Aprajita Verma

Abstract:

We present Herschel observations of 6 fine-structure lines in 25 ultraluminous infrared galaxies at z < 0.27. The lines, [O III]52 μm, [N III]57 μm, [O I]63 μm, [N II]122 μm, [O I]145 μm, and [C II]158 μm, are mostly single Gaussians with widths <600 km s-1 and luminosities of 107-109 LO. There are deficits in the [O I]63/L IR, [N II]/L IR, [O I]145/L IR, and [C II]/L IR ratios compared to lower luminosity systems. The majority of the line deficits are consistent with dustier H II regions, but part of the [C II] deficit may arise from an additional mechanism, plausibly charged dust grains. This is consistent with some of the [C II] originating from photodissociation regions or the interstellar medium (ISM). We derive relations between far-IR line luminosities and both the IR luminosity and star formation rate. We find that [N II] and both [O I] lines are good tracers of the IR luminosity and star formation rate. In contrast, [C II] is a poor tracer of the IR luminosity and star formation rate, and does not improve as a tracer of either quantity if the [C II] deficit is accounted for. The continuum luminosity densities also correlate with the IR luminosity and star formation rate. We derive ranges for the gas density and ultraviolet radiation intensity of 101 < n < 102.5 and 102.2 < G 0 < 103.6, respectively. These ranges depend on optical type, the importance of star formation, and merger stage. We do not find relationships between far-IR line properties and several other parameters: active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity, merger stage, mid-IR excitation, and SMBH mass. We conclude that these far-IR lines arise from gas heated by starlight, and that they are not strongly influenced by AGN activity. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

We report the results from a systematic search for molecular (OH 119 μm) outflows with Herschel/PACS in a sample of 43 nearby (z < 0.3) galaxy mergers, mostly ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) and QSOs. We find that the character of the OH feature (strength of the absorption relative to the emission) correlates with that of the 9.7 μm silicate feature, a measure of obscuration in ULIRGs. Unambiguous evidence for molecular outflows, based on the detection of OH absorption profiles with median velocities more blueshifted than -50 km s-1, is seen in 26 (70%) of the 37 OH-detected targets, suggesting a wide-angle (∼145°) outflow geometry. Conversely, unambiguous evidence for molecular inflows, based on the detection of OH absorption profiles with median velocities more redshifted than +50 km s -1, is seen in only four objects, suggesting a planar or filamentary geometry for the inflowing gas. Terminal outflow velocities of ∼-1000 km s-1 are measured in several objects, but median outflow velocities are typically ∼-200 km s-1. While the outflow velocities show no statistically significant dependence on the star formation rate, they are distinctly more blueshifted among systems with large active galactic nucleus (AGN) fractions and luminosities [log (L AGN/L⊙) ≥ 11.8 ± 0.3]. The quasars in these systems play a dominant role in driving the molecular outflows. However, the most AGN dominated systems, where OH is seen purely in emission, show relatively modest OH line widths, despite their large AGN luminosities, perhaps indicating that molecular outflows subside once the quasar has cleared a path through the obscuring material. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

We present a revised model for the infrared emission of the hyperluminous infrared galaxy IRAS F10214+4724 which takes into account recent photometric data from Spitzer and Herschel that sample the peak of its spectral energy distribution. We first present and discuss a grid of smooth active galactic nucleus (AGN) torus models computed with the method of Efstathiou & Rowan-Robinson and demonstrate that the combination of these models and the starburst models of Efstathiou and coworkers, while able to give an excellent fit to the average spectrum of Seyfert 2s and spectra of individual type 2 quasars measured by Spitzer, fails to match the spectral energy distribution of IRAS F10214+4724. This is mainly due to the fact that the νSν distribution of the galaxy falls very steeply with increasing frequency (a characteristic that is usually indicative of heavy absorption by dust) but shows a silicate feature in emission. Such emission features are not expected in sources with optical/near-infrared type 2 AGN spectral signatures. The Herschel data show that there is more power emitted in the rest-frame 20-50 μm wavelength range compared with the model presented by Efstathiou which assumes three components of emission: an edge-on torus, clouds (at a temperature of 610 and 200 K) that are associated with the narrow-line region (NLR) and a highly obscured starburst that dominates in the submillimetre. We present a revised version of that model that assumes an additional component of emission which we associate with NLR clouds at a temperature of 100 K. The 100 K dust component could also be explained by a highly obscured hot starburst. The model suggests that the NLR of IRAS F10214+4724 has an unusually high covering factor (≥17 per cent) or more likely the magnification of the emission from the NLR clouds is significantly higher than that of the emission from the torus. © 2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Abstract:

