The SHINING survey offers a great opportunity to study the properties of the ionized and neutral media of galaxies from prototypical starbursts and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) to heavily obscured ...objects. Based on Herschel/PACS observations of the main far-infrared (FIR) fine-structure lines, in this paper, we analyze the physical mechanisms behind the observed line deficits in galaxies, the apparent offset of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the mass-metallicity relation, and the scaling relations between C ii 158 m line emission and star formation rate (SFR). Based on a toy model and the Cloudy code, we conclude that the increase in the ionization parameter with FIR surface brightness can explain the observed decrease in the line-to-FIR continuum ratio of galaxies. In the case of the C ii line, the increase in the ionization parameter is accompanied by a reduction in the photoelectric heating efficiency and the inability of the line to track the increase in the FUV radiation field as galaxies become more compact and luminous. In the central approximately kiloparsec regions of AGN galaxies, we observe a significant increase in the O i 63 m/C ii line ratio; the AGN impact on the line-to-FIR ratios fades on global scales. Based on extinction-insensitive metallicity measurements of LIRGs, we confirm that they lie below the mass-metallicity relation, but the offset is smaller than those reported in studies that use optical-based metal abundances. Finally, we present scaling relations between C ii emission and SFR in the context of the main sequence of star-forming galaxies.
We use the Herschel/PACS spectrometer to study the global and spatially resolved far-infrared (FIR) fine-structure line emission in a sample of 52 galaxies that constitute the SHINING survey. These ...galaxies include star-forming, active-galactic nuclei (AGNs), and luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). We find an increasing number of galaxies (and kiloparsec-size regions within galaxies) with low line-to-FIR continuum ratios as a function of increasing FIR luminosity (LFIR), dust infrared color, LFIR to molecular gas mass ratio (LFIR/Mmol), and FIR surface brightness ( FIR). The correlations between the C ii/FIR or O i/FIR ratios with FIR are remarkably tight (∼0.3 dex scatter over almost four orders of magnitude in FIR). We observe that galaxies with and FIR 1011 L kpc−2 tend to have weak fine-structure line-to-FIR continuum ratios, and that LIRGs with infrared sizes 1 kpc have line-to-FIR ratios comparable to those observed in typical star-forming galaxies. We analyze the physical mechanisms driving these trends in Paper II. The combined analysis of the C ii, N ii 122 m, and O iii 88 m lines reveals that the fraction of the C ii line emission that arises from neutral gas increases from 60% to 90% in the most active star-forming regions and that the emission originating in the ionized gas is associated with low-ionization, diffuse gas rather than with dense gas in H ii regions. Finally, we report the global and spatially resolved line fluxes of the SHINING galaxies to enable the comparison and planning of future local and high-z studies.
In this first paper on the results of our Herschel PACS survey of local ultra luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), as part of our SHINING survey of local galaxies, we present far-infrared ...spectroscopy of Mrk 231, the most luminous of the local ULIRGs, and a type 1 broad absorption line AGN. For the first time in a ULIRG, all observed far-infrared fine-structure lines in the PACS range were detected and all were found to be deficient relative to the far infrared luminosity by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared with lower luminosity galaxies. The deficits are similar to those for the mid-infrared lines, with the most deficient lines showing high ionization potentials. Aged starbursts may account for part of the deficits, but partial covering of the highest excitation AGN powered regions may explain the remaining line deficits. A massive molecular outflow, discovered in OH and 18OH, showing outflow velocities out to at least 1400 km s-1, is a unique signature of the clearing out of the molecular disk that formed by dissipative collapse during the merger. The outflow is characterized by extremely high ratios of 18O/16O suggestive of interstellar medium processing by advanced starbursts.
We report the results from a systematic search for molecular (OH 119 micron) outflows with Herschel/PACS in a sample of 43 nearby (z < 0.3) galaxy mergers, mostly ultraluminous infrared galaxies ...(ULIRGs) and QSOs. We find that the character of the OH feature (strength of the absorption relative to the emission) correlates with that of the 9.7 micron silicate feature, a measure of obscuration in ULIRGs. Unambiguous evidence for molecular outflows, based on the detection of OH absorption profiles with median velocities more blueshifted than−50 km/s, is seen in 26 (70%) of the 37 OH-detected targets, suggesting a wide-angle (approx. 145 deg.) outflow geometry. Conversely, unambiguous evidence for molecular inflows, based on the detection of OH absorption profiles with median velocities more redshifted than +50 km/s is seen in only four objects, suggesting a planar or filamentary geometry for the inflowing gas. Terminal outflow velocities of approx. −1000 km/s are measured in several objects, but median outflow velocities are typically approx.−200 km/s−1. While the outflow velocities show no statistically significant dependence on the star formation rate, they are distinctly more blueshifted among systems with large active galactic nucleus (AGN) fractions and luminosities log (L(sub AGN)/L(sub solar)) => 11.8 +/- 0.3. The quasars in these systems play a dominant role in driving the molecular outflows. However, the most AGN dominated systems, where OH is seen purely in emission, show relatively modest OH line widths, despite their large AGN luminosities, perhaps indicating that molecular outflows subside once the quasar has cleared a path through the obscuring material.
