2,306 research outputs found
Spitzer/IRS Observations of Seyfert 1.8s and 1.9s: A Comparison with Seyfert 1s and Seyfert 2s
We present Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared spectra of 12 Seyfert 1.8 and
1.9 galaxies over the 5-38 um region. We compare the spectral characteristics
of this sample to those of 58 Seyfert 1 and Seyfert 2 galaxies from the Spitzer
archives. An analysis of the spectral shapes, the silicate 10 um feature and
the emission line fluxes have enabled us to characterize the mid-IR properties
of Seyfert 1.8/1.9s. We find that the equivalent widths of the 10 um silicate
feature are generally weak in all Seyfert galaxies, as previously reported by
several studies. The few Seyfert galaxies in this sample that show deep 10 um
silicate absorption features are highly inclined and/or merging galaxies. It is
likely that these absorption features originate primarily in the dusty
interstellar medium of the host galaxy rather than in a dusty torus on parsec
scales close to the central engine. We find that the equivalent width of the
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) band at 6.2 um correlates strongly with
the 20-30 um spectral index. Either of these quantities are good indicators of
the amount of starburst contribution to the mid-IR spectra. The spectra of
Seyfert 1.8 and 1.9s are dominated by these starburst features, similar to most
Seyfert 2s. They show strong PAH bands and a strong red continuum toward 30 um.
The strengths of the high-ionization forbidden narrow emission lines [O IV]
25.89 um, [Ne III] 15.56 um and [Ne V] 14.32 um relative to [Ne II] 12.81 um
are weaker in Seyfert 1.8/1.9s and Seyfert 2s as compared to Seyfert 1s. The
weakness of high-ionization lines in Seyfert 1.8-1.9s is suggestive of
intrinsically weak active galactic nuclei (AGN) continua, and/or stronger star
formation activity leading to enhanced [Ne II]. We discuss the implications of
these observational results in the context of the Unified Model of AGN.Comment: 36 pages, 4 tables, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journal, December 200
COLA II - Radio and Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Nuclear Activity in Galaxies
We present optical spectroscopic observations of 93 galaxies taken from the
infra-red selected COLA (Compact Objects in Low Power AGN) sample. The sample
spans the range of far-IR luminosities from normal galaxies to LIRGs. Of the
galaxies observed, 78 (84%) exhibit emission lines. Using a theoretically-based
optical emission-line scheme we classify 15% of the emission-line galaxies as
Seyferts, 77% as starbursts, and the rest are either borderline AGN/starburst
or show ambiguous characteristics. We find little evidence for an increase in
the fraction of AGN in the sample as a function of far-IR luminosity but our
sample covers only a small range in infrared luminosity and thus a weak trend
may be masked. As a whole the Seyfert galaxies exhibit a small, but
significant, radio excess on the radio-FIR correlation compared to the galaxies
classified as starbursts. Compact (<0.05'') radio cores are detected in 55% of
the Seyfert galaxies, and these galaxies exhibit a significantly larger radio
excess than the Seyfert galaxies in which cores were not detected. Our results
indicate that there may be two distinct populations of Seyferts,
``radio-excess'' Seyferts, which exhibit extended radio structures and compact
radio cores, and ``radio-quiet'' Seyferts, in which the majority of the radio
emission can be attributed to star-formation in the host galaxy. No significant
difference is seen between the IR and optical spectroscopic properties of
Seyferts with and without radio cores. (Abridged)Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ,
February 200
The Nature of Radio Continuum Emission in the Dwarf Starburst Galaxy NGC 625
We present new multi-frequency radio continuum imaging of the dwarf starburst
galaxy NGC 625 obtained with the Very Large Array. Data at 20, 6, and 3.6 cm
reveal global continuum emission dominated by free-free emission, with only
mild synchrotron components. Each of the major HII regions is detected; the
individual spectral indices are thermal for the youngest regions (showing
strongest H Alpha emission) and nonthermal for the oldest. We do not detect any
sources that appear to be associated with deeply embedded, dense, young
clusters, though we have discovered one low-luminosity, obscured source that
has no luminous optical counterpart and which resides in the region of highest
optical extinction. Since NGC 625 is a Wolf-Rayet galaxy with strong recent
star formation, these radio properties suggest that the youngest star formation
complexes have not yet evolved to the point where their thermal spectra are
significantly contaminated by synchrotron emission. The nonthermal components
are associated with regions of older star formation that have smaller ionized
gas components. These results imply a range of ages of the HII regions and
radio components that agrees with our previous resolved stellar population
analysis, where an extended burst of star formation has pervaded the disk of
NGC 625 over the last ~ 50 Myr. We compare the nature of radio continuum
emission in selected nearby dwarf starburst and Wolf-Rayet galaxies,
demonstrating that thermal radio continuum emission appears to be more common
in these systems than in typical HII galaxies with less recent star formation
and more evolved stellar clusters.Comment: ApJ, in press; 27 pages, 5 figures. Full-resolution version may be
