Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?

We present new near-infrared Keck and VLT spectroscopic data on the stellar dynamics in late stage, ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) mergers . We now have information on the structural and kinematic properties of 18 ULIRGs, 8 of which contain QSO-like active galactic nuclei. The host propertie...

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Main Authors: Tacconi, L, Genzel, R, Lutz, D, Rigopoulou, D, Baker, A, Iserlohe, C, Tecza, M
格式: Journal article
語言:English
出版: Institute of Physics Publishing 2002
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author Tacconi, L
Genzel, R
Lutz, D
Rigopoulou, D
Baker, A
Iserlohe, C
Tecza, M
author_facet Tacconi, L
Genzel, R
Lutz, D
Rigopoulou, D
Baker, A
Iserlohe, C
Tecza, M
author_sort Tacconi, L
collection OXFORD
description We present new near-infrared Keck and VLT spectroscopic data on the stellar dynamics in late stage, ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) mergers . We now have information on the structural and kinematic properties of 18 ULIRGs, 8 of which contain QSO-like active galactic nuclei. The host properties (velocity dispersion, effective radius, effective surface brightness, M_K) of AGN-dominated and star formation dominated ULIRGs are similar. ULIRGs fall remarkably close to the fundamental plane of early type galaxies. They populate a wide range of the plane, are on average similar to L*-rotating ellipticals, but are well offset from giant ellipticals and optically/UV bright, low-z QSOs/radio galaxies. ULIRGs and local QSOs/radio galaxies are very similar in their distributions of bolometric and extinction corrected near-IR luminosities, but ULIRGs have smaller effective radii and velocity dispersions than the local QSO/radio galaxy population. Hence, their host masses and inferred black hole masses are correspondingly smaller. The latter are more akin to those of local Seyfert galaxies. ULIRGs thus resemble local QSOs in their near-IR and bolometric luminosities because they are (much more) efficiently forming stars and/or feeding their black holes, and not because they have QSO-like, very massive black holes. We conclude that ULIRGs as a class cannot evolve into optically bright QSOs. They will more likely become quiescent, moderate mass field ellipticals or, when active, might resemble the X-ray bright, early type galaxies that have recently been found by the Chandra Observatory.
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spelling oxford-uuid:da9c0dd2-89bc-47af-83ba-30ce65b9b1182022-03-27T09:04:19ZUltr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:da9c0dd2-89bc-47af-83ba-30ce65b9b118EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordInstitute of Physics Publishing2002Tacconi, LGenzel, RLutz, DRigopoulou, DBaker, AIserlohe, CTecza, MWe present new near-infrared Keck and VLT spectroscopic data on the stellar dynamics in late stage, ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) mergers . We now have information on the structural and kinematic properties of 18 ULIRGs, 8 of which contain QSO-like active galactic nuclei. The host properties (velocity dispersion, effective radius, effective surface brightness, M_K) of AGN-dominated and star formation dominated ULIRGs are similar. ULIRGs fall remarkably close to the fundamental plane of early type galaxies. They populate a wide range of the plane, are on average similar to L*-rotating ellipticals, but are well offset from giant ellipticals and optically/UV bright, low-z QSOs/radio galaxies. ULIRGs and local QSOs/radio galaxies are very similar in their distributions of bolometric and extinction corrected near-IR luminosities, but ULIRGs have smaller effective radii and velocity dispersions than the local QSO/radio galaxy population. Hence, their host masses and inferred black hole masses are correspondingly smaller. The latter are more akin to those of local Seyfert galaxies. ULIRGs thus resemble local QSOs in their near-IR and bolometric luminosities because they are (much more) efficiently forming stars and/or feeding their black holes, and not because they have QSO-like, very massive black holes. We conclude that ULIRGs as a class cannot evolve into optically bright QSOs. They will more likely become quiescent, moderate mass field ellipticals or, when active, might resemble the X-ray bright, early type galaxies that have recently been found by the Chandra Observatory.
spellingShingle Tacconi, L
Genzel, R
Lutz, D
Rigopoulou, D
Baker, A
Iserlohe, C
Tecza, M
Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title_full Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title_fullStr Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title_full_unstemmed Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title_short Ultr-Luminous Infrared Galaxies: QSOs in Formation?
title_sort ultr luminous infrared galaxies qsos in formation
work_keys_str_mv AT tacconil ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT genzelr ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT lutzd ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT rigopouloud ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT bakera ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT iserlohec ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation
AT teczam ultrluminousinfraredgalaxiesqsosinformation