Articles
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09/13/2005--
09/13/2005
MIPS J142824.0+352619: A Hyperluminous Starburst Galaxy at z=1.325
Using the SHARC-II camera at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory to obtain
350 micron images of sources detected with the MIPS instrument on Spitzer, we
have discovered a remarkable object at z=1.325+/-0.002 with an apparent
Far-Infrared luminosity of 3.2(+/-0.7) x 10^13 Lsun. Unlike other z>1 sources
of comparable luminosity selected from mid-IR surveys, MIPS J142824.0+352619
lacks any trace of AGN activity, and is likely a luminous analog of galaxies
selected locally by IRAS, or at high redshift in the submillimeter. This source
appears to be lensed by a foreground elliptical galaxy at z=1.034, although the
amplification is likely modest (~10). We argue that the contribution to the
observed optical/Near-IR emission from the foreground galaxy is small, and
hence are able to present the rest-frame UV through radio Spectral Energy
Distribution of this galaxy. Due to its unusually high luminosity, MIPS
J142824.0+352619 presents a unique chance to study a high redshift dusty
starburst galaxy in great detail.
C. Borys
A. W. Blain
A. Dey
E. Le Floc'h
B. T. Jannuzi
V. Barnard
C. Bian
M. Brodwin
K. Men'endez-Delmestre
D. Thompson
K. Brand
M. J. I. Brown
C. D. Dowell
P. Eisenhardt
D. Farrah
D. T. Frayer
J. Higdon
S. Higdon
T. Phillips
B. T. Soifer
D. Stern
D. Weedman
12/13/2005--
12/08/2005
IRS spectra of two ultraluminous infrared galaxies at z=1.3
We present low-resolution (64 < R < 124) mid-infrared (8--38 micron)
Spitzer/IRS spectra of two z~1.3 ultraluminous infrared galaxies (LFIR~10^13)
discovered in a Spitzer/MIPS survey of the Bootes field of the NOAO Deep
Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS). MIPS J142824.0+352619 is a bright 160 micron source
with a large infrared-to-optical flux density ratio and a possible lensing
amplification of <~10. The 6.2, 7.7, 11.3, and 12.8 micron PAH emission bands
in its IRS spectrum indicate a redshift of z~1.3. The large equivalent width of
the 6.2 micron PAH feature indicates that at least 50% of the mid-infrared
energy is generated in a starburst, an interpretation that is supported by a
large [NeII]/[NeIII] ratio and a low upper limit on the X-ray luminosity. SST24
J142827.19+354127.71 has the brightest 24 micron flux (10.55 mJy) among
optically faint (R > 20) galaxies in the NDWFS. Its mid-infrared spectrum lacks
emission features, but the broad 9.7 micron silicate absorption band places
this source at z~1.3. Given this redshift, SST24 J142827.19+354127.71 has among
the largest rest-frame 5 micron luminosities known. The similarity of its SED
to those of known AGN-dominated ULIRGs and its lack of either PAH features or
large amounts of cool dust indicate that the powerful mid-infrared emission is
dominated by an active nucleus rather than a starburst. Our results illustrate
the power of the IRS in identifying massive galaxies in the ``redshift desert''
and in discerning their power sources. Because they are bright, MIPS
J142824.0+352619 (pending future observations to constrain its lensing
amplification) and SST24 J142827.19+354127.71 are useful z>1 templates of a
high luminosity starburst and AGN, respectively.
V. Desai
L. Armus
B. T. Soifer
D. W. Weedman
S. Higdon
C. Bian
C. Borys
H. W. W. Spoon
V. Charmandaris
K. Brand
M. J. I. Brown
A. Dey
J. Higdon
J. Houck
B. T. Jannuzi
E. Le Floc'h
M. L. N. Ashby
H. A. Smith
06/29/2006--
06/29/2006
Spitzer IRS Spectra of Optically Faint Infrared Sources with Weak Spectral Features
Spectra have been obtained with the low-resolution modules of the Infrared
Spectrograph (IRS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope (Spitzer) for 58 sources
having f$_{\nu}$(24 micron) > 0.75 mJy. Sources were chosen from a survey of
8.2 deg$^{2}$ within the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey region in Bootes (NDWFS)
using the Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope.
Most sources are optically very faint (I > 24mag). Redshifts have previously
been determined for 34 sources, based primarily on the presence of a deep 9.7
micron silicate absorption feature, with a median z of 2.2. Spectra are
presented for the remaining 24 sources for which we were previously unable to
determine a confident redshift because the IRS spectra show no strong features.
