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A. Omont

Publications and source records attributed to A. Omont.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

First results from HerMES on the evolution of the submillimetre luminosity function

We have carried out two extremely deep surveys with SPIRE, one of the two cameras on Herschel, at 250 microns, close to the peak of the far-infrared background. We have used the results to investigate the evolution of the rest-frame 250-micron luminosity function out to z=2. We find evidence for strong evolution out to a redshift of around 1 but evidence for at most weak evolution beyond this redshift. Our results suggest that a significant part of the stars and metals in the Universe today were formed at z<1.4 in spiral galaxies.

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HerMES: Far-infrared properties of known AGN in the HerMES fields

Nuclear and starburst activity are known to often occur concomitantly. Herschel-SPIRE provides sampling of the FIR SEDs of type 1 and type 2 AGN, allowing for the separation between the hot dust (torus) and cold dust (starburst) emission. We study large samples of spectroscopically confirmed type 1 and type 2 AGN lying within the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) fields observed during the science demonstration phase, aiming to understand their FIR colour distributions and constrain their starburst contributions. We find that one third of the spectroscopically confirmed AGN in the HerMES fields have 5-sigma detections at 250um, in agreement with previous (sub)mm AGN studies. Their combined Spitzer-MIPS and Herschel-SPIRE colours - specifically S(250)/S(70) vs. S(70)/S(24) - quite clearly separate them from the non-AGN, star-forming galaxy population, as their 24-um flux is dominated by the hot torus emission. However, their SPIRE colours alone do not differ from those of non-AGN galaxies. SED fitting shows that all those AGN need a starburst component to fully account for their FIR emission. For objects at z > 2, we find a correlation between the infrared luminosity attributed to the starburst component, L(SB), and the AGN accretion luminosity, L(acc), with L(SB) propto L(acc)^0.35. Type 2 AGN detected at 250um show on average higher L(SB) than type 1 objects but their number is still too low to establish whether this trend indicates stronger star-formation activity.

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HerMES: The SPIRE confusion limit

We report on the sensitivity of SPIRE photometers on the Herschel Space Observatory. Specifically, we measure the confusion noise from observations taken during the Science Demonstration Phase of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey. Confusion noise is defined to be the spatial variation of the sky intensity in the limit of infinite integration time, and is found to be consistent among the different fields in our survey at the level of 5.8, 6.3 and 6.8 mJy/beam at 250, 350 and 500 microns, respectively. These results, together with the measured instrument noise, may be used to estimate the integration time required for confusion-limited maps, and provide a noise estimate for maps obtained by SPIRE.

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HerMES: SPIRE galaxy number counts at 250, 350 and 500 microns

Emission at far-infrared wavelengths makes up a significant fraction of the total light detected from galaxies over the age of Universe. Herschel provides an opportunity for studying galaxies at the peak wavelength of their emission. Our aim is to provide a benchmark for models of galaxy population evolution and to test pre-existing models of galaxies. With the Herschel Multi-tiered Extra-galactic survey, HerMES, we have observed a number of fields of different areas and sensitivity using the SPIRE instrument on Herschel. We have determined the number counts of galaxies down to ~20 mJy. Our constraints from directly counting galaxies are consistent with, though more precise than, estimates from the BLAST fluctuation analysis. We have found a steep rise in the Euclidean normalised counts at <100 mJy. We have directly resolved 15% of the infrared extra-galactic background at the wavelength near where it peaks.

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A Study of the Gas-Star Formation Relation over Cosmic Time

