1. The Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. The far-infrared view of M 87
- Author
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Baes, M, Clemens, M, Xilouris, E, Fritz, J, Cotton, W, Davies, J, Bendo, G, Bianchi, S, Cortese, L, De Looze, I, Pohlen, M, Verstappen, J, Böhringer, H, Bomans, D, Boselli, A, Corbelli, E, Dariush, A, di Serego Alighieri, S, Fadda, D, Garcia Appadoo, D, Gavazzi, G, Giovanardi, C, Grossi, M, Hughes, T, Hunt, L, Jones, A, Madden, S, Pierini, D, Sabatini, S, Smith, M, Vlahakis, C, Zibett, S, Xilouris, EM, Cotton, WD, Davies, JI, Bendo, GJ, Bomans, DJ, Garcia Appadoo, DA, Hughes, TM, Hunt, LK, Jones, AP, Smith, MWL, Vlahakis C, Zibett, S., GAVAZZI, GIUSEPPE, Baes, M, Clemens, M, Xilouris, E, Fritz, J, Cotton, W, Davies, J, Bendo, G, Bianchi, S, Cortese, L, De Looze, I, Pohlen, M, Verstappen, J, Böhringer, H, Bomans, D, Boselli, A, Corbelli, E, Dariush, A, di Serego Alighieri, S, Fadda, D, Garcia Appadoo, D, Gavazzi, G, Giovanardi, C, Grossi, M, Hughes, T, Hunt, L, Jones, A, Madden, S, Pierini, D, Sabatini, S, Smith, M, Vlahakis, C, Zibett, S, Xilouris, EM, Cotton, WD, Davies, JI, Bendo, GJ, Bomans, DJ, Garcia Appadoo, DA, Hughes, TM, Hunt, LK, Jones, AP, Smith, MWL, Vlahakis C, Zibett, S., and GAVAZZI, GIUSEPPE
- Abstract
The origin of the far-infrared emission from the nearby radio galaxy M 87 remains a matter of debate. Some studies find evidence of a far-infrared excess due to thermal dust emission, whereas others propose that the far-infrared emission can be explained by synchrotron emission without the need for an additional dust emission component. We present Herschel PACS and SPIRE observations of M 87, taken as part of the science demonstration phase observations of the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey. We compare these data with a synchrotron model based on mid-infrared, far-infrared, submm and radio data from the literature to investigate the origin of the far-infrared emission. Both the integrated SED and the Herschel surface brightness maps are adequately explained by synchrotron emission. At odds with previous claims, we find no evidence of a diffuse dust component in M 87, which is not unexpected in the harsh X-ray environment of this radio galaxy sitting at the core of the Virgo cluster. © ESO 2010.
- Published
- 2010