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A 158 μm [C II] Line Survey of Galaxies at z ~ 1-2: An Indicator of Star Formation in the Early Universe

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TLDR
In this paper, a survey of star formation tracer at redshifts covering the epoch of maximum star formation in the universe and quadruples the number of reported high-z [C II] detections is presented.
Abstract
We have detected the 158 {mu}m [C II] line from 12 galaxies at z {approx} 1-2. This is the first survey of this important star formation tracer at redshifts covering the epoch of maximum star formation in the universe and quadruples the number of reported high-z [C II] detections. The line is very luminous, between <0.024% and 0.65% of the far-infrared (FIR) continuum luminosity of our sources, and arises from photodissociation regions on molecular cloud surfaces. An exception is PKS 0215+015, where half of the [C II] emission could arise from X-ray-dominated regions near the central active galactic nucleus (AGN). The L{sub [C{sub II}]}/L{sub FIR} ratio in our star formation-dominated systems is {approx}8 times larger than that of our AGN-dominated systems. Therefore this ratio selects for star formation-dominated systems. Furthermore, the L{sub [C{sub II}]}/L{sub FIR} and L{sub [C{sub II}]}/L{sub (CO(1-0))} ratios in our star-forming galaxies and nearby starburst galaxies are the same, so that luminous star-forming galaxies at earlier epochs (z {approx} 1-2) appear to be scaled-up versions of local starbursts entailing kiloparsec-scale starbursts. Most of the FIR and [C II] radiation from our AGN-dominated sample (excepting PKS 0215+015) also arises from kiloparsec-scale star formation, but with far-UV radiation fieldsmore » {approx}8 times more intense than in our star formation-dominated sample. We speculate that the onset of AGN activity stimulates large-scale star formation activity within AGN-dominated systems. This idea is supported by the relatively strong [O III] line emission, indicating very young stars, that was recently observed in high-z composite AGN/starburst systems. Our results confirm the utility of the [C II] line, and in particular, the L{sub [C{sub II}]}/L{sub (FIR)} and L{sub [C{sub II}]}/L{sub CO(1-0)} ratios as tracers of star formation in galaxies at high redshifts.« less

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Journal ArticleDOI

Cool Gas in High-Redshift Galaxies

TL;DR: In the last decade, observations of the cool interstellar medium (ISM) in distant galaxies via molecular and atomic fine structure line (FSL) emission have gone from a curious look into a few extreme, rare objects to a mainstream tool for studying galaxy formation out to the highest redshifts as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI

A dust-obscured massive maximum-starburst galaxy at a redshift of 6.34

Dominik Riechers, +81 more
- 18 Apr 2013 - 
TL;DR: Despite the overall downturn in cosmic star formation towards the highest redshifts, it seems that environments mature enough to form the most massive, intense starbursts existed at least as early as 880 million years after the Big Bang.
Journal ArticleDOI

Dusty Star Forming Galaxies at High Redshift

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors summarized the current status of star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) studies, focusing especially on the detailed characterization of the best-understood subset (submillimeter galaxies), and also the selection and characterization of more recently discovered DSFG populations.
Journal ArticleDOI

Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies at High Redshift

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors summarized the current status of star-forming galaxies (DSFGs), focusing especially on the detailed characterization of the best-understood subset (submillimeter galaxies), who were summarized in the last review of this field over a decade ago, Blain et al.
References
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Luminous infrared galaxies

TL;DR: At the highest luminosities (Lir > 1012 ), nearly all objects appear to be advanced mergers powered by a mixture of circumnuclear starburst and active galactic nucleus energy sources, both of which are fueled by an enormous concentration of molecular gas that has been funneled into the merger nucleus as discussed by the authors.
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Local supermassive black holes, relics of active galactic nuclei and the X-ray background

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors quantify the importance of mass accretion during AGN phases in the growth of supermassive black holes (BH) by comparing the mass function of black holes in the local universe with that expected from AGN relics, which are black holes grown entirely with mass accumulation during AGNs phases.
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Rotating Nuclear Rings and Extreme Starbursts in Ultraluminous Galaxies

TL;DR: In this paper, a model of radiative transfer through subthermally excited CO in the molecular disks was proposed, which yields gas masses of ~5 × 109 M and a ratio M/L ≈ 0.8 M
Journal ArticleDOI

Interstellar abundances from absorption-line observations with the hubble space telescope

TL;DR: The high-resolution spectrograph of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has yielded precision abundance results for a range of interstellar environments, including gas in the local medium, in the warm neutral medium and in cold diffuse clouds, and in distant halo clouds.
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