Brant Robertson

A Unified, Merger-driven Model of the Origin of Starbursts, Quasars, the Cosmic X-Ray Background, Supermassive Black Holes, and Galaxy Spheroids

We present an evolutionary model for starbursts, quasars, and spheroidal galaxies in which mergers between gas-rich galaxies drive nuclear inflows of gas, producing starbursts and feeding the buried growth of supermassive black holes (BHs) until feedback expels gas and renders a briefly visible optical quasar. The quasar lifetime and obscuring column density depend on both the instantaneous and peak quasar luminosity, and we determine this dependence using a large set of galaxy merger simulations varying galaxy properties, orbital geometry, and gas physics. We use these fits to deconvolve observed quasar luminosity functions and obtain the evolution of the formation rate of quasars with peak luminosity, (Lpeak, z). Quasars spend extended periods at luminosities well below peak, so (Lpeak) has a maximum corresponding to the break in the observed luminosity function. From (Lpeak) and our simulations, we obtain self-consistent hard and soft X-ray and optical luminosity functions and predict many observables at multiple redshifts, including column density distributions of optical and X-ray samples, the luminosity function of broad-line quasars in X-ray samples and broad-line fraction versus luminosity, active BH mass functions, the distribution of Eddington ratios, the mass function of relic BHs and total BH mass density, and the cosmic X-ray background. In every case, our predictions agree well with observed estimates, without invoking ad hoc assumptions about source properties or distributions. We provide a library of Monte Carlo realizations of our models for comparison with observations.

A semi-analytic model for the co-evolution of galaxies, black holes and active galactic nuclei

We present a new semi-analytic model that self-consistently traces the growth of supermassive black holes (BH) and their host galaxies within the context of the Lambda cold dark matter (� CDM) cosmological framework. In our model, the energy emitted by accreting black holes regulates the growth of the black holes themselves, drives galactic scale winds that can remove cold gas from galaxies, and produces powerful jets that heat the hot gas atmospheres surrounding groups and clusters. We present a comprehensive comparison of our model predictions with observational measurements of key physical properties of low-redshift galaxies, such as cold gas fractions, stellar metallicities and ages, and specific star formation rates. We find that our new models successfully reproduce the exponential cut-off in the stellar mass function and the stellar and cold gas mass densities at z ∼ 0, and predict that star formation should be largely, but not entirely, quenched in massive galaxies at the present day. We also find that our model of self-regulated BH growth naturally reproduces the observed relation between BH mass and bulge mass. We explore the global formation history of galaxies and black holes in our models, presenting predictions for the cosmic histories of star formation, stellar mass assembly, cold gas and metals. We find that models assuming the ‘concordance’ � CDM cosmology overproduce star formation and stellar mass at high redshift (z 2). A model with less small-scale power predicts less star formation at high redshift, and excellent agreement with the observed stellar mass assembly history, but may have difficulty accounting for the cold gas in quasar absorption systems at high redshift (z ∼ 3–4).

