| Type |
Journal Article |
| Names |
P. H. Sell, C. A. Tremonti, R. C. Hickox, A. M. Diamond-Stanic, J. Moustakas, A. Coil, A. Williams, G. Rudnick, A. Robaina, J. E. Geach, S. Heinz, E. M. Wilcots |
| Publication |
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| Volume |
441 |
| Issue |
4 |
| Pages |
3417-3443 |
| Journal Abbreviation |
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| Date |
July 1, 2014 |
| DOI |
10.1093/mnras/stu636 |
| ISSN |
0035-8711 |
| Short Title |
Massive compact galaxies with high-velocity outflows |
| URL |
http://adsabs.org/2014MNRAS.441.3417S |
| Library Catalog |
adslabs.org |
| Abstract |
We investigate the process of rapid star formation quenching in a sample
of 12 massive galaxies at intermediate redshift (z ˜ 0.6) that
host high-velocity ionized gas outflows (v > 1000 km s-1).
We conclude that these fast outflows are most likely driven by feedback
from star formation rather than active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We use
multiwavelength survey and targeted observations of the galaxies to
assess their star formation, AGN activity, and morphology. Common
attributes include diffuse tidal features indicative of recent mergers
accompanied by bright, unresolved cores with effective radii less than a
few hundred parsecs. The galaxies are extraordinarily compact for their
stellar mass, even when compared with galaxies at z ˜ 2-3. For
9/12 galaxies, we rule out an AGN contribution to the nuclear light and
hypothesize that the unresolved core comes from a compact central
starburst triggered by the dissipative collapse of very gas-rich
progenitor merging discs. We find evidence of AGN activity in half the
sample but we argue that it accounts for only a small fraction (≲10
per cent) of the total bolometric luminosity. We find no correlation
between AGN activity and outflow velocity and we conclude that the fast
outflows in our galaxies are not powered by ongoing AGN activity, but
rather by recent, extremely compact starbursts. |
| Tags |
GALAXIES: EVOLUTION, GALAXIES: INTERACTIONS, galaxies: active, galaxies: starburst |