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Elizabeth A. K. Adams

Publications and source records attributed to Elizabeth A. K. Adams.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The Bright Future of the Dark and Dim Universe

This chapter investigates the low-mass frontier of galaxy formation through two complementary populations: the starless Reionization-Limited HI Clouds (RELHICs) that trace the ``dark'' Universe, and the faint, gas-rich galaxies that define the ``dim'' Universe. RELHICs offer pristine laboratories for probing the distribution of DM on sub-galactic scales, providing a direct test of the Lambda Cold Dark Matter ($Λ$CDM) model predictions. The dim Universe provides statistical constraints on cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, as well as baryoninc physics through key observables including the low-mass end of the neutral-hydrogen mass function (HIMF), the neutral-hydrogen velocity function (HIVF), and the low-mass end of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (bTFR). This chapter outlines core science questions that can be tackled leveraging radio observations of both the dark and dim Universe. Additionally, it outlines strategies to identify RELHICs amid tidal or pressure-confined contaminants, while providing observational predictions for the dim Universe. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in its mid-frequency Array Assembly 4 (AA4) configuration will, for the first time, resolve the internal gas structure of nearby RELHICs and build deep, wide-area datasets that definitively constrain the HIMF, HIVF, and bTFR down to masses of $10^{6}~\msol$ -- offering a complete observational framework to test the $Λ$CDM paradigm and the baryonic processes that shape the faint end of galaxy formation.

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Unveiling the roles of thermal and nonthermal processes in the ISM & IGM structure formation and evolution of galaxies with SKAO

Investigating the thermal and nonthermal processes in the interstellar medium (ISM) and intergalactic medium (IGM) is vital to understanding the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time. Resolved observations with SKA pathfinders show that the nonthermal processes, in which magnetic fields and cosmic rays are involved, can decelerate the formation of massive stars in strongly magnetized regions in nearby galaxies. They can also contribute to the onset of winds and outflows in galaxies. The effects of these processes are stronger at higher redshifts as a result of star formation activities. The SKA Observatory will allow a major breakthrough by mapping the thermal and nonthermal processes in distant universe galaxies, shedding light on the role of the ISM and IGM in the evolution of galaxies. We demonstrate this by simulating the radio continuum and HI emission from local galaxies back to high redshifts. Our simulations show that the AA4 surveys will make it possible to trace the thermal and nonthermal processes of the ISM in galaxies that are analogs to M51 and NGC6946, traced in continuum beyond cosmic noon (z=2-3) and the gas content traced by HI beyond z=1. Both simulations and precursor observations indicate the importance of nonthermal feedback at cosmic noon.

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UV Star-Formation Rates of the SHIELD Dwarf Galaxies

The Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD) is a multi-wavelength observational project targeting gas-rich, star-forming dwarf galaxies at the faint end of the HI mass function. We present near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux measurements obtained from GALEX survey images and use these fluxes to derive FUV star-formation rates (SFRs) for all 75 SHIELD galaxies with GALEX data. This paper represents the first published analysis that makes use of the full SHIELD sample. We compare the FUV SFRs to a variety of physical quantities to better understand the nature of SHIELD galaxies. When comparing the H$α$ SFRs to the FUV SFRs for SHIELD and other local galaxy surveys, we confirm and solidify previous results that show that H$α$-based SFRs for dwarf galaxies can grossly underestimate the true rate of star formation, emphasizing the highly stochastic nature of star formation in extremely low-mass galaxies. We further show that FUV SFRs appear to be robust tracers of star formation down to the very lowest galaxy masses included in this study. We show that baryonic mass is the best mass-related tracer for the prediction of the FUV SFR of the galaxies in our sample. Not surprisingly, the SHIELD dwarf galaxies exhibit long gas-depletion timescales and large gas mass fractions: fully 68% of the SHIELD galaxies have gas masses that are larger than their stellar masses.

