We report the results of a pilot study that searched for dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) in local ( z < 0.25) galaxies hosting double-peaked narrow emission lines in their optical spectra. We present high-resolution L -band (1.5 GHz or 18 cm) continuum images from the Very Long Baseline Array as well as WFC3/IR F160W images from the Hubble Space Telescope of two candidate dual AGN systems: J0948+6848 and J1223+5409. In both targets, we detected compact nonthermal radio emission that is approximately cospatial with the near-infrared AGN. Both systems host two high brightness temperature (>10 ^8 K) radio sources that indicate the presence of either a parsec-scale-separation dual AGN ( d _sep ∼ 90 and ∼56 pc, respectively) or a radio jet. Matched-resolution multiband radio observations are necessary to further characterize the AGN activity in these systems.

Compact Obscured Nuclei (CONs) are heavily obscured infrared cores that have been found in local (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs). They show bright emission from vibrationally excited rotational transitions of HCN, known as HCN-vib, and are thought to harbor Compton Thick (CT, N_H≥ 10^24 cm^-2) active galactic nuclei (AGN) or extreme compact starbursts. We explore the potential evolutionary link between CONs and CT AGN by searching for CONs in hard X-ray-confirmed CT AGN from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). Here, we present new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 6 observations that targeted HCN-vib emission in four hard X-ray-confirmed CT AGN. We analyze these objects together with literature HCN-vib measurements of five additional hard X-ray-confirmed CT AGN from the GOALS sample. We do not detect any CONs in this combined sample of nine CT AGN. We then explore a proposed evolutionary sequence in which CONs evolve into X-ray-detectable CT AGN once outflows and feedback reduce the column densities of the enshrouding gas. We find, however, no evidence of well-developed dense molecular outflows in the observed CT AGN. While this could suggest that CT AGN are not universally linked to CONs, it could also be explained by a short duty cycle for molecular outflows.

Compact obscured nuclei (CONs) are heavily obscured infrared cores that have been found in local (ultra-)luminous infrared galaxies. They show bright emission from vibrationally excited rotational transitions of HCN, known as HCN-vib, and are thought to harbor Compton-thick (CT, N _H ≥ 10 ^24 cm ^−2 ) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) or extreme compact starbursts. We explore the potential evolutionary link between CONs and CT-AGNs by searching for CONs in hard-X-ray-confirmed CT-AGNs from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). Here, we present new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 6 observations that targeted HCN-vib emission in four hard-X-ray-confirmed CT-AGNs. We analyze these objects together with literature HCN-vib measurements of five additional hard-X-ray-confirmed CT-AGNs from the GOALS sample. We do not detect any CONs in this combined sample of nine CT-AGNs. We then explore a proposed evolutionary sequence in which CONs evolve into X-ray-detectable CT-AGNs once outflows and feedback reduce the column densities of the enshrouding gas. We find, however, no evidence of well-developed dense molecular outflows in the observed CT-AGNs. While this could suggest that CT-AGNs are not universally linked to CONs, it could also be explained by a short duty cycle for molecular outflows.

We report on the final two days of a multiwavelength campaign of Sgr A* observing in the radio, submillimeter, infrared (IR), and X-ray bands in 2019 July. Sgr A* was remarkably active, showing multiple flaring events across the electromagnetic spectrum. We detect a transient ∼35 minute periodicity feature in Spitzer light curves on 2019 July 21. Time-delayed emission was detected in Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array light curves, suggesting a hotspot within the accretion flow on a stable orbit. On the same night, we observe a decreased flux in the submillimeter light curve following an X-ray flare detected by Chandra , and we model the feature with an adiabatically expanding synchrotron hotspot occulting the accretion flow. The event is produced by a plasma 0.55 R S in radius with an electron spectrum p = 2.84. It is threaded by a ∼130 Gauss magnetic field and expands at 0.6% the speed of light. Finally, we reveal an unambiguous flare in the IR, submillimeter, and radio, demonstrating that the variable emission is intrinsically linked. We jointly fit the radio and submillimeter light curves using an adiabatically expanding synchrotron hotspot and find it is produced by a plasma with an electron spectrum p = 0.59, 187 Gauss magnetic field, and radius 0.47 R S that expands at 0.029 c . In both cases, the uncertainty in the appropriate lower and upper electron energy bounds may inflate the derived equipartition field strengths by a factor of 2 or more. Our results confirm that both synchrotron- and adiabatic-cooling processes are involved in the variable emission’s evolution at submillimeter and IR wavelengths.

