Jansky Very Large Array Research Articles

Radio spectra of High Frequency Peakers

AbstractNew radio spectra of High Frequency Peakers (HFP) obtained from the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) show that variability is common among this class of sources. A subsample of sources have been observed with a nearly continuous spectral sampling between 1 and 10 GHz. The observed HFP sources were previously classified as F (flat), H (HFP profile with little or no flux density variability) and V (variable, but preserving a peaked spectrum). In general, sources classified as V and H show a decrease of the flux density measured in the optically thin part of the spectrum, while there is a moderate increment in the optically thick region, resulting into a progressive shift of the spectral peak to lower frequencies. This is consistent with the idea of an expanding bubble of radio plasma. The sources with an F classification instead show substantial variability, both in spectral shape and in time evolution. In these HFP sources an irregular production of energy is best observed since the radio emission is dominated by recently generated relativistic plasma, and the contribution of mini lobes, in which old plasma accumulates, is marginal if not absent at all, given the short radiative life of electrons in strong magnetic fields (tens of mG) found in these objects. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Outflow structure within 1000 au of high-mass YSOs

Context. In high-mass (≥7 M ⊙ ) star formation (SF) studies, high-angular resolution is crucial for resolving individual protostellar outflows (and possibly accretion disks) from the complex contribution of nearby (high- and low-mass) young stellar objects (YSO). Previous interferometric studies have focused mainly on single objects.Aims. A sensitive survey at high angular resolution is required to investigate outflow processes in a statistically significant sample of high-mass YSOs and on spatial scales relevant to testing theories. Methods. We selected a sample of 40 high-mass YSOs from water masers observed within the BeSSeL Survey. We investigated the 3D velocity and spatial structures of the molecular component of massive outflows at milli-arcsecond angular resolution using multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of 22 GHz water masers. We also characterize the ionized component of the flows using deep images of the radio continuum emission with resolutions of ~0. 2, at 6, 13, and 22 GHz with the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). Results. We report the first results obtained for a subset of 11 objects from the sample. The water maser measurements provide us with a very accurate description of the molecular gas kinematics. This in turn enables us to estimate the momentum rate of individual outflows, varying in the range 10-3 –100 M ⊙ yr-1 km s-1 , among the highest values reported in the literature. In all the observed objects, the continuum emission at 13 and 22 GHz has a compact structure, with its position coincident with that of the water masers. The 6 GHz continuum consists of either compact components (mostly well aligned with the 13 and/or 22 GHz sources) or extended emission (either highly elongated or approximately spherical), which can be offset by up to a few arcseconds from the water masers. The unresolved continuum emission associated with the water masers likely points to the YSO location. The comparison of the radio continuum morphology to the maser spatial and 3D velocity distribution shows that five out of elevenhigh-mass YSOs emit a collimated outflow, with a flow semi-opening angle in the range 10°–30°. The remaining six sources present a more complicated relationship between the geometry of the radio continuum and water maser velocity pattern; therefore, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding their outflow structure. In two sources, the 6 GHz continuum emission shows a highly elongated structure with a negative spectral index down to −1.2. We interpret this finding in terms of synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons accelerated in strong shocks, which indicates that non-thermal continuum emission could be common in high-mass protostellar jets. The Lyman continua derived from bolometric luminosities always exceed those obtained from the radio luminosities.Conclusions. These first results suggest that collimated outflows or jets can be common in high-mass YSOs and, in a couple of cases, provide hints that magnetic fields could be important in driving these jets. To draw firmer conclusions, however, we await completion of the analysis for the entire sample of 40 high-mass YSOs.

Gas dynamics in tidal dwarf galaxies: Disc formation atz= 0

Tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs) are recycled objects that form within the collisional debris of interacting/merging galaxies. They are expected to be devoid of non-baryonic dark matter, since they can form only from dissipative material ejected from the discs of the progenitor galaxies. We investigate the gas dynamics in a sample of six bona-fide TDGs around three interacting and post-interacting systems: NGC 4694, NGC 5291, and NGC 7252 ("Atoms for Peace"). For NGC 4694 and NGC 5291 we analyse existing HI data from the Very Large Array (VLA), while for NGC 7252 we present new HI observations from the Jansky VLA together with long-slit and integral-field optical spectroscopy. For all six TDGs, the HI emission can be described by rotating disc models. These HI discs, however, have undergone less than a full rotation since the time of the interaction/merger event, raising the question of whether they are in dynamical equilibrium. Assuming that these discs are in equilibrium, the inferred dynamical masses are consistent with the observed baryonic masses, implying that TDGs are devoid of dark matter. This puts constraints on putative "dark discs" (either baryonic or non-baryonic) in the progenitor galaxies. Moreover, TDGs seem to systematically deviate from the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation. These results provide a challenging test for alternative theories like MOND.