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HI Galaxy Science with the SKA

This chapter introduces the contributions of the HI galaxy science in this volume reviewing the latest developments and urgent questions in HI galaxy science, providing guiding principles for a layered set of future key science projects. The key science will include: a complete censuses of HI morphologies and kinematics at sub-kpc and 1 km/s resolution within and around galaxies in the nearby Universe; a measurement of the cosmic HI mass density and HI mass function evolution at least up to z~1; an improved understanding of the Universe at z>1, particularly the balance between cold molecular and cool atomic gas. We also provide a view of the synergistic multi-wavelength surveys available in 2028+ in the southern hemisphere. This effort will improve our understanding of the baryon cycle across a significant fraction of the cosmic history, including the processes of gas accretion, consumption and removal as well as AGN and star formation feedback. Based on these science goals, the earlier proposed three-tiered survey strategy remains, but survey parameters and predictions are adjusted according to AA* and AA4 developments. This chapter is an update of the earlier "Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Kilometre Array" chapter 'HI Science with the SKA' by Staveley-Smith & Oosterloo.

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Unlocking the Full Potential of SKAO Extra-galactic Science with High-multiplex Optical Spectroscopy

Parallel to the transformation in radio continuum and H I observations from SKAO pathfinders and precursors over the past decade has been the development of a new generation of multi-object spectrographs that will be equally transformational in a broad range of scientific areas. For all extragalactic radio source populations, this spectroscopy is essential for providing precise redshifts, separating star-formation and AGN activity, identifying accretion modes and revealing detailed host galaxy properties. It is only with the detailed emission line and optical continuum diagnostics from spectroscopy that we can begin to link the AGN and star-formation activity revealed by the radio continuum to the kinematic and chemical histories of galaxies. Crucially, extensive spectroscopy also unlocks the full potential of H I observations by enabling statistical measures of the H I content of galaxies out to $z = 1$ and beyond, through spectral stacking analyses, as well as comprehensively tracing the local environment and large-scale structure to enable studies of environmental effects on the baryon cycle. We outline the scientific synergies enabled by combining SKAO continuum and H I surveys with current optical spectroscopic surveys, as well as identifying the needs and scientific potential of future spectroscopic surveys dedicated to the radio source population with both existing and planned optical facilities.

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MIGHTEE-HI: The direct detection of neutral hydrogen in galaxies at $z>0.25$

Atomic hydrogen constitutes the gas reservoir from which molecular gas and star formation in galaxies emerges. However, the weakness of the line means it has been difficult to directly detect in all but the very local Universe. Here we present results from the first search using the MeerKAT International Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) Survey for high-redshift ($z>0.25$) H{\sc i} emission from individual galaxies. By searching for 21-cm emission centered on the position and redshift of optically-selected emission-line galaxies we overcome difficulties that hinder untargeted searches. We detect 11 galaxies at $z>0.25$, forming the first sample of $z>0.25$ detections with an interferometer, with the highest redshift detection at $z = 0.3841$. We find they have much larger H{\sc i} masses than their low-redshift H{\sc i}-selected counterparts for a given stellar mass. This can be explained by the much larger cosmological volume probed at these high redshifts, and does not require any evolution of the H{\sc i} mass function. We make the first-ever measurement of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (bTFr) with H{\sc i} at $z>0.25$ and find consistency with the local bTFr, but with tentative evidence of a flattening in the relation at these redshifts for higher-mass objects. This may signify evolution, in line with predictions from hydrodynamic simulations, or that the molecular gas mass in these high-mass galaxies could be significant. This study paves the way for future studies of H{\sc i} beyond the local Universe, using both searches targeted at known objects and via pure H{\sc i} selection.

