We uncover a strong correlation between planet occurrence rate and host star mass, with stars M * > 1.5 M ⊙ more likely to host planets with masses between 2 and 13M Jup and semimajor axes of 3–100 au at 99.92% confidence. We fit a double power-law model in planet mass (m) and semimajor axis (a) for planet populations around high-mass stars (M * > 1.5 M ⊙) of the form , finding α = −2.4 ± 0.8 and β = −2.0 ± 0.5, and an integrated occurrence rate of % between 5–13M Jup and 10–100 au. A significantly lower occurrence rate is obtained for brown dwarfs around all stars, with % of stars hosting a brown dwarf companion between 13–80M Jup and 10–100 au. Brown dwarfs also appear to be distributed differently in mass and semimajor axis compared to giant planets; whereas giant planets follow a bottom-heavy mass distribution and favor smaller semimajor axes, brown dwarfs exhibit just the opposite behaviors. Comparing to studies of short-period giant planets from the radial velocity method, our results are consistent with a peak in occurrence of giant planets between ∼1 and 10 au. We discuss how these trends, including the preference of giant planets for high-mass host stars, point to formation of giant planets by core/pebble accretion, and formation of brown dwarfs by gravitational instability.

Kinematics of the Broad-line Region of 3C 273 from a 10 yr Reverberation Mapping Campaign

Abstract Despite many decades of study, the kinematics of the broad-line region of 3C 273 are still poorly understood. We report a new, high signal-to-noise, reverberation mapping campaign carried out from 2008 November to 2018 March that allows the determination of time lags between emission lines and the variable continuum with high precision. The time lag of variations in Hβ relative to those of the 5100 Å continuum is days in the rest frame, which agrees very well with the Paschen-α region measured by the GRAVITY at The Very Large Telescope Interferometer. The time lag of the Hγ emission line is found to be nearly the same as that for Hβ. The lag of the Fe ii emission is days, longer by a factor of ∼2 than that of the Balmer lines. The velocity-resolved lag measurements of the Hβ line show a complex structure that can be possibly explained by a rotation-dominated disk with some inflowing radial velocity in the Hβ-emitting region. Taking the virial factor of f BLR = 1.3, we derive a BH mass of and an accretion rate of from the Hβ line. The decomposition of its Hubble Space Telescope images yields a host stellar mass of , and a ratio of in agreement with the Magorrian relation. In the near future, it is expected to compare the geometrically thick BLR discovered by the GRAVITY in 3C 273 with its spatially resolved torus in order to understand the potential connection between the BLR and the torus.

Think Global, Act Local: The Influence of Environment Age and Host Mass on Type Ia Supernova Light Curves

Abstract The reliability of Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) may be limited by the imprint of their galactic origins. To investigate the connection between supernovae and their host characteristics, we developed an improved method to estimate the stellar population age of the host as well as the local environment around the site of the supernova. We use a Bayesian method to estimate the star formation history and mass weighted age of a supernova’s environment by matching observed spectral energy distributions to a synthesized stellar population. Applying this age estimator to both the photometrically and spectroscopically classified Sloan Digital Sky Survey II supernovae (N = 103), we find a 0.114 ± 0.039 mag “step” in the average Hubble residual at a stellar age of ∼8 Gyr; it is nearly twice the size of the currently popular mass step. We then apply a principal component analysis on the SALT2 parameters, host stellar mass, and local environment age. We find that a new parameter, PC1, consisting of a linear combination of stretch, host stellar mass, and local age, shows a very significant (4.7σ) correlation with Hubble residuals. There is a much broader range of PC1 values found in the Hubble flow sample when compared with the Cepheid calibration galaxies. These samples have mildly statistically different average PC1 values, at ∼2.5σ, resulting in at most a 1.3% reduction in the evaluation of H 0. Despite accounting for the highly significant trend in SN Ia Hubble residuals, there remains a 9% discrepancy between the most recent precision estimates of H 0 using SN Ia and the CMB.

