Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Nov 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010hia....15..423m&link_type=abstract
Highlights of Astronomy, Volume 15, p. 423-424
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Infrared: Galaxies — Galaxies: Starburst — Galaxies: Agn — Galaxies: Submillimeter
Scientific paper
Ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs; L > 1012 L&sun;) are quite rare in the local universe, but seem to dominate the co-moving energy density at z > 2. Many are optically-faint, dust-obscured galaxies that have been identified only relatively recently by the detection of their thermal dust emission redshifted into the sub-mm wavelengths. These submm galaxies (SMGs) have been shown to be a massive objects (M* ~ 1011 M&sun;) undergoing intense star-formation(SFRs ~ 102 - 103 M&sun; yr-1) and the likely progenitors of massive ellipticals today. However, the AGN contribution to the far-IR luminosity had for years remained a caveat to these results. We used the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) to investigate the energetics of 24 radio-identified and spectroscopically-confirmed SMGs in the redshift range of 0.6 < z < 3.2. We find emission from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - which are associated with intense star-formation activity - in >80% of our sample and find that the median mid-IR spectrum is well described by a starburst component with an additional power-law continuum representing < 32% AGN contribution to the far-IR luminosity. We also find evidence for a more extended distribution of warm dust in SMGs compared to the more compact nuclear bursts in local ULIRGs and starbursts, suggesting that SMGs are not simple high-redshift analogs of local ULIRGs or nuclear starbursts, but have star formation which resembles that seen in less-extreme star-forming environments at z ~ 0.
Alexander Dave M.
Armus Lee
Blain Andrew W.
Chapman Sandra C.
Frayer David
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