Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jun 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005sptz.prop20407g&link_type=abstract
Spitzer Proposal ID #20407
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Starbursts, and particularly Wolf-Rayet galaxies, are objects with violent star formation that cannot be maintained for a Hubble time. They provide important clues to understanding galaxy formation and evolution mechanisms, since massive stars play an important role in the nucleosynthesis of heavier elements and the transfer of mechanical energy to the interstellar medium. Understanding how gas collapses to generate bursts of star formation in galaxies, and how star cluster evolution occurs to form the relation between central black hole mass and galaxy bulge properties is one of the key subjects in modern astrophysics. We propose to use existing high- and low- resolution IRS observations to investigate the gas properties and stellar populations of a sample of local Wolf Rayet galaxies, using mid-infrared diagnostic diagrams. The mid-IR has the advantage of not being subject to the huge extinction that affects UV and optical observations, especially in objects with strong star formation where the young clusters are embedded in a thick dust shorud. We will probe the star formation/AGN processes in these environments through the analysis of fine structure line ratios, PAH emission and the derivation of photo-ionization parameters. These results will be compared with those derived from spectra available in the SDSS database and targeted long-slit observations, revealing the limitations of traditional shorter wavelength observations. Realistic photoionization models will be used to analyze a broad range of physical parameters and peculiarities of the observed regions. Correlations between the massive stellar spectral signatures and gas abundance, or gas excitation, will enable estimation of the number of such stars in the observed regions. The heterogeneous character of the sample, including active and non-active galaxies, will allow us to test evolutionary scenarios proposed for AGN, an important test for the Unified Model of AGN.
de Carvalho Reinaldo
Fernandes Iranderly
Gal Roy R.
Garcia-Rissmann Aurea
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