arXiv subjects

Tom Shanks

Publications and source records attributed to Tom Shanks.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Stacked Reverberation Mapping of High Redshift Quasars in DESI. I. Feasibility Analysis

The broad line region of quasars has long been probed by reverberation mapping techniques that measure time lags between continuum and broad emission line variations. Stacked reverberation mapping has been proposed as a less observationally expensive alternative to traditional methods. This ensemble approach also reduces biases from small-number statistics. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is conducting the most extensive spectroscopic survey of quasars to date. We create mock light curves emulating expected DESI quasar observations at redshifts $1.48<z<5.2$ and luminosities $ 44.68 \leq \log L_{1350} \lambda / \mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}} \leq 45.99 $ to test stacked reverberation mapping feasibility using sparse spectroscopic data paired with well-sampled photometric data. The pipeline, using the lag estimation code JAVELIN, successfully recovers the simulated C IV lags within one sigma of the true values using spectroscopic light curves composed of only a few spectral epochs (2-10) with irregular cadences. We investigate how observational factors, including C IV flux error magnitude, number of stacked quasars, and spectral epoch count, affect performance. This work motivates a pathway for future stacked reverberation mapping projects with large scale spectroscopic surveys of quasars having $\geq 2$ spectroscopic observations. Our results suggest an economical alternative for constraining and extending the radius-luminosity relation to higher redshifts and luminosities. Subsequently, this relation can be employed more reliably in single-epoch black hole mass measurements and quasar cosmology in these distant regimes.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

4MOST Cosmology Redshift Survey (CRS): Clustering Properties of CRS Bright Galaxy and Luminous Red Galaxy Target Catalogues

The 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope Cosmology Redshift Survey (4MOST CRS) will obtain 5.4 million spectroscopic redshifts over ~5700 deg^2 to map large-scale structure and enable measurements of baryon acoustic oscillations, growth rates via redshift-space distortions, and cross-correlations with weak-lensing surveys. We validate the target selections, photometry, masking, systematics, and redshift distributions of the bright galaxy (BG) and luminous red galaxy (LRG) target catalogues selected from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Survey DR10.1 (LS) imaging. We measure the angular two-point correlation function, $w(\theta)$, test masking strategies, and recover redshift distributions via cross-correlation with DESI DR1 spectroscopy. For BGs, we adopt LS MASKBITS that veto bright stars and extended sources; for LRGs, we pair these with unblurred coadds of the WISE imaging (unWISE) W1 artefact masks. These choices suppress small-scale excess power without imprinting large-scale modes. A Limber-scaling test across BG $r$-band magnitude slices shows that, after applying the scaling, the $w(\theta)$ curves collapse to a near-common power law, demonstrating photometric uniformity with depth and consistency between the North and South Galactic Caps. Cross-correlations with DESI spectroscopy recover the expected N(z), albeit with high shot noise at the brightest magnitudes. For LRGs, angular clustering in photo-$z$ slices ($0.4\le z<1.0$) is consistent between the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) and Dark Energy Survey (DES) footprints and is well described by an approximate power law once photo-$z$ smearing is included; halo-occupation fits are consistent with recent LRG studies. Together, these tests indicate that the masks and target selections yield reliable clustering statistics, supporting precision large-scale structure analyses with 4MOST CRS.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Cross-correlating Planck with VST ATLAS LRGs: a new test for the ISW effect in the Southern Hemisphere

The Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect probes the late-time expansion history of the universe, offering direct constraints on dark energy. Here we present our measurements of the ISW signal at redshifts of $\bar{z}=0.35$, $0.55$ and $0.68$, using the cross-correlation of the Planck CMB temperature map with $\sim0.5$ million Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) selected from the VST ATLAS survey. We then combine these with previous measurements based on WMAP and similar SDSS LRG samples, providing a total sample of $\sim2.1$ million LRGs covering $\sim12000$ deg$^2$ of sky. At $\bar{z}=0.35$ and $\bar{z}=0.55$ we detect the ISW signal at $1.2\sigma$ and $2.3\sigma$ (or $2.6\sigma$ combined), in agreement with the predictions of $\Lambda$CDM. We verify these results by repeating the measurements using the BOSS LOWZ and CMASS, spectroscopically confirmed LRG samples. We also detect the ISW effect in three magnitude limited ATLAS+SDSS galaxy samples extending to $z\approx0.4$ at $\sim2\sigma$ per sample. However, we do not detect the ISW signal at $\bar{z}=0.68$ when combining the ATLAS and SDSS results. Further tests using spectroscopically confirmed eBOSS LRGs at this redshift remain inconclusive due to the current low sky coverage of the survey. If the ISW signal is shown to be redshift dependent in a manner inconsistent with the predictions of $\Lambda$CDM, it could open the door to alternative theories such as modified gravity. It is therefore important to repeat the high redshift ISW measurement using the completed eBOSS sample, as well as deeper upcoming surveys such as DESI and LSST.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2019

Linking gas and galaxies at high redshift: MUSE surveys the environments of six damped Lyman alpha galaxies at z~3

We present results from a survey of galaxies in the fields of six z>3 Damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs) using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We report a high detection rate of up to ~80% of galaxies within 1000 km/s from DLAs and with impact parameters between 25 and 280 kpc. In particular, we discovered 5 high-confidence Lyman alpha emitters associated with three DLAs, plus up to 9 additional detections across five of the six fields. The majority of the detections are at relatively large impact parameters (>50 kpc) with two detections being plausible host galaxies. Among our detections, we report four galaxies associated with the most metal-poor DLA in our sample (Z/Z_sun = -2.33), which trace an overdense structure resembling a filament. By comparing our detections with predictions from the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) cosmological simulations and a semi-analytic model designed to reproduce the observed bias of DLAs at z>2, we conclude that our observations are consistent with a scenario in which a significant fraction of DLAs trace the neutral regions within halos with a characteristic mass of 10^11-10^12 M_sun, in agreement with the inference made from the large-scale clustering of DLAs. We finally show how larger surveys targeting ~25 absorbers have the potential of constraining the characteristic masses of halos hosting high-redshift DLAs with sufficient accuracy to discriminate between different models.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

$H_0$ Tension: Response to Riess et al arXiv:1810.03526

Riess et al (2018c) have claimed there exist seven problems in the analyses presented by Shanks et al (2018) where we argue that there is enough uncertainty in Cepheid distances and local peculiar velocity fields to explain the current tension in $H_0$. Here, we take each of the Riess et al (2018c) points in turn and suggest that either they do not apply or that the necessary caveats are already made by Shanks et al (2018). We conclude that the main point to be inferred from our analyses still stands which is that previous claims by Riess et al (2018b) that Gaia parallaxes confirm their Cepheid scale are, at best, premature in advance of further improvements in the Gaia astrometric solution.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

GAIA Cepheid parallaxes and 'Local Hole' relieve $H_0$ tension

There is an $\approx9\pm2.5$\% tension between the value of Hubble's Constant, $H_0=67.4\pm0.5$km\,s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$, implied by the {\it Planck} microwave background power spectrum and that given by the distance scale of $H_0=73.4\pm1.7$km\,s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$. But with a plausible assumption about a {\it Gaia} DR2 parallax systematic offset, we find that {\it Gaia} parallax distances of Milky Way Cepheid calibrators are $\approx12-15$\% longer than previously estimated. Similarly, {\it Gaia} also implies $\approx4.7\pm1.7$\% longer distances for 46 Cepheids than previous distances on the scale of Riess et al. Then we show that the existence of an $\approx150$h$^{-1}$Mpc `Local Hole' in the galaxy distribution implies an outflow of $\approx500$km\,s$^{-1}$. Accounting for this in the recession velocities of SNIa standard candles out to $z\approx0.15$ reduces $H_0$ by a further $\approx1.8$\%. Combining the above two results would reduce the distance scale $H_0$ estimate by $\approx7$\% from $H_0\approx73.4\pm1.7$ to $\approx68.9\pm1.6$ km\,s$^{-1}$Mpc$^{-1}$, in reasonable agreement with the {\it Planck} value. We conclude that the discrepancy between distance scale and {\it Planck} $H_0$ measurements remains unconfirmed due to uncertainties caused by {\it Gaia} systematics and an unexpectedly inhomogeneous local galaxy distribution.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2018

