Caitlin M. Casey

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.

Galaxies at redshifts 5 to 6 with systematically low dust content and high [C ii ] emission

The rest-frame ultraviolet properties of galaxies during the first three billion years of cosmic time (redshift z > 4) indicate a rapid evolution in the dust obscuration of such galaxies. This evolution implies a change in the average properties of the interstellar medium, but the measurements are systematically uncertain owing to untested assumptions and the inability to detect heavily obscured regions of the galaxies. Previous attempts to measure the interstellar medium directly in normal galaxies at these redshifts have failed for a number of reasons, with two notable exceptions. Here we report measurements of the forbidden C ii emission (that is, [C ii]) from gas, and the far-infrared emission from dust, in nine typical star-forming galaxies about one billion years after the Big Bang (z ≈ 5–6). We find that these galaxies have thermal emission that is less than 1/12 that of similar systems about two billion years later, and enhanced [C ii] emission relative to the far-infrared continuum, confirming a strong evolution in the properties of the interstellar medium in the early Universe. The gas is distributed over scales of one to eight kiloparsecs, and shows diverse dynamics within the sample. These results are consistent with early galaxies having significantly less dust than typical galaxies seen at z < 3 and being comparable in dust content to local low-metallicity systems.Evolution in the measured rest frame ultraviolet spectral slope and ultraviolet to optical flux ratios indicate a rapid evolution in the dust obscuration of galaxies during the first 3 billion years of cosmic time (z>4). This evolution implies a change in the average interstellar medium properties, but the measurements are systematically uncertain due to untested assumptions, and the inability to measure heavily obscured regions of the galaxies. Previous attempts to directly measure the interstellar medium in normal galaxies at these redshifts have failed for a number of reasons with one notable exception. Here we report measurements of the [CII] gas and dust emission in 9 typical (~1-4L*) star-forming galaxies ~1 billon years after the big bang (z~5-6). We find these galaxies have >12x less thermal emission compared with similar systems ~2 billion years later, and enhanced [CII] emission relative to the far-infrared continuum, confirming a strong evolution in the interstellar medium properties in the early universe. The gas is distributed over scales of 1-8 kpc, and shows diverse dynamics within the sample. These results are consistent with early galaxies having significantly less dust than typical galaxies seen at z<3 and being comparable to local low-metallicity systems.

Far-infrared spectral energy distribution fitting for galaxies near and far

Spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting in the far-infrared (FIR) is greatly limited by a dearth of data and an excess of free parameters – from galaxies’ dust composition, temperature, mass, orientation, opacity, to heating from active galactic nuclei (AGN). This paper presents a simple FIR SED fitting technique joining a modified, single dust temperature greybody, representing the reprocessed starburst emission in the whole galaxy, to a mid-infrared (MIR) power law, which approximates hot-dust emission from AGN heating or clumpy, hot starbursting regions. This FIR SED can be used to measure IR luminosities, dust temperatures and dust masses for both local and high-z galaxies with three to 10+ FIR photometric measurements. While the fitting technique does not model emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the MIR, the impact of PAH features on integrated FIR properties is negligible when compared to the bulk emission at longer wavelengths. This fitting method is compared to IR template SEDs in the literature using photometric data on 65 local luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies, (U)LIRGs. Despite relying only on 2–4 free parameters, the coupled greybody/power-law SED fitting described here produces better fits to photometric measurements than best-fitting literature template SEDs (with residuals a factor of ∼2 lower). A mean emissivity index of β = 1.60 ± 0.38 and MIR power-law slope of α = 2.0 ± 0.5 is measured; the former agrees with the widely presumed emissivity index of β = 1.5 and the latter is indicative of an optically thin dust medium with a shallow radial density profile, ≈r−1/2. Adopting characteristic dust temperature as the inverse wavelength where the SED peaks, dust temperatures ∼25–45 K are measured for local (U)LIRGs, ∼5–15 K colder than previous estimates using only simple greybodies. This comparative study highlights the impact of SED fitting assumptions on the measurement of physical properties such as IR luminosity (and thereby IR-based star formation rate), dust temperature and dust mass, for both local and high-redshift galaxies.

