1,652 research outputs found
Searching for high-redshift centimeter-wave continuum, line and maser emission using the Square Kilometer Array
We discuss the detection of redshifted line and continuum emission at radio
wavelengths using a Square Kilometer Array (SKA), specifically from
low-excitation rotational molecular line transitions of CO and HCN (molecular
lines), the recombination radiation from atomic transitions in almost-ionized
hydrogen (radio recombination lines; RRLs), OH and water maser lines, as well
as from synchrotron and free-free continuum radiation and HI 21-cm line
radiation. The detection of radio lines with the SKA offers the prospect to
determine the redshifts and thus exact luminosities for some of the most
distant and optically faint star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei
(AGN), even those galaxies that are either deeply enshrouded in interstellar
dust or shining prior to the end of reionization. Moreover, it provides an
opportunity to study the astrophysical conditions and resolved morphologies of
the most active regions in galaxies during the most active phase of star
formation at redshift z~2. A sufficiently powerful and adaptable SKA correlator
will enable wide-field three-dimensional redshift surveys at chosen specific
high redshifts, and will allow new probes of the evolution of large-scale
structure (LSS) in the distribution of galaxies. The detection of molecular
line radiation favours pushing the operating frequencies of SKA up to at least
26 GHz, and ideally to 40 GHz, while very high redshift maser emissions
requires access to about 100 MHz. To search for LSS the widest possible
instantaneous field of view would be advantageous.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. To appear in "Science with the Square Kilometer
Array," eds. C. Carilli and S. Rawlings, New Astronomy Reviews (Elsevier:
Amsterdam
Lensing-Induced Structure of Submillimeter Sources: Implications for the Microwave Background
We consider the effect of lensing by galaxy clusters on the angular
distribution of submillimeter wavelength objects. While lensing does not change
the total flux and number counts of submillimeter sources, it can affect the
number counts and fluxes of flux-limited samples. Therefore imposing a flux cut
on point sources not only reduces the overall Poisson noise, but imprints the
correlations between lensing clusters on the unresolved flux distribution.
Using a simple model, we quantify the lensing anisotropy induced in
flux-limited samples and compare this to Poisson noise. We find that while the
level of induced anisotropies on the scale of the cluster angular correlation
length is comparable to Poisson noise for a slowly evolving cluster model, it
is negligible for more realistic models of cluster evolution. Thus the removal
of point sources is not expected to induce measurable structure in the
microwave or far-infrared backgrounds.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, accepted to Astrophysical Journa
The Scatter in the Relationship between Redshift and the Radio-to-Submm Spectral Index
We derive the scatter in the relationship between redshift and radio-to-submm
spectral index, alpha^{350}_{1.4}, using the observed spectral energy
distributions of 17 low redshift star forming galaxies. A mean galaxy model is
derived, along with the rms scatter in alpha^{350}_{1.4}. The scatter is
roughly constant with redshift. Constant rms scatter, combined with the
flattening of the mean alpha^{350}_{1.4} -- z relationship with increasing
redshift, leads to increasing uncertainty for redshift estimates at high
redshifts. Normalizing by the dust temperature in the manner proposed by Blain
decreases the scatter in alpha^{350}_{1.4} for most of the sample, but does not
remove outliers, and free-free absorption at rest frequencies above 1.4 GHz is
not likely to be a dominant cause for scatter in the alpha^{350}_{1.4} -- z
relationship. We re-derive the cumulative redshift distribution of the 14 field
galaxies in a recent submm and radio source sample of Smail et al.. The most
likely median redshift for the distribution is 2.7, with a conservative lower
limit of z = 2, as was also found by Smail et al. based on the original
alpha^{350}_{1.4} -- z models. The normalization and shape of the redshift
distribution for the faint submm sources are consistent with those expected for
forming elliptical galaxies.Comment: Added Erratum, standard AAS LATEX forma
Resolving the Submillimeter Background: the 850-micron Galaxy Counts
Recent deep blank field submillimeter surveys have revealed a population of
luminous high redshift galaxies that emit most of their energy in the
submillimeter. The results suggest that much of the star formation at high
redshift may be hidden to optical observations. In this paper we present
wide-area 850-micron SCUBA data on the Hawaii Survey Fields SSA13, SSA17, and
SSA22. Combining these new data with our previous deep field data, we establish
the 850-micron galaxy counts from 2 mJy to 10 mJy with a >3-sigma detection
limit. The area coverage is 104 square arcmin to 8 mJy and 7.7 square arcmin to
2.3 mJy. The differential 850-micron counts are well described by the function
n(S)=N_0/(a+S^3.2), where S is the flux in mJy, N_0=3.0 x 10^4 per square
degree per mJy, and a=0.4-1.0 is chosen to match the 850-micron extragalactic
background light. Between 20 to 30 per cent of the 850-micron background
resides in sources brighter than 2 mJy. Using an empirical fit to our >2 mJy
data constrained by the EBL at lower fluxes, we argue that the bulk of the
850-micron extragalactic background light resides in sources with fluxes near 1
mJy. The submillimeter sources are plausible progenitors of the present-day
spheroidal population.Comment: 5 pages, accepted by The Astrophysical Journal Letter
The local FIR Galaxy Colour-Luminosity distribution: A reference for BLAST, and Herschel/SPIRE sub-mm surveys
We measure the local galaxy far-infrared (FIR) 60-to-100 um colour-luminosity
distribution using an all-sky IRAS survey. This distribution is an important
reference for the next generation of FIR--submillimetre surveys that have and
will conduct deep extra-galactic surveys at 250--500 um. With the peak in
dust-obscured star-forming activity leading to present-day giant ellipticals
now believed to occur in sub-mm galaxies near z~2.5, these new
FIR--submillimetre surveys will directly sample the SEDs of these distant
objects at rest-frame FIR wavelengths similar to those at which local galaxies
were observed by IRAS. We have taken care to correct for temperature bias and
evolution effects in our IRAS 60 um-selected sample. We verify that our
colour-luminosity distribution is consistent with measurements of the local FIR
luminosity function, before applying it to the higher-redshift Universe. We
compare our colour-luminosity correlation with recent dust-temperature
measurements of sub-mm galaxies and find evidence for pure luminosity evolution
of the form (1+z)^3. This distribution will be useful for the development of
evolutionary models for BLAST and SPIRE surveys as it provides a statistical
distribution of rest-frame dust temperatures for galaxies as a function of
luminosity.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. MNRAS in press. This revision matches final
published version. Fixes typos in footnote 1 and equation 8. Minor
modifications to text and references. Final results unchange
Dust and Molecules in V4743 Sgr
We present 1.2 mm continuum images and spectral line observations of CO(1--0)
and SiO(3--2) rotational transitions of the recent nova V4743 Sgr. The nova is
detected at 1.2 mm showing a variable millimetre emission. Only upper limits of
T_A* = 0.06 K for CO and T_A* = 0.03 K for SiO could be derived. We discuss the
results in terms the nature of the millimetre emission favouring dust from a
phase before the recent outburst as the likely radiating source. We also
comment on the possibility of free-free emission from the ionised shell as the
source of the measured millimetre radiation.Comment: Latex, 4 pages, 3 figure
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