Quasars probing quasars X: The quasar pair spectral database

The rare close projection of two quasars on the sky provides the opportunity to study the host galaxy environment of a foreground quasar in absorption against the continuum emission of a background quasar. For over a decade the "Quasars probing quasars" series has utilized this technique to further the understanding of galaxy formation and evolution in the presence of a quasar at z>2, resolving scales as small as a galactic disc and from bound gas in the circumgalactic medium to the diffuse environs of intergalactic space. Presented here, is the public release of the quasar pair spectral database utilized in these studies. In addition to projected pairs at z>2, the database also includes quasar pair members at z<2, gravitational lens candidates and quasars closely separated in redshift that are useful for small-scale clustering studies. In total the database catalogs 5627 distinct objects, with 4083 lying within 5' of at least one other source. A spectral library contains 3582 optical and near-infrared spectra for 3028 of the cataloged sources. As well as reporting on 54 newly discovered quasar pairs, we outline the key contributions made by this series over the last ten years, summarize the imaging and spectroscopic data used for target selection, discuss the target selection methodologies, describe the database content and explore some avenues for future work. Full documentation for the spectral database, including download instructions, are supplied at the following URL http://specdb.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Detection significance of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations peaks in galaxy and quasar clustering

We compare our analysis of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) feature in the correlation functions of SDSS BOSS DR12 LOWZ and CMASS galaxy samples with the findings of arXiv:1509.06371v2. Using subsets of the data we obtain an empirical estimate of the errors on the correlation functions which are in agreement with the simulated errors of arXiv:1509.06371v2. We find that the significance of BAO detection is the quantity most sensitive to the choice of the fitting range with the CMASS value decreasing from $8.0\sigma$ to $5.3\sigma$ as the fitting range is reduced. Although our measurements of $D_V(z)$ are in agreement with those of arXiv:1509.06371v2, we note that their CMASS $8.0\sigma$ (LOWZ $4.0\sigma$) detection significance reduces to $4.7\sigma$ ($2.8\sigma$) in fits with their diagonal covariance terms only. We extend our BAO analysis to higher redshifts by fitting to the weighted mean of 2QDESp, SDSS DR5 UNIFORM, 2QZ and 2SLAQ quasar correlation functions, obtaining a $7.6\%$ measurement compared to $3.9\%$ achieved by eBOSS DR14. Unlike for the LRG surveys, the larger error on quasar correlation functions implies a smaller role for nuisance parameters (accounting for scale-dependent clustering) in providing a good fit to the fiducial $\Lambda$CDM model. Again using only the error bars of arXiv:1705.06373v2 and ignoring any off-diagonal covariance matrix terms, we find that the eBOSS peak significance reduces from 2.8 to $1.4\sigma$. We conclude that for both LRGs and quasars, the reported BAO peak significances from the SDSS surveys depend sensitively on the accuracy of the covariance matrix at large separations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

Witnessing galaxy assembly in an extended z~3 structure

We present new observations acquired with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer instrument on the Very Large Telescope in a quasar field that hosts a high column-density damped Ly{\alpha} absorber (DLA) at z~3.25. We detect Ly{\alpha} emission from a nebula at the redshift of the DLA with line luminosity (27+/-1)x1e41 erg/s, which extends over 37+/-1 kpc above a surface brightness limit of 6x1e-19 erg/s/cm2/arcsec2 at a projected distance of 30.5+/-0.5 kpc from the quasar sightline. Two clumps lie inside this nebula, both with Ly{\alpha} rest-frame equivalent width > 50 A and with relative line-of-sight velocities aligned with two main absorption components seen in the DLA spectrum. In addition, we identify a compact galaxy at a projected distance of 19.1+/-0.5 kpc from the quasar sightline. The galaxy spectrum is noisy but consistent with that of a star-forming galaxy at the DLA redshift. We argue that the Ly{\alpha} nebula is ionized by radiation from star formation inside the two clumps, or by radiation from the compact galaxy. In either case, these data imply the presence of a structure with size >>50 kpc inside which galaxies are assembling, a picture consistent with galaxy formation in groups and filaments as predicted by cosmological simulations such as the EAGLE simulations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

Evidence against a supervoid causing the CMB Cold Spot

We report the results of the 2dF-VST ATLAS Cold Spot galaxy redshift survey (2CSz) based on imaging from VST ATLAS and spectroscopy from 2dF AAOmega over the core of the CMB Cold Spot. We sparsely surveyed the inner 5$^{\circ}$ radius of the Cold Spot to a limit of $i_{AB} \le 19.2$, sampling $\sim7000$ galaxies at $z<0.4$. We have found voids at $z=$ 0.14, 0.26 and 0.30 but they are interspersed with small over-densities and the scale of these voids is insufficient to explain the Cold Spot through the $\Lambda$CDM ISW effect. Combining with previous data out to $z\sim1$, we conclude that the CMB Cold Spot could not have been imprinted by a void confined to the inner core of the Cold Spot. Additionally we find that our 'control' field GAMA G23 shows a similarity in its galaxy redshift distribution to the Cold Spot. Since the GAMA G23 line-of-sight shows no evidence of a CMB temperature decrement we conclude that the Cold Spot may have a primordial origin rather than being due to line-of-sight effects.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

A catalogue of white dwarf candidates in VST ATLAS

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has created a knowledge gap between the Northern and the Southern hemispheres which is very marked for white dwarfs: only $\simeq 15$% of the known white dwarfs are south of the equator. Here we make use of the VST ATLAS survey, one of the first surveys obtaining deep, optical, multi-band photometry over a large area of the southern skies, to remedy this situation. Applying the colour and proper-motion selection developed in Gentile Fusillo et al. (2015a) to the most recent internal data release (2016 April 25) of VST ATLAS we created a catalogue of $\simeq 4200$ moderately bright ($g\leq19$), high-confidence southern white dwarf candidates, which can be followed up individually with both the large array of southern telescopes or in bulk with forthcoming multi-object spectrographs.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

First Discoveries of z>6 Quasars with the DECam Legacy Survey and UKIRT Hemisphere Survey

We present the first discoveries from a survey of $z\gtrsim6$ quasars using imaging data from the DECam Legacy Survey (DECaLS) in the optical, the UKIRT Deep Infrared Sky Survey (UKIDSS) and a preliminary version of the UKIRT Hemisphere Survey (UHS) in the near-IR, and ALLWISE in the mid-IR. DECaLS will image 9000 deg$^2$ of sky down to $z_{\rm AB}\sim23.0$, and UKIDSS and UHS, which will map the northern sky at $0 6.5$ to $J_{\rm VEGA}<19.5$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

On the connection between the metal-enriched intergalactic medium and galaxies: an OVI-galaxy cross-correlation study at $z < 1$

We present new results on the auto- and cross-correlation functions of galaxies and OVI absorbers in a $\sim 18~\textrm{Gpc}^3$ comoving volume at $z < 1$. We use a sample of 51,296 galaxies and 140 OVI absorbers in the column density range $13 \lesssim \log N \lesssim 15$ to measure two-point correlation functions in the two dimensions transverse and orthogonal to the line-of-sight $\xi(r_{\perp}, r_{\parallel})$. We furthermore infer the corresponding 'real-space' correlation functions, $\xi(r)$, by projecting $\xi(r_{\perp}, r_{\parallel})$ along $r_{\parallel}$, and assuming a power-law form, $\xi(r) = (r / r_0)^{-\gamma}$. Comparing the results from the absorber-galaxy cross-correlation function, $\xi_{\textrm{ag}}$, the galaxy auto-correlation function, $\xi_{\textrm{gg}}$, and the absorber auto-correlation function, $\xi_{\textrm{aa}}$, we constrain the statistical connection between galaxies and the metal-enriched intergalactic medium as a function of star-formation activity. We also compare these results to predictions from the EAGLE cosmological hydrodynamical simulation and find a reasonable agreement. We find that: (i) OVI absorbers show very little velocity dispersion with respect to galaxies on $\sim$ Mpc scales, likely $\lesssim$ 100 \kms; (ii) OVI absorbers and galaxies may not linearly trace the same underlying distribution of matter in general. In particular, our results demonstrate that OVI absorbers are less clustered, and potentially more extended around galaxies than galaxies are around themselves; (iii) On $\gtrsim 100$ kpc scales, the likelihood of finding OVI absorbers around star-forming galaxies is similar to the likelihood of finding OVI absorbers around non star-forming galaxies (abridged)

