POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN GALAXIES AT z similar to 0.1: THE EFFECT OF STAR FORMATION AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

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 intensified Reticon spectrograph (IRS). We compare the relative strengths of PAH emission features with Sloan Digital Sky Survey optical diagnostics to probe the relationship between PAH grain properties and star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) activity. Short-to-long wavelength PAH ratios, and in particular the 7.7 mu m-to-11.3 mu m feature ratio, are strongly correlated with the star formation diagnostics D-n(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 mu m emission. A hard radiation field as measured by [O III]/H beta and [Ne III](15.6 mu m)/[Ne II](12.8 mu m) effects 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 the AGN.