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G. H. Rieke

Publications and source records attributed to G. H. Rieke.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

First detection of the Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect increment at lambda < 650 um

The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect is a spectral distortion of the cosmic microwave background as observed through the hot plasma in galaxy clusters. This distortion is a decrement in the CMB intensity for lambda > 1.3 mm, an increment at shorter wavelengths, and small again by lambda ~250 um. As part of the Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS) we have mapped 1E0657-56 (the Bullet cluster) with SPIRE with bands centered at 250, 350 and 500 um and have detected the SZ effect at the two longest wavelengths. The measured SZ effect increment central intensities are Delta I_{0} = 0.097 +- 0.019 MJy sr^{-1} at 350 um and Delta I_{0} = 0.268 +- 0.031 MJy sr^{-1} at 500 um, consistent with the SZ effect spectrum derived from previous measurements at 2 mm. No other diffuse emission is detected. The presence of the finite temperature SZ effect correction is preferred by the SPIRE data at a significance of 2.1 sigma, opening the possibility that the relativistic SZ effect correction can be constrained by SPIRE in a sample of clusters. The results presented here have important ramifications for both sub-mm measurements of galaxy clusters and blank field surveys with SPIRE.

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The far-infrared/submillimeter properties of galaxies located behind the Bullet cluster

The Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS) takes advantage of gravitational lensing by massive galaxy clusters to sample a population of high-redshift galaxies which are too faint to be detected above the confusion limit of current far-infrared/submillimeter telescopes. Measurements from 100-500 micron bracket the peaks of the far-infrared spectral energy distributions of these galaxies, characterizing their infrared luminosities and star formation rates. We introduce initial results from our science demonstration phase observations, directed toward the Bullet cluster (1E0657-56). By combining our observations with LABOCA 870 micron and AzTEC 1.1 mm data we fully constrain the spectral energy distributions of 19 MIPS 24 micron selected galaxies which are located behind the cluster. We find that their colors are best fit using templates based on local galaxies with systematically lower infrared luminosities.This suggests that our sources are not like local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies in which vigorous star formation is contained in a compact highly dust-obscured region. Instead, they appear to be scaled up versions of lower luminosity local galaxies with star formation occurring on larger physical scales.

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The Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS): overview

The Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS) will conduct deep PACS and SPIRE imaging of ~40 massive clusters of galaxies. The strong gravitational lensing power of these clusters will enable us to penetrate through the confusion noise, which sets the ultimate limit on our ability to probe the Universe with Herschel. Here, we present an overview of our survey and a summary of the major results from our Science Demonstration Phase (SDP) observations of the Bullet Cluster (z=0.297). The SDP data are rich, allowing us to study not only the background high-redshift galaxies (e.g., strongly lensed and distorted galaxies at z=2.8 and 3.2) but also the properties of cluster-member galaxies. Our preliminary analysis shows a great diversity of far-infrared/submillimeter spectral energy distributions (SEDs), indicating that we have much to learn with Herschel about the properties of galaxy SEDs. We have also detected the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect increment with the SPIRE data. The success of this SDP program demonstrates the great potential of the Herschel Lensing Survey to produce exciting results in a variety of science areas.

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A Spitzer/IRS Study of Local Luminous Infrared Galaxies

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. It is likely that increased densities in the nuclei are responsible for the smaller nuclear ratios. In the nuclei, it is also possible that the most massive stars are either absent, or still embedded in ultracompact HII regions. Finally we discuss the possible contribution of an AGN to the nuclear mid-IR emission of the galaxy, which in general is low in these local LIRGs.

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Debris Disks around Solar-Type Stars: Observations of the Pleiades with Spitzer Space Telescope

We present Spitzer MIPS observations at 24 um of 37 solar-type stars in the Pleiades and combine them with previous observations to obtain a sample of 71 stars. We report that 23 stars, or 32 +/- 6.8%, have excesses at 24 um at least 10% above their photospheric emission. We compare our results with studies of debris disks in other open clusters and with a study of A stars to show that debris disks around solar-type stars at 115 Myr occur at nearly the same rate as around A-type stars. We analyze the effects of binarity and X-ray activity on the excess flux. Stars with warm excesses tend not to be in equal-mass binary systems, possibly due to clearing of planetesimals by binary companions in similar orbits. We find that the apparent anti-correlations in the incidence of excess and both the rate of stellar rotation and also the level of activity as judged by X-ray emission are statistically weak.

