Skip to main content
Article
Evidence for 1000 km/s Molecular Outflows in the Local ULIRG Population
The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2011)
  • Aeree Chung
  • Min S. Yun
  • Gopal Naraynan
  • Mark Heyer
  • Neal A. Erickson, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Abstract

The feedback from galactic outflows is thought to play an important role in shaping the gas content, star formation history, and ultimately the stellar mass function of galaxies. Here we present evidence for massive molecular outflows associated with ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) in the coadded Redshift Search Receiver 12CO(1-0) spectrum. Our stacked spectrum of 27 ULIRGs at z = 0.043-0.11 (freq_rest = 110-120 GHz) shows broad wings around the CO line with delta_V(FWZI)~2000 km/s. Its integrated line flux accounts for up to 25+/-5% of the total CO line luminosity. When interpreted as a massive molecular outflow wind, the associated mechanical energy can be explained by a concentrated starburst with SFR \geq 100 M_sun/yr, which agrees well with their SFR derived from the FIR luminosity. Using the high signal-to-noise stacked composite spectrum, we also probe 13CO and 12CN emission in the sample and discuss how the chemical abundance of molecular gas may vary depending on the physical conditions of the nuclear region.

Keywords
  • galaxies: evolution,
  • galaxies: interactions,
  • galaxies: ISM,
  • galaxies: nuclei,
  • galaxies: starburst,
  • ISM: jets and outflows
Publication Date
March 28, 2011
Publisher Statement
This is the pre-published version harvested from arXiv. The published version is located at http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205/732/1/L15
Citation Information
Aeree Chung, Min S. Yun, Gopal Naraynan, Mark Heyer, et al.. "Evidence for 1000 km/s Molecular Outflows in the Local ULIRG Population" The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2011)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/neal_erickson/1/