The Central PARSEC of Galaxies using High Spatial Resolution Techniques

Start year
2003

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    General
    Description

    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. 

    Principal investigator

    Related publications

    Adaptive optics near infrared integral field spectroscopy of NGC 2992 2010A&A...519A..79F
    VLT diffraction-limited imaging at 11 and 18μm of the nearest active galactic nuclei 2010MNRAS.402..879R
    The spectral energy distribution of the central parsecs of the nearest AGN 2010MNRAS.402..724P
    The Near-infrared Coronal Line Spectrum of 54 nearby Active Galactic Nuclei 2011ApJ...743..100R
    Radio structures of the nuclei of nearby Seyfert galaxies and the nature of the missing diffuse emission 2010MNRAS.401.2599O
    Parsec-scale Dust Emission from the Polar Region in the Type 2 Nucleus of NGC 424 2012ApJ...755..149H
    Outflows from Active Galactic Nuclei: Kinematics of the Narrow-line and Coronal-line Regions in Seyfert Galaxies 2011ApJ...739...69M
    Near-infrared/optical counterparts of hotspots in radio galaxies 2009MNRAS.392..705M
    High-spatial resolution SED of NGC 1068 from near-IR to radio. Disentangling the thermal and non-thermal contributions 2008A&A...485...33H
    Complex particle acceleration processes in the hotspots of 3C 105 and 3C 445 2012MNRAS.419.2338O
    Starbursts and black hole masses in X-shaped radio galaxies: Signatures of a merger event? 2012A&A...544A..36M
    Variability of the blazar 4C 38.41 (B3 1633+382) from GHz frequencies to GeV energies 2012A&A...545A..48R
    Unveiling the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Nature of Markarian 573 Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy 2008ApJ...680L..17R
    The Structure of the Accretion Disk in the Lensed Quasar SBS 0909+532 2011ApJ...730...16M
    The Stellar Kinematic Center and the True Galactic Nucleus of NGC 253 2010ApJ...716.1166M
    The starburst-active galactic nucleus connection in the merger galaxy Mrk 938: an infrared and X-ray view 2012MNRAS.423..185E
    The Soft X-ray and Narrow-line Emission of Mrk 573 on Kiloparsec Scales 2010ApJ...723.1748G
    The redshift and broad-band spectral energy distribution of NRAO 150 2010A&A...519A...5A
    The nucleus of NGC 253 and its massive stellar clusters at parsec scales 2009MNRAS.392L..16F
    Suzaku observation of the LINER NGC 4102 2011A&A...527A.142G
    Resolving the nuclear dust distribution of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 3081 2011MNRAS.417L..46R
    Probing the nuclear and circumnuclear activity of NGC 1365 in the infrared 2012MNRAS.425..311A
    Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Seyfert Galaxies. Nuclear Activity and Stellar Population 2009ApJ...694.1379R
    Hα star formation rates in massive galaxies at z˜ 1 2012MNRAS.420.1061T
    EX Lupi in quiescence 2009A&A...507..881S

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