Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Dec 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007aas...211.9721o&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #211, #97.21; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.907
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Spitzer has discovered a new class of galaxies with very luminous molecular hydrogen emission in the mid-IR, but relatively little star formation activity. This phenomenon is found in several different types of galaxies, including radio galaxies, brightest cluster galaxies, and LIRGs. All are massive galaxies residing in rich groups or clusters. Most show evidence of interactions with companion galaxies or more advanced mergers. The molecular gas appears to be shock heated by galaxy collisions and interactions. The shocked H2 is revealed by its high equivalent width pure-rotational lines observed with Spitzer IRS. These lines allow us to determine the mass and temperature distribution of warm, shocked gas. We typically find 1E8-1E10 solar masses of warm H2, heated to temperatures of 100-1500 K. The very large masses and energies involved indicate galactic scale disturbances. The gas may be tidally stripped from a companion galaxy, fallback gas stripped from the primary, or accretion from the intracluster medium. Star formation may be suppressed by turbulence and high temperatures until the molecular hydrogen has time to settle and cool.
This work is based on observations taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
Antonucci Robert
Appleton Phil N.
Boulanger Francois
Emonts H. C. B.
Evans Aaron
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