JVLA S- and X-band polarimetry of the merging cluster Abell 2256

Abstract We report on polarimetry results of a merging cluster of galaxies, Abell 2256, with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). We performed new observations with JVLA at the S band (2051–3947 MHz) and X band (8051–9947 MHz) in the C array configuration, and detected significant polarized emissions from the radio relic, Source A, and Source B in this cluster. We calculated the total magnetic-field strengths toward the radio relic using revised equipartition formula, which is 1.8–5.0 μG. With dispersions of Faraday rotation measure, the magnetic-field strengths toward Sources A and B are estimated to be 0.63–1.26 μG and 0.11–0.21 μG, respectively. An extremely high degree of linear polarization, as high as ∼ 35%, about a half of the maximum polarization, was detected toward the radio relic, which indicates highly ordered magnetic lines of force over the beam sizes (∼ 52 kpc). The fractional polarization of the radio relic decreases from ∼ 35% to ∼ 20% at around 3 GHz as the frequency decreases, and is nearly constant between 1.37 and 3 GHz. Both analyses with depolarization models and Faraday tomography suggest multiple depolarization components toward the radio relic and imply the existence of turbulent magnetic fields.

THE PROCESSING OF CLUMPY MOLECULAR GAS AND STAR FORMATION IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

The Galactic center uniquely provides opportunities to resolve how star clusters form in neutral gas overdensities engulfed in a large-scale accretion flow. We have performed sensitive Green Bank 100m Telescope (GBT), Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA), and Submillimeter Array (SMA) mapping observations of molecular gas and thermal dust emission surrounding the Galaxy's supermassive black hole (SMBH) Sgr <TEX>$A^{\ast}$</TEX>. We resolved several molecular gas streams orbiting the center on <TEX>${\gtrsim}10$</TEX> pc scales. Some of these gas streams appear connected to the well-known 2-4 pc scale molecular circumnuclear disk (CND). The CND may be the tidally trapped inner part of the large-scale accretion flow, which incorporates inflow via exterior gas filaments/arms, and ultimately feeds gas toward Sgr <TEX>$A^{\ast}$</TEX>. Our high resolution GBT+JVLA <TEX>$NH_3$</TEX> images and SMA+JCMT 0.86 mm dust continuum image consistently reveal abundant dense molecular clumps in this region. These gas clumps are characterized by <TEX>${\gtrsim}100$</TEX> times higher virial masses than the derived molecular gas masses based on 0.86 mm dust continuum emission. In addition, Class I <TEX>$CH_3OH$</TEX> masers and some <TEX>$H_2O$</TEX> masers are observed to be well associated with the dense clumps. We propose that the resolved gas clumps may be pressurized gas reservoirs for feeding the formation of 1-10 solar-mass stars. These sources may be the most promising candidates for ALMA to probe the process of high-mass star-formation in the Galactic center.

Probing the gaseous halo of galaxies through non-thermal emission from AGN-driven outflows

Feedback from outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) can affect the distribution and properties of the gaseous halos of galaxies. We study the hydrodynamics and non-thermal emission from the forward outflow shock produced by an AGN-driven outflow. We consider a few possible profiles for the halo gas density, self-consistently constrained by the halo mass, redshift and the disk baryonic concentration of the galaxy. We show that the outflow velocity levels off at $\sim 10^3\,\rm km\, s^{-1}$ within the scale of the galaxy disk. Typically, the outflow can reach the virial radius around the time when the AGN shuts off. We show that the outflows are energy-driven, consistently with observations and recent theoretical findings. The outflow shock lights up the halos of massive galaxies across a broad wavelength range. For Milky Way (MW) mass halos, radio observations by The Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) and The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) and infrared/optical observations by The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) can detect the emission signal of angular size $\sim 8"$ from galaxies out to redshift $z\sim5$. Millimeter observations by The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) are sensitive to non-thermal emission of angular size $\sim 18"$ from galaxies at redshift $z\lesssim1$, while X-ray observations by Chandra, XMM-Newton and The Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA) is limited to local galaxies ($z\lesssim 0.1$) with an emission angular size of $\sim2'$. Overall, the extended non-thermal emission provides a new way of probing the gaseous halos of galaxies at high redshifts.

