Browsing by Author "Puzia, Thomas"

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    A MUSE view of the core of the giant low-surface-brightness galaxy Malin 1
    (2024) Johnston, Evelyn J.; Galaz, Gaspar; Blana, Matias; Amram, Philippe; Boissier, Samuel; Eigenthaler, Paul; Epinat, Benoit; Junais; Ordenes-Briceno, Yasna; Puzia, Thomas; Weilbacher, Peter M.
    Aims. The central region of the giant low-surface-brightness galaxy Malin 1 has long been known to have a complex morphology, with evidence of a bulge, disc, and potentially a bar hosting asymmetric star formation. In this work, we use VLT/MUSE data to resolve the central region of Malin 1 in order to determine its structure. Methods. We used careful light profile fitting in every image slice of the datacube to create wavelength-dependent models of each morphological component, from which we were able to cleanly extract their spectra. We then used the kinematics and emission line properties from these spectra to better understand the nature of each component extracted from our model fitting. Results. We report the detection of a pair of distinct sources at the centre of this galaxy with a separation of similar to 1.05 '', which corresponds to a separation on sky of similar to 1.9 kpc. The radial velocity data of each object confirm that they both lie in the kinematic core of the galaxy. An analysis of the emission lines reveals that the central compact source is more consistent with being ionised through star formation and/or a LINER, while the off-centre compact source lies closer to the separation between star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei. Conclusions. This evidence suggests that the centre of Malin 1 hosts either a bar with asymmetric star formation or two distinct components. In the latter scenario, we propose two hypotheses for the nature of the off-centre compact source-it could either be a star-forming clump, containing one or more star clusters, that is in the process of falling into the core of the galaxy and eventually merging with the central nuclear star cluster, or it could be a clump of gas falling into the centre of the galaxy from either outside or from the disc and triggering star formation there.
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    An evolutionary continuum from nucleated dwarf galaxies to star clusters
    (2023) Wang, Kaixiang; Peng, Eric W.; Liu, Chengze; Mihos, J. Christopher; Cote, Patrick; Ferrarese, Laura; Taylor, Matthew A.; Blakeslee, John P.; Cuillandre, Jean-Charles; Duc, Pierre-Alain; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Gwyn, Stephen; Ko, Youkyung; Lancon, Ariane; Lim, Sungsoon; Macarthur, Lauren A.; Puzia, Thomas; Roediger, Joel; Sales, Laura V.; Sanchez-Janssen, Ruben; Spengler, Chelsea; Toloba, Elisa; Zhang, Hongxin; Zhu, Mingcheng
    Systematic studies1-4 have revealed hundreds of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs5) in the nearby Universe. With half-light radii rh of approximately 10-100 parsecs and stellar masses M* approximate to 106-108 solar masses, UCDs are among the densest known stellar systems6. Although similar in appearance to massive globular clusters7, the detection of extended stellar envelopes4,8,9, complex star formation histories10, elevated mass-to-light ratio11,12 and supermassive black holes13-16 suggest that some UCDs are remnant nuclear star clusters17 of tidally stripped dwarf galaxies18,19, or even ancient compact galaxies20. However, only a few objects have been found in the transient stage of tidal stripping21,22, and this assumed evolutionary path19 has never been fully traced by observations. Here we show that 106 galaxies in the Virgo cluster have morphologies that are intermediate between normal, nucleated dwarf galaxies and single-component UCDs, revealing a continuum that fully maps this morphological transition and fills the 'size gap' between star clusters and galaxies. Their spatial distribution and redder colour are also consistent with stripped satellite galaxies on their first few pericentric passages around massive galaxies23. The 'ultra-diffuse' tidal features around several of these galaxies directly show how UCDs are forming through tidal stripping and that this evolutionary path can include an early phase as a nucleated ultra-diffuse galaxy24,25. These UCDs represent substantial visible fossil remnants of ancient dwarf galaxies in galaxy clusters, and more low-mass remnants probably remain to be found.
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    Extending the evolution of the stellar mass-size relation at z ≤ 2 to low stellar mass galaxies from HFF and CANDELS
    (2021) Nedkova, Kalina, V; Haussler, Boris; Marchesini, Danilo; Dimauro, Paola; Brammer, Gabriel; Eigenthaler, Paul; Feinstein, Adina D.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Huertas-Company, Marc; Johnston, Evelyn J.; Kado-Fong, Erin; Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Labbe, Ivo; Lange-Vagle, Daniel; Martis, Nicholas S.; McGrath, Elizabeth J.; Muzzin, Adam; Oesch, Pascal; Ordenes-Briceno, Yasna; Puzia, Thomas; Shipley, Heath, V; Simmons, Brooke D.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Stefanon, Mauro; van der Wel, Arjen; Whitaker, Katherine E.
