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Long-term NIR Variability in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey: a new probe of AGN activity at high redshift

Elmer, E.; Almaini, O.; Merrifield, M.; Hartley, W. G.; Maltby, D. T.; Lawrence, A.; Botti, I.; Hirst, P.

Long-term NIR Variability in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey: a new probe of AGN activity at high redshift Thumbnail


Authors

E. Elmer

OMAR ALMAINI omar.almaini@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Astrophysics

M. Merrifield

W. G. Hartley

Dr. DAVID MALTBY David.Maltby@nottingham.ac.uk
Teaching Associate in Physics Andastronomy

A. Lawrence

I. Botti

P. Hirst



Abstract

We present the first attempt to select active galactic nuclei (AGN) using long-Term near-infrared (NIR) variability. By analysing the K-band light curves of all the galaxies in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Ultra Deep Survey, the deepest NIR survey over ∼1 deg2, we have isolated 393 variable AGN candidates. A comparison to other selection techniques shows that only half of the variable sources are also selected using either deep Chandra X-ray imaging or Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) colour selection, suggesting that using NIR variability can locate AGN that are missed by more standard selection techniques. In particular, we find that long-Term NIR variability identifies AGN at low luminosities and in host galaxies with low stellar masses, many of which appear relatively X-ray quiet.

Citation

Elmer, E., Almaini, O., Merrifield, M., Hartley, W. G., Maltby, D. T., Lawrence, A., …Hirst, P. (2020). Long-term NIR Variability in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey: a new probe of AGN activity at high redshift. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 493(2), 3026-3035. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa381

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 6, 2020
Online Publication Date Feb 11, 2020
Publication Date Feb 11, 2020
Deposit Date Feb 13, 2020
Publicly Available Date Feb 13, 2020
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 493
Issue 2
Pages 3026-3035
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa381
Keywords Space and Planetary Science; Astronomy and Astrophysics
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3956720
Publisher URL https://academic.oup.com/mnras/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mnras/staa381/5733174
Additional Information This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society following peer review. The version of record E Elmer, O Almaini, M Merrifield, W G Hartley, D T Maltby, A Lawrence, I Botti, P Hirst, Long-term NIR Variability in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey: a new probe of AGN activity at high redshift., Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, , staa381 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa381.

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