Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Continuum And Spectral Line Radiation From A Random Clumpy Medium, John E. Conway, Moshe Elitzur, Rodrigo Para

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a formalism for continuum and line emission from random clumpy media together with its application to problems of current interest, including CO spectral lines from ensembles of clouds and radio emission from H ii regions, supernovae, and star-forming regions. For line emission, we find that the effects of clump opacity on observed line ratios can be indistinguishable from variations of intrinsic line strengths, adding to the difficulties in determining abundances from line observations. Our formalism is applicable to arbitrary distributions of cloud properties, provided the cloud volume filling factor is small; numerical simulations show it to hold up …

Challenges And Techniques For Simulating Line Emission, Karen P. Olsen, Andrea Pallottini, Aida Wofford, Marios Chatzikos, Mitchell Revalski, Francisco Guzmán, Gergö Popping, Enrique Vázquez-Semadeni, Georgios E. Magdis, Mark L. A. Richardson, Michaela Hirschmann, William J. Gray

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Modeling emission lines from the millimeter to the UV and producing synthetic spectra is crucial for a good understanding of observations, yet it is an art filled with hazards. This is the proceedings of “Walking the Line”, a 3-day conference held in 2018 that brought together scientists working on different aspects of emission line simulations, in order to share knowledge and discuss the methodology. Emission lines across the spectrum from the millimeter to the UV were discussed, with most of the focus on the interstellar medium, but also some topics on the circumgalactic medium. The most important quality of a …

Nitrogen-To-Oxygen Abundance Ratio Variation In Quiescent Galaxies, Renbin Yan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

For the first time, we establish a gas-phase abundance pattern calibration for quiescent galaxies using optical emission lines. Quiescent galaxies have warm ionized gas showing line ratios similar to low-ionization nuclear emission line regions. The ionization mechanism for the gas is still an unsettled puzzle. Despite the uncertainty in the ionization mechanism, we argue that we can still infer certain gas-phase abundance pattern from first principles. We show that the relative trend in N/O abundance can still be reliably measured based on [N II] λλ6548,6583/[O II] λλ3726,3729 and a direct measurement of the electron temperature. We construct a composite direct …

Molpop-Cep: An Exact, Fast Code For Multi-Level Systems, Andrés Asensio Ramos, Moshe Elitzur

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present MOLPOP-CEP, a universal line transfer code that allows the exact calculation of multi-level line emission from a slab with variable physical conditions for any arbitrary atom or molecule for which atomic data exist. The code includes error control to achieve any desired level of accuracy, providing full confidence in its results. Publicly available, MOLPOP-CEP employs our recently developed coupled escape probability (CEP) technique, whose performance exceeds other exact methods by orders of magnitude. The program also offers the option of an approximate solution with different variants of the familiar escape probability method. As an illustration of the MOLPOP-CEP …

Sdss Iv Manga – Ssfr Profiles And The Slow Quenching Of Discs In Green Valley Galaxies, Francesco Belfiore, Roberto Maiolino, Kevin Bundy, Karen Masters, Matthew Bershady, Grecco A. Oyarzún, Lihwai Lin, Mariana Cano-Diaz, David Wake, Ashley Spindler, Daniel Thomas, Joel R. Brownstein, Niv Drory, Renbin Yan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We study radial profiles in H α equivalent width and specific star formation rate (sSFR) derived from spatially resolved SDSS-IV MaNGA spectroscopy to gain insight on the physical mechanisms that suppress star formation and determine a galaxy’s location in the SFR-M_⋆ diagram. Even within the star-forming ‘main sequence’, the measured sSFR decreases with stellar mass, in both an integrated and spatially resolved sense. Flat sSFR radial profiles are observed for log(M_⋆/M_⊙) < 10.5, while star-forming galaxies of higher mass show a significant decrease in sSFR in the central regions, a likely consequence of both larger bulges and an inside-out growth history. Our primary focus is the green valley, constituted by galaxies lying below the star formation main sequence, but not fully passive. In the green valley we find sSFR profiles that are suppressed with respect to star-forming galaxies of the same mass at all galactocentric distances out to 2 effective radii. The responsible quenching mechanism therefore appears to affect the entire galaxy, not simply an …

The [Cii] 158ΜM Line Emission In High-Redshift Galaxies, Guilaine Lagache, Morgane Cousin, Marios Chatzikos

