GEMINI OBSERVATORY observing time request (HTML summary)

Semester: 2011B		Observing Mode: queue		Partner Lead Scientist: Neil Nagar Universidad de Concepcion
Instruments: GMOS South		Gemini Reference: Not Available		Partner: Chile
Time Awarded: Not Available		Thesis: No
Band 3 Acceptable: No

Partner Submission Details (multiple entries for joint proposals)

				NTAC
Partner	Partner Lead Scientist	Time Requested	Minimum Time Requested	Reference number	Recommended time	Minimum Recommended Time	Rank
Chile	Nagar	7.0 hours	2.3 hours	Not Available	0.0 hours	0.0 hours
	Total Time	7.0 hours

Abstract (199 words)

Science Justification (999 words)

We have also used GMOS-IFU to map the gas kinematics in the nuclear region of another LINER galaxy: M81[22]. In this case, instead of using models of circular rotation to isolate streaming motions from the orbital motions in the galaxy potential, we used the stellar velocity field. The results are shown in Fig.1. Also, in order to further investigate additional kinematic components in the emitting gas, we have applied the technique of principal component analysis (PCA) [23] to the datacube. Relevant results are illustrated in Fig.2, which shows the "eigen-spectra" PC3 and PC4 in the bottom panels, and the corresponding tomograms in the top panels. These eigen-spectra and tomograms reveal two kinematic components: (1) a compact rotating disk (PC3), with radius of ~20 pc; (2) a compact outflow (PC4) perpendicular to the disk, whose presence is supported by previous radio data showing a compact jet.

GOALS OF THE PRESENT PROPOSAL: We aim to apply the techniques we have recently developed and described above to: (1) obtain the stellar kinematics from the fitting of the stellar absorption bands using the pPXF method [24]; (2) map the inflows around nearby AGN, as well as possible outflows, using models of circular rotation and the stellar kinematics as references for rotation in the galaxy gravitational field; (3) look for the association of inflows with nuclear spirals and outflows with radio components; (4) constrain physical parameters of the inflows and outflows such as the mass flow rate, geometry and gas density; (5) correlate these parameters with other properties of the galaxies and their active nuclei, such as the nuclear accretion rate, molecular gas content and host galaxy morphology.

SAMPLE: This is a continuing study for which we have already data for 5 LINERs, 3 Seyfert 2 and 3 Seyfert 1 galaxies. The data we have in hand show that the Halpha kinematics within the inner kiloparsec presents streaming motions towards the nucleus (see Fig. 1), suggesting that dusty nuclear spirals do trace inflows. We now aim at correlating the mass inflow rates with the strength (luminosity) of the nuclear activity, in order to characterize the black hole accretion and growth in a statistically significant sample of galaxies, spanning a range of nuclear power. In order to "fill the gaps" we have in nuclear power, we now propose to use Gemini/GMOS-IFU to map the gas kinematics in the nearby Seyfert galaxies NGC1386 (Seyfert 2), NGC1566 (Seyfert 1) and NGC7213 (Seyfert 1). With these galaxies we will complete a sample covering a range of nuclear power and activity types, comprising 5 LINERs, 4 Seyfert 2 and 4 Seyfert 1 galaxies. Preliminary results we have obtained for the galaxies NGC1358, NGC1667 and NGC2110 are shown in Fig.3, namely nuclear spiral structures in Halpha.

Althought there is publically availiable GMOS-IFU data of NGC1566 in the archive, the Halpha and [NII]6585A lines, both crucial to our analysis, are not measurable in this data, as they are affected by the gap between the CCDs. It is then necessary for us to observe this galaxy again.

REFERENCES: [1] Shlosman, I., Begelman, M. C., Frank, J. 1990, Nature, 345, 679. [2] Emsellem, E., Goudfrooij, P., Ferruit, P. 2003, MNRAS, 345, 1297. [3] Knapen, J. H. 2005, ApSS, 295, 85. [4] Englmaier, P., Shlosman, I. 2004, ApJ, 617, L115. [5] Gaelle, Mundell, Emsellem & Nagar 2007, MNRAS, 379, 1249. [6] Westoby, Mundell, Nagar, et al. 2011, submitted to ApJ. [7] Erwin, P., Sparke, L. S. 1999, ASPC, 182, 243. [8] Pogge, R. W., Martini, P. 2002, ApJ, 569, 624. [9] Laine, S. et al. 2003, AJ, 126, 2717. [10] Martini, P., Regan, M. W., Mulchaey, J. S., Pogge, R. W. 2003, ApJ, 589, 77. [11] Simoes Lopes R. D. et al., 2007, ApJ, 655, 718. [12] Knapen, J. et al. 2000, ApJ, 528, 219. [13] Emsellem, E., et al. 2001, A&A, 368, 52. [14] Maciejewski, W., et al. 2002, MNRAS, 329, 502. [15] Marconi A., et al. 2003, ApJ, 586, 868. [16] Crenshaw, D. M., Kraemer, S. B., Gabel, J. R. 2003, AJ, 126, 1690. [17] Fathi K. et al. 2005, MNRAS, 364, 773. [18] Fathi K., Storchi-Bergmann, T., et al. 2006, ApJ, 641, L25. [19] Maciejewski, W. 2004, MNRAS, 354, 892. [20] Storchi-Bergmann et al. 2007, ApJ, 670,959 [21] Riffel R. A., Storchi-Bergmann T., et al. 2008, MNRAS, 385, 1129. [22] Schnorr Muller, Allan; Storchi-Bergmann, T., et al. 2011, MNRAS, In Press (arXiv:1012.3015). [23] Steiner J. et al., 2009, MNRAS, 395, 64. [24] Cappellari & Emsellem, 2007, PASP, 431, 465.

