Dust-to-gas ratios in the starburst regions of luminous infrared galaxies

We investigate the properties of dust and dust-to-gas ratios in different starburst regions of luminous infrared galaxies (LIGs). We refer to the sample of seven LIGs recently observed in the mid-infrared by Soifer et al. (2001) using the Keck telescopes with spatial resolution approaching the diffraction limit. These seven objects are among the closest LIGs and have been classified as starburst galaxies from optical spectroscopy. Our goal consists in modelling the continuum spectral energy distribution (SED) of each galaxy, particularly in the infrared range. Models are further constrained by observed emission-line ratios in the optical range. The multi-cloud models consistently account for the coupled effect of shock, photoionization by hot stars, and diffuse secondary radiation from the shock-heated gas. Emission from clouds in the neighbourhood of evolved starbursts and with high shock velocities (~ 500 km/s) explains both the bremsstrahlung and reradiation from dust in the mid-infrared. Clouds with lower velocity (~ 100 km/s) and corresponding to younger starbursts also contribute to both line and continuum spectra. Both low- and high-velocity clouds are thus present in nearly all the sample galaxies. For all the galaxies, an old stellar population is revealed by black body emission in the optical-NIR range. Dust-to-gas ratios vary in different regions of individual galaxies.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figures, and 12 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Comparison of dust-to-gas ratios in luminous, ultraluminous, and hyperluminous infrared galaxies

The dust-to-gas ratios in three different samples of luminous, ultraluminous, and hyperluminous infrared galaxies are calculated by modelling their radio to soft X-ray spectral energy distributions using composite models which account for the photoionizing radiation from HII regions, starbursts, or AGNs, and for shocks. The models are limited to a set which broadly reproduces the mid-IR fine structure line ratios of local, IR bright, starburst galaxies. The results show that two types of clouds contribute to the IR emission. Those characterized by low shock velocities and low preshock densities explain the far-IR dust emission, while those with higher velocities and densities contribute to mid-IR dust emission. An AGN is found in nearly all of the ultraluminous IR galaxies and in half of the luminous IR galaxies of the sample. High IR luminosities depend on dust-to-gas ratios of about 0.1 by mass, however, most hyperluminous IR galaxies show dust-to-gas ratios much lower than those calculated for the luminous and ultraluminous IR galaxies.Comment: 19 pages+ 7 figures. in press in A

The symbiotic system Z Andromedae : a spectral analysis of the anomalous 1984-1986 outburst

The visual magnitude profile of the symbiotic system Z And during the 1984-1986 activity period appears double peaked and the flux intensity is low compared to outbursts in other epochs. The detailed modeling of the observed spectra, accounting for the shells ejected by the red giant star, shows that the outburst is intrinsically single but distorted by the collision at different phases of the white dwarf wind with two close shells.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figs., accepted for publication in New Ast

The symbiotic system AG Draconis. Soft X-ray bremsstrahlung from the nebulae

The modeling of UV and optical spectra emitted from the symbiotic system AG Draconis, adopting collision of the winds, predicts soft X-ray bremsstrahlung from nebulae downstream of the reverse shock with velocities > 150 km/s and intensities comparable to those of the white dwarf black body flux. At outbursts, the envelop of debris, which corresponds to the nebula downstream of the high velocity shocks (700-1000 km/s) accompanying the blast wave, absorbs the black body soft X-ray flux from the white dwarf, explains the broad component of the H and He lines, and leads to low optical-UV-X-ray continuum fluxes. The high optical-UV flux observed at the outbursts is explained by bremsstrahlung downstream of the reverse shock between the stars. The depletion of C, N, O, and Mg relative to H indicates that they are trapped into dust grains and/or into diatomic molecules, suggesting that the collision of the wind from the white dwarf with the dusty shells, ejected from the red giant with about 1 year periodicity, leads to the U-band fluctuations during the major bursts.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables. New Astronomy, in pres

