Professor Martin Ward's Outputs (346)

The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). VII. The 20–214 μ m Imaging Atlas of Active Galactic Nuclei Using SOFIA (2025)
Journal Article
Fuller, L., Lopez-Rodriguez, E., García-Bernete, I., Ramos Almeida, C., Alonso-Herrero, A., Packham, C., Zhang, L., Leist, M., Levenson, N. A., Imanishi, M., Hoenig, S., Stalevski, M., Ricci, C., Hicks, E., Bellocchi, E., Combes, F., Davies, R., García Burillo, S., González Martín, O., Izumi, T., …Ward, M. (2025). The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). VII. The 20–214 μ m Imaging Atlas of Active Galactic Nuclei Using SOFIA. The Astrophysical Journal, 276(2), Article 64. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ad9907

We present a 19.7–214 μm imaging atlas of local (4–181 Mpc; median 43 Mpc) active galactic nuclei (AGN) observed with FORCAST and HAWC+ on board the SOFIA telescope with angular resolutions ~3″–20″. This atlas comprises 22 Seyferts (17 Type 2 and fiv... Read More about The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). VII. The 20–214 μ m Imaging Atlas of Active Galactic Nuclei Using SOFIA.

The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): V. Unveiling PAH survival and resilience in the circumnuclear regions of AGNs with JWST (2024)
Journal Article
García-Bernete, I., Rigopoulou, D., Donnan, F. . R., Alonso-Herrero, A., Pereira-Santaella, M., Shimizu, T., Davies, R., Roche, P. . F., García-Burillo, S., Labiano, A., Hermosa Muñoz, L., Zhang, L., Audibert, A., Bellocchi, E., Bunker, A., Combes, F., Delaney, D., Esparza-Arredondo, D., Gandhi, P., González-Martín, O., …Ward, M. J. (2024). The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): V. Unveiling PAH survival and resilience in the circumnuclear regions of AGNs with JWST. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 691, Article A162. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202450086

This study analyses JWST MIRI/MRS observations of the infrared (IR) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bands in the nuclear (∼0.4″ at 11 μm; ∼75 pc) and circumnuclear regions (inner ∼kpc) of local active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Galactic Ac... Read More about The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS): V. Unveiling PAH survival and resilience in the circumnuclear regions of AGNs with JWST.

Hubble Space Telescope observations of nearby type 1 quasars. I. Characterization of the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission (2024)
Journal Article
Trindade Falcão, A., Kraemer, S. B., Fischer, T. C., Schmitt, H. R., Feuillet, L., Crenshaw, D. M., Revalski, M., Maksym, W. P., Vestergaard, M., Elvis, M., Gaskell, C. M., Ho, L. C., Netzer, H., Storchi-Bergmann, T., Turner, T. J., & Ward, M. J. (2024). Hubble Space Telescope observations of nearby type 1 quasars. I. Characterization of the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 535(1), 621-633. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae2412

We use the Hubble Space Telescope to analyse the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission in seven bright radio-quiet type 1 quasars (QSO1s), focusing on the morphology and physical conditions of their extended Narrow-Line Regions (NLRs). We find NLRs extend... Read More about Hubble Space Telescope observations of nearby type 1 quasars. I. Characterization of the extended [O iii] 5007 Å emission.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission in the Central Regions of Three Seyferts and the Implication for Underlying Feedback Mechanisms (2024)
Journal Article
Zhang, L., García-Bernete, I., Packham, C., Donnan, F. R., Rigopoulou, D., Hicks, E. K. S., Davies, R. I., Shimizu, T. T., Alonso-Herrero, A., Ramos Almeida, C., Pereira-Santaella, M., Ricci, C., Bunker, A. J., Leist, M. T., Rosario, D. J., García-Burillo, S., Hermosa Muñoz, L., Combes, F., Imanishi, M., Labiano, A., …Ward, M. J. (2024). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission in the Central Regions of Three Seyferts and the Implication for Underlying Feedback Mechanisms. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 975(1), L2. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad81d0

We analyze JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument/Medium Resolution Spectrograph integral field unit observations of three Seyferts from the Galactic Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS) and showcase the intriguing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)... Read More about Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission in the Central Regions of Three Seyferts and the Implication for Underlying Feedback Mechanisms.