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2015

The Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey: Variable Object Selection and Anticipated Results

We present the selection algorithm and anticipated results for the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS). TDSS is an SDSS-IV eBOSS subproject that will provide initial identification spectra of approximately 220,000 luminosity-variable objects (variable stars and AGN) across 7,500 square degrees selected from a combination of SDSS and multi-epoch Pan-STARRS1 photometry. TDSS will be the largest spectroscopic survey to explicitly target variable objects, avoiding pre-selection on the basis of colors or detailed modeling of specific variability characteristics. Kernel Density Estimate (KDE) analysis of our target population performed on SDSS Stripe 82 data suggests our target sample will be 95% pure (meaning 95% of objects we select have genuine luminosity variability of a few magnitudes or more). Our final spectroscopic sample will contain roughly 135,000 quasars and 85,000 stellar variables, approximately 4,000 of which will be RR Lyrae stars which may be used as outer Milky Way probes. The variability-selected quasar population has a smoother redshift distribution than a color-selected sample, and variability measurements similar to those we develop here may be used to make more uniform quasar samples in large surveys. The stellar variable targets are distributed fairly uniformly across color space, indicating that TDSS will obtain spectra for a wide variety of stellar variables including pulsating variables, stars with significant chromospheric activity, cataclysmic variables and eclipsing binaries. TDSS will serve as a pathfinder mission to identify and characterize the multitude of variable objects that will be detected photometrically in even larger variability surveys such as LSST.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Metal-enriched, sub-kiloparsec gas clumps in the circumgalactic medium of a faint z = 2.5 galaxy

We report the serendipitous detection of a 0.2 L$^*$, Lyman-$\alpha$ emitting galaxy at redshift 2.5 at an impact parameter of 50 kpc from a bright background QSO sightline. A high-resolution spectrum of the QSO reveals a partial Lyman-limit absorption system ($N_\mathrm{HI}=10^{16.94\pm0.10}$ cm$^{-2}$) with many associated metal absorption lines at the same redshift as the foreground galaxy. Using photoionization models that carefully treat measurement errors and marginalise over uncertainties in the shape and normalisation of the ionizing radiation spectrum, we derive the total hydrogen column density $N_\mathrm{H}=10^{19.4\pm0.3}$ cm$^{-2}$, and show that all the absorbing clouds are metal enriched, with $Z=0.1$-$0.6 Z_\odot$. These metallicities and the system's large velocity width ($436$ km$\,$s$^{-1}$) suggest the gas is produced by an outflowing wind. Using an expanding shell model we estimate a mass outflow rate of $\sim5 M_\odot\,$yr$^{-1}$. Our photoionization model yields extremely small sizes ($<$100-500 pc) for the absorbing clouds, which we argue are typical of high column density absorbers in the circumgalactic medium (CGM). Given these small sizes and extreme kinematics, it is unclear how the clumps survive in the CGM without being destroyed by hydrodynamic instabilities. The small cloud sizes imply that even state-of-the-art cosmological simulations require more than a $1000$-fold improvement in mass resolution to resolve the hydrodynamics relevant for cool gas in the CGM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Search for primordial non-Gaussianity in the quasars of SDSS-III BOSS DR9