We describe the calibration and imaging heuristics developed and deployed in the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) interferometric data processing pipeline, as of ALMA Cycle 9 operations. The pipeline software framework is written in Python, with each data reduction stage layered on top of tasks and toolkit functions provided by the Common Astronomy Software Applications package. This framework supports a variety of tasks for observatory operations, including science data quality assurance, observing mode commissioning, and user reprocessing. It supports ALMA and Very Large Array interferometric data along with ALMA and NRO 45 m single dish data, via different stages and heuristics. In addition to producing calibration tables, calibrated measurement sets, and cleaned images, the pipeline creates a WebLog which serves as the primary interface for verifying the quality assurance of the data by the observatory and for examining the contents of the data by the user. Following the adoption of the pipeline by ALMA Operations in 2014, the heuristics have been refined through annual prioritized development cycles, culminating in a new pipeline release aligned with the start of each ALMA Cycle of observations. Initial development focused on basic calibration and flagging heuristics (Cycles 2–3), followed by imaging heuristics (Cycles 4–5). Further refinement of the flagging and imaging heuristics, including the introduction of parallel processing, proceeded for Cycles 6–7. In the 2020 release, the algorithm to identify channels to use for continuum subtraction and imaging was substantially improved by the addition of a moment difference analysis. A spectral renormalization stage was added for the 2021 release (Cycle 8) to correct high spectral resolution visibility data acquired on targets exhibiting strong celestial line emission in their autocorrelation spectra. The calibration heuristics used in the low signal-to-noise regime were improved for the 2022 release (Cycle 9). In the two most recent Cycles, 97% of ALMA data sets were calibrated and imaged with the pipeline, ensuring long-term automated reproducibility of results. We conclude with a brief description of plans for future additions, including a self-calibration stage, support for multi-configuration imaging, and complete calibration and imaging of full polarization data.

Modern interferometers routinely provide radio-astronomical images down to subarcsecond resolution. However, interferometers filter out spatial scales larger than those sampled by the shortest baselines, which affects the measurement of both spatial and spectral features. Complementary single-dish data are vital for recovering the true flux distribution of spatially resolved astronomical sources with such extended emission. In this work, we provide an overview of the prominent available methods to combine single-dish and interferometric observations. We test each of these methods in the framework of the CASA data analysis software package on both synthetic continuum and observed spectral data sets. We develop a set of new assessment tools that are generally applicable to all radio-astronomical cases of data combination. Applying these new assessment diagnostics, we evaluate the methods' performance and demonstrate the significant improvement of the combined results in comparison to purely interferometric reductions. We provide combination and assessment scripts as add-on material. Our results highlight the advantage of using data combination to ensure high-quality science images of spatially resolved objects.

ABSTRACT We report 235 GHz linear and circular polarization (LP and CP) detections of Sgr A* at levels of $\sim 10\,{{\rm per\, cent}}$ and $\sim -1\,{{\rm per\, cent}}$, respectively, using ALMA. We describe the first full-Stokes modelling of an observed submillimetre flare with an adiabatically expanding synchrotron hotspot using a polarized radiative transfer prescription. Augmented with a simple full-Stokes model for the quiescent emission, we jointly characterize properties of both the quiescent and variable components by simultaneously fitting all four Stokes parameter light curves. The hotspot has magnetic field strength 71 G, radius 0.75 Schwarzschild radii, and expands at speed 0.013c assuming magnetic equipartition. The magnetic field’s position angle projected in the plane-of-sky is ≈55° East of North, which previous analyses reveal as the accretion flow’s angular momentum axis and further supports Sgr A* hosting a magnetically arrested disc. The magnetic field is oriented approximately perpendicular to the line of sight, which suggests repolarization as the cause of the high circular-to-linear polarization ratio observed at radio frequencies. We additionally recover several properties of the quiescent emission, consistent with previous analyses of the accretion flow, such as a rotation measure ≈−4.22 × 105 rad m−2. Our findings provide critical constraints for interpreting and mitigating the polarized variable emission in future Event Horizon Telescope images of Sgr A*.

