Grants related:
General
Starsbursts play a key role in the cosmic evolution of galaxies, and thus in the star formation (SF) history of the universe, the production of metals, and the feedback coupling galaxies with the cosmic web. Extreme SF conditions prevail early on during the formation of the first stars and galaxies, therefore, the starburst phenomenon constitutes a fundamental ingredient of our understanding of the Universe. Starbursts are observed throughout, from the giant HII regions in nearby spirals, to the massive clumps typical of high redshift objects. This project is aimed at carrying out a comprehensive study of the physics of local massive SF regions in order to enlarge our understanding of the most distant galaxies and most extreme starbursts. We combine observational studies (using ground-based and space-borne spectrophotometry) along with our self-consistent theoretical models. Among the observational facilities, the team is directly involved in the development and scientific exploitation of the GTC instruments EMIR and MEGARA, which will become operational during the timespan of the project.
We have structured our research for the next three years around five main objectives:
1) The interplay between massive SF and the interstellar medium within galaxies.
2) Understanding the formation of disk galaxies.
3) The role of the environment on massive SF and the evolution of galaxies.
4) Extreme starbursting in the early Universe.
5) Participation in the science verification and building of new instrumentation.
The main results expected from this project include: i) constraining the chemical evolution of galaxies using a combination of integral-field spectroscopy and fully bi-dimensional models, ii) understanding the role of molecular gas and high-energy background photons on the formation of galaxies, iii) developing a technique to image the cosmic web gas that feeds the starbursts, iv) characterizing the chemical and dynamical properties of the gas that is falling into the galaxies, v) deciphering the different ways in which the environment can affect the SF in star-forming galaxies along cosmic time; paying special attention to the triggering of violent SF bursts in the lowest metallicity galaxies. vi) explaining how very massive and compact starbursts may evolve in the so-called positive feedback mode, accounting for extreme starbursts in local galaxy analogs to the objects present in the primeval universe. vii) understanding the SF in Lya and Ly-break galaxies, viii) constraining the existence of candidate stars analog to PopIII in extremely metal-poor galaxies, both in the local universe and at high redshift, ix) developing the know-how needed for effective use of EMIR and MEGARA. We aim at getting the most from these new instruments by leading science cases during verification phase and later on.
Members
Results
- Local anticorrelation between star formation rate and gas-phase metallicity in disc galaxies Using a representative sample of 14 star-forming dwarf galaxies in the local Universe, we show the existence of a spaxel-to-spaxel anticorrelation between the index N2 ≡ log ([N II]λ 6583/H α ) and the H α flux.
- Discovery of a high-metallicity low mass galaxy, confirming the stochasticity of the cosmic web gas feed star formation
- Pyroclastic Blowout: Dust Survival in Supernovi Events
- A simultaneous search for high-z LAEs and LBGs in the SHARDS survey.We derive redshifts, star formation rates, Lyα equivalent widths, and luminosity functions (LFs). Grouping within our sample is also studied, finding 92 pairs or small groups of galaxies
- A possible binary AGN has been found in Mrk 622.