The Interstellar Medium In Galaxies Seen A Billion Years After The Big Bang

The rest-frame ultraviolet properties of galaxies during the first three billion years of cosmic time (redshift z > 4) indicate a rapid evolution in the dust obscuration of such galaxies. This evolution implies a change in the average properties of the interstellar medium, but the measurements are systematically uncertain owing to untested assumptions and the inability to detect heavily obscured regions of the galaxies. Previous attempts to measure the interstellar medium directly in normal galaxies at these redshifts have failed for a number of reasons, with two notable exceptions. Here we report measurements of the forbidden C ii emission (that is, [C ii]) from gas, and the far-infrared emission from dust, in nine typical star-forming galaxies about one billion years after the Big Bang (z ≈ 5–6). We find that these galaxies have thermal emission that is less than 1/12 that of similar systems about two billion years later, and enhanced [C ii] emission relative to the far-infrared continuum, confirming a strong evolution in the properties of the interstellar medium in the early Universe. The gas is distributed over scales of one to eight kiloparsecs, and shows diverse dynamics within the sample. These results are consistent with early galaxies having significantly less dust than typical galaxies seen at z < 3 and being comparable in dust content to local low-metallicity systems.Evolution in the measured rest frame ultraviolet spectral slope and ultraviolet to optical flux ratios indicate a rapid evolution in the dust obscuration of galaxies during the first 3 billion years of cosmic time (z>4). This evolution implies a change in the average interstellar medium properties, but the measurements are systematically uncertain due to untested assumptions, and the inability to measure heavily obscured regions of the galaxies. Previous attempts to directly measure the interstellar medium in normal galaxies at these redshifts have failed for a number of reasons with one notable exception. Here we report measurements of the [CII] gas and dust emission in 9 typical (~1-4L*) star-forming galaxies ~1 billon years after the big bang (z~5-6). We find these galaxies have >12x less thermal emission compared with similar systems ~2 billion years later, and enhanced [CII] emission relative to the far-infrared continuum, confirming a strong evolution in the interstellar medium properties in the early universe. The gas is distributed over scales of 1-8 kpc, and shows diverse dynamics within the sample. These results are consistent with early galaxies having significantly less dust than typical galaxies seen at z<3 and being comparable to local low-metallicity systems.

HerMES: deep number counts at 250 μm, 350 μm and 500 μm in the COSMOS and GOODS-N fields and the build-up of the cosmic infrared background

Aims. The Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) onboard the Herschel space telescope has provided confusion limited maps of deep fields at 250 μm, 350 μm, and 500 μm, as part of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES). Unfortunately, due to confusion, only a small fraction of the cosmic infrared background (CIB) can be resolved into individually-detected sources. Our goal is to produce deep galaxy number counts and redshift distributions below the confusion limit at SPIRE wavelengths (~20 mJy), which we then use to place strong constraints on the origins of the cosmic infrared background and on models of galaxy evolution. Methods. We individually extracted the bright SPIRE sources (>20 mJy) in the COSMOS field with a method using the positions, the flux densities, and the redshifts of the 24 μm sources as a prior, and derived the number counts and redshift distributions of the bright SPIRE sources. For fainter SPIRE sources (<20 mJy), we reconstructed the number counts and the redshift distribution below the confusion limit using the deep 24 μm catalogs associated with photometric redshift and information provided by the stacking of these sources into the deep SPIRE maps of the GOODS-N and COSMOS fields. Finally, by integrating all these counts, we studied the contribution of the galaxies to the CIB as a function of their flux density and redshift. Results. Through stacking, we managed to reconstruct the source counts per redshift slice down to ~2 mJy in the three SPIRE bands, which lies about a factor 10 below the 5σ confusion limit. Our measurements place tight constraints on source population models. None of the pre-existing models are able to reproduce our results at better than 3-σ. Finally, we extrapolate our counts to zero flux density in order to derive an estimate of the total contribution of galaxies to the CIB, finding 10.1_(-2.3)^(+2.6) nW m^(-2) sr^(-1), 6.5_(-1.6)^(+1.7) nW m^(-2) sr^(-1), and 2.8_(-0.8)^(+0.9) nW m^(-2) sr^(-1) at 250 μm, 350 μm, and 500 μm, respectively. These values agree well with FIRAS absolute measurements, suggesting our number counts and their extrapolation are sufficient to explain the CIB. We find that half of the CIB is emitted at z = 1.04, 1.20, and 1.25, respectively. Finally, combining our results with other works, we estimate the energy budget contained in the CIB between 8 μm and 1000 μm: 26_(-3)^(+7) nW m^(-2) sr^(-1).

