The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology

D. A. Dale; J. D T Smith; E. A. Schlawin; L. Armus; B. A. Buckalew; S. A. Cohen; G. Helou; T. H. Jarrett; L. C. Johnson; J. Moustakas; E. J. Murphy; H. Roussel; K. Sheth; S. Staudaher; C. Bot; D. Calzetti; C. W. Engelbracht; K. D. Gordon; D. J. Hollenbach; R. C. Kennicutt; S. Malhotra

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1821

The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology

D. A. Dale, J. D T Smith, E. A. Schlawin, L. Armus, B. A. Buckalew, S. A. Cohen, G. Helou, T. H. Jarrett, L. C. Johnson, J. Moustakas, E. J. Murphy, H. Roussel, K. Sheth, S. Staudaher, C. Bot, D. Calzetti, C. W. Engelbracht, K. D. Gordon, D. J. Hollenbach, R. C. KennicuttS. Malhotra

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-resolution mid-infrared spectra are presented for 155 nuclear and extranuclear regions from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS). The fluxes for nine atomic forbidden and three molecular hydrogen mid-infrared emission lines are also provided, along with upper limits in key lines for infrared-faint targets. The SINGS sample shows a wide range in the ratio of [S III] 18.71 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm, but the average ratio of the ensemble indicates a typical interstellar electron density of 300-400 cm^-3 on ∼23″ × 15″ scales and 500-600 cm^-3 using ∼11″ × 9″ apertures, independent of whether the region probed is a star-forming nuclear, a star-forming extranuclear, or an active galactic nuclei (AGN) environment. Evidence is provided that variations in gas-phase metallicity play an important role in driving variations in radiation field hardness, as indicated by [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, for regions powered by star formation. Conversely, the radiation hardness for galaxy nuclei powered by accretion around a massive black hole is independent of metal abundance. Furthermore, for metal-rich environments AGN are distinguishable from star-forming regions by significantly larger [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm ratios. Finally, [Fe II] 25.99 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm versus [Si II] 34.82 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm also provides an empirical method for discerning AGN from normal star-forming sources. However, similar to [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, these mid-infrared line ratios lose their AGN/star-formation diagnostic powers for very low metallicity star-forming systems with hard radiation fields.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1821-1834
Number of pages	14
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	693
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1821
State	Published - Mar 10 2009

Keywords

accretion, accretion
disks
galaxies: active
galaxies: jets

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1821

Cite this

Dale, D. A., Smith, J. D. T., Schlawin, E. A., Armus, L., Buckalew, B. A., Cohen, S. A., Helou, G., Jarrett, T. H., Johnson, L. C., Moustakas, J., Murphy, E. J., Roussel, H., Sheth, K., Staudaher, S., Bot, C., Calzetti, D., Engelbracht, C. W., Gordon, K. D., Hollenbach, D. J., ... Malhotra, S. (2009). The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology. Astrophysical Journal, 693(2), 1821-1834. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1821

Dale, DA, Smith, JDT, Schlawin, EA, Armus, L, Buckalew, BA, Cohen, SA, Helou, G, Jarrett, TH, Johnson, LC, Moustakas, J, Murphy, EJ, Roussel, H, Sheth, K, Staudaher, S, Bot, C, Calzetti, D, Engelbracht, CW, Gordon, KD, Hollenbach, DJ, Kennicutt, RC & Malhotra, S 2009, 'The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 693, no. 2, pp. 1821-1834. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/693/2/1821

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title = "The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology",

abstract = "High-resolution mid-infrared spectra are presented for 155 nuclear and extranuclear regions from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS). The fluxes for nine atomic forbidden and three molecular hydrogen mid-infrared emission lines are also provided, along with upper limits in key lines for infrared-faint targets. The SINGS sample shows a wide range in the ratio of [S III] 18.71 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm, but the average ratio of the ensemble indicates a typical interstellar electron density of 300-400 cm-3 on ∼23″ × 15″ scales and 500-600 cm-3 using ∼11″ × 9″ apertures, independent of whether the region probed is a star-forming nuclear, a star-forming extranuclear, or an active galactic nuclei (AGN) environment. Evidence is provided that variations in gas-phase metallicity play an important role in driving variations in radiation field hardness, as indicated by [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, for regions powered by star formation. Conversely, the radiation hardness for galaxy nuclei powered by accretion around a massive black hole is independent of metal abundance. Furthermore, for metal-rich environments AGN are distinguishable from star-forming regions by significantly larger [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm ratios. Finally, [Fe II] 25.99 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm versus [Si II] 34.82 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm also provides an empirical method for discerning AGN from normal star-forming sources. However, similar to [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, these mid-infrared line ratios lose their AGN/star-formation diagnostic powers for very low metallicity star-forming systems with hard radiation fields.",

