Search

We present new SINFONI near-infrared integral field unit (IFU) spectroscopy and SALT optical long-slit spectroscopy characterising the history of a nearby merging luminous infrared galaxy, dubbed the Bird (IRAS19115-2114). The NIR line-ratio maps of the IFU data-cubes and stellar population fitting of the SALT spectra now allow dating of the star formation (SF) over the triple system uncovered from our previous adaptive optics data. The distinct components separate very clearly in a line-ratio diagnostic diagram. An off-nuclear pure starburst dominates the current SF of the Bird with 60-70% of the total, with a 4-7 Myr age, and signs of a fairly constant long-term star formation of the underlying stellar population. The most massive nucleus, in contrast, is quenched with a starburst age of >40 Myr and shows hints of budding AGN activity. The secondary massive nucleus is at an intermediate stage. The two major components have a population of older stars, consistent with a starburst triggered 1 Gyr ago in a first encounter. The simplest explanation of the history is that of a triple merger, where the strongly star forming component has joined later. We detect multiple gas flows in different phases. The Bird offers an opportunity to witness multiple stages of galaxy evolution in the same system; triggering as well as quenching of SF, and the early appearance of AGN activity. It also serves as a cautionary note on interpretations of observations with lower spatial resolution and/or without infrared data. At high-redshift the system would look like a clumpy starburst with crucial pieces of its puzzle hidden, in danger of misinterpretations., Submitted to MNRAS. 17 pages, 7 tables, 15 figures

With the recent discovery of a dozen dusty star-forming galaxies and around 30 quasars at z > 5 that are hyper-luminous in the infrared (mu L-IR > 10(13) L-circle dot, where is a lensing magnification factor), the possibility has opened up for SPICA, the proposed ESA M5 mid-/far-infrared mission, to extend its spectroscopic studies toward the epoch of reionisation and beyond. In this paper, we examine the feasibility and scientific potential of such observations with SPICA's far-infrared spectrometer SAFARI, which will probe a spectral range (35-230 mu m) that will be unexplored by ALMA and JWST. Our simulations show that SAFARI is capable of delivering good-quality spectra for hyper-luminous infrared galaxies at z = 5 - 10, allowing us to sample spectral features in the rest-frame mid-infrared and to investigate a host of key scientific issues, such as the relative importance of star formation versus AGN, the hardness of the radiation field, the level of chemical enrichment, and the properties of the molecular gas. From a broader perspective, SAFARI offers the potential to open up a new frontier in the study of the early Universe, providing access to uniquely powerful spectral features for probing first-generation objects, such as the key cooling lines of low-metallicity or metal-free forming galaxies (fine-structure and H-2 lines) and emission features of solid compounds freshly synthesised by Population III supernovae. Ultimately, SAFARI's ability to explore the high-redshift Universe will be determined by the availability of sufficiently bright targets (whether intrinsically luminous or gravitationally lensed). With its launch expected around 2030, SPICA is ideally positioned to take full advantage of upcoming wide-field surveys such as LSST, SKA, Euclid, and WFIRST, which are likely to provide extraordinary targets for SAFARI.

The abundances derived from planetary nebula emission show the presence of a metallicity gradient within the disk of the Milky Way up to Galactocentric distances of ~10 kpc, which are consistent with findings from studies of different types of sources, including H II regions and young B-type stars. The radial dependence of these abundances further from the Galactic centre is in dispute. We aim to derive the abundances of neon, sulphur and argon from a sample of planetary nebulae towards the Galactic anti-centre, which represent the abundances of the clouds from which they were formed, as they remain unchanged throughout the course of stellar evolution. We then aim to compare these values with similarly analysed data from elsewhere in the Milky Way in order to observe whether the abundance gradient continues in the outskirts of our Galaxy. We have observed 23 planetary nebulae at Galactocentric distances of 8-21 kpc with Spitzer IRS. The abundances were calculated from infrared emission lines, for which we observed the main ionisation states of neon, sulphur, and argon, which are little affected by extinction and uncertainties in temperature measurements or fluctuations within the planetary nebula. We have complemented these observations with others from optical studies in the literature, in order to reduce or avoid the need for ionisation correction factors in abundance calculations. The overall abundances of our sample of planetary nebulae in the Galactic anti-centre are lower than those in the solar neighbourhood. The abundances of neon, sulphur, and argon from these stars are consistent with a metallicity gradient from the solar neighbourhood up to Galactocentric distances of ~20 kpc, albeit with varying degrees of dispersion within the data., Comment: 17 pages, accepted for publication in A&A

We study the evolution of protoplanetary discs that would have been precursors of a Trappist-1 like system under the action of accretion and external photoevaporation in different radiation environments. Dust grains swiftly grow above the critical size below which they are entrained in the photoevaporative wind, so although gas is continually depleted, dust is resilient to photoevaporation after only a short time. This means that the ratio of the mass in solids (dust plus planetary) to the mass in gas rises steadily over time. Dust is still stripped early on, and the initial disc mass required to produce the observed $4\,M_{\oplus}$ of Trappist-1 planets is high. For example, assuming a Fatuzzo & Adams (2008) distribution of UV fields, typical initial disc masses have to be $>30\,$per cent the stellar (which are still Toomre $Q$ stable) for the majority of similar mass M dwarfs to be viable hosts of the Trappist-1 planets. Even in the case of the lowest UV environments observed, there is a strong loss of dust due to photoevaporation at early times from the weakly bound outer regions of the disc. This minimum level of dust loss is a factor two higher than that which would be lost by accretion onto the star during 10 Myr of evolution. Consequently even in these least irradiated environments, discs that are viable Trappist-1 precursors need to be initially massive ($>10\,$per cent of the stellar mass)., 15 pages. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Supernovae are considered as prime sources of dust in space. Observations of local supernovae over the past couple of decades have detected the presence of dust in supernova ejecta. The reddening of the high redshift quasars also indicate the presence of large masses of dust in early galaxies. Considering the top heavy IMF in the early galaxies, supernovae are assumed to be the major contributor to these large amounts of dust. However, the composition and morphology of dust grains formed in a supernova ejecta is yet to be understood with clarity. Moreover, the dust masses inferred from observations in mid-infrared and submillimeter wavelength regimes differ by two orders of magnitude or more. Therefore, the mechanism responsible for the synthesis of molecules and dust in such environments plays a crucial role in studying the evolution of cosmic dust in galaxies. This review summarises our current knowledge of dust formation in supernova ejecta and tries to quantify the role of supernovae as dust producers in a galaxy.

