Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service


· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:0907.3185)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (1) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (2)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Active Galactic Nuclei and the Truncation of Star Formation in K+A Galaxies
Authors:
Brown, Michael J. I.; Moustakas, John; Caldwell, Nelson; Palamara, David; Cool, Richard J.; Dey, Arjun; Hickox, Ryan C.; Jannuzi, Buell T.; Murray, Stephen S.; Zaritsky, Dennis
Affiliation:
AA(School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia ), AB(Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0424, USA ; Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, 4 Washington Place, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA ), AC(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AD(School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia ), AE(Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA ; Princeton University Observatory, Peyton Hall, Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA ; Hubble Fellow), AF(National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85726-6732, USA ), AG(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AH(National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85726-6732, USA ), AI(Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ), AJ(Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA )
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 703, Issue 1, pp. 150-158 (2009). (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
09/2009
Origin:
IOP
ApJ Keywords:
galaxies: active, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: individual: IRAS 14344+3451, galaxies: interactions, X-rays: galaxies
DOI:
10.1088/0004-637X/703/1/150
Bibliographic Code:
2009ApJ...703..150B

Abstract

We have searched for active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in K+A galaxies, using multiwavelength imaging and spectroscopy in the Boötes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. The K+A galaxies, which have had their star formation rapidly truncated, are selected via their strong Balmer absorption lines and weak Hα emission. Our sample consists of 24 K+A galaxies selected from 6594 0.10 < z < 0.35 galaxies brighter than I = 20 with optical spectroscopy from the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey. Two thirds of the K+A galaxies are likely ongoing galaxy mergers, with nearby companion galaxies or tidal tails. Galaxy mergers may be responsible for the truncation of star formation, or we are observing the aftermath of merger triggered starbursts. As expected, the optical colors of K+A galaxies largely fall between blue galaxies with ongoing star formation and red passive galaxies. However, only 1% of the galaxies with colors between the red and blue populations are K+A galaxies, and we conclude that the truncation of star formation in K+A galaxies must have been unusually abrupt (lsim100 Myr). We examined the AGN content of K+A galaxies with both optical emission-line ratios (BPT diagrams) and Chandra X-ray imaging. At least half of all K+A galaxies display the optical emission-line ratios of AGNs, and a third of MR < -22 K+A galaxies host AGNs with X-ray luminosities of ~1042 erg s-1. The faintest K+A galaxies do not show clear evidence for hosting AGNs, having emission-line ratios consistent with photoionization by massive stars and few X-ray detections. We speculate that two mechanisms may be responsible for the truncation of star formation in K+A galaxies, with AGN feedback only playing a role in MR lsim -20.5 galaxies.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)

   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints