The Spitzer View of FR I Radio Galaxies: On the Origin of the Nuclear Mid-Infrared Continuum

We present Spitzer mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of 25 FR I radio galaxies and investigate the nature of their MIR continuum emission. MIR spectra of star-forming galaxies and quiescent elliptical galaxies are used to identify host galaxy contributions while radio/optical core data are used to isolate the nuclear nonthermal emission. Out of the 15 sources with detected optical compact cores, four sources are dominated by emission related to the host galaxy. Another four sources show signs of warm, nuclear dust emission: 3C15, 3C84, 3C270, and NGC 6251. It is likely that these warm dust sources result from hidden active galactic nuclei of optical spectral type 1. The MIR spectra of seven sources are dominated by synchrotron emission, with no significant component of nuclear dust emission. In parabolic spectral energy distribution fits of the nonthermal cores FR Is tend to have lower peak frequencies and stronger curvature than blazars. This is roughly consistent with the common picture in which the core emission in FR Is is less strongly beamed than in blazars

Quantifying the anisotropy in the infrared emission of powerful AGN

We use restframe near- and mid-IR data of an isotropically selected sample of quasars and radio galaxies at 1.0 \leq z \leq 1.4, which have been published previously, to study the wavelength-dependent anisotropy of the IR emission. For that we build average SEDs of the quasar subsample (= type 1 AGN) and radio galaxies (= type 2 AGN) from ~1-17 {\mu}m and plot the ratio of both average samples. From 2 to 8 {\mu}m restframe wavelength the ratio gradually decreases from 20 to 2 with values around 3 in the 10{\mu}m silicate feature. Longward of 12{\mu}m the ratio decreases further and shows some high degree of isotropy at 15 {\mu}m (ratio ~1.4). The results are consistent with upper limits derived from the X-ray/mid-IR correlation of local Seyfert galaxies. We find that the anisotropy in our high-luminosity radio-loud sample is smaller than in radio-quiet lower-luminosity AGN which may be interpreted in the framework of a receding torus model with luminosity-dependent obscuration properties. It is also shown that the relatively small degree of anisotropy is consistent with clumpy torus models.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; accepted by Ap

The reddest ISO-2MASS quasar

In the course of the NIR/MIR AGN search combining the 6.7 mu ISOCAM Parallel Survey and 2MASS we have discovered 24 type-1 quasars about a third of which are too red to be discriminated by optical/UV search techniques. Here we report on a detailed case study of the reddest type-1 quasar of our sample (J2341) at redshift z=0.236 with M_K=-25.8 and J-K=1.95. We performed spectroscopy in the optical with VLT/FORS1 and in the MIR with Spitzer as well as NIR imaging with ISPI at CTIO. The optical and NIR observations reveal a star forming emission-line galaxy at the same redshift as the quasar with a projected linear separation of 1.8 arcsec (6.7 kpc). The quasar and its companion are embedded in diffuse extended continuum emission. Compared with its companion the quasar exhibits redder optical-NIR colours, which we attribute to hot nuclear dust. The MIR spectrum shows only few emission lines superimposed on a power-law spectral energy distribution. However, the lack of strong FIR emission suggests that our potentially interacting object contains much less gas and dust and is in a stage different from dust reddened ULIRG-AGN like Mrk 231. The optical spectrum shows signatures for reddening in the emission-lines and no post-starburst stellar population is detected in the host galaxy of the quasar. The optical continuum emission of the active nucleus appears absorbed and diluted. Even the combination of absorption and host dilution is not able to match J2341 with standard quasar templates. While the BLR shows only a rather moderate absorption of E_(B-V)=0.3, the continuum shorter than 4500 AA requires strong obscuration with E_(B-V)=0.7, exceeding the constraints from the low upper limit on the 9.7 mu silicate absorption. This leads us to conclude that the continuum of J2341 is intrinsically redder than that of typical quasars.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Infrared-faint Radio Sources Remain Undetected at Far-infrared Wavelengths

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Star formation in z>1 3CR host galaxies as seen by Herschel

We present Herschel (PACS and SPIRE) far-infrared (FIR) photometry of a complete sample of z>1 3CR sources, from the Herschel GT project The Herschel Legacy of distant radio-loud AGN (PI: Barthel). Combining these with existing Spitzer photometric data, we perform an infrared (IR) spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis of these landmark objects in extragalactic research to study the star formation in the hosts of some of the brightest active galactic nuclei (AGN) known at any epoch. Accounting for the contribution from an AGN-powered warm dust component to the IR SED, about 40% of our objects undergo episodes of prodigious, ULIRG-strength star formation, with rates of hundreds of solar masses per year, coeval with the growth of the central supermassive black hole. Median SEDs imply that the quasar and radio galaxy hosts have similar FIR properties, in agreement with the orientation-based unification for radio-loud AGN. The star-forming properties of the AGN hosts are similar to those of the general population of equally massive non-AGN galaxies at comparable redshifts, thus there is no strong evidence of universal quenching of star formation (negative feedback) within this sample. Massive galaxies at high redshift may be forming stars prodigiously, regardless of whether their supermassive black holes are accreting or not.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in A&