The SPICA mid- and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity enabled by the cold telescope, optimised detectors, and wide instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The spectroscopic, imaging, and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular, (i) the access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed spread in star-formation rates within and between galaxies, (ii) observations of HD rotational lines (out to similar to 10 Mpc) and fine structure lines such as [C II] 158 mu m (out to similar to 100 Mpc) will clarify the main reservoirs of interstellar matter in galaxies, including phases where CO does not emit, (iii) far-infrared spectroscopy of dust and ice features will address uncertainties in the mass and composition of dust in galaxies, and the contributions of supernovae to the interstellar dust budget will be quantified by photometry and monitoring of supernova remnants in nearby galaxies, (iv) observations of far-infrared cooling lines such as [O I] 63 mu m from star-forming molecular clouds in our Galaxy will evaluate the importance of shocks to dissipate turbulent energy. The paper concludes with requirements for the telescope and instruments, and recommendations for the observing strategy.

With the recent discovery of a dozen dusty star-forming galaxies and around 30 quasars at z>5 that are hyper-luminous in the infrared ($��$$L_{\rm IR}>10^{13}$ L$_{\odot}$, where $��$ is a lensing magnification factor), the possibility has opened up for SPICA, the proposed ESA M5 mid-/far-infrared mission, to extend its spectroscopic studies toward the epoch of reionization and beyond. In this paper, we examine the feasibility and scientific potential of such observations with SPICA's far-infrared spectrometer SAFARI, which will probe a spectral range (35-230 $��$m) that will be unexplored by ALMA and JWST. Our simulations show that SAFARI is capable of delivering good-quality spectra for hyper-luminous infrared galaxies (HyLIRGs) at z=5-10, allowing us to sample spectral features in the rest-frame mid-infrared and to investigate a host of key scientific issues, such as the relative importance of star formation versus AGN, the hardness of the radiation field, the level of chemical enrichment, and the properties of the molecular gas. From a broader perspective, SAFARI offers the potential to open up a new frontier in the study of the early Universe, providing access to uniquely powerful spectral features for probing first-generation objects, such as the key cooling lines of low-metallicity or metal-free forming galaxies (fine-structure and H2 lines) and emission features of solid compounds freshly synthesized by Population III supernovae. Ultimately, SAFARI's ability to explore the high-redshift Universe will be determined by the availability of sufficiently bright targets (whether intrinsically luminous or gravitationally lensed). With its launch expected around 2030, SPICA is ideally positioned to take full advantage of upcoming wide-field surveys such as LSST, SKA, Euclid, and WFIRST, which are likely to provide extraordinary targets for SAFARI., 24 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PASA (SPICA special issue)

The SPICA mid and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity enabled by the cold telescope, optimized detectors, and wide instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The spectroscopic, imaging and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular: (i) The access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed spread in star formation rates within and between galaxies. (ii) Observations of HD rotational lines (out to $\sim$10 Mpc) and fine structure lines such as [CII] 158 $\mu$m (out to $\sim$100 Mpc) will clarify the main reservoirs of interstellar matter in galaxies, including phases where CO does not emit. (iii) Far-infrared spectroscopy of dust and ice features will address uncertainties in the mass and composition of dust in galaxies, and the contributions of supernovae to the interstellar dust budget will be quantified by photometry and monitoring of supernova remnants in nearby galaxies. (iv) Observations of far-infrared cooling lines such as [OI] 63 $\mu$m from star-forming molecular clouds in our Galaxy will evaluate the importance of shocks to dissipate turbulent energy. The paper concludes with requirements for the telescope and instruments, and recommendations for the observing strategy., Comment: Accepted for publication in PASA; 19 pages, 8 figures, 1 table

Measurements of flux density are described for five planets, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, across the six Planck High Frequency Instrument frequency bands (100-857 GHz) and these are then compared with models and existing data. In our analysis, we have also included estimates of the brightness of Jupiter and Saturn at the three frequencies of the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (30, 44, and 70 GHz). The results provide constraints on the intrinsic brightness and the brightness time-variability of these planets. The majority of the planet flux density estimates are limited by systematic errors, but still yield better than 1% measurements in many cases. Applying data from Planck HFI, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) to a model that incorporates contributions from Saturn's rings to the planet's total flux density suggests a best fit value for the spectral index of Saturn's ring system of βring = 2.30 ± 0.03 over the 30-1000 GHz frequency range. Estimates of the polarization amplitude of the planets have also been made in the four bands that have polarization-sensitive detectors (100-353 GHz); this analysis provides a 95% confidence level upper limit on Mars's polarization of 1.8, 1.7, 1.2, and 1.7% at 100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz, respectively. The average ratio between the Planck-HFI measurements and the adopted model predictions for all five planets (excluding Jupiter observations for 353 GHz) is 1.004, 1.002, 1.021, and 1.033 for 100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz, respectively. Model predictions for planet thermodynamic temperatures are therefore consistent with the absolute calibration of Planck-HFI detectors at about the three-percent level. We compare our measurements with published results from recent cosmic microwave background experiments. In particular, we observe that the flux densities measured by Planck HFI and WMAP agree to within 2%. These results allow experiments operating in the mm-wavelength range to cross-calibrate against Planck and improve models of radiative transport used in planetary science.

With its relatively low ionization potential, C+ can be found throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) and provides one of the main cooling channels of the ISM via the [C II] 157 μm emission. While the strength of the [C II] line correlates with the star formation rate, the contributions of the various gas phases to the [C II] emission on galactic scales are not well established. In this study we establish an empirical multi-component model of the ISM, including dense H II regions, dense photon dissociation regions (PDRs), the warm ionized medium (WIM), low density and {G}0 surfaces of molecular clouds (SfMCs), and the cold neutral medium (CNM). We test our model on ten luminous regions within the two nearby galaxies NGC 3184 and NGC 628 on angular scales of 500-600 pc. Both galaxies are part of the Herschel key program KINGFISH, and are complemented by a large set of ancillary ground- and space-based data. The five modeled phases together reproduce the observed [C II] emission quite well, overpredicting the total flux slightly (about 45%) averaged over all regions. We find that dense PDRs are the dominating component, contributing 68% of the [C II] flux on average, followed by the WIM and the SfMCs, with mean contributions of about half of the contribution from dense PDRs, each. CNM and dense H II regions are only minor contributors with less than 5% each. These estimates are averaged over the selected regions, but the relative contributions of the various phases to the [C II] flux vary significantly between these regions.