Black Holes in Galaxy Mergers: Evolution of Quasars

Basedonnumericalsimulationsofgas-richgalaxymergers,wediscussamodelinwhichquasaractivityistiedto the self-regulated growth of supermassive black holes in galaxies. The nuclear inflow of gas attending a galaxy collisiontriggersastarburstandfeedsblackholegrowth,butformostofthedurationofthestarburst,theblackhole is ‘‘buried,’’ being heavily obscured by surrounding gas and dust, limiting the visibility of the quasar, especially at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths. As the black hole grows, feedback energy from accretion heats the gas and eventuallyexpelsitinapowerfulwind, leaving behinda‘‘deadquasar.’’Betweenthe buried anddeadphases, there is a window in time during which the galaxy would be seen as a luminous quasar. Because the black hole mass, radiative output, and distribution of obscuring gas and dust all evolve strongly with time, the duration of this phase of observable quasar activity depends on both the waveband and imposed luminosity threshold. We determine the observed and intrinsic lifetimes as a function of luminosity and frequency, and calculate observable lifetimes � 10 Myr for bright quasars in the optical B band, in good agreement with empirical estimates and much smaller than our estimated black hole growth timescales � 100 Myr, naturally producing a substantial population of buried quasars.However,theobservedandintrinsicenergyoutputsconvergeintheIRandhardX-raybandsasattenuation becomes weaker and chances of observation greatly increase. We also obtain the distribution of column densities along sight lines in which the quasar is seen above a given luminosity, and find that our result agrees remarkably well with observed estimates of the column density distribution from the SDSS for the appropriate luminosity thresholds.Ourmodelreproducesawiderangeofquasarphenomena,includingobservedquasarlifetimes,intrinsic lifetimes, column density distributions, and differences between optical and X-ray samples, having properties consistent with observations across more than 5 orders of magnitude in bolometric luminosity from 10 9 to 10 14 L� (� 17PMB P� 30). Subject headingg cosmology: theory — galaxies: active — galaxies: evolution — galaxies: nuclei — quasars: general

The large-scale bias of dark matter halos: numerical calibration and model tests

We measure the clustering of dark matter halos in a large set of collisionless cosmological simulations of the flatCDM cosmology. Halos are identified using the spherical over density algorithm, which finds the mass around isolated peaks in the density field such that the m ean density istimes the background. We calibrate fitting functions for the large scale bias that are adaptable to any value ofwe examine. We find a � 6% scatter about our best fit bias relation. Our fitting functi ons couple to the halo mass functions of Tinker et. al. (2008) such that bias of all dark matter is normalized to unity. We demonstrate that the bias of massive, rare halos is higher than that predicted in the modified ellip soidal collapse model of Sheth, Mo, & Tormen (2001), and approaches the predictions of the spherical collapse model for the rarest halos. Halo bias results based on friends-of-friends halos identified with linking l ength 0.2 are systematically lower than for halos with the canonical � = 200 overdensity by � 10%. In contrast to our previous results on the mass function, we find that the universal bias function evolves very weakly with redshift, if at all. We use our numerical results, both for the mass function and the bias relation, to test the peak- background split model for halo bias. We find that the peak-background split achieves a reasonable agreement with the numerical results, but � 20% residuals remain, both at high and low masses. Subject headings:cosmology:theory — methods:numerical — large scale structure of the universe

A Merger-driven Scenario for Cosmological Disk Galaxy Formation

The hierarchical nature of the ?CDM cosmology poses serious difficulties for the formation of disk galaxies. To help resolve these issues, we describe a new, merger-driven scenario for the cosmological formation of disk galaxies at high redshifts that supplements the standard dissipational collapse model. In this picture, large gaseous disks may be produced from high angular momentum mergers of systems that are gas dominated, i.e., Mgas/(Mgas + M) 0.5 at the height of the merger. Pressurization from the multiphase ISM prevents the complete conversion of gas into stars during the merger, and if enough gas remains to form a disk, the remnant eventually resembles a disk galaxy. We perform numerical simulations of galaxy mergers to study how supernovae feedback strength, black hole feedback, progenitor gas fraction, merger mass ratio, and orbital geometry impact the formation of remnant disks. We find that disks can build angular momentum through mergers and the degree of rotational support of the baryons in the remnant is primarily related to feedback processes associated with star formation. Disk-dominated remnants are restricted to form in mergers that are gas dominated at the time of final coalescence. We also show that the formation of rotationally supported stellar systems in mergers is not restricted to idealized orbits, and both gas-rich major and minor mergers can produce disk-dominated stellar remnants. We suggest that the hierarchical nature of the ?CDM cosmology and the physics of the ISM may act together to form spiral galaxies by building the angular momentum of disks through gas-dominated mergers at high redshifts.

