AN EXPANDED VERY LARGE ARRAY SEARCH FOR WATER MEGAMASER EMISSION IN THE SUBMM GALAXY SMM J16359 6612 AT z=2.5

作者：Edmonds R^*; Wagg J; Momjian E; Carilli C L; Wilner D J; Humphreys E M L; Menten K M; Hughes D H

来源：Astronomical Journal, 2009, 137(2): 3293-3296.

DOI：10.1088/0004-6256/137/2/3293

• cosmology: observations
• galaxies: starburst
• gravitational lensing
• masers

Using the Expanded Very Large Array, we have conducted a search for 22.2 GHz H(2)O megamaser emission in the strongly lensed submm galaxy, SMM J16359 6612 at z = 2.517. This object is lensed into three components, and after a correction for magnification is applied to its submm-wavelength flux density, it is typical of the bulk of the high-redshift, submm galaxy population responsible for the 850 mu m extragalactic background (S850 mu m similar to 1 mJy). We do not detect any H(2)O megamaser emission, but the lensing allows us to place an interesting constraint on the luminosity of any megamasers present, L(H2O) < 5305 L(circle dot) for an assumed linewidth of 80 km s(-1). Because the far-infrared luminosity in submm galaxies is mainly powered by star formation, and very luminous H(2)O megamasers are more commonly associated with quasar activity, it could be that blind searches for H(2)O megamasers will not be an effective means of determining redshifts for less-luminous members of the submm galaxy population.

• 出版日期2009-2