A high-redshift IRAS galaxy with huge luminosity - Hidden quasar or protogalaxy?

M. Rowan-Robinson; T. Broadhurst; S. J. Oliver; A. N. Taylor; A. Lawrence; R. G. McMahon; C. J. Lonsdale; P. B. Hacking; T. Conrow; W. Saunders; R. S. Ellis; G. P Efstathiou; J. J. Condon

doi:10.1038/351719a0

A high-redshift IRAS galaxy with huge luminosity - Hidden quasar or protogalaxy?

M. Rowan-Robinson, T. Broadhurst, S. J. Oliver, A. N. Taylor, A. Lawrence, R. G. McMahon, C. J. Lonsdale, P. B. Hacking, T. Conrow, W. Saunders, R. S. Ellis, G. P Efstathiou, J. J. Condon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

An emission line galaxy with the enormous far-IR luminosity of 3 x 10 to the 14th solar has been found at z = 2.286. The spectrum is very unusual, showing lines of high excitation but with very weak Lyman-alpha emission. A self-absorbed synchrotron model for the IR energy distribution cannot be ruled out, but a thermal origin seems more plausible. A radio-quiet quasar embedded in a very dusty galaxy could account for the IR emission, as might a starburst embedded in 1-10 billion solar masses of dust. The latter case demands so much dust that the object would probably be a massive galaxy in the process of formation. The presence of a large amount of dust in an object of such high redshift implies the generation of heavy elements at an early cosmological epoch.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	719-721
Journal	Nature
Volume	351
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/351719a0
Publication status	Published - 27 Jun 1991

Keywords

Galactic Evolution
Infrared Astronomy Satellite
Quasars
Red Shift
Astronomical Spectroscopy
Emission Spectra
Lyman Alpha Radiation
Radio Spectra
Spectral Energy Distribution
Ultraviolet Spectra

Access to Document

10.1038/351719a0

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991Natur.351..719R

Cite this

@article{6735a847b52d4102b7f78b89d48dc6a1,

title = "A high-redshift IRAS galaxy with huge luminosity - Hidden quasar or protogalaxy?",

abstract = "An emission line galaxy with the enormous far-IR luminosity of 3 x 10 to the 14th solar has been found at z = 2.286. The spectrum is very unusual, showing lines of high excitation but with very weak Lyman-alpha emission. A self-absorbed synchrotron model for the IR energy distribution cannot be ruled out, but a thermal origin seems more plausible. A radio-quiet quasar embedded in a very dusty galaxy could account for the IR emission, as might a starburst embedded in 1-10 billion solar masses of dust. The latter case demands so much dust that the object would probably be a massive galaxy in the process of formation. The presence of a large amount of dust in an object of such high redshift implies the generation of heavy elements at an early cosmological epoch.",

keywords = "Galactic Evolution, Infrared Astronomy Satellite, Quasars, Red Shift, Astronomical Spectroscopy, Emission Spectra, Lyman Alpha Radiation, Radio Spectra, Spectral Energy Distribution, Ultraviolet Spectra",

author = "M. Rowan-Robinson and T. Broadhurst and Oliver, {S. J.} and Taylor, {A. N.} and A. Lawrence and McMahon, {R. G.} and Lonsdale, {C. J.} and Hacking, {P. B.} and T. Conrow and W. Saunders and Ellis, {R. S.} and Efstathiou, {G. P} and Condon, {J. J.}",

year = "1991",

month = jun,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1038/351719a0",

language = "English",

volume = "351",

pages = "719--721",

journal = "Nature",