Multi-wavelength Properties of Type 1 and Type 2 AGN Host Galaxies in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey

Abstract We investigate the multi-wavelength properties of host galaxies of 3701 X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) out to z ∼ 5 in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey. Thanks to the extensive multi-wavelength photometry available in the COSMOS field, we derive AGN luminosities, host stellar masses, and star formation rates (SFRs) via a multi-component SED fitting technique. Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs follow the same intrinsic L 2–10 keV–L 6 μm relation, suggesting that mid-infrared emission is a reasonably good measure of the AGN accretion power regardless of obscuration. We find that there is a strong increase in Type 1 AGN fraction toward higher AGN luminosity, possibly due to the fact that Type 1 AGNs tend to be hosted by more massive galaxies. The AGN luminosity and SFR are consistent with an increase toward high stellar mass, while the M stellar dependence is weaker toward the high-mass end, which could be interpreted as a consequence of quenching both star formation and AGN activity in massive galaxies. AGN host galaxies tend to have SFRs that are consistent with normal star-forming galaxies, independent of AGN luminosities. We confirm that black hole accretion rate and SFR are correlated up to z ∼ 5, when forming stars. The majority (∼73%) of our AGN sample are faint in the far-infrared, implying that the moderate-luminosity AGNs seem to be still active after the star formation is suppressed. It is not certain whether AGN activity plays a role in quenching the star formation. We conclude that both AGN activity and star formation might be more fundamentally related to host stellar mass.

External photoevaporation of protoplanetary discs in Cygnus OB2: linking discs to star formation dynamical history

Many stars form in regions of enhanced stellar density, wherein the influence of stellar neighbours can have a strong influence on a protoplanetary disc (PPD) population. In particular, far ultraviolet (FUV) flux from massive stars drives thermal winds from the outer edge of PPDs, accelerating disc destruction. In this work, we present a novel technique for constraining the dynamical history of a star forming environment using PPD properties in a strongly FUV irradiated environment. Applying recent models for FUV induced mass loss rates to the PPD population of Cygnus OB2, we constrain how long ago primordial gas was expelled from the region; $ 0.5$ Myr ago if the Shakura & Sunyaev $\alpha$-viscosity parameter is $\alpha = 10^{-2}$ (corresponding to a viscous timescale of $\tau_\mathrm{visc} \approx 0.5$ Myr for a disc of scale radius $40$ au around a $1\, M_\odot$ star). This value of $\alpha$ is effectively an upper limit, since it assumes efficient extinction of FUV photons throughout the embedded phase. With this gas expulsion timescale we are able to produce a full dynamical model that fits kinematic and morphological data as well as disc fractions. We suggest Cygnus OB2 was originally composed of distinct massive clumps or filaments, each with a stellar mass $\sim 10^4 \, M_\odot$. Finally we predict that in regions of efficient FUV induced mass loss, disc mass $M_\mathrm{disc}$ as a function of stellar host mass $m_\mathrm{star}$ follows a power law with $M_\mathrm{disc} \propto m_\mathrm{star}^\beta$, where $\beta \gtrsim 2.7$ (depending on disc initial conditions and FUV exposure). This is steeper than observed correlations in regions of moderate FUV flux ($1 < \beta <1.9$), and offers a promising diagnostic to establish the influence of external photoevaporation in a given region.

The fraction of ionizing radiation from massive stars that escapes to the intergalactic medium

The part played by stars in the ionization of the intergalactic medium remains an open question. A key issue is the proportion of the stellar ionizing radiation that escapes the galaxies in which it is produced. Spectroscopy of gamma-ray burst afterglows can be used to determine the neutral hydrogen column-density in their host galaxies and hence the opacity to extreme ultra-violet radiation along the lines-of-sight to the bursts. Thus, making the reasonable assumption that long-duration GRB locations are representative of the sites of massive stars that dominate EUV production, one can calculate an average escape fraction of ionizing radiation in a way that is independent of galaxy size, luminosity or underlying spectrum. Here we present a sample of NH measures for 138 GRBs in the range 1.6<z<6.7 and use it to establish an average escape fraction at the Lyman limit of <fesc>~0.005, with a 98% confidence upper limit of ~0.015. This analysis suggests that stars provide a small contribution to the ionizing radiation budget of the IGM at z<5, where the bulk of the bursts lie. At higher redshifts, z>5, firm conclusions are limited by the small size of the GRB sample, but any decline in average HI column-density seems to be modest. We also find no indication of a significant correlation of NH with galaxy UV luminosity or host stellar mass, for the subset of events for which these are available. We discuss in some detail a number of selection effects and potential biases. Drawing on a range of evidence we argue that such effects, while not negligible, are unlikely to produce systematic errors of more than a factor ~2, and so would not affect the primary conclusions. Given that many GRB hosts are low metallicity, high specific star-formation rate, dwarf galaxies, these results present a particular problem for the hypothesis that such galaxies dominated the reionization of the universe.

