Search

We present a detailed multiwavelength study (from rest-frame ultraviolet to far-infrared) of narrow-band selected, star-forming (SF) Hα emitters (HAEs) at z ~ 2.23 taken from the High-Redshift(Z) Emission Line Survey (HiZELS). We find that HAEs have similar properties and colours derived from spectral energy distributions as sBzK galaxies, and probe a well-defined portion of the SF population at z ~ 2. This is not true for Lyα emitters (LAEs), which are strongly biased towards blue, less massive galaxies (missing a significant percentage of the SF population). Combining our Hα observations with matched, existing Lyα data, we determine that the Lyα escape fraction (fesc) is low (only ~4.5 percent of HAEs show Lyα emission) and decreases with increasing dust attenuation, ultraviolet continuum slope, stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR). This suggests that Lyα preferentially escapes from blue galaxies with low dust attenuation. However, a small population of red and massive LAEs is also present, in agreement with previous works and indicating that dust and Lyα are not mutually exclusive. Using different and completely independent measures of the total SFR, we show that the Hα emission is an excellent tracer of star formation at z ~ 2 with deviations typically lower than 0.3 dex for individual galaxies. We find that the slope and zero-point of the HAE main sequence at z ~ 2 strongly depend on the dust-correction method used to recover the SFR, although they are consistent with previous works when similar assumptions are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we analyse the physical properties of a sample of 56 spectroscopically selected star-forming (SF) Lyα emitting galaxies at 2.0 ≲ z ≲ 3.5 using both a spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting procedure from rest-frame UV to mid-IR and direct 160 μm FIR observations taken with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument onboard the Herschel Space Observatory. We define LAEs as those Lyα-emitting galaxies whose rest-frame Lyα equivalent widths (LyαEWrest-frame) are above 20Å, the typical threshold in narrow-band searches. Lyα-emitting galaxies with LyαEWrest-frame < 20Å are called non-LAEs. As a result of an individual SED fit for each object, we find that the studied sample of LAEs contains galaxies with ages mostly below 100 Myr and a wide variety of dust attenuations, SFRs, and stellar masses. The heterogeneity of the physical properties is also seen in the morphology, ranging from bulge-like galaxies to highly clumpy systems. In this way, we find that LAEs at 2.0 ≲ z ≲ 3.5 are very diverse, and do not have a bimodal nature, as suggested in previous studies. Furthermore, the main difference between LAEs and non-LAEs is their dust attenuation, because LAEs are not as dusty as non-LAEs. On the FIR side, four galaxies of the sample (two LAEs and two non-LAEs) have PACS detections. Their total IR luminosities place all of them in the ULIRG regime, and all are dusty objects, with A1200 ≳ 4mag. This is an indication from direct FIR measurements that dust and Lyα emission are not mutually exclusive. This population of red and dusty LAEs is not seen at z ∼ 0.3, which suggests an evolution with redshift of the IR nature of galaxies selected via their Lyα emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 1.3- and/or 3-mm continuum images and 3-mm spectral scans, obtained using Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) and Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), of 21 distant, dusty, star-forming galaxies. Our sample is a subset of the galaxies selected by Ivison et al. on the basis of their extremely red far-infrared (far-IR) colours and low Herschel flux densities; most are thus expected to be unlensed, extraordinarily luminous starbursts at z ≳ 4, modulo the considerable cross-section to gravitational lensing implied by their redshift. We observed 17 of these galaxies with NOEMA and four with ALMA, scanning through the 3-mm atmospheric window. We have obtained secure redshifts for seven galaxies via detection of multiple CO lines, one of them a lensed system at z = 6.027 (two others are also found to be lensed); a single emission line was detected in another four galaxies, one of which has been shown elsewhere to lie at z = 4.002. Where we find no spectroscopic redshifts, the galaxies are generally less luminous by 0.3-0.4 dex, which goes some way to explaining our failure to detect line emission. We show that this sample contains the most luminous known star-forming galaxies. Due to their extreme star-formation activity, these galaxies will consume their molecular gas in ≲ 100 Myr, despite their high molecular gas masses, and are therefore plausible progenitors of the massive, 'red-and-dead' elliptical galaxies at z ≈ 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the physical properties of low-redshift Lyα emitters (LAEs) can provide clues in the study of their high-redshift analogs. At z ∼ 0.3, LAEs are bright enough to be detected over almost the entire electromagnetic spectrum and it is possible to carry out a more precise