We present fluxes in both neutral carbon [CI] lines at the centers of 76 galaxies with FIR luminosities between 10^{9} and 10^{12} L(o) obtained with Herschel-SPIRE and with ground-based facilities, along with the J=7-6, J=4-3, J=2-1 12CO and J=2-1 13CO line fluxes. We investigate whether these lines can be used to characterize the molecular ISM of the parent galaxies in simple ways and how the molecular gas properties define the model results. In most starburst galaxies, the [CI]/13CO flux ratio is much higher than in Galactic star-forming regions, and it is correlated to the total FIR luminosity. The [CI](1-0)/CO(4-3), the [CI](2-1) (2-1)/CO(7-6), and the [CI] (2-1)/(1-0) flux ratios are also correlated, and trace the excitation of the molecular gas. In the most luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), the ISM is fully dominated by dense and moderately warm gas clouds that appear to have low [C]/[CO] and [13CO]/[12CO] abundances. In less luminous galaxies, emission from gas clouds at lower densities becomes progressively more important, and a multiple-phase analysis is required to determine consistent physical characteristics. Neither the CO nor the [CI] velocity-integrated line fluxes are good predictors of H2 column densities in individual galaxies, and X(CI) conversion factors are not superior to X(CO) factors. The methods and diagnostic diagrams outlined in this paper also provide a new and relatively straightforward means of deriving the physical characteristics of molecular gas in high-redshift galaxies up to z=5, which are otherwise hard to determine.
Ultraluminous and luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs and LIRGs) are the most extreme star-forming galaxies in the universe, and dominate the total star formation rate density at z>1. In the local universe (z<0.3), the majority of ULIRGs and a significant portion of LIRGs are triggered by interactions between gas-rich spiral galaxies, yet it is unclear if this is still the case at high-z. To investigate the relative importance of galaxy interactions in infrared luminous galaxies, we carry out a comparison of optical morphological properties between local (U)LIRGs and (U)LIRGs at z=0.5-1.5 based…
We report the results of interferometric HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) observations of four luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), NGC 2623, Mrk 266, Arp 193, and NGC 1377, as a final sample of our systematic survey using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. Our survey contains the most systematic interferometric, spatially-resolved, simultaneous HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) observations of LIRGs. Ground-based infrared spectra of these LIRGs are also presented to elucidate the nature of the energy sources at the nuclei. We derive the HCN(1-0)/HCO+(1-0) brightness-temperature ratios of these LIRGs and confirm the pr…
We present the first results of our program to study a sample of local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs, L_IR = 10^11-10^12 L_sun) with the Spitzer infrared spectrograph (IRS). In these proceedings we investigate the behavior of the 9.7 um silicate feature in LIRGs. As opposed to the extreme silicate absorptions observed in ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs, L_IR = 10^12-10^13 L_sun), LIRGs exhibit intermediate silicate absorption features, comparable to those of starburst galaxies. We also find that most of the LIRGs have the minima of the [NeIII]/[NeII] ratio located at their nuclei. …
We study the kinematic properties of the ambient ionized ISM and ionized gas outflows in a large and representative sample of local luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) (58 systems, 75 galaxies), on the basis of integral field spectroscopy (IFS)-based high S/N integrated spectra at galactic and sub-galactic, i.e. star forming (SF) clumps, scales. Ambient ionized gas. The velocity dispersion of the ionized ISM in U/LIRGs (<sigma> ~ 70 kms-1) is larger than in lower luminosity local star forming galaxies (<sigma> ~ 25 kms-1). While for isolated disc LIRGs star formation appears…
We present a statistical analysis of the mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of 248 luminous infrared (IR) galaxies (LIRGs) which comprise the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) observed with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) on-board the Spitzer Space Telescope. The GOALS sample enables a direct measurement of the relative contributions of star-formation and active galactic nuclei (AGN) to the total IR emission from a large sample of local LIRGs. The AGN contribution to the MIR emission (f-AGN) is estimated by employing several diagnostics based on the properties of the [NeV], [OIV] and [Ne…