The radiation of stars heats dust grains in the diffuse interstellar medium and in star-forming regions in galaxies. Modelling this interaction provides information on dust in galaxies, a vital ingredient for their evolution. It is not straightforward to identify the stellar populations heating the dust, and to link attenuation to emission on a sub-galactic scale. Radiative transfer models are able to simulate this dust-starlight interaction in a realistic, three-dimensional setting. We investigate the dust heating mechanisms on a local and global galactic scale, using the Andromeda galaxy (M31) as our laboratory. We perform a series of panchromatic radiative transfer simulations of Andromeda with our code SKIRT. The high inclination angle of M31 complicates the 3D modelling and causes projection effects. However, the observed morphology and flux density are reproduced fairly well from UV to sub-millimeter wavelengths. Our model reveals a realistic attenuation curve, compatible with previous, observational estimates. We find that the dust in M31 is mainly (91 % of the absorbed luminosity) heated by the evolved stellar populations. The bright bulge produces a strong radiation field and induces non-local heating up to the main star-forming ring at 10 kpc. The relative contribution of unevolved stellar populations to the dust heating varies strongly with wavelength and with galactocentric distance.The dust heating fraction of unevolved stellar populations correlates strongly with NUV-r colour and specific star formation rate. These two related parameters are promising probes for the dust heating sources at a local scale., Comment: 16 pages + appendix, 13 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

The DustPedia project is capitalising on the legacy of the Herschel Space Observatory, using cutting-edge modelling techniques to study dust in the 875 DustPedia galaxies - representing the vast majority of extended galaxies within 3000 km s$^{-1}$ that were observed by Herschel. This work requires a database of multiwavelength imagery and photometry that greatly exceeds the scope (in terms of wavelength coverage and number of galaxies) of any previous local-Universe survey. We constructed a database containing our own custom Herschel reductions, along with standardised archival observations from GALEX, SDSS, DSS, 2MASS, WISE, Spitzer, and Planck. Using these data, we performed consistent aperture-matched photometry, which we combined with external supplementary photometry from IRAS and Planck. We present our multiwavelength imagery and photometry across 42 UV-microwave bands for the 875 DustPedia galaxies. Our aperture-matched photometry, combined with the external supplementary photometry, represents a total of 21,857 photometric measurements. A typical DustPedia galaxy has multiwavelength photometry spanning 25 bands. We also present the Comprehensive & Adaptable Aperture Photometry Routine (CAAPR), the pipeline we developed to carry out our aperture-matched photometry. CAAPR is designed to produce consistent photometry for the enormous range of galaxy and observation types in our data. In particular, CAAPR is able to determine robust cross-compatible uncertainties, thanks to a novel method for reliably extrapolating the aperture noise for observations that cover a very limited amount of background. Our rich database of imagery and photometry is being made available to the community, Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

International audience; We present the Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) atlas for a complete flux-limited sample of local ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) as part of the HERschel Ultra Luminous InfraRed Galaxy Survey (HERUS). The data reduction is described in detail and was optimized for faint FTS sources ,with particular care being taken for the subtraction of the background, which dominates the continuum shape of the spectra. To improve the final spectra, special treatment in the data reduction has been given to any observation suffering from artifacts in the data caused by anomalous instrumental effects. Complete spectra are shown covering 200-671 μm, with photometry in the SPIRE bands at 250, 350, and 500 μm. The spectra include near complete CO ladders for over half of our sample, as well as fine structure lines from [C I] 370 μm, [C I] 609 μm, and [N II] 205 μm. We also detect H2O lines in several objects. We construct CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) for the sample, and compare their slopes with the far-infrared (FIR) colors and luminosities. We show that the CO SLEDs of ULIRGs can be broadly grouped into three classes based on their excitation. We find that the mid-J (5 < J < 8) lines are better correlated with the total FIR luminosity, suggesting that the warm gas component is closely linked to recent star formation. The higher J transitions do not linearly correlate with the FIR luminosity, consistent with them originating in hotter, denser gas that is unconnected to the current star formation. We conclude that in most cases more than one temperature component is required to model the CO SLEDs.

We study the geometry of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) obscurer in IRAS 09104+4109, an IR-luminous, radio-intermediate FR-I source at $z$ = 0.442, using infrared data from $\textit{Spitzer}$ and $\textit{Herschel}$, X-ray data from $\textit{NuSTAR}$, $\textit{Swift}$, $\textit{Suzaku}$, and $\textit{Chandra}$, and an optical spectrum from Palomar. The infrared data imply a total rest-frame 1–1000 μm luminosity of 5.5 × 10$^{46}$ erg s$^{−1}$ and require both an AGN torus and a starburst model. The AGN torus has an anisotropy-corrected IR luminosity of 4.9 × 10$^{46}$ erg s$^{−1}$ and a viewing angle and half-opening angle both of approximately 36° from pole-on. The starburst has a star formation rate of (110 ± 34) $M_\odot$ yr$^{−1}$ and an age of, ERC (Advanced Grant Feedback 340442)

Ly-alpha blobs (LABs) offer insight into the complex interface between galaxies and their circumgalactic medium. Whilst some LABs have been found to contain luminous star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei that could potentially power the Ly-alpha emission, others appear not to be associated with obvious luminous galaxy counterparts. It has been speculated that LABs may be powered by cold gas streaming on to a central galaxy, providing an opportunity to directly observe the `cold accretion' mode of galaxy growth. Star-forming galaxies in LABs could be dust obscured and therefore detectable only at longer wavelengths. We stack deep SCUBA-2 observations of the SSA22 field to determine the average 850um flux density of 34 LABs. We measure S_850 = 0.6 +/- 0.2mJy for all LABs, but stacking the LABs by size indicates that only the largest third (area > 1794 kpc^2) have a mean detection, at 4.5 sigma, with S_850 = 1.4 +/- 0.3mJy. Only two LABs (1 and 18) have individual SCUBA-2 > 3.5 sigma detections at a depth of 1.1mJy/beam. We consider two possible mechanisms for powering the LABs and find that central star formation is likely to dominate the emission of Ly-alpha, with cold accretion playing a secondary role., Accepted MNRAS 16 May 2016