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Observational constraints on the co-evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies

The star formation rate (SFR) and black hole accretion rate (BHAR) functions are measured to be proportional to each other at z < ~3. This close correspondence between SF and BHA would naturally yield a BH mass-galaxy mass correlation, whereas a BH mass-bulge mass correlation is observed. To explore this apparent contradiction we study the SF in spheroid-dominated galaxies between z=1 and the present day. We use 903 galaxies from the COMBO-17 survey with M* >2x10^10M_sun, ultraviolet and infrared-derived SFRs from Spitzer and GALEX, and morphologies from GEMS HST/ACS imaging. Using stacking techniques, we find that <25% of all SF occurs in spheroid-dominated galaxies (Sersic index n>2.5), while the BHAR that we would expect if the global scalings held is three times higher. This rules out the simplest picture of co-evolution, in which SF and BHA trace each other at all times. These results could be explained if SF and BHA occur in the same events, but offset in time, for example at different stages of a merger event. However, one would then expect to see the corresponding star formation activity in early-stage mergers, in conflict with observations. We conclude that the major episodes of SF and BHA occur in different events, with the bulk of SF happening in isolated disks and most BHA occurring in major mergers. The apparent global co-evolution results from the regulation of the BH growth by the potential well of the galactic spheroid, which includes a major contribution from disrupted disk stars.

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The Debris Disk Around HR 8799

We have obtained a full suite of Spitzer observations to characterize the debris disk around HR 8799 and to explore how its properties are related to the recently discovered set of three massive planets orbiting the star. We distinguish three components to the debris system: (1) warm dust (T ~150 K) orbiting within the innermost planet; (2) a broad zone of cold dust (T ~45 K) with a sharp inner edge, orbiting just outside the outermost planet and presumably sculpted by it; and (3) a dramatic halo of small grains originating in the cold dust component. The high level of dynamical activity implied by this halo may arise due to enhanced gravitational stirring by the massive planets. The relatively young age of HR 8799 places it in an important early stage of development and may provide some help in understanding the interaction of planets and planetary debris, an important process in the evolution of our own solar system.

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The Link Between SCUBA and Spitzer: Cold Galaxies at z<1

We show that the far-IR properties of distant Luminous and Ultraluminous InfraRed Galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) are on average divergent from analogous sources in the local Universe. Our analysis is based on Spitzer MIPS and IRAC data of L_IR>10^10 L_solar, 70um-selected objects in the 0.1 1 SubMillimetre Galaxies (SMGs) discovered in blank-field submillimetre surveys. The Herschel Space Observatory is well placed to fully characterise the nature of these objects, as its coverage extends over a major part of the far-IR/submm SED for a wide redshift range.

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Spitzer Observations of Cold Dust Galaxies

We combine new Spitzer Space Telescope observations in the mid- and far-infrared with SCUBA 850 micron observations to improve the measurement of dust temperatures, masses and luminosities for 11 galaxies of the SCUBA Local Universe Galaxy Survey (SLUGS). By fitting dust models we measure typical dust masses of 10E7.9 M_sol and dust luminosities of ~ 10E10 L_sol, for galaxies with modest star formation rates. The data presented in this paper combined with previous observations show that cold dust is present in all types of spiral galaxies and is a major contributor to their total luminosity. Because of the lower dust temperature of the SCUBA sources measured in this paper, they have flatter Far-IR nu F_nu(160um)/nu F_nu(850um) slopes than the larger Spitzer Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS), the sample that provides the best measurements of the dust properties of galaxies in the nearby universe. The new data presented here added to SINGS extend the parameter space that is well covered by local galaxies, providing a comprehensive set of templates that can be used to interpret the observations of nearby and distant galaxies.

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SPITZER/IRAC-MIPS Survey of NGC2451A and B: Debris Disks at 50-80 million years

We present a Spitzer IRAC and MIPS survey of NGC 2451 A and B, two open clusters in the 50-80 Myr age range. We complement these data with extensive ground-based photometry and spectroscopy to identify the cluster members in the Spitzer survey field. We find only two members with 8 micron excesses. The incidence of excesses at 24 microns is much higher, 11 of 31 solar-like stars and 1 of 7 early-type (A) stars. This work nearly completes the debris disk surveys with Spitzer of clusters in the 30-130 Myr range. This range is of inte rest because it is when large planetesimal collisions may have still been relatively common (as indicated by the one that led to the formation of the Moon during this period of the evolution of the Solar System). We review the full set of surveys and find that there are only three possible cases out of about 250 roughly solar-mass stars where very large excesses suggest that such collisions have occurred recently.