We present SOFIA/FIFI-LS observations of the C ii 158 m cooling line across the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 6946. We combine these with UV, IR, CO, and H i data to compare C ii emission to dust ...properties, star formation rate (SFR), H2, and H i at 560 pc scales via stacking by environment (spiral arms, interarm, and center), radial profiles, and individual, beam-sized measurements. We attribute 73% of the C ii luminosity to arms, and 19% and 8% to the center and interarm region, respectively. C ii/TIR, C ii/CO, and C ii/PAH radial profiles are largely constant, but rise at large radii ( 8 kpc) and drop in the center ("C ii deficit"). This increase at large radii and the observed decline with the 70 m/100 m dust color are likely driven by radiation field hardness. We find a near proportional C ii-SFR scaling relation for beam-sized regions, though the exact scaling depends on methodology. C ii also becomes increasingly luminous relative to CO at low SFR (interarm or large radii), likely indicating more efficient photodissociation of CO and emphasizing the importance of C ii as an H2 and SFR tracer in such regimes. Finally, based on the observed C ii and CO radial profiles and different models, we find CO to increase with radius, in line with the observed metallicity gradient. The low CO (galaxy average 2 M pc−2 (K km s−1)−1) and low C ii/CO ratios (∼400 on average) imply little CO-dark gas across NGC 6946, in contrast to estimates in the Milky Way.
Using data from four deep fields (COSMOS, AEGIS, ECDFS, and CDFN), we study the correlation between the position of galaxies in the star formation rate (SFR) versus stellar mass plane and local ...environment at z < 1.1. To accurately estimate the galaxy SFR, we use the deepest available Spitzer/MIPS 24 and Herschel/PACS data sets. We distinguish group environments (...) based on the available deep X-ray data and lower halo mass environments based on the local galaxy density. We confirm that the main sequence (MS) of star-forming galaxies is not a linear relation and there is a flattening towards higher stellar masses (...), across all environments. At high redshift (0.5 < z < 1.1), the MS varies little with environment. At low redshift (0.15 < z < 0.5), group galaxies tend to deviate from the mean MS towards the region of quiescence with respect to isolated galaxies and less-dense environments. We find that the flattening of the MS towards low SFR is due to an increased fraction of bulge-dominated galaxies at high masses. Instead, the deviation of group galaxies from the MS at low redshift is caused by a large fraction of red disc-dominated galaxies which are not present in the lower density environments. Our results suggest that above a mass threshold (...) stellar mass, morphology and environment act together in driving the evolution of the star formation activity towards lower level. The presence of a dominating bulge and the associated quenching processes are already in place beyond z ~ 1. The environmental effects appear, instead, at lower redshifts and have a long time-scale. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
We report on the Herschel/PACS observations of OH in Mrk 231, with detections in nine doublets observed within the PACS range, and present radiative-transfer models for the outflowing OH. Clear ...signatures of outflowing gas are found in up to six OH doublets with different excitation requirements. At least two outflowing components are identified, one with OH radiatively excited, and the other with low excitation, presumably spatially extended and roughly spherical. Particularly prominent, the blue wing of the absorption detected in the in-ladder 2Π3/2J= 9/2 − 7/2 OH doublet at 65 μm, with Elower = 290 K, indicates that the excited outflowing gas is generated in a compact and warm (circum)nuclear region. Because the excited, outflowing OH gas in Mrk 231 is associated with the warm, far-infrared continuum source, it is most likely more compact (diameter of ~200−300 pc) than that probed by CO and HCN. Nevertheless, its mass-outflow rate per unit of solid angle as inferred from OH is similar to that previously derived from CO, ≳70 × (2.5 × 10-6/XOH) M⊙ yr-1 sr-1, where XOH is the OH abundance relative to H nuclei. In spherical symmetry, this would correspond to ≳850 × (2.5 × 10-6/XOH) M⊙ yr-1, though significant collimation is inferred from the line profiles. The momentum flux of the excited component attains ~15 LAGN/c, with an OH column density of (1.5−3) × 1017 cm-2 and a mechanical luminosity of ~1011L⊙. In addition, the detection of very excited, radiatively pumped OH peaking at central velocities indicates the presence of a nuclear reservoir of gas rich in OH, plausibly the 130 pc scale circumnuclear torus previously detected in OH megamaser emission, that may be feeding the outflow. An exceptional 18OH enhancement, with OH/18OH ≲ 30 at both central and blueshifted velocities, is most likely the result of interstellar-medium processing by recent starburst and supernova activity within the circumnuclear torus or thick disk.