Massive and dusty Hα emitters in protocluster revealed by ALMA and JVLA

AbstractWe investigate the physical properties of Hα emitters (HAEs) associated to the protocluster 4C23.56 at z ~ 2.5 using continuum observations at submm (270 GHz) and radio (3 GHz) frequencies with Atacama Large Mm/submm Array (ALMA) and K. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). For more details see Lee et al. (in prep).

NEW MEASUREMENTS OF THE RADIO PHOTOSPHERE OF MIRA BASED ON DATA FROM THE JVLA AND ALMA

We present new measurements of the millimeter wavelength continuum emission from the long period variable Mira ($o$ Ceti) at frequencies of 46 GHz, 96 GHz, and 229 GHz ($\lambda$~7 mm, 3 mm, and 1 mm) based on observations obtained with the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The measured millimeter flux densities are consistent with a radio photosphere model derived from previous observations, where flux density, $S_{\nu}\propto\nu^{1.86}$. The stellar disk is resolved, and the measurements indicate a decrease in the size of the radio photosphere at higher frequencies, as expected if the opacity decreases at shorter wavelengths. The shape of the radio photosphere is found to be slightly elongated, with a flattening of ~10-20%. The data also reveal evidence for brightness non-uniformities on the surface of Mira at radio wavelengths. Mira's hot companion, Mira B was detected at all three observed wavelengths, and we measure a radius for its radio-emitting surface of $\approx2.0\times10^{13}$ cm. The data presented here highlight the power of the JVLA and ALMA for the study of the atmospheres of evolved stars.

Jansky VLA S-band view of Hα emitters (HAEs) associated with a protocluster 4C23.56 at z = 2.5

AbstractWe present recent results on Karl Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) deep S-band (2-4 GHz) observation towards a protocluster 4C23.56 at redshift z ∼ 2.5. The protocluster 4C23.56 is known to have a significant over density (∼ 5 times) of star-burst galaxies selected to be Hα line-bright by a Subaru narrow band imaging. Now we have found 25 HAEs associated with the protocluster. These starburst HAEs are likely to become massive ellipticals at z = 0 in a cluster. Various other galaxy populations also reside in this field and the fact makes the field very unique as a tool to understand galaxy formation in a over dense region. Subsequent deep 1100-μm continuum surveys by the ASTE 10-m dish have discovered that several submillimeter bright galaxies (SMGs) coincide with HAEs, suggesting HAEs undergoing dusty starbursts. As star formation rates (SFRs) of HAEs might have been underestimated, we use radio being resistant to dust extinction. We investigate the correlation between SFR1.4 GHz and SFRHα for radio index α = 0.8 to see if the correlation holds for the sources and to check the number of dusty star forming galaxies. Our final results will allow us to evaluate quantitatively how the galaxy formation channel may be different under the condition of over-densities.

