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The e-MERGE Survey (e-MERLIN Galaxy Evolution Survey): overview and survey description

Venturi, T.; Varenius, E.; Swinbank, A.M.; Simpson, J.M.; Simpson, C.; Serjeant, S.; Sargent, M.T.; Röttgering, H.J.A.; Richards, A.M.S.; Pérez-Torres, M.A.; Pearson, C.; Njeri, A.; Murphy, E.J.; Morabito, L.K.; Koopmans, L.V.E.; Knudsen, K.K.; Kneib, J-P.; Ibar, E.; Garrett, M.A.; Garratt, T.K.; Chen, H.; Coppin, K.; Chapman, S.C.; Biggs, A.D.; Best, P.N.; Bacon, D.; Argo, M.K.; Guidetti, D.; Bondi, M.; Prandoni, I.; Jarvis, M.J.; Ivison, R.J.; Garrington, S.T.; McHardy, I.M.; Smail, I.; Beswick, R.J.; Wrigley, N.H.; Radcliffe, J.F.; Thomson, A.P.; Muxlow, T.W.B.

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Authors

T. Venturi

E. Varenius

J.M. Simpson

C. Simpson

S. Serjeant

M.T. Sargent

H.J.A. Röttgering

A.M.S. Richards

M.A. Pérez-Torres

C. Pearson

A. Njeri

E.J. Murphy

L.K. Morabito

L.V.E. Koopmans

K.K. Knudsen

J-P. Kneib

E. Ibar

M.A. Garrett

T.K. Garratt

H. Chen

K. Coppin

S.C. Chapman

A.D. Biggs

P.N. Best

D. Bacon

M.K. Argo

D. Guidetti

M. Bondi

I. Prandoni

M.J. Jarvis

R.J. Ivison

S.T. Garrington

I.M. McHardy

R.J. Beswick

N.H. Wrigley

J.F. Radcliffe

A.P. Thomson

T.W.B. Muxlow



Abstract

We present an overview and description of the e-MERGE Survey (e-MERLIN Galaxy Evolution Survey) Data Release 1 (DR1), a large program of high-resolution 1.5-GHz radio observations of the GOODS-N field comprising ∼140 h of observations with enhanced-Multi-Element Remotely Linked Interferometer Network (e-MERLIN) and ∼40 h with the Very Large Array (VLA). We combine the long baselines of e-MERLIN (providing high angular resolution) with the relatively closely packed antennas of the VLA (providing excellent surface brightness sensitivity) to produce a deep 1.5-GHz radio survey with the sensitivity (⁠∼1.5μ Jy beam−1), angular resolution (0.2–0.7 arcsec) and field-of-view (∼15 × 15 arcmin2) to detect and spatially resolve star-forming galaxies and active galactic nucleus (AGN) at z ≳ 1. The goal of e-MERGE is to provide new constraints on the deep, sub-arcsecond radio sky which will be surveyed by SKA1-mid. In this initial publication, we discuss our data analysis techniques, including steps taken to model in-beam source variability over an ∼20-yr baseline and the development of new point spread function/primary beam models to seamlessly merge e-MERLIN and VLA data in the uv plane. We present early science results, including measurements of the luminosities and/or linear sizes of ∼500 galaxies selected at 1.5 GHz. In combination with deep Hubble Space Telescope observations, we measure a mean radio-to-optical size ratio of re-MERGE/rHST ∼ 1.02 ± 0.03, suggesting that in most high-redshift galaxies, the ∼GHz continuum emission traces the stellar light seen in optical imaging. This is the first in a series of papers that will explore the ∼kpc-scale radio properties of star-forming galaxies and AGN in the GOODS-N field observed by e-MERGE DR1.

Citation

Venturi, T., Varenius, E., Swinbank, A., Simpson, J., Simpson, C., Serjeant, S., …Muxlow, T. (2020). The e-MERGE Survey (e-MERLIN Galaxy Evolution Survey): overview and survey description. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 495(1), 1188-1208. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa1279

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 5, 2020
Online Publication Date May 8, 2020
Publication Date 2020-06
Deposit Date Jun 24, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 495
Issue 1
Pages 1188-1208
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa1279

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Copyright Statement
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. ©: 2020 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.





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