A redshift survey of Herschel far-infrared selected starbursts and implications for obscured star formation

We present Keck spectroscopic observations and redshifts for a sample of 767 Herschel-SPIRE selected galaxies (HSGs) at 250, 350, and 500 μm, taken with the Keck I Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer and the Keck II DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph. The redshift distribution of these SPIRE sources from the Herschel Multitiered Extragalactic Survey peaks at z = 0.85, with 731 sources at z < 2 and a tail of sources out to z ~ 5. We measure more significant disagreement between photometric and spectroscopic redshifts (〈Δz/(1 + z_(spec))〉 = 0.29) than is seen in non-infrared selected samples, likely due to enhanced star formation rates and dust obscuration in infrared-selected galaxies. The infrared data are used to directly measure integrated infrared luminosities and dust temperatures independent of radio or 24 μm flux densities. By probing the dust spectral energy distribution (SED) at its peak, we estimate that the vast majority (72%-83%) of z < 2 Herschel-selected galaxies would drop out of traditional submillimeter surveys at 0.85-1 mm. We find that dust temperature traces infrared luminosity, due in part to the SPIRE wavelength selection biases, and partially from physical effects. As a result, we measure no significant trend in SPIRE color with redshift; if dust temperature were independent of luminosity or redshift, a trend in SPIRE color would be expected. Composite infrared SEDs are constructed as a function of infrared luminosity, showing the increase in dust temperature with luminosity, and subtle change in near-infrared and mid-infrared spectral properties. Moderate evolution in the far-infrared (FIR)/radio correlation is measured for this partially radio-selected sample, with q_(IR) ∝(1 + z)^(–0.30±0.02) at z < 2. We estimate the luminosity function and implied star formation rate density contribution of HSGs at z < 1.6 and find overall agreement with work based on 24 μm extrapolations of the LIRG, ULIRG, and total infrared contributions. This work significantly increased the number of spectroscopically confirmed infrared-luminous galaxies at z » 0 and demonstrates the growing importance of dusty starbursts for galaxy evolution studies and the build-up of stellar mass throughout cosmic time.

A bright z=5.2 lensed submillimeter galaxy in the field of Abell 773: HLSJ091828.6+514223

During our Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS) of massive galaxy clusters, we have discovered an exceptionally bright source behind the z = 0.22 cluster Abell 773, which appears to be a strongly lensed submillimeter galaxy (SMG) at z = 5.2429. This source is unusual compared to most other lensed sources discovered by Herschel so far, because of its higher submm flux (~200 mJy at 500 μm) and its high redshift. The dominant lens is a foreground z = 0.63 galaxy, not the cluster itself. The source has a far-infrared (FIR) luminosity of LFIR = 1.1 × 1014/μ Ls, where μ is the magnification factor, likely ~11. We report here the redshift identification through CO lines with the IRAM-30 m, and the analysis of the gas excitation, based on CO(7-6), CO(6-5), CO(5-4) detected at IRAM and the CO(2-1) at the EVLA. All lines decompose into a wide and strong red component, and a narrower and weaker blue component, 540 km s-1 apart. Assuming the ultraluminous galaxy (ULIRG) CO-to-H2 conversion ratio, the H2 mass is 5.8 × 1011/μ Ms, of which one third is in a cool component. From the C I(3P2-3P1) line we derive a C I/H2 number abundance of 6 × 10-5 similar to that in other ULIRGs. The H2Op(2,0,2-1,1,1) line is strong only in the red velocity component, with an intensity ratio I(H2O)/I(CO) ~ 0.5, suggesting a strong local FIR radiation field, possibly from an active nucleus (AGN) component. We detect the [NII]205 μm line for the first time at high-z. It shows comparable blue and red components, with a strikingly broad blue one, suggesting strong ionized gas flows.

