SUBARU AND GEMINI HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION INFRARED 18 {mu}m IMAGING OBSERVATIONS OF NEARBY LUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/141/5/156· OSTI ID:21583139

Imanishi, Masatoshi ^[1]; Imase, Keisuke; Oi, Nagisa ^[2]; Ichikawa, Kohei ^[3]

---

1. Subaru Telescope, 650 North A'ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)
2. Department of Astronomy, School of Science, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)
3. Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

We present the results of a ground-based, high spatial resolution infrared 18 {mu}m imaging study of nearby luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), using the Subaru 8.2 m and Gemini-South 8.1 m telescopes. The diffraction-limited images routinely achieved with these telescopes in the Q band (17-23 {mu}m) allow us to investigate the detailed spatial distribution of infrared emission in these LIRGs. We then investigate whether the emission surface brightnesses are modest, as observed in starbursts, or are so high that luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs; high emission surface brightness energy sources) are indicated. The sample consists of 18 luminous buried AGN candidates and starburst-classified LIRGs identified in earlier infrared spectroscopy. We find that the infrared 18 {mu}m emission from the buried AGN candidates is generally compact, and the estimated emission surface brightnesses are high, sometimes exceeding the maximum value observed in and theoretically predicted for a starburst phenomenon. The starburst-classified LIRGs usually display spatially extended 18 {mu}m emission and the estimated emission surface brightnesses are modest, within the range sustained by a starburst phenomenon. The general agreement between infrared spectroscopic and imaging energy diagnostic methods suggests that both are useful tools for understanding the hidden energy sources of the dusty LIRG population.

• OSTI ID: 21583139
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online) Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 141; ISSN 1538-3881
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BRIGHTNESS
DISTRIBUTION
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
IMAGES
INFRARED SPECTRA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESOLUTION
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
TELESCOPES