Mid-infrared spectroscopy of candidate active galactic nuclei-dominated submillimeter galaxies
File(s)Coppin_2010_ApJ_713_503.pdf (1.02 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Spitzer spectroscopy has revealed that sime80% of submm galaxies (SMGs) are starburst (SB)-dominated in the mid-infrared. Here we focus on the remaining sime20% that show signs of harboring powerful active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We have obtained Spitzer-InfraRed Spectrograph spectroscopy of a sample of eight SMGs that are candidates for harboring powerful AGNs on the basis of IRAC color selection (S 8 μm/S 4.5 μm>2, i.e., likely power-law mid-infrared spectral energy distributions). SMGs with an AGN dominating (gsim50%) their mid-infrared emission could represent the "missing link" sources in an evolutionary sequence involving a major merger. First of all, we detect polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features in all of the SMGs, indicating redshifts from 2.5 to 3.4, demonstrating the power of the mid-infrared to determine redshifts for these optically faint dusty galaxies. Second, we see signs of both star formation (from the PAH features) and AGN activity (from continuum emission) in our sample: 62% of the sample are AGN-dominated in the mid-infrared with a median AGN content of 56%, compared with <30% on average for typical SMGs, revealing that our IRAC color selection has successfully singled out sources with proportionately more AGN emission than typical SB-dominated SMGs. However, we find that only about 10% of these AGNs dominate the bolometric emission of the SMG when the results are extrapolated to longer infrared wavelengths, implying that AGNs are not a significant power source to the SMG population overall, even when there is evidence in the mid-infrared for substantial AGN activity. When existing samples of mid-infrared AGN-dominated SMGs are considered, we find that S 8 μm/S 4.5 μm>1.65 works well at selecting mid-infrared energetically dominant AGNs in SMGs, implying a duty cycle of ~15% if all SMGs go through a subsequent mid-infrared AGN-dominated phase in the proposed evolutionary sequence.
Date Issued
2010-04-10
Date Acceptance
2010-02-28
Citation
Astrophysical Journal, 2010, 713 (1), pp.503-519
ISSN
0004-637X
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Start Page
503
End Page
519
Journal / Book Title
Astrophysical Journal
Volume
713
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
©2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000275918500045&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
ST/G003874/1
ST/I005765/1
ST/J004812/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
galaxies: active
galaxies: evolution
galaxies: high-redshift
galaxies: starburst
infrared: galaxies
submillimeter: galaxies
DEGREE EXTRAGALACTIC SURVEY
ULTRALUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES
SPITZER-SPACE-TELESCOPE
DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES
DEEP-FIELD-SOUTH
HIGH-REDSHIFT
LUMINOUS GALAXIES
STAR-FORMATION
NUMBER COUNTS
LOCKMAN HOLE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2010-03-23