Francesco Costagliola

Molecules as tracers of galaxy evolution: an EMIR survey - I. Presentation of the data and first results

Aims. We investigate the molecular gas properties of a sample of 23 galaxies in order to find and test chemical signatures of galaxy evolution and to compare them to IR evolutionary tracers. Methods. Observation at 3 mm wavelengths were obtained with the EMIR broadband receiver, mounted on the IRAM 30 m telescope on Pico Veleta, Spain. We compare the emission of the main molecular species with existing models of chemical evolution by means of line intensity ratios diagrams and principal component analysis. Results. We detect molecular emission in 19 galaxies in two 8 GHz-wide bands centred at 88 and 112 GHz. The main detected molecules are CO, (CO)-C-13, HCN, HNC, HCO+, CN, and C2H. We also detect HC3N J = 10-9 in the galaxies IRAS 17208, IC 860, NGC 4418, NGC 7771, and NGC 1068. The only HC3N detections are in objects with HCO+/HCN 0.8). The brightest HC3N emission is found in IC 860, where we also detect the molecule in its vibrationally excited state. We find low HNC/HCN line ratios (<0.5), that cannot be explained by existing PDR or XDR chemical models. The intensities of HCO+ and HNC appear anti-correlated. No correlation is found between the HNC/HCN line ratio and dust temperature. All HNC-bright objects are either luminous IR galaxies (LIRG) or Seyferts. Galaxies with bright polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) emission show low HNC/HCO+ ratios. The CO/(CO)-C-13 ratio is positively correlated with the dust temperature and is generally higher than in our galaxy. The emission of CN and (CO)-O-18 is correlated. Conclusions. Bright HC3N emission in HCO+-faint objects may imply that these are not dominated by X-ray chemistry. Thus the HCN/HCO+ line ratio is not, by itself, a reliable tracer of XDRs. Bright HC3N and faint HCO+ could be signatures of embedded star-formation, instead of AGN activity. Mechanical heating caused by supernova explosions may be responsible for the low HNC/HCN and high HCO+/HCN ratios in some starbursts. We cannot exclude, however, that the discussed trends are largely caused by optical depth effects or excitation. Chemical models alone cannot explain all properties of the observed molecular emission. Better constraints to the gas spacial distribution and excitation are needed to distinguish abundance and excitation effects.

P CYGNI PROFILES OF MOLECULAR LINES TOWARD ARP 220 NUCLEI

We report ~100 pc (0farcs3) resolution observations of (sub)millimeter HCO+ and CO lines in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220. The lines peak at two merger nuclei, with HCO+ being more spatially concentrated than CO. Asymmetric line profiles with blueshifted absorption and redshifted emission are discovered in HCO+(3-2) and (4-3) toward the two nuclei and in CO(3-2) toward one nucleus. We suggest that these P Cygni profiles are due to ~100 km s–1 outward motion of molecular gas from the nuclei. This gas is most likely outflowing from the inner regions of the two nuclear disks rotating around individual nuclei, clearing the shroud around the luminosity sources there.

Molecular line emission in NGC 1068 imaged with ALMA II. The chemistry of the dense molecular gas

Aims. We present a detailed analysis of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Bands 7 and 9 data of CO, HCO+, HCN, and CS, augmented with Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) data of the ~200 pc circumnuclear disc (CND) and the ~1.3 kpc starburst ring (SB ring) of NGC 1068, a nearby (D = 14 Mpc) Seyfert 2 barred galaxy. We aim to determine the physical characteristics of the dense gas present in the CND, and to establish whether the different line intensity ratios we find within the CND, as well as between the CND and the SB ring, are due to excitation effects (gas density and temperature differences) or to a different chemistry. Methods. We estimate the column densities of each species in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). We then compute large one-dimensional, non-LTE radiative transfer grids (using RADEX) by using only the CO transitions first, and then all the available molecules to constrain the densities, temperatures, and column densities within the CND. We finally present a preliminary set of chemical models to determine the origin of the gas. Results. We find that, in general, the gas in the CND is very dense (>105 cm-3) and hot (T> 150 K), with differences especially in the temperature across the CND. The AGN position has the lowest CO/HCO+, CO/HCN, and CO/CS column density ratios. The RADEX analyses seem to indicate that there is chemical differentiation across the CND. We also find differences between the chemistry of the SB ring and some regions of the CND; the SB ring is also much colder and less dense than the CND. Chemical modelling does not succeed in reproducing all the molecular ratios with one model per region, suggesting the presence of multi-gas phase components. Conclusions. The LTE, RADEX, and chemical analyses all indicate that more than one gas-phase component is necessary to uniquely fit all the available molecular ratios within the CND. A higher number of molecular transitions at the ALMA resolution is necessary to determine quantitatively the physical and chemical characteristics of these components.

