A. M. Swinbank

Intense star formation within resolved compact regions in a galaxy at z = 2.3

Massive galaxies in the early Universe have been shown to be forming stars at surprisingly high rates. Prominent examples are dust-obscured galaxies which are luminous when observed at sub-millimetre wavelengths and which may be forming stars at a rate of 1,000 solar masses (M⊙) per year. These intense bursts of star formation are believed to be driven by mergers between gas-rich galaxies. Probing the properties of individual star-forming regions within these galaxies, however, is beyond the spatial resolution and sensitivity of even the largest telescopes at present. Here we report observations of the sub-millimetre galaxy SMMJ2135-0102 at redshift z = 2.3259, which has been gravitationally magnified by a factor of 32 by a massive foreground galaxy cluster lens. This magnification, when combined with high-resolution sub-millimetre imaging, resolves the star-forming regions at a linear scale of only 100 parsecs. We find that the luminosity densities of these star-forming regions are comparable to the dense cores of giant molecular clouds in the local Universe, but they are about a hundred times larger and 107 times more luminous. Although vigorously star-forming, the underlying physics of the star-formation processes at z ≈ 2 appears to be similar to that seen in local galaxies, although the energetics are unlike anything found in the present-day Universe.

The Rest-frame Optical Spectra of SCUBA Galaxies

We present near-infrared spectroscopy and narrowband imaging at the wavelength of redshifted Hα for a sample of 30 high-redshift, far-infrared luminous galaxies. This sample is selected from surveys in the submillimeter, millimeter, and radio wave bands and has complete redshift coverage with a median redshift of z ~ 2.4. We use our data to measure the Hα properties of these systems and to gauge the prevalence of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in these galaxies through their [N II]/Hα ratios and Hα line widths. Removing obvious AGNs, we find that the predicted Hα star formation rates in this diverse population are suppressed (by a factor of ~10) compared to those derived from their far-infrared luminosities. Using the AGN indicators provided by our near-infrared spectra, we estimate that AGNs are present in at least 40% of the galaxies in our sample. To further investigate this, we construct a composite rest-frame spectrum for both the entire sample and those galaxies that individually show no signs of nuclear activity. We find [N II]/Hα ratios for both composite spectra that suggest that the energy output of the galaxies is star formation rather than AGN dominated. However, we also find that the Hα line in the composite non-AGN spectrum is best fitted with an underlying broad-line component with a narrow/broad flux ratio of 0.45 ± 0.20. The median Hα line width for our sample (removing obvious AGNs) is 400 ± 70 km s-1 (FWHM), and the typical spatial extent of the Hα emission in our narrowband observations is 4-8 kpc, which indicates a dynamical mass of (1-2) × 1011 M☉ with corresponding dynamical times of 10-20 Myr. Using both high-resolution imaging and spectroscopically identified velocity offsets, we find that seven of the far-infrared luminous galaxies have companions, suggesting that they are undergoing interactions/mergers, and from their relative velocities we can determine a dynamical mass of (1.5 ± 0.9) × 1011 M☉. These measurements are comparable to millimeter CO estimates for the dynamical masses of these systems on similar scales and larger than recent estimates of the dynamical masses of UV-selected galaxies at similar redshifts derived in an identical manner. Using the [N II]/Hα index to predict abundances, we investigate the luminosity-metallicity relation for these galaxies and find that many have metallicities consistent with UV-selected high-redshift galaxies and slightly lower than local luminous infrared and elliptical galaxies (although we caution that our metallicity estimates have possible systematic uncertainties). We also compared our Hα and far-infrared luminosities with deep Chandra observations of a subset of our survey fields and use these data to further assess their AGN content. We conclude that these high-redshift, far-infrared luminous galaxies represent a population of massive, metal-rich, merging systems with high instantaneous star formation rates, strong dust obscuration, and actively fueled AGNs that are likely to be the progenitors of massive local elliptical galaxies.

