skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: UNVEILING THE MASK ON THE ULIRG-TO-QSO TRANSITION OBJECT [H89]1821+643 AT z = 0.3: A GAS-POOR/GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CO-BASED DYNAMICAL MASS ESTIMATES

Abstract

We report the detection of the {sup 12}CO J = 1-0 emission line in [H89]1821+643, one of the most optically luminous quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) in the local universe, and a template ULIRG-to-QSO transition object, located in a rich, cool-core cluster at z = 0.297. The CO emission is likely to be extended, highly asymmetric with respect to the center of the host elliptical where the QSO resides, and correspond with a molecular gas mass of {approx}8.0 x 10{sup 9} M{sub sun}. The dynamical mass enclosed by the CO emission-line region could amount to {approx}1.7 x 10{sup 12} M{sub sun} (80% of the total mass of the elliptical host). The bulk of the CO emission is located at {approx}9 kpc southeast from the nuclei position, close to a faint optical structure, suggesting that the CO emission could either represent a gas-rich companion galaxy merging with the elliptical host or a tail-like structure reminiscent of a previous interaction. We argue that the first scenario is more likely given the large masses implied by the CO source, which would imply a highly asymmetric elliptical host. The close alignment between the CO emission's major axis and the radio plume suggests a possible role inmore » the excitation of the ambient gas reservoir by the latter. The stacking technique was used to search for CO emission and 3-mm continuum emission from galaxies in the surrounding cluster. However, no detection was found toward individual galaxies or the stacked ensemble of galaxies, with a 3{sigma} limit of <1.1 x 10{sup 9} M{sub sun} for the molecular gas.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States)
  2. European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordoba 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 (Chile)
  3. Argelander Institute for Astronomy, Auf dem Huegel 71, Bonn D-53121 (Germany)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21579946
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 737; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/64; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; CARBON MONOXIDE; EMISSION; GALAXIES; MASS; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBON OXIDES; CHALCOGENIDES; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS

Citation Formats

Aravena, M, Wagg, J, Papadopoulos, P P, and Feain, I. J., E-mail: maravena@nrao.edu. UNVEILING THE MASK ON THE ULIRG-TO-QSO TRANSITION OBJECT [H89]1821+643 AT z = 0.3: A GAS-POOR/GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CO-BASED DYNAMICAL MASS ESTIMATES. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/64.
Aravena, M, Wagg, J, Papadopoulos, P P, & Feain, I. J., E-mail: maravena@nrao.edu. UNVEILING THE MASK ON THE ULIRG-TO-QSO TRANSITION OBJECT [H89]1821+643 AT z = 0.3: A GAS-POOR/GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CO-BASED DYNAMICAL MASS ESTIMATES. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/64
Aravena, M, Wagg, J, Papadopoulos, P P, and Feain, I. J., E-mail: maravena@nrao.edu. 2011. "UNVEILING THE MASK ON THE ULIRG-TO-QSO TRANSITION OBJECT [H89]1821+643 AT z = 0.3: A GAS-POOR/GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CO-BASED DYNAMICAL MASS ESTIMATES". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/64.
@article{osti_21579946,
title = {UNVEILING THE MASK ON THE ULIRG-TO-QSO TRANSITION OBJECT [H89]1821+643 AT z = 0.3: A GAS-POOR/GAS-RICH GALAXY MERGER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CO-BASED DYNAMICAL MASS ESTIMATES},
author = {Aravena, M and Wagg, J and Papadopoulos, P P and Feain, I. J., E-mail: maravena@nrao.edu},
abstractNote = {We report the detection of the {sup 12}CO J = 1-0 emission line in [H89]1821+643, one of the most optically luminous quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) in the local universe, and a template ULIRG-to-QSO transition object, located in a rich, cool-core cluster at z = 0.297. The CO emission is likely to be extended, highly asymmetric with respect to the center of the host elliptical where the QSO resides, and correspond with a molecular gas mass of {approx}8.0 x 10{sup 9} M{sub sun}. The dynamical mass enclosed by the CO emission-line region could amount to {approx}1.7 x 10{sup 12} M{sub sun} (80% of the total mass of the elliptical host). The bulk of the CO emission is located at {approx}9 kpc southeast from the nuclei position, close to a faint optical structure, suggesting that the CO emission could either represent a gas-rich companion galaxy merging with the elliptical host or a tail-like structure reminiscent of a previous interaction. We argue that the first scenario is more likely given the large masses implied by the CO source, which would imply a highly asymmetric elliptical host. The close alignment between the CO emission's major axis and the radio plume suggests a possible role in the excitation of the ambient gas reservoir by the latter. The stacking technique was used to search for CO emission and 3-mm continuum emission from galaxies in the surrounding cluster. However, no detection was found toward individual galaxies or the stacked ensemble of galaxies, with a 3{sigma} limit of <1.1 x 10{sup 9} M{sub sun} for the molecular gas.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/64},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21579946}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 737,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Sat Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}