We use the first systematic data sets of CO molecular line emission in z~1-3 normal star forming galaxies for a comparison of the dependence of galaxy-averaged star formation rates on molecular gas masses at low and high redshifts, and in different galactic environments. Although the current high-z samples are still small and biased toward the luminous and massive tail of the actively star-forming 'main-sequence', a fairly clear picture is emerging. Independent of whether galaxy integrated quantities or surface densities are considered, low- and high-z SFG galaxy populations appear to follow similar molecular gas-star formation relations with slopes 1.1 to 1.2. The gas-depletion time scale in these SFGs grows from 0.5 Gyrs at z~2 to 1.5 Gyrs at z~0. Because star formation depletion times are significantly smaller than the Hubble time at all redshifts sampled, star formation rates and gas fractions are set by the balance between gas accretion from the halo and stellar feedback. In contrast, very luminous gas rich major mergers at both low-z and high-z produce on average 4 to10 times more far-infrared luminosity per unit gas mass. Only some fraction of this difference can be explained by uncertainties in gas-mass or luminosity estimators; much of it must be intrinsic. The most likely interpretation is that the star formation relation is driven by global dynamical effects. For a given mass, the more compact merger systems produce stars more rapidly because their gas clouds are more compressed with shorter dynamical times, so that they churn more quickly through the available gas reservoir than the typical normal disk galaxies. When the dependence on galactic dynamical time scale is explicitly included, disk galaxies and mergers appear to follow similar gas to star-formation relations. The mergers may be forming stars at slightly higher efficiencies than the disks.

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The far-infrared/radio correlation as probed by Herschel

We set out to determine the ratio, q(IR), of rest-frame 8-1000um flux, S(IR), to monochromatic radio flux, S(1.4GHz), for galaxies selected at far-IR and radio wavelengths, to search for signs that the ratio evolves with redshift, luminosity or dust temperature, and to identify any far-IR-bright outliers - useful laboratories for exploring why the far-IR/radio correlation is generally so tight when the prevailing theory suggests variations are almost inevitable. We use flux-limited 250-um and 1.4-GHz samples, obtained in GOODS-N using Herschel (HerMES; PEP) and the VLA. We determine bolometric IR output using ten bands spanning 24-1250um, exploiting data from PACS and SPIRE, as well as Spitzer, SCUBA, AzTEC and MAMBO. We also explore the properties of an L(IR)-matched sample, designed to reveal evolution of q(IR) with z, spanning log L(IR) = 11-12 L(sun) and z=0-2, by stacking into the radio and far-IR images. For 1.4-GHz-selected galaxies, we see tentative evidence of a break in the flux ratio, q(IR), at L(1.4GHz) ~ 10^22.7 W/Hz, where AGN are starting to dominate the radio power density, and of weaker correlations with z and T(d). From our 250-um-selected sample we identify a small number of far-IR-bright outliers, and see trends of q(IR) with L(1.4GHz), L(IR), T(d) and z, noting that some of these are inter-related. For our L(IR)-matched sample, there is no evidence that q(IR) changes significantly as we move back into the epoch of galaxy formation: we find q(IR) goes as (1+z)^gamma, where gamma = -0.04 +/- 0.03 at z=0-2; however, discounting the least reliable data at z<0.5 we find gamma = -0.26 +/- 0.07, modest evolution which may be related to the radio background seen by ARCADE2, perhaps driven by <10uJy radio activity amongst ordinary star-forming galaxies at z>1.

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Detections of CO Molecular Gas in 24um-Bright ULIRGs at z~2 in the Spitzer First Look Survey

We present CO observations of 9 ULIRGs at z~2 with S(24μm)>1mJy, previously confirmed with the mid-IR spectra in the Spitzer First Look Survey. All targets are required to have accurate redshifts from Keck/GEMINI near-IR spectra. Using the Plateau de Bure millimeter-wave Interferometer (PdBI) at IRAM, we detect CO J(3-2) [7 objects] or J(2-1) [1 object] line emission from 8 sources with integrated intensities Ic ~(5-9)sigma. The CO detected sources have a variety of mid-IR spectra, including strong PAH, deep silicate absorption and power-law continuum, implying that these molecular gas rich objects at z~2 could be either starbursts or dust obscured AGNs. The measured line luminosity L'[CO] is (1.28-3.77)e+10[K km/s pc^2]. The averaged molecular gas mass M(H2) is 1.7e+10Msun, assuming CO-to-H2 conversion factor of 0.8Msun/[K km/s pc^2]. Three sources (33%) -- MIPS506, MIPS16144 & MIPS8342 -- have double peak velocity profiles. The CO double peaks in MIPS506 and MIPS16144 show spatial separations of 45kpc and 10.9kpc, allowing the estimates of the dynamical masses of 3.2e+11*sin^(-2)(i)Msun and 5.4e+11*sin^{-2}(i)Msun respectively. The implied gas fraction, M(gas)/M(dyn), is 3% and 4%, assuming an average inclination angle. Finally, the analysis of the HST/NIC2 images, mid-IR spectra and IR SED revealed that most of our sources are mergers, containing dust obscured AGNs dominating the luminosities at (3-6)um. Together, these results provide some evidence suggesting SMGs, bright 24um z~2 ULIRGs and QSOs could represent three different stages of a single evolutionary sequence, however, a complete physical model would require much more data, especially high spatial resolution spectroscopy.

