All Outputs (332)

TREASUREHUNT: Transients and Variability Discovered with HST in the JWST North Ecliptic Pole Time-domain Field (2024)
Journal Article
O’Brien, R., Jansen, R. A., Grogin, N. A., Cohen, S. H., Smith, B. M., Silver, R. M., …Acharya, T. (2024). TREASUREHUNT: Transients and Variability Discovered with HST in the JWST North Ecliptic Pole Time-domain Field. Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 272(1), Article 19. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ad3948

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) Time-domain Field (TDF) is a >14′ diameter field optimized for multiwavelength time-domain science with JWST. It has been observed across the electromagnetic spectrum both from the groun... Read More about TREASUREHUNT: Transients and Variability Discovered with HST in the JWST North Ecliptic Pole Time-domain Field.

The first spectroscopic IR reverberation programme on Mrk 509 (2024)
Journal Article
Mitchell, J. A. J., Ward, M. J., Kynoch, D., Santisteban, J. V. H., Horne, K., Pott, J. .-U., …Winkler, H. (2024). The first spectroscopic IR reverberation programme on Mrk 509. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 529(4), 4824-4839. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae790

Near IR spectroscopic reverberation of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) potentially allows the infrared (IR) broad line region (BLR) to be reverberated alongside the disc and dust continua, while the spectra can also reveal details of dust astro-chemistr... Read More about The first spectroscopic IR reverberation programme on Mrk 509.

AGN STORM 2. V. Anomalous Behavior of the C iv Light Curve of Mrk 817 (2024)
Journal Article
Homayouni, Y., Kriss, G. A., De Rosa, G., Plesha, R., Cackett, E. M., Goad, M. R., …Zu, Y. (2024). AGN STORM 2. V. Anomalous Behavior of the C iv Light Curve of Mrk 817. Astrophysical Journal, 963(2), Article 123. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1be4

An intensive reverberation mapping campaign of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 817 using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope revealed significant variations in the response of broad UV emission lines to fluctuations in the continuu... Read More about AGN STORM 2. V. Anomalous Behavior of the C iv Light Curve of Mrk 817.

Deconvolution of JWST/MIRI Images: Applications to an Active Galactic Nucleus Model and GATOS Observations of NGC 5728 (2024)
Journal Article
Leist, M. T., Packham, C., Rosario, D. J. V., Hope, D. A., Alonso-Herrero, A., Hicks, E. K. S., …Shimizu, T. (2024). Deconvolution of JWST/MIRI Images: Applications to an Active Galactic Nucleus Model and GATOS Observations of NGC 5728. Astronomical Journal, 167(3), Article 96. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad1886

The superb image quality, stability, and sensitivity of JWST permit deconvolution techniques to be pursued with a fidelity unavailable to ground-based observations. We present an assessment of several deconvolution approaches to improve image quality... Read More about Deconvolution of JWST/MIRI Images: Applications to an Active Galactic Nucleus Model and GATOS Observations of NGC 5728.

The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): III. Revealing the inner icy structure in local active galactic nuclei (2023)
Journal Article
García-Bernete, I., Alonso-Herrero, A., Rigopoulou, D., Pereira-Santaella, M., Shimizu, T., Davies, R., …Ward, M. J. (2024). The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): III. Revealing the inner icy structure in local active galactic nuclei. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 681, Article L7. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202348266

We use JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of a sample of six local obscured type 1.9/2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) to compare their nuclear mid-IR absorption bands with the level of nuclear obscuration traced by X-rays. This study is the first to use subarc... Read More about The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): III. Revealing the inner icy structure in local active galactic nuclei.

Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed? (2023)
Journal Article
Jeancolas, C., Gillen, C., McMahon, S., Ward, M., & Vickers, P. J. (2023). Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed?. International Journal of Astrobiology, https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550423000241

Astrobiology is a scientific endeavour involving great uncertainties. This could justify intellectual risk-taking associated with research that significantly deviates from the mainstream, to explore new avenues. However, little is known regarding the... Read More about Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed?.

Wavelength dependences of the optical/UV and X-ray luminosity correlations of quasars (2023)
Journal Article
Ward, M., Done, C., Jin, C., Lusso, E., & Middei, R. (2024). Wavelength dependences of the optical/UV and X-ray luminosity correlations of quasars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 527(1), 356–373. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad3193

The interband correlations between optical/ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray luminosities of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are important for understanding the disc–coronal connection, as well as using AGN as standard candles for cosmology. It is convention... Read More about Wavelength dependences of the optical/UV and X-ray luminosity correlations of quasars.