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The low level of debris disk activity at the time of the Late Heavy Bombardment: a Spitzer study of Praesepe

We present 24 micron photometry of the intermediate-age open cluster Praesepe. We assemble a catalog of 193 probable cluster members that are detected in optical databases, the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), and at 24 micron, within an area of ~ 2.47 square degrees. Mid-IR excesses indicating debris disks are found for one early-type and for three solar-type stars. Corrections for sampling statistics yield a 24 micron excess fraction (debris disk fraction) of 6.5 +- 4.1% for luminous and 1.9 +- 1.2% for solar-type stars. The incidence of excesses is in agreement with the decay trend of debris disks as a function of age observed for other cluster and field stars. The values also agree with those for older stars, indicating that debris generation in the zones that emit at 24 micron falls to the older 1-10 Gyr field star sample value by roughly 750 Myr. We discuss our results in the context of previous observations of excess fractions for early- and solar-type stars. We show that solar-type stars lose their debris disk 24 micron excesses on a shorter timescale than early-type stars. Simplistic Monte Carlo models suggest that, during the first Gyr of their evolution, up to 15-30% of solar-type stars might undergo an orbital realignment of giant planets such as the one thought to have led to the Late Heavy Bombardment, if the length of the bombardment episode is similar to the one thought to have happened in our Solar System. In the Appendix, we determine the cluster's parameters via boostrap Monte Carlo isochrone fitting, yielding an age of 757 Myr (+- 36 Myr at 1 sigma confidence) and a distance of 179 pc (+- 2 pc at 1 sigma confidence), not allowing for systematic errors.

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Determining Star Formation Rates for Infrared Galaxies

We show that measures of star formation rates (SFRs) for infrared galaxies using either single-band 24 um or extinction-corrected Paschen-alpha luminosities are consistent in the total infrared luminosity = L(TIR) ~ 10^10 L_sun range. MIPS 24 micron photometry can yield star formation rates accurately from this luminosity upward: SFR(M_sun/yr) = 7.8 x 10^-10 L(24 um, L_sun) from L(TIR) = 5 x 10^9 L_sun to 10^11 L_sun, and SFR = 7.8 x 10^-10 L(24 um, L_sun) x (7.76 x 10^-11 L(24))^0.048 for higher L(TIR). For galaxies with L(TIR) >= 10^10 L_sun, these new expressions should provide SFRs to within 0.2 dex. For L(TIR) >= 10^11 L_sun, we find that the SFR of infrared galaxies is significantly underestimated using extinction-corrected Pa-alpha (and presumably using any other optical or near infrared recombination lines). As a part of this work, we constructed spectral energy distribution (SED) templates for eleven luminous and ultraluminous purely star forming infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) and over the spectral range 0.4 microns to 30 cm. We use these templates and the SINGS data to construct average templates from 5 microns to 30 cm for infrared galaxies with L(TIR) = 5 x 10^9 to 10^13 L_sun. All of these templates are made available on line.

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A Catalog of 24um Sources Toward the Galactic Center

We present a 1.5deg x 8deg (220pc x 1195pc) Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer 24um image of the Galactic Center and an accompanying point source list. This image is the highest spatial resolution (6" ~ 0.25pc) and sensitivity map ever taken across the GC at this wavelength, showing the emission by warm dust in unprecedented detail. Over 120,000 point sources are identified in this catalog with signal-to-noise ratios greater than five and flux densities from 0.6mJy to 9Jy.

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Ubiquitous outflows in DEEP2 spectra of star-forming galaxies at z=1.4

Galactic winds are a prime suspect for the metal enrichment of the intergalactic medium and may have a strong influence on the chemical evolution of galaxies and the nature of QSO absorption line systems. We use a sample of 1406 galaxy spectra at z~1.4 from the DEEP2 redshift survey to show that blueshifted Mg II 2796, 2803 A absorption is ubiquitous in starforming galaxies at this epoch. This is the first detection of frequent outflowing galactic winds at z~1. The presence and depth of absorption are independent of AGN spectral signatures or galaxy morphology; major mergers are not a prerequisite for driving a galactic wind from massive galaxies. Outflows are found in coadded spectra of galaxies spanning a range of 30x in stellar mass and 10x in star formation rate (SFR), calibrated from K-band and from MIPS IR fluxes. The outflows have column densities of order N_H ~ 10^20 cm^-2 and characteristic velocities of ~ 300-500 km/sec, with absorption seen out to 1000 km/sec in the most massive, highest SFR galaxies. The velocities suggest that the outflowing gas can escape into the IGM and that massive galaxies can produce cosmologically and chemically significant outflows. Both the Mg II equivalent width and the outflow velocity are larger for galaxies of higher stellar mass and SFR, with V_wind ~ SFR^0.3, similar to the scaling in low redshift IR-luminous galaxies. The high frequency of outflows in the star-forming galaxy population at z~1 indicates that galactic winds occur in the progenitors of massive spirals as well as those of ellipticals. The increase of outflow velocity with mass and SFR constrains theoretical models of galaxy evolution that include feedback from galactic winds, and may favor momentum-driven models for the wind physics.

