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Title:
A Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Submillimeter Galaxies: Luminous Starbursts at High Redshift
Authors:
Valiante, E.; Lutz, D.; Sturm, E.; Genzel, R.; Tacconi, L. J.; Lehnert, M. D.; Baker, A. J.
Affiliation:
AA(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AB(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AC(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AD(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AE(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AF(Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85741 Garching, Germany; , , , , , .), AG(Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019 .)
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 660, Issue 2, pp. 1060-1071. (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
05/2007
Origin:
UCP
ApJ Keywords:
Galaxies: Active, Galaxies: Distances and Redshifts, Galaxies: Starburst, Infrared: Galaxies
DOI:
10.1086/513306
Bibliographic Code:
2007ApJ...660.1060V

Abstract

We present rest-frame mid-infrared spectroscopy of a sample of 13 submillimeter galaxies, obtained using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. The sample includes exclusively bright objects from blank fields and cluster lens-assisted surveys that have accurate interferometric positions. We find that the majority of spectra are well fitted by a starburst template or by the superposition of PAH emission features and a weak mid-infrared continuum, the latter a tracer of active galactic nuclei (AGNs; including Compton-thick ones). We obtain mid-infrared spectroscopic redshifts for all nine sources detected with IRS. For three of them the redshifts were previously unknown. The median value of the redshift distribution is z~2.8 if we assume that the four IRS nondetections are at high redshift. The median for the IRS detections alone is z~2.7. Placing the IRS nondetections at similar redshift would require rest-frame mid-IR obscuration larger than is seen in local ULIRGs. The rest-frame mid-infrared spectra and mid- to far-infrared spectral energy distributions are consistent with those of local ultraluminous infrared galaxies but scaled up further in luminosity. The mid-infrared spectra support the scenario that submillimeter galaxies are sites of extreme star formation, rather than X-ray-obscured AGNs, and represent a critical phase in the formation of massive galaxies.
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