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General
PARSEC is a multi-wavelength investigation of the central PARSEC of the nearest galaxies. We work on black-hole accretion and its most energetic manifestations: jets and hot spots, and on its circumnuclear environment conditions for star formation. We resort to the highest available angular resolution observations from gamma-rays to the centimetre, and pursue a physical interpretation in the context of computational astrophysics. We also work on development of Adaptive Optics instrumentation for large telescopes. PARSEC projects are:
PARSEC - Black-Hole activity: The galaxies under study span a wide range of nuclear activity, from quiesent to low luminosity active nuclei to the Seyfert and Qso phase. PARSEC investigates the origin and morphology of dust and gas in the central parsec of active and normal galaxies, those being the pre-conditions for the onset of Black-Hole activity. The spectral energy distribution of the central few parsecs is investigated as a function of nuclear activity and accretion disc efficency. The nature and shape of the ionizing continuum are traced with high ionization coronal lines.
PARSEC - Jets and Hot-Spots: PARSEC further studies the most energetic manisfestations of Black-Hole activity: jets and hot-spots, in the PAIS project.
PARSEC -Star-formation: Nuclear star formation spatially resolved at cluster level is uncovered in many of these near galaxies. PARSEC investigates the properties of nuclear dust filaments, lanes and molecular clouds as pre-sites for star formation.
PARSEC - Theory: A physical insight of many of the PARSEC results is done via close collaboration with the Computational Astrophysics group, CAST, of the Munchen University Sternwarte, using numerical and magnetic-hydrodynamic simulations developped by this group.
PARSEC - Instrumentation: PARSEC is also involved in the definition, development and construction of Adaptive Optics instrumentation for 8 -10 m telescopes. PARSEC instrumentation team is building the first Adpative Optics Integral Field Spectrograph and Imaging Camera, FRIDA, for GTC 10 m teelcope.
PARSEC - Outreach: PARSEC is involved in the science and outreach "Vanishing and Appearing Sources during a Century of Observations (VASCO)" project. VASCO searches for vanishing stars, unusual astrophysical transients and extra-terrestrial intelligence. As such, it is a platform for interacting with the general public. VASCO has strong visibility in the media outets via its associated citizen science project.
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Scientific activity
Related publications
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Blazar spectral variability as explained by a twisted inhomogeneous jetBlazars are active galactic nuclei, which are powerful sources of radiation whose central engine is located in the core of the host galaxy. Blazar emission is dominated by non-thermal radiation from a jet that moves relativistically towards us, and therefore undergoes Doppler beaming. This beaming causes flux enhancement and contraction of theRaiteri, C. M. et al.
Advertised on:
122017 -
Tracing the Evolution of Dust Obscured Star Formation and Accretion Back to the Reionisation Epoch with SPICAOur current knowledge of star formation and accretion luminosity at high redshift (z > 3-4), as well as the possible connections between them, relies mostly on observations in the rest-frame ultraviolet, which are strongly affected by dust obscuration. Due to the lack of sensitivity of past and current infrared instrumentation, so far it has notGruppioni, C. et al.
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112017 -
Galaxy Evolution Studies with the SPace IR Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA): The Power of IR SpectroscopyIR spectroscopy in the range 12-230 μm with the SPace IR telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) will reveal the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of galaxies and black holes through cosmic time, bridging the gap between the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Extremely Large Telescopes at shorter wavelengthsSpinoglio, L. et al.
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112017 -
Unbiased Large Spectroscopic Surveys of Galaxies Selected by SPICA Using Dust BandsThe mid-infrared range contains many spectral features associated with large molecules and dust grains such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and silicates. These are usually very strong compared to fine-structure gas lines, and thus valuable in studying the spectral properties of faint distant galaxies. In this paper, we evaluate the capabilityKaneda, H. et al.
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112017 -
SPICA and the Chemical Evolution of Galaxies: The Rise of Metals and DustThe physical processes driving the chemical evolution of galaxies in the last 11Gyr cannot be understood without directly probing the dust-obscured phase of star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei. This phase, hidden to optical tracers, represents the bulk of the star formation and black hole accretion activity in galaxies at 1 z 3Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A. et al.
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112017 -
Feedback and Feeding in the Context of Galaxy Evolution with SPICA: Direct Characterisation of Molecular Outflows and InflowsA far-infrared observatory such as the SPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, with its unprecedented spectroscopic sensitivity, would unveil the role of feedback in galaxy evolution during the last 10 Gyr of the Universe (z = 1.5-2), through the use of far- and mid-infrared molecular and ionic fine structure lines that traceGonzález-Alfonso, E. et al.
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112017 -
Dissecting the long-term emission behaviour of the BL Lac object Mrk 421We report on long-term multiwavelength monitoring of blazar Mrk 421 by the GLAST-AGILE Support Program of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (GASP-WEBT) collaboration and Steward Observatory, and by the Swift and Fermi satellites. We study the source behaviour in the period 2007-2015, characterized by several extreme flares. The ratio between theCarnerero, M. I. et al.