and complete study than at higher redshifts. In this work, we examine the UV and IR emission, dust attenuation, star formation rate (SFR), and morphology of a sample of 23 GALEX-discovered star-forming LAEs at z ∼ 0.3 with direct UV (GALEX), optical (ACS), and FIR (PACS and MIPS) data. Using the same UV and IR limiting luminosities, we find that LAEs at z ∼ 0.3 tend to be less dusty, have slightly higher total SFRs, have bluer UV continuum slopes, and are much smaller than other galaxies that do not exhibit Lyα emission in their spectrum (non-LAEs). These results suggest that at z ∼ 0.3, Lyα photons tend to escape from small galaxies with low dust attenuation. Regarding their morphology, LAEs belong to Irr/merger classes, unlike non-LAEs. Size and morphology represent the most noticeable difference between LAEs and non-LAEs at z ∼ 0.3. Furthermore, the comparison of our results with those obtained at higher redshifts indicates either that the Lyα technique picks up different kind of galaxies at different redshifts or that the physical properties of LAEs are evolving with redshift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this report was to assess the impact of poor compliance on the efficacy of levofloxacin (LFX) and moxifloxacin (MOX), two fluoroquinolones with different pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties, in respiratory infections. The f AUC 0–24 h and f AUC 0–24 h /MIC 90 ratio, a PK/PD index predictive of bacterial eradication, were extracted from previously described population PK models for LFX and MOX. The MIC 90 was according to EUCAST. Monte Carlo simulations were used with LFX 500 mg every 24 h (q24 h) or every 12 h (q12 h), LFX 750 mg q24 h and MOX 400 mg q24 h in non-compliance scenarios to derive the proportion of patients achieving target ratios of f AUC 0–24 h /MIC 90 > 33.8 for Streptococcus pneumoniae and >100 for Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis (PTA > 90%). In non-adherent dosing scenarios, LFX 500 mg q24 h was not able to reach the PK/PD index guaranteeing clinical efficacy. With LFX 500 mg q12 h or 750 mg q24 h, this probability was maintained although patients can take the dose with delays of up to 12 h and 11 h, respectively, for the three bacterial types. With MOX 400 mg q24 h, the probability of achieving this PK/PD index is maintained with delay in dosing up to 16 h. In conclusion, LFX 500 mg q24 h is the least robust treatment against S. pneumoniae , H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis in a non-adherence situation. A good choice is LFX 500 mg q12 h, but in order to favour patient adherence, LFX 750 mg q24 h or MOX 400 mg q24 h appears as more appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Lyman-α (Lyα) is the brightest emission line in star-forming galaxies. However, its interpretation in terms of physical properties is hampered by the resonant nature of Lyα photons. In order to remedy this complicated situation, the Lyman Alpha Reference Sample (LARS) was defined, enabling the study of Lyα production and escape mechanisms in 14 local star-forming galaxies. Aims. With this paper, we complement our efforts and study the global dust and (molecular) gas content as well as the properties of gas associated with photon-dominated regions. We aim to characterize the interstellar medium of LARS galaxies, allowing us to relate these newly derived properties to quantities relevant for Lyα escape. Methods. We observed LARS galaxies with Herschel, SOFIA, the IRAM 30m telescope, and APEX, targeting far-infrared (FIR) continuum and emission lines of [C II]158 μm, [O I]63 μm, [O III]88 μm, and low-J CO lines. Using Bayesian methods we derived dust model parameters and estimated the total gas masses for all LARS galaxies, taking into account a metallicity-dependent gas-to-dust ratio. Star formation rates were estimated from FIR, [C II]158 μm, and [O I]63 μm luminosities. Results. LARS covers a wide dynamic range in the derived properties, with FIR-based star formation rates from ∼0.5−100 M⊙ yr−1, gas fractions between ∼15−80%, and gas depletion times ranging from a few hundred megayears up to more than ten gigayears. The distribution of LARS galaxies in the Σgas versus ΣSFR (Kennicutt–Schmidt plane) is thus quite heterogeneous. However, we find that LARS galaxies with the longest gas depletion times, that is, relatively high gas surface densities (Σgas) and low star formation rate densities (ΣSFR), have by far the highest Lyα escape fraction. A strong approximately linear relation is found between the Lyα escape fraction and the total gas (HI+H2) depletion time. We argue that the Lyα escape in those galaxies is driven by turbulence in the star-forming gas that shifts the Lyα photons out of resonance close to the places where they originate. We further report on an extreme [C II]158 μm excess in LARS 5, corresponding to ∼14 ± 3% of the FIR luminosity, which probably is the most extreme [C II]-to-FIR ratio observed in a galaxy (without active nucleus) to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) detected at z > 4 provide important examples of the first generations of massive