Galaxy formation and evolution

Abstract:

We present a detailed analysis of the far-infrared (-IR) properties of the bright, lensed, z = 2.3, submillimetre-selected galaxy (SMG), SMM J2135-0102 (hereafter SMM J2135), using new observations with Herschel, SCUBA-2 and the Very Large Array (VLA). These data allow us to constrain the galaxy's spectral energy distribution (SED) and show that it has an intrinsic rest-frame 8-1000-μm luminosity, Lbol, of (2.3±0.2) × 10 12 L⊙ and a likely star-formation rate (SFR) of ∼400 M⊙ yr-1. The galaxy sits on the far-IR/radio correlation for far-IR-selected galaxies. At ≥70 μm, the SED can be described adequately by dust components with dust temperatures, Td ∼ 30 and 60 k. Using SPIRE's Fourier- transform spectrometer (FTS) we report a detection of the [C ii] 158 μm cooling line. If the [C ii], CO and far-IR continuum arise in photo-dissociation regions (PDRs), we derive a characteristic gas density, n ∼ 103 cm-3, and a far-ultraviolet (-UV) radiation field, G0, 103× stronger than the Milky Way. L[CII]/Lbol is significantly higher than in local ultra-luminous IR galaxies (ULIRGs) but similar to the values found in local star-forming galaxies and starburst nuclei. This is consistent with SMM J2135 being powered by starburst clumps distributed across ∼2 kpc, evidence that SMGs are not simply scaled-up ULIRGs. Our results show that SPIRE's FTS has the ability to measure the redshifts of distant, obscured galaxies via the blind detection of atomic cooling lines, but it will not be competitive with ground-based CO-line searches. It will, however, allow detailed study of the integrated properties of high-redshift galaxies, as well as the chemistry of their interstellar medium (ISM), once more suitably bright candidates have been found. © ESO 2010.

Abstract:

We present Herschel-PACS observations of rest-frame mid-infrared and far-infrared spectral line emissions from two lensed, ultraluminous infrared galaxies at high redshift: MIPS J142824.0+352619 (MIPS J1428), a starburst-dominated system at z = 1.3, and IRAS F10214+4724 (F10214), a source at z = 2.3 hosting both star-formation and a luminous AGN. We have detected [OI]63μm and [OIII]52μm in MIPS J1428, and tentatively [O III]52μm in F10214. Together with the recent ZEUS-CSO [CII]158μm detection in MIPS J1428 we can for the first time combine [OI], [CII] and far-IR (FIR) continuum measurements for PDR modeling of an ultra-luminous (LIR ≥ 10 12 L⊙) star forming galaxy at the peak epoch of cosmic star formation. We find that MIPS J1428, contrary to average local ULIRGs, does not show a deficit in [OI] relative to FIR. The combination of far-UV flux G0 and gas density n (derived from the PDR models), as well as the star formation efficiency (derived from CO and FIR) is similar to normal or starburst galaxies, despite the high infrared luminosity of this system. In contrast, F10214 has stringent upper limits on [O IV] and [S III], and an [O III]/FIR ratio at least an order of magnitude lower than local starbursts or AGN, similar to local ULIRGs. © ESO 2010.

Abstract:

We set out to determine the ratio, qIR, of rest-frame 8-1000-μm flux, SIR, to monochromatic radio flux, S 1.4 GHz, for galaxies selected at far-infrared (IR) and radio wavelengths, to search for signs that the ratio evolves with redshift, luminosity or dust temperature, Td, and to identify any far-IR-bright outliers - useful laboratories for exploring why the far-IR/radio correlation (FIRRC) is generally so tight when the prevailing theory suggests variations are almost inevitable. We use flux-limited 250-μm and 1.4-GHz samples, obtained using Herschel and the Very Large Array (VLA) in GOODS-North (-N). We determine bolometric IR output using ten bands spanning λobs = 24-1250 μm, exploiting data from PACS and SPIRE (PEP; HerMES), as well as Spitzer, SCUBA, AzTEC and MAMBO. We also explore the properties of an L IR-matched sample, designed to reveal evolution of qIR with redshift, spanning log LIR = 11-12 L⊙ and z = 0-2, by stacking into the radio and far-IR images. For 1.4-GHz-selected galaxies in GOODS-N, we see tentative evidence of a break in the flux ratio, q IR, at L1.4 GHz ∼ 1022.7 W Hz-1, where active galactic nuclei (AGN) are starting to dominate the radio power density, and of weaker correlations with redshift and Td. From our 250-μm-selected sample we identify a small number of far-IR-bright outliers, and see trends of qIR with L1.4 GHz, LIR, Td and redshift, noting that some of these are inter-related. For our LIR-matched sample, there is no evidence that qIR changes significantly as we move back into the epoch of galaxy formation: we find qIR (1+z)γ, where γ = -0.04±0.03 at z = 0-2; however, discounting the least reliable data at z < 0.5 we find γ = -0.26±0.07, modest evolution which may be related to the radio background seen by ARCADE 2, perhaps driven by <10-μJy radio activity amongst ordinary star-forming galaxies at z>1. © ESO 2010.