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Gas is a crucial component of galaxies, providing the fuel to form stars, and it is impossible to understand the evolution of galaxies without knowing their gas properties. The [CII] fine structure transition at 158 μm is the dominant cooling line of cool interstellar gas, and is the brightest of emission lines from star forming galaxies from FIR through metre wavelengths, almost unaffected by attenuation. With the advent of ALMA and NOEMA, capable of detecting [CII]-line emission in high-redshift galaxies, there has been a growing interest in using the [CII] line as a probe of the physical conditions of …

The Validity Of 21 Cm Spin Temperature As A Kinetic Temperature Indicator In Atomic And Molecular Gas, Gargi Shaw, Gary J. Ferland, I. Hubeny

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The gas kinetic temperature (T_K) of various interstellar environments is often inferred from observations that can deduce level populations of atoms, ions, or molecules using spectral line observations; H I 21 cm is perhaps the most widely used, and has a long history. Usually the H I 21 cm line is assumed to be in thermal equilibrium and the populations are given by the Boltzmann distribution. A variety of processes, many involving Lyα, can affect the 21 cm line. Here we show how this is treated in the spectral simulation code Cloudy, and present numerical …

Atomic Data Revisions For Transitions Relevant To Observations Of Interstellar, Circumgalactic, And Intergalactic Matter, Frances H. Cashman, Varsha P. Kulkarni, Romas Kisielius, Gary J. Ferland, Pavel Bogdanovich

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Measurements of element abundances in galaxies from astrophysical spectroscopy depend sensitively on the atomic data used. With the goal of making the latest atomic data accessible to the community, we present a compilation of selected atomic data for resonant absorption lines at wavelengths longward of 911.753 Å (the H I Lyman limit), for key heavy elements (heavier than atomic number 5) of astrophysical interest. In particular, we focus on the transitions of those ions that have been observed in the Milky Way interstellar medium (ISM), the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the Milky Way and/or other galaxies, and the intergalactic medium …

Which Stars Are Ionizing The Orion Nebula?, C. R. O'Dell, W. Kollatschny, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The common assumption that θ¹ Ori C is the dominant ionizing source for the Orion Nebula is critically examined. This assumption underlies much of the existing analysis of the nebula. In this paper we establish through comparison of the relative strengths of emission lines with expectations from Cloudy models and through the direction of the bright edges of proplyds that θ² Ori A, which lies beyond the Bright Bar, also plays an important role. θ¹ Ori C does dominate ionization in the inner part of the Orion Nebula, but outside of the Bright Bar as far as …

The Jcmt Nearby Galaxies Legacy Survey – Xi. Environmental Variations In The Atomic And Molecular Gas Radial Profiles Of Nearby Galaxies, Angus Mok, C. D. Wilson, J. H. Knapen, José R. Sánchez-Gallego, E. Brinks, E. Rosolowsky

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present an analysis of the radial profiles of a sample of 43 H I-flux selected spiral galaxies from the Nearby Galaxies Legacy Survey (NGLS) with resolved James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) CO J = 3 − 2 and/or Very Large Array (VLA) H I maps. Comparing the Virgo and non-Virgo populations, we confirm that the H i discs are truncated in the Virgo sample, even for these relatively H i-rich galaxies. On the other hand, the H₂ distribution is enhanced for the Virgo galaxies near their centres, resulting in higher H₂ to H I ratios and steeper …

Sdss-Iv Manga: The Impact Of Diffuse Ionized Gas On Emission-Line Ratios, Interpretation Of Diagnostic Diagrams And Gas Metallicity Measurements, Kai Zhang, Renbin Yan, Kevin Bundy, Matthew Bershady, L. Matthew Haffner, René Walterbos, Roberto Maiolino, Christy Tremonti, Daniel Thomas, Niv Drory, Amy Jones, Francesco Belfiore, Sebastian F. Sánchez, Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic, Dmitry Bizyaev, Christian Nitschelm, Brett Andrews, Jon Brinkmann, Joel R. Brownstein, Edmond Cheung, Cheng Li, David R. Law, Alexandre Roman Lopes, Daniel Oravetz, Kaike Pan, Thaisa Storchi Bergmann, Audrey Simmons