Delayed appearance and evolution of coronal lines in the TDE AT2019qiz (2023)
Journal Article
Short, P., Lawrence, A., Nicholl, M., Ward, M., Reynolds, T. M., Mattila, S., …Wevers, T. (2023). Delayed appearance and evolution of coronal lines in the TDE AT2019qiz. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 525(1), 1568-1587. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad2270

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) occur when a star gets torn apart by a supermassive black hole as it crosses its tidal radius. We present late-time optical and X-ray observations of the nuclear transient AT2019qiz, which showed the typical signs of an... Read More about Delayed appearance and evolution of coronal lines in the TDE AT2019qiz.

MIDIS: Strong (Hβ+[O iii]) and Hα Emitters at Redshift z ≃ 7–8 Unveiled with JWST NIRCam and MIRI Imaging in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field (2023)
Journal Article
Rinaldi, P., Caputi, K. I., Costantin, L., Gillman, S., Iani, E., Pérez-González, P. G., …Kokorev, V. (2023). MIDIS: Strong (Hβ+[O iii]) and Hα Emitters at Redshift z ≃ 7–8 Unveiled with JWST NIRCam and MIRI Imaging in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field. Astrophysical Journal, 952(2), Article 143. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acdc27

We make use of JWST medium-band and broadband NIRCam imaging, along with ultradeep MIRI 5.6 μm imaging, in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field to identify prominent line emitters at z ≃ 7–8. Out of a total of 58 galaxies at z ≃ 7–8, we find 18 robust candi... Read More about MIDIS: Strong (Hβ+[O iii]) and Hα Emitters at Redshift z ≃ 7–8 Unveiled with JWST NIRCam and MIRI Imaging in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field.

Life beyond 30: Probing the −20 < M UV < −17 Luminosity Function at 8 < z < 13 with the NIRCam Parallel Field of the MIRI Deep Survey (2023)
Journal Article
Pérez-González, P. G., Costantin, L., Langeroodi, D., Rinaldi, P., Annunziatella, M., Ilbert, O., …María Mérida, R. (2023). Life beyond 30: Probing the −20 < M UV < −17 Luminosity Function at 8 < z < 13 with the NIRCam Parallel Field of the MIRI Deep Survey. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 951:L1(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acd9d0

We present the ultraviolet luminosity function and an estimate of the cosmic star formation rate density at 8 < z < 13 derived from deep NIRCam observations taken in parallel with the MIRI Deep Survey of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), NIRCam cov... Read More about Life beyond 30: Probing the −20 < M UV < −17 Luminosity Function at 8 < z < 13 with the NIRCam Parallel Field of the MIRI Deep Survey.

The SOUX AGN sample: optical/UV/X-ray SEDs and the nature of the disc (2023)
Journal Article
Mitchell, J. A. J., Done, C., Ward, M. J., Kynoch, D., Hagen, S., Lusso, E., & Landt, H. (2023). The SOUX AGN sample: optical/UV/X-ray SEDs and the nature of the disc. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 524(2), 1796-1825. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1830

We use the SOUX sample of ∼700 active galactic nucleus (AGN) to form average optical-ultraviolet (UV)-X-rays spectral energy distributions (SEDs) on a two-dimensional (2D) grid of MBH and L2500. We compare these with the predictions of a new AGN SED... Read More about The SOUX AGN sample: optical/UV/X-ray SEDs and the nature of the disc.

AGN STORM 2. II. Ultraviolet Observations of Mrk 817 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope* (2023)
Journal Article
Homayouni, Y., De Rosa, G., Plesha, R., Kriss, G. A., Barth, A. J., Cackett, E. M., …Zu, Y. (2023). AGN STORM 2. II. Ultraviolet Observations of Mrk 817 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope*. Astrophysical Journal, 948(2), Article 85. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc45a

We present reverberation mapping measurements for the prominent ultraviolet broad emission lines of the active galactic nucleus Mrk 817 using 165 spectra obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. Our ultraviolet obs... Read More about AGN STORM 2. II. Ultraviolet Observations of Mrk 817 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope*.

MIRI/JWST observations reveal an extremely obscured starburst in the z = 6.9 system SPT0311-58 (2023)
Journal Article
Álvarez-Márquez, J., Crespo Gómez, A., Colina, L., Neeleman, M., Walter, F., Labiano, A., …Waelkens, C. (2023). MIRI/JWST observations reveal an extremely obscured starburst in the z = 6.9 system SPT0311-58. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 671, Article A105. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202245400

Luminous infrared starbursts in the early Universe are thought to be the progenitors of massive quiescent galaxies identified at redshifts 2–4. Using the Mid-IRfrared Instrument (MIRI) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we present mid-in... Read More about MIRI/JWST observations reveal an extremely obscured starburst in the z = 6.9 system SPT0311-58.

