Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Volume 724, Issue 1, Pages 233-243Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/724/1/233
Keywords
cosmology: observations; galaxies: evolution; galaxies: formation; galaxies: high-redshift; galaxies: kinematics and dynamics
Categories
Funding
- DNRF
- IDA
- STFC
- Science and Technology Facilities Council [ST/H001913/1, ST/F002963/1, PP/E001181/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- STFC [ST/H001913/1, ST/F002963/1] Funding Source: UKRI
Ask authors/readers for more resources
We analyze subarcsecond resolution interferometric CO line data for 12 submillimeter-luminous (S-850 mu m >= 5 mJy) galaxies with redshifts between 1 and 3, presenting new data for 4 of them. Morphologically and kinematically, most of the 12 systems appear to be major mergers. Five of them are well-resolved binary systems, and seven are compact or poorly resolved. Of the four binary systems for which mass measurements for both separate components can be made, all have mass ratios of 1:3 or closer. Furthermore, comparison of the ratio of compact to binary systems with that observed in local ULIRGs indicates that at least a significant fraction of the compact submillimeter-luminous galaxies (SMGs) must also be late-stage mergers. In addition, the dynamical and gas masses we derive are most consistent with the lower end of the range of stellar masses published for these systems, favoring cosmological models in which SMGs result from mergers. These results all point to the same conclusion that most of the bright SMGs with L-IR greater than or similar to 5 x 10(12) L-circle dot are likely major mergers.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available