galaxies. However, few examples with spectroscopic confirmation are currently known, with Hershel struggling to detect significant numbers of z > 6 DSFGs. NGP6_D1 is a bright 850 |$\mathrm{ \mu}$| m source (12.3 ± 2.5 mJy) with no counterparts at shorter wavelengths (a SPIRE dropout). Interferometric observations confirm it is a single source, with no evidence for any optical or NIR emission, or nearby likely foreground lensing sources. No >3σ detected lines are seen in both LMT Redshift Search Receiver and IRAM 30 m EMIR spectra of NGP6_D1 across 32 GHz of bandwidth despite reaching detection limits of |$\sim 1\, \mathrm{mJy}/500 \, \mathrm{km~s}^{-1}$|⁠ , so the redshift remains unknown. Template fitting suggests that NGP6_D1 is most likely between z  = 5.8 and 8.3. SED analysis finds that NGP6_D1 is a ULIRG, with a dust mass ∼108–109 M⊙ and a star-formation rate of ∼500 M⊙ yr−1. We place upper limits on the gas mass of NGP6_D1 of M H 2 <(1.1 ± 3.5) × 1011 M⊙, consistent with a gas-to-dust ratio of ∼100–1000. We discuss the nature of NGP6_D1 in the context of the broader sub-mm population, and find that comparable SPIRE dropouts account for ∼20 per cent of all SCUBA-2 detected sources, but with a similar flux density distribution to the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas-rich galaxies are selected efficiently via quasar absorption lines. Recently, a new perspective on such absorption-selected systems has opened up by studying the molecular gas content of absorber host galaxies using ALMA CO emission line observations. Here, we present an analysis of multiple CO transitions (⁠|$L^{\prime }_{\rm CO} \sim 10^9$| K km s−1) in two z ∼ 0.5 galaxies associated with one Ly α absorber towards J0238+1636. The CO spectral line energy distributions (CO SLEDs) of these galaxies appear distinct from that of typical star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts and is comparable with that of luminous infrared galaxies or active galactic nucleus (AGN). Indeed, these galaxies are associated with optically identified AGN activity. We infer that the CO line ratios and the αCO conversion factor differ from the Galactic values. Our findings suggest that at least a fraction of absorption-selected systems shows interstellar medium conditions deviating from those of normal star-forming galaxies. For a robust molecular gas mass calculation, it is therefore important to construct the CO SLED. Absorption line selection identifies systems with widely distributed gas, which may preferentially select interacting galaxies, which in turn will have more excited CO SLEDs than isolated galaxies. Furthermore, we raise the question whether quasar absorbers preferentially trace galaxy overdensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a catalogue of ALMA flux density measurements of 754 calibrators observed between 2012 August and 2017 September, for a total of 16263 observations in different bands and epochs. The flux densities were measured by reprocessing the ALMA images generated in the framework of the ALMACAL project, with a new code developed by the Italian node of the European ALMA Regional Centre. A search in the online data bases yielded redshift measurements for 589 sources (∼78 per cent of the total). Almost all sources are flat spectrum, based on their low-frequency spectral index, and have properties consistent with being blazars of different types. To illustrate the properties of the sample, we show the redshift and flux density distributions as well as the distributions of the number of observations of individual sources and of timespans in the source frame for sources observed in bands 3 (84−116 GHz) and 6 (211−275 GHz). As examples of the scientific investigations allowed by the catalogue, we briefly discuss the variability properties of our sources in ALMA bands 3 and 6 and the frequency spectra between the effective frequencies of these bands. We find that the median variability index steadily increases with the source-frame time lag increasing from 100 to 800  d, and that the frequency spectra of BL Lacs are significantly flatter than those of flat-spectrum radio quasars. We also show the global spectral energy distributions of our sources over 17 orders of magnitude in frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform lens modelling and source reconstruction of Sub-millimetre Array (SMA) data for a sample of 12 strongly lensed galaxies selected at 500μm in the Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS). A previous analysis of the same data set used a single Sérsic profile to model the light distribution of each background galaxy. Here we model the source brightness distribution with an adaptive pixel scale scheme, extended to work in the Fourier visibility space of interferometry. We also present new SMA observations for seven other candidate lensed galaxies from theH-ATLAS sample. Our derived lens model parameters are in general consistent with previous findings. However, our estimated magnification factors, ranging from 3 to 10, are lower. The discrepancies are observed in particular where the reconstructed source hints at the presence