We present Herschel/PACS observations of extended [CII]157.7μm line emission detected on ~ 1 - 10 kpc scales in 60 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). We find that most of the extra-nuclear emission show [CII]/FIR ratios >~ 4 x 10^-3, larger than the mean ratio seen in the nuclei, and similar to those found in the extended disks of normal star-forming galaxies and the diffuse inter-stellar medium (ISM) of our Galaxy. The [CII] "deficits" found in the most luminous local LIRGs are therefore restricted to their nuclei. There is a tre…
The aim of this work is to characterize physical properties of Ultra Luminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) and Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) detected in the far-infrared (FIR) 90um band in the AKARI Deep Field-South (ADF-S) survey. In particular, we want to estimate the AGN contribution to the [U]LIRGs' infrared emission and which types of AGNs are related to their activity. We examined 69 galaxies at z>0.05 detected at 90um by the AKARI satellite in the ADF-S, with optical counterparts and spectral coverage from the ultraviolet to the FIR. We used two independent spectral energy distributi…
We present a CO(3-2) study of four systems composed of six (ultra) luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs), located at 0.28 < z < 0.44, that straddle the transition region between regular star forming galaxies and starbursts. These galaxies benefit from previous multi-wavelength analysis allowing in depth exploration of an understudied population of U/LIRGs at a time when the universe is experiencing a rapid decline in star formation rate density. We detect CO(3-2) emission in four targets and these galaxies fall between the loci of regular star forming galaxies and starbursts on the Kennicutt-Sc…
The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) is a comprehensive, multiwavelength study of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the local universe. Here we present the results of a multi-component, spectral decomposition analysis of the low resolution mid-IR Spitzer IRS spectra from 5-38um of 244 LIRG nuclei. The detailed fits and high quality spectra allow for characterization of the individual PAH features, warm molecular hydrogen emission, and optical depths for silicate dust grains and water ices. We find that starbursting LIRGs, which make up the majority of GOALS, are very consist…
We present a first look at the local LIRG, IRAS04296+2923. This barred spiral, overlooked because of its location in the Galactic plane, is among the half dozen closest LIRGs. More IR-luminous than either M82 or the Antennae, it may be the best local example of a nuclear starburst caused by bar-mediated secular evolution. We present Palomar J and Pa beta images, VLA maps from 20-1.3cm, a Keck LWS image at 11.7mic and OVRO CO(1-0) and ^13CO(1-0), and 2.7 mm continuum images. The J-band image shows a symmetric barred spiral. Two bright, compact mid-IR/radio sources in the nucleus comprise a star…
We present the results of a Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 near-UV and ACS/WFC optical study into the star cluster populations of 10 luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). Through integrated broadband photometry we have derived ages, masses, and extinctions for a total of 1027 star clusters in galaxies with $d_{L} <$ 110 Mpc in order to avoid issues related to cluster blending. The measured cluster age distribution slope of $dN/dτ\propto τ^{-0.5 +/- 0.2}$ is steeper than what has been observed in lower-luminosity star-formin…
We present $HST$ narrow-band near-infrared imaging of Pa$α$ and Pa$β$ emission of 48 local Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) from the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). These data allow us to measure the properties of 810 spatially resolved star-forming regions (59 nuclei and 751 extra-nuclear clumps), and directly compare their properties to those found in both local and high-redshift star-forming galaxies. We find that in LIRGs, the star-forming clumps have radii ranging from $\sim90-900$ pc and star formation rates (SFRs) of $\sim1\times10^{-3}$ to 10 M$_\odot$yr$^{-1}$, with…
The interstellar medium is a key ingredient that governs star formation in galaxies. We present a detailed study of the infrared (~ 1-500 micron) spectral energy distributions of a large sample of 193 nearby (z ~ 0.088) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) covering a wide range of evolutionary stages along the merger sequence. The entire sample has been observed uniformly by 2MASS, WISE, Spitzer, and Herschel. We perform multi-component decomposition of the spectra to derive physical parameters of the interstellar medium, including the intensity of the interstellar radiation field and the mass a…
The role of feedback in triggering or quenching star formation and hence driving galaxy evolution can be directly studied with high resolution integral field observations. The manifestation of feedback in shocks is particularly important to examine in galaxy mergers, where violent interactions of gas takes place in the interstellar medium during the course of the galactic collision. As part of our effort to systematically study the local population of luminous infrared galaxies within the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey, we undertook the Keck OSIRIS AO LIRG Analysis observing campaign …
Nearby galaxies offer unique laboratories allowing multi-wavelength spatially resolved studies of the interstellar medium, star formation and nuclear activity across a broad range of physical conditions. In particular, detailed studies of individual local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) are crucial for gaining a better understanding of these processes and for developing and testing models that are used to explain statistical studies of large populations of such galaxies at high redshift for which it is currently impossible to reach a sufficient physical resolution. Here, we provide an overv…
We present a survey of 3 mm molecular lines in IRAS 04296+2923, one of the brightest known molecular-line emitting galaxies, and one of the closest LIRGs. Data are from the Owens Valley and CARMA millimeter interferometers. Species detected at ~<4" resolution include C^18O, HCN, HCO+, HNC, CN, CH_3OH and, tentatively, HNCO. Along with existing CO, ^13CO and radio continuum data, these lines constrain the chemical properties of the inner disk. Dense molecular gas in the nucleus fuels a star formation rate ~>10 M_sun/yr and is traced by lines of HCN, HCO+, HNC, and CN. A correlation between HCN …
We present the first results of a high-resolution Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) imaging survey of luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). From the full sample of 68 galaxies, we have selected 25 LIRGs that show resolved extended emission at sufficient sensitivity to image individual regions of star-formation activity beyond the nucleus.~With wideband radio continuum observations, which sample the frequency range from $3-33$ GHz, we have made extinction-free measurements of the luminosities and spectral indicies for…
We studied the properties of the neutral gas in a sample of 38 local [U]LIRGs, which mainly covers the less explored LIRG luminosity range. This study is based on the analysis of the spatially integrated and spatially resolved spectra of the NaD feature obtained with the VIMOS/VLT-IFS. Analyzing spatially integrated spectra, we find that the contribution of stars to the observed NaD-EWs is generally small (<35%), and therefore this feature is dominated by ISM absorption. After subtracting the stellar contribution, we find that the pure-ISM integrated spectra generally show blueshifted NaD prof…
Luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) are enshrouded by a large amount of dust, produced by their active star formation, and it is difficult to measure their activity in the optical wavelength. We have carried out Pa$α$ narrow-band imaging observations of 38 nearby star-forming galaxies including 33 LIRGs listed in $IRAS$ RBGS catalog with the Atacama Near InfraRed camera (ANIR) on the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) 1.0 m telescope (miniTAO). Star formation rates (SFRs) estimated from the Pa$α$ fluxes, corrected for dust extinction using the Balmer Decrement Method (typically $A_V$…
We present the results of a stacking analysis performed on Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph high-resolution mid-infrared spectra of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). By binning on mid-infrared active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction and stacking spectra, we detect bright emission lines [Ne II] and [Ne III], which trace star formation, and fainter emission lines [Ne V] and [O IV], which trace AGN activity, throughout the sample. We find the [Ne II] luminosity is fairly constant across all AGN fraction bins, while the [O IV] and [Ne V] luminos…
Mid-infrared molecular hydrogen (H$_2$) emission is a powerful cooling agent in galaxy mergers and in radio galaxies; it is a potential key tracer of gas evolution and energy dissipation associated with mergers, star formation, and accretion onto supermassive black holes. We detect mid-IR H$_2$ line emission in at least one rotational transition in 91\% of the 214 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) observed with Spitzer as part of the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). We use H$_2$ excitation diagrams to estimate the range of masses and temperatures of warm molecular gas in these…
We present the results of our ALMA observations of three AGN-dominated nuclei in optical Seyfert 1 galaxies (NGC 7469, I Zw 1, and IC 4329 A) and eleven luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) with various levels of infrared estimated energetic contributions by AGNs at the HCN and HCO+ J=3-2 emission lines. The HCN and HCO+ J=3-2 emission lines are clearly detected at the main nuclei of all sources, except for IC 4329 A. The vibrationally excited (v2=1f) HCN J=3-2 and HCO+ J=3-2 emission lines are simultaneously covered, and HCN v2=1f J=3-2 emission line signatures are seen in the main nuclei of tw…