A survey of molecular gas in luminous sub-millimetre galaxies

We present the results from a survey of 12CO emission in 40 luminous sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs), with 850-μm fluxes of S850 μm = 4–20 mJy, conducted with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. We detect 12CO emission in 32 SMGs at z ∼ 1.2–4.1, including 16 SMGs not previously published. Using multiple 12CO line (Jup = 2–7) observations, we derive a median spectral line energy distribution for luminous SMGs. We report the discovery of a fundamental relationship between 12CO FWHM and 12CO line luminosity in high-redshift starbursts, which we interpret as a natural consequence of the baryon-dominated dynamics within the regions probed by our observations. We use far-infrared luminosities to assess the star formation efficiency in our SMGs, finding that the slope of the L′CO-LFIR relation is close to linear. We derive molecular gas masses, finding a mean gas mass of (5.3 ± 1.0) × 1010 M⊙. Combining these with dynamical masses, we determine the redshift evolution of the gas content of SMGs, finding that they do not appear to be significantly more gas rich than less vigorously star-forming galaxies at high redshifts. Finally, we collate X-ray observations, and study the interdependence of gas and dynamical properties of SMGs with their AGN activity and supermassive black hole masses (MBH), finding that SMGs lie significantly below the local MBH-σ relation.

A Herschel view of the far-infrared properties of submillimetre galaxies

We study a sample of 61submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) selected from ground-based surveys, with known spectroscopic redshifts and observed with the Herschel Space Observatory as part of the PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) and the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) guaranteed time key programmes. Our study makes use of the broad far-infrared and submillimetre wavelength coverage (100−600  μm) only made possible by the combination of observations from the PACS and SPIRE instruments aboard the Herschel Space Observatory. Using a power-law temperature distribution model to derive infrared luminosities and dust temperatures, we measure a dust emissivity spectral index for SMGs of β = 2.0 ± 0.2. Our results unambiguously unveil the diversity of the SMG population. Some SMGs exhibit extreme infrared luminosities of ~10^(13) L_⊙ and relatively warm dust components, while others are fainter (a few times 10^(12) L_⊙) and are biased towards cold dust temperatures. Although at z~2 classical SMGs (>5 mJy at 850 μm) have large infrared luminosities (~10^(13) L_⊙ ), objects only selected on their submm flux densities (without any redshift informations) probe a large range in dust temperatures and infrared luminosities. The extreme infrared luminosities of some SMGs (L_IR ≳ 10^(12.7) L_⊙, 26/61 systems) imply star formation rates (SFRs) of >500 M_⊙ yr^(-1) (assuming a Chabrier IMF and no dominant AGN contribution to the FIR luminosity). Such high SFRs are difficult to reconcile with a secular mode of star formation, and may instead correspond to a merger-driven stage in the evolution of these galaxies. Another observational argument in favour of this scenario is the presence of dust temperatures warmer than that of SMGs of lower luminosities (~40 K as opposed to ~25 K), consistent with observations of local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies triggered by major mergers and with results from hydrodynamic simulations of major mergers combined with radiative transfer calculations. Moreover, we find that luminous SMGs are systematically offset from normal star-forming galaxies in the stellar mass-SFR plane, suggesting that they are undergoing starburst events with short duty cycles, compatible with the major merger scenario. On the other hand, a significant fraction of the low infrared luminosity SMGs have cold dust temperatures, are located close to the main sequence of star formation, and therefore might be evolving through a secular mode of star formation. However, the properties of this latter population, especially their dust temperature, should be treated with caution because at these luminosities SMGs are not a representative sample of the entire star-forming galaxy population.