We discuss the effects of electric charging on the equilibrium configurations of magnetized, rotating fluid tori around black holes of different mass. In the context of gaseous/dusty tori in galactic nuclei, the central black hole dominates the gravitational field and it remains electrically neutral, while the surrounding material acquires some electric charge and exhibits non-negligible self-gravitational effect on the torus structure. The structure of the torus is influenced by the balance between the gravitational and electromagnetic forces. A cusp may develop even in Newtonian tori due to the charge distribution.

Observations of galactic nuclei help us to test General Relativity. Whereas the No-hair Theorem states that classical, isolated black holes eventually settle to a stationary state that can be characterized by a small number of parameters, cosmic black holes are neither isolated nor steady. Instead, they interact with the environment and evolve on vastly different time-scales. Therefore, the astrophysically realistic models require more parameters, and their values likely change in time. New techniques are needed in order to allow us to obtain independent constraints on these additional parameters. In this context, non-electromagnetic messengers have emerged and a variety of novel electromagnetic observations is going to supplement traditional techniques in the near future. In this outline, we summarize several fruitful aspects of electromagnetic signatures from accretion disks in strong-gravity regime in the outlook of upcoming satellite missions and ground-based telescopes. As an interesting example, we mention a purely geometrical effect of polarization angle changes upon light propagation, which occurs near the black hole event horizon. Despite that only numerical simulations can capture the accretion process in a realistic manner, simplified toy-models and semi-analytical estimates are useful to understand complicated effects of strong gravity near the event horizon of a rotating black hole, and especially within the plunging region below the innermost stable circular orbit.

We present and analyze ALMA submillimeter observations from a multi-wavelength campaign of Sgr A* during 18 July 2019. In addition to the submillimeter, we utilize concurrent mid-IR (Spitzer) and X-ray (Chandra) observations. The submillimeter emission lags less than δt ≈ 30 minutes behind the mid-IR data. However, the entire submillimeter flare was not observed, raising the possibility that the time delay is a consequence of incomplete sampling of the light curve. The decay of the submillimeter emission is not consistent with synchrotron cooling. Therefore, we analyze these data adopting an adiabatically expanding synchrotron source that is initially optically thick or thin in the submillimeter, yielding time-delayed or synchronous flaring with the IR, respectively. The timedelayed model is consistent with a plasma blob of radius 0.8 RS (Schwarzschild radius), electron power-law index p = 3.5 (N(E) ∝ E−p), equipartition magnetic field of Beq ≈ 90 Gauss, and expansion velocity vexp ≈ 0.004c. The simultaneous emission is fit by a plasma blob of radius 2 RS, p = 2.5, Beq ≈ 27 Gauss, and vexp ≈ 0.014c. Since the submillimeter time delay is not completely unambiguous, we cannot definitively conclude which model better represents the data. This observation presents the best evidence for a unified flaring mechanism between submillimeter and X-ray wavelengths and places significant constraints on the source size and magnetic field strength. We show that concurrent observations at lower frequencies would be able to determine if the flaring emission is initially optically thick or thin in the submillimeter.

In this White Paper we present the potential of the enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry(eXTP) mission for studies related to Observatory Science targets. These include flaring stars, supernova remnants, accreting white dwarfs, low and high mass X-ray binaries, radio quiet and radio loud active galactic nuclei, tidal disruption events, and gamma-ray bursts. eXTP will be excellently suited to study one common aspect of these objects: their often transient nature. Developed by an international Consortium led by the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science, the eXTP mission is expected to be launched in the mid 2020s.