Winds of change – a molecular outflow in NGC 1377? - The anatomy of an extreme FIR-excess galaxy

Aims. Our goal was to investigate the molecular gas distribution and kinematics in the extreme far-infrared (FIR) excess galaxy NGC 1377 and to address the nature and evolutionary status of the buried source. Methods. We used high- (0. �� 65 × 0. �� 52, (65 × 52 pc)) and low- (4. �� 88 × 2. �� 93) resolution SubMillimeter Array (SMA) observations to image the 12 CO and 13 CO 2−1 line emission. Results. We find bright, complex 12 CO 2−1 line emission in the inner 400 pc of NGC 1377. The 12 CO 2−1 line has wings that are tracing a kinematical component that appears to be perpendicular to the component traced by the line core. Together with an intrigu- ing X-shape of the integrated intensity and dispersion maps, this suggests that the molecular emission of NGC 1377 consists of a disk-outflow system. Lower limits to the molecular mass and outflow rate are Mout(H2) > 1 × 10 7 Mand u M > 8 Myr −1 .T he age of the proposed outflow is estimated to be 1.4 Myr, the extent to be 200 pc and the outflow speed to be Vout = 140 km s −1 . The total molecular mass in the SMA map is estimated to Mtot(H2) = 1.5 × 10 8 M� (on a scale of 400 pc) while in the inner r = 29 pc the molecular mass is Mcore(H2) = 1.7 × 10 7 Mwith a corresponding H2 column density of N(H2) = 3.4 × 10 23 cm −2 and an average 12 CO 2−1 brightness temperature of 19 K. 13 CO 2−1 emission is found at a factor 10 fainter than 12 CO in the low-resolution map while C 18 O2 −1 remains undetected. We find weak 1 mm continuum emission of 2.4 mJy with spatial extent less than 400 pc. Conclusions. Observing the molecular properties of the FIR-excess galaxy NGC 1377 allows us to probe the early stages of nuclear activity and the onset of feedback in active galaxies. The age of the outflow supports the notion that the current nuclear activity is young - a few Myr. The outflow may be powered by radiation pressure from a compact, dust enshrouded nucleus, but other driving mechanisms are possible. The buried source may be an active galactic nucleus (AGN) or an extremely young (1 Myr) compact star- burst. Limitations on size and mass lead us to favor the AGN scenario, but additional studies are required to settle this question. In either case, the wind with its implied mass outflow rate will quench the nuclear power source within the very short time of 5−25 Myr. It is possible, however, that the gas is unable to escape the galaxy and may eventually fall back onto NGC 1377 again.

The molecular gas reservoir of 6 low-metallicity galaxies from the Herschel Dwarf Galaxy Survey - A ground-based follow-up survey of CO(1–0), CO(2–1), and CO(3–2)

Context. Observations of nearby starburst and spiral galaxies have revealed that molecular gas is the driver of star formation. However, some nearby low-metallicity dwarf galaxies are actively forming stars, but CO, the most common tracer of this reservoir, is faint, leaving us with a puzzle about how star formation proceeds in these environments. Aims. We aim to quantify the molecular gas reservoir in a subset of 6 galaxies from the Herschel Dwarf Galaxy Survey with newly acquired CO data and to link this reservoir to the observed star formation activity. Methods. We present CO(1-0), CO(2-1), and CO(3-2) observations obtained at the ATNE Mopra 22-m, APEX, and IRAM 30-m telescopes, as well as [CII] 157 mu m and [OI] 63 mu m observations obtained with the Herschel/PACS spectrometer in the 6 low-metallicity dwarf galaxies: Haro 11, Mrk 1089, Mrk 930, NGC 4861, NGC 625, and UM 311. We derived their molecular gas masses from several methods, including using the CO-to-H-2 conversion factor X-CO (both Galactic and metallicity-scaled values) and dust measurements. The molecular and atomic gas reservoirs were compared to the star formation activity. We also constrained the physical conditions of the molecular clouds using the non-LTE code RADEX and the spectral synthesis code Cloudy. Results. We detect CO in 5 of the 6 galaxies, including first detections in Haro 11 (Z similar to 0.4 Z(circle dot)), Mrk 930 (0.2 Z(circle dot)), and UM 311 (0.5 Z(circle dot)), but CO remains undetected in NGC 4861 (0.2 Z(circle dot)). The CO luminosities are low, while [CII] is bright in these galaxies, resulting in [CII]/CO(1-0) >= 10 000. Our dwarf galaxies are in relatively good agreement with the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation for total gas. They show short molecular depletion timescales, even when considering metallicity-scaled X-CO factors. Those galaxies are dominated by their HI gas, except Haro 11, which has high star formation efficiency and is dominated by ionized and molecular gas. We determine the mass of each ISM phase in Haro 11 using Cloudy and estimate an equivalent X-CO factor that is 10 times higher than the Galactic value. Overall, our results confirm the emerging picture that CO suffers from significant selective photodissociation in low-metallicity dwarf galaxies.