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122017 -
Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015Context. PKS 1510-089 is one of only a few flat spectrum radio quasars detected in the very-high-energy (VHE, > 100 GeV) gamma-ray band. Aims: We study the broadband spectral and temporal properties of the PKS 1510-089 emission during a high gamma-ray state. Methods: We performed VHE gamma-ray observations of PKS 1510-089 with the Major AtmosphericAhnen, M. L. et al.
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72017 -
Powerful outflows in the central parsecs of the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus NGC 1386Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, i.e. L_{bol}/Ledd ∼ 10-6-10-3, constitute the bulk population of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Powerful jets, common in these objects, are a crucial source of feedback energy-driving mass outflows into the host galaxy and the intergalactic medium. This paper reports the first direct measurement of powerfulRodríguez-Ardila, A. et al.
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92017 -
ALMA polarization observations of the particle accelerators in the hotspot of the radio galaxy 3C 445We present Atacama Large Millimeter Array polarization observations at 97.5 GHz of the southern hotspot of the radio galaxy 3C 445. The hotspot structure is dominated by two bright components enshrouded by diffuse emission. Both components show fractional polarization between 30 and 40 per cent, suggesting the presence of shocks. The polarizedMack, K.-H. et al.
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72017 -
Synchrotron emission from the blazar PG 1553+113. An analysis of its flux and polarization variabilityIn 2015 July 29-September 1, the satellite XMM-Newton pointed at the BL Lac object PG 1553+133 six times, collecting data for 218 h. During one of these epochs, simultaneous observations by the Swift satellite were requested to compare the results of the X-ray and optical-UV instruments. Optical, near-infrared and radio monitoring was carried outRaiteri, C. M. et al.
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42017 -
The WEBT campaign on the BL Lac object PG 1553+113 in 2013. An analysis of the enigmatic synchrotron emissionA multifrequency campaign on the BL Lac object PG 1553+113 was organized by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) in 2013 April-August, involving 19 optical, two near-IR, and three radio telescopes. The aim was to study the source behaviour at low energies during and around the high-energy observations by the Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray ImagingRaiteri, C. M. et al.
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112015 -
Massive Relic Galaxies Challenge the Co-evolution of Super-massive Black Holes and Their Host GalaxiesWe study a sample of eight massive galaxies that are extreme outliers (3–5σ) in the {M}\bullet ‑ Mbulge local scaling relation. Two of these galaxies are confirmed to host extremely large super-massive black holes (SMBHs), whereas the virial mass estimates for the other six are also consistent with having abnormally large SMBHs. From the analysisFerré-Mateu, A. et al.
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72015 -
The warm molecular gas and dust of Seyfert galaxies: two different phases of accretion?The distribution of warm molecular gas (1000-3000 K), traced by the near-IR H2 2.12 μm line, has been imaged with a resolutionMezcua, M. et al.
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102015 -
Multiwavelength behaviour of the blazar OJ 248 from radio to γ-raysWe present an analysis of the multiwavelength behaviour of the blazar OJ 248 at z = 0.939 in the period 2006-2013. We use low-energy data (optical, near-infrared, and radio) obtained by 21 observatories participating in the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST)-AGILE Support Program of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope, as well as data fromCarnerero, M. I. et al.
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72015 -
The powerful jet of an off-nuclear intermediate-mass black hole in the spiral galaxy NGC 2276Jet ejection by accreting black holes is a mass invariant mechanism unifying stellar and supermassive black holes (SMBHs) that should also apply for intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), which are thought to be the seeds from which SMBHs form. We present the detection of an off-nuclear IMBH of ˜5 × 104 M⊙ located in an unusual spiral arm of theMezcua, M. et al.
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42015 -
A refined sub-grid model for black hole accretion and AGN feedback in large cosmological simulationsIn large-scale cosmological hydrodynamic simulations simplified sub-grid models for gas accretion on to black holes and AGN feedback are commonly used. Such models typically depend on various free parameters, which are not well constrained. We present a new advanced model containing a more detailed description of AGN feedback, where thoseRemus, R.-S. et al.
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42015 -
Time-resolved infrared emission from radiation-driven central obscuring structures in active galactic nucleiThe central engines of Seyfert galaxies are thought to be enshrouded by geometrically thick gas and dust structures. In this paper, we derive observable properties for a self-consistent model of such toroidal gas and dust distributions, where the geometrical thickness is achieved and maintained with the help of X-ray heating and radiation pressureSchartmann, M. et al.
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122014 -
MAGIC gamma-ray and multi-frequency observations of flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 in early 2012Aims: Amongst more than fifty blazars detected in very high energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) γ rays, only three belong to the subclass of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). The detection of FSRQs in the VHE range is challenging, mainly because of their soft spectra in the GeV-TeV regime. MAGIC observed PKS 1510-089 (z = 0.36) starting 2012 February 3Aleksić, J. et al.
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92014 -
The innermost globular clusters of M87We present a comprehensive multiwavelength photometric analysis of the innermost (˜3 × 3 kpc2) 110 globular clusters (GCs) of M87. Their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) were built taking advantage of new ground-based high-resolution near-infrared imaging aided by adaptive optics at the Very Large Telescope combined with Hubble Space TelescopeMontes, M. et al.
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82014
