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CONSTRAINTS ON THE PRESENCE OF WATER MEGAMASER EMISSION IN z {approx} 2.5 ULTRALUMINOUS INFRARED STARBURST GALAXIES

Journal Article · · Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)
;  [1]
  1. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States)
We present Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) and Arecibo observations of two lensed submillimeter galaxies at z {approx} 2.5, in order to search for redshifted 22.235 GHz water megamaser emission. Both SMM J14011+0252 and SMM J16359+6612 have multi-wavelength characteristics consistent with ongoing starburst activity, as well as CO line emission indicating the presence of warm molecular gas. Our observations do not reveal any evidence for H{sub 2}O megamaser emission in either target, while the lensing allows us to obtain deep limits to the H{sub 2}O line luminosities, L{sub H{sub 2}}{sub O}<7470 L{sub odot} (3{sigma}) in the case of SMM J14011+0252, and L{sub H{sub 2}}{sub O}<1893 L{sub odot} for SMM J16359+6612, assuming line widths of 80 km s{sup -1}. Our search for, and subsequent nondetection of, H{sub 2}O megamaser emission in two strongly lensed starburst galaxies rich in gas and dust suggests that such megamaser emission is not likely to be common within the unlensed population of high-redshift starburst galaxies. We use the recent detection of strong H{sub 2}O megamaser emission in the lensed quasar, MG J0414+0534 at z = 2.64 to make predictions for future EVLA C-band surveys of H{sub 2}O megamaser emission in submillimeter galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei.
OSTI ID:
21301630
Journal Information:
Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online) Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 138; ISSN 1538-3881
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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