Host galaxy of low-luminosity compact sources

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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä

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en

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Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 689

Abstract

The term 'active galactic nuclei'(AGN) is applied to a huge variety of objects, classified on the basis of their properties at different wavelengths. Peaked sources (PSs) represent a class of AGN at the first stage of evolution, characterised by a peaked radio spectrum. Among these radio sources, low-luminosity compact (LLC) sources can be identified as PSs accreting with a high Eddington rate, harbouring low-power jets, and hosting low-mass black holes. These properties are also shared by narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s). In 2016, LLCs were hypothesised to be the parent population of NLS1s with a flat radio spectrum (F-NLS1s), suggesting that the former may be the same objects as the latter but, instead, seen at a higher inclination. Based on radio luminosity functions and optical spectra analysis, ten LLCs were identified as valid F-NLS1s candidates. To account for the missing piece to the puzzle and verifying whether these LLCs could be hosted in late-type galaxies as NLS1s, we performed a photometric decomposition of their Pan-STARRS1 images in all five filters. We used the 2D fitting algorithm GALFIT for the single-band analysis and its extension GALFITM for the multi-band analysis. Considering that the morphological type and the structural parameters of the host may be dependent on the wavelength, we found six out of ten LLCs hosted in late-type galaxies, probably with pseudo-bulges, along with three point-like sources and one object of an uncertain classification. Although this study is based on a small sample, it represents the first morphological analysis of LLC host galaxies. These results confirm the trend observed in NLS1s, indicating late-type and disc-like host galaxies for LLCs and supporting the validity of the parent population scenario.

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Publisher Copyright: © The Authors 2024.

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Citation

Vietri, A, Berton, M, Järvelä, E, Kunert-Bajraszewska, M, Ciroi, S, Varglund, I, Dalla Barba, B, Sani, E & Crepaldi, L 2024, 'Host galaxy of low-luminosity compact sources', Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 689, A123. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202449247