Abstract / Description of output
We use an 850-μm SCUBA map of the Hubble Deep Field (HDF) to study
the dust properties of optically-selected starburst galaxies at high
redshift. The optical/infrared (IR) data in the HDF allow a photometric
redshift to be estimated for each galaxy, together with an estimate of
the visible star-formation rate. The 850-μm flux density of each
source provides the complementary information: the amount of hidden,
dust-enshrouded star formation activity. Although the 850-μm map does
not allow detection of the majority of individual sources, we show that
the galaxies with the highest UV star-formation rates are detected
statistically, with a flux density of about S850=0.2mJy for
an apparent UV star-formation rate of
1h-2Msolaryr-1. This level of
submillimetre output indicates that the total star-forming activity is
on average a factor of approximately 6 times larger than the rate
inferred from the UV output of these galaxies. The general population of
optical starbursts is then predicted to contribute at least 25per cent
of the 850-μm background. We carry out a power-spectrum analysis of
the map, which yields some evidence for angular clustering of the
background source population, but at a level lower than that seen in
Lyman-break galaxies. Together with other lines of argument,
particularly from the NICMOS HDF data, this suggests that the 850-μm
background originates over an extremely wide range of redshifts -
perhaps 1
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 535-546 |
| Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| Volume | 318 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2000 |