MICONIC: JWST/MIRI MRS observations of the nuclear and circumnuclear regions of Mrk 231 (2024)
Journal Article
Alonso Herrero, A., Hermosa Muñoz, L., Labiano, A., Guillard, P., Buiten, V. . A., Dicken, D., van der Werf, P., Álvarez-Márquez, J., Böker, T., Colina, L., Eckart, A., García-Marín, M., Jones, O. C., Pantoni, L., Pérez-González, P. G., Rouan, D., Ward, M. J., Baes, M., Östlin, G., Royer, P., …van Dishoeck, E. F. (2024). MICONIC: JWST/MIRI MRS observations of the nuclear and circumnuclear regions of Mrk 231. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 690, Article A95. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202450071

We present JWST/MIRI MRS spatially resolved ∼5 − 28 μm observations of the central ∼4 − 8 kpc of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy and broad absorption line quasar Mrk 231. These are part of the Mid-Infrared Characterization of Nearby Iconic galaxy C... Read More about MICONIC: JWST/MIRI MRS observations of the nuclear and circumnuclear regions of Mrk 231.

The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). IV. Exploring Ionized Gas Outflows in Central Kiloparsec Regions of GATOS Seyferts (2024)
Journal Article
Zhang, L., Packham, C., Hicks, E. K. S., Davies, R. I., Shimizu, T. T., Alonso-Herrero, A., Hermosa Muñoz, L., García-Bernete, I., Pereira-Santaella, M., Audibert, A., López-Rodríguez, E., Bellocchi, E., Bunker, A. J., Combes, F., Díaz-Santos, T., Gandhi, P., García-Burillo, S., García-Lorenzo, B., González-Martín, O., Imanishi, M., …Rouan, D. (2024). The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). IV. Exploring Ionized Gas Outflows in Central Kiloparsec Regions of GATOS Seyferts. Astrophysical Journal, 974(2), 195. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad6a4b

Utilizing JWST MIRI/Medium Resolution Spectrograph integral field unit observations of the kiloparsec-scale central regions, we showcase the diversity of ionized gas distributions and kinematics in six nearby Seyfert galaxies included in the GATOS su... Read More about The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). IV. Exploring Ionized Gas Outflows in Central Kiloparsec Regions of GATOS Seyferts.

GATOS: missing molecular gas in the outflow of NGC 5728 revealed by JWST (2024)
Journal Article
Davies, R., Shimizu, T., Pereira-Santaella, M., Alonso-Herrero, A., Audibert, A., Bellocchi, E., Boorman, P., Campbell, S., Cao, Y., Combes, F., Delaney, D., Díaz-Santos, T., Eisenhauer, F., Esparza Arredondo, D., Feuchtgruber, H., Förster Schreiber, N. M., Fuller, L., Gandhi, P., García-Bernete, I., García-Burillo, S., …Zhang, L. (2024). GATOS: missing molecular gas in the outflow of NGC 5728 revealed by JWST. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 689, Article A263. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202449875

The ionisation cones of NGC 5728 have a deficit of molecular gas based on millimetre observations of CO (2-1) emission. Although photoionisation from the active nucleus may lead to suppression of this transition, warm molecular gas can still be prese... Read More about GATOS: missing molecular gas in the outflow of NGC 5728 revealed by JWST.

MIDIS: Unveiling the Role of Strong Hα Emitters During the Epoch of Reionization with JWST (2024)
Journal Article
Rinaldi, P., Caputi, K. I., Iani, E., Costantin, L., Gillman, S., Perez Gonzalez, P. G., Östlin, G., Colina, L., Greve, T. R., Nørgard-Nielsen, H. U., Wright, G. S., Álvarez-Márquez, J., Eckart, A., García-Marín, M., Hjorth, J., Ilbert, O., Kendrew, S., Labiano, A., Le Fèvre, O., Pye, J., …Dayal, P. (2024). MIDIS: Unveiling the Role of Strong Hα Emitters During the Epoch of Reionization with JWST. Astrophysical Journal, 969(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad4147

By using an ultradeep JWST/MIRI image at 5.6 μm in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field, we constrain the role of strong Hα emitters (HAEs) during “cosmic reionization” at z ≃ 7-8. Our sample of HAEs is comprised of young (<35 Myr) galaxies, except for one...

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. (2024). Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed?. International Journal of Astrobiology, 23, 1-20. 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., Horne, K., Kara, E. A., Landt, H., Arav, N., Boizelle, B. D., Bentz, M. C., Brink, T. G., Brotherton, M. S., Chelouche, D., Dalla Bontà, E., Dehghanian, M., Du, P., Ferland, G. J., Ferrarese, L., …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*.