The Kinematic Structure of Merger Remnants

We use numerical simulations to study the kinematic structure of remnants formed from mergers of equal-mass disk galaxies. In particular, we show that remnants of dissipational mergers, which include the radiative cooling of gas, star formation, feedback from supernovae, and the growth of supermassive black holes, are smaller, rounder, have, on average, a larger central velocity dispersion, and show significant rotation compared to remnants of dissipationless mergers. The increased rotation speed of dissipational remnants owes its origin to star formation that occurs in the central regions during the galaxy merger. We have further quantified the anisotropy, three-dimensional shape, minor-axis rotation, and isophotal shape of each merger remnant, finding that dissipational remnants are more isotropic, closer to oblate, have the majority of their rotation along their major axis, and are more disky than dissipationless remnants. Individual remnants display a wide variety of kinematic properties. A large fraction of the dissipational remnants are oblate isotropic rotators. Many dissipational remnants, and all of the dissipationless ones, are slowly rotating and anisotropic. The remnants of gas-rich major mergers can well reproduce the observed distribution of projected ellipticities, rotation parameter (V/?)*, kinematic misalignments, ?, and isophotal shapes. The dissipationless remnants are a poor match to this data. We also investigate the properties of merger remnants as a function of initial disk gas fraction, orbital angular momentum, and the mass of the progenitor galaxies. Our results support the merger hypothesis for the origin of low-luminosity elliptical galaxies provided that the progenitor disks are sufficiently gas-rich, however our remnants are a poor match to the bright ellipticals that are slowly rotating and uniformly boxy.

NEW CONSTRAINTS ON COSMIC REIONIZATION FROM THE 2012 HUBBLE ULTRA DEEP FIELD CAMPAIGN

Understanding cosmic reionization requires the identification and characterization of early sources of hydrogen-ionizing photons. The 2012 Hubble Ultra Deep Field (UDF12) campaign has acquired the deepest infrared images with the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard Hubble Space Telescope and, for the first time, systematically explored the galaxy population deep into the era when cosmic microwave background (CMB) data indicate reionization was underway. The UDF12 campaign thus provides the best constraints to date on the abundance, luminosity distribution, and spectral properties of early star-forming galaxies. We synthesize the new UDF12 results with the most recent constraints from CMB observations to infer redshift-dependent ultraviolet (UV) luminosity densities, reionization histories, and electron scattering optical depth evolution consistent with the available data. Under reasonable assumptions about the escape fraction of hydrogen-ionizing photons and the intergalactic medium clumping factor, we find that to fully reionize the universe by redshift z ~ 6 the population of star-forming galaxies at redshifts z ~ 7-9 likely must extend in luminosity below the UDF12 limits to absolute UV magnitudes of M UV ~ –13 or fainter. Moreover, low levels of star formation extending to redshifts z ~ 15-25, as suggested by the normal UV colors of z ≃ 7-8 galaxies and the smooth decline in abundance with redshift observed by UDF12 to z ≃ 10, are additionally likely required to reproduce the optical depth to electron scattering inferred from CMB observations.