Harris, A. I. et al., We report measurements of the carbon monoxide ground state rotational transition (12C16O J = 1-0) with the Zpectrometer ultrawideband spectrometer on the 100 m diameter Green Bank Telescope. The sample comprises 11 galaxies with redshifts between z = 2.1 and 3.5 from a total sample of 24 targets identified by Herschel-ATLAS photometric colors from the SPIRE instrument. Nine of the CO measurements are new redshift determinations, substantially adding to the number of detections of galaxies with rest-frame peak submillimeter emission near 100 μm. The CO detections confirm the existence of massive gas reservoirs within these luminous dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs). The CO redshift distribution of the 350 μm selected galaxies is strikingly similar to the optical redshifts of 850 μm-selected submillimeter galaxies in 2.1 ≤ z ≤ 3.5. Spectroscopic redshifts break a temperature-redshift degeneracy; optically thin dust models fit to the far-infrared photometry indicate characteristic dust temperatures near 34 K for most of the galaxies we detect in CO. Detections of two warmer galaxies, and statistically significant nondetections, hint at warmer or molecule-poor DSFGs with redshifts that are difficult to determine from Herschel-SPIRE photometric colors alone. Many of the galaxies identified by H-ATLAS photometry are expected to be amplified by foreground gravitational lenses. Analysis of CO linewidths and luminosities provides a method for finding approximate gravitational lens magnifications μ from spectroscopic data alone, yielding μ ~ 3-20. Corrected for magnification, most galaxy luminosities are consistent with an ultraluminous infrared galaxy classification, but three are candidate hyper-LIRGs with luminosities greater than 1013 L ☉., We acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation under grant numbers AST-0503946 to the University of Maryland and AST-0708653 to Rutgers University. D.T.F. acknowledges support by NASA through an award issued by JPL/Caltech; D.R. acknowledges support from NASA through a Spitzer Space Telescope Grant; I.R.S. and A.M.S. acknowledge support from STFC; S.B. acknowledges financial contribution from the agreement ASIINAF I/009/10/0; J.G.N. acknowledges financial support from Spanish CSIC for a JAE-DOC fellowship and partial financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion project AYA2010-21766-C03-01.

Astronomy and astrophysics 590, A24(2016). doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201527256, During February–March 2014, the MAGIC telescopes observed the high-frequency peaked BL Lac 1ES 1011+496 (z = 0.212) in flaring state at very-high energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV). The flux reached a level of more than ten times higher than any previously recorded flaring state of the source.Aims. To describe the characteristics of the flare presenting the light curve and the spectral parameters of the night-wise spectra and the average spectrum of the whole period. From these data we aim to detect the imprint of the extragalactic background light (EBL) in the VHE spectrum of the source, to constrain its intensity in the optical band.Methods. We analyzed the gamma-ray data from the MAGIC telescopes using the standard MAGIC software for the production of the light curve and the spectra. To constrain the EBL, we implement the method developed by the H.E.S.S. collaboration, in which the intrinsic energy spectrum of the source is modeled with a simple function (≤4 parameters), and the EBL-induced optical depth is calculated using a template EBL model. The likelihood of the observed spectrum is then maximized, including a normalization factor for the EBL opacity among the free parameters.Results. The collected data allowed us to describe the night-wise flux changes and also to produce differential energy spectra for all nights in the observed period. The estimated intrinsic spectra of all the nights could be fitted by power-law functions. Evaluating the changes in the fit parameters, we conclude that the spectral shape for most of the nights were compatible, regardless of the flux level, which enabled us to produce an average spectrum from which the EBL imprint could be constrained. The likelihood ratio test shows that the model with an EBL density 1.07 (–0.20, +0.24)$_{stat+sys}$, relative to the one in the tested EBL template, is preferred at the 4.6σ level to the no-EBL hypothesis, with the assumption that the intrinsic source spectrum can be modeled as a log-parabola. This would translate into a constraint of the EBL density in the wavelength range [0.24 μm, 4.25 μm], with a peak value at 1.4 μm of λF$_λ$ = 12.27$_{-2.29}^{+2.75}$ nW m$^{-2}$ sr$^{-1}$, including systematics., Published by EDP Sciences, Les Ulis

The Astronomical Thermal Emission Camera (AzTEC) 1.1?mm survey of the two SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) fields is the largest (0.7?deg2) blank-field millimetre-wavelength (mm-wavelength) survey undertaken to date at a resolution of ?18?arcsec and a depth of ?1?mJy. We have used the deep optical to radio multiwavelength data in the SHADES Lockman Hole East and SXDF/UDS fields to obtain galaxy identifications for ?64 per cent (?80 per cent including tentative identifications) of the 148 AzTEC-SHADES 1.1?mm sources reported by Austermann et al., exploiting deep radio and 24 mu m data complemented by methods based on 8 mu m flux density and red opticalinfrared (i - K) colour. This unusually high identification rate can be attributed to the relatively bright mm-wavelength flux density threshold, combined with the relatively deep supporting multifrequency data now available in these two well-studied fields. We have further exploited the opticalmid-infraredradio data to derive an ?60 per cent (?75 per cent including tentative identifications) complete redshift distribution for the AzTEC-SHADES sources, yielding a median redshift of z ? 2.2, with a high-redshift tail extending to at least z ? 4. Despite the larger area probed by the AzTEC survey relative to the original SCUBA-SHADES imaging, the redshift distribution of the AzTEC sources is consistent with that displayed by the SCUBA sources, and reinforces tentative evidence that the redshift distribution of mm/submm sources in the Lockman Hole field is significantly different from that found in the SXDF/UDS field. Comparison with simulated surveys of similar scale extracted from semi-analytic models based on the Millennium simulation indicates that this is as expected if the mm/submm sources are massive (M > 1011?M?) star-forming galaxies tracing large-scale structures over scales of 1020?Mpc. This confirms the importance of surveys covering several deg2 (as now underway with SCUBA2) to obtain representative samples of bright (sub)mm-selected galaxies. This work provides a foundation for the further exploitation of the Spitzer and Herschel data in the SHADES fields in the study of the stellar masses and specific star formation rates of the most active star-forming galaxies in cosmic history.

We describe two ground-based observing campaigns aimed at building a grid of approximately 200 spectrophotometric standard stars (SPSS), with an internal ?1 per cent precision and tied to Vega within ?3 per cent, for the absolute flux calibration of data gathered by Gaia, the European Space Agency (ESA) astrometric mission. The criteria for the selection and a list of candidates are presented, together with a description of the survey strategy and the adopted data analysis methods. We also discuss a short list of notable rejected SPSS candidates and difficult cases, based on identification problems, literature discordant data, visual companions and variability. In fact, all candidates are also monitored for constancy (within +/- 5?mmag, approximately). In particular, we report on a CALSPEC standard, 1740346, that we found to be a d Scuti variable during our short-term monitoring (12?h) campaign.