We present results from the deepest Herschel-Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) far-infrared blank field extragalactic survey, obtained by combining observations of the Great ...Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) fields from the PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) and GOODS-Herschel key programmes. We describe data reduction and theconstruction of images and catalogues. In the deepest parts of the GOODS-S field, the catalogues reach 3σ depths of 0.9, 0.6 and 1.3 mJy at 70, 100 and 160 μm, respectively, and resolve ~75% of the cosmic infrared background at 100 μm and 160 μm into individually detected sources. We use these data to estimate the PACS confusion noise, to derive the PACS number counts down to unprecedented depths, and to determine the infrared luminosity function of galaxies down to LIR = 1011 L⊙ at z ~ 1 and LIR = 1012 L⊙ at z ~ 2, respectively. For the infrared luminosity function of galaxies, our deep Herschel far-infrared observations are fundamental because they provide more accurate infrared luminosity estimates than those previously obtained from mid-infrared observations. Maps and source catalogues (>3σ) are now publicly released. Combined with the large wealth of multi-wavelength data available for the GOODS fields, these data provide a powerful new tool for studying galaxy evolution over a broad range of redshifts.
We report the detection of far-infrared (FIR) CO rotational emission from nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and starburst galaxies, as well as several merging systems and Ultra-Luminous Infrared ...Galaxies (ULIRGs). Using the Herschel Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS), we have detected transitions in the J sub(upp) = 14-30 range. The PACS CO data obtained here provide the first reference of well-sampled FIR extragalactic CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) for this range. We find a large range in the overall SLED shape, even among galaxies of similar type, demonstrating the uncertainties in relying solely on high-J CO diagnostics to characterize the excitation source of a galaxy. Combining our data with low-J line intensities taken from the literature, we present a CO ratio-ratio diagram and discuss its value in distinguishing excitation sources and physical properties of the molecular gas. The position of a galaxy on such a diagram is less a signature of its excitation mechanism, than an indicator of the presence of warm, dense molecular gas. We then quantitatively analyze the CO emission from a subset of the detected sources with single-component and two-component large velocity gradient (LVG) radiative transfer models to fit the CO SLEDs. From these fits we derive the molecular gas mass and the corresponding CO-to-H sub(2) conversion factor, alpha sub(CO), for each respective source. For the ULIRGs we find alpha values in the canonical range 0.4- 5M sub(middot in circle) (K km s super(-1) pc super(2)) super(-1), while for the other objects, alpha varies between 0.2 and 14. Finally, we compare our best-fit LVG model results with previous studies of the same galaxies and comment on any differences.
Mass outflows driven by stars and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are a key element in many current models of galaxy evolution. They may produce the observed black-hole-galaxy mass relation and ...regulate and quench both star formation in the host galaxy and black hole accretion. However, observational evidence of such feedback processes through outflows of the bulk of the star-forming molecular gas is still scarce. Here we report the detection of massive molecular outflows, traced by the hydroxyl molecule (OH), in far-infrared spectra of ULIRGs obtained with Herschel-PACS as part of the SHINING key project. In some of these objects the (terminal) outflow velocities exceed 1000 km s--1, and their outflow rates (up to ~1200 M yr--1) are several times larger than their star formation rates. We compare the outflow signatures in different types of ULIRGs and in starburst galaxies to address the issue of the energy source (AGN or starburst) of these outflows. We report preliminary evidence that ULIRGs with a higher AGN luminosity (and higher AGN contribution to L IR) have higher terminal velocities and shorter gas depletion timescales. The outflows in the observed ULIRGs are able to expel the cold gas reservoirs from the centers of these objects within ~106-108 years.
PDF
