The compact, ∼1 kpc host galaxy of a quasar at a redshift of 7.1
File(s)Venemans_2017_ApJ_837_146.pdf (1.11 MB)
Published version
OA Location
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the [C ii] fine-structure line and the underlying far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum emission in J1120+0641, the most distant quasar currently known ($z=7.1$). We also present observations targeting the CO(2–1), CO(7–6), and [C i] 369 μm lines in the same source obtained at the Very Large Array and Plateau de Bure Interferometer. We find a [C ii] line flux of ${F}_{[{\rm{C}}{\rm{II}}]}=1.11\pm 0.10$ Jy $\mathrm{km}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}$ and a continuum flux density of ${S}_{227\mathrm{GHz}}=0.53\pm 0.04$ mJy beam−1, consistent with previous unresolved measurements. No other source is detected in continuum or [C ii] emission in the field covered by ALMA (~ 25''). At the resolution of our ALMA observations (0farcs23, or 1.2 kpc, a factor of ~70 smaller beam area compared to previous measurements), we find that the majority of the emission is very compact: a high fraction (~80%) of the total line and continuum flux is associated with a region 1–1.5 kpc in diameter. The remaining ~20% of the emission is distributed over a larger area with radius lesssim4 kpc. The [C ii] emission does not exhibit ordered motion on kiloparsec scales: applying the virial theorem yields an upper limit on the dynamical mass of the host galaxy of $(4.3\pm 0.9)\times {10}^{10}$ ${M}_{\odot }$, only ~20 × higher than the central black hole (BH). The other targeted lines (CO(2–1), CO(7–6), and [C i]) are not detected, but the limits of the line ratios with respect to the [C ii] emission imply that the heating in the quasar host is dominated by star formation, and not by the accreting BH. The star formation rate (SFR) implied by the FIR continuum is 105–340 ${M}_{\odot }\,{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$, with a resulting SFR surface density of ~100–350 ${M}_{\odot }\,{\mathrm{yr}}^{-1}$ kpc−2, well below the value for Eddington-accretion-limited star formation.
Date Issued
2017-03-15
Date Acceptance
2017-02-12
Citation
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics, 2017, 837 (2), pp.146-146
ISSN
0004-637X
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Start Page
146
End Page
146
Journal / Book Title
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics
Volume
837
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Grant Number
ST-N000838
ST/N000838/1
Subjects
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0305 Organic Chemistry
0306 Physical Chemistry (Incl. Structural)
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Notes
journal_title: The Astrophysical Journal article_type: paper article_title: The Compact, ∼1 kpc Host Galaxy of a Quasar at a Redshift of 7.1 copyright_information: © 2017. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. date_received: 2016-12-16 date_accepted: 2017-02-12 date_epub: 2017-03-15
Publication Status
Published