We have analysed a sample of 1292 4.5-mu m-selected galaxies at z >= 3, over 0.6 deg2 of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Survey (UKIDSS) Ultra Deep Survey (UDS). Using photometry from the U band through 4.5 mu m, we have obtained photometric redshifts and derived stellar masses for our sources. Only two of our galaxies potentially lie at z > 5. We have studied the galaxy stellar mass function at 3 10 between z = 5 and 3, indicating that the assembly rate of these galaxies proceeded > 20 times faster at these redshifts than at 0

We investigate the use of mid-infrared (MIR) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bands, the continuum, and emission lines as probes of star formation (SF) and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in a sample of 100 "normal" and local (z similar to 0.1) emission-line galaxies. The MIR spectra were obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Spectrograph as part of the Spitzer-SDSS-GALEX Spectroscopic Survey, which includes multi-wavelength photometry from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared and optical spectroscopy. The continuum and features were extracted using PAHFIT, a decomposition code which we find to yield PAH equivalent widths (EWs) up to similar to 30 times larger than the commonly used spline methods. Despite the lack of extreme objects in our sample (such as strong AGNs, low-metallicity galaxies, or ULIRGs), we find significant variations in PAH, continuum, and emission-line properties, and systematic trends between these MIR properties and optically derived physical properties, such as age, metallicity, and radiation field hardness. We revisit the diagnostic diagram relating PAH EWs and [Ne II] 12.8 mu m/[O IV] 25.9 mu m line ratios and find it to be in much better agreement with the standard optical SF/AGN classification than when spline decompositions are used, while also potentially revealing obscured AGNs. The luminosity of individual PAH components, of the continuum, and, with poorer statistics, of the neon emission lines and molecular hydrogen lines are found to be tightly correlated to the total infrared (TIR) luminosity, making individual MIR components good gauges of the total dust emission in SF galaxies. Like the TIR luminosity, these individual components can be used to estimate dust attenuation in the UV and in H alpha lines based on energy balance arguments. We also propose average scaling relations between these components and dust-corrected, H alpha-derived SF rates.

Understanding the properties of stellar populations and interstellar dust has important implications for galaxy evolution. In normal star-forming galaxies, stars and the interstellar medium dominate the radiation from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR). In particular, interstellar dust absorbs and scatters UV and optical light, re-emitting the absorbed energy in the IR. This is a strongly nonlinear process that makes independent studies of the UV-optical and IR susceptible to large uncertainties and degeneracies. Over the years, UV to IR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting utilizing varying approximations has revealed important results on the stellar and dust properties of galaxies. Yet the approximations limit the fidelity of the derived properties. There is sufficient computer power now available that it is now possible to remove these approximations and map out of landscape of galaxy SEDs using full dust radiative transfer. This improves upon previous work by directly connecting the UV, optical, and IR through dust grain physics. We present the DIRTYGrid, a grid of radiative transfer models of SEDs of dusty stellar populations in galactic environments designed to span the full range of physical parameters of galaxies. Using the stellar and gas radiation input from the stellar population synthesis model PEGASE, our radiative transfer model DIRTY self-consistently computes the UV to far-IR/sub-mm SEDs for each set of parameters in our grid. DIRTY computes the dust absorption, scattering, and emission from the local radiation field and a dust grain model, thereby physically connecting the UV-optical to the IR. We describe the computational method and explain the choices of parameters in DIRTYGrid. The computation took millions of CPU hours on supercomputers, and the SEDs produced are an invaluable tool for fitting multi-wavelength data sets. We provide the complete set of SEDs in an online table.

We present IRS spectra and revised MIPS photometry for the 18 members of the Eta Chamaeleontis cluster. Aged 8 Myr, the Eta Cha cluster is one of the few nearby regions within the 5-10 Myr age range, during which the disk fraction decreases dramatically and giant planet formation must come to an end. For the 15 low-mass members, we measure a disk fraction ~50%, high for their 8 Myr age, and 4 of the 8 disks lack near-IR excesses, consistent with the empirical definition of "transition'' disks. Most of the disks are comparable to geometrically flat disks. The comparison with regions of different ages suggests that at least some of the "transition" disks may represent the normal type of disk around low-mass stars. Therefore, their flattened structure and inner holes may be related to other factors (initial masses of the disk and the star, environment, binarity), rather than to pure time evolution. We analyze the silicate dust in the disk atmosphere, finding moderate crystalline fractions (~10-30%) and typical grain sizes ~1-3 micron, without any characteristic trend in the composition. These results are common to other regions of different ages, suggesting that the initial grain processing occurs very early in the disk lifetime (, 35 pages, 6 tables, 8 figures; Accepted by ApJ

The mid-infrared spectrum of the rather circular planetary nebula NGC2792 taken with the Spitzer Space Telescope is presented. This spectrum is combined with the ultraviolet IUE spectrum and with the spectrum in the visual wavelength region to obtain a complete, extinction corrected, spectrum. The chemical composition of the nebula is then calculated in two ways. First by directly calculating and adding individual ion abundances, and secondly by building a model nebula that attempts to reproduce the observed spectrum. Because it is now possible to include the nebular temperature gradient, the chemical composition is more accurate than has been given earlier in the literature. Discussion of both the central star and the evolution of the star-nebula is then given.

The spectra of the planetary nebula NGC 6210 is reanalysed using spectral measurements made in the mid-infrared with the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Infrared Space Observatory. The aim is to determine the chemical composition of this object. We also make use of IUE and ground based spectra. Abundances determined from the mid-infrared lines, which are insensitive to electron temperature, are used as the basis for the determination of the composition, which is found to differ somewhat from earlier results. The abundances found, especially the low value of helium and oxygen, indicate that the central star was originally of rather low mass, probably ≤1 M� . Abundances of phosphorus, iron, silicon, sodium, potassium and chlorine have been determined, some for the first time in this nebula. The electron temperature in this nebula is constant. The temperature, radius and luminosity of the central star is also discussed. It is shown that the luminosity is consistent with that predicted for a star of 0.9 M� . But the predicted nebular age is inconsistent with the observed kinetic age. NGC 6210 (PN G043.1+37.7) is a rather bright planetary nebula located at an unusually high galactic latitude and has only a small extinction. The nebula has an unusual morphology. It is usually classified as ellipsoidal, although Hajian et al. (1995) refer to it as “very amorphous and irregular”. An HST photograph of the nebula is shown in Fig. 1. This is the brightest part of the nebula. The central star is clearly seen in the photograph; while the brightest part of the nebula lies to the north of the central star. Various small scale structures are also present. Most of the emission is present within a region of about 12 �� × 8 �� . This region is surrounded by a halo-like structure with a diameter about twice as large and of much lower surface brightness, less than 1% of the brighter parts of the nebula. A long exposure photograph of the nebula is shown in Fig. 2 where it can be seen that there are four arm-like extensions in the halo. Phillips & Cuesta (1996) have shown that these features have a somewhat different spectrum than that of the main nebula. The integrated spectrum which is studied in this paper is essentially from the main part of the nebula, both because the halo emission is relatively small and because the size of the diaphragm limits the measurement to the central region. Because the nebula is found 38 degrees above the galactic plane it has only a small extinction. It is probably a nearby nebula since most PNe are located close to the galactic plane. An expansion distance has been measured by Hajian et al. (1995 )t o be 1.57 kpc. Although this is an uncertain distance it is not an unreasonable one since it agrees with the distance found from

