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Spitzer Observations of Deeply Obscured Galactic Nuclei

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2006

H. W. W. Spoon ,
J. V. Keane ,
J. Cami ,
F. Lahuis ,
A. G. G. M. Tielens ,
L. Armus  and
V. Charmandaris
H. W. W. Spoon
Affiliation:
Cornell University, Astronomy Department, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA email: spoon@astro.cornell.edu
J. V. Keane
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, MS 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035
J. Cami
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, MS 245-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035
F. Lahuis
Affiliation:
Leiden Observatory, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands
A. G. G. M. Tielens
Affiliation:
SRON and Kapteyn Institute, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
L. Armus
Affiliation:
Caltech, Spitzer Science Center, MS 220-6, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
V. Charmandaris
Affiliation:
Cornell University, Astronomy Department, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA email: spoon@astro.cornell.edu Department of Physics, University of Greece, P.O. