Herschel has provided unprecedented insight into the properties of the ISM of local Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) andhigh redshift submillimetre bright galaxies. Although matched in luminosity the ISM properties of the two samples are markedly different.We propose to exploit the wide wavelength coverage of SPIRE-FTS to study far-infrared fine structure cooling lines from a unique sample of 23 intermediate redshift ULIRGs. Our targets span the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.8 and luminosity range 12 < log L(IR) < 13 and have been selected from the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) with excellent ancillarydata. The redshift range has been chosen so that we can simultaneously detect key cooling lines CII 158 microns, NII 205 microns and CI 371 microns in all of our targets. Our sample is suitably selected to link the properties of the ISM near and far: it is at theseintermediate redshifts where the change in the properties of the ISM takes place. Using the proposed observations we will:1) investigate the properties of the ISM of ULIRGs at a redshift where they contribute dominantly to the total IR energy density;2) search for changes in the ISM as a function of luminosity and redshift; 3) explore metallicities (through CII/NII ratio) and investigate the validity of NII as a star formation indicator; 4) address the effect of the AGN in the surrounding ISM.To complete our goals we request observations for a sample of 23 ULIRGs. Herschel is currently the only facility capable of addressing these important questions.
Publication
Stacked Average Far-infrared Spectrum of Dusty Star-forming Galaxies from the Herschel/SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer | Wilson Derek et al. | The Astrophysical Journal Volume 848 Issue 1 article id. 30 31 pp. (2017). | 848 | 10.3847/1538-4357/aa8cc7 | 2017ApJ...848...30W | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...848...30W
A Far-infrared Spectroscopic Survey of Intermediate Redshift (Ultra) Luminous Infrared Galaxies | Magdis Georgios E. et al. | The Astrophysical Journal Volume 796 Issue 1 article id. 63 18 pp. (2014). | 796 | 10.1088/0004-637X/796/1/63 | 2014ApJ...796...63M | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ApJ...796...63M
Early Science with the Large Millimeter Telescope: CO and C II Emission in the z = 4.3 AzTEC J095942.9+022938 (COSMOS AzTEC-1) | Yun Min S. et al. | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Volume 454 Issue 4 p.3485-3499 | 454 | 10.1093/mnras/stv1963 | 2015MNRAS.454.3485Y | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015MNRAS.454.3485Y
Unveiling the main sequence to starburst transition region with a sample of intermediate redshift luminous infrared galaxies | Hogan L. et al. | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | null | null | 2022MNRAS.512.2371H |
Instrument
SPIRE_SpireSpectrometer_
Temporal Coverage
2012-03-11T03:41:47Z/2013-01-14T06:10:34Z
Version
SPG v14.1.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth cornerstone mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
European Space Agency, rigopoulou et al., 2013, 'Herschel Spectroscopic Survey of Far-Infrared Fine Structure Lines in intermediate redshift Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies', SPG v14.1.0, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-r041x0l