A Complex Dust Morphology in the High-luminosity AGN Mrk 876 (2023)
Journal Article
Landt, H., Mitchell, J. A., Ward, M. J., Mercatoris, P., Pott, J., Horne, K., …Winkler, H. (2023). A Complex Dust Morphology in the High-luminosity AGN Mrk 876. Astrophysical Journal, 945(1), Article 62. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acb92d

Recent models for the inner structures of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) advocate the presence of a radiatively accelerated dusty outflow launched from the outer regions of the accretion disk. Here, we present the first near-IR variable (rms) spectrum... Read More about A Complex Dust Morphology in the High-luminosity AGN Mrk 876.

The SOUX AGN sample: SDSS–XMM-Newton optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray selected active galactic nuclei spanning a wide range of parameter space – sample definition (2023)
Journal Article
Kynoch, D., Mitchell, J. A. J., Ward, M. J., Done, C., Lusso, E., & Landt, H. (2023). The SOUX AGN sample: SDSS–XMM-Newton optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray selected active galactic nuclei spanning a wide range of parameter space – sample definition. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 520(2), 2781-2805. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad221

We assemble a sample of 696 type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) up to a redshift of z = 2.5, all of which have an SDSS spectrum containing at least one broad emission line (H α, H β, or Mg II) and an XMM-Newton X-ray spectrum containing at least 250... Read More about The SOUX AGN sample: SDSS–XMM-Newton optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray selected active galactic nuclei spanning a wide range of parameter space – sample definition.

The long-term broad-line responsivity in MKN 110 (2022)
Journal Article
Homan, D., Lawrence, A., Ward, M., Bruce, A., Landt, H., MacLeod, C., …Peterson, B. M. (2023). The long-term broad-line responsivity in MKN 110. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 519(2), 1745-1763. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3571

We examine the long-term history of the optical spectrum of the extremely variable Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) MKN 110. By combining various archival data with new data, we cover an unprecedented long period of ∼30 yr (1987–2019). We find that the... Read More about The long-term broad-line responsivity in MKN 110.

The extreme super-eddington NLS1 RX J0134.2-4258 – II. A weak-line Seyfert linking to the weak-line quasar (2022)
Journal Article
Jin, C., Done, C., Ward, M., Panessa, F., Liu, B., & Liu, H. (2023). The extreme super-eddington NLS1 RX J0134.2-4258 – II. A weak-line Seyfert linking to the weak-line quasar. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 518(4), 6065-6082. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3513

Torus and polar dust dependence on active galactic nucleus properties (2022)
Journal Article
García-Bernete, I., González-Martín, O., Ramos Almeida, C., Alonso-Herrero, A., Martínez-Paredes, M., Ward, M. J., …Esparza-Arredondo, D. (2022). Torus and polar dust dependence on active galactic nucleus properties. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 667, 1-43. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202244230

We present a statistical analysis of the properties of the obscuring material around active galactic nuclei (AGN). This study represents the first of its kind for an ultra-hard X-ray (14–195 keV; Swift/BAT), volume-limited (DL <  40 Mpc) sample of 24... Read More about Torus and polar dust dependence on active galactic nucleus properties.

Launching the VASCO Citizen Science Project (2022)
Journal Article
Villarroel, B., Pelckmans, K., Solano, E., Laaksoharju, M., Souza, A., Dom, O. N., …Ward, M. J. (2022). Launching the VASCO Citizen Science Project. Universe, 8(11), Article 561. https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8110561

The Vanishing & Appearing Sources during a Century of Observations (VASCO) project investigates astronomical surveys spanning a time interval of 70 years, searching for unusual and exotic transients. We present herein the VASCO Citizen Science Projec... Read More about Launching the VASCO Citizen Science Project.

A high angular resolution view of the PAH emission in Seyfert galaxies using JWST/MRS data (2022)
Journal Article
García-Bernete, I., Rigopoulou, D., Alonso-Herrero, A., Donnan, F., Roche, P., Pereira-Santaella, M., …Packham, C. (2022). A high angular resolution view of the PAH emission in Seyfert galaxies using JWST/MRS data. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 666, Article L5. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202244806

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carbon-based molecules that are ubiquitous in a variety of astrophysical objects and environments. In this work we use JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of three Seyferts to compare their nuclear PAH emission with... Read More about A high angular resolution view of the PAH emission in Seyfert galaxies using JWST/MRS data.