@article {2014A\&A...566A..15V, title = {{The radio core structure of the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 4418. A young clustered starburst revealed?}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {566}, year = {2014}, month = {jun}, pages = {A15}, abstract = {Context. The galaxy NGC 4418 contains one of the most compact obscured nuclei within a luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) in the nearby Universe. This nucleus contains a rich molecular gas environment and an unusually high ratio of infrared-to-radio luminosity (q-factor). The compact nucleus is powered by either a compact starburst or an active galactic nucleus (AGN).
Aims: The aim of this study is to constrain the nature of the nuclear region (starburst or AGN) within NGC 4418 via very-high-resolution radio imaging.
Methods: Archival data from radio observations using the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (EVN) and Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) interferometers are imaged. Sizes and flux densities are obtained by fitting Gaussian intensity distributions to the image. The average spectral index of the compact radio emission is estimated from measurements at 1.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz.
Results: The nuclear structure of NGC 4418 visible with EVN and MERLIN consists of eight compact ({\l}t}49 mas i.e. {\l}t}8 pc) features spread within a region of 250 mas, i.e. 41 pc. We derive an inverted spectral index {$\alpha$} {\ge} 0.7 (S$_{nu}$ {\prop} {$ν$}$^{alpha}$) for the compact radio emission.
Conclusions: Brightness temperatures {\gt}10$^{4.8}$ K indicate that these compact features cannot be HII-regions. The complex morphology and inverted spectrum of the eight detected compact features is evidence against the hypothesis that an AGN alone is powering the nucleus of NGC 4418. The compact features could be super star clusters with intense star formation, and their associated free-free absorption could then naturally explain both their inverted radio spectrum and the low radio-to-IR ratio of the nucleus. The required star formation area density is extreme, however, and close to the limit of what can be observed in a well-mixed thermal/non-thermal plasma produced by star formation, and is also close to the limit of what can be physically sustained.}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: NGC 4418, galaxies: Seyfert, galaxies: star formation}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201323303}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014A\%26A...566A..15V}, author = {Varenius, E. and Conway, J.~E. and Mart{\'\i}-Vidal, I. and Aalto, S. and Beswick, R. and F. Costagliola and Kl{\"o}ckner, H.-R.} } @article {219, title = {{The radio core structure of the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 4418. A young clustered starburst revealed?}}, journal = {\aap}, volume = {566}, year = {2014}, pages = {A15}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: NGC 4418, galaxies: Seyfert, galaxies: star formation}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201323303}, author = {Varenius, E. and Conway, J.~E. and Mart{\'\i}-Vidal, I. and Aalto, S. and Beswick, R. and Costagliola, F. and Kl{\"o}ckner, H.-R.} } @article {2014A\&A...572L...1S, title = {{Resolving the stellar components of the massive multiple system Herschel 36 with AMBER/VLTI}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {572}, year = {2014}, pages = {L1}, abstract = {Context. Massive stars are extremely important for the evolution of the galaxies; there are large gaps in our understanding of their properties and formation, however, mainly because they evolve rapidly, are rare, and distant. Recent findings suggest that most O-stars belong to multiple systems. It may well be that almost all massive stars are born as triples or higher multiples, but their large distances require very high angular resolution to directly detect the companions at milliarcsecond scales.
Aims: Herschel 36 is a young massive system located at 1.3 kpc. It has a combined smallest predicted mass of 45 M$_{\&sun;}$. Multi-epoch spectroscopic data suggest the existence of at least three gravitationally bound components. Two of them, system Ab, are tightly bound in a spectroscopic binary, and the third one, component Aa, orbits in a wider orbit. Our aim was to image and obtain astrometric and photometric measurements of components Aa and Ab using, for the first time, long-baseline optical interferometry to further constrain its nature.
Methods: We observed Herschel 36 with the near-infrared instrument AMBER attached to the ESO VLT Interferometer, which provides an angular resolution of \~{}2 mas. We used the code BSMEM to perform the interferometric image reconstruction. We fitted the interferometric observables using proprietary IDL routines and the code LitPro.
