118 research outputs found
A Herschel and CARMA view of CO and [C II] in Hickson Compact groups
Understanding the evolution of galaxies from the starforming blue cloud to
the quiescent red sequence has been revolutionized by observations taken with
Herschel Space Observatory, and the onset of the era of sensitive millimeter
interferometers, allowing astronomers to probe both cold dust as well as the
cool interstellar medium in a large set of galaxies with unprecedented
sensitivity. Recent Herschel observations of of H2-bright Hickson Compact
Groups of galaxies (HCGs) has shown that [CII] may be boosted in diffuse
shocked gas. CARMA CO(1-0) observations of these [CII]-bright HCGs has shown
that these turbulent systems also can show suppression of SF. Here we present
preliminary results from observations of HCGs with Herschel and CARMA, and
their [CII] and CO(1-0) properties to discuss how shocks influence galaxy
transitions and star formation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings for IAU Symposium 309, Galaxies in 3D
across the Univers
The search for extended infrared emission near interacting and active galaxies
The following subject areas are covered: the search for extended far IR emission; the search for extended emission in galaxy groups; a brief review of the flattening algorithm; the target groups; extended emission from groups and intergalactic HI clouds; and morphological image processing
Jet-ISM Interaction in the Radio Galaxy 3C293: Jet-driven Shocks Heat ISM to Power X-ray and Molecular H2 emission
We present a 70ks Chandra observation of the radio galaxy 3C293. This galaxy
belongs to the class of molecular hydrogen emission galaxies (MOHEGs) that have
very luminous emission from warm molecular hydrogen. In radio galaxies, the
molecular gas appears to be heated by jet-driven shocks, but exactly how this
mechanism works is still poorly understood. With Chandra, we observe X-ray
emission from the jets within the host galaxy and along the 100 kpc radio jets.
We model the X-ray spectra of the nucleus, the inner jets, and the X-ray
features along the extended radio jets. Both the nucleus and the inner jets
show evidence of 10^7 K shock-heated gas. The kinetic power of the jets is more
than sufficient to heat the X-ray emitting gas within the host galaxy. The
thermal X-ray and warm H2 luminosities of 3C293 are similar, indicating similar
masses of X-ray hot gas and warm molecular gas. This is consistent with a
picture where both derive from a multiphase, shocked interstellar medium (ISM).
We find that radio-loud MOHEGs that are not brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs),
like 3C293, typically have LH2/LX~1 and MH2/MX~1, whereas MOHEGs that are BCGs
have LH2/LX~0.01 and MH2/MX~0.01. The more massive, virialized, hot atmosphere
in BCGs overwhelms any direct X-ray emission from current jet-ISM interaction.
On the other hand, LH2/LX~1 in the Spiderweb BCG at z=2, which resides in an
unvirialized protocluster and hosts a powerful radio source. Over time, jet-ISM
interaction may contribute to the establishment of a hot atmosphere in BCGs and
other massive elliptical galaxies.Comment: Accepted by ApJ 21 pages in ApJ format, 9 figures, 8 table
Star Formation Suppression Due to Jet Feedback in Radio Galaxies with Shocked Warm Molecular Gas
We present Herschel observations of 22 radio galaxies, selected for the presence of shocked, warm molecular hydrogen emission. We measured and modeled spectral energy distributions in 33 bands from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared to investigate the impact of jet feedback on star formation activity. These galaxies are massive, early-type galaxies with normal gas-to-dust ratios, covering a range of optical and infrared colors. We find that the star formation rate (SFR) is suppressed by a factor of ~3–6, depending on how molecular gas mass is estimated. We suggest that this suppression is due to the shocks driven by the radio jets injecting turbulence into the interstellar medium (ISM), which also powers the luminous warm H_2 line emission. Approximately 25% of the sample shows suppression by more than a factor of 10. However, the degree of SFR suppression does not correlate with indicators of jet feedback including jet power, diffuse X-ray emission, or intensity of warm molecular H_2 emission, suggesting that while injected turbulence likely impacts star formation, the process is not purely parameterized by the amount of mechanical energy dissipated into the ISM. Radio galaxies with shocked warm molecular gas cover a wide range in SFR–stellar mass space, indicating that these galaxies are in a variety of evolutionary states, from actively star-forming and gas-rich to quiescent and gas-poor. SFR suppression appears to have the largest impact on the evolution of galaxies that are moderately gas-rich
A Catalog of the Most Optically Luminous Galaxies at z < 0.3: Super Spirals, Super Lenticulars, Super Post-Mergers, and Giant Ellipticals
