Olivier Hernandez

Kinemetry of SINS high-redshift star-forming galaxies: distinguishing rotating disks from major mergers

We present a simple set of kinematic criteria that can distinguish between galaxies dominated by ordered rotational motion and those involved in major merger events. Our criteria are based on the dynamics of the warm ionized gas (as traced by Hα) within galaxies, making this analysis accessible to high-redshift systems, whose kinematics are primarily traceable through emission features. Using the method of kinemetry (developed by Krajnovic and coworkers), we quantify asymmetries in both the velocity and velocity dispersion maps of the warm gas, and the resulting criteria enable us to empirically differentiate between nonmerging and merging systems at high redshift. We apply these criteria to 11 of our best-studied rest-frame UV/optical-selected z ~ 2 galaxies for which we have near-infrared integral-field spectroscopic data from SINFONI on the VLT. Of these 11 systems, we find that >50% have kinematics consistent with a single rotating disk interpretation, while the remaining systems are more likely undergoing major mergers. This result, combined with the short formation timescales of these systems, provides evidence that rapid, smooth accretion of gas plays a significant role in galaxy formation at high redshift.

GHASP: an Hα kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies – V. Dark matter distribution in 36 nearby spiral galaxies

The results obtained from a study of the mass distribution of 36 spiral galaxies are presented. The galaxies were observed using Fabry-Perot interferometry as part of the GHASP survey. The main aim of obtaining high resolution H alpha 2D velocity fields is to define more accurately the rising part of the rotation curves which should allow to better constrain the parameters of the mass distribution. The H alpha velocities were combined with low resolution HI data from the literature, when available. Combining the kinematical data with photometric data, mass models were derived from these rotation curves using two different functional forms for the halo: an isothermal sphere and an NFW profile. For the galaxies already modeled by other authors, the results tend to agree. Our results point at the existence of a constant density core in the center of the dark matter halos rather than a cuspy core, whatever the type of the galaxy from Sab to Im. This extends to all types the result already obtained by other authors studying dwarf and LSB galaxies but would necessitate a larger sample of galaxies to conclude more strongly. Whatever model is used (ISO or NFW), small core radius halos have higher central densities, again for all morphological types. We confirm different halo scaling laws, such as the correlations between the core radius and the central density of the halo with the absolute magnitude of a galaxy: low luminosity galaxies have small core radius and high central density. We find that the product of the central density with the core radius of the dark matter halo is nearly constant, whatever the model and whatever the absolute magnitude of the galaxy. This suggests that the halo surface density is independent from the galaxy type.

GHASP: an Hα kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies – VI. New Hα data cubes for 108 galaxies

We present the Fabry-Perot observations obtained for a new set of 108 galaxies in the frame of the Gassendi Ha survey of SPirals (GHASP). The GHASP survey consists of 3D Ha data cubes for 203 spiral and irregular galaxies, covering a large range in morphological types and absolute magnitudes, for kinematics analysis. The new set of data presented here completes the survey. The GHASP sample is by now the largest sample of Fabry-Perot data ever published. The analysis of the whole GHASP sample will be done in forthcoming papers. Using adaptive binning techniques based on Voronoi tessellations, we have derived Ha data cubes from which are computed Ha maps, radial velocity fields as well as residual velocity fields, position-velocity diagrams, rotation curves and the kinematical parameters for almost all galaxies. Original improvements in the determination of the kinematical parameters, rotation curves and their uncertainties have been implemented in the reduction procedure. This new method is based on the whole 2D velocity field and on the power spectrum of the residual velocity field rather than the classical method using successive crowns in the velocity field. Among the results, we point out that morphological position angles have systematically higher uncertainties than kinematical ones, especially for galaxies with low inclination. The morphological inclination of galaxies having no robust determination of their morphological position angle cannot be constrained correctly. Galaxies with high inclination show a better agreement between their kinematical inclination and their morphological inclination computed assuming a thin disc. The consistency of the velocity amplitude of our rotation curves has been checked using the Tully-Fisher relationship. Our data are in good agreement with previous determinations found in the literature. Nevertheless, galaxies with low inclination have statistically higher velocities than expected and fast rotators are less luminous than expected.

Hα kinematics of the SINGS nearby galaxies survey — I

This is the first part of an Halpha kinematics follow-up survey of the SINGS sample. The data for 28 galaxies are presented. The observations were done on three different telescopes with FaNTOmM, an integral field photon counting spectrometer, installed in the respective focal reducer of each telescope. The data reduction was done through a newly built pipeline with the aim of producing the most homogenous data set possible. Adaptive spatial binning was applied to the data cubes in order to get a constant signal-to-noise ratio across the field of view. Radial velocity and monochromatic maps were generated using a new algorithm and the kinematical parameters were derived using tilted-ring models.