MIPSGAL is a 278 deg(2) survey of the inner Galactic plane using the Multiband Infrared Photometer for Spitzer aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. The survey field was imaged in two passbands, 24 and 70 mu m with resolutions of 6 '' and 18 '', respectively. The survey was designed to provide a uniform, well-calibrated and well-characterized data set for general inquiry of the inner Galactic plane and as a longer-wavelength complement to the shorter-wavelength Spitzer survey of the Galactic plane: Galactic Plane Infrared Mapping Survey Extraordinaire. The primary science drivers of the current survey are to identify all high-mass (M > 5 M-circle dot) protostars in the inner Galactic disk and to probe the distribution, energetics, and properties of interstellar dust in the Galactic disk. The observations were planned to minimize data artifacts due to image latents at 24 mu m and to provide full coverage at 70 mu m. Observations at ecliptic latitudes within 15 of the ecliptic plane were taken at multiple epochs to help reject asteroids. The data for the survey were collected in three epochs, 2005 September-October, 2006 April, and 2006 October with all of the data available to the public. The estimated point-source sensitivities of the survey are 2 and 75 mJy (3 sigma) at 24 and 70 mu m, respectively. Additional data processing was needed to mitigate image artifacts due to bright sources at 24 mu m and detector responsivity variations at 70 mu m due to the large dynamic range of the Galactic plane. Enhanced data products including artifact-mitigated mosaics and point-source catalogs are being produced with the 24 mu m mosaics already publicly available from the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Some preliminary results using the enhanced data products are described.

Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs), condensed regions of the ISM with high column densities, low temperatures and high masses, are suspected sites of star formation. Thousands of IRDCs have already been identified. To date, it has not been resolved whether IRDCs always show star formation activity and, if so, if massive star formation (> 8 solar masses) is the rule or the exception in IRDCs. Previous analysis of sub-millimeter cores in the cloud MSXDC G048.65-00.29 (G48.65) indicates embedded star formation activity. To characterize this activity in detail, mid-infrared photometry (3-30 micron) has been obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. This paper analyzes the point sources seen in the 24 micron band, combined with counterparts or upper limits at shorter and longer wavelengths. Data points in wavelength bands ranging from 1 up to 850 micron are used to compare each 24 micron source to a set of Spectral Energy Distributions of Young Stellar Object (YSO) models. By assessing the models that fit the data, an attempt is made to identify YSOs as such and determine their evolutionary stages and stellar masses. A total of 17 sources are investigated, 13 of which are classified as YSOs, primarily - but not exclusively - in an early embedded phase of star formation. The modeled masses of the central stellar objects range from sub-solar to ~8 solar masses. Every YSO is at less than 1 pc projected distance from its nearest YSO neighbor. We conclude that IRDC G48.65 is a region of active star formation. We find YSOs in various evolutionary phases, indicating that the star formation in this cloud is not an instantaneous process. The inferred masses of the central objects suggest that this IRDC hosts only low to intermediate mass YSOs and none with masses exceeding ~8 solar masses., 10 pages, 6 figures; v2: minor editorial changes to match published version

The spectra of the planetary nebulae NGC3242 and NGC6369 are reanalysed using spectral measurements made in the mid-infrared with the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). The aim is to determine the chemical composition of these objects. We also make use of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and ground based spectra. These elliptical PNe are interesting because they are well-studied, nearby, bright objects and therefore allow a reasonably complete comparison of this type of nebulae. Abundances determined from the mid-infrared lines, which are insensitive to electron temperature, are used as the basis for the determination of the composition, which are found to differ somewhat from earlier results. The abundances found, especially the low value of helium and oxygen, indicate that the central star was originally of rather low mass. The abundance of phosphorus has been determined for the first time in NGC3242. The electron temperature in both of these nebulae is roughly constant unlike NGC6302 and NGC2392 where a strong temperature gradient is found. The temperature of the central star is discussed for both nebulae. Finally a comparison of the element abundances in these nebulae with the solar abundance is made. The low abundance of Fe and P is noted and it is suggested that these elements are an important constituent of the nebular dust., 11 pages, 2 figures, 15 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A

We present mid-infrared Spitzer spectra of 11 planetary nebulae in the Galactic bulge. We derive argon, neon, sulfur, and oxygen abundances for them using mainly infrared line fluxes combined with some optical line fluxes from the literature. Due to the high extinction toward the bulge, the infrared spectra allow us to determine abundances for certain elements more accurately than previously possible with optical data alone. Abundances of argon and sulfur ( and in most cases neon and oxygen) in planetary nebulae in the bulge give the abundances of the interstellar medium at the time their progenitor stars formed; thus, these abundances give information about the formation and evolution of the bulge. The abundances of bulge planetary nebulae tend to be slightly higher than those in the disk on average, but they do not follow the trend of the disk planetary nebulae, thus confirming the difference between bulge and disk evolution. In addition, the bulge planetary nebulae show peculiar dust properties compared to the disk nebulae. Oxygen-rich dust features (crystalline silicates) dominate the spectra of all of the bulge planetary nebulae; such features are more scarce in disk nebulae. In addition, carbon-rich dust features (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) appear in roughly half of the bulge planetary nebulae in our sample, which is interesting in light of the fact that this dual chemistry is comparatively rare in the Milky Way as a whole.

The spectra of the planetary nebula NGC2392 is reanalysed using spectral measurements made in the mid-infrared with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The aim is to determine the chemical composition of this object. We also make use of IUE and ground based spectra. Abundances determined from the mid-infrared lines, which are insensitive to electron temperature, are used as the basis for the determination of the composition, which are found to differ somewhat from earlier results. The abundances found, especially the low value of helium and oxygen, indicate that the central star was originally of rather low mass. Abundances of phosphorus, iron, silicon and chlorine have been determined for the first time in this nebula. The variation of electron temperature in this nebula is very clear reaching quite high values close to the center. The temperature of the central star is discussed in the light of the high observed stages of ionization. The nebular information indicates the spectrum of the star deviates considerably from a blackbody., 9 pages, 7 tables, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

The chemical abundances of neon and sulfur for 25 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds are presented. These abundances have been derived using mainly infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. The implications for the chemical evolution of these elements are discussed. A comparison with similarly obtained abundances of Galactic PNe and H II regions and Magellanic Cloud H II regions is also given. The average neon abundances are 6.0 x 10(-5) and 2.7 x 10(-5) for the PNe in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, respectively. These are similar to 1/3 and 1/6 of the average abundances of Galactic planetary nebulae to which we compare. The average sulfur abundances for the LMC and SMC are, respectively, 2.7 x 10(-6) and 1.0 x 10(-6). The Ne/S ratio (23.5) is on average higher than the ratio found in Galactic PNe (16), but the range of values in both data sets is similar for most of the objects. The neon abundances found in PNe and H II regions agree with each other. It is possible that a few (3-4) of the PNe in the sample have experienced some neon enrichment, but for two of these objects the high Ne/S ratio can be explained by their very low sulfur abundances. The neon and sulfur abundances derived in this paper are also compared to previously published abundances using optical data and photoionization models.