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High molecular gas fractions in normal massive star forming galaxies in the young Universe

Stars form from cold molecular interstellar gas. Since this is relatively rare in the local Universe, galaxies like the Milky Way form only a few new stars per year. Typical massive galaxies in the distant Universe formed stars an order of magnitude more rapidly. Unless star formation was significantly more efficient, this difference suggests that young galaxies were much more gas rich. Molecular gas observations in the distant Universe have so far been largely restricted to very luminous, rare objects, including mergers and quasars. Here we report the results of a systematic survey of molecular gas in samples of typical massive star forming galaxies at ~1.2 and 2.3, when the Universe was 40% and 24% of its current age. Our measurements provide empirical evidence that distant star forming galaxies indeed were gas rich, and that the star formation efficiency is not strongly dependent on cosmic epoch. The average fraction of cold gas relative to total galaxy baryonic mass at z= 2.3 and z=1.2 is ~44% and 34%, three to ten times higher than in today's massive spiral galaxies. The slow decrease between z~2 and 1 probably requires a mechanism of semi-continuous replenishment of fresh gas to the young galaxies.

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High-resolution CO and radio imaging of z~2 ULIRGs: extended CO structures, and implications for the universal star formation law

We present high spatial resolution (0.4", ~3.5 kpc) PdBI interferometric data on three ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z~2: two submillimetre galaxies and one submillimetre faint star forming radio galaxy. The three galaxies have been ro- bustly detected in CO rotational transitions, either 12CO(J=4-3) or 12CO(J=3-2), allowing their sizes and gas masses to be accurately constrained. These are the highest spatial resolution observations observed to date (by a factor of ~2) for intermediate-excitation CO emission in z~2 ULIRGs. The galaxies appear extended over several resolution elements, having a mean radius of 3.7 kpc. High-resolution (0.3") combined MERLIN-VLA observations of their radio continua allow an analysis of the star formation behaviour of these galaxies, on comparable spatial scales to that of the CO observations. This 'matched beam' approach sheds light on the spatial distribution of both molecular gas and star formation, and we can therefore calculate accurate star formation rates and gas surface densities: this allows us to place the three systems in the context of a Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS)-style star formation law. We find a difference in size between the CO and radio emission regions, and as such we suggest that using the spatial extent of the CO emission region to estimate the surface density of star formation may lead to error. This size difference also causes the star formation efficiencies within systems to vary by up to a factor of 5. We also find, with our new accurate sizes, that SMGs lie significantly above the KS relation, indicating that stars are formed more efficiently in these extreme systems than in other high-z star forming galaxies.

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Multi-wavelength properties of Spitzer-selected starbursts at z~2