A Virgo high-resolution Hα kinematical survey – II. The Atlas

A catalogue of ionized gas velocity fields for a sample of 30 spiral and irregular galaxies of the Virgo cluster has been obtained by using 3D optical data. The aim of this survey is to study the influence of high-density environments on the gaseous kinematics of local cluster galaxies. Observations of the Hα line by means of Fabry–Perot interferometry have been performed at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope, European Southern Observatory 3.6-m telescope, Observatoire de Haute-Provence 1.93-m telescope and Observatoire du mont

Fabry Perot Observations Using a New GaAs Photon Counting System

A third-generation image photon-counting system (IPCS) camera is presented, based on a GaAs photocathode that can achieve a quantum efficiency of up to 23%, which is comparable to a thick CCD but without readout noise. This system is 10 times more sensitive at Hα than previous photon-counting cameras. In terms of signal-to-noise ratio, the system outperforms CCDs for extremely faint fluxes, including antireflection-coated, low-noise, thin CCDs. This system, with up to 1K × 1K pixels, is one of the largest monolithic IPCSs. A unique cooling system, based on a Ranque-Hilsh vortex tube, is used for this camera. Real-time centering is done by a scalable digital signal processor board. Astrophysical projects and preliminary results obtained with this new camera coupled with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer at the Cassegrain focus of the 3.6 m ESO telescope, the 1.93 m Observatoire de Haute Provence telescope, and the 1.6 m Observatoire du Mont Megantic telescope are presented.

Hα kinematics of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey – II★

This is the second part of an H-alpha kinematics follow-up survey of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS) sample. The aim of this program is to shed new light on the role of baryons and their kinematics and on the dark/luminous matter relation in the star forming regions of galaxies, in relation with studies at other wavelengths. The data for 37 galaxies are presented. The observations were made using Fabry-Perot interferometry with the photon-counting camera FaNTOmM on 4 different telescopes, namely the Canada-France-Hawaii 3.6m, the ESO La Silla 3.6m, the William Herschel 4.2m, and the Observatoire du mont Megantic 1.6m telescopes. The velocity fields are computed using custom IDL routines designed for an optimal use of the data. The kinematical parameters and rotation curves are derived using the GIPSY software. It is shown that non-circular motions associated with galactic bars affect the kinematical parameters fitting and the velocity gradient of the rotation curves. This leads to incorrect determinations of the baryonic and dark matter distributions in the mass models derived from those rotation curves.

On the Relevance of the Tremaine-Weinberg Method Applied to an Hα Velocity Field: Pattern Speed Determination in M100 (NGC 4321)

The relevance of the Tremaine-Weinberg (TW) method is tested to measure the bar, spiral and inner structure pattern speeds using a gaseous velocity field. The TW method is applied to various simulated barred galaxies in order to demonstrate its validity in seven different configurations, including star formation or/and dark matter halo. The reliability of the different physical processes involved and of the various observational parameters are also tested. The simulations show that the TW method could be applied to the gaseous velocity fields to get a good estimate of the bar pattern speed, under the condition that regions of shocks are avoided and measurements are confined to regions where the gaseous bar is well formed. We successfully apply the TW method to the \\ha velocity field of the Virgo Cluster Galaxy M100 (NGC 4321) and derive pattern speeds of 55+/-5 km/s/kpc for the nuclear structure, 30+/-2 km/s/kpc for the bar and 20+/-1 km/s/kpc for the spiral pattern, in full agreement with published determinations using the same method or alternative ones.

BHαBAR: big Hα kinematical sample of barred spiral galaxies – I. Fabry–Perot observations of 21 galaxies

The Halpha gas kinematics of twenty-one representative barred spiral galaxies belonging to the BHaBAR sample is presented. The galaxies were observed with FaNTOmM, a Fabry-Perot integral-field spectrometer, on three different telescopes. The 3D data cubes were processed through a robust pipeline with the aim of providing the most homogeneous and accurate dataset possible useful for further analysis. The data cubes were spatially binned to a constant signal-to-noise ratio, typically around 7. Maps of the monochromatic Halpha emission line and of the velocity field were generated and the kinematical parameters were derived for the whole sample using tilted-ring models. The photometrical and kinematical parameters (position angle of the major axis, inclination, systemic velocity and kinematical centre) are in relative good agreement, except maybe for the later-type spirals.

PATTERN SPEEDS OF BARS AND SPIRAL ARMS FROM Hα VELOCITY FIELDS

We have applied the Tremaine-Weinberg method to 10 late-type barred spiral galaxies using data cubes, in Hα emission, from the FaNTOmM and GHAFAS Fabry-Perot spectrometers. We have combined the derived bar (and/or spiral) pattern speeds with angular frequency plots to measure the corotation radii for the bars in these galaxies. We base our results on a combination of this method with a morphological analysis designed to estimate the corotation radius to bar-length ratio using two independent techniques on archival near-infrared images, and although we are aware of the limitation of the application of the Tremaine-Weinberg method using Hα observations, we find consistently excellent agreement between bar and spiral arm parameters derived using different methods. In general, the corotation radius, measured using the Tremaine-Weinberg method, is closely related to the bar length, measured independently from photometry and consistent with previous studies. Our corotation/bar-length ratios and pattern speed values are in good agreement with general results from numerical simulations of bars. In systems with identified secondary bars, we measure higher Hα velocity dispersion in the circumnuclear regions, whereas in all the other galaxies, we detect flat velocity dispersion profiles. In the galaxies where the bar is almost purely stellar, Hα measurements are missing, and the Tremaine-Weinberg method yields the pattern speeds of the spiral arms. The excellent agreement between the Tremaine-Weinberg method results and the morphological analysis and bar parameters in numerical simulations suggests that although the Hα emitting gas does not obey the continuity equation, it can be used to derive the bar pattern speed. In addition, we have analyzed the Hα velocity dispersion maps to investigate signatures of secular evolution of the bars in these galaxies. The increased central velocity dispersion in the galaxies with secondary bars suggests that the formation of inner bars or disks may be a necessary step in the formation of bulges in late-type spiral galaxies.