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Diffuse ionized gas (DIG) is prevalent in star-forming galaxies. Using a sample of 365 nearly face-on star-forming galaxies observed by Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO, we demonstrate how DIG in star-forming galaxies impacts the measurements of emission-line ratios, hence the interpretation of diagnostic diagrams and gas-phase metallicity measurements. At fixed metallicity, DIG-dominated low Σ_Hα regions display enhanced [S II]/Hα, [N II]/Hα, [O II]/Hβ and [O I]/Hα. The gradients in these line ratios are determined by metallicity gradients and Σ_Hα. In line ratio diagnostic diagrams, contamination by DIG moves H II …

Sdss-Iv Manga – The Spatially Resolved Transition From Star Formation To Quiescence, Francesco Belfiore, Roberto Maiolino, Claudia Maraston, Eric Emsellem, Matthew A. Bershady, Karen L. Masters, Dmitry Bizyaev, Médéric Boquien, Joel R. Brownstein, Kevin Bundy, Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic, Niv Drory, Timothy M. Heckman, David R. Law, Olena Malanushenko, Audrey Oravetz, Kaike Pan, Alexandre Roman-Lopes, Daniel Thomas, Anne-Marie Weijmans, Kyle B. Westfall, Renbin Yan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Using spatially resolved spectroscopy from SDSS-IV MaNGA we have demonstrated that low ionization emission-line regions (LIERs) in local galaxies result from photoionization by hot evolved stars, not active galactic nuclei, hence tracing galactic region hosting old stellar population where, despite the presence of ionized gas, star formation is no longer occurring. LIERs are ubiquitous in both quiescent galaxies and in the central regions of galaxies where star formation takes place at larger radii. We refer to these two classes of galaxies as extended LIER (eLIER) and central LIER (cLIER) galaxies, respectively. cLIERs are late-type galaxies primarily spread across the green …

Structure And Physical Conditions In The Huygens Region Of The Orion Nebula, C. R. O'Dell, Gary J. Ferland, M. Peimbert

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Hubble Space Telescope images, MUSE maps of emission lines, and an atlas of high velocity resolution emission-line spectra have been used to establish for the first time correlations of the electron temperature, electron density, radial velocity, turbulence, and orientation within the main ionization front of the nebula. From the study of the combined properties of multiple features, it is established that variations in the radial velocity are primarily caused by the photoevaporating ionization front being viewed at different angles. There is a progressive increase of the electron temperature and density with decreasing distance from the dominant ionizing star θ^{1 …}

H-, He-Like Recombination Spectra ‒ Ii. L-Changing Collisions For He Rydberg States, Francisco Guzmán, N. R. Badnell, R. J. R. Williams, P. A. M. Van Hoof, Marios Chatzikos, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Cosmological models can be constrained by determining primordial abundances. Accurate predictions of the He i spectrum are needed to determine the primordial helium abundance to a precision of < 1 per cent in order to constrain big bang nucleosynthesis models. Theoretical line emissivities at least this accurate are needed if this precision is to be achieved. In the first paper of this series, which focused on H ι, we showed that differences in l-changing collisional rate coefficients predicted by three different theories can translate into 10 per cent changes in predictions for H ι spectra. Here, we consider the more complicated case of He atoms, where low-l subshells are not energy degenerate. A criterion for deciding when the energy separation between l subshells is small enough to apply energy-degenerate collisional theories is given. Moreover, for certain conditions, the Bethe approximation originally proposed by …

Orion's Veil: Magnetic Field Strengths And Other Properties Of A Pdr In Front Of The Trapezium Cluster, Thomas H. Troland, W. M. Goss, C. L. Brogan, R. M. Crutcher, D. A. Roberts

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present an analysis of physical conditions in the Orion Veil, an atomic photon-dominated region (PDR) that lies just in front (≈2 pc) of the Trapezium stars of Orion. This region offers an unusual opportunity to study the properties of PDRs, including the magnetic field. We have obtained 21 cm H i and 18 cm (1665 and 1667 MHz) OH Zeeman effect data that yield images of the line-of-sight magnetic field strength B _los in atomic and molecular regions of the Veil. We find B _los ≈ −50 to −75 μG in the atomic gas across much of the …

