@article {2012A\&A...543A..72R, title = {{e-MERLIN and VLBI observations of the luminous infrared galaxy IC 883: a nuclear starburst and an AGN candidate revealed}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {543}, year = {2012}, month = {jul}, pages = {A72}, abstract = {Context. The high star formation rates of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) make them ideal places for core-collapse supernova (CCSN) searches. Massive star formation can often be found in coexistence with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), contributing jointly to the energy source of LIRGs. At radio frequencies, where light is unaffected by dust extinction, it is possible to detect compact components within the innermost LIRG nuclear regions, such as SNe and SN remnants, as well as AGN buried deep in the LIRG nuclei.
Aims: Our study of the LIRG IC 883 aims at: (i) investigating the parsec-scale radio structure of the (circum-)nuclear regions of IC 883; (ii) detecting at radio frequencies the two recently reported circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi, which were discovered by near-IR (NIR) adaptive optics observations of IC 883; and (iii) further investigating the nature of SN 2011hi at NIR wavelengths.
Methods: We used the electronic European very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) Network (e-EVN) at 5 GHz, and the electronic Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) at 6.9 GHz, to observe contemporaneously the LIRG IC 883 at high angular-resolution (from tens to hundreds of milliarcsec) and with high sensitivity ({\l}t}70 {$μ$}Jy), complemented by archival VLBI data at 5 GHz and 8.4 GHz. We also used the Gemini North telescope to obtain late-time JHK photometry for SN 2011hi.
Results: The circumnuclear regions traced by e-MERLIN at 6.9 GHz have an extension of \~{} 1 kpc, at a position angle of 130{\deg}, and show a striking double-sided structure, which very likely corresponds to a warped rotating ring, in agreement with previous studies. Our e-EVN observations at 5 GHz and complementary archival VLBI data at 5 GHz and 8.4 GHz, reveal various milliarcsec compact components in the nucleus of IC 883. A single compact source, an AGN candidate, dominates the emission at both nuclear and circumnuclear scales, as imaged with the e-EVN and e-MERLIN, respectively. The other milliarcsec components are strongly indicative of ongoing nuclear CCSN activity. Our e-EVN observations also provided upper limits to the radio luminosity of the two SNe in IC 883 recently discovered at NIR wavelengths. We refine the classification of SN 2011hi as a Type IIP SN according to our latest epoch of Gemini North observations acquired in 2012, in agreement with a low-luminosity radio SN nature. We estimate a CCSN rate lower limit of 1.1$_{-0.6}$$^{+1.3}$ yr$^{-1}$ for the entire galaxy, based on three nuclear radio SNe and the circumnuclear SNe 2010cu and 2011hi.}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: IC 883, galaxies: starburst, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, radio lines: stars}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201218816}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012A\%26A...543A..72R}, author = {Romero-Ca{\~n}izales, C. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and Alberdi, A. and Argo, M.~K. and Beswick, R.~J. and Kankare, E. and Batejat, F. and Efstathiou, A. and Mattila, S. and Conway, J.~E. and Garrington, S.~T. and Muxlow, T.~W.~B. and Ryder, S.~D. and V{\"a}is{\"a}nen, P.} } @article {2010A\&A...519L...5P, title = {{Serendipitous discovery of the long-sought active galactic nucleus in Arp 299-A}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {519}, year = {2010}, month = {sep}, pages = {L5}, abstract = {Context. The dusty nuclear regions of luminous infra-red galaxies (LIRGs) are heated by either an intense burst of massive star formation, an active galactic nucleus (AGN), or a combination of both. Disentangling the contribution of each of those putative dust-heating agents is a challenging task, and direct imaging of the innermost few pc can only be accomplished at radio wavelengths, using very high-angular resolution observations.
Aims: We observed the nucleus A of the interacting starburst galaxy Arp 299, using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) radio observations at 1.7 and 5.0 GHz. Our aim was to characterize the compact sources in the innermost few pc region of Arp 299-A, as well as to detect recently exploded core-collapse supernovae.
Methods: We used the European VLBI Network (EVN) to image the 1.7 and 5.0 GHz compact radio emission of the parsec-scale structure in the nucleus of Arp 299-A with milliarcsecond resolution.
Results: Our EVN observations show that one of the compact VLBI sources, A1, previously detected at 5.0 GHz, has a flat spectrum between 1.7 and 5.0 GHz and is the brightest source at both frequencies. Our 1.7 GHz EVN image shows also diffuse, low-surface brightness emission extending westwards from A1 and displays a prominent core-jet structure.
Conclusions: The morphology, radio luminosity, spectral index and ratio of radio-to-X-ray emission of the A1-A5 region is consistent with a low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN), and rules out the possibility that it is a chain of young radio supernovae (RSNe) and supernova remnants (SNRs). We therefore conclude that A1-A5 is the long-sought AGN in Arp 299-A. This finding may suggest that both starburst and AGN are frequently associated phenomena in mergers.}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: Arp 299, galaxies: starburst, Galaxy: nucleus, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, radio continuum: stars}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201015462}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010A\%26A...519L...5P}, author = {M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and Alberdi, A. and Romero-Ca{\~n}izales, C. and Bondi, M.} }