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MIGHTEE HI observations of low surface brightness and ultra-diffuse galaxies in the XMM-LSS field

Untargeted neutral hydrogen (HI) surveys are well suited to identifying low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) that are gas rich, and they offer a complementary view to optically selected populations. We examined the LSBG population as identified via stellar and gaseous content using the MIGHTEE HI XMM-LSS early science data and the publicly available catalogs of optically identified LSBGs. There is currently little overlap between these datasets, with only three galaxies commonly detected. We performed surface brightness photometry of selected MIGHTEE HI detections to find 29 LSBGs, and 26 of these meet the size requirement (R_eff > 1.5 kpc) to be ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs). Furthermore, we extracted HI spectra at the location of all optically identified galaxies, placing upper limits on the HI-to-stellar mass ratio in these systems. While the HI-identified population overall tends toward bluer colors, the HI-identified and the optically selected samples mostly overlap in mean effective surface brightness, effective radii, and color. Although it is not straightforward to discern why the HI-identified LSBGs were missed in optical searches, this work highlights the utility of HI surveys in finding these faint systems. The HI-identified LSBGs are gas rich compared to the general HI-selected population. Furthermore, three out of four HI-selected UDGs with available kinematics show no systematic offset from the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation, although we are biased away from sources with low rotational velocities due to the low spectral resolution of the data. This work demonstrates the utility of HI observations for finding and characterizing the low surface brightness Universe.

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Not so-dark: High resolution HI imaging of J0139+4328 and identification of an optical counterpart

Dark galaxies - systems rich in neutral hydrogen (HI) gas but with no stars - are a common prediction of numerous theoretical models and cosmological simulations. However, the unequivocal identification of such sources in current HI surveys has proven challenging. In this work, we present interferometric follow-up observations with the VLA of a former dark galaxy candidate J0139+4328, originally detected with the single-dish FAST telescope. The improved spatial resolution of the VLA data allow us to identify a faint optical counterpart and characterize the galaxy. Located at a distance of about 31 Mpc, J0139+4328 has a stellar mass of 3 x 10^6 M_Sun and a relatively high gas richness of M_HI/M_star = 18. Despite its high ratio, the galaxy is consistent, within the scatter, with the stellar-to-HI mass relation of HI-selected samples in the literature and with the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR), although its kinematic measurement is subject to large uncertainties. This case highlights the potential of modern high-sensitivity HI surveys for detecting low surface brightness, gas-rich galaxies, but underscores the need for careful interpretation of low-resolution HI data, with potentially large centroid errors, and for sufficiently deep optical imaging to ensure robust identification.

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Searching for Stellar-Feedback-Driven Outflow Signatures: A Deep Dive into NGC 3741

Stellar feedback drives winds and outflows critical to the baryon cycles of low-mass galaxies whose shallow gravitational potential wells make them particularly susceptible to mass and metal loss through outflows. However, spatially resolved observations of stellar-feedback-driven outflows are limited due to their low-surface brightness and transient nature. We present the pilot of a larger multi-wavelength study searching for and quantifying stellar-feedback-driven winds and outflows on both spatially and globally resolved scales for a sample of 40 nearby low-mass galaxies. We search for outflow signatures in the star-forming dwarf galaxy NGC 3741 using new optical imaging and spectroscopy from the WIYN 3.5m telescope in conjunction with VLA 21cm observations and local star formation histories derived from resolved HST photometry. With this extensive dataset, we compare the neutral and ionized gas morphologies and kinematics, calculate mass-loading factors, and investigate spatial variations in the star formation history of NGC 3741. Though the galaxy is experiencing a burst in star formation, we find little evidence of strong outflows and calculate very low mass-loading factors. We suggest that, though star formation activity has increased dramatically in the central region of the galaxy over the last 40 Myr, the star formation rate is not high enough to produce a sufficient amount of high mass stars responsible for fueling outflows. Future analysis of the larger sample will allow us to explore how stellar feedback impacts mass loss on local scales, providing a deeper understanding of the interplay between stellar feedback and the interstellar medium in low-mass galaxies.

