Program: GS-2009B-C-3
Title: | Distinguishing the compact energy sources of nearby ULIRGs |
PI: | Masatoshi Imanishi |
Co-I(s): | Nagisa Oi, Keisuke Imase |
Abstract
We propose high-spatial-resolution mid-infrared 20 micron imaging
observations of nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs)
at z ~ 0.1, for which our previous infrared spectroscopy
revealed that their energy sources are more centrally concentrated
than the surrounding dust.
Although these ULIRGs are naturally explained by buried AGNs (powered by
compact mass-accreting supermassive blackholes), rather
than normal starbursts (stellar energy sources and dust are
spatially mixed), exceptionally centrally-concentrated
starbursts remain a possibility.
Through the proposed 20 micron imaging observations, we estimate the
spatial extent of the 20 micron dust emission from these ULIRG's cores,
using the diffraction-limited imaging capability of the Gemini-South 8.1m
telescope at lambda ~20 micron.
Our scientific goal is to quantitatively confirm that the
emission surface brightnesses of the energy sources substantially exceed
the maximum value achieved by starburst phenomena (energy generation
efficiency, eta ~ 0.5% * mc^2), and thereby to obtain
evidence that the energy sources must be buried AGNs (eta ~ 6-40% * mc^2).
The high sensitivity and high spatial resolution (at lambda ~
20 micron) of a ground-based 8 m telescope at a dry site are crucial for
the success of this experiment.
Publications using this program's data
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[data]
[ADS] Subaru and Gemini High Spatial Resolution Infrared 18 μm Imaging Observations of Nearby Luminous Infrared Galaxies
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[data]
[ADS] The subarcsecond mid-infrared view of local active galactic nuclei - I. The N- and Q-band imaging atlas
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[data]
[ADS] Nuclear obscuration in LINERs. Clues from Spitzer/IRS spectra on the Compton thickness and the existence of the dusty torus
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[data]
[ADS] A mid-infrared statistical investigation of clumpy torus model predictions
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[data]
[ADS] Active Galactic Nucleus Ghosts: A Systematic Search for Faded Nuclei
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[data]
[ADS] On the origin of X-ray oxygen emission lines in obscured AGN