Attachments:

Technical Justification (764 words)

We propose to use the GMOS IFU with grating R400 in combination with the r(630nm) filter in order to cover the wavelength range 560-700nm, which includes the above emission lines and a suitable number of stellar absorption features to allow the derivation of the stellar kinematics. For an effective output slit width for the IFU=0.31", the spectral resolution will be: R=3523, which is adequate for our purposes, according to the results we have obtained in our previous studies. We propose to observe in two slit mode, which will allow an angular coverage of 5"x7". At the typical distance of the targets, in order to cover a large enough field to map the kinematics we propose to observe two adjacent IFU fields with 1 arcseconds of overlap, covering 9 arcsec along the major axis and 7 arcseconds along the minor axis. The surface brightness in the continuum for the three galaxies is approximately 1 x 10^{-16} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} A^{-1} arcsec^{-2}. Using the ITC, we obtain an integration time of 45 min to obtain S/N ratios of about 8 in the continuum. The total exposure time (for two fields) will then be 90 min on-source plus 25min overheads = 115min per galaxy. We intend to flux calibrate the data, in order to derive the mass flow rate towards the center, thus we need to observe one standard star. Time required for the standard star (25min) is mainly overhead. We propose three observations of the standard, considering the possibility that all three galaxies are observed at different nights. The total time will thus be: 3 x 115 + 3 x 25 = 420 min=7 hr. The minimum time requested is 2.3 h for the observation of only one galaxy and standard.

THE NEED FOR GEMINI AND GMOS IFU: We need the large aperture of Gemini to reach faint emission levels and obtain an adequate spatial coverage of the gas emission. The 2D coverage of the GMOS IFU is essential to adequately constrain the velocity field, at the necessary spatial resolution. Without the spatial resolution provided by the GMOS-IFU we would not have been able to kinematically map the streaming motions in narrow spiral arms as we successfully did for NGC1097 and NGC6951 [16,18].

MEASUREMENTS TO BE MADE FROM THE DATA: We will measure the emission-line fluxes (Halpha, [NII] and [SII]), central wavelengths and line widths in order to map the gaseous distribution, excitation, density and, most important, the gas kinematics. We will also obtain the stellar kinematics from the fitting of the stellar absorption bands using the pPXF method [22]. The two-dimensional measurements will allows us to appropriately deal with the non-circular kinematic components and constrain the circumnuclear disk geometry. We will use the technique successfully used by Fathi et al. [16] and Storchi-Bergmann et al. [18] as well as those we have used for M81 [20] to quantify the non-circular motions and to separate them from the circular velocity.

Attachments:

Band 3 Information

Observation Details

Resources

• Gemini South
  • GMOS South
    • Focal Plane Unit
      • IFU w/ 2 slits
    • Disperser
      • R400_G5325
    • Filter
      • r_G0326

Observing Conditions

Name	Image Quality	Sky Background	Water Vapor	Cloud Cover
Medium	70%	80%	Any	70%

Scheduling Information:

Synchronous dates:

Optimal dates:

Impossible dates:

Allocation Committee Comments

Additional Information

Keywords: Active galaxies, Dynamics, Emission lines, Galaxy bulges, Galaxy centers, Intergalactic medium, Seyfert galaxies, Survey

Publications:

