HerMES: SPIRE detection of high-redshift massive compact galaxies in GOODS-N field

We have analysed the rest-frame far-infrared properties of a sample of massive (M-* > 10(11) M-circle dot) galaxies at 2 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 3 in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey-North (GOODS-N) field using the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instrument aboard the Herschel Space Observatory. To conduct this analysis we take advantage of the data from the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) key programme. The sample comprises 45 massive galaxies with structural parameters characterized with HST NICMOS-3. We study detections at submm Herschel bands, together with Spitzer 24-mu m data, as a function of the morphological type, mass and size. We find that 26/45 sources are detected at MIPS 24 mu m and 15/45 (all MIPS 24-mu m detections) are detected at SPIRE 250 mu m, with disc-like galaxies more easily detected. We derive star formation rates (SFRs) and specific star formation rates (sSFRs) by fitting the spectral energy distribution of our sources, taking into account non-detections for SPIRE and systematic effects for MIPS derived quantities. We find that the mean SFR for the spheroidal galaxies (similar to 50-100 M-circle dot yr(-1)) is substantially (a factor similar to 3) lower than the mean value presented by disc-like galaxies (similar to 250-300 M-circle dot yr(-1)).