arXiv subjects

S. Veilleux

Publications and source records attributed to S. Veilleux.

147 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv1998

The IRAS 1-Jy Survey of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies: II. Optical Spectroscopy

This is the second paper in a series discussing the properties of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs: L_ir > 10^{12} L_sun; Ho = 75 km s^{-1} Mpc^{-1} and qo = 0.0) from the 1-Jy sample of Kim (1995). This paper presents the first results of a spectroscopic survey at optical wavelengths of a randomly selected subset of 45 ULIGs from Kim & Sanders (1997). These new data are combined with previous data from Veilleux et al. (1995) to determine the spectral properties of luminous infrared galaxies (LIGs) with L_ir ~= 10^{10.5}-10^{13} L_sun. We find that the fraction of Seyfert galaxies among LIGs increases dramatically above L_ir ~= 10^{12.3} L_sun --- nearly half of the galaxies with L_ir > 10^{12.3} L_sun present Seyfert characteristics. Many of the optical properties of these Seyfert galaxies are consistent with the presence of a genuine active galactic nucleus (AGN) in the core of these objects. The continuum colors and strengths of the stellar H-beta and MgIb features in and out of the nuclei of ULIGs indicate that star formation has recently (~10^7 yr) taken place in the nuclear and circumnuclear regions of many of these objects. As expected, photoionization by hot stars appears to be the dominant source of ionization in the objects with H II region-like spectra. Evidence is presented that the ionization source in infrared-selected galaxies with nuclear LINER-like spectra (38% of the ULIGs in our sample) is likely to be shocks or of stellar origins rather than an AGN. Shock ionization associated with starburst-driven outflows may also explain the LINER-like emission detected outside the nuclei of some galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Artillery Shells over Circinus

The recently identified Circinus Galaxy is the nearest (about 4 Mpc) Seyfert 2 galaxy known and we now demonstrate to be one of the best laboratories for studying the effects of nuclear activity on the surrounding environment. Here we present new imaging Fabry-Perot observations of Circinus which confirm the existence of an ionization cone in this object but also show for the first time a complex of ionized filaments extending radially from the nucleus out to distances of 1 kpc. Arcs suggestive of bow shocks are observed at the terminus of some of these filamentary structures. Most spectacular of all, one of the structures appears to be a scaled-up version of a Herbig-Haro jet. The velocity field of the filaments confirms that they represent material expelled from the nucleus (possibly in the form of `bullets') or entrained in a wide-angle wind roughly aligned with the polar axis of the galaxy. The motions observed across the ionization cone are highly supersonic, so high-velocity shocks are likely to contribute to the ionization of the line emitting gas. However, it is not clear at present whether shock ionization dominates over photoionization by the Seyfert 2 nucleus. Extrapolation of the filaments to smaller radii comes to within 1 arcsec (about 20 pc) of the infrared nucleus, therefore suggesting a AGN or nuclear starburst origin to these features. The complex of radial filaments detected in the Circinus galaxy is unique among active galaxies. The frequency of such events is unknown since only a handful of galaxies have been observed at the sensitivity level of our present observations. The event in the Circinus galaxy may represent a relatively common evolutionary phase in the lives of gas-rich active galaxies during which the dusty cocoon surrounding the nucleus is expelled by the action of jet or wind phenomena.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Pre-Starbursts in Luminous IR Galaxies ?

We present first results of our on-going BIMA Key Project: imaging the CO(1-0) emission from a sample of 10 luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs) that are at various merging stages, with special emphasis on systems apparently in the early/intermediate stages of merging. We present here CO images with $\sim 5''$ resolution. An important result is the recognition of a plausible pre-starburst phase in some early LIRG mergers (e.g., Arp 302 and NGC 6670). Our initial analysis suggests that a merger-induced starburst phase may not begin before the nuclear separation between the merging galaxies reaches roughly 10 kpc. The surface gas density seems to increase from a few times $10^2 \Msun pc^{-2} to >10^3 \Msun pc^{-2}$ while the prominent CO extent systematically decreases as merging progresses.

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