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We compare and analyze the Spitzer mid-infrared spectrum of three fullerene-rich planetary nebulae in the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds: Tc1, SMP SMC 16, and SMP LMC 56. The three planetary nebulae share many spectroscopic similarities. The strongest circumstellar emission bands correspond to the infrared active vibrational modes of the fullerene species C60 and little or no emission is present from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The strengths of the fullerene bands in the three planetary nebulae are very similar, while the ratios of the [Ne III]15.5 μm/[Ne II]12.8 μm fine structure lines, an indicator of the strength of the radiation field, are markedly different. This raises questions about their excitation mechanism and we compare the fullerene emission to fluorescent and thermal models. In addition, the spectra show other interesting and common features, most notably in the 6-9 μm region, where a broad plateau with substructure dominates the emission. These features have previously been associated with mixtures of aromatic/aliphatic hydrocarbon solids. We hypothesize on the origin of this band, which is likely related to the fullerene formation mechanism, and compare it with modeled hydrogenated amorphous carbon that present emission in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-rich evolved stars from the asymptotic giant branch to the planetary nebula phase are characterized by a rich and complex carbon chemistry in their circumstellar envelopes. A peculiar object is the preplanetary nebula SMP LMC 11, whose Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph spectrum shows remarkable and diverse molecular absorption bands. To study how the molecular composition in this object compares to our current understanding of circumstellar carbon chemistry, we modeled this molecular absorption. We find high abundances for a number of molecules, perhaps most notably benzene. We also confirm the presence of propyne (CH3C2H) in this spectrum. Of all the cyanopolyynes, only HC3N is evident; we can detect at best a marginal presence of HCN. From comparisons to various chemical models, we can conclude that SMP LMC 11 must have an unusual circumstellar environment (a torus rather than an outflow). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Herschel observations of 6 fine-structure lines in 25 ultraluminous infrared galaxies at z < 0.27. The lines, [O III]52 μm, [N III]57 μm, [O I]63 μm, [N II]122 μm, [O I]145 μm, and [C II]158 μm, are mostly single Gaussians with widths <600 km s–1 and luminosities of 107-109L☼. There are deficits in the [O I]63/LIR, [N II]/LIR, [O I]145/LIR, and [C II]/LIR ratios compared to lower luminosity systems. The majority of the line deficits are consistent with dustier H II regions, but part of the [C II] deficit may arise from an additional mechanism, plausibly charged dust grains. This is consistent with some of the [C II] originating from photodissociation regions or the interstellar medium (ISM). We derive relations between far-IR line luminosities and both the IR luminosity and star formation rate. We find that [N II] and both [O I] lines are good tracers of the IR luminosity and star formation rate. In contrast, [C II] is a poor tracer of the IR luminosity and star formation rate, and does not improve as a tracer of either quantity if the [C II] deficit is accounted for. The continuum luminosity densities also correlate with the IR luminosity and star formation rate. We derive ranges for the gas density and ultraviolet radiation intensity of 101 < n < 102.5 and 102.2 < G0 < 103.6, respectively. These ranges depend on optical type, the importance of star formation, and merger stage. We do not find relationships between far-IR line properties and several other parameters: active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity, merger stage, mid-IR excitation, and SMBH mass. We conclude that these far-IR lines arise from gas heated by starlight, and that they are not strongly influenced by AGN activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on our observations of the 79 and 119 μm doublet transitions of OH for 24 local (z < 0.262) ULIRGs observed with Herschel-PACS as part of the Herschel ULIRG Survey (HERUS). Some OH 119 μm profiles display a clear P-Cygni shape and therefore imply outflowing OH gas, while other profiles are predominantly in absorption or are completely in emission. We find that the relative strength of the OH emission component decreases as the silicate absorption increases. This result locates the OH outflows inside the obscured nuclei. The maximum outflow velocities for our sources range from less than 100 to ∼2000 km s–1, with 15/24 (10/24) sources showing OH absorption at velocities exceeding 700 km s–1 (1000 km s–1). Three sources show maximum OH outflow velocities exceeding that of Mrk231. Since outflow velocities above 500-700 km s–1 are thought to require an active galactic nucleus (AGN) to drive them, about two-thirds of our ULIRG sample may host AGN-driven molecular outflows. This finding is supported by the correlation we find between the maximum OH outflow velocity and the IR-derived bolometric AGN luminosity. No such correlation is found with the IR-derived star formation rate. The highest outflow velocities are found among sources that are still deeply embedded. We speculate that the molecular outflows in these sources may be in an early phase of disrupting the nuclear dust veil before these sources evolve into less-obscured AGNs. Four of our sources show high-velocity wings in their [C II] fine-structure line profiles, implying neutral gas outflow masses of at least (2-4.5) × 108M☼. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared spectra of carbon-rich objects that have evolved off the asymptotic giant branch reveal a range of dust properties, including fullerenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aliphatic hydrocarbons, and several unidentified features, including the 21 μm emission feature. To test for the presence of fullerenes, we used the position and width of the feature at 18.7-18.9 μm and examined other features at 17.4 and 6-9 μm. This method adds three new fullerene sources to the known sample, but it also calls into question three previous identifications. We confirm that the strong 11 μm features seen in some sources arise primarily from SiC, which may exist as a coating around carbonaceous cores and result from photo-processing. Spectra showing the 21 μm feature usually show the newly defined Class D PAH profile at 7-9 μm. These spectra exhibit unusual PAH profiles at 11-14 μm, with weak contributions at 12.7 μm, which we define as Class D1, or show features shifted to ∼11.4, 12.4, and 13.2 μm, which we define as Class D2. Alkyne hydrocarbons match the 15.8 μm feature associated with 21 μm emission. Sources showing fullerene emission but no PAHs have blue colors in the optical, suggesting a clear line of sight to the central source. Spectra with 21 μm features and Class D2 PAH emission also show photometric evidence for a relatively clear line of sight to the central source. The multiple associations of the 21 μm feature with aliphatic hydrocarbons suggest that the carrier is related to this material in some way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A summary is presented for 130 galaxies observed with the Herschel Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer instrument to measure fluxes for the [C II] 158 μm emission line. Sources cover a wide range of active galactic nucleus to starburst classifications, as derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon strength measured with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph. Redshifts from [C II] and line to continuum strengths (equivalent width (EW) of [C II]) are given for the full sample, which includes 18 new [C II] flux measures. Calibration of L([C II)]) as a star formation rate (SFR) indicator is determined by comparing [C II] luminosities with mid-infrared [Ne II] and [Ne III] emission line luminosities; this gives the same result as determining SFR using bolometric luminosities of reradiating dust from starbursts: log SFR = log L([C II)]) – 7.0, for SFR in M☼ yr–1 and L([C II]) in L☼. We conclude that L([C II]) can be used to measure SFR in any source to a precision of ∼50%, even if total source luminosities are dominated by an active galactic nucleus (AGN) component. The line to continuum ratio at 158 μm, EW([C II]), is not significantly greater for starbursts (median EW([C II]) = 1.0 μm) compared to composites and AGNs (median EW([C II]) = 0.7 μm), showing that the far-infrared continuum at 158 μm scales with [C II] regardless of classification. This indicates that the continuum at 158 μm also arises primarily from the starburst component within any source, giving log SFR = log νLν(158 μm) – 42.8 for SFR in M☼ yr–1 and νLν(158 μm) in erg s–1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results are presented for [C II] 158 μm line fluxes observed with the Herschel PACS instrument in 112 sources with both starburst and active galactic nucleus (AGN) classifications, of which 102 sources have confident detections. Results are compared with mid-infrared spectra from the Spitzer Infrared Spectrometer and with Lir from IRAS fluxes; AGN/starburst classifications are determined from equivalent width of the 6.2 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) feature. It is found that the [C II] line flux correlates closely with the flux of the 11.3 μm PAH feature independent of AGN/starburst classification, log [f([C II] 158 μm)/f(11.3 μm PAH)] = –0.22 ± 0.25. It is concluded that the [C II] line flux measures the photodissociation region associated with starbursts in the same fashion as the PAH feature. A calibration of star formation rate (SFR) for the starburst component in any source having [C II] is derived comparing [C II] luminosity L([C II]) to Lir with the result that log SFR = log L([C II)]) – 7.08 ± 0.3, for SFR in M☼ yr–1 and L([C II]) in L☼. The decreasing ratio of L([C II]) to Lir in more luminous sources (the “[C II] deficit”) is shown to be a consequence of the dominant contribution to Lir arising from a luminous AGN component because the sources with the largest Lir and smallest L([C II])/Lir are AGNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have observed a sample of 19 carbon stars in the Sculptor, Carina, Fornax, and Leo I dwarf spheroidal galaxies with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectra show significant quantities of dust around the carbon stars in Sculptor, Fornax, and Leo I, but little in Carina. Previous comparisons of carbon stars with similar pulsation properties in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds revealed no evidence that metallicity affected the production of dust by carbon stars. However, the more metal-poor stars in the current sample appear to be generating less dust. These data extend two known trends to lower metallicities. In more metal-poor samples, the SiC dust emission weakens, while the acetylene absorption strengthens. The bolometric magnitudes and infrared spectral properties of the carbon stars in Fornax are consistent with metallicities more similar to carbon stars in the Magellanic Clouds than in the other dwarf spheroidals in our sample. A study of the carbon budget in these stars reinforces previous considerations that the dredge-up of sufficient quantities of carbon from the stellar cores may trigger the final superwind phase, ending a star's lifetime on the asymptotic giant branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]