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e-MERLIN observations at 5 GHz of the GOODS-N region: pinpointing AGN cores in high-redshift galaxies

Guidetti, D.; Bondi, M.; Prandoni, I.; Beswick, R.J.; Muxlow, T.W.B.; Wrigley, N.; Smail, I.; McHardy, I.

e-MERLIN observations at 5 GHz of the GOODS-N region: pinpointing AGN cores in high-redshift galaxies Thumbnail


Authors

D. Guidetti

M. Bondi

I. Prandoni

R.J. Beswick

T.W.B. Muxlow

N. Wrigley

Profile image of Ian Smail

Ian Smail ian.smail@durham.ac.uk
Emeritus Professor

I. McHardy



Abstract

We present 5 GHz e-Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) observations of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Surveys North (GOODS)-N region at sub-arcsec resolution (0.2–0.5 arcsec). These data form part of the early commissioning observations for the e-MERLIN interferometer and a pilot for the e-MERLIN legacy programme e-MERLIN Galaxy Evolution Survey (eMERGE). A total of 17 sources were detected with S/N > 3. These observations provide unique information on the radio source morphology at sub-arcsec scales. For twelve of these sources, deeper 1.4 GHz MERLIN+Very Large Array observations at the same spatial resolution are available, allowing radio spectral indices to be derived for 10 sources on sub-arcsec angular scales. Via analysis of the spectral indices and radio morphologies, these sources have been identified as active galactic nucleus (AGN) cores in moderate-to-high-redshift (1 < z < 4) galaxies. These results have provided AGN (or AGN-candidate) classification for six previously unclassified sources and confirmed the AGN nature of the rest of the sample. Ultimately, the eMERGE project will image the GOODS-N region at 1.4 and 5 GHz with higher resolution (about 50 mas at 5 GHz) and down to sub-μJy sensitivities. The unique combination of sensitivity and spatial resolution will be exploited to study star formation and AGN activity in distant galaxies.

Citation

Guidetti, D., Bondi, M., Prandoni, I., Beswick, R., Muxlow, T., Wrigley, N., …McHardy, I. (2013). e-MERLIN observations at 5 GHz of the GOODS-N region: pinpointing AGN cores in high-redshift galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 432(4), 2798-2807. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt633

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jul 1, 2013
Deposit Date Apr 15, 2014
Publicly Available Date Jun 20, 2014
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 432
Issue 4
Pages 2798-2807
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt633
Keywords Galaxies: active, Galaxies: evolution, Galaxies: starburst, Cosmology: observations, Radio continuum: galaxies.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1456345

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Copyright Statement
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.






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