The Astrophysics of OH Megamasers in Merging Galaxies: the Role of Star Formation, Dust, Molecules, and AGN

Details The Astrophysics of OH Megamasers in Merging Galaxies: the Role of Star Formation, Dust, Molecules, and AGN The Astrophysics of OH Megamasers in Merging Galaxies: the Role of Star Formation, Dust, Molecules, and AGN

May 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006sptz.prop30407d&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #30407

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Scientific paper

OH megamasers (OHMs) are starburst-scale masers associated with merging galaxies that can trace star formation, the formation of binary massive black holes, and possibly the feedback process between starbursts and black hole accretion in nascent quasars. We lack a physical understanding of the mechanisms and conditions responsible for the OHM process, and the physical conditions distinguishing OHM hosts from non-masing (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies ([U]LIRGs) have not been identified. Understanding the astrophysics of OHMs is critical to employing them as tracers of black hole and galaxy evolution at high redshift. Spitzer IRS spectra provide a rich set of diagnostics of dust phases, AGN influence, and the molecular ISM, all at scales well matched to the regions responsible for maser activity. We propose to obtain both high and low resolution IRS spectra of a flux-limited sample of 28 OHM hosts and compare the physical properties derived from the spectra to a sample of (U)LIRGs in the Spitzer archive. Combined with ancillary high resolution optical and radio imaging and spectroscopy, we hope to place the OHMs into the evolutionary sequence of major mergers and address fundamental questions about the nature of OHMs such as the source of the maser pump, the importance of beaming, and whether OHMs require AGN activity or are simply coincident with it.

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