Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2010-09-29
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
10 pages, 4 colour figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS (Herschel special issue)
Scientific paper
We use the Herschel-ATLAS science demonstration data to investigate the star-formation properties of radio-selected galaxies in the GAMA-9h field as a function of radio luminosity and redshift. Radio selection at the lowest radio luminosities, as expected, selects mostly starburst galaxies. At higher radio luminosities, where the population is dominated by AGN, we find that some individual objects are associated with high far-infrared luminosities. However, the far-infrared properties of the radio-loud population are statistically indistinguishable from those of a comparison population of radio-quiet galaxies matched in redshift and K-band absolute magnitude. There is thus no evidence that the host galaxies of these largely low-luminosity (Fanaroff-Riley class I), and presumably low-excitation, AGN, as a population, have particularly unusual star-formation histories. Models in which the AGN activity in higher-luminosity, high-excitation radio galaxies is triggered by major mergers would predict a luminosity-dependent effect that is not seen in our data (which only span a limited range in radio luminosity) but which may well be detectable with the full Herschel-ATLAS dataset.
Baldry Ivan K.
Bamford Steven P.
Bonfield David G.
Buttiglione Sara
Cava Antonio
No associations
LandOfFree
Herschel-ATLAS: far-infrared properties of radio-selected galaxies does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Herschel-ATLAS: far-infrared properties of radio-selected galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Herschel-ATLAS: far-infrared properties of radio-selected galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-523630