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Pavo: Stellar feedback in action in a low-mass dwarf galaxy

MeerKAT observations of the recently discovered, extremely low mass galaxy, Pavo, have revealed a neutral gas (HI) reservoir that was undetected in archival HI single dish data. We measure Pavo's HI mass as $\log M_\mathrm{HI}/\mathrm{M_\odot} = 5.79 \pm 0.05$, making it the lowest mass HI reservoir currently known in an isolated galaxy (with a robust distance measurement). Despite Pavo's extreme isolation, with no known neighbor within over 700 kpc, its HI reservoir is highly disturbed. It does not show clear signs of rotation and its center of mass is offset from the stellar body center by 320 pc, while its peak is offset by 82 pc (both in projection). Despite this disturbed morphology, Pavo still appears to be consistent with the HI size--mass relation, although it is not possible to accurately determine a suitable inclination correction. Such disturbed, offset and disorganized HI reservoirs are predicted by simulations of low-mass, star-forming dwarfs in which supernova-driven outflows efficiently disrupt the interstellar medium after a star formation event. It is likely that we are witnessing Pavo in precisely this period, tens to a few hundred Myr after a star formation episode, when internal feedback has disrupted its gas reservoir.

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Predictions for Detecting a Turndown in the Baryonic Tully Fisher Relation

The baryonic Tully Fisher relation (bTFR) provides an empirical connection between baryonic mass and dynamical mass (measured by the maximum rotation velocity) for galaxies. Due to the impact of baryonic feedback in the shallower potential wells of dwarf galaxies, the bTFR is predicted to turn down at low masses from the extrapolated power-law relation at high masses. The low-mass end of the bTFR is poorly constrained due to small samples and difficulty in connecting the galaxy's gas kinematics to its dark matter halo. Simulations can help us understand this connection and interpret observations. We measure the bTFR with 75 dwarf galaxies from the Marvel-ous and Marvelous Massive Dwarfs hydrodynamic simulations. Our sample has M$_\star = 10^6-10^9$ M$_\odot$, and is mostly gas dominated. We compare five velocity methods: V$_\mathrm{out,circ}$ (spatially resolved mass-enclosed), V$_\mathrm{out,mid}$ (spatially resolved midplane gravitational potential), and unresolved HI linewidths at different percentages of the peak flux (W$_\mathrm{10}$, W$_\mathrm{20}$, and W$_\mathrm{50}$). We find an intrinsic turndown in the bTFR for maximum halo speeds $\lesssim 50$ km s$^{-1}$, or total baryonic mass M$_\mathrm{bary}\lesssim 10^{8.5}$ M$_\odot$. We find that observing HI in lower-mass galaxies to the conventional surface density limit of 1 M$_\odot$ pc$^{-2}$ is not enough to detect a turndown in the bTFR; none of the HI velocity methods, spatially resolved or unresolved, recover the turndown, and we find bTFR slopes consistent with observations of higher-mass galaxies. However, we predict that the turndown can be recovered by resolved rotation curves if the HI limit is $\lesssim 0.08$ M$_\odot$ pc$^{-2}$, which is within the sensitivity of current HI surveys like FEASTS and MHONGOOSE.

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Testing OH Megamaser Identification Methods in HI Surveys: Updated Source-Flagging Algorithms and New Detections in ALFALFA

OH megamasers (OHMs) are extragalactic masers found primarily in gas-rich galaxy major mergers. To date, only $\sim$120 OHMs have been cataloged since their discovery in 1982, and efforts to identify distinct characteristics of OHM host galaxies have remained inconclusive. As radio astronomy advances with next-generation telescopes and extensive 21 cm HI surveys, precursors to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) are expected to detect the 18 cm OH masing line with significantly increased frequency, potentially expanding the known OHM population tenfold. These detections, however, risk confusion with lower-redshift HI emitters unless accompanied by independent spectroscopic redshifts. Building on methods proposed by Roberts et al. (arXiv:2102.12486) for distinguishing these interloping OHMs via near- to mid-IR photometry and emission line frequencies, we apply these techniques to data from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA [Arecibo L-band Feed Array] (ALFALFA) survey and a preliminary APERture Tile In Focus (Apertif) HI emission line catalog from the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. Our study, utilizing the Apache Point Observatory 3.5m telescope to obtain optical spectroscopic redshifts of 142 candidates (107 from ALFALFA and 35 from Apertif), confirms five new OHM host galaxies and reidentifies two previously catalogued OHMs misclassified as HI emitters in ALFALFA. These findings support the predictions from Roberts et al. (arXiv:2102.12486 [astro-ph.GA]) and underscore the evolving landscape of radio astronomy in the context of next-generation telescopes.