The spectra of the planetary nebula M1-42 is reanalysed using spectral measurements made in the mid-infrared with the Spitzer Space Telescope. The aim is to determine the chemical composition of this object. We also make use of ISO, IUE and ground based spectra. Abundances determined from the mid- and far-infrared lines, which are insensitive to electron temperature, are used as the basis for the determination of the composition, which are found to substantially differ from earlier results. High values of neon, argon and sulfur are found. They are higher than in other PN, with the exception of NGC6153, a nebula of very similar abundances. The high values of helium and nitrogen found indicate that the second dredge-up and hot bottom burning has occurred in the course of evolution and that the central star was originally more massive than 4Msun. The present temperature and luminosity of the central star is determined and at first sight may be inconsistent with such a high mass., 9 pages, 8 tables, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in A&A

This paper describes a James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) legacy survey that has been awarded roughly 500 hr of observing time to be carried out from 2007 to 2009. In this survey, we will map with SCUBA-2 (Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2) almost all of the well-known low-mass and intermediate-mass star-forming regions within 0.5 kpc that are accessible from the JCMT. Most of these locations are associated with the Gould Belt. From these observations, we will produce a flux-limited snapshot of star formation near the Sun, providing a legacy of images, as well as point-source and extended-source catalogs, over almost 700 deg(2) of sky. The resulting images will yield the first catalog of prestellar and protostellar sources selected by submillimeter continuum emission, and should increase the number of known sources by more than an order of magnitude. We will also obtain with the array receiver HARP (Heterodyne Array Receiver Program) CO maps, in three CO isotopologues, of a large typical sample of prestellar and protostellar sources. We will then map the brightest hundred sources with the SCUBA-2 polarimeter (POL-2), producing the first statistically significant set of polarization maps in the submillimeter. The images and source catalogs will be a powerful reference set for astronomers, providing a detailed legacy archive for future telescopes, including ALMA, Herschel, and JWST.

The MAGIC telescope took data of very high energy ?-ray emission from the blazar Markarian 421 (Mrk 421) between 2004 November and 2005 April. We present a combined analysis of data samples recorded under different observational conditions, down to ?-ray energies of 100 GeV. The flux was found to vary between 0.5 and 2 crab (integrated above 200 GeV), considered a low state when compared to known data. Although the flux varied day by day, no short-term variability was observed, although there is some indication that not all nights show an equally quiescent state. The results at higher energies were found to be consistent with previous observations. A clear correlation is observed between ?-ray and X-ray fluxes, whereas no significant correlation between ?-ray and optical data is seen. The spectral energy distribution between 100 GeV and 3 TeV shows a clear deviation from a power law, more clearly and at lower flux than previous observations at higher energies. The deviation persists after correcting for the effect of attenuation by the extragalactic background light, and most likely is source-inherent. There is a rather clear indication of an inverse Compton peak around 100 GeV. The spectral energy distribution of Mrk 421 can be fitted by a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model, suggesting once again a leptonic origin of the very high energy ?-ray emission from this blazar. ispartof: Astrophysical Journal vol:663 issue:1 pages:125-138 status: published

We present the rest-frame 8 mu m LF at redshifts z = 1 and similar to 2, computed from Spitzer 24 mu m-selected galaxies in the GOODS fields over an area of 291 arcmin(2). Using classification criteria based on X-ray data and IRAC colors, we identify the AGNs in our sample. The rest-frame 8 mu m LFs for star-forming galaxies at redshifts z = 1 and similar to 2 have the same shape as at z similar to 0, but with a strong positive luminosity evolution. The number density of star-forming galaxies with log(10)(nu L-nu(8 mu m)) > 11 increases by a factor > 250 from redshift z similar to 0 to 1 and is basically the same at z = 1 and similar to 2. The resulting rest-frame 8 mu m luminosity densities associated with star formation at z - 1 and similar to 2 are more than 4 and 2 times larger than at z similar to 0, respectively. We also compute the total rest-frame 8 mu m LF for star-forming galaxies and AGNs at z similar to 2 and show that AGNs dominate its bright end, which is well described by a power law. Using a new calibration based on Spitzer star-forming galaxies at 0

We present Herschel (PACS and SPIRE) far-infrared (FIR) photometry of a complete sample of z>1 3CR sources, from the Herschel GT project The Herschel Legacy of distant radio-loud AGN (PI: Barthel). Combining these with existing Spitzer photometric data, we perform an infrared (IR) spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis of these landmark objects in extragalactic research to study the star formation in the hosts of some of the brightest active galactic nuclei (AGN) known at any epoch. Accounting for the contribution from an AGN-powered warm dust component to the IR SED, about 40% of our objects undergo episodes of prodigious, ULIRG-strength star formation, with rates of hundreds of solar masses per year, coeval with the growth of the central supermassive black hole. Median SEDs imply that the quasar and radio galaxy hosts have similar FIR properties, in agreement with the orientation-based unification for radio-loud AGN. The star-forming properties of the AGN hosts are similar to those of the general population of equally massive non-AGN galaxies at comparable redshifts, thus there is no strong evidence of universal quenching of star formation (negative feedback) within this sample. Massive galaxies at high redshift may be forming stars prodigiously, regardless of whether their supermassive black holes are accreting or not., Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in A&A