We present an initial result from the 12CO (J=1-0) survey of 79 galaxies in 62 local luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG and ULIRG) systems obtained using the 45 m telescope at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. This is the systematic 12CO (J=1-0) survey of the Great Observatories All-sky LIRGs Survey (GOALS) sample. The molecular gas mass of the sample ranges 2.2 x 10^8 - 7.0 x 10^9 Msun within the central several kiloparsecs subtending 15" beam. A method to estimate a size of a CO gas distribution is introduced, which is combined with the total CO flux in the literature. The metho…
We present new SINFONI near-infrared integral field unit (IFU) spectroscopy and SALT optical long-slit spectroscopy characterising the history of a nearby merging luminous infrared galaxy, dubbed the Bird (IRAS19115-2114). The NIR line-ratio maps of the IFU data-cubes and stellar population fitting of the SALT spectra now allow dating of the star formation (SF) over the triple system uncovered from our previous adaptive optics data. The distinct components separate very clearly in a line-ratio diagnostic diagram. An off-nuclear pure starburst dominates the current SF of the Bird with 60-70% of…
We investigate the nature of far-infrared (70 um) and hard X-ray (3-24 keV) selected galaxies in the COSMOS field detected with both Spitzer and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). By matching the Spitzer-COSMOS catalog against the NuSTAR-COSMOS catalog, we obtain a sample consisting of a hyperluminous infrared galaxy with log(L_IR/L_sun) > 13, 12 ultraluminous infrared galaxies with 12 < log(L_IR/L_sun) < 13, and 10 luminous infrared galaxies with 11 < log(L_IR/L_sun) < 12, i.e., 23 Hy/U/LIRGs in total. Using their X-ray hardness ratios, we find that 12 sources are obscured active…
We present an analysis of the morphological classification of 89 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) sample using non-parametric coefficients and compare their morphology as a function of wavelength. We rely on images obtained in the optical (B- and I-band) as well as in the infrared (H-band and 5.8$μ$m). Our classification is based on the calculation of $Gini$ and the second order of light ($M_{20}$) non-parametric coefficients which we explore as a function of stellar mass ($M_\star$), infrared luminosity ($L_{IR}$) and star formation r…
In order to better understand the nature of post-starburst quasars (PSQs) in the context of galaxy evolution, we compare their properties to those of post-starburst galaxies and quasars from appropriately selected samples possessing similar redshift ($z \sim 0.3$), luminosity ($M_r \sim -$23), and data quality. We consider morphologies, spectral features, and derived physical properties of the stellar populations and central supermassive black hole. PSQs themselves come in two types: the more luminous AGNs with more luminous post-starburst stellar populations hosted by elliptical galaxies, som…
Mergers of galaxies are an important mode for galaxy evolution because they serve as an efficient trigger of powerful starbursts. However, observational studies of the molecular gas properties during their early stages are scarce. We present interferometric CO(2-1) maps of two luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), NGC 3110 and NGC 232, obtained with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) with ~ 1 kpc resolution. While NGC 3110 is a spiral galaxy interacting with a minor (14:1 stellar mass) companion, NGC 232 is interacting with a similarly sized object. We find that such interactions have likely induced …
We present an integral field spectroscopic study of two nearby Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) that exhibit evidence of widespread shock excitation induced by ongoing merger activity, IC 1623 and NGC 3256. We show the importance of carefully separating excitation due to shocks vs. excitation by HII regions and the usefulness of IFU data in interpreting the complex processes in LIRGs. Our analysis focuses primarily on the emission line gas which is extensive in both systems and is a result of the abundant ongoing star formation as well as widespread LINER-like excitation from shocks. We use …
Exploring the hardness of the ionising radiation with the infrared softness diagram. I. Similar effective temperature scales for starbursts and (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies
Nuclear starbursts and AGN activity are the main heating processes in luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) and their relationship is fundamental to understand galaxy evolution. In this paper, we study the star-formation and AGN activity of a sample of 11 local LIRGs imaged with subarcsecond angular resolution at radio (8.4GHz) and near-infrared ($2.2μ$m) wavelengths. This allows us to characterize the central kpc of these galaxies with a spatial resolution of $\simeq100$pc. In general, we find a good spatial correlation between the radio and the near-IR emission, although radio emission tends to…
