THE 3.3 {mu}m POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON EMISSION AS A STAR FORMATION RATE INDICATOR
- Center for the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe, Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
- Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, FPRD, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan)
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601 (Japan)
- Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)
- Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission features dominate the mid-infrared spectra of star-forming galaxies and can be useful to calibrate star formation rates (SFRs) and diagnose ionized states of grains. However, the PAH 3.3 {mu}m feature has not been studied as much as other PAH features since it is weaker than others and resides outside of Spitzer capability. In order to detect and calibrate the 3.3 {mu}m PAH emission and investigate its potential as an SFR indicator, we carried out an AKARI mission program, AKARI mJy Unbiased Survey of Extragalactic Sources (AMUSES), and compared its sample with various literature samples. We obtained 2-5 {mu}m low-resolution spectra of 20 flux-limited galaxies with mixed spectral energy distribution classes, which yielded the detection of the 3.3 {mu}m PAH emission from 3 out of 20 galaxies. For the combined sample of AMUSES and literature samples, the 3.3 {mu}m PAH luminosities correlate with the infrared luminosities of star-forming galaxies, albeit with a large scatter (1.5 dex). The correlation appears to break down at the domain of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), and the power of the 3.3 {mu}m PAH luminosity as a proxy for the infrared luminosity is hampered at log[L {sub PAH3.3} erg{sup -1} s{sup -1}] > {approx}42.0. Possible origins for this deviation in the correlation are discussed, including contributions from active galactic nuclei and strongly obscured young stellar objects, and the destruction of PAH molecules in ULIRGs.
- OSTI ID:
- 22086239
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 760, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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