Constraining Dust and Molecular Gas Properties in Lyα Blobs at z ~ 3

In order to constrain the bolometric luminosities, dust properties, and molecular gas content of giant Lyα nebulae, the so-called Lyα blobs, we have carried out a study of dust continuum and CO line emission in two well-studied representatives of this population at z ~ 3: an Lyα blob discovered by its strong Spitzer Multiband Infrared Photometer 24 μm detection (LABd05) and the Steidel blob 1 (SSA22-LAB01). We find that the spectral energy distribution of LABd05 is well described by an active-galactic-nucleus-starburst composite template with L_(FIR) = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10^(12) L_☉, comparable to high-z submillimeter galaxies and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. New Large APEX Bolometer Camera 870 μm measurements rule out the reported Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array detection of the SSA22-LAB01 (S_(850 μm) = 16.8 mJy) at the >4σ level. Consistent with this, ultradeep Plateau de Bure Interferometer observations with ~2'' spatial resolution also fail to detect any 1.2 mm continuum source down to ≈0.45 mJy beam^(–1) (3σ). Combined with the existing (sub)millimeter observations in the literature, we conclude that the FIR luminosity of SSA22-LAB01 remains uncertain. No CO line is detected in either case down to integrated flux limits of S_νΔV ≾ 0.25-1.0 Jy km s^(–1), indicating a modest molecular gas reservoir, M(H_2) < (1-3) × 10^(10) M_☉. The non-detections exclude, with high significance (12σ), the previous tentative detection of a CO J = 4-3 line in the SSA22-LAB01. The increased sensitivity afforded by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array will be critical in studying molecular gas and dust in these interesting systems

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon selected galaxies

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission has been found in both starbursts and modestly starforming galaxies, but the relation between starforming activity and PAH luminosity is still a matter of debate. The different correlation degrees could be caused by the variety of optical and far-infrared sample selection criteria. In order to obtain a census of the typical properties of PAH emitting galaxies, we here study moderately distant galaxies which have been selected by their PAH emission. Combining the ISOCAM Parallel Survey at 6.7 micron with 2MASS we have colour-selected a sample of 120 candidates for strong PAH emission. We obtained optical and mid-infrared spectra of 75 and 19 sources, respectively, and analysed IRAS-ADDSCANs and available Spitzer 3.6-160 micron photometry. The Spitzer spectra exhibit clear PAH features and corroborate that our photometric selection criteria trace the PAH emission of galaxies fairly well. The optical spectra show emission lines, at median redshift z~0.1, as well as Hdelta and CaII absorption, indicating ongoing starformation as well as post-starbursts. The mid- and far-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) provide evidence for a broad range of far-infrared (FIR) luminosities, but in general the dust is colder than for starburst galaxies like M82. For most galaxies the monocromatic luminosity peaks at about equal height at optical, 6.7 micron (PAH) and FIR wavelengths. In about 15% of the sources the FIR luminosity exceeds the optical and PAH energy output by about a factor 5-10 despite the cool dust temperature; in these galaxies a large dust mass of 10^8 - 10^9 M_sun is inferred.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Mid-infrared selection of AGN

Since a large fraction of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is missed in common UV-excess surveys and is even hard to find in radio, near-IR and X-ray surveys, we have used a new AGN selection technique which is expected to be not affected by extinction. Within the scientific verification of the ISOCAM Parallel Survey at 6.7 micron we have discovered objects with exceptional mid-infrared (MIR) emission. They are essentially not detected on IRAS-ADDSCANs and only very few of them show up in the NVSS and FIRST radio surveys. Various colour criteria of the 6.7 micron data with 2MASS and optical wavebands show that the sources reach more extreme IR colours than the sources in the Hubble Deep Field-South and the ELAIS survey. The comparison with known object types suggests that we have found AGN with a pronounced MIR emission, probably due to circum-nuclear dust. First results from optical spectroscopy of ten candidates corroborate this interpretation showing four AGN, two reddened LINER and four extremely reddened emission-line galaxies with MIR/FIR flux ratios higher than for known pure starburst galaxies. The results will make a significant contribution to the debate on the entire AGN population.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication as Letter in Astronomy & Astrophysic

[OIII] profile substructure in radio-quiet quasars

Interactions between the radio jet and the optical emission of the narrow-line region (NLR) are a well known phenomenon in Seyfert galaxies. Here, we present the study of possible jet-NLR interactions in five radio-quiet PG quasars with double or triple radio structure. High spatial and spectral resolution observations were carried out in the Hbeta-[OIII]5007 wavelength range. In all cases, there is evidence for [OIII] profile substructure (shoulders, subpeaks, blueshifted ''broad'' components) with different clarity. To measure the velocity, line width, intensity, and location of these [OIII] components, several Gaussians were fitted. Often, the substructures are more pronounced close to the radio lobes, suggestive of jet-NLR interactions. Our observations support the unification scheme in which radio-quiet quasars are assumed to be the luminous cousins of Seyfert galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&