We present a multiwavelength study of the OH Megamaser galaxy (OHMG) IRAS16399-0937, based on new HST/ACS F814W and H$alpha$+[NII] images and archive data from HST, 2MASS, Spitzer, Herschel and the VLA. This system has a double nucleus, whose norther
n (IRAS16399N) and southern (IRAS16399S) components have a projected separation of $sim$ 6 (3.4 kpc) and have previously been identified based on optical spectra as a Low Ionization Nuclear Emission Line Region (LINER) and starburst nucleus, respectively. The nuclei are embedded in a tidally distorted common envelope, in which star formation is mostly heavily obscured. The infrared spectrum is dominated by strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), but deep silicate and molecular absorption features are also present, and are strongest in the IRAS16399N nucleus. The 0.435 - 500$mu$m SED was fitted with a model including stellar, ISM and AGN torus components using our new MCMC code, clumpyDREAM. The results indicate that the IRAS16399N contains an AGN (L$_{bol} sim 10^{44}$ ergs/s) deeply embedded in a quasi-spherical distribution of optically-thick clumps with a covering fraction $approx1$. We suggest that these clumps are the source of the OHM emission in IRAS16399-0937. The high torus covering fraction precludes AGN-photoionization as the origin of the LINER spectrum, however, the spectrum is consistent with shocks (v $sim100-200$ km s$^{-1}$). We infer that the $sim10^8$ M$_{odot}$ black-hole in IRAS16399N is accreting at a small fraction ($sim1$%) of its Eddington rate. The low accretion-rate and modest nuclear SFRs suggest that while the gas-rich major merger forming the IRAS16399-0937 system has triggered widespread star formation, the massive gas inflows expected from merger simulations have not yet fully developed.
The coalescence of a binary black hole can be accompanied by a large gravitational recoil due to anisotropic emission of gravitational waves. A recoiling supermassive black hole (SBH) can subsequently undergo long-lived oscillations in the potential
well of its host galaxy, suggesting that offset SBHs may be common in the cores of massive ellipticals. We have analyzed HST archival images of 14 nearby core ellipticals, finding evidence for small ($lesssim 10$ pc) displacements between the AGN (locating the SBH) and the center of the galaxy (the mean photocenter) in 10 of them. Excluding objects that may be affected by large-scale isophotal asymmetries, we consider six galaxies to have detected displacements, including M87, where a displacement was previously reported by Batcheldor et al. 2010. In individual objects, these displacements can be attributed to residual gravitational recoil oscillations following a major or minor merger within the last few Gyr. For plausible merger rates, however, there is a high probability of larger displacements than those observed, if SBH coalescence took place in these galaxies. Remarkably, the AGN-photocenter displacements are approximately aligned with the radio source axis in four of the six galaxies with displacements, including three of the four having relatively powerful kpc-scale jets. This suggests intrinsic asymmetries in radio jet power as a possible displacement mechanism, although approximate alignments are also expected for gravitational recoil. Orbital motion in SBH binaries and interactions with massive perturbers can produce the observed displacement amplitudes but do not offer a ready explanation for the alignments.
It is now well established that at a superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) interface an unconventional superconducting state arises in which the pairing state is odd-frequency. The hallmark signature of this superconducting state is generally understood t
o be an enhancement of the electronic density of states (DoS) at subgap energies close to the S/F interface. However, here we show that an odd frequency state can be present even if the DoS is fully gapped. As an example, we show that this is the case in the pioneering S/FI (where FI is a insulating ferromagnet) tunneling experiments of Meservey and Tedrow, and we derive a generalized analytical criterium to describe the effect of odd-frequency pairing on the DoS. Finally, we propose a simple experiment in which odd-frequency pairing in a Zeeman-split superconductor can be unambiguously detected via the application of an external magnetic field.
Identifying materials and devices which offer efficient thermoelectric effects at low temperature is a major obstacle for the development of thermal management strategies for low-temperature electronic systems. Superconductors cannot offer a solution
since their near perfect electron-hole symmetry leads to a negligible thermoelectric response; however, here we demonstrate theoretically a superconducting thermoelectric transistor which offers unparalleled figures of merit of up to $sim 45$ and Seebeck coefficients as large as a few mV/K at sub-Kelvin temperatures. The device is also phase-tunable meaning its thermoelectric response for power generation can be precisely controlled with a small magnetic field. Our concept is based on a superconductor-normal metal-superconductor interferometer in which the normal metal weak-link is tunnel coupled to a ferromagnetic insulator and a Zeeman split superconductor. Upon application of an external magnetic flux, the interferometer enables phase-coherent manipulation of thermoelectric properties whilst offering efficiencies which approach the Carnot limit.