A complete sample of 33 sources believed to be starbursts ("5.8micron-peakers") was selected in the (0.5 sq. deg.) J1046+56 field with selection criteria F_(24micron)>400muJy, the presence of a redshifted stellar emission peak at 5.8um, and r'(Vega)>23. The field, part of the SWIRE Lockman Hole field, benefits from very deep VLA/GMRT 20cm, 50cm, and 90cm radio data (all 33 sources are detected at 50cm), and deep 160micron and 70micron Spitzer data. The 33 sources, with photometric redshifts ~1.5-2.5, were observed at 1.2mm with IRAM-30m/MAMBO to an rms ~0.7-0.8mJy in most cases. Their millimeter, radio, 7-band Spitzer, and near-IR properties were jointly analyzed. The entire sample of 33 sources has an average 1.2mm flux density of 1.56+/-0.22mJy and a median of 1.61mJy, so the majority of the sources can be considered SMGs. Four sources have confirmed 4sigma detections, and nine were tentatively detected at the 3sigma level. Because of its 24micron selection, our sample shows systematically lower F_(1.2mm)/F_(24micron) flux ratios than classical SMGs, probably because of enhanced PAH emission. A median FIR SED was built by stacking images at the positions of 21 sources in the region of deepest Spitzer coverage. Its parameters are T_(dust)=37+/-8K, L_(FIR)=2.5x10^{12}Lo, and SFR=450Mo/yr. The FIR-radio correlation provides another estimate of L_(FIR) for each source, with an average value of 4.1x10^{12}Lo; however, this value may be overestimated because of some AGN contribution. Most of our targets are also luminous star-forming BzK galaxies which constitute a significant fraction of weak SMGs at 1.7<z<2.3.

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A Search for Neutral Carbon towards two z=4.05 Submillimetre Galaxies, GN20 and GN20.2

Using the IRAM Plateau-de-Bure Interferometer (PdBI) we have searched for the upper fine structure line of neutral carbon (CI(2->1), nu_rest = 809 GHz) and 12CO(J=7->6) (nu_rest=806GHz) towards the submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) GN20 (SMM J123711.9+622212, z = 4.055) and GN20.2 (SMM J123708.8+622202, z = 4.051). The far-infrared (FIR) continuum is detected at 8sigma significance in GN20, with a flux density of S_1.8mm = 1.9+-0.2mJy, while no continuum is detected in GN20.2. Both sources are statistically undetected in both CI and CO(7-6) lines; we derive line luminosity limits for both CI and CO of L'<~2x10^10K km s^-1 pc^2. Assuming carbon excitation temperatures of T_ex = 30K (the galaxies' measured dust temperatures), we infer CI mass limits of M_CI < 5.4x10^6 Msun (GN20) and M_CI < 6.8x10^6 Msun (GN20.2). The derived CI abundance limits are <1.8x10^-5 for GN20 and <3.8x10^-5 for GN20.2 implying that the systems have Milky Way level neutral carbon enrichment (X[CI]/X[H2]) or lower, similar to high-redshift carbon-detected systems (at 5x10^-5) but about 50 times less than the neutral carbon enrichment of local starburst galaxies. Observations of GN20 and GN20.2 in high-resolution MERLIN+VLA radio maps of GOODS-N are used to further constrain the sizes and locations of active regions. We conclude that the physical gas properties of young rapidly evolving systems like GN20 and GN20.2 are likely significantly different than starburst/ULIRG environments in the local Universe yet similar to z~2 SMGs. Unless gravitationally amplified examples can be found, observations of galaxies like GN20 will require the order of magnitude increase in sensitivity of the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) to constrain their CI and high-J CO content, despite the fact that they are the brightest systems at z~4.

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IRS Spectroscopy and Multi-wavelength Study of Luminous Star-forming Galaxies at z~1.9

We analyze a sample of galaxies chosen to have F24>0.5 mJy and satisfy a certain IRAC color criterion. IRS spectra yield redshifts, spectral types, and PAH luminosities, to which we add multi-wavelength broadband photometry. Stellar population modeling and IRS spectra together demonstrate that the double criteria used to select this sample have efficiently isolated massive star-forming galaxies at z~1.9. This is the first starburst-dominated ULIRG sample at high redshift with total infrared luminosity measured directly from FIR and millimeter photometry, and as such gives us the first accurate view of broadband SEDs for starburst galaxies at extremely high luminosity and at all wavelengths. Similar broadband data are assembled for three other galaxy samples -- local starburst galaxies, local AGN/ULIRGS, and a second 24mu-luminous z~1.9 sample dominated by AGN. L(PAH)/L(IR) for the new z~1.9 starburst sample is the highest ever seen, some three times higher than in local starbursts, whereas in AGNs this ratio is depressed below the starburst trend, often severely. Several pieces of evidence imply that AGNs exist in this starburst dominated sample, except two of which even host very strong AGN, while they still have very strong PAH emission. The ACS images show most objects have very extended morphologies in the rest-frame UV band, thus extended distribution of PAH molecules. Such an extended distribution prevents further destruction PAH molecules by central AGNs. We conclude that objects in this sample are ULIRGs powered mainly by starburst; and the total infrared luminosity density contributed by this type of objects is 0.9-2.6x 10^7 Lsol/Mpc^3.

