Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jul 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008hst..prop11604a&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #11604. Cycle 17
Computer Science
Scientific paper
We propose a snapshot survey of a complete sample of 80 OH megamaser galaxies. Each galaxy will be imaged with the ACS/WFC through F814W and a linear ramp filter {FR656N or FR716N or FR782N or FR853N} allowing us to study both the spheroid and the gas morphology in Halpha + [N II]. We will use the 9% ramps FR647M {5370-7570 ?} centred at 7000 ? and FR914M {7570-10,719 ?} 8000 ? for continuum subtraction for the high and low z objects respectively. OH megamaser galaxies {OHMG} form an important class of ultraluminous IR-galaxies {ULIRGs} whose maser lines emit QSO-like luminosities. ULIRGs in general are associated with recent mergers but it is often unclear whether their power output is dominated by starbursts or a hidden QSO because of the high absorbing columns which hide their nuclei even at X-ray wavelengths. In contrast, OHMG exhibit strong evidence for the presence of an energetically important and recently triggered active nucleus. In particular it is clear that much of the gas must have already collasped to form a nuclear disk which my be the progenitor of a circum-nuclear torus, a key element of the unified scheme of AGN. A great advantage of studying OHMG systems over the general ULIRG population, is that the circum-nuclear disks are effectively ?fixed? at a inner, edge on, orientation, eliminating varying inclination as a nuisance parameter. We will use the HST observations in conjunction with existing maser and spectroscopic data to construct a detailed picture of the circum-nuclear regions of a hitherto relatively neglected class of galaxy that may hold the key to understanding the relationship between galaxy mergers, nuclear star-formation. and the growth of massive black holes and the triggering of nuclear activity.;
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