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| ID:
308794.0,
MPI für Astronomie / Publikationen_mpia |
| Mid-Infrared Spectral Diagnostics of Nuclear and Extranuclear Regions in Nearby Galaxies |
| Authors: | Dale, D. A.; Smith, J. D. T.; Armus, L.; Buckalew, B. A.; Helou, G.; Kennicutt, R. C.; Moustakas, J.; Roussel, H.; Sheth, K.; Bendo, G. J.; Calzetti, D.; Draine, B. T.; Engelbracht, C. W.; Gordon, K. D.; Hollenbach, D. J.; Jarrett, T. H.; Kewley, L. J.; Leitherer, C.; Li, A.; Malhotra, S.; Murphy, E. J.; Walter, F. | | Date of Publication (YYYY-MM-DD): | 2006 | | Journal Abbrev.: | The Astrophysical Journal | | Volume: | 646 | | Start Page: | 161 | | End Page: | 173 | | Audience: | Not Specified | | Abstract / Description: | Mid-infrared diagnostics are presented for a large portion of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS) sample plus archival data from ISO and Spitzer. The SINGS data set includes low- and high-resolution spectral maps and broadband imaging in the infrared for over 160 nuclear and extranuclear regions within 75 nearby galaxies spanning a wide range of morphologies, metallicities, luminosities, and star formation rates. Our main result is that these mid-infrared diagnostics effectively constrain a target's dominant power source. The combination of a high-ionization line index and PAH strength serves as an efficient discriminant between AGNs and star-forming nuclei, confirming progress made with ISO spectroscopy on starbursting and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. The sensitivity of Spitzer allows us to probe fainter nuclear and star-forming regions within galaxy disks. We find that both star-forming nuclei and extranuclear regions stand apart from nuclei that are powered by Seyfert or LINER activity. In fact, we identify areas within four diagnostic diagrams containing >90% Seyfert/LINER nuclei or >90% H II regions/H II nuclei. We also find that, compared to starbursting nuclei, extranuclear regions typically separate even further from AGNs, especially for low-metallicity extranuclear environments. In addition, instead of the traditional mid-infrared approach to differentiating between AGNs and star-forming sources that utilizes relatively weak high-ionization lines, we show that strong low-ionization cooling lines of X-ray-dominated regions like [Si II] 34.82 mum can alternatively be used as excellent discriminants. Finally, the typical target in this sample shows relatively modest interstellar electron density (~400 cm-3) and obscuration (AV~1.0 mag for a foreground screen), consistent with a lack of dense clumps of highly obscured gas and dust residing in the emitting regions. | | Free Keywords: | Galaxies: Active; Galaxies: Nuclei; ISM: H II Regions; Infrared: Galaxies; Infrared: ISM | | External Publication Status: | published | | Document Type: | Article |
| Communicated by: | N. N. | | Affiliations: | MPI für Astronomie | | Identifiers: | URL:http://cdsads.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?b...
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