    We reliably extend the stellar mass-size relation over 0.2 <= z <= 2 to low stellar mass galaxies by combining the depth of Hubble Frontier Fields with the large volume covered by CANDELS. Galaxies are simultaneously modelled in multiple bands using the tools developed by the MegaMorph project, allowing robust size (i.e. half-light radius) estimates even for small, faint, and high redshift galaxies. We show that above 10(7) M-circle dot, star-forming galaxies are well represented by a single power law on the mass-size plane over our entire redshift range. Conversely, the stellar mass-size relation is steep for quiescent galaxies with stellar masses >= 10(10.3)M(circle dot) and flattens at lower masses, regardless of whether quiescence is selected based on star-formation activity, rest-frame colours, or structural characteristics. This flattening occurs at sizes of similar to 1 kpc at z <= 1. As a result, a double power law is preferred for the stellar mass-size relation of quiescent galaxies, at least above 10(7)M(circle dot). We find no strong redshift dependence in the slope of the relation of star-forming galaxies as well as of high mass quiescent galaxies. We also show that star-forming galaxies with stellar masses >= 10(9.5)M(circle dot) and quiescent galaxies with stellar masses >= 10(10.3)M(circle dot) have undergone significant size growth since z similar to 2, as expected; however, low mass galaxies have not. Finally, we supplement our data with predominantly quiescent dwarf galaxies from the core of the Fornax cluster, showing that the stellar mass-size relation is continuous below 10(7)M(circle dot), but a more complicated functional form is necessary to describe the relation.
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    First Detection of Molecular Gas in the Giant Low Surface Brightness Galaxy Malin 1
    (2024) Galaz, Gaspar; Gonzalez-Lopez, Jorge; Guzman, Viviana; Messias, Hugo; Junais, Samuel; Boissier, Samuel; Epinat, Benoit; Weilbacher, Peter M.; Puzia, Thomas; Johnston, Evelyn J.; Amram, Philippe; Frayer, David; Blana, Matias; Howk, J. Christopher; Berg, Michelle; Bustos-Espinoza, Roy; Munoz-Mateos, Juan Carlos; Cortes, Paulo; Garcia-Appadoo, Diego; Joachimi, Katerine
    After over three decades of unsuccessful attempts, we report the first detection of molecular gas emission in Malin 1, the largest spiral galaxy observed to date, and one of the most iconic giant low surface brightness galaxies. Using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, we detect significant 12CO (J = 1-0) emission in the galaxy's central region and tentatively identify CO emission across three regions on the disk. These observations allow for a better estimate of the H2 mass and molecular gas mass surface density, both of which are remarkably low given the galaxy's scale. By integrating data on its H i mass, we derive a very low molecular-to-atomic gas mass ratio. Overall, our results highlight the minimal presence of molecular gas in Malin 1, contrasting sharply with its extensive, homogeneous atomic gas reservoir. For the first time, we position Malin 1 on the Kennicutt-Schmidt diagram, where it falls below the main sequence for normal spirals, consistent with previous upper limits but now with more accurate figures. These findings are crucial for constraining our understanding of star formation processes in environments characterized by extremely low molecular gas densities and for refining models of galaxy formation, thereby improving predictions concerning the formation, evolution, and distribution of these giant, elusive galaxies.