of multiple knots of emission.We define an effective radius of the reconstructed sources based on the area in the source plane where emission is detected above 5σ. We also fit the reconstructed source surface brightness with an elliptical Gaussian model. We derive a median value reff ~ 1.77 kpc and a median Gaussian full width at half-maximum ~1.47 kpc. After correction for magnification, our sources have intrinsic star formation rates (SFR) ~ 900-3500M☉ yr-1, resulting in a median SFR surface density ΣSFR ~ 132M☉ yr-1 kpc-2 (or ~218M☉ yr-1 kpc-2 for the Gaussian fit). This is consistent with that observed for other star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts, and is significantly below the Eddington limit for a radiation pressure regulated starburst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform lens modelling and source reconstruction of Sub-millimetre Array (SMA) data for a sample of 12 strongly lensed galaxies selected at 500μm in the Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS). A previous analysis of the same data set used a single Sérsic profile to model the light distribution of each background galaxy. Here we model the source brightness distribution with an adaptive pixel scale scheme, extended to work in the Fourier visibility space of interferometry. We also present new SMA observations for seven other candidate lensed galaxies from theH-ATLAS sample. Our derived lens model parameters are in general consistent with previous findings. However, our estimated magnification factors, ranging from 3 to 10, are lower. The discrepancies are observed in particular where the reconstructed source hints at the presence of multiple knots of emission.We define an effective radius of the reconstructed sources based on the area in the source plane where emission is detected above 5σ. We also fit the reconstructed source surface brightness with an elliptical Gaussian model. We derive a median value reff ∼ 1.77 kpc and a median Gaussian full width at half-maximum ∼1.47 kpc. After correction for magnification, our sources have intrinsic star formation rates (SFR) ∼ 900-3500M☉ yr-1, resulting in a median SFR surface density ☉SFR ∼ 132M☉ yr-1 kpc-2 (or ∼218M☉ yr-1 kpc-2 for the Gaussian fit). This is consistent with that observed for other star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts, and is significantly below the Eddington limit for a radiation pressure regulated starburst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the flow of baryons into and out of galaxies is an important part of understanding the evolution of galaxies over time. We present a detailed case study of the environment around an intervening Ly α absorption line system at zabs = 0.633, seen towards the quasar J0423-0130 (zQSO = 0.915). We detect with ALMA the 12CO(2-1), 12CO(3-2), and 1.2 mm continuum emission from a galaxy at the redshift of the Ly α absorber at a projected distance of 135 kpc. From the ALMA detections, we infer interstellar medium conditions similar to those in low-redshift luminous infrared galaxies. Director's Discretionary Time (DDT) Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) integral field unit observations reveal the optical counterpart of the 12CO emission line source and three additional emission line galaxies at the absorber redshift, which together form a galaxy group. The 12COemission line detections originate from the most massive galaxy in this group. While we cannot exclude that we miss a fainter host, we reach a dust-uncorrected star formation rate (SFR) limit of >0.3M☉yr-1 within 100 kpc from the sightline to the background quasar. We measure the dust-corrected SFR (ranging from 3 to 50M☉ yr-1), the morpho-kinematics and the metallicities of the four group galaxies to understand the relation between the group and the neutral gas probed in absorption.We find that the Ly α absorber traces either an outflow from the most massive galaxy or intragroup gas. This case study illustrates the power of combining ALMA and MUSE to obtain a census of the cool baryons in a bounded structure at intermediate redshift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the calibration between the dust continuum luminosity and interstellar gas content obtained from the Valparaíso ALMA Line Emission Survey (VALES) sample of 67 mainsequence star-forming galaxies at 0.02 < z < 0.35. We use CO(1-0) observations from the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array to trace the molecular gas mass, MH2 , and estimate the rest-frame monochromatic luminosity at 850 μm, Lν 850 , by extrapolating the dust continuum from MAGPHYS modelling of the far-ultraviolet to submillimetre spectral energy distribution sampled by the Galaxy And Mass Assembly survey. Adopting αCO = 6.5 (K km s-1 pc2)-1, the average ratio of Lν 850 /MH2 = (6.4 ± 1.4)× 1019 erg s-1 Hz-1 M-1☉, in excellent agreement with literature values. We obtain a linear fit of log10(MH2/M☉) = (0.92 ± 0.02) log10(Lν 850/erg s-1 Hz-1) - (17.31 ± 0.59).We provide relations between Lν 850 , MH2 and MISM when combining the VALES and literature samples, and adopting a Galactic αCO