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New constraints on the evolution of the MHI-M* scaling relation combining CHILES and MIGHTEE-HI data

The improved sensitivity of interferometric facilities to the 21-cm line of atomic hydrogen (HI) enables studies of its properties in galaxies beyond the local Universe. In this work, we perform a 21 cm line spectral stacking analysis combining the MIGHTEE and CHILES surveys in the COSMOS field to derive a robust HI-stellar mass relation at z=0.36. In particular, by stacking thousands of star-forming galaxies subdivided into stellar mass bins, we optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of targets and derive mean HI masses in the different stellar mass intervals for the investigated galaxy population. We combine spectra from the two surveys, estimate HI masses, and derive the scaling relation log10(MHI) = (0.32 +- 0.04)log10(M*) + (6.65 +- 0.36). Our findings indicate that galaxies at z=0.36 are HI richer than those at z=0, but HI poorer than those at z=1, with a slope consistent across redshift, suggesting that stellar mass does not significantly affect HI exchange mechanisms. We also observe a slower growth rate HI relative to the molecular gas, supporting the idea that the accretion of cold gas is slower than the rate of consumption of molecular gas to form stars. This study contributes to understanding the role of atomic gas in galaxy evolution and sets the stage for future development of the field in the upcoming SKA era.

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Uncovering Extraplanar Gas in UGCA 250 with the Ultra-deep MHONGOOSE Survey

We use the neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) observations of the edge-on galaxy UGCA 250, taken as part of the MeerKAT HI Observations of Nearby Galactic Objects - Observing Southern Emitters (MHONGOOSE) survey to investigate the amount, morphology, and kinematics of extraplanar gas. The combination of high column density sensitivity and high spatial resolution of the survey over a large field of view is ideal for studying the underlying physics governing the extraplanar gas. These data reveal 9 additional detections within the field of view along with UGCA 250, with 8 of them being within $\sim$ 200 km s$^{-1}$ of the galaxy's systemic velocity. The galaxy seems to have a tail-like feature extending away from it in the southern direction up to $\sim$ 41 kpc (in projection). We also detect a cloud at anomalous velocities, but we did not find any optical counterpart. We construct a detailed tilted ring model for this edge-on galaxy to gain a deeper understanding of the vertical structure of its neutral hydrogen. The model that best matches the data features a thick disc with a scale height of $\sim$ 3$\pm$1 kpc and an HI mass of about 15$\%$ of the total HI mass. This extraplanar gas is detected for the first time in UGCA 250. Our analysis favours a mixed origin for the extraplanar gas in UGCA 250, likely arising from a combination of internal stellar feedback and external tidal interactions.

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An ESO-SKAO Synergistic Approach to Galaxy Formation and Evolution Studies

We highlight the potential benefits of a synergistic use of SKAO and ESO facilities for galaxy evolution studies, focusing on the role that ESO spectroscopic surveys can play in supporting next-generation radio continuum and atomic hydrogen (HI) surveys. More specifically we illustrate the role that currently available or soon to be operational ESO multiplex spectrographs can play for three classes of projects: large/deep redshift survey campaigns, integral field unit/Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (IFU/ALMA) surveys of selected regions of sky, and IFU/ALMA follow-ups of selected samples. We conclude with some general recommendations for an efficient joint exploitation of ESO-SKAO surveys.

