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Compact starbursts in ultraluminous infrared galaxiesThe 40 ultraluminous galaxies in the IRAS Bright Galaxy Sample of sources stronger than S = 5.24 Jy at lambda = 60 microns were mapped with approximately 0.25 arcsec resolution at 8.44 GHz. Twenty-five contain diffuse radio sources obeying the FIR-radio correlation; these are almost certainly starburst galaxies. Fourteen other galaxies have nearly blackbody FIR spectra with color temperatures between 60 and 80 K so their (unmeasured) FIR angular sizes must exceed approximately 0.25 arcsec, yet they contain compact (but usually resolved) radio sources smaller than this limit. The unique radio and FIR properties of these galaxies can be modeled by ultraluminous nuclear starbursts so dense that they 67 are optically thick to free-free absorption at about 1.49 GHz and dust absorption at about 25 microns. Only one galaxy (UGC 08058 = Mrk 231) is a dominated by a variable radio source too compact to be an ultraluminous starburst; it must be powered by a 'monster'.
Document ID
19910065860
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Condon, J. J.
(National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville, VA, United States)
Huang, Z.-P.
(National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville, VA, United States)
Yin, Q. F.
(National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville, VA, United States)
Thuan, T. X.
(Virginia, University Charlottesville, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 378
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91A50483
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF INT-87-14233
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-1389
CONTRACT_GRANT: AF-AFOSR-89-0467
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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