Scientific activity
Related publications
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An Optical-Near-IR Study of a Triplet of Super Star Clusters in the Starburst Core of M82
We present HST/STIS optical and Gemini/NIFS near-IR IFU spectroscopy and archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the triplet of super star clusters (A1, A2, and A3) in the core of the M82 starburst. Using model fits to the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) spectra and the weakness of red supergiant CO absorption features
Westmoquette, M. S. et al.Advertised on:
72014 -
A fast version of the k-means classification algorithm for astronomical applications
Context. K-means is a clustering algorithm that has been used to classify large datasets in astronomical databases. It is an unsupervised method, able to cope very different types of problems. Aims: We check whether a variant of the algorithm called single pass k-means can be used as a fast alternative to the traditional k-means. Methods: The
Ordovás-Pascual, I. et al.Advertised on:
52014 -
Investigating the sensitivity of observed spectral energy distributions to clumpy torus properties in Seyfert galaxies
We present nuclear spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from 1 to 18 μm of a small sample of nearby, nearly face-on and undisturbed Seyfert galaxies without prominent nuclear dust lanes. These nuclear SEDs probe the central ˜35 pc of the galaxies, on average, and include photometric and spectroscopic infrared (IR) data. We use these SEDs, the
Ramos Almeida, C. et al.Advertised on:
32014 -
Metallicity Inhomogeneities in Local Star-forming Galaxies as a Sign of Recent Metal-poor Gas Accretion
We measure the oxygen metallicity of the ionized gas along the major axis of seven dwarf star-forming galaxies. Two of them, SDSSJ1647+21 and SDSSJ2238+14, show sime0.5 dex metallicity decrements in inner regions with enhanced star formation activity. This behavior is similar to the metallicity drop observed in a number of local tadpole galaxies by
Sánchez Almeida, J. et al.Advertised on:
32014 -
Nuclear Star Formation Activity and Black Hole Accretion in Nearby Seyfert Galaxies
Recent theoretical and observational works indicate the presence of a correlation between the star-formation rate (SFR) and active galactic nucleus (AGN) luminosity (and, therefore, the black hole accretion rate, \dot{M}_BH) of Seyfert galaxies. This suggests a physical connection between the gas-forming stars on kpc scales and the gas on sub-pc
Packham, C. et al.Advertised on:
12014 -
Uncovering the Deeply Embedded Active Galactic Nucleus Activity in the Nuclear Regions of the Interacting Galaxy Arp 299
We present mid-infrared (MIR) 8-13 μm spectroscopy of the nuclear regions of the interacting galaxy Arp 299 (IC 694+NGC 3690) obtained with CanariCam (CC) on the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The high angular resolution (~0.''3-0.''6) of the data allows us to probe nuclear physical scales between 60 and 120 pc, which is a factor of 10
Alonso-Herrero, A. et al.Advertised on:
122013 -
Dusty Supernovae Running the Thermodynamics of the Matter Reinserted within Young and Massive Super Stellar Clusters
Following the observational and theoretical evidence that points at core-collapse supernovae (SNe) as major producers of dust, here we calculate the hydrodynamics of the matter reinserted within young and massive super stellar clusters under the assumption of gas and dust radiative cooling. The large SN rate expected in massive clusters allows for
Tenorio-Tagle, G. et al.Advertised on:
122013 -
The environments of luminous radio galaxies and type-2 quasars
We present the results of a comparison between the environments of (1) a complete sample of 46 southern 2-Jy radio galaxies at intermediate redshifts (0.05 < z < 0.7), (2) a complete sample of 20 radio-quiet type-2 quasars (0.3 ≤ z ≤ 0.41), and (3) a control sample of 107 quiescent early-type galaxies at 0.2 ≤ z < 0.7 in the Extended Groth Strip
Ramos Almeida, C. et al.Advertised on:
122013 -
The Role of the Accretion Disk, Dust, and Jets in the IR Emission of Low-luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei
We use recent high-resolution infrared (IR; 1-20 μm) photometry to examine the origin of the IR emission in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN). The data are compared with published model fits that describe the spectral energy distribution (SED) of LLAGN in terms of an advection-dominated accretion flow, truncated thin accretion disk, and
Mason, R. E. et al.Advertised on:
112013 -
Extremely metal-poor galaxies: The H I content
Context. Extremely metal-poor (XMP) galaxies are chemically, and possibly dynamically, primordial objects in the local Universe. Aims: Our objective is to characterize the H i content of the XMP galaxies as a class, using as a reference the list of 140 known local XMPs compiled by Morales-Luis et al. (2011). Methods: We have observed 29 XMPs, which