Vibrationally excited HC3N in NGC 4418

Aims. We investigate the molecular gas properties of the deeply obscured luminous infrared galaxy NGC 4418. We address the excitation of the complex molecule HC3N to determine whether its unusually luminous emission is related to the nature of the buried nuclear source. Methods. We use IRAM 30 m and JCMT observations of rotational and vibrational lines of HC3N to model the excitation of the molecule by means of rotational diagrams. Results. We report the first confirmed extragalactic detection of vibrational lines of HC3N. We detect 6 different rotational transitions ranging from J = 10–9 to J = 30–29 in the ground vibrational state and obtain a tentative detection of the J = 38–37 line. We also detect 7 rotational transitions of the vibrationally excited states v6 and v7, with angular momenta ranging from J = 10–9 to 28–27. The energies of the upper states of the observed transitions range from 20 to 850 K. In the optically thin regime, we find that the rotational transitions of the vibrational ground state can be fitted for two temperatures, 30 K and 260 K, while the vibrationally excited levels can be fitted for a rotational temperature of 90 K and a vibrational temperature of 500 K. In the inner 300 pc of NGC 4418, we estimate a high HC3N abundance, of the order of 10-7. Conclusions. The excitation of the HC3N molecule responds strongly to the intense radiation field and the presence of warm, dense gas and dust at the center of NGC 4418. The intense HC3N line emission is a result of both high abundances and excitation. The properties of the HC3N emitting gas are similar to those found for hot cores in Sgr B2, which implies that the nucleus (<300 pc) of NGC 4418 is reminiscent of a hot core. The potential presence of a compact, hot component (T = 500 K) is also discussed.

ALMA RESOLVES THE TORUS OF NGC 1068: CONTINUUM AND MOLECULAR LINE EMISSION

We have used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) to map the emission of the CO(6-5) molecular line and the 432 {\mu}m continuum emission from the 300 pc-sized circumnuclear disk (CND) of the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 with a spatial resolution of ~4 pc. These observations spatially resolve the CND and, for the first time, image the dust emission, the molecular gas distribution, and the kinematics from a 7-10 pc-diameter disk that represents the submillimeter counterpart of the putative torus of NGC 1068. We fitted the nuclear spectral energy distribution of the torus using ALMA and near and mid-infrared (NIR/MIR) data with CLUMPY models. The mass and radius of the best-fit solution for the torus are both consistent with the values derived from the ALMA data alone: Mgas_torus=(1+-0.3)x10^5 Msun and Rtorus=3.5+-0.5 pc. The dynamics of the molecular gas in the torus show non-circular motions and enhanced turbulence superposed on the rotating pattern of the disk. The kinematic major axis of the CO torus is tilted relative to its morphological major axis. By contrast with the nearly edge-on orientation of the H2O megamaser disk, we have found evidence suggesting that the molecular torus is less inclined (i=34deg-66deg) at larger radii. The lopsided morphology and complex kinematics of the torus could be the signature of the Papaloizou-Pringle instability, long predicted to likely drive the dynamical evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGN) tori.

High-resolution mm and cm study of the obscured LIRG NGC 4418 - A compact obscured nucleus fed by in-falling gas?

Context. Understanding the nature of the power-source in luminous infrared galaxies (LIRG) is difficult due to their extreme obscuration. Observations at radio and mm wavelengths can penetrate large columns of dust and gas and provide unique insights into the properties of the compact obscured nuclei of LIRGs. Aims. The aim of this study is to constrain the dynamics, structure, and feeding of the compact nucleus of NGC 4418, and to reveal the nature of the main hidden power-source: starburst or active galactic nucleus (AGN). Methods. We obtained high spatial resolution observations of NGC 4418 at 1.4 and 5 GHz with MERLIN, and at 230 and 270 GHz with the SMA in very extended configuration. We used the continuum morphology and flux density to estimate the size of the emitting region, the star formation rate, and the dust temperature. Emission lines were used to study kinematics through position-velocity diagrams. Molecular emission was studied with population diagrams and by fitting a local thermal equilibrium (LTE) synthetic spectrum. Results. We detect bright 1-mm-line emission from CO, HC3N, HNC, and C 34 S and 1.4 GHz absorption from HI. The CO 2–1 emission and HI absorption can be fit by two velocity components at 2090 and 2180 km s −1 . We detect vibrationally excited HC3 Na nd HNC, with Tvib ∼ 300 K. Molecular excitation is consistent with a layered temperature structure, with three main components at 80, 160, and 300 K. For the hot component we estimate a source size of less than 5 pc. The nuclear molecular gas surface density of