Sdss Iv Manga – Spatially Resolved Diagnostic Diagrams: A Proof That Many Galaxies Are Liers, Francesco Belfiore, Roberto Maiolino, Claudia Maraston, Eric Emsellem, Matthew A. Bershady, Karen L. Masters, Renbin Yan, Dmitry Bizyaev, Médéric Boquien, Joel R. Brownstein, Kevin Bundy, Niv Drory, Timothy M. Heckman, David R. Law, Alexandre Roman-Lopes, Kaike Pan, Letizia Stanghellini, Daniel Thomas, Anne-Marie Weijmans, Kyle B. Westfall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We study the spatially resolved excitation properties of the ionized gas in a sample of 646 galaxies using integral field spectroscopy data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) programme. Making use of Baldwin–Philips–Terlevich diagnostic diagrams we demonstrate the ubiquitous presence of extended (kpc scale) low-ionization emission-line regions (LIERs) in both star-forming and quiescent galaxies. In star-forming galaxies LIER emission can be associated with diffuse ionized gas, most evident as extraplanar emission in edge-on systems. In addition, we identify two main classes of galaxies displaying LIER emission: ‘central LIER’ (cLIER) galaxies, where …

Stellar Mass–Gas-Phase Metallicity Relation At 0.5 ≤ Z ≤ 0.7: A Power Law With Increasing Scatter Toward The Low-Mass Regime, Yicheng Guo, David C. Koo, Yu Lu, John C. Forbes, Marc Rafelski, Jonathan R. Trump, Ricardo Amorín, Guillermo Barro, Romeel Davé, S. M. Faber, Nimish P. Hathi, Hassen Yesuf, Michael C. Cooper, Avishai Dekel, Puragra Guhathakurta, Evan N. Kirby, Anton M. Koekemoer, Pablo G. Pérez-González, Lihwai Lin, Jeffery A. Newman, Joel R. Primack, David J. Rosario, Christopher N. A. Willmer, Renbin Yan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present the stellar mass (M_*)–gas-phase metallicity relation (MZR) and its scatter at intermediate redshifts (0.5 ≤ z ≤ 0.7) for for 1381 field galaxies collected from deep spectroscopic surveys. The star formation rate (SFR) and color at a given M_* of this magnitude-limited (R ≲ 24 AB) sample are representative of normal star-forming galaxies. For masses below 10⁹ M_☉ our sample of 237 galaxies is ~10 times larger than those in previous studies beyond the local universe. This huge gain in sample size enables superior constraints on the MZR and its scatter …

H, He-Like Recombination Spectra – I. L-Changing Collisions For Hydrogen, Francisco Guzmán, N. R. Badnell, R. J. R. Williams, P. A. M. Van Hoof, Marios Chatzikos, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Hydrogen and helium emission lines in nebulae form by radiative recombination. This is a simple process which, in principle, can be described to very high precision. Ratios of He I and H I emission lines can be used to measure the He⁺/H⁺ abundance ratio to the same precision as the recombination rate coefficients. This paper investigates the controversy over the correct theory to describe dipole l-changing collisions (nl → nl′ = l ± 1) between energy-degenerate states within an n-shell. The work of Pengelly & Seaton has, for half-a-century, been considered the definitive …

Interpreting The Ionization Sequence In Star-Forming Galaxy Emission-Line Spectra, Chris T. Richardson, James T. Allen, Jack A. Baldwin, Paul C. Hewett, Gary J. Ferland, Anthony Crider, Helen Meskhidze

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

High-ionization star-forming (SF) galaxies are easily identified with strong emission-line techniques such as the BPT diagram, and form an obvious ionization sequence on such diagrams. We use a locally optimally emitting cloud model to fit emission-line ratios that constrain the excitation mechanism, spectral energy distribution, abundances and physical conditions along the star formation ionization sequence. Our analysis takes advantage of the identification of a sample of pure SF galaxies, to define the ionization sequence, via mean field independent component analysis. Previous work has suggested that the major parameter controlling the ionization level in SF galaxies is the metallicity. Here we …

Orion's Veil. Iv. H2 Excitation And Geometry, N. P. Abel, Gary J. Ferland, C. R. O'Dell, Thomas H. Troland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The foreground Veil of material that lies in front of the Orion Nebula is the best studied sample of the interstellar medium because we know where it is located, how it is illuminated, and the balance of thermal and magnetic energy. In this work, we present high-resolution STIS observations toward the Trapezium, with the goal of better understanding the chemistry and geometry of the two primary Veil layers, along with ionized gas along the line of sight. The most complete characterization of the rotational/vibrational column densities of H₂ in the almost purely atomic components of the Veil are presented, …