Kiloparsec-scale outflows are prevalent among luminous AGN: outflows and feedback in the context of the overall AGN population

In this chapter we aim to address the question: how common are kilo-parsec scale ionised outflows in the host galaxies of powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN; i.e., quasars) and what are their properties (e.g., spatial extents, morphologies and energetics)? We select 16 targets for spatially-resolved spectroscopy (i.e., integral field unit [IFU] observations) from a well-constrained parent sample of \(\approx \)24,000 AGN. This means that we can place our observations into the context of the overall AGN population and therefore learn about the population as a whole. Our targets are \(z<0.2\) type 2 quasars that are radio-quiet, with star formation rates (\(\lesssim \)[10–100]\(\mathrm{M}_{\odot }\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}\)) that are consistent with normal star-forming galaxies. We present Gemini-GMOS IFU observations covering the [O iii]\(\lambda \lambda 4959,5007\) and H\(\beta \) emission lines. We find high-velocity ionised gas (velocity widths \({\approx }600\)–1500 km s\(^{-1}\); maximum velocities \({\le }1700\) km s\(^{-1}\)) with observed spatial extents of \(\gtrsim \)(6–16) kpc in all targets. We show that our targets are representative of \(z<0.2\), type 2 quasars and that ionised outflows are not only common but also in \(\ge \)70 % (3\(\sigma \) confidence) of cases, they are extended over kiloparsec scales. Both star formation and AGN activity appear to be energetically viable to drive the outflows and we find no definitive evidence that favours one process over the other. Although uncertain, we derive mass outflow rates (typically \({\approx }10 \times \) the SFRs), kinetic energies (\({\approx }0.5\)–10 % of \(L_{\mathrm{AGN}}\)) and momentum rates (typically \({\gtrsim }[10\)–\(20]\times L_{\mathrm{AGN}}/c\)) consistent with theoretical models that predict that AGN-driven outflows play a significant role in shaping the evolution of galaxies.

The LABOCA survey of the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South: a photometric redshift survey of submillimetre galaxies

We derive photometric redshifts from 17-band optical to mid-infrared photometry of 78 robust radio, 24-mu m and Spitzer IRAC counterparts to 72 of the 126 submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) selected at 870 mu m by LABOCA observations in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South (ECDF-S). We test the photometric redshifts of the SMGs against the extensive archival spectroscopy in the ECDF-S. The median photometric redshift of identified SMGs is z = 2.2 +/- 0.1, the standard deviation is sigma(z) = 0.9 and we identify 11 (similar to 15 per cent) high-redshift (z >= 3) SMGs. A statistical analysis of sources in the error circles of unidentified SMGs identifies a population of possible counterparts with a redshift distribution peaking at z = 2.5 +/- 0.2, which likely comprises similar to 60 per cent of the unidentified SMGs. This confirms that the bulk of the undetected SMGs are coeval with those detected in the radio/mid-infrared. We conclude that at most similar to 15 per cent of all the SMGs are below the flux limits of our IRAC observations and thus may lie at z greater than or similar to 3 and hence at most similar to 30 per cent of all SMGs have z greater than or similar to 3. We estimate that the full S(870 mu m) > 4mJy SMG population has a median redshift of 2.5 +/- 0.5. In contrast to previous suggestions, we find no significant correlation between submillimetre flux and redshift. The median stellar mass of the SMGs derived from spectral energy distribution fitting is (9.1 +/- 0.5) x 10(10)M(circle dot) although we caution that the uncertainty in the star formation histories results in a factor of similar to 5 uncertainty in these stellarmasses. Using a single temperature modified blackbody fit with beta = 1.5, the median characteristic dust temperature of SMGs is 37.4 +/- 1.4K. The infrared luminosity function shows that SMGs at z = 2-3 typically have higher far-infrared luminosities and luminosity density than those at z = 1-2. This is mirrored in the evolution of the star formation rate density (SFRD) for SMGs which peaks at z similar to 2. The maximum contribution of bright SMGs to the global SFRD (similar to 5 per cent for SMGs with S(870 mu m) greater than or similar to 4mJy or similar to 50 per cent extrapolated to SMGs with S(870 mu m) > 1mJy) also occurs at z similar to 2.

