Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN

Matthew O'Dowd; D. Schiminovich; B. D. Johnson; M. A. Treyer; C. D. Martin; T. K. Wyder; S. Charlot; T. M. Heckman; L. P. Martins; M. Seibert; J. M. van der Hulst

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN

Matthew O'Dowd, D. Schiminovich, B. D. Johnson, M. A. Treyer, C. D. Martin, T. K. Wyder, S. Charlot, T. M. Heckman, L. P. Martins, M. Seibert, J. M. van der Hulst

Kapteyn Astronomical Institute

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic

Abstract

We present the analysis of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) spectra of a sample of 92 typical star forming galaxies at 0.03 <z <0.2 observed with the Spitzer IRS. We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features with SDSS optical diagnostics to probe the relationship between PAH grain properties and star formation and AGN activity. Short-to-long wavelength PAH ratios, and in particular the 7.7-to-11.3 micron feature ratio, are strongly correlated with the star formation diagnostics Dn(4000) and H-alpha equivalent width, increasing with younger stellar populations. This ratio also shows a significant difference between active and non-active galaxies, with the active galaxies exhibiting weaker 7.7 micron emission. A hard radiation field as measured by [OIII]/H-beta and [NeIII]/[NeII] affects PAH ratios differently depending on whether this field results from starburst activity or an AGN. Our results are consistent with a picture in which larger PAH molecules grow more efficiently in richer media and in which smaller PAH molecules are preferentially destroyed by AGN.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
Pages	446
Number of pages	1
Volume	42
Publication status	Published - Jan-2010
Event	American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #341.02 - Washington, D.C., United States Duration: 3-Jan-2010 → 7-Jan-2010

Conference

Conference	American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #341.02
Country/Territory	United States
City	Washington, D.C.
Period	03/01/2010 → 07/01/2010

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O'Dowd, M., Schiminovich, D., Johnson, B. D., Treyer, M. A., Martin, C. D., Wyder, T. K., Charlot, S., Heckman, T. M., Martins, L. P., Seibert, M., & van der Hulst, J. M. (2010). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN. In American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 42, pp. 446) http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010AAS...21534102O

@inproceedings{fe4f0c41fa494f53a84277809048da10,

title = "Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN",

abstract = "We present the analysis of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) spectra of a sample of 92 typical star forming galaxies at 0.03 <z <0.2 observed with the Spitzer IRS. We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features with SDSS optical diagnostics to probe the relationship between PAH grain properties and star formation and AGN activity. Short-to-long wavelength PAH ratios, and in particular the 7.7-to-11.3 micron feature ratio, are strongly correlated with the star formation diagnostics Dn(4000) and H-alpha equivalent width, increasing with younger stellar populations. This ratio also shows a significant difference between active and non-active galaxies, with the active galaxies exhibiting weaker 7.7 micron emission. A hard radiation field as measured by [OIII]/H-beta and [NeIII]/[NeII] affects PAH ratios differently depending on whether this field results from starburst activity or an AGN. Our results are consistent with a picture in which larger PAH molecules grow more efficiently in richer media and in which smaller PAH molecules are preferentially destroyed by AGN.",

author = "Matthew O'Dowd and D. Schiminovich and Johnson, {B. D.} and Treyer, {M. A.} and Martin, {C. D.} and Wyder, {T. K.} and S. Charlot and Heckman, {T. M.} and Martins, {L. P.} and M. Seibert and {van der Hulst}, {J. M.}",

note = "M1 - Conference Proceedings; American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #341.02 ; Conference date: 03-01-2010 Through 07-01-2010",

year = "2010",

month = jan,

language = "English",

volume = "42",

pages = "446",

booktitle = "American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts",

}

O'Dowd, M, Schiminovich, D, Johnson, BD, Treyer, MA, Martin, CD, Wyder, TK, Charlot, S, Heckman, TM, Martins, LP, Seibert, M & van der Hulst, JM 2010, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN. in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts. vol. 42, pp. 446, American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #341.02, Washington, D.C., United States, 03/01/2010. <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010AAS...21534102O>

TY - GEN

T1 - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1

T2 - American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #341.02

AU - O'Dowd, Matthew

AU - Schiminovich, D.

AU - Johnson, B. D.

AU - Treyer, M. A.

AU - Martin, C. D.

AU - Wyder, T. K.

AU - Charlot, S.

AU - Heckman, T. M.

AU - Martins, L. P.

AU - Seibert, M.

AU - van der Hulst, J. M.

N1 - M1 - Conference Proceedings

PY - 2010/1

Y1 - 2010/1

N2 - We present the analysis of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) spectra of a sample of 92 typical star forming galaxies at 0.03 <z <0.2 observed with the Spitzer IRS. We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features with SDSS optical diagnostics to probe the relationship between PAH grain properties and star formation and AGN activity. Short-to-long wavelength PAH ratios, and in particular the 7.7-to-11.3 micron feature ratio, are strongly correlated with the star formation diagnostics Dn(4000) and H-alpha equivalent width, increasing with younger stellar populations. This ratio also shows a significant difference between active and non-active galaxies, with the active galaxies exhibiting weaker 7.7 micron emission. A hard radiation field as measured by [OIII]/H-beta and [NeIII]/[NeII] affects PAH ratios differently depending on whether this field results from starburst activity or an AGN. Our results are consistent with a picture in which larger PAH molecules grow more efficiently in richer media and in which smaller PAH molecules are preferentially destroyed by AGN.

AB - We present the analysis of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) spectra of a sample of 92 typical star forming galaxies at 0.03 <z <0.2 observed with the Spitzer IRS. We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features with SDSS optical diagnostics to probe the relationship between PAH grain properties and star formation and AGN activity. Short-to-long wavelength PAH ratios, and in particular the 7.7-to-11.3 micron feature ratio, are strongly correlated with the star formation diagnostics Dn(4000) and H-alpha equivalent width, increasing with younger stellar populations. This ratio also shows a significant difference between active and non-active galaxies, with the active galaxies exhibiting weaker 7.7 micron emission. A hard radiation field as measured by [OIII]/H-beta and [NeIII]/[NeII] affects PAH ratios differently depending on whether this field results from starburst activity or an AGN. Our results are consistent with a picture in which larger PAH molecules grow more efficiently in richer media and in which smaller PAH molecules are preferentially destroyed by AGN.

M3 - Conference contribution

VL - 42

SP - 446

BT - American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts

Y2 - 3 January 2010 through 7 January 2010

ER -

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Galaxies at z 0.1: The Effect of Star Formation and AGN

Abstract

Conference

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