Optical photometry from the NDWFS and infrared photometry with MIPS and the
Infrared Array Camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope (IRAC) are given, with K
photometry from the Keck I telescope for some objects. The sources without
strong spectral features have overall spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and
distributions among optical and infrared fluxes which are similar to those for
the sources with strong absorption features. Nine of the 24 sources are found
to have feasible redshift determinations based on fits of a weak silicate
absorption feature. Results confirm that the "1 mJy" population of 24 micron
Spitzer sources which are optically faint is dominated by dusty sources with
spectroscopic indicators of an obscured AGN rather than a starburst. There
remain 14 of the 58 sources observed in Bootes for which no redshift could be
estimated, and 5 of these sources are invisible at all optical wavelengths.
D. W. Weedman
B. T. Soifer
Lei Hao
J. L. Higdon
S. J. U. Higdon
J. R. Houck
E. LeFloc'h
M. J. I. Brown
A. Dey
B. T. Jannuzi
M. Rieke
V. Desai
C. Bian
D. Thompson
L. Armus
H. Teplitz
P. Eisenhardt
S. P. Willner
06/14/2004--
06/07/2004
Spitzer-IRS Spectroscopy of the Prototypical Starburst Galaxy NGC7714
We present observations of the starburst galaxy NGC 7714 with the Infrared
Spectrograph IRS on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectra yield a
wealth of ionic and molecular features that allow a detailed characterization
of its properties. NGC 7714 has an HII region-like spectrum with strong PAH
emission features. We find no evidence for an obscured active galactic nucleus,
and with [NeIII]/[NeII]~0.73, NGC7714 lies near the upper end of
normal-metallicity starburst galaxies. With very little slicate absorption and
a temperature of the hottest dust component of 340K, NGC 7714 is the perfect
template for a young, unobscured starburst
B. R. Brandl
D. Devost
S. J. U. Higdon
V. Charmandaris
D. Weedman
H. W. W. Spoon
T. L. Herter
L. Hao
J. Bernard-Salas
J. R. Houck
L. Armus
B. T. Soifer
C. J. Grillmair
P. N. Appleton
03/05/2018--
03/05/2018
Detection of [O III] at z~3: A Galaxy above the Main Sequence, Rapidly Assembling its Stellar Mass
We detect bright emission in the far infrared fine structure [O III] 88$\mu$m
line from a strong lensing candidate galaxy, H-ATLAS J113526.3-014605,
hereafter G12v2.43, at z=3.127, using the $\rm 2^{nd}$ generation Redshift (z)
and Early Universe Spectrometer (ZEUS-2) at the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment
Telescope (APEX). This is only the fifth detection of this far-IR line from a
sub-millimeter galaxy at the epoch of galaxy assembly. The observed [O III]
luminosity of $7.1\times10^{9}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{L_{\odot}}\,$ likely
arises from HII regions around massive stars, and the amount of Lyman continuum
photons required to support the ionization indicate the presence of
$(1.2-5.2)\times10^{6}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})$ equivalent O5.5 or higher stars;
where $\mu$ would be the lensing magnification factor. The observed line
luminosity also requires a minimum mass of $\sim 2\times
10^{8}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$ in ionized gas, that is $0.33\%$
of the estimated total molecular gas mass of
$6\times10^{10}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$. We compile multi-band
photometry tracing rest-frame UV to millimeter continuum emission to further
constrain the properties of this dusty high redshift star-forming galaxy. Via
SED modeling we find G12v2.43 is forming stars at a rate of 916
$\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,\rm{yr^{-1}}$ and already has a stellar
mass of $8\times 10^{10}\,\rm(\frac{10}{\mu})\,\rm{M_{\odot}}\,$. We also
constrain the age of the current starburst to be $\leqslant$ 5 million years,
making G12v2.43 a gas rich galaxy lying above the star-forming main sequence at
z$\sim$3, undergoing a growth spurt and, could be on the main sequence within
the derived gas depletion timescale of $\sim$66 million years.
Amit Vishwas
Carl Ferkinhoff
Thomas Nikola
Stephen C. Parshley
Justin P. Schoenwald
Gordon J. Stacey
Sarah J. U. Higdon
James L. Higdon
Axel Weiß
Rolf Güsten
Karl M. Menten
04/06/2009--
11/19/2007
The Galactic Positron Annihilation Radiation & The Propagation of Positrons in the Interstellar Medium
We consider positron propagation in the interstellar medium and show that the
positrons from the beta-plus decay chains of the radioactive nuclei Ni-56,
Ti-44, and Al-26, produced in Galactic supernovae, can fully account for all
the features of the diffuse Galactic 511 keV annihilation radiation observed by
INTEGRAL/SPI. We also predict additional measurable features that can further
test the origin of positrons and provide new information on the nature of the
interstellar medium.