An ALMA survey of sub-millimetre galaxies in the extended chandra deep field south: The far-infrared properties of SMGs

We exploit Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) 870 mu m observations of sub-millimetre sources in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South to investigate the far-infrared properties of high-redshift sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs). Using the precisely located 870 mu m ALMA positions of 99 SMGs, together with 24 mu m and radio imaging, we deblend the Herschel/SPIRE imaging to extract their far-infrared fluxes and colours. The median redshifts for ALMA LESS (ALESS) SMGs which are detected in at least two SPIRE bands increases with wavelength of the peak in their spectral energy distributions (SEDs), with z = 2.3 +/- 0.2, 2.5 +/- 0.3 and 3.5 +/- 0.5 for the 250, 350 and 500 mu m peakers, respectively. 34 ALESS SMGs do not have a >3 sigma counterpart at 250, 350 or 500 mu m. These galaxies have a median photometric redshift derived from the rest-frame UV-mid-infrared SEDs of z = 3.3 +/- 0.5, which is higher than the full ALESS SMG sample; z = 2.5 +/- 0.2. We estimate the far-infrared luminosities and characteristic dust temperature of each SMG, deriving L-IR = (3.0 +/- 0.3) x 10(12) L-circle dot (SFR = 300 +/- 30 M-circle dot yr(-1)) and T-d = 32 +/- 1 K. The characteristic dust temperature of these high-redshift SMGs is Delta T-d = 3-5K lower than comparably luminous galaxies at z = 0, reflecting the more extended star formation in these systems. We show that the contribution of S-870 mu m >= 1 mJy SMGs to the cosmic star formation budget is 20 per cent of the total over the redshift range z similar to 1-4. Adopting an appropriate gas-to-dust ratio, we estimate a typical molecular mass of the ALESS SMGs of M-H2 = (4.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(10) M-circle dot. Finally, we show that SMGs with S-870 mu m > 1 mJy (L-IR greater than or similar to 10(12) L-circle dot) contain similar to 10 per cent of the z similar to 2 volume-averaged H-2 mass density.

An ALMA survey of submillimetre galaxies in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South: high-resolution 870 μm source counts

We report the first counts of faint submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) in the 870-mu m band derived from arcsecond-resolution observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). We have used ALMA to map a sample of 122 870-mu m-selected submillimetre sources drawn from the 0 degrees.5x0 degrees.5 the Large Apex BOlometer CAmera (LABOCA) Extended Chandra Deep Field South submillimetre survey (LESS). These ALMA maps have an average depth of sigma 870(mu m) similar to 0.4 mJy, some approximately three times deeper than the original LABOCA survey and critically the angular resolution is more than an order of magnitude higher, FWHM of similar to 1.5 arcsec compared to similar to 19 arcsec for the LABOCA discovery map. This combination of sensitivity and resolution allows us to precisely pinpoint the SMGs contributing to the submillimetre sources from the LABOCA map, free from the effects of confusion. We show that our ALMA-derived SMG counts broadly agree with the submillimetre source counts from previous, lower resolution single-dish surveys, demonstrating that the bulk of the submillimetre sources are not caused by blending of unresolved SMGs. The difficulty which well-constrained theoretical models have in reproducing the high surface densities of SMGs, thus remains. However, our observations do show that all of the very brightest sources in the LESS sample, S-870 (mu m) greater than or similar to 12 mJy, comprise emission from multiple, fainter SMGs, each with 870-mu m fluxes of less than or similar to 9 mJy. This implies a natural limit to the star formation rate in SMGs of less than or similar to 10(3) M-circle dot yr(-1), which in turn suggests that the space densities of z > 1 galaxies with gas masses in excess of similar to 5 x 10(10) M-circle dot is <10(-5) Mpc(-3). We also discuss the influence of this blending on the identification and characterization of the SMG counterparts to these bright submillimetre sources and suggest that it may be responsible for previous claims that they lie at higher redshifts than fainter SMGs.