The fundamental scaling relations of elliptical galaxies

We examine the fundamental scaling relations of elliptical galaxies formed through mergers. Using hundreds of simulations to judge the impact of progenitor galaxy properties on the properties of merger remnants, we find that gas dissipation provides an important contribution to tilt in the Fundamental Plane relation. Dissipationless mergers of disks produce remnants that occupy a plane similar to that delineated by the virial relation. As the gas content of progenitor disk galaxies is increased, the ti lt of the resulting Fundamental Plane relation increases and the slope of the Re - M⋆ relation steepens. For gas fractions fgas > 30%, the simulated Fundamental Plane scalings (Re ∝ σ 1.55 I -0.82 e ) approach those observed in the K-band (Re ∝ σ 1.53 I -0.79 e ). The dissipationless merging of spheroidal galaxies and the re-merging of disk galaxy remnants roughly maintain the tilt of the Fundamental Plane occupied by the progenitor ellipticals, approximately independent of the orbital energy or angular momentum. Dry merging of spheroidal systems at redshifts z < 1 is then expected to maintain the stellar-mass Fundamental Plane relations imprinted by gas-rich merging during the epoch of rapid spheroid and supermassive black hole growth at redshifts z ≈ 1 - 3. In our simulations, feedback from supermassive black hole growth has only a minor influence on the stellar-mass sca ling relations of spheroidal galaxies, but may play a role in maintaining the observed Fundamental Plane tilt at optical wavelengths by suppressing residual star formation in merger remnants. We estimate that ≈ 40 - 100% of the Fundamental Plane tilt induced by structural properties, as opposed to stellar population effects, owes to trends in the central total-to-stellar mass ratio Mtotal/M⋆ produced by dissipation. Gas cooling allows for an increase in central s tellar phase-space density relative to dissipationless mergers, thereby decreasing the central Mtotal/M⋆. Lower mass systems obtain greater phase-space densities than higher mass systems, producing a galaxy mass-dependent central Mtotal/M⋆ and a corresponding tilt in the Fundamental Plane. We account for these trends in the importance of dissipation with galaxy mass in terms of the inefficient cooling of collisionally heated gas in massi ve halos and dynamically varying gas consumption timescales in smaller systems.

ARE THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS ON THEIR FIRST PASSAGE ABOUT THE MILKY WAY

Recent proper-motion measurements of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC, respectively) by Kallivayalil and coworkers suggest that the 3D velocities of the Clouds are substantially higher (~100 km s-1) than previously estimated and now approach the escape velocity of the Milky Way (MW). Previous studies have also assumed that the Milky Way can be adequately modeled as an isothermal sphere to large distances. Here we reexamine the orbital history of the Clouds using the new velocities and a ΛCDM-motivated MW model with virial mass Mvir = 1012 M☉ (e.g., Klypin and coworkers). We conclude that the LMC and SMC are either currently on their first passage about the MW or, if the MW can be accurately modeled by an isothermal sphere to distances 200 kpc (i.e., Mvir > 2 × 1012 M☉), that their orbital period and apogalacticon distance must be a factor of 2 larger than previously estimated, increasing to 3 Gyr and 200 kpc, respectively. A first passage scenario is consistent with the fact that the LMC and SMC appear to be outliers when compared to other satellite galaxies of the MW: they are irregular in appearance and are moving faster. We discuss the implications of this orbital analysis for our understanding of the star formation history, the nature of the warp in the MW disk and the origin of the Magellanic Stream (MS), a band of H I gas trailing the LMC and SMC that extends ~100° across the sky. Specifically, as a consequence of the new orbital history of the Clouds, the origin of the MS may not be explainable by current tidal and ram pressure stripping models.

Keck Spectroscopy of 3 < z < 7 Faint Lyman Break Galaxies: The Importance of Nebular Emission in Understanding the Specific Star Formation Rate and Stellar Mass Density

The physical properties inferred from the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of z > 3 galaxies have been influential in shaping our understanding of early galaxy formation and the role galaxies may play in cosmic reionization. Of particular importance is the stellar mass density at early times, which represents the integral of earlier star formation. An important puzzle arising from the measurements so far reported is that the specific star formation rates (sSFRs) evolve far less rapidly than expected in most theoretical models. Yet the observations underpinning these results remain very uncertain, owing in part to the possible contamination of rest-optical broadband light from strong nebular emission lines. To quantify the contribution of nebular emission to broadband fluxes, we investigate the SEDs of 92 spectroscopically confirmed galaxies in the redshift range 3.8 4 than previously thought, supporting up to a 5× increase between z ≃ 2 and 7. Such a trend is much closer to theoretical expectations. Given our findings, we discuss the prospects for verifying quantitatively the nebular emission line strengths prior to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.