The Jcmt Nearby Galaxies Legacy Survey – X. Environmental Effects On The Molecular Gas And Star Formation Properties Of Spiral Galaxies, Angus Mok, C. D. Wilson, J. Golding, B. E. Warren, F. P. Israel, S. Serjeant, J. H. Knapen, José R. Sánchez-Gallego, P. Barmby, G. J. Bendo, E. Rosolowsky, P. Van Der Werf

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a study of the molecular gas properties in a sample of 98 H I – flux selected spiral galaxies within ∼25 Mpc, using the CO J = 3 − 2 line observed with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. We use the technique of survival analysis to incorporate galaxies with CO upper limits into our results. Comparing the group and Virgo samples, we find a larger mean H₂ mass in the Virgo galaxies, despite their lower mean H I mass. This leads to a significantly higher H₂ to H I ratio for Virgo galaxies. Combining our data …

The Inferred Evolution Of The Cold Gas Properties Of Candels Galaxies At 0.5 < Z < 3.0, G. Popping, K. Caputi, S. C. Trager, Rachel S. Somerville, Avishai Dekel, Susan A. Kassin, Dale D. Kocevski, Anton M. Koekemoer, Sandra M. Faber, Henry C. Ferguson, A. Galametz, Norman A. Grogin, Yicheng Guo, Y. Lu, Arjen Van Der Wel, Benjamin J. Weiner

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We derive the total cold gas, atomic hydrogen, and molecular gas masses of approximately 24 000 galaxies covering four decades in stellar mass at redshifts 0.5 < z < 3.0, taken from the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey survey. Our inferences are based on the inversion of a molecular hydrogen based star formation law, coupled with a prescription to separate atomic and molecular gas. We find that: (1) there is an increasing trend between the inferred cold gas (H i and H₂), H i, and H₂ mass and the stellar mass of galaxies down to stellar masses of 10⁸ M_⊙ already in place at z = 3; (2) the molecular fractions of cold gas increase with increasing stellar mass and look-back time; (3) there is hardly any evolution in the mean H i content of galaxies at fixed stellar mass; (4) the cold gas fraction and relative amount of molecular …

Collisional Excitation Of [C Ii], [O I] And Co In Massive Galaxies, R. E. A. Canning, Gary J. Ferland, A. C. Fabian, R. M. Johnstone, P. A. M. Van Hoof, R. L. Porter, N. Werner, R. J. R. Williams

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Many massive galaxies at the centres of relaxed galaxy clusters and groups have vast reservoirs of warm (∼10 000 K) and cold (≲100 K) gas. In many such low-redshift systems this gas is lifted into the hot interstellar medium in filamentary structures, which are long lived and are typically not forming stars. Two important questions are how far do these reservoirs cool and if cold gas is abundant what is the cause of the low star formation efficiency? Heating and excitation of the filaments from collisions and mixing of hot particles in the surrounding X-ray gas describes well the optical …

The Nature And Frequency Of Outflows From Stars In The Central Orion Nebula Cluster, C. R. O'Dell, Gary J. Ferland, W. J. Henney, M. Peimbert, Ma. T. García-Díaz, Robert H. Rubin

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Recent Hubble Space Telescope images have allowed the determination with unprecedented accuracy of motions and changes of shocks within the inner Orion Nebula. These originate from collimated outflows from very young stars, some within the ionized portion of the nebula and others within the host molecular cloud. We have doubled the number of Herbig–Haro objects known within the inner Orion Nebula. We find that the best-known Herbig–Haro shocks originate from relatively few stars, with the optically visible X-ray source COUP 666 driving many of them. While some isolated shocks are driven by single collimated outflows, many groups of shocks are …

Herschel Dust Emission As A Probe Of Starless Cores Mass: Mcld 123.5+24.9 Of The Polaris Flare, Gururaj Anil Wagle, Thomas H. Troland, Gary J. Ferland, Nicholas P. Abel

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present newly processed archival Herschel images of molecular cloud MCLD 123.5+24.9 in the Polaris Flare. This cloud contains five starless cores. Using the spectral synthesis code Cloudy, we explore uncertainties in the derivation of column densities, and hence masses of molecular cores from Herschel data. We first consider several detailed grain models that predict far-infrared grain opacities. Opacities predicted by the models differ by more than a factor of two, leading to uncertainties in derived column densities by the same factor. Then we consider uncertainties associated with the modified blackbody fitting process used by observers to estimate column densities. …

Metal-Poor, Strongly Star-Forming Galaxies In The Deep2 Survey: The Relationship Between Stellar Mass, Temperature-Based Metallicity, And Star Formation Rate, Chun Ly, Jane R. Rigby, Michael Cooper, Renbin Yan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report on the discovery of 28 z ≈ 0.8 metal-poor galaxies in DEEP2.