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Photoevaporation of Protoplanetary Disks

We present HST/NICMOS Paschen alpha images and low and high resolution IRS spectra of photoevaporating disk-tail systems originally detected at 24 micron near O stars. We find no Paschen alpha emission in any of the systems. The resulting upper limits correspond to about 0.000002-0.000003 solar mass of mass in hydrogen in the tails suggesting that the gas is severely depleted. The IRAC data and the low resolution 5-12 micron IRS spectra provide evidence for an inner disk while high resolution long wavelength (14-30 micron) IRS spectra confirm the presence of a gas free ``tail'' that consists of ~ 0.01 to ~ 1 micron dust grains originating in the outer parts of the circumstellar disks. Overall our observations support theoretical predictions in which photoevaporation removes the gas relatively quickly (<= 100000 yrs) from the outer region of a protoplanetary disk but leaves an inner more robust and possibly gas-rich disk component of radius 5-10 AU. With the gas gone, larger solid bodies in the outer disk can experience a high rate of collisions and produce elevated amounts of dust. This dust is being stripped from the system by the photon pressure of the O star to form a gas-free dusty tail.

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Spitzer's Contribution to the AGN Population

(abridged) Infrared selection is a potentially powerful way to identify heavily obscured AGN missed in even the deepest X-ray surveys. Using a 24 micron-selected sample in GOODS-S, we test the reliability and completeness of three infrared AGN selection methods: (1) IRAC color-color selection, (2) IRAC power-law selection, and (3) IR-excess selection; we also evaluate a number of infrared excess approaches. We find that the vast majority of non-power-law IRAC color-selected AGN candidates in GOODS-S have colors consistent with those of star-forming galaxies. Contamination by star-forming galaxies is most prevalent at low 24 micron flux densities (~100 uJy) and high redshifts (z~2), but the fraction of potential contaminants is still high (~50%) at 500 uJy, the highest flux density probed reliably by our survey. AGN candidates selected via a simple, physically-motivated power-law criterion (PLGs), however, appear to be reliable. We confirm that the infrared excess methods successfully identify a number of AGN, but we also find that such samples may be significantly contaminated by star-forming galaxies. Adding only the secure Spitzer-selected PLG, color-selected, IR-excess, and radio/IR-selected AGN candidates to the deepest X-ray-selected AGN samples directly increases the number of known X-ray AGN (84) by 54-77%, and implies an increase to the number of 24 micron-detected AGN of 71-94%. Finally, we show that the fraction of MIR sources dominated by an AGN decreases with decreasing MIR flux density, but only down to f_24 = 300 uJy. Below this limit, the AGN fraction levels out, indicating that a non-negligible fraction (~10%) of faint 24 micron sources (the majority of which are missed in the X-ray) are powered not by star formation, but by the central engine.

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Absolute Physical Calibration in the Infrared

We determine an absolute calibration for the MIPS 24 microns band and recommend adjustments to the published calibrations for 2MASS, IRAC, and IRAS photometry to put them on the same scale. We show that consistent results are obtained by basing the calibration on either an average A0V star spectral energy distribution (SED), or by using the absolutely calibrated SED of the sun in comparison with solar-type stellar photometry (the solar analog method). After the rejection of a small number of stars with anomalous SEDs (or bad measurements), upper limits of ~ 1.5% (rms) are placed on the intrinsic infrared SED variations in both A dwarf and solar-type stars. These types of stars are therefore suitable as general-purpose standard stars in the infrared. We provide absolutely calibrated SEDs for a standard zero magnitude A star and for the sun to allow extending this work to any other infrared photometric system. They allow the recommended calibration to be applied from 1 to 25 microns with an accuracy of ~2 %, and with even higher accuracy at specific wavelengths such as 2.2, 10.6, and 24 microns, near which there are direct measurements. However, we confirm earlier indications that Vega does not behave as a typical A0V star between the visible and the infrared, making it problematic as the defining star for photometric systems. The integration of measurements of the sun with those of solar-type stars also provides an accurate estimate of the solar SED from 1 through 30 microns, which we show agrees with theoretical models.

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Spitzer Observations of Supernova Remnant IC 443

We present Spitzer observations of IC 443 obtained with MIPS and IRS as part of our GTO program on the astrophysics of ejecta from evolved stars. We find that the overall morphology at mid/far IR wavelengths resembles even more closely a loop or a shell than the ground based optical and/or near IR images.The dust temperature map, based on the 70/160micron ratio, shows a range from 18 to 30 K degrees. The IRS spectra confirm the findings from previous near+mid IR spectroscopic observations of a collisionally excited gas, atomic and molecular, rich in fine structure atomic and pure H2 rotational emission lines, respectively. The spectroscopic shock indicator, [Ne II] 12.8micron, suggests shock velocities ranging from 60-90 km/s, consistent with the values derived from other indicators.

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