Filho, M. E. et al.Advertised on:
102013 -
The XMM-Newton Wide Angle Survey (XWAS)
Aims: This programme is aimed at obtaining one of the largest X-ray selected samples of identified active galactic nuclei to date in order to characterise such a population at intermediate fluxes, where most of the Universe's accretion power originates. We present the XMM-Newton Wide Angle Survey (XWAS), a new catalogue of almost a thousand X-ray
Esquej, P. et al.Advertised on:
92013 -
Massive Clumps in Local Galaxies: Comparisons with High-redshift Clumps
Local UV-bright galaxies in the Kiso survey include clumpy systems with kiloparsec-size star complexes that resemble clumpy young galaxies in surveys at high redshift. We compare clump masses and underlying disks in several dozen galaxies from each of these surveys to the star complexes and disks of normal spirals. Photometry and spectroscopy for
Elmegreen, B. G. et al.Advertised on:
92013 -
X-ray spectral variability of seven LINER nuclei with XMM-Newton and Chandra data
Context. One of the most distinctive features in active galactic nuclei (AGN) is the variability of their emission. Variability has been discovered at X-ray, UV, and radio frequencies on timescales from hours to years. Among the AGN family and according to theoretical studies, low-ionization nuclear emission line region (LINER) nuclei would be
Hernández-García, L. et al.Advertised on:
82013 -
On the nature of the red, 2MASS-selected AGN in the local Universe I: an optical spectroscopic study
We present optical spectra for a representative sample of 27 nearby (z < 0.2) Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) with red near-infrared colours (J - KS ≳ 2.0). The spectra were taken with the ISIS spectrograph on the William Herschel Telescope with the aim of determining the nature of the red 2MASS AGN, in
Rose, M. et al.Advertised on:
72013 -
A Virtual Observatory Census to Address Dwarfs Origins (AVOCADO). I. Science goals, sample selection, and analysis tools
Context. Even though they are by far the most abundant of all galaxy types, the detailed properties of dwarf galaxies are still only poorly characterised - especially because of the observational challenge that their intrinsic faintness and weak clustering properties represent. Aims: AVOCADO aims at establishing firm conclusions on the formation
Sánchez-Janssen, R. et al.Advertised on:
62013 -
The importance of warm, AGN-driven outflows in the nuclear regions of nearby ULIRGs
We present an optical spectroscopic study of a 90 per cent complete sample of nearby ULIRGs (z < 0.175) with optical Seyfert nuclei, with the aim of investigating the nature of the near-nuclear (r ≲ 3.5 kpc) warm gas outflows. A high proportion (94 per cent) of our sample show disturbed emission line kinematics in the form of broad (FWHM > 500 km s
Rodríguez-Zaurín, J. et al.Advertised on:
62013 -
Kinematics of Arp 270: gas flows, nuclear activity and two regimes of star formation
We have observed the Arp 270 system (NGC 3395 and NGC 3396) in Hα emission using the Galaxy Hα Fabry-Perot spectrometer on the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope (La Palma). In NGC 3396, which is edge-on to us, we detect gas inflow towards the centre, and also axially confined opposed outflows, characteristic of galactic superwinds, and we go on to
Zaragoza-Cardiel, J. et al.Advertised on:
62013 -
Dust in active galactic nuclei. Mid-infrared T-ReCS/Gemini spectra using the new RedCan pipeline
Context. The unified model of active galactic nuclei (AGN) claims that the properties of AGN depend on the viewing angle of the observer with respect to a toroidal distribution of dust surrounding the nucleus. Both the mid-infrared (MIR) attenuation and continuum luminosity are expected to be related to dust associated with the torus. Therefore
González-Martín, O. et al.Advertised on:
52013 -
Estimations of the magnetic field strength in the torus of IC 5063 using near-infrared polarimetry
An optically and geometrically thick torus obscures the central engine of active galactic nuclei (AGN) from some lines of sight. From a magnetohydrodynamical framework, the torus can be considered to be a particular region of clouds surrounding the central engine where the clouds are dusty and optically thick. In this framework, the magnetic field
Lopez-Rodriguez, E. et al.Advertised on:
52013 -
Local Tadpole Galaxies: Dynamics and Metallicity
Tadpole galaxies, with a bright peripheral clump on a faint tail, are morphological types unusual in the nearby universe but very common early on. Low mass local tadpoles were identified and studied photometrically in a previous work, which we complete here analyzing their chemical and dynamical properties. We measure Hα velocity curves of seven
Elmegreen, D. M. et al.Advertised on:
42013