The Infrared Continuum of Active Galaxies

We discuss the different physical processes contributing to the infrared continuum of AGN, assuming that both photoionization from the active center and shocks ionize and heat the gas and dust contained in an ensemble of clouds surrounding the nucleus. Radiation transfer of primary and secondary radiation throughout a cloud is calculated consistently with collisional processes due to the shock. We consider that the observed continuum corresponds to reprocessed radiation from both dust and gas in the clouds. The model is applied to the continuum of Seyfert galaxies from which best estimate of the nuclear, stellar subtracted, emission is available. The results show that radiation-dominated high velocity clouds are more numerous in Seyfert 1-1.5 whereas shock-dominated low velocity clouds are dominant in Seyfert type 2 in full agreement with the unified model for AGN. In type 2 objects, radiation is partly suppressed by a central dusty medium with a high dust-to-gas ratio. A grid of models is used to provide a phenomenological analysis of the observed infrared spectral energy distribution.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures. in press in MNRA

The spectral energy distribution of D-type symbiotic stars: the role of dust shells

We have collected continuum data of a sample of D-type symbiotic stars. By modelling their spectral energy distribution in a colliding-wind theoretical scenario we have found the common characteristics to all the systems: 1) at least two dust shells are clearly present, one at \sim 1000 K and the other at \sim 400 K; they dominate the emission in the IR; 2) the radio data are explained by thermal self-absorbed emission from the reverse shock between the stars; while 3) the data in the long wavelength tail come from the expanding shock outwards the system; 4) in some symbiotic stars, the contribution from the WD in the UV is directly seen. Finally, 5) for some objects soft X-ray emitted by bremsstrahlung downstream of the reverse-shock between the stars are predicted. The results thus confirm the validity of the colliding wind model and the important role of the shocks. The comparison of the fluxes calculated at the nebula with those observed at Earth reveals the distribution throughout the system of the different components, in particular the nebulae and the dust shells. The correlation of shell radii with the orbital period shows that larger radii are found at larger periods. Moreover, the temperatures of the dust shells regarding the sample are found at 1000 K and <=400 K, while, in the case of late giants, they spread more uniformly throughout the same range.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Modelling galaxy spectra at redshifts 0.2<z<2.3 by the [OII]/Hb and [OIII]/Hb line ratios

We present the detailed modelling of line spectra emitted from galaxies at redshifts 0.2<z<2.3. The spectra account only for a few oxygen to Hb line ratios. The results show that [OII]3727+3729/Hb and [OIII]5007+4959/Hb are not sufficient to constrain the models. The data at least of an auroral line, e.g. [OIII]4363, should be known. We have found by modelling the spectra observed from ultrastrong emission line galaxy and faint galaxy samples, O/H relative abundances ranging between 1.8 X 10^{-4} and 6.6 X 10^{-4}.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

The Narrow Line Region of Ark 564

The continuum and emission-line spectrum of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Ark 564 is used to investigate, for the first time, the physical conditions and structure of its narrow line region (NLR). For this purpose, composite models, accounting for the coupled effect of photoionization and shocks, are employed. The emission-line spectrum of Ark 564, which ranges from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, shows a rich forbidden line spectrum. Strong emphasis is given to the study of the coronal line region. The diversity of physical conditions deduced from the observations requires multi-cloud models to reproduce the observed lines and continuum. We find that a combination of high velocity (Vs = 1500 km/s) shock-dominated clouds as well as low velocity (Vs = 150 km/s) radiation-dominated clouds explains the coronal lines, while the optical low-ionization lines are mainly explained by shock-dominated clouds. The results for Ark 564 are compared with those obtained for other Seyfert galaxies previously analyzed such as NGC 5252, Circinus, NGC 4051 and NGC 4151. The model results for the ultraviolet and optical permitted lines suggest that the broad line region may contribute up to 80%, depending on the emission-line, being of about 30% for Hbeta. The consistency of the multi-cloud model is checked by comparing the predicted and observed continuum, from radio to X-ray, and indicate that the dust-to-gas ratio in the clouds varies from 10^{-15} to 10^{-12}.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure. Accepted in A&