@article {292, title = {{Unveiling the radio counterparts of two binary AGN candidates: J1108+0659 and J1131-0204}}, journal = {\aap}, volume = {588}, year = {2016}, pages = {A102}, keywords = {galaxies: active, galaxies: interactions, galaxies: nuclei, radio continuum: galaxies, techniques: interferometric}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201528021}, author = {Bondi, M. and Perez-Torres, M.~A. and Piconcelli, E. and Fu, H.} } @article {2012A\&A...539A.134B, title = {{The nuclear starburst in Arp 299-A: from the 5.0 GHz VLBI radio light-curves to its core-collapse supernova rate}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {539}, year = {2012}, pages = {A134}, abstract = {Context. The nuclear region of the luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) Arp 299-A hosts a recent ( {\sime} 10 Myr) intense burst of massive star formation that is expected to lead to numerous core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Previous VLBI observations, carried out with the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 5.0 GHz and with the VLBA at 2.3 and 8.4 GHz, resulted in the detection of many compact, bright, non-thermal sources in a region {\l}sim} 150 pc in size.
Aims: We aim to establish the nature of all non-thermal compact components in Arp 299-A, as well as to estimate its core-collapse supernova rate. While the majority of the compact components are expected to be young radio supernovae (RSNe) and supernova remnants (SNRs), a definitive classification is still lacking. Yet, this is very relevant for eventually establishing the CCSN rate, as well as the star formation rate, for this galaxy.
Methods: We used multi-epoch EVN observations taken at 5.0 GHz to image the compact radio sources in the nuclear region of Arp 299-A with milliarcsecond resolution. We also used one single-epoch 5.0 GHz Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) observation to image the extended emission in which these compact radio sources are embedded.
Results: We present the first 5.0 GHz radio light-curve (spanning \~{}2.5 yr) of all compact components in the nuclear starburst of Arp 299-A. Twenty-six compact sources are detected, eight of which are new objects. The properties of all detected objects are consistent with them being a mixed population of CCSNe and SNRs. We find clear evidence for at least two new CCSNe, implying a lower limit to the CCSN rate of {$ν$}$_{SN}$ {\gsim} 0.80 SN/yr, indicating that the bulk of the current star formation in Arp 299-A is taking place in the innermost \~{}150 pc.A few more objects show variability consistent with them being recently exploded SNe, but only future observations will clarify this point. Our MERLIN observations trace a region of diffuse extended emission that is cospatial to the region where all compact sources are found. From this diffuse non-thermal radio emission traced by MERLIN we obtain an independent estimate for the CCSN rate, which is in the range {$ν$}$_{SN}$ = 0.40-0.65 SN/yr, in agreement with previous estimates and our direct estimate of the CCSN rate from the compact radio emission.
Conclusions: Our \~{}2.5 yr monitoring of Arp 299-A has allowed us to obtain for the first time a direct estimate of the CCSN rate of {$ν$}$_{SN}$ {\gsim} 0.80 SN/yr for the innermost \~{}150 pc of Arp 299-A.}, keywords = {galaxies: individual: Arp 299, galaxies: luminosity function, galaxies: starburst, mass function, radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, radio continuum: stars, supernovae: general}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201118446}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012A\%26A...539A.134B}, author = {Bondi, M. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and R. Herrero-Illana and Alberdi, A.} } @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.} } @article {2010ApJ...714L.271B, title = {{VLBI Detection of an Active Galactic Nucleus Pair in the Binary Black Hole Candidate SDSS J1536+0441}}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters}, volume = {714}, year = {2010}, month = {may}, pages = {L271-L274}, abstract = {We present the first pc-scale radio imaging of the radio-quiet candidate binary black hole system SDSS J1536+0441. The observations were carried out by the European VLBI Network at a frequency of 5 GHz, allowing the imaging of SDSS J1536+0441 with a resolution of \~{}10 mas (\~{}50 pc). Two compact radio cores are detected at the position of the kpc-scale components VLA-A and VLA-B, proving the presence of two compact active nuclei with radio luminosity L$_{R}$ \~{} 10$^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$, thus ruling out the possibility that both radio sources are powered by a 0.1 pc binary black hole. From a comparison with published 8.5 GHz flux densities, we derived an estimate of the radio spectral index of the two pc-scale cores. Both cores have a flat or an inverted spectral index, and at least for the case of VLA-A we can rule out the possibility that synchrotron self-absorption is responsible for the inverted radio spectrum. We suggest that thermal free-free emission from an X-ray-heated disk wind may be powering the radio emission in VLA-A.}, keywords = {galaxies: active, quasars: individual: SDSS J153636.22+044127.0, radio continuum: general}, doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/714/2/L271}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010ApJ...714L.271B}, author = {Bondi, M. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres} }