HerMES: Cosmic Infrared Background Anisotropies and the Clustering of Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies

We present measurements of the auto- and cross-frequency power spectra of the cosmic infrared background (CIB) at 250, 350, and 500 μm (1200, 860, and 600 GHz) from observations totaling ~70 deg2 made with the SPIRE instrument aboard the Herschel Space Observatory. We measure a fractional anisotropy δI/I = 14% ± 4%, detecting signatures arising from the clustering of dusty star-forming galaxies in both the linear (2-halo) and nonlinear (1-halo) regimes; and that the transition from the 2- to 1-halo terms, below which power originates predominantly from multiple galaxies within dark matter halos, occurs at k θ ~ 0.10-0.12 arcmin–1 (l ~ 2160-2380), from 250 to 500 μm. New to this paper is clear evidence of a dependence of the Poisson and 1-halo power on the flux-cut level of masked sources—suggesting that some fraction of the more luminous sources occupy more massive halos as satellites, or are possibly close pairs. We measure the cross-correlation power spectra between bands, finding that bands which are farthest apart are the least correlated, as well as hints of a reduction in the correlation between bands when resolved sources are more aggressively masked. In the second part of the paper, we attempt to interpret the measurements in the framework of the halo model. With the aim of fitting simultaneously with one model the power spectra, number counts, and absolute CIB level in all bands, we find that this is achievable by invoking a luminosity-mass relationship, such that the luminosity-to-mass ratio peaks at a particular halo mass scale and declines toward lower and higher mass halos. Our best-fit model finds that the halo mass which is most efficient at hosting star formation in the redshift range of peak star-forming activity, z ~ 1-3, is log(M peak/M ☉) ~ 12.1 ± 0.5, and that the minimum halo mass to host infrared galaxies is log(M min/M ☉) ~ 10.1 ± 0.6.

The rapid assembly of an elliptical galaxy of 400 billion solar masses at a redshift of 2.3.

Stellar archaeology shows that massive elliptical galaxies formed rapidly about ten billion years ago with star-formation rates of above several hundred solar masses per year. Their progenitors are probably the submillimetre bright galaxies at redshifts z greater than 2. Although the mean molecular gas mass (5 × 1010 solar masses) of the submillimetre bright galaxies can explain the formation of typical elliptical galaxies, it is inadequate to form elliptical galaxies that already have stellar masses above 2 × 1011 solar masses at z ≈ 2. Here we report multi-wavelength high-resolution observations of a rare merger of two massive submillimetre bright galaxies at z = 2.3. The system is seen to be forming stars at a rate of 2,000 solar masses per year. The star-formation efficiency is an order of magnitude greater than that of normal galaxies, so the gas reservoir will be exhausted and star formation will be quenched in only around 200 million years. At a projected separation of 19 kiloparsecs, the two massive starbursts are about to merge and form a passive elliptical galaxy with a stellar mass of about 4 × 1011 solar masses. We conclude that gas-rich major galaxy mergers with intense star formation can form the most massive elliptical galaxies by z ≈ 1.5.

Characterization of Scuba-2 450 μm and 850 μm selected galaxies in the COSMOS field

We present deep 450 μm and 850 μm observations of a large, uniformly covered 394 arcmin2 area in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field obtained with the SCUBA-2 instrument on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). We achieve root-mean-square noise values of σ450 = 4.13 mJy and σ850 = 0.80 mJy. The differential and cumulative number counts are presented and compared to similar previous works. Individual point sources are identified at >3.6σ significance, a threshold corresponding to a 3–5 per cent sample contamination rate. We identify 78 sources at 450 μm and 99 at 850 μm, with flux densities S450 = 13–37 mJy and S850 = 2–16 mJy. Only 62–76 per cent of 450 μm sources are 850 μm detected and 61–81 per cent of 850 μm sources are 450 μm detected. The positional uncertainties at 450 μm are small (1–2.5 arcsec) and therefore allow a precise identification of multiwavelength counterparts without reliance on detection at 24 μm or radio wavelengths; we find that only 44 per cent of 450 μm sources and 60 per cent of 850 μm sources have 24 μm or radio counterparts. 450 μm selected galaxies peak at 〈z〉 = 1.95 ± 0.19 and 850 μm selected galaxies peak at 〈z〉 = 2.16 ± 0.11. The two samples occupy similar parameter space in redshift and luminosity, while their median SED peak wavelengths differ by ∼20–50 μm (translating to ΔTdust = 8–12 K, where 450 μm selected galaxies are warmer). The similarities of the 450 μm and 850 μm populations, yet lack of direct overlap between them, suggests that submillimetre surveys conducted at any single far-infrared wavelength will be significantly incomplete (≳30 per cent) at censusing infrared-luminous star formation at high z.