We report serendipitous detections of line emission with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in band 3, 6, and 7 in the central parsec down to within 1" around Sgr A* at an up to now highest resolution (<0.5") view of the Galactic Center (GC) in the sub-millimeter (sub-mm) domain. From the 100 GHz continuum and the H39\alpha emission we obtain a uniform electron temperature around 6000 K for the minispiral. The spectral index of Sgr A* is ~ 0.5 at 100 - 250 GHz and ~ 0.0 at 230 - 340 GHz. The bright sources in the center show spectral indices around -0.1 implying Bremsstrahlung emission, while dust emission is emerging in the minispiral exterior. Apart from CS, which is most widespread in the center, H13CO+, HC3N, SiO, SO, C2H, CH3OH, 13CS and N2H+ are also detected. The bulk of the clumpy emission regions is at positive velocities and in a region confined by the minispiral northern arm, bar and the sources IRS 3 and 7. Although partly spatially overlapping with the radio recombination line (RRL) emission at same negative velocities, the relation to the minispiral remains unclear. A likely explanation is an infalling clump consisting of denser cloud cores embedded in diffuse gas. The central association of clouds (CA) shows three times higher CS/X (X: any other observed molecule) ratios than the circumnuclear disk (CND) suggesting a combination of higher excitation, by a temperature gradient and/or IR-pumping, and abundance enhancement due to UV- and/or X-ray emission. Hence, we conclude that this CA is closer to the center than the CND is to the center. Moreover, we find molecular emission at velocities up to 200 km s-1. ...

AbstractWe report serendipitous detections of line emission with ALMA in band 3, 6, and 7 in the central parsec of the Galactic center at an up to now highest resolution (<0.7″). Among the highlights are the very first and highly resolved images of sub-mm molecular emission of CS, H13CO+, HC3N, SiO, SO, C2H, and CH3OH in the immediate vicinity (~1″ in projection) of Sgr A* and in the circumnuclear disk (CND). The central association (CA) of molecular clouds shows three times higher CS/X (X: any other observed molecule) luminosity ratios than the CND suggesting a combination of higher excitation - by a temperature gradient and/or IR-pumping - and abundance enhancement due to UV- and/or X-ray emission. We conclude that the CA is closer to the center than the CND is and could be an infalling clump consisting of denser cloud cores embedded in diffuse gas. Moreover, we identified further regions in and outside the CND that are ideally suited for future studies in the scope of hot/cold core and extreme PDR/XDR chemistry and consequent star formation in the central few parsecs.

Streams of gas and dust in the inner parsec of the Galactic center form a distinct feature known as the Minispiral, which has been studied in radio waveband as well as in the infrared wavebands. A large fraction of the Minispiral gas is ionized by radiation of OB stars present in the Nuclear Star Cluster (NSC). Based on the inferred mass in the innermost parsec ( ~106 solar masses), over ~103–104 neutron stars should move in the sphere of gravitational influence of the SMBH. We estimate that a fraction of them propagate through the denser, ionized medium concentrated mainly along the three arms of the Minispiral. Based on the properties of the gaseous medium, we discuss different interaction regimes of magnetised neutron stars passing through this region. Moreover, we sketch expected observational effects of these regimes. The simulation results may be applied to other galactic nuclei hosting NSC, where the expected distribution of the interaction regimes is different across different galaxy types.

Magnetic null points can develop near the ergosphere boundary of a rotating black hole due to the combined effects of a strong gravitational field and the frame-dragging mechanism. The induced electric component does not vanish, and an efficient process of particle acceleration can occur. Furthermore, the effect of the imposed (weak) magnetic field can trigger the onset of chaos. The model set-up appears to be relevant for low-accretion-rate nuclei of some galaxies which exhibit episodic accretion events (such as the Milky Way's supermassive black hole) embedded in a large-scale magnetic field of external origin. We review our recent results and we give additional context for future work focused on the role of gravito-magnetic effects caused by the rotation of the black hole. While the test motion is strictly regular in the classical black hole space-time, with and without the effects of rotation or an electric charge, gravitational perturbations and imposed external electromagnetic fields may lead to chaos.