C II] AND12CO(1-0) EMISSION MAPS IN HLSJ091828.6+514223: A STRONGLY LENSED INTERACTING SYSTEM ATz= 5.24

We present Submillimeter Array (SMA) [CII] 158um and Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) $^{12}$CO(1-0) line emission maps for the bright, lensed, submillimeter source at $z=5.2430$ behind Abell 773: HLSJ091828.6+514223 (HLS0918). We combine these measurements with previously reported line profiles, including multiple $^{12}$CO rotational transitions, [CI], water and [NII], providing some of the best constraints on the properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) in a galaxy at $z>5$. HLS0918 has a total far-infrared (FIR) luminosity L_FIR(8-1000um) = (1.6$\pm$0.1)x10^14 L_sun/mu, where the total magnification mu_total = 8.9$\pm$1.9, via a new lens model from the [CII] and continuum maps. Despite a HyLIRG luminosity, the FIR continuum shape resembles that of a local LIRG. We simultaneously fit all of the observed spectral line profiles, finding four components which correspond cleanly to discrete spatial structures identified in the maps. The two most redshifted spectral components occupy the nucleus of a massive galaxy, with a source plane separation <1 kpc. The reddest dominates the continuum map (de-magnified L_FIR = (1.1$\pm$0.2)x10^13 L_sun), and excites strong water emission in both nuclear components via a powerful FIR radiation field from the intense star formation. A third star-forming component is most likely a region of a merging companion (dV ~ 500 km/s) exhibiting generally similar gas properties. The bluest component originates from a spatially distinct region, and photo-dissociation region (PDR) analysis suggests that it is lower density, cooler and forming stars less vigorously than the other components. Strikingly, it has very strong [NII] emission which may suggest an ionized, molecular outflow. This comprehensive view of gas properties and morphology in HLS0918 previews the science possible for a large sample of high-redshift galaxies once ALMA attains full sensitivity.

CHANG-ES. III. UGC 10288—AN EDGE-ON GALAXY WITH A BACKGROUND DOUBLE-LOBED RADIO SOURCE

This 3rd paper in the CHANG-ES series shows the first results from our regular data taken with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). The edge-on galaxy, UGC 10288, has been observed in the B, C, and D configurations at L-band (1.5 GHz) and in the C and D configurations at C-band (6 GHz) in all polarization products. We show the first spatially resolved images in these bands,the first polarization images, and the first composed image at an intermediate frequency (4.1 GHz) which has been formed from a combination of all data sets. A surprising new result is the presence of a strong, polarized, double-lobed extragalactic radio source ({\it CHANG-ES A}) almost immediately behind the galaxy and perpendicular to its disk. The core of {\it CHANG-ES A} has an optical counterpart at a photometric redshift of $z_{phot}\,=\,0.39$; the southern radio lobe is behind the disk of UGC 10288 and the northern lobe is behind the halo region. This background `probe' has allowed us to do a preliminary Faraday Rotation analysis of the foreground galaxy, putting limits on the regular magnetic field and electron density in the halo of UGC 10288 in regions in which there is no direct detection of a radio continuum halo. We have revised the flux densities of the two sources individually as well as the star formation rate (SFR) for UGC 10288. UGC 10288 would have fallen well below the CHANG-ES flux density cutoff, had it been considered without the brighter contribution of the background source. UGC 10288 shows discrete high-latitude radio continuum features, but it does not have a {\it global} radio continuum halo. The total minimum magnetic field strength at a sample position in the arc is $\sim$ 10 $\mu$G. Thus, this galaxy still appears to be able to form substantial high latitude, localized features in spite of its relatively low SFR.

PROBING THE ROSETTE NEBULA STELLAR BUBBLE WITH FARADAY ROTATION

We report the results of Faraday rotation measurements of 23 background radio sources whose lines of sight pass through or close to the Rosette Nebula. The Rosette Nebula is an excellent candidate for studies of super bubbles associated with young star clusters. We made linear polarization measurements with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) at frequencies of 4.4GHz, 4.9GHz, and 7.7GHz. We are able to establish a background rotation measure in this part of the sky due to the Galaxy of +147 rad m^-2. Sources whose lines of sight pass through the nebula have an excess rotation measure of 50-750 rad m^-2, which we attribute to the plasma shell of the Rosette Nebula. We consider two simple plasma shell models and how they reproduce the magnitude and sign of the rotation measure, and its dependence on distance from the center of the nebula. These two models represent different modes of interaction of the Rosette Nebula star cluster with the surrounding interstellar medium. Both can reproduce the magnitude and spatial extent of the rotation measure enhancement, given plausible free parameters. We contend that the model based on a stellar bubble more closely reproduces the observed dependence of rotation measure on distance from the center of the nebula.