value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the properties of the foreground galaxy of the Ruby, the brightest gravitationally lensed high-redshift galaxy on the sub-millimeter sky as probed by the Planck satellite, and part of our sample of Planck's dusty GEMS. The Ruby consists of an Einstein ring of 1.4" diameter at z = 3.005 observed with ALMA at 0.1" resolution, centered on a faint, red, massive lensing galaxy seen with HST/WFC3, which itself has an exceptionally high redshift, z = 1.525 ± 0.001, as confirmed with VLT/X-shooter spectroscopy. Here we focus on the properties of the lens and the lensing model obtained with LENSTOOL. The rest-frame optical morphology of this system is strongly dominated by the lens, while the Ruby itself is highly obscured, and contributes less than 10% to the photometry out to the K band. The foreground galaxy has a lensing mass of (3.70 ± 0.35) × 1011 Mo. Magnification factors are between 7 and 38 for individual clumps forming two image families along the Einstein ring. We present a decomposition of the foreground and background sources in the WFC3 images, and stellar population synthesis modeling with a range of star-formation histories for Chabrier and Salpeter initial mass functions (IMFs). Only the stellar mass range obtained with the latter agrees well with the lensing mass. This is consistent with the bottom-heavy IMFs of massive high-redshift galaxies expected from detailed studies of the stellar masses and mass profiles of their low-redshift descendants, and from models of turbulent gas fragmentation. This may be the first direct constraint on the IMF in a lens at z = 1.5, which is not a cluster central galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microvariability (intranight variability) is a low amplitude flux change at short time-scales (i.e. hours). It has been detected in unobscured type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) and blazars. However in type 2AGN, the detection is hampered by the lowcontrast between the presumably variable nucleus and the host galaxy. In this paper, we present a search for microvariability in a sample of four type 2 quasars as an astrostatistical problem. We are exploring the use of a newly introduced enhanced F-test, proposed by Diego. The presented results show that out of four observed target, we are able to apply this statistical method to three of them. Evidence of microvariations is clear in the case of quasar J0802+2552 in all used filters (g', r' and i') during both observing nights, and they are present in one of the nights of observations, J1258+5239 in one filter (i'), while for the J1316+4452, there is evidence for microvariability within our detection levels during one night and two filters (r' and i'). We demonstrate the feasibility of the enhanced F-test to detect microvariability in obscured type 2 quasars. At the end of this paper, we discuss possible causes of microvariability. One of the options is the misclassification of the targets. A likely scenario for explanation of the phenomenon involves optically thin gaps in a clumpy obscuring medium, in accordance with the present view of the circumnuclear medium. There is a possible interesting connection between the merging state of the targets and detection of microvariability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impending Javalambre Physics of the accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) will be the first wide-field survey of ≳ 8500 deg² to reach the 'stage IV' category. Because of the redshift resolution afforded by 54 narrow-band filters, J-PAS is particularly suitable for cluster detection in the range z<1. The photometric redshift dispersion is estimated to be only ∼0.003 with few outliers ≲4 per cent for galaxies brighter than i ∼ 23 AB, because of the sensitivity of narrow band imaging to absorption and emission lines. Here, we evaluate the cluster selection function for J-PAS using N-body+semi-analytical realistic mock catalogues. We optimally detect clusters from this simulation with the Bayesian Cluster Finder, and we assess the completeness and purity of cluster detection against the mock data. The minimum halo mass threshold we find for detections of galaxy clusters and groups with both>80 per cent completeness and purity is Mh ∼ 5 1013M⊙ up to z ∼ 0.7. We also model the optical observable, M*CL-halo mass relation, finding a non-evolution with redshift and main scatter of sM*CL|Mh ∼ 0.14 dex down to a factor 2 lower in mass than other planned broad-band stage IV surveys, at least. For the Mh ∼ 1 1014M⊙ Planck mass limit, J-PAS will arrive up to z ∼ 0.85 with a sM*CL|Mh ∼ 0.12 dex. Therefore, J-PAS will provide the largest sample of clusters and groups up to z ∼ 0.8 with a mass calibration accuracy comparable to X-ray data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have modelled Atacama Large Millimetre/sub-millimetre Array (ALMA) long baseline imaging of the strong gravitational lens system H-ATLAS J090311.6+003906 (SDP.81). We have reconstructed the distribution of band 6 and 7 continuum emission in the z = 3.042 source and determined its kinematic properties