The nuclei of Seyfert 1 galaxies exhibit a range of optical polarization characteristics that can be understood in terms of two scattering regions producing orthogonal polarizations: an extended polar scattering region (PSR) and a compact equatorial
scattering region (ESR), located within the circum-nuclear torus. Here we present NICMOS 2.0 micron imaging polarimetry of 6 polar scattered Seyfert 1 (S1) galaxies, in which the PSR dominates the optical polarization. The unresolved nucleus (<0.58 arcsec) is significantly polarized in only three objects, but 5 of the 6 exhibit polarization in a 0.58 to 1.5 arcsec circum-nuclear annulus. In Fairall 51 and ESO 323-G077, the polarization position angle at 2 microns (theta2m) is consistent with the average for the optical spectrum (thetav), implying that the nuclear polarization is dominated by polar scattering at both wavelengths. The same is probably true for NGC 3227. In both NGC 4593 and Mrk 766, there is a large difference between theta2m and thetav off nucleus, where polar scattering is expected to dominate. This may be due to contamination by interstellar polarization in NGC 4593, but there is no clear explanation in the case of the strongly polarized Mrk 766. Lastly, in Mrk 1239, a large change (~ 60deg) in theta2m between the nucleus and the annulus indicates that the unresolved nucleus and its immediate surroundings have different polarization states at 2 microns, which we attribute to the ESR and PSR, respectively. A further implication is that the source of the scattered 2 micron emission in the unresolved nucleus is the accretion disk, rather than torus hot dust emission.
Isophotal analysis of M87, using data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys, reveals a projected displacement of 6.8 +/- 0.8 pc (~ 0.1 arcsec) between the nuclear point source (presumed to be the location of the supermassive black hole, SMBH) and the
photo-center of the galaxy. The displacement is along a position angle of 307 +/- 17 degrees and is consistent with the jet axis. This suggests the active SMBH in M87 does not currently reside at the galaxy center of mass, but is displaced in the counter-jet direction. Possible explanations for the displacement include orbital motion of an SMBH binary, gravitational perturbations due to massive objects (e.g., globular clusters), acceleration by an asymmetric or intrinsically one-sided jet, and gravitational recoil resulting from the coalescence of an SMBH binary. The displacement direction favors the latter two mechanisms. However, jet asymmetry is only viable, at the observed accretion rate, for a jet age of >0.1 Gyr and if the galaxy restoring force is negligible. This could be the case in the low density core of M87. A moderate recoil ~1 Myr ago might explain the disturbed nature of the nuclear gas disk, could be aligned with the jet axis, and can produce the observed offset. Alternatively, the displacement could be due to residual oscillations resulting from a large recoil that occurred in the aftermath of a major merger any time in the last 1 Gyr.
We present models representing the scattering of quasar radiation off free electrons and dust grains in geometries that approximate the structure of quasar host galaxies. We show that, for reasonable assumptions, scattering alone can easily produce r
atios of nuclear (point source) to extended fluxes comparable to those determined in studies of quasar hosts. This result suggests that scattered quasar light, as well as stellar emission from the host galaxy, contributes significantly to the detected extended flux, leading to uncertainty in the inferred properties of quasar host. A significant contribution from scattered quasar light will lead to overestimates of the luminosity and hence mass of the host galaxy, and may also distort its morphology. Scattering of quasar light within the host galaxy may provide alternative explanations for the apparent peak in host luminosity at z = 2-3; possibly the overall average higher luminosity of radio-loud host galaxies relative to those of radio-quiet quasars (RQQs), and the apparent preference of high-luminosity RQQs for spheroidal rather than disk galaxies.
We report a direct correlation between carrier mobility and Raman topography of epitaxial graphene (EG) grown on silicon carbide (SiC). We show the Hall mobility of material on the Si-face of SiC [SiC(0001)] is not only highly dependent on thickness
uniformity but also on monolayer strain uniformity. Only when both thickness and strain are uniform over a significant fraction (> 40%) of the device active area does the mobility exceed 1000 cm2/V-s. Additionally, we achieve high mobility epitaxial graphene (18,100 cm2/V-s at room temperature) on the C-face of SiC [SiC(000-1)] and show that carrier mobility depends strongly on the graphene layer stacking. These findings provide a means to rapidly estimate carrier mobility and provide a guide to achieve very high mobility in epitaxial graphene. Our results suggest that ultra-high mobilities (>50,000 cm2/V-s) are achievable via the controlled formation of uniform, rotationally faulted epitaxial graphene.