Resolved spectroscopy of gravitationally lensed galaxies: recovering coherent velocity fields in subluminous z∼ 2–3 galaxies

We present spatially resolved dynamics for six strongly lensed star-forming galaxies at z= 1.7–3.1 , each enlarged by a linear magnification factor of ~ ×8 . Using the Keck laser guide star AO system and the OH-Suppressing Infra-Red Imaging Spectrograph integral field unit spectrograph, we resolve kinematic and morphological detail in our sample with an unprecedented fidelity, in some cases achieving spatial resolutions of ≃100 pc. With one exception our sources have diameters ranging from 1 to 7 kpc, integrated star formation rates of 2–40 M_⊙ yr^(−1) (uncorrected for extinction) and dynamical masses of 10^(9.7−10.3) M_⊙ . With this exquisite resolution, we find that four of the six galaxies display coherent velocity fields consistent with a simple rotating disc model. Our model fits imply ratios for the systemic to random motion, V_c sin i/σ , ranging from 0.5 to 1.3 and Toomre disc parameters Q < 1 . The large fraction of well-ordered velocity fields in our sample is consistent with data analysed for larger, more luminous sources at this redshift. We demonstrate that the apparent contradiction with earlier dynamical results published for unlensed compact sources arises from the considerably improved spatial resolution and sampling uniquely provided by the combination of adaptive optics and strong gravitational lensing. Our high-resolution data further reveal that all six galaxies contain multiple giant star-forming H ii regions whose resolved diameters are in the range 300 pc to 1.0 kpc, consistent with the Jeans length expected in the case of dispersion support. From the kinematic data, we calculate that these regions have dynamical masses of 10^(8.8−9.5) M_⊙, also in agreement with local data. However, the density of star formation in these regions is ~100× higher than observed in local spirals; such high values are only seen in the most luminous local starbursts. The global dynamics and demographics of star formation in these H ii regions suggest that vigorous star formation is primarily governed by gravitational instability in primitive rotating discs. The physical insight provided by the combination of adaptive optics and gravitational lensing suggests it will be highly valuable to locate many more strongly lensed distant galaxies with high star formation rates before the era of the next-generation ground-based telescopes when such observations will become routine.

Herschel and SCUBA-2 imaging and spectroscopy of a bright, lensed submillimetre galaxy at z = 2.3

We present a detailed analysis of the far-infrared (-IR) properties of the bright, lensed, z = 2.3, submillimetre-selected galaxy (SMG), SMM J2135-0102 (hereafter SMM J2135), using new observations with Herschel, SCUBA-2 and the Very Large Array (VLA). These data allow us to constrain the galaxys spectral energy distribution (SED) and show that it has an intrinsic rest-frame 8-1000-μm luminosity, Lbol, of (2.3±0.2) × 1012 and a likely star-formation rate (SFR) of ~400 yr-1. The galaxy sits on the far-IR/radio correlation for far-IR-selected galaxies. At 70 μm, the SED can be described adequately by dust components with dust temperatures, Td ~ 30 and 60 k. Using SPIREs Fourier- transform spectrometer (FTS) we report a detection of the [C ii] 158 μm cooling line. If the [C ii], CO and far-IR continuum arise in photo-dissociation regions (PDRs), we derive a characteristic gas density, n ~ 103 cm-3, and a far-ultraviolet (-UV) radiation field, G0, 103× stronger than the Milky Way. L[CII]/Lbol is significantly higher than in local ultra-luminous IR galaxies (ULIRGs) but similar to the values found in local star-forming galaxies and starburst nuclei. This is consistent with SMM J2135 being powered by starburst clumps distributed across ~2 kpc, evidence that SMGs are not simply scaled-up ULIRGs. Our results show that SPIREs FTS has the ability to measure the redshifts of distant, obscured galaxies via the blind detection of atomic cooling lines, but it will not be competitive with ground-based CO-line searches. It will, however, allow detailed study of the integrated properties of high-redshift galaxies, as well as the chemistry of their interstellar medium (ISM), once more suitably bright candidates have been found.