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CO line emission in the halo of a radio galaxy at z=2.6

We report the detection of luminous CO(3-2) line emission in the halo of the z=2.6 radio galaxy (HzRG) TXS0828+193, which has no detected counterpart at optical to mid-infrared wavelengths implying a stellar mass < few x10^9 M_sun and relatively low star-formation rates. With the IRAM PdBI we find two CO emission line components at the same position at ~80 kpc distance from the HzRG along the axis of the radio jet, with different blueshifts of few 100 km s^-1 relative to the HzRG and a total luminosity of ~2x10^10 K km s^-1 pc^2 detected at 8 sigma significance. HzRGs have significant galaxy overdensities and extended halos of metal-enriched gas often with embedded clouds or filaments of denser material, and likely trace very massive dark-matter halos. The CO emission may be associated with a gas-rich, low-mass satellite galaxy with little on-going star formation, in contrast to all previous CO detections of galaxies at similar redshifts. Alternatively, the CO may be related to a gas cloud or filament and perhaps jet-induced gas cooling in the outer halo, somewhat in analogy with extended CO emission found in low-redshift galaxy clusters.

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Imaging the cool gas, dust, star formation, and AGN in the first galaxies

When, and how, did the first galaxies and supermassive black holes (SMBH) form, and how did they reionization the Universe? First galaxy formation and cosmic reionization are among the last frontiers in studies of cosmic structure formation. We delineate the detailed astrophysical probes of early galaxy and SMBH formation afforded by observations at centimeter through submillimeter wavelengths. These observations include studies of the molecular gas (= the fuel for star formation in galaxies), atomic fine structure lines (= the dominant ISM gas coolant), thermal dust continuum emission (= an ideal star formation rate estimator), and radio continuum emission from star formation and relativistic jets. High resolution spectroscopic imaging can be used to study galaxy dynamics and star formation on sub-kpc scales. These cm and mm observations are the necessary compliment to near-IR observations, which probe the stars and ionized gas, and X-ray observations, which reveal the AGN. Together, a suite of revolutionary observatories planned for the next decade from centimeter to X-ray wavelengths will provide the requisite panchromatic view of the complex processes involved in the formation of the first generation of galaxies and SMBHs, and cosmic reionization.

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Six more quasars at redshift 6 discovered by the Canada-France High-z Quasar Survey

We present imaging and spectroscopic observations for six quasars at z>5.9 discovered by the Canada-France High-z Quasar Survey (CFHQS). The CFHQS contains sub-surveys with a range of flux and area combinations to sample a wide range of quasar luminosities at z~6. The new quasars have luminosities 10 to 75 times lower than the most luminous SDSS quasars at this redshift. The least luminous quasar, CFHQS J0216-0455 at z=6.01, has absolute magnitude M_1450=-22.21, well below the likely break in the luminosity function. This quasar is not detected in a deep XMM-Newton survey showing that optical selection is still a very efficient tool for finding high redshift quasars.

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A Millimetre Survey of Starburst Dominated Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies at z~2

