Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database
We present a coherent database of spectroscopic observations of far-IR fine-structure lines from the Herschel/Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer archive for a sample of 170 local active galactic nuclei (AGNs), plus a comparison sample of 20 starburst galaxies and 43 dwarf galaxies. Publish...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
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Institute of Physics
2016
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| _version_ | 1797100794253672448 |
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| author | Fernández-Ontiveros, J Spinoglio, L Pereira-Santaella, M Malkan, M Andreani, P Dasyra, K |
| author_facet | Fernández-Ontiveros, J Spinoglio, L Pereira-Santaella, M Malkan, M Andreani, P Dasyra, K |
| author_sort | Fernández-Ontiveros, J |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | We present a coherent database of spectroscopic observations of far-IR fine-structure lines from the Herschel/Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer archive for a sample of 170 local active galactic nuclei (AGNs), plus a comparison sample of 20 starburst galaxies and 43 dwarf galaxies. Published Spitzer/IRS and Herschel/SPIRE line fluxes are included to extend our database to the full 10-600 μm spectral range. The observations are compared to a set of Cloudy photoionization models to estimate the above physical quantities through different diagnostic diagrams. We confirm the presence of a stratification of gas density in the emission regions of the galaxies, which increases with the ionization potential of the emission lines. The new [O iv] 25.9μm /[O iii] 88μm versus [Ne iii] 15.6μm /[Ne ii] 12.8μm diagram is proposed as the best diagnostic to separate (1) AGN activity from any kind of star formation and (2) low-metallicity dwarf galaxies from starburst galaxies. Current stellar atmosphere models fail to reproduce the observed [O iv] 25.9μm /[O iii] 88μm ratios, which are much higher when compared to the predicted values. Finally, the ([Ne iii] 15.6μm + [Ne ii] 12.8μm )/([S iv] 10.5μm +[S iii] 18.7μm ) ratio is proposed as a promising metallicity tracer to be used in obscured objects, where optical lines fail to accurately measure the metallicity. The diagnostic power of mid- to far-infrared spectroscopy shown here for local galaxies will be of crucial importance to study galaxy evolution during the dust-obscured phase at the peak of the star formation and black hole accretion activity (1 < z < 4). This study will be addressed by future deep spectroscopic surveys with present and forthcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and the Space Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:42:40Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:e61a8611-9b6c-4899-a03a-240ed837473e |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:42:40Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:e61a8611-9b6c-4899-a03a-240ed837473e2022-03-27T10:28:58ZFar-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete databaseJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:e61a8611-9b6c-4899-a03a-240ed837473eSymplectic Elements at OxfordInstitute of Physics2016Fernández-Ontiveros, JSpinoglio, LPereira-Santaella, MMalkan, MAndreani, PDasyra, KWe present a coherent database of spectroscopic observations of far-IR fine-structure lines from the Herschel/Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer archive for a sample of 170 local active galactic nuclei (AGNs), plus a comparison sample of 20 starburst galaxies and 43 dwarf galaxies. Published Spitzer/IRS and Herschel/SPIRE line fluxes are included to extend our database to the full 10-600 μm spectral range. The observations are compared to a set of Cloudy photoionization models to estimate the above physical quantities through different diagnostic diagrams. We confirm the presence of a stratification of gas density in the emission regions of the galaxies, which increases with the ionization potential of the emission lines. The new [O iv] 25.9μm /[O iii] 88μm versus [Ne iii] 15.6μm /[Ne ii] 12.8μm diagram is proposed as the best diagnostic to separate (1) AGN activity from any kind of star formation and (2) low-metallicity dwarf galaxies from starburst galaxies. Current stellar atmosphere models fail to reproduce the observed [O iv] 25.9μm /[O iii] 88μm ratios, which are much higher when compared to the predicted values. Finally, the ([Ne iii] 15.6μm + [Ne ii] 12.8μm )/([S iv] 10.5μm +[S iii] 18.7μm ) ratio is proposed as a promising metallicity tracer to be used in obscured objects, where optical lines fail to accurately measure the metallicity. The diagnostic power of mid- to far-infrared spectroscopy shown here for local galaxies will be of crucial importance to study galaxy evolution during the dust-obscured phase at the peak of the star formation and black hole accretion activity (1 < z < 4). This study will be addressed by future deep spectroscopic surveys with present and forthcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and the Space Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics. |
| spellingShingle | Fernández-Ontiveros, J Spinoglio, L Pereira-Santaella, M Malkan, M Andreani, P Dasyra, K Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title | Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title_full | Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title_fullStr | Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title_full_unstemmed | Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title_short | Far-infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the Herschel/PACS spectrometer: The complete database |
| title_sort | far infrared line spectra of active galaxies from the herschel pacs spectrometer the complete database |
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