Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2005-10-26
Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.366:L1-L5,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
6 pages, 4 figures and 1 table. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters
Scientific paper
10.1111/j.1745-3933.2005.00118.x
We present: 1) a kinematic and morphological study of the giant Lya nebula associated with the radio galaxy MRC2104-242 (z = 2.49) based on integral field spectroscopic VIMOS data from VLT; 2) a photometric study of the host (proto?) galaxy based on Spitzer Space Telescope data. The galaxy appears to be embedded in a giant (>120 kpc) gas reservoir that surrounds it completely. The kinematic properties of the nebula suggest that it is a rotating structure, which would imply a lower limit to the dynamical mass of ~3 x 1e11 Msun. An alternate scenario is that the gas is infalling. Such a process would be able to initiate and sustain significant central starburst activity, although it is likely to contribute with less than 10% of the total stellar mass of the galaxy. The near- to mid-IR spectral energy distribution of the radio galaxy suggests the existence of a reddened, E(B-V)=0.4(+/-)0 .1$, evolved stellar population of age >~ 1.8 Gyr and mass 5(+/-)2 x 1e11 Msun. The implied formation redshift is z_f >~ 6. This stellar mass is similar to the stellar masses found for massive early-type galaxies at z~2 in deep, near-infrared surveys.
de Breuck Carlos
di Serego Alighieri Sperello
Fosbury Robert
Humphrey Andrew
Peletier Reynier
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