We analyse the clustering of 22,361 quasars between redshift 2.2 < z < 2.9 observed with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), which are included in the ninth data release (DR9). We fit the clustering results with a ΛCDM model to calculate the linear bias of the quasar sample, b=3.74\pm 0.12. The measured value of bias is consistent with the findings of White et al. (2012), where they analyse almost the same quasar sample, although only in the range, s<40 Mpc/h. At large scales we observe an excess or plateau in the clustering correlation function. By fitting a model that incorporates a scale dependent additional term in the bias introduced by primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type, we calculate the amplitude of the deviation from the Gaussian initial conditions as 70<f_NL< 190 at the 95% confidence level. We correct the sample from systematics according to the methods of Ross et al. (2011); Ho et al. (2012) and Ross et al. (2011,2012b), with the f_NL measurements after the application of the two methods being consistent with each other. Finally we use cross-correlations across redshift slices to test the corrected sample for any remaining unknown sources of systematics, but the results give no indication of any such further errors. We consider as our final results on non-Gaussianity of the local type, 46<f_NL< 158 at 95% confidence, after correcting the sample with the weights method of Ross et al. (2011, 2012b). These results are consistent with previous tight constraints on non-Gaussianity from other LSS surveys, but are in tension with the latest results from the CMB.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Clustering analysis of high-redshift Luminous Red Galaxies in Stripe 82

We present a clustering analysis of Luminous Red Galaxies in SDSS Stripe 82. We study the angular 2-point correlation function, of 130,000 LRG candidates via colour-cut selections in izK with the K band coverage coming from UKIDSS LAS. We have used the cross-correlation technique of Newman (2008) to establish the LRG redshift distribution. Cross-correlating with SDSS QSOs, MegaZ-LRGs and DEEP2 galaxies implies an average LRG redshift of z~1 with space density, n_g~3.2 +/-0.16 x10^-4 h^3 Mpc^-3. For theta<10', w(theta) significantly deviates from a single power-law. A double power-law with a break at r_b~2.4 h^-1 Mpc fits the data better, with best-fit scale length, r_0,1=7.63+/-0.27 h^-1Mpc and slope gamma_1=2.01 +/-0.02 at small scales and r_0,2=9.92 +/-0.40 h^-1 Mpc and gamma_2=1.64 +/-0.04 at large scales. Due to the flat slope at large scales, we find that a standard LambdaCDM linear model is accepted only at 2-3sigma, with the best-fit bias factor, b=2.74+/-0.07. We also fitted HOD models and estimate an effective halo mass of M_eff=3.3 +/-0.6x10^13 h^-1 M_sun. But at large scales, the current HOD models did not help explain the power excess in the clustering signal. We then compare the w(theta) results to those of Sawangwit et al. (2011) from 3 samples of LRGs at lower redshifts to measure clustering evolution. We find that a long-lived model may be a poorer fit than at lower redshifts, although this assumes that the Stripe 82 LRGs are luminosity-matched to the AAOmega LRGs. We find stronger evidence for evolution in the form of the z~1 LRG correlation function, with the above flat 2-halo slope maintaining to r>50 h^-1 Mpc. Applying the cross-correlation test of Ross et al. (2011), we find little evidence that the result is due to systematics. Otherwise it may provide evidence for primordial non-Gaussianity in the matter distribution, with f^local_NL=90+/-30.[Abridged]

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Extending PLE models into the mid-IR, far-IR & sub-mm

Simple pure luminosity evolution (PLE) models, in which galaxies brighten at high redshift due to increased star-formation rates (SFRs), are known to provide a good fit to the colours and number counts of galaxies throughout the optical and near-infrared. We show that optically defined PLE models, where dust reradiates absorbed optical light into infrared spectra composed of local galaxy templates, fit galaxy counts and colours out to 8um and to at least z=2.5. At 24-70um, the model is able to reproduce the observed source counts with reasonable success if 16% of spiral galaxies show an excess in mid-IR flux due to a warmer dust component and a higher SFR, in line with observations of local starburst galaxies. There remains an under-prediction of the number of faint-flux, high-z sources at 24um, so we explore how the evolution may be altered to correct this. At 160um and longer wavelengths, the model fails, with our model of normal galaxies accounting for only a few percent of sources in these bands. However, we show that a PLE model of obscured AGN, which we have previously shown to give a good fit to observations at 850um, also provides a reasonable fit to the Herschel/BLAST number counts and redshift distributions at 250-500um. In the context of a LCDM cosmology, an AGN contribution at 250-870um would remove the need to invoke a top-heavy IMF for high-redshift starburst galaxies, although the excellent fit of the galaxy PLE model at shorter wavelengths would still need to be explained.

astro-ph.CO↗