High-resolution imaging of the molecular outflows in two mergers: IRAS 17208-0014 and NGC 1614

Context. Galaxy evolution scenarios predict that the feedback of star formation and nuclear activity (AGN) can drive the transformation of gas-rich spiral mergers into (ultra) luminous infrared galaxies and, eventually, lead to the build-up of QSO/elliptical hosts. Aims. We study the role that star formation and AGN feedback have in launching and maintaining the molecular outflows in two starburst-dominated advanced mergers, NGC 1614 (DL = 66 Mpc) and IRAS 17208-0014 (DL = 181 Mpc), by analyzing the distribution and kinematics of their molecular gas reservoirs. Both galaxies present evidence of outflows in other phases of their ISM. Methods. We used the Plateau de Bure interferometer (PdBI) to image the CO(10) and CO(21) line emissions in NGC 1614 and IRAS 17208-0014, respectively, with high spatial resolution (0: 0051: 002). The velocity fields of the gas were analyzed and modeled to find the evidence of molecular outflows in these sources and characterize the mass, momentum, and energy of these components. Results. While most (95%) of the CO emission stems from spatially resolved (23 kpc-diameter) rotating disks, we also detect in both mergers the emission from high-velocity line wings that extend up to -500-700 km s1, well beyond the estimated virial range associated with rotation and turbulence. The kinematic major axis of the line-wing emission is tilted by 90 in NGC 1614 and by 180 in IRAS 17208-0014 relative to the major axes of their respective rotating disks. These results can be explained by the existence of non-coplanar molecular outflows in both systems: the outflow axis is nearly perpendicular to the rotating disk in NGC 1614, but it is tilted relative to the angular momentum axis of the rotating disk in IRAS 17208-0014. Conclusions. In stark contrast to NGC 1614, where star formation alone can drive its molecular outflow, the mass, energy, and momentum budget requirements of the molecular outflow in IRAS 17208-0014 can be best accounted for by the existence of a so far undetected (hidden) AGN of LAGN71011 L The geometry of the molecular outflow in IRAS 17208-0014 suggests that the outflow is launched by a non-coplanar disk that may be associated with a buried AGN in the western nucleus.

Exploring the molecular chemistry and excitation in obscured luminous infrared galaxies - An ALMA mm-wave spectral scan of NGC 4418

Context. Extragalactic observations allow the study of molecular chemistry and excitation under physical conditions which may differ greatly from those found in the Milky Way. The compact, obscured nuclei (CON) of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRG) combine large molecular columns with intense infrared (IR), ultra-violet (UV), and X- radiation and represent ideal laboratories for the study of the chemistry of the interstellar medium (ISM) under extreme conditions. Aims. Our aim was to obtain for the first time a multi-band spectral scan of a LIRG, and to derive molecular abundances and excitation to be compared to other Galactic and extragalactic environments. Methods. We obtained an ALMA Cycle 0 spectral scan of the dusty LIRG NGC 4418, spanning a total of 70.7 GHz in bands 3, 6, and 7. We use a combined local thermal equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE (NLTE) fit of the spectrum in order to identify the molecular species and to derive column densities and excitation temperatures. We derive molecular abundances and compare them with other Galactic and extragalactic sources by means of a principal component analysis. Results. We detect 317 emission lines from a total of 45 molecular species, including 15 isotopic substitutions and 6 vibrationally excited variants. Our LTE/NLTE fit find kinetic temperatures from 20 to 350 K, and densities between 105 and 107 cm-3. The spectrum is dominated by vibrationally excited HC3N, HCN, and HNC, with vibrational temperatures from 300 to 450 K. We find that the chemistry of NCG 4418 is characterized by high abundances of HC3N, SiO, H2S, and c-HCCCH but a low CH3OH abundance. A principal component analysis shows that NGC 4418 and Arp 220 share very similar molecular abundances and excitation, which clearly set them apart from other Galactic and extragalactic environments. Conclusions. Our spectral scan confirms that the chemical complexity in the nucleus of NGC 4418 is one of the highest ever observed outside our Galaxy. The similar molecular abundances observed toward NCG 4418 and Arp 220 are consistent with a hot gas-phase chemistry, with the relative abundances of SiO and CH3OH being regulated by shocks and X-ray driven dissociation. The bright emission from vibrationally excited species confirms the presence of a compact IR source, with an effective diameter smaller than 5 pc and brightness temperatures higher than 350 K. The molecular abundances and the vibrationally excited spectrum are consistent with a young AGN/starburst system. We suggest that NGC 4418 may be a template for a new kind of chemistry and excitation, typical of CON. Because of the narrow line widths and bright molecular emission, NGC 4418 is the ideal target for further studies of the chemistry in CONs.