We present results from the Spitzer/IRS spectral mapping observations of 15 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). In this paper we investigate the spatial variations of the mid-IR emission which includes: fine structure lines, molecular hydrogen lines, polycyclic aromatic features (PAHs), continuum emission and the 9.7um silicate feature. We also compare the nuclear and integrated spectra. We find that the star formation takes place in extended regions (several kpc) as probed by the PAH emission as well as the [NeII] and [NeIII] emissions. The behavior of the integrated PAH emission and 9.…
We present a detailed comparison of the CO(3-2) emitting molecular gas between a local sample of luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) and a high redshift sample that comprises submm selected galaxies (SMGs), quasars, and Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs). The U/LIRG sample consists of our recent CO(3-2) survey using the Submillimeter Array while the CO(3-2) data for the high redshift population are obtained from the literature. We find that the L(CO(3-2)) and L(FIR) relation is correlated over five orders of magnitude, which suggests that the molecular gas traced in CO(3-2) emission is a robust trac…
We analysed the high-resolution (up to $\sim$0.2") ALMA CO (2-1) and 1.3 mm dust continuum data of eight gas-rich post-starburst galaxies (PSBs) in the local Universe, six of which had been studied by Smercina et al. (2022). In contrast to this study reporting the detections of extraordinarily compact (i.e., unresolved) reservoirs of molecular gas in the six PSBs, our visibility-plane analysis resolves the CO (2-1) emission in all eight PSBs with effective radii ($R_\mathrm{e,CO}$) of $0.8_{-0.4}^{+0.9}$ kpc, typically consisting of gaseous components at both circumnuclear and extended disc sc…
We compare the morphologies of a sample of 20 LIRGs from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) in the FUV, B, I and H bands, using the Gini (G) and M20 parameters to quantitatively estimate the distribution and concentration of flux as a function of wavelength. HST images provide an average spatial resolution of ~80 pc. While our LIRGs can be reliably classified as mergers across the entire range of wavelengths studied here, there is a clear shift toward more negative M20 (more bulge-dominated) and a less significant decrease in G values at longer wavelengths. We find no correlat…
It has long been established but seldom noticed that we are in a region at least 170 Mpc across in which different types of galaxies show different degrees of alignment with the plane of the de Vaucouleurs Local Supercluster. While clusters of galaxies and radio galaxies at redshifts less than 0.02 are concentrated at low supergalactic latitudes, the most luminous galaxies in the infrared, LIRGs, show little correlation with this plane. The most luminous early-type galaxies are concentrated at low supergalactic latitudes, but similarly luminous spirals are not noticeably so. The cross-correlat…
We present new high-resolution ALMA (13CO J=1-0 and J= 2-1) and CARMA (12CO and 13CO J=1-0) observations of two Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs): Arp 55 and NGC 2623. The new data are complementary to published and archival Submillimeter Array observations of 12CO J=2-1 and J=3-2. We perform a Bayesian likelihood non-local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis to constrain the molecular gas physical conditions such as temperature, column and volume densities and the [12CO]/[13CO] abundance ratio. For Arp 55, an early/intermediate staged merger, the line measurements are consistent with cold (~1…
We present near-infrared integral field spectroscopy of the central kiloparsec of 17 nearby luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies undergoing major mergers. These observations were taken with OSIRIS assisted by the Keck I and II Adaptive Optics systems, providing spatial resolutions of a few tens of parsecs. The resulting kinematic maps reveal gas disks in at least 16 out of 19 nuclei and stellar disks in 11 out of 11 nuclei observed in these galaxy merger systems. In our late-stages mergers, these disks are young (stellar ages $<30$ Myr) and likely formed as gas disks which became unst…
We present an analysis of [OI]63, [OIII]88, [NII]122 and [CII]158 far-infrared (FIR) fine-structure line observations obtained with Herschel/PACS, for ~240 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). We find pronounced declines -deficits- of line-to-FIR-continuum emission for [NII]122, [OI]63 and [CII]158 as a function of FIR color and infrared luminosity surface density, $Σ_{\rm IR}$. The median electron density of the ionized gas in LIRGs, based on the [NII]122/[NII]205 ratio, is $n_{\rm e}$ = 41 cm$^{-3}$. We find that the dispersion in t…
