Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1998-09-27
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
10 pages (aaspp4.sty), 3 postscript figures (embedded). Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters
Scientific paper
10.1086/311728
Recently Taniguchi and Ohyama found that the higher $^{12}$CO to $^{13}$CO integrated intensity ratios at a transition $J$=1--0, $R = I(^{12}$CO)$/I(^{13}$CO) $\gtrsim 20$, in a sample of starburst merging galaxies such as Arp 220 are mainly attributed to the depression of $^{13}$CO emission with respect to $^{12}$CO. Investigating the same sample of galaxies analyzed by Taniguchi & Ohyama, we find that there is a tight, almost linear correlation between the dust mass and $^{13}$CO luminosity. This implies that dust grains are also depressed in the high-$R$ starburst mergers, leading to the higher dust temperature ($T_{\rm d}$) in them because of the relative increase in the radiation density. Nevertheless, the average dust mass ($M_{\rm d}$) of the high-$R$ starburst mergers is higher significantly than that of non-high $R$ galaxies. This is naturally understood because the galaxy mergers could accumulate a lot of dust grains from their progenitor galaxies together with supply of dust grains formed newly in the star forming regions. Since $L$(FIR) $\propto M_{\rm d} T_{\rm d}^5$ given the dust emissivity law, $S_\nu \propto \lambda^{-1}$, the increases in both $M_{\rm d}$ and $T_{\rm d}$ explain well why the starburst mergers are so bright in the FIR. We discuss that the superwind activity plays an important role in destroying dust grains as well as dense gas clouds in the central region of mergers.
Ohyama Youichi
Taniguchi Yoshiaki
No associations
LandOfFree
An Origin of the Huge Far-Infrared Luminosity of Starburst Mergers 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 An Origin of the Huge Far-Infrared Luminosity of Starburst Mergers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and An Origin of the Huge Far-Infrared Luminosity of Starburst Mergers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-307229