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    Globular Cluster UVIT Legacy Survey (GlobULeS) - I. FUV-optical colour-magnitude diagrams for eight globular clusters
    (2022) Sahu, Snehalata; Subramaniam, Annapurni; Singh, Gaurav; Yadav, Ramakant; Valcarce, Aldo R.; Choudhury, Samyaday; Rani, Sharmila; Prabhu, Deepthi S.; Chung, Chul; Cote, Patrick; Leigh, Nathan; Geller, Aaron M.; Chatterjee, Sourav; Rao, N. Kameswara; Bandyopadhyay, Avrajit; Shara, Michael; Dalessandro, Emanuele; Pandey, Gajendra; Postma, Joesph E.; Hutchings, John; Simunovic, Mirko; Stetson, Peter B.; Thirupathi, Sivarani; Puzia, Thomas; Sohn, Young-Jong
    We present the first results of eight globular clusters (GCs) from the AstroSat/UVIT Legacy Survey programme GlobULeS based on the observations carried out in two far-ultraviolet (FUV) filters (F148W and F169M). The FUV-optical and FUV-FUV colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of GCs with the proper motion membership were constructed by combining the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) data with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UV Globular Cluster Survey data for inner regions and Gaia Early Data Release for regions outside the HST's field. We detect sources as faint as F148W similar to 23.5 mag, which are classified based on their locations in CMDs by overlaying stellar evolutionary models. The CMDs of eight GCs are combined with the previous UVIT studies of three GCs to create stacked FUV-optical CMDs to highlight the features/peculiarities found in the different evolutionary sequences. The FUV (F148W) detected stellar populations of 11 GCs comprise 2816 horizontal branch (HB) stars [190 extreme HB (EHB) candidates], 46 post-HB (pHB), 221 blue straggler stars (BSSs), and 107 white dwarf (WD) candidates. We note that the blue HB colour extension obtained from F148W - G colour and the number of FUV detected EHB candidates are strongly correlated with the maximum internal helium (He) variation within each GC, suggesting that the FUV-optical plane is the most sensitive to He abundance variations in the HB. We discuss the potential science cases that will be addressed using these catalogues including HB morphologies, BSSs, pHB, and WD stars.
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    Globular Cluster UVIT Legacy Survey (GlobULeS). III. Omega Centauri in Far-ultraviolet
    (2022) Prabhu, Deepthi S.; Subramaniam, Annapurni; Sahu, Snehalata; Chung, Chul; Leigh, Nathan W. C.; Dalessandro, Emanuele; Chatterjee, Sourav; Rao, N. Kameswara; Shara, Michael; Cote, Patrick; Choudhury, Samyaday; Pandey, Gajendra; Valcarce, Aldo A. R.; Singh, Gaurav; Postma, Joesph E.; Rani, Sharmila; Bandyopadhyay, Avrajit; Geller, Aaron M.; Hutchings, John; Puzia, Thomas; Simunovic, Mirko; Sohn, Young-Jong; Thirupathi, Sivarani; Yadav, Ramakant Singh
    We present the first comprehensive study of the most massive globular cluster, Omega Centauri, in the far-ultraviolet (FUV), extending from the center to similar to 28% of the tidal radius using the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on board AstroSat. A comparison of the FUV-optical color-magnitude diagrams with available canonical models reveals that horizontal branch (HB) stars bluer than the knee (hHBs) and the white dwarfs (WDs) are fainter in the FUV by similar to 0.5 mag than model predictions. They are also fainter than their counterparts in M13, another massive cluster. We simulated HB with at least five subpopulations, including three He-rich populations with a substantial He enrichment of Y up to 0.43 dex, to reproduce the observed FUV distribution. We find the He-rich younger subpopulations to be radially more segregated than the He-normal older ones, suggesting an in situ enrichment from older generations. The omega Cen hHBs span the same T (eff) range as their M13 counterparts, but some have smaller radii and lower luminosities. This may suggest that a fraction of omega Cen hHBs are less massive than those of M13, similar to the result derived from earlier spectroscopic studies of outer extreme HB stars. The WDs in omega Cen and M13 have similar luminosity-radius-T (eff) parameters, and 0.44-0.46 M (circle dot) He-core WD model tracks evolving from progenitors with Y = 0.4 dex are found to fit the majority of these. This study provides constraints on the formation models of omega Cen based on the estimated range in age, [Fe/H], and Y (in particular) for the HB stars.
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    The Color Gradients of the Globular Cluster Systems in M87 and M49
    (2022) Wu, Yiming; Liu, Chengze; Peng, Eric W.; Ko, Youkyung; Cote, Patrick; Jain, Rashi; Ferrarese, Laura; Yang, Xiaohu; Lancon, Ariane; Puzia, Thomas; Lim, Sungsoon
    Combining data from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey and the Next Generation Virgo cluster Survey, we extend previous studies of color gradients of the globular cluster (GC) systems of the two most massive galaxies in the Virgo cluster, M87 and M49, to radii of similar to 15 R (e) (similar to 200 kpc for M87 and similar to 250 kpc for M49, where R (e) is the effective radius). We find significant negative color gradients, i.e., becoming bluer with increasing distance, out to these large radii. The gradients are driven mainly by the outward decrease in the ratio of red to blue GC numbers. The color gradients are also detected out to similar to 15 R (e) in the red and blue subpopulations of GCs taken separately. In addition, we find a negative color gradient when we consider the satellite low-mass elliptical galaxies as a system, i.e., the satellite galaxies closer to the center of the host galaxy usually have redder color indices, for both their stars and their GCs. According to the "two phase" formation scenario of massive early-type galaxies, the host galaxy accretes stars and GCs from low-mass satellite galaxies in the second phase. So an accreted GC system naturally inherits the negative color gradient present in the satellite population. This can explain why the color gradient of the GC system can still be observed at large radii after multiple minor mergers.