Results: We imaged the Aa + Ab components of Herschel 36 in H and K filters. Component Ab is located at a projected distance of 1.81 mas, at a position angle of \~{}222{\deg} east of north, the flux ratio between components Aa and Ab is close to one. These findings agree with previous predictions about the properties of Herschel 36. The small measured angular separation indicates that system Ab and Ab may be approaching the periastron of their orbits. These results, only achievable with long-baseline near-infrared interferometry, constitute the first step toward a thorough understanding of this massive triple system.}, keywords = {binaries: close, instrumentation: high angular resolution, instrumentation: interferometers, stars: massive}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201424901}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014A\%26A...572L...1S}, author = {J. Sanchez-Bermudez and Alberdi, A. and Sch{\"o}del, R. and Hummel, C.~A. and Arias, J.~I. and Barb{\'a}, R.~H. and Ma{\'\i}z Apell{\'a}niz, J. and Pott, J.-U.} } @article {2011A\&A...526A.142M, title = {{Radio emission of SN1993J: the complete picture. I. Re-analysis of all the available VLBI data}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {526}, year = {2011}, month = {feb}, pages = {A142}, abstract = {We have performed a complete re-calibration and re-analysis of all the available Very-Long-Baseline-Interferometry (VLBI) observations of supernova SN1993J, following an homogeneous and well-defined methodology. VLBI observations of SN1993J at 69 epochs, spanning 13 years, were performed by two teams, which used different strategies and analysis tools. The results obtained by each group are similar, but their conclusions on the supernova expansion and the shape and evolution of the emitting region differ significantly. From our analysis of the combined set of observations, we have obtained an expansion curve with unprecedented time resolution and coverage. We find that the data from both teams are compatible when analyzed with the same methodology. One expansion index (m$_{3}$ = 0.87 {\plusmn} 0.02) is enough to model the expansion observed at 1.7 GHz, while two expansion indices (m$_{1}$ = 0.933 {\plusmn} 0.010 and m$_{2}$ = 0.796 {\plusmn} 0.005), separated by a break time, t$_{br}$ = 390 {\plusmn} 30 days, are needed to model the data, at frequencies higher than 1.7 GHz, up to day \~{}4000 after explosion. We thus confirm the wavelength dependence of the size of the emitting region reported by one of the groups. We also find that all sizes measured at epochs later than day \~{}4000 after explosion are systematically smaller than our model predictions (i.e., an additional expansion index might be needed to properly model these data). We also estimate the fractional shell width (0.31 {\plusmn} 0.02, average of all epochs and frequencies) and the level of opacity to the radio emission by the ejecta. We find evidence of a spectral-index radial gradient in the supernova shell, which is indicative of a frequency-dependent ejecta opacity. Finally, we study the distribution and evolution of the azimuthal anisotropies (hot spots) found around the radio shell during the expansion. These anisotropies have intensities of \~{}20\% of the mean flux density of the shell, and appear to systematically evolve during the expansion.}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: M 81, radio continuum: stars, supernovae: general, supernovae: individual: SN1993J}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/200913831}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011A\%26A...526A.142M}, author = {Mart{\'\i}-Vidal, I. and Marcaide, J.~M. and Alberdi, A. and Guirado, J.~C. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and Ros, E.} } @article {2011A\&A...526A.143M, title = {{Radio emission of SN1993J: the complete picture. II. Simultaneous fit of expansion and radio light curves}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {526}, year = {2011}, pages = {A143}, abstract = {We report on a simultaneous modelling of the expansion and radio light curves of the supernova SN1993J. We developed a simulation code capable of generating synthetic expansion and radio light curves of supernovae by taking into consideration the evolution of the expanding shock, magnetic fields, and relativistic electrons, as well as the finite sensitivity of the interferometric arrays used in the observations. Our software successfully fits all the available radio data of SN 1993J with a standard emission model for supernovae, which is extended with some physical considerations, such as an evolution in the opacity of the ejecta material, a radial decline in the magnetic fields within the radiating region, and a changing radial density profile for the circumstellar medium starting from day 3100 after the explosion.}, keywords = {acceleration of particles, galaxies: individual: M 81, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, radio continuum: stars, supernovae: general, supernovae: individual: SN1993J}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201014517}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011A\%26A...526A.143M}, author = {Mart{\'\i}-Vidal, I. and Marcaide, J.~M. and Alberdi, A. and Guirado, J.~C. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and Ros, E.} }