Projects

Scientific areas of interest

Galaxy formation and evolution. Multi-wavelength observations of galaxies in the local and high-redshift Universe. Feedback mechanisms from star formation and accreting super massive black holes. Multi-phase and multi-scale galactic outflows. The circumgalactic and intergalactic medium. Galaxy interactions and mergers. (Sub)-millimetre telescopes and observational techniques. Dual and binary active galactic nuclei. The thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect.

Ongoing projects

The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope

Astrophysical observations at (sub-)mm wavelengths (λ from ~300 μm to ~3mm) are a unique window to study cold and dense material in the Universe, hence probing the formation of stars, planets, and galaxies. The current generation of 10-m class single dish telescopes delivered the first surveys of the sky at (sub-)mm wavelengths, allowing us to go far beyond the previously optical/IR- biased view of the Universe. Follow-up observations with interferometers then revealed, in exquisite detail, the morphology and kinematics of such (sub-)mm sources. However, it is now clear that without a step change in the capabilities of single-dish facilities in the 2030s, interferometers (like the ALMA observatory) will soon become source-starved. Current 10-m class single dishes, with their limited field of view, spatial resolution, and sensitivity, can only reveal the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of the (sub-)mm source population, both for Galactic and extragalactic studies. These limitations cannot be compensated for by interferometers or their future upgrades, which are all intrinsically affected by a low mapping speed and by the loss of diffuse extended signals.

The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter telescope (AtLAST) is a concept for a 50m -diameter single dish observatory to be built in the Chilean desert. With its extremely large field of view (1- 2 degrees diameter), spatial resolution (up to ~1.5” at 350 μm), and sensitivity to both point sources and large-scale structures, AtLAST will be transformational for all fields of Astronomy in the 2030s. In addition, AtLAST is the first astronomical facility that has included an environmental sustainability study since its first design phase and is conducting active research in the field of renewable energy to find solutions to power the observatory with green energy . Visit the AtLAST website and subscribe to the AtLAST newsletter to receive news about the EU-funded development study. Find all AtLAST-related publications at this link.

The multi-phase baryon cycle of galaxies: observational studies

In our group we leverage multi-wavelength observations - at radio, sub-millimeter, infrared, optical, and UV wavelengths - to study the multi-phase baryon cycle of galaxies at all cosmic times. We focus on several aspects such as: (i) the properties of the molecular and atomic interstellar medium (ii) galactic-scale outflows and other signatures of feedback from active galactic nuclei and star formation; (iii) detection and characterisation of extended molecular gas reservoirs in the interstellar and circumgalactic media (ISM and CGM); (iv) ISM excitation properties; (v) Dust polarization and magnetic fields.

Selection of related publications:

Carlsen, Cicone, et al. "Outflowing shocked gas dominates the NIR H_2 emission from the dual AGN NGC6240", A&A in review (2025). ADS link.
Lasrado, Cicone, & Weiss "The extended molecular gas of the Circinus galaxy and NGC1097 as seen by APEX", accepted for publication in A&A (August 2025). ADS link.
Hagedorn, Cicone et al. "Molecular gas scaling relations for local star-forming galaxies in the low-M* regime", A&A, Volume 687, A244 (July 2024). ADS link.
Montoya Arroyave, Cicone, et al. "A possible relation between global CO excitation and massive molecular outflows in local ULIRGs", A&A 686, A47 (June 2024). ADS Link.
Montoya Arroyave, Cicone, et al. "A sensitive APEX and ALMA CO(1-0), CO(2-1), CO(3-2), and [CI](1-0) spectral survey of 40 local (ultra-)luminous infrared galaxies", A&A, Vol. 673, A13, 39pp (May 2023). ADS link.
Bonanomi, Cicone, et al. "Another X-ray UFO without a momentum-boosted molecular outflow", A&A, Vol. 673, A46, 24 pp. (May 2023). ADS link.
Cicone et al. "SUPER. VI. A giant molecular halo around a z~2 quasar", A&A Letters, Vol. 654, L8, 9pp. (Oct 2021). ADS link to the article
Cicone et al. "Enhanced UV radiation and dense clumps in the molecular outflow of Mrk 231", A&A, Volume 633, id.A163, 13 pp., January 2020. ADS link.
Sirressi, Cicone et al. "Testing the blast-wave AGN feedback scenario in MCG-03-58-007", MNRAS., Volume 489, Issue 2, p.1927-1938, October 2019. ADS link.
Cicone et al. : "ALMA [CI]3P1-3P0 observations of NGC 6240: a puzzling molecular outflow, and the role of outflows in the global αCO factor of (U)LIRGs", The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 863, Issue 2, id.143, 18pp, Aug 2018. ADS link.
Cicone et al.: "The final data release of ALLSMOG: a survey of CO in typical local low-M∗ star-forming galaxies", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 604, A53, Aug 2017. ADS link to the article . In the press: Media INAF article (Italian only) SKA press release (English)