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    The Fornax Cluster VLT Spectroscopic Survey III. Kinematical characterisation of globular clusters in the Fornax galaxy cluster
    (2022) Chaturvedi, Avinash; Hilker, Michael; Cantiello, Michele; Napolitano, Nicola R.; van de Ven, Glenn; Spiniello, Chiara; Fahrion, Katja; Paolillo, Maurizio; Gatto, Massimiliano; Puzia, Thomas
    The Fornax cluster provides an unparalleled opportunity of investigating the formation and evolution of early-type galaxies in a dense environment in detail. We aim at kinematically characterising photometrically detected globular cluster (GC) candidates in the core of the cluster. We used spectroscopic data from the Visible Multi Object Spectrograph at Very Large Telescope (VLT/VIMOS) from the FVSS survey in the Fornax cluster, covering one square degree around the central massive galaxy NGC 1399. We confirm a total of 777 GCs, almost doubling previously detected GCs, using the same dataset as was used before. Combined with previous literature radial velocity measurements of GCs in Fornax, we compile the most extensive spectroscopic GC sample of 2341 objects in this environment. We found that red GCs are mostly concentrated around major galaxies, while blue GCs are kinematically irregular and are widely spread throughout the core region of the cluster. The velocity dispersion profiles of blue and red GCs show a quite distinct behaviour. Blue GCs exhibit a sharp increase in the velocity dispersion profile from 250 to 400 km s(-1) within 5 arcmin (similar to 29 kpc/similar to 1 r(eff) of NGC 1399) from the central galaxy. The velocity dispersion profile of red GCs follows a constant value between 200 and 300 km s(-1) until 8 arcmin (similar to 46 kpc/similar to 1.6 r(eff)), and then rises to 350 km s(-1) at 10 arcmin (similar to 58 kpc/similar to 2 r(eff)). Beyond 10 arcmin and out to 40 arcmin (similar to 230 kpc/ similar to 8 r(eff)), blue and red GCs show a constant velocity dispersion of 300 +/- 50 km s(-1), indicating that both GC populations trace the cluster potential. We kinematically confirm and characterise the previously photometrically discovered overdensities of intra-cluster GCs. We found that these substructured intra-cluster regions in Fornax are dominated mostly by blue GCs.
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    The Giant Low Surface Brightness Galaxy Malin 1: New Constraints for Its Molecular Gas Mass from GBT/ARGUS Observations
    (2022) Galaz Lladser, Gaspar; Frayer, David T.; Blaña, Matías; Howk, J. Christopher; Puzia, Thomas; Johnston, Evelyn J.; Ordenes Briceño, Yasna; Church, Sarah; Gil, Santiago; Joachimi, Katerine; Mora, Marcelo
    We report on results from GBT/ARGUS 12CO(1-0) observations for the giant low surface brightness galaxy Malin 1, which allow us to determine an upper limit for its CO mass, and hence its molecular gas mass and molecular gas mass surface density ? H 2 . Although we performed very deep observations through 17 hr on-source integration time, reaching a noise level of ?0.2 mK (T A * ) with a corresponding extended source CO limit (3?) of 0.09 K km s?1, 19 times more sensitive than previous works, we do not detect the 12CO(1-0) emission line. However, the observations allow us to estimate an upper limit (3?) for the CO mass of about 7.4 × 109 M ? for the extended emission, and 1.4 × 108 M ? for the central part of the galaxy. With these figures we conclude that the molecular gas surface density is lower than 0.3 M ? pc?2, and the corresponding molecular to atomic gas mass ratio is lower than 0.13. The evidence suggests quite different physical conditions for the interstellar medium in Malin 1 compared to that of normal, high surface brightness spirals. This, in one way to another, keeps an usual molecular gas tracer as CO hidden from our observations, in spite of the diverse stellar and structural properties of Malin 1 observed by several authors since more than 30 yr.