We present a catalog of the 1525 most optically luminous galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey with r-band luminosity L_r > 8L* and redshift z < 0.3, including 84 super spirals, 15 super lenticulars, 14 super post-merger galaxies, and 1400 giant ellipticals. With mass in stars of 10^(11.3)–10^(12) M⊙, super spirals and lenticulars are the most massive disk galaxies currently known. The specific star formation rates of super spirals place them on or below the star-forming main sequence. They must have formed stars at a high rate throughout their history in order to grow their massive, gigantic stellar disks and maintain their blue u − r integrated colors. Their disks are red on the inside and blue on the outside, consistent with inside-out growth. They tend to have small bulge-to-total (B/T) r-band luminosity ratios, characteristic of disk building via minor mergers and cold accretion. A large percentage of super disk galaxies (41%) have double nuclei, double disks, or other signatures of ongoing mergers. Most (72%) are found in moderate- to low-density environments, while the rest are found at the outskirts of clusters. It is likely that super spirals survive in these environments because they continue to accrete cold gas and experience only minor mergers at late times, by virtue of their enormous masses and angular momenta. We suggest that super post-mergers are the product of super spiral major mergers and may be the precursors of some giant elliptical galaxies found in low-density environments. We present two new gravitational lens candidates in an appendix
VLBI detection of an Infrared-Faint Radio Source
Infrared-Faint Radio Sources represent a new and unexpected class of object
which is bright at radio wavelengths but unusually faint at infrared
wavelengths. If, like most mJy radio sources, they were either conventional
active or star-forming galaxies in the local Universe, we would expect them to
be detectable at infrared wavelengths, and so their non-detection by the
Spitzer Space Telescope is surprising. Here we report the detection of one of
these sources using Very Long Baseline Interferometry, from which we conclude
that the sources are driven by Active Galactic Nuclei. We suggest that these
sources are either normal radio-loud quasars at high redshift or abnormally
obscured radio galaxies.Comment: accepted by MNRA
Shocked POststarbust Galaxy Survey I: Candidate Poststarbust Galaxies with Emission Line Ratios Consistent with Shocks
[Abridged] The Shocked POststarburst Galaxy Survey (SPOGS) aims to identify
transforming galaxies, in which the nebular lines are excited via shocks
instead of through star formation processes. Utilizing the OSSY measurements on
the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 catalog, we applied Balmer
absorption and shock boundary criteria to identify 1,067 SPOG candidates
(SPOGs*) within z=0.2. SPOGs* represent 0.2% of the OSSY sample galaxies that
exceed the continuum signal-to-noise cut (and 0.7% of the emission line galaxy
sample). SPOGs* colors suggest that they are in an earlier phase of transition
than OSSY galaxies that meet an E+A selection. SPOGs* have a 13% 1.4GHz
detection rate from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty centimeters
survey, higher than most other subsamples, and comparable only to
low-ionization nuclear emission line region hosts, suggestive of the presence
of active galactic nuclei. SPOGs* also have stronger NaD absorption than
predicted from the stellar population, suggestive of cool gas being driven out
in galactic winds. It appears that SPOGs* represent an earlier phase in galaxy
transformation than traditionally selected poststarburst galaxies, and that a
large proportion of SPOGs* also have properties consistent with disruption of
their interstellar media, a key component to galaxy transformation. It is
likely that many of the known pathways to transformation undergo a SPOG phase.
Studying this sample of SPOGs* further, including their morphologies, active
galactic nuclei properties, and environments, has the potential for us to build
a more complete picture of the initial conditions that can lead to a galaxy
evolving.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, 3 tables, accepted to ApJ Supplements (Apr 13),
full sample is available on www.spogs.or
Large-scale Star Formation Triggering in the Low-mass Arp 82 System: A Nearby Example of Galaxy Downsizing Based on UV/Optical/Mid-IR Imaging
As part of our Spitzer Spirals, Bridges, and Tails project to help understand
the effects of galaxy interactions on star formation, we analyze GALEX
ultraviolet, SARA optical, and Spitzer infrared images of the interacting
galaxy pair Arp 82 (NGC 2535/6) and compare to a numerical simulation of the
interaction. We investigate the multiwavelength properties of several
individual star forming complexes (clumps). Using optical and UV colors,
EW(Halpha), and population synthesis models we constrain the ages of the clumps
and find that the median clump age is about 12 Myr. The clumps have masses
ranging from a few times 10^6 to 10^9 solar masses. In general, the clumps in
the tidal features have similar ages to those in the spiral region, but are
less massive. The 8 micron and 24 micron luminosities are used to estimate the
far-infrared luminosities and the star formation rates of the clumps. The total
clump star formation rate is 2.0+/-0.8 solar masses per year, while the entire
Arp 82 system is forming stars at a rate of 4.9+/-2.0 solar masses per year. We
find, for the first time, stars in the HI arc to the southeast of the NGC 2535
disk. Population synthesis models indicate that all of the observed populations
have young to intermediate ages. We conclude that although the gas disks and
some old stars may have formed early-on, the progenitors are late-type or low
surface brightness and the evolution of these galaxies was halted until the
recent encounter.Comment: Accepted for publication in the AJ, 22 Figures, 5 Table
- …