We report on Herschel/PACS observations of absorption lines of OH +, H2O+ and H3O+ in NGC 4418 and Arp 220. Excited lines of OH+ and H2O+ with Elower of at least 285 and ∼200 K, respectively, are detected in both sources, indicating radiative pumping and location in the high radiation density environment of the nuclear regions. Abundance ratios OH +/H2O+ of 1-2.5 are estimated in the nuclei of both sources. The inferred OH+ column and abundance relative to H nuclei are (0.5-1) × 1016 cm-2 and ∼ 2 × 10-8, respectively. Additionally, in Arp 220, an extended low excitation component around the nuclear region is found to have OH +/H2O+ ∼ 5-10. H3O+ is detected in both sources with N(H3O+) ∼ (0.5-2) × 1016 cm-2, and in Arp 220 the pure inversion, metastable lines indicate a high rotational temperature of ∼500 K, indicative of formation pumping and/or hot gas. Simple chemical models favor an ionization sequence dominated by H+ → O+ → OH+ → H2O+ → H3O +, and we also argue that the H+ production is most likely dominated by X-ray/cosmic ray ionization. The full set of observations and models leads us to propose that the molecular ions arise in a relatively low density (≥104 cm-3) interclump medium, in which case the ionization rate per H nucleus (including secondary ionizations) is ζ > 10-13 s-1, a lower limit that is several × 102 times the highest current rate estimates for Galactic regions. In Arp 220, our lower limit for ζ is compatible with estimates for the cosmic ray energy density inferred previously from the supernova rate and synchrotron radio emission, and also with the expected ionization rate produced by X-rays. In NGC 4418, we argue that X-ray ionization due to an active galactic nucleus is responsible for the molecular ion production. © 2013 ESO.

Abstract:

We perform a stacking analysis of Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS) data in order to obtain isothermal dust temperatures and rest-frame luminosities at 250 μm (L250), for a well-defined sample of 1599 radio sources over the H-ATLAS Phase 1/Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) area. The radio sample is generated using a combination of NRAO VLA Sky Survey data and K-band United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Deep Sky Survey-Large Area Survey data, over the redshift range 0.01 < z < 0.8. The far-infrared(FIR) properties of the sample are investigated as a function of 1.4-GHz luminosity, redshift, projected radio-source size and radio spectral index. In order to search for stellar mass-dependent relations, we split the parent sample into those sources which are below and above 1.5 L*K.After correcting for stellar mass and redshift, we find no relation between the 250-μm luminosity and the 1.4-GHz radio luminosity of radio active galactic nuclei. This implies thata galaxy's nominal radio luminosity has little or no bearing on the star formation rate (SFR)and/or dust mass content of the host system, although this does not mean that other variables(e.g. radio source size) related to the jets do not have an effect. The L250 of both the radio detected and non-radio-detected galaxies (defined as those sources not detected at 1.4 GHz but detected in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey with r< 22) rises with increasing redshift. Compact radio sources (<30 kpc) are associated with higher 250 μm luminosities and dust temperatures than their more extended (>30 kpc) counterparts. The higher dust temperature suggests that this may be attributed to enhanced SFRs in compact radio galaxies, but whether this is directly or indirectly due to radio activity (e.g. jet-induced or merger-driven star formation) is as yet unknown.For matched samples in LK and g-r, sub-1.5 L*K and super-1.5 L*K radio-detected galaxies have 0.89±0.18 and 0.49±0.12 times the 250μm luminosity of their non-radio-detected counterparts. Thus, while no difference in L250 is observed in sub-1.5 L*K radio-detected galaxies, a strong deficit is observed in super-1.5 L*K radio-detected galaxies. We explain these results in terms of the hotter, denser and richer halo environments massive radio galaxies maintain and are embedded in. These environments are expected to quench the cold gas and dust supply needed for further star formation and therefore dust production. Our results indicate that all massive radio galaxies (>1.5 L*K) may have systematically lower FIR luminosities(~25 per cent) than their colour-matched non-radio-detected counterparts. Finally, no relation between radio spectral index and L250 is found for the subset of 1.4-GHz radio sources with detections at 330 MHz. © 2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.