Deep observations of CO line emission from star-forming galaxies in a cluster candidate atz=1.5

We report results from a deep Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) search for CO 1-0 line emission from galaxies in a candidate galaxy cluster at z~1.55 in the COSMOS field. We target 4 galaxies with optical spectroscopic redshifts in the range z=1.47-1.59. Two of these 4 galaxies, ID51613 and ID51813, are nominally detected in CO line emission at the 3-4 sigma level. We find CO luminosities of 2.4x10^10 K km/s pc^2 and 1.3x10^10 K km/s pc^2, respectively. Taking advantage from the clustering and 2-GHz bandwidth of the JVLA, we perform a search for emission lines in the proximity of optical sources within the field of view of our observations. We limit our search to galaxies with K<23.5 (AB) and z_phot=1.2-1.8. We find 2 bright optical galaxies to be associated with significant emission line peaks (>4 sigma) in the data cube, which we identify with the CO line emission. To test the reliability of the line peaks found, we performed a parallel search for line peaks using a Bayesian inference method. Monte Carlo simulations show that such associations are statistically significant, with probabilities of chance association of 3.5% and 10.7% for ID 51207 and ID 51380, respectively. Modeling of their optical/IR SEDs indicates that the CO detected galaxies and candidates have stellar masses and SFRs in the range (0.3-1.1)x10^11 M_sun and 60-160 M_sun/yr, with SFEs comparable to that found in other star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts. By comparing the space density of CO emitters derived from our observations with the space density derived from previous CO detections at z~1.5, and with semi-analytic predictions for the CO luminosity function, we suggest that the latter tend to underestimate the number of CO galaxies detected at high-redshift. Finally, we argue about the benefits of future blind CO searches in clustered fields with upcoming submm/radio facilities.

THE NEUTRAL GAS DYNAMICS OF THE NEARBY MAGELLANIC IRREGULAR GALAXY UGCA 105

We present new low-resolution HI spectral line imaging, obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA), of the star-forming Magellanic irregular galaxy UGCA 105. This nearby (D = 3.39+/-0.25 Mpc), low mass [M_HI=(4.3+/-0.5)x10^8 Solar masses] system harbors a large neutral gas disk (HI radius ~7.2 kpc at the N_HI=10^20 cm^-2 level) that is roughly twice as large as the stellar disk at the B-band R_25 isophote. We explore the neutral gas dynamics of this system, fitting tilted ring models in order to extract a well-sampled rotation curve. The rotation velocity rises in the inner disk, flattens at 72+/-3 km/s, and remains flat to the last measured point of the disk (~7.5 kpc). The dynamical mass of UGCA 105 at this outermost point, (9+/-2)x10^9 Solar masses, is ~10 times as large as the luminous baryonic components (neutral atomic gas and stars). The proximity and favorable inclination (55 degrees) of UGCA 105 make it a promising target for high-resolution studies of both star formation and rotational dynamics in a nearby low-mass galaxy.

COMPACT RADIO SOURCES IN M17

The classic HII region M17 is one of the best studied across the electromagnetic spectrum. We present sensitive, high angular resolution observations made with the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) at 4.96 and 8.46 GHz that reveal the presence of 38 compact radio sources, in addition to the well known hypercompact cometary HII region M17 UC1. For this last source we find that its spectral index of value $\sim$1 is due to a gradient in opacity across its face. Of the 38 compact radio sources detected, 19 have stellar counterparts detected in the infrared, optical, or X-rays. Finally, we discuss the nature of the radio emission from the massive binary system CEN 1a and 1b, concluding that both are most probably non-thermal emitters, although the first is strongly time variable and the second is steady.

Maser observations with new instruments

AbstractThe Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)‡, and the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) have recently begun probing the Universe. Both provide the largest collecting area available at locations on a high dry site, endowing them with unparalleled potential for sensitive spectral line observations. Over the next few years, these telescopes will be joined by other telescopes to provide advances in maser science, including NOEMA and the LMT. Other instruments of note for maser science which may commence construction include the North American Array, the CCAT, and an enlarged worldwide VLB network outfitted to operate into the millimeter wavelength regime.

Early results from a diagnostic 1.3 cm survey of massive young protostars

AbstractWe have used the recently-upgraded Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) to conduct a K-band (~24 GHz) study of 22 massive young stellar objects in 1.3 cm continuum and a comprehensive set of diagnostic lines. This survey is unique in that it samples a wide range of massive star formation signposts simultaneously for the first time. In this proceeding we present preliminary results for the 11 sources in the 2-4 kpc distance bin. We detect compact NH3 cores in all of the fields, with many showing emission up through the (6,6) transition. Maser emission in the 25 GHz CH3OH ladder is present in 7 of 11 sources. We also detect non-thermal emission in the NH3 (3,3) transition in 7 of 11 sources.