J. C. Higdon
R. E. Lingenfelter
R. E. Rothschild
04/12/2000--
04/12/2000
Cosmic Ray Acceleration in Superbubbles and the Composition of Cosmic Rays
We review the evidence for cosmic ray acceleration in the superbubble/hot
phase of the interstellar medium, and discuss the implications for the
composition of cosmic rays and the structure and evolution of the interstellar
medium. We show that the bulk of the galactic supernovae, their expanding
remnants, together with their metal-rich grain and gas ejecta, and their cosmic
ray accelerating shocks, are all confined within the interiors of superbubbles,
generated by the multiple supernova explosions of massive stars formed in giant
OB associations. This superbubble/hot phase of the ISM provides throughout the
age of the Galaxy a cosmic ray source of essentially constant metallicity for
acceleration by the shocks of many supernovae over time scales of a few Myr,
consistent with both the Be/Fe evolution and ACE observations of Ni-59/Co-59.
We also show that if the refractory cosmic ray metals come from the sputtering
of fast refractory grains then the accompanying scattering of ambient gas by
these fast grains can also account for the relative abundance of cosmic ray
volatiles.
R. E. Lingenfelter
J. C. Higdon
R. Ramaty
06/15/2009--
04/06/2009
Is There a Dark Matter Signal in the Galactic Positron Annihilation Radiation?
Assuming Galactic positrons do not go far before annhilating, a difference
between the observed 511 keV annihilation flux distribution and that of
positron production, expected from beta-plus decay in Galactic iron
nucleosynthesis, was evoked as evidence of a new source and a signal of dark
matter. We show, however, that the dark mater sources can not account for the
observed positronium fraction without extensive propagation. Yet with such
propagation, standard nucleosynthetic sources can fully account for the spatial
differences and the positronium fraction, leaving no signal for dark mater to
explain.
R. E. Lingenfelter
J. C. Higdon
R. E. Rothschild
02/05/2013--
02/05/2013
The Galactic Spatial Distribution of OB Associations and Their Surrounding Supernova-Generated Superbubble
Core collapse supernovae of massive (> 8 Mo) stars are formed primarily in OB
associations and help blow giant superbubbles, where their collective shocks
accelerate most of the Galactic cosmic rays. The spatial distribution of these
stars is thus important to our understanding of the propagation of the observed
cosmic rays. In order to better model the Galactic cosmic-ray distribution and
propagation, we construct s three-dimensional spatial model of the massive star
distribution based primarily on the emission of the H II envelopes surrounding
the giant superbubbles which are maintaned by the ionizing radiation of the
embedded O stars. The Galactic longitudinal distribution of the 205 micron N II
rsdistion emitted by these H II envelopes is used to infer the spatial
distribution of the superbubbles. We find that the Galactic superbubble
distribution is dominated by the contribution of massive star clusters residing
in the spiral arms.
J. C. Higdon
R. E. Lingenfelter
02/10/2005--
02/10/2005
Spectroscopic Redshifts to z > 2 for Optically Obscured Sources Discovered with the Spitzer Space Telescope
We have surveyed a field covering 9.0 degrees^2 within the NOAO Deep
Wide-Field Survey region in Bootes with the Multiband Imaging Photometer on the
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) to a limiting 24 um flux density of 0.3 mJy.
Thirty one sources from this survey with F(24um) > 0.75 mJy which are optically
very faint (R > 24.5 mag) have been observed with the low-resolution modules of
the Infrared Spectrograph on SST. Redshifts derived primarily from strong
silicate absorption features are reported here for 17 of these sources; 10 of
these are optically invisible (R > 26 mag), with no counterpart in B_W, R, or
I. The observed redshifts for 16 sources are 1.7 < z < 2.8. These represent a
newly discovered population of highly obscured sources at high redshift with
extreme infrared to optical ratios. Using IRS spectra of local galaxies as
templates, we find that a majority of the sources have mid-infrared spectral
shapes most similar to ultraluminous infrared galaxies powered primarily by
AGN. Assuming the same templates also apply at longer wavelengths, bolometric
luminosities exceed 10^13 L(solar).
J. R. Houck
B. T. Soifer
D. Weedman
S. J. U. Higdon
J. L. Higdon
T. Herter
M. J. I. Brown
A. Dey
B. T. Jannuzi
E. Le Floc'h
M. Rieke
L. Armus
V. Charmandaris
B. R. Brandl
H. I. Tepliitz
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