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Spectral decomposition of starbursts and active galactic nuclei in 5–8 μm Spitzer-IRS spectra of local ultraluminous infrared galaxies.
- Source :
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters . Mar2008, Vol. 385 Issue 1, pL130-L135. 1p. 1 Chart, 3 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- We present an analysis of the 5–8 μm Spitzer-IRS spectra of a sample of 68 local ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). Our diagnostic technique allows a clear separation of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) and starburst (SB) components in the observed mid-infrared emission, and a simple analytic model provides a quantitative estimate of the AGN/SB contribution to the bolometric luminosity. We show that AGN are ∼30 times brighter at 6 μm than SBs with the same bolometric luminosity, so that even faint AGN can be detected. Star formation events are confirmed as the dominant power source for extreme IR activity, since ∼85 per cent of ULIRG luminosity arises from the SB component. None the less an AGN is present in the majority (46/68) of our sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *STARBURSTS
*ACTIVE galactic nuclei
*SPECTRUM analysis
*GALAXIES
*STARS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17453925
- Volume :
- 385
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 31167052
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2008.00450.x