by reconstructing CO(5-4) and CO(8-7) line emission in bands 4 and 6. The continuum imaging reveals a highly non-uniform distribution of dust with clumps on scales of ~200 pc. In contrast, the CO line emission shows a relatively smooth, disc-like velocity field which is well fitted by a rotating disc model with an inclination angle of (40 ± 5)° and an asymptotic rotation velocity of 320 kms-1. The inferred dynamical mass within 1.5 kpc is (3.5 ± 0.5) × 1010 M⊙ which is comparable to the total molecular gas masses of (2.7 ± 0.5) × 1010 M⊙ and (3.5 ± 0.6) × 1010 M⊙ from the dust continuum emission and CO emission, respectively. Our new reconstruction of the lensed Hubble Space Telescope near-infrared emission shows two objects which appear to be interacting, with the rotating disc of gas and dust revealed by ALMA distinctly offset from the near-infrared emission. The clumpy nature of the dust and a low value of the Toomre parameter of Q ~ 0.3 suggest that the disc is in a state of collapse. We estimate a star formation rate in the disc of 470 ± 80 M⊙ yr-1 with an efficiency ~65 times greater than typical low-redshift galaxies. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that the most infrared luminous, dust obscured galaxies in the high-redshift Universe represent a population of merger-induced starbursts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast brightness variations are a unique tool to probe the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN). These variations are called microvariability or intra-night variability, and this phenomenon has been monitored in samples of blazars and unobscured AGNs. Detecting optical microvariations in targets hidden by the obscuring torus is a challenging task because the region responsible for the variations is hidden from our sight. However, there have been reports of fast variations in obscured Seyfert galaxies in X-rays, which rises the question whether microvariations can also be detected in obscured AGNs in the optical regime. Because the expected variations are very small and can easily be lost within the noise, the analysis requires a statistical approach. We report the use of a one-way analysis of variance, ANOVA, with which we searched for microvariability. ANOVA was successfully employed in previous studies of unobscured AGNs. As a result, we found microvariable events during three observing blocks: in two we observed the same object (Mrk 477), and in another, J0759+5050. The results on Mrk 477 confirm previous findings. However, since Mrk 477 is quite a peculiar target with hidden broad-line regions, we cannot rule out the possibility that we have serendipitously chosen a target prone to variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Many studies have shown how galaxy properties (e.g. colours, morphology, star-forming (SF) activity, active galactic nuclei population) change not only with redshift, but also with local galaxy density, revealing the important e ect of the stellar/halo mass and the environment in the evolution of galaxies. A detailed analysis of the star formation activity in a representative sample of clusters will help us to understand the physical processes that cause the observed changes. Aims. We performed a thorough analysis of the star formation activity in the young massive galaxy cluster RX J1257+4738 at z = 0:866, with emphasis on the relationship between the local environment of the cluster galaxies and their star formation activity. We present an optical and infrared (IR) study that benefited from the large amount of data available for this cluster, including new OSIRIS/GTC and Herschel imaging observations. Methods. Using a multi-wavelength catalogue from the optical to the near-infrared, we measured photometric redshifts through a X2 spectral energy distribution fitting procedure. We implemented a reliable and carefully chosen cluster membership selection criterion including Monte Carlo simulations and derived a sample of 292 reliable cluster member galaxies for which we measured the following properties: optical colours, stellar masses, ages, ultraviolet luminosities and local densities. Using the MIPS 24 μm and Herschel data, we measured total IR luminosities and star formation rates (SFRs). Results. Of the sample of 292 cluster galaxies, 38 show far-infrared (FIR) emission with an SFR between 0.5 and 45 M☉yr-1. The spatial distribution of the FIR emitters within the cluster density map and the filament-like overdensities observed suggest that RX J1257 is not virialised, but is in the process of assembly. The average star formation as a function of the cluster environment parametrised by the local density of galaxies does not show any clear trend. However, the fraction of SF galaxies unveils that the cluster intermediatedensity regions is preferred for the SF activity to enhance, since we observe a significant increase of the FIR-emitter fraction in this environment. The analysis of the extinction distributions of the optically red and blue SF galaxies supports the assumption of the red SF galaxies as a dusty population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]