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Photometry and kinematics of dwarf galaxies from the Apertif HI survey

Context. Understanding the dwarf galaxy population in low density environments is crucial for testing the LCDM cosmological model. The increase in diversity towards low mass galaxies is seen as an increase in the scatter of scaling relations such as the stellar mass-size and the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR), and is also demonstrated by recent in-depth studies of an extreme subclass of dwarf galaxies of low surface brightness, but large physical sizes, called ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs). Aims. We select galaxies from the Apertif HI survey, and apply a constraint on their i-band absolute magnitude to exclude high mass systems. The sample consists of 24 galaxies, and span HI mass ranges of 8.6 < log ($M_{HI}/M_{Sun}$) < 9.7 and stellar mass range of 8.0 < log ($M_*/M_{Sun}$) < 9.7 (with only three galaxies having log ($M_*/M_{Sun}$) > 9). Methods. We determine the geometrical parameters of the HI and stellar discs, build kinematic models from the HI data using 3DBarolo, and extract surface brightness profiles in g-, r- and i-band from the Pan-STARRS 1 photometric survey. Results. We find that, at fixed stellar mass, our HI selected dwarfs have larger optical effective radii than isolated, optically-selected dwarfs from the literature. We find misalignments between the optical and HI morphologies for some of our sample. For most of our galaxies, we use the HI morphology to determine their kinematics, and we stress that deep optical observations are needed to trace the underlying stellar discs. Standard dwarfs in our sample follow the same BTFR of high-mass galaxies, whereas UDGs are slightly offset towards lower rotational velocities, in qualitative agreement with results from previous studies. Finally, our sample features a fraction (25%) of dwarf galaxies in pairs that is significantly larger with respect to previous estimates based on optical spectroscopic data.

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The Ancient Star Formation History of the Extremely Low-Mass Galaxy Leo P: An Emerging Trend of a Post-Reionization Pause in Star Formation

Isolated, low-mass galaxies provide the opportunity to assess the impact of reionization on their star formation histories (SFHs) without the ambiguity of environmental processes associated with massive host galaxies. There are very few isolated, low-mass galaxies that are close enough to determine their SFHs from resolved star photometry reaching below the oldest main sequence turnoff. JWST has increased the volume for which this is possible, and here we report on JWST observations of the low-mass, isolated galaxy Leo P. From NIRCam imaging in F090W, F150W, and F277W, we derive a SFH which shows early star formation followed by a pause subsequent to the epoch of reionization which is then later followed by a re-ignition of star formation. This is very similar to the SFHs from previous studies of other dwarf galaxies in the ``transition zone'' between quenched very low-mass galaxies and the more massive galaxies which show no evidence of the impact of reionization on their SFHs; this pattern is rarely produced in simulations of SFHs. The lifetime SFH reveals that Leo P's stellar mass at the epoch of reionization was in the range that is normally associated with being totally quenched. The extended pause in star formation from z~5-1 has important implications for the contribution of low-mass galaxies to the UV photon budget at intermediate redshifts. We also demonstrate that, due to higher sensitivity and angular resolution, observing in two NIRCam short wavelength filters is superior to observing in a combination of a short and a long wavelength filter.

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The discovery of a z=0.7092 OH megamaser with the MIGHTEE survey

We present the discovery of the most distant OH megamaser to be observed in the main lines, using data from the MeerKAT International Giga-Hertz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) survey. At a newly measured redshift of $z = 0.7092$, the system has strong emission in both the 1665MHz ($L \approx 2500$ L$_{\odot}$) and 1667 MHz ($L \approx 4.5\times10^4$ L$_{\odot}$) transitions, with both narrow and broad components. We interpret the broad line as a high-velocity-dispersion component of the 1667 MHz transition, with velocity $v \sim 330$km s$^{-1}$ with respect to the systemic velocity. The host galaxy has a stellar mass of $M_{\star} = 2.95 \times 10^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$ and a star-formation rate of SFR = 371 M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$, placing it $\sim 1.5$dex above the main sequence for star-forming galaxies at this redshift, and can be classified as an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy. Alongside the optical imaging data, which exhibits evidence for a tidal tail, this suggests that the OH megamaser arises from a system that is currently undergoing a merger, which is stimulating star formation and providing the necessary conditions for pumping the OH molecule to saturation. The OHM is likely to be lensed, with a magnification factor of $\sim 2.5$, and perhaps more if the maser emitting region is compact and suitably offset relative to the centroid of its host galaxy's optical light. This discovery demonstrates that spectral line mapping with the new generation of radio interferometers may provide important information on the cosmic merger history of galaxies.

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