obtained at http://www.astro.umn.edu/~cannon/n625.vla.p
NGC 839: Shocks in an M82-like Superwind
We present observations of NGC 839 made with the Wide Field Spectrograph
(WiFeS) on the ANU 2.3m telescope. Our data cover a region 25" x 60" at a
spatial resolution of ~1.5". The long axis of the field is aligned with the
superwind we have discovered in this starburst galaxy. The data cover the range
of 3700-7000 {\AA}, with a spectral resolution R~7000 in the red, and R~3000 in
the blue. We find that the stellar component of the galaxy is strongly
dominated by a fast rotating intermediate-age (~400 Myr) A-Type stellar
population, while the gas is concentrated in a bi-conical polar funnel. We have
generated flux distributions, emission line ratio diagnostics and velocity maps
in both emission and absorption components. We interpret these in the context
of a new grid of low-velocity shock models appropriate for galactic-scale
outflows. These models are remarkably well fit to the data, providing for the
first time model diagnostics for shocks in superwinds and strongly suggesting
that shock excitation is largely responsible for the extended LINER emission in
the outflowing gas in NGC 839. Our work may have important implications both
for extended LINER emission seen in other galaxies, as well as in the
interpretation of objects with "composite" spectra. Finally, we present a
scenario for the formation of E+A galaxies based upon our observations of NGC
839, and its relation to M82.Comment: 12 pages and 13 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Correlations among Multi-Wavelength Luminosities of Star-Forming Galaxies
It has been known for two decades that a tight correlation exists between
far-infrared (FIR) and radio (1.4 and 4.8 GHz) global fluxes/luminosities from
galaxies, which may be explained in terms of massive star formation activities
in these galaxies. For this very reason, a correlation might also exist between
X-ray and FIR/radio global luminosities of galaxies. We analyze data from {\it
ROSAT} All-Sky Survey and {\it IRAS} to show that such correlation does indeed
exist between FIR (42.5m) and soft X-ray (0.12.4keV) luminosities
in active star-forming galaxies (ASFGs).In order to establish a physical
connection between the L_{\rmX}-L_{\rm FIR} correlation and global star
formation rate (SFR) in galaxies, we empirically derive both and relations. Futhermore, we propose a relation
between soft X-ray luminosity and SFR in star-forming galaxies. To further
understand the relation, we construct an empirical
model in which both FIR and X-ray emissions consist of two components with one
being closely associated with star formation and the other not.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted by MNRA
High Sensitivity Array Observations of the z=1.87 Sub-Millimeter Galaxy GOODS 850-3
We present sensitive phase-referenced VLBI results on the radio continuum
emission from the z=1.87 luminous submillimeter galaxy (SMG) GOODS 850-3. The
observations were carried out at 1.4 GHz using the High Sensitivity Array
(HSA). Our sensitive tapered VLBI image of GOODS 850-3 at 0.47 x 0.34 arcsec
(3.9 x 2.9 kpc) resolution shows a marginally resolved continuum structure with
a peak flux density of 148 \pm 38 uJy/beam, and a total flux density of 168 \pm
73 uJy, consistent with previous VLA and MERLIN measurements. The derived
intrinsic brightness temperature is > 5 \pm 2 x 10^3 K. The radio continuum
position of this galaxy coincides with a bright and extended near-infrared
source that nearly disappears in the deep HST optical image, indicating a dusty
source of nearly 9 kpc in diameter. No continuum emission is detected at the
full VLBI resolution (13.2 x 7.2 mas, 111 x 61 pc), with a 4-sigma point source
upper limit of 26 uJy/beam, or an upper limit to the intrinsic brightness
temperature of 4.7 x 10^5 K. The extent of the observed continuum source at 1.4
GHz and the derived brightness temperature limits are consistent with the radio
emission (and thus presumably the far-infrared emission) being powered by a
major starburst in GOODS 850-3, with a star formation rate of ~2500 M_sun/yr.
Moreover, the absence of any continuum emission at the full resolution of the
VLBI observations indicates the lack of a compact radio AGN source in this
z=1.87 SMG.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A
NICMOS Observations of Interaction Triggered Star Formation in the Luminous Infrared Galaxy NGC 6090
High resolution, 1.1, 1.6, and 2.2 micron imaging of the luminous infrared
galaxy NGC 6090 obtained with NICMOS of the Hubble Space Telescope are
presented. These new observations are centered on the two nuclei of the merger,
and reveal the spiral structure of the eastern galaxy and the amorphous nature
of the western galaxy. The nuclear separation of 3.2 kpc (H_0 = 75 km/s/Mpc)
indicates that NGC 6090 is at an intermediate stage of merging. Bright
knots/clusters are also visible in the region overlapping the merging galaxies;
four of these knots appear bluer than the underlying galaxies and have colors
consistent with young (<~ 10^7 yr) star clusters. The spatial coincidence of
the knots with the molecular gas in NGC 6090 indicates that much of the present
star formation is occuring outside of the nuclear region of merging galaxies,
consistent with recent studies of other double nuclei luminous infrared
galaxies.Comment: LaTex, 18 pages with 4 jpg figures, ApJ, in pres
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