ALMA CO(2-1) image and spectra showing the extended and massive molecular outflow in NGC6240 (Cicone et al. 2018, ApJ)

The interstellar and circumgalactic medium of galaxies: theoretical modelling

Cosmological zoom-in simulations are pivotal for interpreting observations of galaxies and specifically the interaction between galaxies and their environment, the role of cosmic flows and feedbacl mechanisms. However, accurately modelling the gas and dust components in the interstellar (ISM) and circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxies remains challenging, because of the prohibitive range of temporal and spatial scales (from sub-pc to Mpc) that need to be modelled, and of the numerous physical processes that need to be captured and followed simultaneously.

Theorists and observers in our extragalactic group at the University of Oslo collaborate to derive theoretical predictions for current and future multi-wavelength observations of the ISM and CGM. We focus mainly on the coldest gas components at temperatures below 10^4 K, which are the hardest to model due to numerical resolution limitations.

Related publications:

Nyhagen, Schimek, Cicone, Decataldo, Shen, "A theoretical investigation of far-infrared fine structure lines at z>6 and of the origin of the [OIII]88/[CII]158 enhancement". Accepted for publication in A&A. (July 2025). ADS link.
Schimek, Cicone, Shen, et al. "Constraining the physical properties of gas in high-z galaxies with far-infrared and submillimetre line ratios", A&A, Volume 687, id.L10, 7 pp. (July 2024). ADS link.
Schimek, Decataldo, Shen, Cicone, et al. "High resolution modelling of [CII], [CI], [OIII], and CO line emission from the interstellar medium and circumgalactic medium of a star-forming galaxy at z ∼ 6.5", A&A, Volume 682, id.A98, 28 pp. (Feb 2024) ADS link.

Simulated maps of [CII]158, [OIII]88, and [NII]122 line emission from a z~6 galaxy. From Nyhagen et al. (2025)

From dual to binary super massive black holes

With collaborators from INAF and other Italian institutions we are conducting pilot studies and observations aimed at identifying binary and dual AGN candidates, in preparation for future studies with e.g. MAORY+MICADO (PI: Severgnini). MAORY is the Adaptive Optic (AO) module that will be installed at the E-ELT at the first light of the telescope. The MAORY science cases white book is available at this link.

Selected related publications:

Rigamonti, Severgnini et al. (inc. Cicone) "ESPRESSO reveals a single but perturbed broad-line region in the supermassive black hole binary candidate PG 1302–102", Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 693, id.A117, 13 pp. ADS link.
Scialpi, Mannucci et al. (inc. Cicone) "MUSE AO spectroscopy confirms five dual AGNs and two strongly lensed QSOs at sub-arcsec separation", A&A Volume 690, id.A57, 16 pp (October 2024). ADS link.
Mannucci, Scialpi, et al. (inc. Cicone) "GMP-selected dual and lensed AGNs: selection function and classification based on near-IR colors and resolved spectra from VLT/ERIS, KECK/OSIRIS, and LBT/LUCI", A&A Volume 680, id. A53, 13pp. (Dec 2023). ADS link.
Ciurlo, Mannucci et al. "New multiple AGN systems with subarcsec separation: Confirmation of candidates selected via the novel GMP method", A&A, Vol. 671, L4, 6pp. (March 2023). ADS link..
Mannucci et al. "Unveiling the population of dual and lensed active galactic nuclei at sub-arcsec separations", Nature Astronomy, Vol. 6, p.1185 (August 2022). ADS link to the article
Severgnini, Braito, Cicone et al. "A possible sub-kiloparsec dual AGN buried behind the galaxy curtain". A&A, Vol. 646, id. A153 (2021). ADS link to the article.
Serafinelli, Severgnini et al. "Unveiling sub-pc supermassive black hole binary candidates in Active Galactic Nuclei". The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 902, Issue 1, id. 10. ADS link to the article.
Severgnini, Cicone et al. "Swift data hint at a binary Super Massive Black Hole candidate at sub-parsec separation", MNRAS, Volume 479, Issue 3, p. 3804-3813, Sep 2018. ADS link to the article

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