Ratio of black hole to galaxy mass of an extremely red dust-obscured galaxy at z = 2.52

We present a near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of WISE J104222.11+164115.3, an extremely red dust-obscured galaxy (DOG), which has been observed with the Long-slit Intermediate Resolution Infrared Spectrograph (LIRIS) on the 4.2m William Hershel Telescope. This object was selected as a hyper-luminous DOG candidate at z ∼ 2 by combining the optical and IR photometric data based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), although its redshift had not yet been confirmed. Based on the LIRIS observation, we confirmed its redshift of 2.521 and total IR luminosity of log(LIR/L⊙) = 14.57, which satisfies the criterion for an extremely luminous IR galaxy (ELIRG). Moreover, we indicate that this object seems to have an extremely massive black hole with MBH = 1010.92 M⊙ based on the broad Hα line: the host stellar mass is derived as M⋆ = 1013.55 M⊙ by a fit of the spectral energy distribution. Very recently, it has been reported that this object is an anomalous gravitationally lensed quasar based on near-IR high-resolution imaging data obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. Its magnification factor has also been estimated with some uncertainty (i.e., μ = 53−122). We investigate the ratio of the black hole to galaxy mass, which is less strongly affected by a lensing magnification factor, instead of the absolute values of the luminosities and masses. We find that the MBH/M⋆ ratio (i.e., 0.0140–0.0204) is significantly higher than the local relation, following a sequence of unobscured quasars instead of obscured objects (e.g., submillimeter galaxies) at the same redshift. Moreover, the LIRIS spectrum shows strongly blueshifted oxygen lines with an outflowing velocity of ∼1100 km s−1, and our Swift X-ray observation also supports that this source is an absorbed AGN with an intrinsic column density of NHint = 4.9 × 1023 cm−2. These results imply that WISE J104222.11+164115.3 is in a blow-out phase at the end of the buried rapid black hole growth.

The mass-metallicity relation of high-z type-2 active galactic nuclei

The mass-metallicity relation (MZR) of type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at 1.2 &lt; z &lt; 4.0 is investigated by using high-z radio galaxies (HzRGs) and X-ray selected radio-quiet AGNs. We combine new rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectra of two radio-quiet type-2 AGNs obtained with FOCAS on the Subaru Telescope with existing rest-frame UV emission lines, i.e., C IVλ1549, He IIλ1640, and C IIIλ1909, of a sample of 16 HzRGs and 6 additional X-ray selected type-2 AGNs, whose host stellar masses have been estimated in literature. We divided our sample in three stellar mass bins and calculated averaged emission-line flux ratios of C IVλ1549/He IIλ1640 and C IIIλ1909/C IVλ1549. Comparing observed emission-line flux ratios with photoionization model predictions, we estimated narrow line region (NLR) metallicities for each mass bin. We found that there is a positive correlation between NLR metallicities and stellar masses of type-2 AGNs at z ~ 3. This is the first indication that AGN metallicities are related to their hosts, i.e., stellar mass. Since NLR metallicities and stellar masses follow a similar relation as the MZR in star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts, our results indicate that NLR metallicities are related to those of the host galaxies. This study highlights the importance of considering lower-mass X-ray selected AGNs in addition to radio galaxies to explore the metallicity properties of NLRs at high redshift.