We present millimetre observations of a sample of 12 high redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) in the Extended Growth Strip (EGS). These objects were initially selected on the basis of their observed mid--IR colours (0.0 < [3.6]-[4.5] < 0.4 and -0.7 < [3.6]-[8.0] < 0.5) to lie at high redshift 1.5 < z < 3, and subsequent 20-38 micron mid-IR spectroscopy confirms that they lie in a narrow redshift window centered on z=2. We detect 9/12 of the objects in our sample at high significance (>3 sigma) with a mean 1200\micron flux of = 1.6+/-0.1 mJy. Our millimetre photometry, combined with existing far-IR photometry from the Far-IR Deep Extragalactic Legacy (FIDEL) Survey and accurate spectroscopic redshifts, places constraints both sides of the thermal dust peak. This allows us to estimate the dust properties, including the far--IR luminosity, dust temperature, and dust mass. We find that our sample is similar to other high-z and intermediate-z ULIRGs, and local systems, but has a different dust selection function than submillimeter-selected galaxies. Finally, we use existing 20cm radio continuum imaging to test the far-IR/radio correlation at high redshift. We find that our sample is consistent with the local relation, implying little evolution. Furthermore, this suggests that our sample selection method is efficient at identifying ultraluminous, starburst--dominated systems within a very narrow redshift range centered at z~2.

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Obscured and powerful AGN and starburst activities at z~3.5

We report the discovery of two sources at z=3.867 and z=3.427 that exhibit powerful starburst and AGN activities. They benefit from data from radio to X rays from the CFHTLS-D1/SWIRE/XMDS surveys. Follow-up optical and near-infrared spectroscopy, and millimeter IRAM/MAMBO observations are also available. We performed an analysis of their spectral energy distributions to understand the origin of their emission and constrain their luminosities. A comparison with other composite systems at similar redshifts from the literature is also presented. The AGN and starburst bolometric luminosities are ~10^13 Lsun. The AGN emission dominates at X ray, optical, mid-infrared wavelengths, and probably in the radio. The starburst emission dominates in the far-infrared. The estimated star formation rates range from 500 to 3000Msun/yr. The AGN near-infrared and X ray emissions are heavily obscured in both sources with an estimated dust extinction Av>4, and Compton-thick gas column densities. The two sources are the most obscured and most luminous AGNs detected at millimeter wavelengths currently known. The sources presented in this work are heavily obscured QSOs, but their properties are not fully explained by the standard AGN unification model. In one source, the ultraviolet and optical spectra suggest the presence of outflowing gas and shocks, and both sources show emission from hot dust, most likely in the vicinity of the nucleus. Evidence of moderate AGN-driven radio activity is found in both sources. The two sources lie on the local M_BH-M_bulge relation. To remain on this relation, their star formation rate has to decrease. Our results support evolutionary models that invoke radio feedback as star formation quenching mechanism, and suggest that such a mechanism might play a major role also in powerful AGNs.

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MAMBO 1.2mm observations of luminous starbursts at z~2 in the SWIRE fields

We report on--off pointed MAMBO observations at 1.2 mm of 61 Spitzer-selected star-forming galaxies from the SWIRE survey. The sources are selected on the basis of bright 24um fluxes (f_24um>0.4mJy) and of stellar dominated near-infrared spectral energy distributions in order to favor z~2 starburst galaxies. The average 1.2mm flux for the whole sample is 1.5+/-0.2 mJy. Our analysis focuses on 29 sources in the Lockman Hole field where the average 1.2mm flux (1.9+/-0.3 mJy) is higher than in other fields (1.1+/-0.2 mJy). The analysis of the sources multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions indicates that they are starburst galaxies with far-infrared luminosities ~10^12-10^13.3 Lsun, and stellar masses of ~0.2-6 x10^11 M_sun. Compared to sub-millimeter selected galaxies (SMGs), the SWIRE-MAMBO sources are among those with the largest 24um/millimeter flux ratios. The origin of such large ratios is investigated by comparing the average mid-infrared spectra and the stacked far-infrared spectral energy distributions of the SWIRE-MAMBO sources and of SMGs. The mid-infrared spectra exhibit strong PAH features, and a warm dust continuum. The warm dust continuum contributes to ~34% of the mid-infrared emission, and is likely associated with an AGN component. This constribution is consistent with what is found in SMGs. The large 24um/1.2mm flux ratios are thus not due to AGN emission, but rather to enhanced PAH emission compared to SMGs. The analysis of the stacked far-infrared fluxes yields warmer dust temperatures than typically observed in SMGs. Our selection favors warm ultra-luminous infrared sources at high-z, a class of objects that is rarely found in SMG samples. Our sample is the largest Spitzer-selected sample detected at millimeter wavelengths currently available.

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