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arXiv 0805.3255astro-ph
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邻近星系的核活动:用VLT进行中红外成像

Nuclear activity in nearby galaxies: Mid-infrared imaging with the VLT

R. Siebenmorgen, M. Haas, E. Pantin, E. Krügel, C. Leipski, H. U. Käufl, P. O. Lagage, A. Moorwood, A. Smette, M. Sterzik

摘要:

理想情况下,可以通过中红外观测来研究尘埃的活动。为了探索活动星系核与恒星形成源的星系核MIR辐射,需要高空间分辨率的观测。在这里,我们报告11.3mic。在VLT用VISIR进行观测,达到0.35“空间分辨率(FWHM)。在对VISIR进行科学验证的过程中,我们观测到了36个具有各种光学分类核活动的邻近星系样本:17个黑洞驱动的活动星系核(AGN),10个星爆(SB)和9个安静的螺旋。17个活动星系核中有16个被探测到并被分辨,5个SB被探测到并被分辨,结构发射可达几角秒,而5个SB和所有9个安静核的上限都被提供。解析SB核的形态遵循在射频下观察到的形态。活动星系核的致密性和SB核的范围与辐射转移模型的预测以及较低空间分辨率的MIR光谱一致。我们探索核MIR表面亮度作为一种定量测量。虽然AGN和SB不能用4米级望远镜的MIR数据区分,但我们的数据提供的证据表明,当使用8米级望远镜时,在100 Mpc的距离内,AGN和SB可以通过MIR表面亮度很好地分离。

英文摘要:

Dust enshrouded activity can ideally be studied by mid-infrared (MIR) observations. In order to explore the AGN versus star forming origin of the nuclear MIR emission of galaxies, observations of high spatial resolution are required. Here we report on 11.3mic. observations with VISIR at the VLT, reaching 0.35'' spatial resolution (FWHM). During the scientific verification of VISIR we have observed a sample of 36 nearby galaxies having a variety of optically classified nuclear activity: 17 black hole driven active galactic nuclei (AGN), 10 starbursts (SBs) and 9 quiet spirals. 16/17 AGN are detected and unresolved, 5/10 SBs are detected and resolved with structured emission up to a few arcsec, while for 5/10 SB and all 9 quiet nuclei low upper limits are provided. The morphology of the resolved SB nuclei follows that seen at radio frequencies. The compactness of AGN and the extent of the SB nuclei is consistent with predictions from radiative transfer models and with MIR spectra of lower spatial resolution. We explore the nuclear MIR surface brightness as a quantitative measure. While AGN and SB cannot be distinguished with MIR data from 4m class telescopes, our data provide evidence that, up to a distance of 100 Mpc, AGN and SB can well be separated by means of MIR surface brightness when using 8m class telescopes.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

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