For the remainder of the abstract, please download this article or visit https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/805/1/45.

Accurate Determination Of The Free–Free Gaunt Factor – Ii. Relativistic Gaunt Factors, P. A. M. Van Hoof, Gary J. Ferland, R. J. R. Williams, K. Volk, Marios Chatzikos, M. Lykins, R. L. Porter

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

When modelling an ionized plasma, all spectral synthesis codes need the thermally averaged free–free Gaunt factor defined over a very wide range of parameter space in order to produce an accurate prediction for the spectrum. Until now no data set exists that would meet these needs completely. We have therefore produced a table of relativistic Gaunt factors over a much wider range of parameter space than has ever been produced before. We present tables of the thermally averaged Gaunt factor covering the range ¹⁰log γ² = −6 to 10 and ¹⁰log u = −16 to 13 for …

Bootstrapping Dielectronic Recombination From Second-Row Elements And The Orion Nebula, N. R. Badnell, Gary J. Ferland, T. W. Gorczyca, D. Nikolić, Gururaj Anil Wagle

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Dielectronic recombination (DR) is the dominant recombination process for most heavy elements in photoionized clouds. Accurate DR rates for a species can be predicted when the positions of autoionizing states are known. Unfortunately such data are not available for most third- and higher-row elements. This introduces an uncertainty that is especially acute for photoionized clouds, where the low temperatures mean that DR occurs energetically through very low-lying autoionizing states. This paper discusses S²⁺ → S⁺ DR, the process that is largely responsible for establishing the [S iii]/[S ii] ratio in nebulae. We derive an empirical rate coefficient using …

Atomic Data For Zn Ɪɪ: Improving Spectral Diagnostics Of Chemical Evolution In High-Redshift Galaxies, Romas Kisielius, Varsha P. Kulkarni, Gary J. Ferland, Pavel Bogdanovich, Debopam Som, Matt L. Lykins

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Damped Lyα (DLA) and sub-DLA absorbers in quasar spectra provide the most sensitive tools for measuring the element abundances of distant galaxies. The estimation of abundances from absorption lines depends sensitively on the accuracy of the atomic data used. We have started a project to produce new atomic spectroscopic parameters for optical and UV spectral lines using state-of-the-art computer codes employing a very broad configuration interaction (CI) basis. Here we report our results for Zn ii, an ion used widely in studies of the interstellar medium (ISM) as well as DLAs and sub-DLAs. We report new calculations of many …

P-Manga Galaxies: Emission-Lines Properties – Gas Ionization And Chemical Abundances From Prototype Observations, F. Belfiore, R. Maiolino, K. Bundy, D. Thomas, C. Maraston, D. Wilkinson, S. F. Sánchez, M. Bershady, G. A. Blanc, M. Bothwell, S. L. Cales, L. Coccato, N. Drory, E. Emsellem, H. Fu, J. Gelfand, D. Law, K. Masters, J. Parejko, C. Tremonti, D. Wake, A. Weijmans, Renbin Yan, T. Xiao, K. Zhang, T. Zheng, K. Bizyaev, K. Kinemuchi, D. Oravetz, A. Simmons

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory) is a 6-yr Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) survey that will obtain spatially resolved spectroscopy from 3600 to 10 300 Å for a representative sample of over 10 000 nearby galaxies. In this paper, we present the analysis of nebular emission-line properties using observations of 14 galaxies obtained with P-MaNGA, a prototype of the MaNGA instrument. By using spatially resolved diagnostic diagrams, we find extended star formation in galaxies that are centrally dominated by Seyfert/LINER-like emission, which illustrates that galaxy characterizations based on single fibre spectra are necessarily incomplete. We observe extended …