AbstractNuclear star clusters are unambiguously detected in about 50–70% of spiral and spheroidal galaxies. They have typical half-light radii of 2–5 pc, dynamical mass ranging from 106 – 107 M⊙, are brighter than globular clusters, and obey similar scaling relations with host galaxies as supermassive black holes. The nuclear stellar cluster (NSC) which surrounds Sgr A*, the SMBH at the center of our galaxy, is the nearest nuclear cluster to us, and can be resolved to scales of milliparsecs. The strong and highly variable extinction towards the Galactic center makes it very hard to infer the intrinsic properties of the NSC (structure and size). We attempt a new way to infer its properties by using Spitzer MIR images in a wavelength range 3–8 μm where the extinction is at a minimum, and the NSC clearly stands out as a separate structure. We present results from our analysis, including extinction-corrected images and surface brightness profiles of the central few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way.

The super-massive 4 million solar mass black hole (SMBH) SgrA* shows flare emission from the millimeter to the X-ray domain.The nucleus of the Milky Way has properties (stellar cluster, young stars, molecular gas and an accreting SMBH) that resemble those of currently higher luminous Low Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei.A detailed analysis of the infrared light curves shows that the flares are probably generated in a single-state process forming a power-law distribution of the flux density.Near-infrared polarimetry shows signatures of strong gravity that are statistically significant against randomly polarized red noise.Details of the emission mechanism are discussed in a synchrotron/self-Compton model.SgrA* also allows to study the interaction of the SMBH with the immediate interstellar and gaseous environment of the central stellar cluster.Through infrared imaging of the central few arcseconds it is possible to study both inflow and outflow phenomena linked to the SgrA* black hole.In this context we also discuss the newly found dusty object that approaches SgrA* and present a comparison between recent Keck and VLT K-band data that clearly supports its detection as a ∼19 m K'-band continuum source. Nuclei of Seyfert galaxies and QSOs -Central engine & conditions of star formation ,

The question of the origin of the gas supplying the accretion process is pertinent especially in the context of enhanced activity of Galactic Center during the past few hundred years, seen now as echo from the surrounding molecular clouds, and the currently observed new cloud approaching Sgr A*. We discuss the so-called Galactic Center mini-spiral as a possible source of material feeding the supermassive black hole on a 0.1 parsec scale. The collisions between individual clumps reduce their angular momentum. and set some of the clumps on a plunging trajectory. We conclude that the amount of material contained in the mini-spiral is sufficient to sustain the luminosity of Sgr A* at the required level. The accretion episodes of relatively dense gas from the mini-spiral passing through a transient ring mode at ∼ 10^4 Rg provide a viable scenario for the bright phase of Galactic Center.

As a near-infrared (NIR) wide field interferometric imager offering an angular resolution of about 10 milliarcseconds LINC-NIRVANA at the Large Binocular Telescope will be an ideal instrument for imaging the center of the Milky Way especially in conjunction with mm/sub-mm interferometers like CARMA, ATCA or, in the near future, ALMA. Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is the electromagnetc manifestation of the ~4×106M super-massive black hole (SMBH) at the Galactic Center. First results from a mult-wavelength campaign focused on Sgr A*, based on the VLT and on CARMA, ATCA, and the IRAM 30m-telescope, in May 2007 show that the NIR data are consistent with partially depolarized non-thermal emission from confined hot spots in relativistic orbits around SgrA*. A 3mm flare following a May 2007 NIR flare is consistent with SSC emission from adiabatically expanding plasma in a wind or jet. With the LBT and ALMA we will be able to study the spectral evolution of NIR/sub-mm/mm flare emission in order to constrain the emission mechanism, the jet/wind physics, and possibly determine the angular momentum of the SMBH. LINC/NIRVANA will also serve to investigate the stellar population and dynamics in the cluster surrounding Sgr A*. A particular emphasis will lie on examining dust embedded and young stars and to unravel the star formation history in the cluster. For the 0.3 parsec core radius central star cluster the investigation of will be investigated.