Skip to main content
Article
Molecular Gas in the z = 2.8 Submillimeter Galaxy SMM 02399-0136
Astrophysical Journal (1998)
  • D T Frayer, California Institute of Technology
  • R J ivison, University of Edinburgh
  • N Z Scoville, California Institute of Technology
  • Min S. Yun, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • A S Evans, California Institute of Technology
  • Ian Smail
  • A W Blain
  • J P Kneib
Abstract
We report the detection of CO (3→2) emission from the submillimeter-selected hyperluminous galaxy SMM 02399-0136. This galaxy is the brightest source detected in the recent Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array surveys of the submillimeter sky. The optical counterpart of the submillimeter source has been identified as a narrow-line active galactic nucleus/starburst galaxy at z=2.8. The CO emission is unresolved, θlesssim5'', and is coincident in redshift and position with the optical counterpart. The molecular gas mass derived from the CO observations is 8×1010 h−275 M_{{\odot}}, after correcting for a lensing amplification factor of 2.5. The large CO luminosity suggests that a significant fraction of the infrared luminosity of SMM 02399-0136 arises from star formation. The high inferred star formation rate of 103 Msun yr-1 and the large gaseous reservoir may suggest that we are seeing the formation phase of a massive galaxy. Future CO observations of other galaxies detected in deep submillimeter surveys will test the generality of these conclusions for the bulk of the faint submillimeter population
Keywords
  • early universe,
  • galaxies: active,
  • galaxies: evolution,
  • galaxies: individual (SMM 02399–0136),
  • galaxies: starburst
Publication Date
October 10, 1998
Publisher Statement
doi:10.1086/311639
Citation Information
D T Frayer, R J ivison, N Z Scoville, Min S. Yun, et al.. "Molecular Gas in the z = 2.8 Submillimeter Galaxy SMM 02399-0136" Astrophysical Journal Vol. 506 (1998)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/min_yun/68/