Hard X-ray observations of ultraluminous infrared galaxies

X-ray flux upper limits of 2-10 keV for ultraluminous infrared galaxies were drawn from the HEAO A-1 data base. The hard X-ray luminosities of these sources are much weaker relative to their total luminosities than would be expected for Seyfert 1 galaxies or quasi-stellar objects. Because of the low level of interstellar extinction for hard X-rays, this result suggests that the ultraluminous galaxies are not powered by embedded QSOs that are otherwise similar to other QSOs. Three other possibilities are: (1) the infrared galaxies may contain a form of X-ray-quiet active nucleus; (2) the X-ray sources in active nuclei may not turn on until after the circumnuclear gas has cleared; or (3) the bulk of the infrared luminosity in these galaxies may be generated by intense circumnuclear star formation.