keywords = "accretion, accretion, disks, galaxies: active, galaxies: jets",

author = "Dale, {D. A.} and Smith, {J. D T} and Schlawin, {E. A.} and L. Armus and Buckalew, {B. A.} and Cohen, {S. A.} and G. Helou and Jarrett, {T. H.} and Johnson, {L. C.} and J. Moustakas and Murphy, {E. J.} and H. Roussel and K. Sheth and S. Staudaher and C. Bot and D. Calzetti and Engelbracht, {C. W.} and Gordon, {K. D.} and Hollenbach, {D. J.} and Kennicutt, {R. C.} and S. Malhotra",

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T2 - A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology

AU - Dale, D. A.

AU - Smith, J. D T

AU - Schlawin, E. A.

AU - Armus, L.

AU - Buckalew, B. A.

AU - Cohen, S. A.

AU - Helou, G.

AU - Jarrett, T. H.

AU - Johnson, L. C.

AU - Moustakas, J.

AU - Murphy, E. J.

AU - Roussel, H.

AU - Sheth, K.

AU - Staudaher, S.

AU - Bot, C.

AU - Calzetti, D.

AU - Engelbracht, C. W.

AU - Gordon, K. D.

AU - Hollenbach, D. J.

AU - Kennicutt, R. C.

AU - Malhotra, S.

PY - 2009/3/10

Y1 - 2009/3/10

N2 - High-resolution mid-infrared spectra are presented for 155 nuclear and extranuclear regions from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS). The fluxes for nine atomic forbidden and three molecular hydrogen mid-infrared emission lines are also provided, along with upper limits in key lines for infrared-faint targets. The SINGS sample shows a wide range in the ratio of [S III] 18.71 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm, but the average ratio of the ensemble indicates a typical interstellar electron density of 300-400 cm-3 on ∼23″ × 15″ scales and 500-600 cm-3 using ∼11″ × 9″ apertures, independent of whether the region probed is a star-forming nuclear, a star-forming extranuclear, or an active galactic nuclei (AGN) environment. Evidence is provided that variations in gas-phase metallicity play an important role in driving variations in radiation field hardness, as indicated by [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, for regions powered by star formation. Conversely, the radiation hardness for galaxy nuclei powered by accretion around a massive black hole is independent of metal abundance. Furthermore, for metal-rich environments AGN are distinguishable from star-forming regions by significantly larger [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm ratios. Finally, [Fe II] 25.99 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm versus [Si II] 34.82 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm also provides an empirical method for discerning AGN from normal star-forming sources. However, similar to [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, these mid-infrared line ratios lose their AGN/star-formation diagnostic powers for very low metallicity star-forming systems with hard radiation fields.

AB - High-resolution mid-infrared spectra are presented for 155 nuclear and extranuclear regions from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS). The fluxes for nine atomic forbidden and three molecular hydrogen mid-infrared emission lines are also provided, along with upper limits in key lines for infrared-faint targets. The SINGS sample shows a wide range in the ratio of [S III] 18.71 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm, but the average ratio of the ensemble indicates a typical interstellar electron density of 300-400 cm-3 on ∼23″ × 15″ scales and 500-600 cm-3 using ∼11″ × 9″ apertures, independent of whether the region probed is a star-forming nuclear, a star-forming extranuclear, or an active galactic nuclei (AGN) environment. Evidence is provided that variations in gas-phase metallicity play an important role in driving variations in radiation field hardness, as indicated by [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, for regions powered by star formation. Conversely, the radiation hardness for galaxy nuclei powered by accretion around a massive black hole is independent of metal abundance. Furthermore, for metal-rich environments AGN are distinguishable from star-forming regions by significantly larger [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm ratios. Finally, [Fe II] 25.99 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm versus [Si II] 34.82 μm/[S III] 33.48 μm also provides an empirical method for discerning AGN from normal star-forming sources. However, similar to [Ne III] 15.56 μm/[Ne II] 12.81 μm, these mid-infrared line ratios lose their AGN/star-formation diagnostic powers for very low metallicity star-forming systems with hard radiation fields.

KW - accretion, accretion

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KW - galaxies: active

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The spitzer infrared nearby galaxies survey: A high-resolution spectroscopy anthology

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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