The AzTEC/SMA Interferometric Imaging Survey of Submillimeter-Selected High-Redshift Galaxies

Authors

Joshua D. Younger, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Giovanni G. Fazio, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Jia Sheng Huang, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Min S. Yun, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Grant W. Wilson, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Matthew L.N. Ashby, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Mark A. Gurwell, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Alison B. Peck, Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array
Glen R. Petitpas, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
David J. Wilner, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
David H. Hughes, Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica
Itziar Aretxaga, Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica
Sungeun Kim, Sejong University
Kimberly S. Scott, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Jason Austermann, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Thushara Perera, University of Massachusetts Amherst
James D. Lowenthal, Smith CollegeFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal

Abstract

We present results from a continuing interferometric survey of high-redshift submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) with the Submillimeter Array, including high-resolution (beam size ∼ 2 arcsec) imaging of eight additional AzTEC 1.1 mm selected sources in the COSMOS field, for which we obtain six reliable (peak signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) >5 or peak S/N >4 with multiwavelength counterparts within the beam) and two moderate significance (peak S/N >4) detections. When combined with previous detections, this yields an unbiased sample of millimeter-selected SMGs with complete interferometric follow up. With this sample in hand, we (1) empirically confirm the radio-submillimeter association, (2) examine the submillimeter morphology - including the nature of SMGs with multiple radio counterparts and constraints on the physical scale of the far infrared - of the sample, and (3) find additional evidence for a population of extremely luminous, radio-dim SMGs that peaks at higher redshift than previous, radio-selected samples. In particular, the presence of such a population of high-redshift sources has important consequences for models of galaxy formation - which struggle to account for such objects even under liberal assumptions - and dust production models given the limited time since the big bang.

Keywords

Cosmology: observations, Galaxies: evolution, Galaxies: formation, Galaxies: high-redshift, Galaxies: starburst, Submillimeter

Volume

704

Issue

1

First Page

803

Last Page

812

DOI

10.1088/0004-637X/704/1/803

ISSN

0004637X

Comments

Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.

Recommended Citation

Younger, Joshua D.; Fazio, Giovanni G.; Huang, Jia Sheng; Yun, Min S.; Wilson, Grant W.; Ashby, Matthew L.N.; Gurwell, Mark A.; Peck, Alison B.; Petitpas, Glen R.; Wilner, David J.; Hughes, David H.; Aretxaga, Itziar; Kim, Sungeun; Scott, Kimberly S.; Austermann, Jason; Perera, Thushara; and Lowenthal, James D., "The AzTEC/SMA Interferometric Imaging Survey of Submillimeter-Selected High-Redshift Galaxies" (2009). Astronomy: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/ast_facpubs/36