• Westoby, Mundell, Nagar, Roth, Gerssen, Baldry & Emsellem, submitted to ApJ (Manuscript #ApJ82748), Gas and Stellar Kinematics in SDSS Seyfert and inactive Galaxies I. The Observations
• Riffel & Storchi-Bergmann, 2011, MNRAS, 411, 469: Compact molecular disc and ionized gas outflows within 350 pc of the active nucleus of Mrk 1066
• Riffel, Storchi-Bergmann, Riffel & Pastoriza, 2010, ApJ, 713, 469: Intermediate age stars as origin of the low velocity dispersion nuclear ring in Mrk1066
• Riffel, Storchi-Bergmann & Nagar, 2010, MNRAS, 404, 166: Near-infrared dust and line emission from the central region of Mrk1066: constraints from Gemini NIFS
• Storchi-Bergmann et al. 2009, MNRAS, 402, 819: Feeding versus Feedback in NGC4151 probed with Gemini NIFS. II. Kinematics
• Winge, Riffel & Storchi-Bergmann, 2009, ApJS, 185, 186: The Gemini Spectral Library of Near-Infrared Late Type Stellar Templates
• Barbosa et al. 2009, MNRAS, 396, 2: "Gemini/GMOS IFU velocity gas tomography of the narrow-line region of nearby active galaxies "
• Riffel, Storchi-Bergmann & McGregor, 2009, ApJ, 698, 1767: "The dusty nuclear torus in NGC4151: constraints from Gemini Gemini Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph observations"
• Riffel et al. 2009, MNRAS, 393, 783: "AGN-starburst connection in NGC7582: Gemini near-infrared spectrograph integral field unit observations"
• Storchi-Bergmann et al. 2009 - MNRAS, 394, 1148: "Feeding versus feedback in NGC4151 probed with Gemini NIFS - I. Excitation"
• Dors et al. 2008 - A&A, 482,59: "Ages and metallicities of circumnuclear star formation regions from Gemini IFU observations".
• Riffel et al. 2008 - MNRAS, 385, 1129: "Mapping of molecular gas inflow towards the Seyfert nucleus of NGC4051 using Gemini NIFS".
• Dumas et al. including Nagar, 2007, MNRAS, 379, 1249, Central kiloparsec of Seyfert and inactive host galaxies: a comparison of two-dimensional stellar and gaseous kinematics
• Storchi-Bergmann et al. 2007 - ApJ, 670, 959: "Nuclear spirals as feeding channels to the Supermassive Black Hole: the case of the galaxy NGC 6951"
• Riffel et al. 2006 - MNRAS, 373, 2: "Gemini Near Infrared Integral Field Spectroscopy of the Narrow-Line Region of ESO428-G14: kinematics, excitation and the role of the radio jet"
• Fathi et al. 2006 - ApJ, 641, L25: "Streaming Motions toward the Supermassive Black Hole in NGC 1097"
• Barbosa et al. 2006 - MNRAS, 371, 170: "Gemini/GMOS Integral Field Unit stellar kinematics of the nuclear region of six nearby active galaxies"

Allocations:

Reference	Time	% Useful	Status of previous data
GS-2010B-Q-19	6.6 hours	100	P.I. Nagar. Observed on 26-28 January 2011 (i.e. 2 months ago). Data has been processed (see Fig.3 of this proposal) and reveal interesting details (specifically spiral structures, not necessarily related to the nuclear radio jets). Datacubes currently being analyzed in detail. Publication in process.
GN-2010A-Q42	8.0 hours	100	P.I. Riffel. Data processed, publication in process
GN-2008B-Q-30	5.5 hours	100	Three papers published (Riffel, Storchi-Bergmann & Nagar, 2010, MNRAS, 404, 166; Riffel et al., 2010, ApJ, 713, 469; and Riffel & Storchi-Bergmann 2011, MNRAS, 411, 469
GN-2006A-SV-12	4.25 hours	100	NIFS SV programme. Results published in Riffel et al. 2008, MNRAS, 385, 1129.
GS-2005B-Q-65	3.0 hours	100	GNIRS IFU Band 3 programme. Results published in Riffel et al. 2009, MNRAS, 393, 783
GS-2004B-Q-25	3.8 hours	100	Results published (also a Gemini press release) : Fathi, K., Storchi-Bergmann, T. , Riffel, R., Winge, C., Axon, D., Robinson, A., Capetti, A. & Marconi, A. 2006: "Streaming motions towards the supermassive black hole in NGC1097", ApJ Letters, 641, L25.
GS-2004B-SV-26	4.8 hours	100	GNIRS IFU SV programme. Results published in: Riffel, R. A., Storchi-Bergmann, T., Winge, C. Barbosa, F. K. B., 2006: Gemini near-infrared integral field spectroscopy of the narrow-line region of ESO428-G14: kinematics, excitation and the role of the radio jet, MNRAS, 373, 2.
GN-2004A-Q-1	3.5 hours	100	Same as next (GN-2002-Q-15)
GN-2003A-Q-1	3.5 hours	100	Same as next (GN-2002-Q-15)
GN-2002B-Q-15	3.5 hours	100	Results published in: Barbosa, F. K. B., Storchi-Bergmann, T., Cid Fernandes, R., Winge, C. & Schmitt, H., 2006: "Gemini/GMOS IFU stellar kinematics of the nuclear region of six nearby active galaxies", MNRAS 371, 170, Another paper, on the gas kinematics of the same 6 galaxies is accepted for publication in MNRAS. Partial results including the gas kinematics have been published in the Proceedings of IAU Symp. 222, 2004, eds. Storchi Bergmann, Ho & Schmitt.

Proposal Contents