This paper presents the result of $Hα$ imaging for luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). \textbf{It is } a \textbf{complete subsample of Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survery (GOALS) with $Dec. \ge -30^{\circ}$}, \textbf{and} consists 148 galaxies with $log(L_{IR}/L_{\odot}) \ge 11.0$. All the $Hα$ images were carried out using the 2.16-m telescope \textbf{at the Xinglong Station of the} National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences\textbf{ (NAOC),} during the year from 2006 to 2009. We obtained pure $Hα$ luminosity for each galaxy…
Luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs) are rare today but are increasingly abundant at high redshifts. They are believed to be dusty starbursts, and hence should have high rates of supernovae (multiple events per year). Due to their extremely dusty environment, however, such supernovae could only be detected in restframe infrared and longer wavelengths, where our current facilities lack the capability of finding them individually beyond the local universe. We propose a new technique for higher redshifts, which is to search for the presence of supernovae through the variabilit…
We present a new, detailed analysis of the morphologies and molecular gas fractions for a complete sample of 65 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) using high resolution $I$-band images from The Hubble Space Telescope, the University of Hawaii 2.2m Telescope and the Pan-STARRS1 Survey. Our classification scheme includes single undisturbed galaxies, minor mergers, and major mergers, with the latter divided into five distinct stages from pre-first pericenter passage to final nuclear coalescence. We find that major mergers of molecular…
We present the results of a {\it Hubble Space Telescope} ACS/HRC FUV, ACS/WFC optical study into the cluster populations of a sample of 22 Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey. Through integrated broadband photometry we have derived ages and masses for a total of 484 star clusters contained within these systems. This allows us to examine the properties of star clusters found in the extreme environments of LIRGs relative to lower luminosity star-forming galaxies in the local Universe. We find that by adopting a Bruzual \& Charlot simple stellar population (S…
We present recent results from an adaptive optics imaging survey of 40 Luminous IR Galaxies (LIRGs) searching for obscured core collapse supernovae and studying the galaxies themselves. Here, in particular, we discuss the Super Star Clusters (SSC) populations in the LIRGs. We have constructed the first statistically significant samples of Luminosity Functions (LF) of SSCs in the near-IR, and find evidence that the LF slopes in LIRGs are shallower than in more quiescent spiral galaxies. Distance and blending effects were investigated in detail paving the way for SSC studies further out than don…
Far-infrared (FIR) images and photometry are presented for 201 Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies [LIRGs: log$(L_{\rm IR}/L_\odot) = 11.00 - 11.99$, ULIRGs: log$(L_{\rm IR}/L_\odot) = 12.00 - 12.99$], in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) based on observations with the $Herschel$ $Space$ $Observatory$ Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments. The image atlas displays each GOALS target in the three PACS bands (70, 100, and 160 $μ$m) and the three SPIRE bands (250, 350, and 500 $μ$m), optim…
Luminous infrared galaxies are systems enshrouded in dust, which absorbs most of their optical/UV emission and re-radiates it in the mid- and far-infrared. Radio observations are largely unaffected by dust obscuration, enabling us to study the central regions of LIRGs in an unbiased manner. The main goal of this project is to examine how the radio properties of local LIRGs relate to their infrared spectral characteristics. Here we present an analysis of the radio continuum properties of a subset of the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), which consists of 202 nearby systems (z<0.0…
Current predictions for the line ratios from photo-dissociative regions (PDRs) in galaxies adopt theoretical models that consider only individual parcels of PDR gas each characterized by the local density and far-UV radiation field. However, these quantities are not measured directly from unresolved galaxies, making the connection between theory and observation ambiguous. We develop a model that uses galaxy-averaged, observable inputs to explain and predict measurements of the [CII] fine structure line in luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. We find that the [CII] deficit observed in…
We analyze Chandra X-ray observatory data for a sample of 63 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), sampling the lower-infrared luminosity range of the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG survey (GOALS), which includes the most luminous infrared selected galaxies in the local universe. X-rays are detected for 84 individual galaxies within the 63 systems, for which arcsecond resolution X-ray images, fluxes, infrared and X-ray luminosities, spectra and radial profiles are presented. Using X-ray and MIR selection criteria, we find AGN in (31$\pm$5)% of the galaxy sample, compared to the (38$\pm$6)% pre…
