Recent Talks
List of all the talks in the archive, sorted by date.
Abstract
Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the central few tens of parsec region of some of the nearest active galactic nuclei (AGN) are presented. Peering into the nucleus at these scales, it is found that the intrinsic shape of the spectral energy distribution of an AGN and inferred bolometric luminosity largely depart from those currently on use, mostly extracted from low resolution data. The shape of the SED is different and the AGN luminosities can be overestimated by up to two orders of magnitude if relying on IR satellite data.Although the shape of these SEDs are currently limited by the availability of high angular resolution data beyond ~20 μ, a prediction from this work is that a major contribution from cold dust below 100 K to these cores is not expected. Over the nine orders of magnitude in frequency covered by these SEDs, the power stored in the IR bump is by far the most energetic fraction of the total energy budget in these cores, accounting for more than 70% of the total.
Abstract
El curso tendrá un carácter eminentemente práctico. Tras una breve serie de presentaciones sobre el proyecto Observatorio Virtual y las herramientas de análisis existentes se procederá al desarrollo de casos científicos reales utilizando una metodología VO. El desarrollo de estos casos científicos se realizará bajo la supervisión de personal del Observatorio Virtual Español.
Abstract
El curso tendrá un carácter eminentemente práctico. Tras una breve serie de presentaciones sobre el proyecto Observatorio Virtual y las herramientas de análisis existentes se procederá al desarrollo de casos científicos reales utilizando una metodología VO. El desarrollo de estos casos científicos se realizará bajo la supervisión de personal del Observatorio Virtual Español.
Abstract
El curso tendrá un carácter eminentemente práctico. Tras una breve serie de presentaciones sobre el proyecto Observatorio Virtual y las herramientas de análisis existentes se procederá al desarrollo de casos científicos reales utilizando una metodología VO. El desarrollo de estos casos científicos se realizará bajo la supervisión de personal del Observatorio Virtual Español.
Abstract
Despite speculation that both starburst and nuclear activity in galaxies may be intimately linked via the common triggering mechanism of mergers and interactions, very little is known about the true nature of the link. Thus, the role of AGN in the formation and evolution of galaxies is still not well established. I will present deep Gemini/GMOS imaging observations which are used to investigate the triggering mechanism(s) in a complete sample of radio-loud AGN for which, uniquely, we have quantified the level of both the AGN and star formation activity. I will show results on the proportion of powerful radio galaxies triggered in galaxy mergers and also on the link between the degree of star formation/AGN activity and the interaction status of the host galaxies.
Abstract
El curso tendrá un carácter eminentemente práctico. Tras una breve serie de presentaciones sobre el proyecto Observatorio Virtual y las herramientas de análisis existentes se procederá al desarrollo de casos científicos reales utilizando una metodología VO. El desarrollo de estos casos científicos se realizará bajo la supervisión de personal del Observatorio Virtual Español.
Abstract
El curso tendrá un carácter eminentemente práctico. Tras una breve serie de presentaciones sobre el proyecto Observatorio Virtual y las herramientas de análisis existentes se procederá al desarrollo de casos científicos reales utilizando una metodología VO. El desarrollo de estos casos científicos se realizará bajo la supervisión de personal del Observatorio Virtual Español.
Abstract
We present the results of our systematic search for optically elusive, but intrinsically luminous buried AGNs in >100 nearby (z < 0.3) luminous infrared galaxies with L(IR) > 1011 L⊙, classified optically as non-Seyferts. To disentangle AGNs and stars, we have performed (1) infrared 2.5-35 μ low-resolution (R ~ 100) spectroscopy using Subaru, AKARI, and Spitzer, to estimate the strengths of PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) emission and dust absorption features, (2) high-spatial-resolution infrared 20 micron imaging observations using Subaru and Gemini, to constrain the emission surface brightnesses of energy sources, and (3) millimeter interferometric measurements of molecular gas flux ratios, which reflect the physical and chemical effects from AGNs and stars. Overall, all methods provided consistent pictures. We found that the energetic importance of buried AGNs is relatively higher in galaxies with higher infrared luminosities (where more stars will be formed), suggesting that AGN-starburst connections are luminosity dependent. Our results might be related to the AGN feedback scenario as the possible origin of the galaxy down-sizing phenomenon.
Abstract
Up to now more than 400 extrasolar planets have been discovered, about 60 of them are transiting. Transiting extra-solar planets are particularly interesting, because their masses, diameters, densities and orientations of their orbits can be determined. Observations with the CoRoT Satellite have now turned up 10 transiting extrasolar planets. Although most of them are gas giants, it turns out that each of them is very special, and many of them have surprising properties. An unexpected discovery was for example the detection of emission lines from CoRoT 1b. Other interesting discoveries are CoRoT 2b, a planet orbiting a young star, and CoRoT 3b the first transiting brown dwarf orbiting a main sequence star. While the detection of transiting gas giants is interesting, the ultimate goal of CoRoT clearly was the detection of rocky planets. CoRoT has detected a solar-like star which shows transits that are only 0.03% deep. In this talk it it is demonstrated that this planet is in fact the first planet found outside our solar system from which we can firmly say that it is a rocky planet. New observations of this interesting object even constrain the properties of its exosphere.
Abstract
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) has been observing the southern sky in the millimeter range with an angular resolution at the arc-minute level. An analysis of 228 square degrees observed at 148 GHz along a stripe centered at declination -53 degrees reveals the presence of the Silk damping tail in the temperature angular power spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). This decaying tail becomes truncated by a rising spectrum at scales corresponding to few arcmins (l ~ 3000) whose origin is compatible with a unclustered population of unresolved point sources and some residual anisotropy due to Compton scattering of CMB photons off free electrons (the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect). Comparisons with other observations and constraints on different components giving rise to this secondary spectrum are discussed.Upcoming talks
- Dark Matter and the 511 keV Line: Clues from the Galactic CentreDr. Pedro José de La TorreThursday June 19, 2025 - 10:30 GMT+1 (Aula)
- Ultraprecision Machining of Large Aperture Mirrors Using Robot-Enabled CCOS and MRF for Astronomical Telescopes and Space InstrumentationMonday June 23, 2025 - 10:00 GMT+1 (Aula)
Recent Colloquia
Recent Talks