The Spatial Distribution of Satellite Galaxies Selected from Redshift Space

Abstract We investigate the spatial distribution of satellite galaxies using a mock redshift survey of the first Millennium Run simulation. The satellites were identified using common redshift space criteria, therefore the sample includes a large percentage of interlopers. The satellite locations are well fitted by a combination of a Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) density profile and a power law. At fixed stellar mass, the NFW scale parameter, r s , for the satellite distribution of red hosts exceeds r s for the satellite distribution of blue hosts. In both cases, the dependence of r s on host stellar mass is well fitted by a power law. For the satellites of red hosts, r s red ∝ ( M * / M ⊙ ) 0.71 ± 0.05 , while for the satellites of blue hosts r s blue ∝ ( M * / M ⊙ ) 0.48 ± 0.07 . For hosts with stellar masses M * ≳ 4 × 10 10 M ⊙ , the satellite distribution around blue hosts is more concentrated than is the satellite distribution around red hosts. The spatial distribution of the satellites of red hosts traces that of the hosts’ halos; however, the spatial distribution of the satellites of blue hosts is more concentrated than that of the hosts’ halos by a factor of ∼2. Our methodology is general, and applies to any analysis of satellites in a mock redshift survey. However, our conclusions necessarily depend upon the semi-analytic galaxy formation model that was adopted, and different galaxy formation models may yield different results.

Dependence of Type Ia supernova luminosities on their local environment

We present a fully consistent catalog of local and global properties of host galaxies of 882 Type Ia supernovæ (SNIa) that were selected based on their light-curve properties, spanning the redshift range 0.01 &lt; z &lt; 1. This catalog corresponds to a preliminary version of the compilation sample and includes Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) 5-year data, Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and low-redshift surveys. We measured low- and moderate-redshift host galaxy photometry in SDSS stacked and single-epoch images and used spectral energy distribution fitting techniques to derive host properties such as stellar mass and U − V rest-frame colors; the latter are an indicator of the luminosity-weighted age of the stellar population in a galaxy. We combined these results with high-redshift host photometry from the SNLS survey and thus obtained a consistent catalog of host stellar masses and colors across a wide redshift range. We also estimated the local observed fluxes at the supernova location within a proper distance radius of 3 kpc, corresponding to the SNLS imaging resolution, and transposed them into local U − V rest-frame colors. This is the first time that local environments surrounding SNIa have been measured at redshifts spanning the entire Hubble diagram. Selecting SNIa based on host photometry quality, we then performed cosmological fits using local color as a third standardization variable, for which we split the sample at the median value. We find a local color step significance of − 0.091 ± 0.013 mag (7σ), which effect is as significant as the maximum mass step effect. This indicates that the remaining luminosity variations in SNIa samples can be reduced with a third standardization variable that takes the environment into account. Correcting for the maximum mass step correction of − 0.094 ± 0.013 mag, we find a local color effect of − 0.057 ± 0.012 mag (5σ), which shows that additional information is provided by the close environment of SNIa. Departures from the initial choices were investigated and showed that the local color effect is still present, although less pronounced. We discuss the possible implications for cosmology and find that using the local color in place of the stellar mass results in a change in the measured value of the dark energy equation-of-state parameter of 0.6%. Standardization using local U − V color in addition to stretch and color reduces the total dispersion in the Hubble diagram from 0.15 to 0.14 mag. This will be of tremendous importance for the forthcoming SNIa surveys, and in particular for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), for which uncertainties on the dark energy equation of state will be comparable to the effects reported here.

A Multi-year Search for Transits of Proxima Centauri. I. Light Curves Corresponding to Published Ephemerides

Abstract Proxima Centauri has become the subject of intense study since the radial-velocity (RV) discovery by Anglada-Escudé et al. of a planet orbiting this nearby M dwarf every ∼11.2 days. If Proxima Centauri b transits its host star, independent confirmation of its existence is possible, and its mass and radius can be measured in units of the stellar host mass and radius. To date, there have been three independent claims of possible transit-like event detections in light curve observations obtained by the MOST satellite (in 2014–15), the Bright Star Survey Telescope telescope in Antarctica (in 2016), and the Las Campanas Observatory (in 2016). The claimed possible detections are tentative, due in part to the variability intrinsic to the host star, and in the case of the ground-based observations, also due to the limited duration of the light curve observations. Here, we present preliminary results from an extensive photometric monitoring campaign of Proxima Centauri, using telescopes around the globe and spanning from 2006 to 2017, comprising a total of 329 observations. Considering our data that coincide directly and/or phased with the previously published tentative transit detections, we are unable to independently verify those claims. We do, however, verify the previously reported ubiquitous and complex variability of the host star. We discuss possible interpretations of the data in light of the previous claims, and we discuss future analyses of these data that could more definitively verify or refute the presence of transits associated with the RV-discovered planet.