NGC 4203 is a nearby early-type galaxy surrounded by a very large, low-column-density HI disc. In this paper, we study the star formation efficiency in the gas disc of NGC 4203 by using the UV, deep optical imaging and infrared data. We confirm that the HI disc consists of two distinct components: an inner star-forming ring with radius from similar to 1 to similar to 3 R-eff and an outer disc. The outer HI disc is nine times more massive than the inner HI ring. At the location of the inner HI ring, we detect spiral-like structure both in the deep g '-r ' image and in the 8 mu m Spitzer-Infrared Array Camera image, extending in radius up to similar to 3 R-eff. These two gas components have a different star formation efficiency likely due to the different metallicity and dust content. The inner component has a star formation efficiency very similar to the inner regions of late-type galaxies. Although the outer component has a very low star formation efficiency, it is similar to that of the outer regions of spiral galaxies and dwarfs. We suggest that these differences can be explained with different gas origins for the two components such as stellar mass loss for the inner HI ring and accretion from the inter galactic medium for the outer HI disc. The low-level star formation efficiency in the outer HI disc is not enough to change the morphology of NGC 4203, making the depletion time of the HI gas much too long., NGC 4203 is a nearby early-type galaxy surrounded by a very large, low-column-density H Idisc. In this paper, we study the star formation efficiency in the gas disc of NGC 4203 by using the UV, deep optical imaging and infrared data. We confirm that the H Idisc consists of two distinct components: an inner star-forming ring with radius from∼1 to∼3Reffand an outer disc. The outer H Idisc is nine times more massive than the inner H Iring. At the location of the inner H Iring, we detect spiral-like structure both in the deepg′−r′ image and in the 8 μmSpitzer-Infrared Array Camera image, extending in radius up to∼ 3Reff. These two gas components have a different star formation efficiency likely due to the different metallicity and dust content. The inner component has a star formation efficiency very similar to the inner regions of late-type galaxies. Although the outer component has a very low star formation efficiency, it is similar to that of the outer regions of spiral galaxies and dwarfs. We suggest that these differences can be explained with different gas origins for the two components such as stellar mass loss for the inner H Iring and accretion from the inter galactic medium for the outer H Idisc. The low-level star formation efficiency in the outer H Idisc is not enough to change the morphology of NGC 4203, making the depletion time of the H Igas much too long.

We report the spectroscopic detection of silicate emission at 10 and 18 microns in five PG quasars, the first detection of these two features in galaxies outside the Local Group. This finding is consistent with the unification model for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), which predicts that an AGN torus seen pole-on should show a silicate emission feature in the mid-infrared. The strengths of the detected silicate emission features range from 0.12 to 1.25 times the continuum at 10 microns and from 0.20 to 0.79 times the continuum at 18 microns. The silicate grain temperatures inferred from the ratio of 18-to-10 micron silicate features under the assumption of optically thin emission range from 140 to 220K., Comment: 4 pages, including 2 tables and 3 figures. Accepted by ApJL

Context: Dust reprocesses about half of the stellar radiation in galaxies. The thermal re-emission by dust of absorbed energy is considered driven merely by young stars and, consequently, often applied to trace the star formation rate in galaxies. Recent studies have argued that the old stellar population might anticipate a non-negligible fraction of the radiative dust heating. Aims: In this work, we aim to analyze the contribution of young (< 100 Myr) and old (~ 10 Gyr) stellar populations to radiative dust heating processes in the nearby grand-design spiral galaxy M51 using radiative transfer modeling. High-resolution 3D radiative transfer (RT) models are required to describe the complex morphologies of asymmetric spiral arms and clumpy star-forming regions and model the propagation of light through a dusty medium. Methods: In this paper, we present a new technique developed to model the radiative transfer effects in nearby face-on galaxies. We construct a high-resolution 3D radiative transfer model with the Monte-Carlo code SKIRT accounting for the absorption, scattering and non-local thermal equilibrium (NLTE) emission of dust in M51. The 3D distribution of stars is derived from the 2D morphology observed in the IRAC 3.6 {\mu}m, GALEX FUV, H{\alpha} and MIPS 24 {\mu}m wavebands, assuming an exponential vertical distribution with an appropriate scale height. The dust geometry is constrained through the far-ultraviolet (FUV) attenuation, which is derived from the observed total-infrared-to-far-ultraviolet luminosity ratio. The stellar luminosity, star formation rate and dust mass have been scaled to reproduce the observed stellar spectral energy distribution (SED), FUV attenuation and infrared SED. (abridged), Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 23 pages, 15 figures

We report Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) 1.1 mm continuum imaging towards two extremely red H-[4.5]>4 (AB) galaxies at z>3, which we have previously discovered making use of Spitzer SEDS and Hubble Space Telescope CANDELS ultra-deep images of the Ultra Deep Survey field. One of our objects is detected on the PdBI map with a 4.3 sigma significance, corresponding to Snu(1.1mm)=(0.78 +/- 0.18) mJy. By combining this detection with the Spitzer 8 and 24 micron photometry for this source, and SCUBA2 flux density upper limits, we infer that this galaxy is a composite active galactic nucleus/star-forming system. The infrared (IR)-derived star formation rate is SFR~(200 +/- 100) Msun/yr, which implies that this galaxy is a higher-redshift analogue of the ordinary ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) more commonly found at z~2-3. In the field of the other target, we find a tentative 3.1 sigma detection on the PdBI 1.1 mm map, but 3.7 arcsec away of our target position, so it likely corresponds to a different object. In spite of the lower significance, the PdBI detection is supported by a close SCUBA2 3.3 sigma detection. No counterpart is found on either the deep SEDS or CANDELS maps, so, if real, the PdBI source could be similar in nature to the sub-millimetre source GN10. We conclude that the analysis of ultra-deep near- and mid-IR images offers an efficient, alternative route to discover new sites of powerful star formation activity at high redshifts., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, 1 table. Updated to match version in press at ApJ

The remarkable progress made in infrared (IR) astronomical instruments over the last 10-15 years has radically changed our vision of the extragalactic IR sky, and overall understanding of galaxy evolution. In particular, this has been the case for the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN), for which IR observations provide a wealth of complementary information that cannot be derived from data in other wavelength regimes. In this review, I summarize the unique contribution that IR astronomy has recently made to our understanding of AGN and their role in galaxy evolution, including both physical studies of AGN at IR wavelengths, and the search for AGN among IR galaxies in general. Finally, I identify and discuss key open issues that should be possible to address with forthcoming IR telescopes.

The remarkable progress made in infrared (IR) astronomical instruments over the last 10-15 years has radically changed our vision of the extragalactic IR sky, and overall understanding of galaxy evolution. In particular, this has been the case for the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN), for which IR observations provide a wealth of complementary information that cannot be derived from data in other wavelength regimes. In this review, I summarize the unique contribution that IR astronomy has recently made to our understanding of AGN and their role in galaxy evolution, including both physical studies of AGN at IR wavelengths, and the search for AGN among IR galaxies in general. Finally, I identify and discuss key open issues that it should be possible to address with forthcoming IR telescopes., 34 pages, 13 figures. Invited review article, in press at the International Journal of Modern Physics D