The SHINING survey (Paper I; Herrera-Camus et al. 2018) offers a great opportunity to study the properties of the ionized and neutral media of galaxies from prototypical starbursts and active galactic nuclei (AGN) to heavily obscured objects. Based on Herschel/PACS observations of the main far-infrared (FIR) fine-structure lines, in this paper we analyze the physical mechanisms behind the observed line deficits in galaxies, the apparent offset of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the mass-metallicity relation, and the scaling relations between [CII] 158 $μ$m line emission and star format…
We report the results of a deep SCUBA-2 850- and 450-$μ$m survey for dust-obscured ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) in the field of the z=1.46 cluster XCS J2215.9-1738. We detect a striking overdensity of sub-millimeter sources coincident with the core of this cluster: $\sim 3-4 \times$ higher than expected in a blank field. We use the likely radio and mid-infrared counterparts to show that the bulk of these sub-millimeter sources have spectroscopic or photometric redshifts which place them in the cluster and that their multi-wavelength properties are consistent with this association…
Dense molecular gas and star formation are correlated in galaxies. The effect of low metallicity on this relationship is crucial for interpreting observations of high redshift galaxies, which have lower metallicities than galaxies today. However, it remains relatively unexplored because dense molecular gas tracers like HCN and HCO+ are faint in low metallicity systems. We present Green Bank Telescope observations of HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) on giant molecular cloud (34pc) scales in the nearby low metallicity ($12+\log({\rm O/H})=8.2$) starburst IC 10 and compare them to those in other galaxies. …
This paper introduces the Multi-wavelength Extreme Starburst Sample (MESS), a new catalog of 138 star-forming galaxies (0.1 < z < 0.3) optically selected from the SDSS using emission line strength diagnostics to have high absolute SFR (minimum 11 solar masses per year, with median SFR approx 61 solar masses per year based on a Kroupa IMF). The MESS was designed to complement samples of nearby star-forming galaxies such as the luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), and ultraviolet luminous galaxies (UVLGs). Observations using the multiband imaging photometer (MIPS; 24, 70, and 160μm channels) on t…
We study stellar and black hole mass assembly in a sample of 42 infrared-luminous galaxy mergers at z<0.3 by combining results from radiative transfer modelling with archival measures of molecular gas and black hole mass. The ratios of stellar mass, molecular gas mass, and black hole mass to each other are consistent with those of massive gas-rich galaxies at z<0.3. The advanced mergers may show increased black hole mass to stellar mass ratios, consistent with the transition from AGN to ellipticals and implying substantial black hole mass growth over the course of the merger. Star formation ra…
We present our initial results on the CO rotational spectral line energy distribution (SLED) of the $J$ to $J$$-$1 transitions from $J=4$ up to $13$ from Herschel SPIRE spectroscopic observations of 65 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). The observed SLEDs change on average from one peaking at $J \le 4$ to a broad distribution peaking around $J \sim\,$6$-$7 as the IRAS 60-to-100 um color, $C(60/100)$, increases. However, the ratios of a CO line luminosity to the total infrared luminosity, $L_{\rm IR}$, show the smallest variation for $J$ a…
The extreme infrared (IR) luminosity of local luminous and ultra-luminous IR galaxies (U/LIRGs; 11 < log LIR /Lsun < 12 and log LIR /Lsun > 12, respectively) is mainly powered by star-formation processes triggered by mergers or interactions. While U/LIRGs are rare locally, at z > 1, they become more common, they dominate the star-formation rate (SFR) density, and a fraction of them are found to be normal disk galaxies. Therefore, there must be an evolution of the mechanism triggering these intense starbursts with redshift. To investigate this evolution, we present new optical SWIFT integral fi…
We present new CO(2-1) observations of a representative sample of 24 local (z$<$0.02) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) obtained at high spatial resolution ($<$100 pc) from ALMA. We derive the effective radii of the CO(2-1) and the 1.3 mm continuum emissions using the curve-of-growth method. LIRGs show an extremely compact cold molecular gas distribution (median R$_{CO}$ $\sim$0.7 kpc), which is a factor 2 smaller than the ionized gas, and 3.5 times smaller than the stellar size. The molecular size of LIRGs is similar to that of early-type galaxies (R$_{CO}\sim$1 kpc) and about a factor of 6 …
