LeMMINGs III. The e-MERLIN legacy survey of the Palomar sample: Exploring the origin of nuclear radio emission in active and inactive galaxies through the [O iii] - Radio connection
Journal article, 2021
What determines the nuclear radio emission in local galaxies? To address this question, we combine optical [O iii] line emission, robust black hole (BH) mass estimates, and high-resolution e-MERLIN 1.5-GHz data, from the LeMMINGs survey, of a statistically complete sample of 280 nearby optically active (LINER and Seyfert) and inactive [H ii and absorption line galaxies (ALGs)] galaxies. Using [O iii] luminosity (L[O III]) as a proxy for the accretion power, local galaxies follow distinct sequences in the optical-radio planes of BH activity, which suggest different origins of the nuclear radio emission for the optical classes. The 1.5-GHz radio luminosity of their parsec-scale cores (Lcore) is found to scale with BH mass (MBH) and [O iii] luminosity. Below MBH ∼106.5 M⊙, stellar processes from non-jetted H ii galaxies dominate with Lcore ∝ MBH0.61 ± 0.33 and Lcore ∝ L[O III]0.79 ± 0.30. Above MBH ∼106.5 M⊙, accretion-driven processes dominate with Lcore ∝ MBH1.5-1.65 and Lcore ∝ L[O III]0.99-1.31 for active galaxies: radio-quiet/loud LINERs, Seyferts, and jetted H ii galaxies always display (although low) signatures of radio-emitting BH activity, with L1.5 GHz ≳ 1019.8 W Hz-1 and MBH ≳ 107 M⊙, on a broad range of Eddington-scaled accretion rates (m). Radio-quiet and radio-loud LINERs are powered by low-m discs launching sub-relativistic and relativistic jets, respectively. Low-power slow jets and disc/corona winds from moderately high to high-m discs account for the compact and edge-brightened jets of Seyferts, respectively. Jetted H ii galaxies may host weakly active BHs. Fuel-starved BHs and recurrent activity account for ALG properties. In conclusion, specific accretion-ejection states of active BHs determine the radio production and the optical classification of local active galaxies.
galaxies: active
radio continuum: galaxies
galaxies: star formation
galaxies: nuclei
galaxies: jets
Author
R. D. Baldi
Istituto di Radioastronomia
University of Southampton
D. R.A. Williams
University of Manchester
R. J. Beswick
University of Manchester
I. M. McHardy
University of Southampton
B. T. Dullo
Complutense University
J. H. Knapen
University of La Laguna
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
L. Zanisi
University of Southampton
M. K. Argo
University of Central Lancashire
University of Manchester
Susanne Aalto
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
Antxon Alberdi
Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA)
Willem A. Baan
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
G. J. Bendo
University of Manchester
D. M. Fenech
University College London (UCL)
D. A. Green
University of Cambridge
H. R. Klockner
Max Planck Society
E. Körding
Radboud University
T. J. Maccarone
Texas Tech University at Lubbock
J.M. Marcaide
Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales de España
I. Mutie
University of Manchester
Technical University of Kenya
F. Panessa
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M.A. Pérez-Torres
Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA)
C. Romero-Cañizales
Academia Sinica
D. J. Saikia
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
P. Saikia
New York University Abu Dhabi
F. Shankar
University of Southampton
R. E. Spencer
University of Manchester
I. R. Stevens
University of Southampton
P. Uttley
University of Amsterdam
E. Brinks
University of Hertfordshire
S. Corbel
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)
Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay
Ivan Marti-Vidal
Universitat de Valencia
C. G. Mundell
University of Bath
M. Pahari
IIT Hyderabad
M. J. Ward
Durham University
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
0035-8711 (ISSN) 1365-2966 (eISSN)
Vol. 508 2 2019-2038Joining up Users for Maximising the Profile, the Innovation and the Necessary Globalisation of JIVE (Jumping Jive)
European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/730884), 2016-12-01 -- 2021-01-31.
Subject Categories
Subatomic Physics
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stab2613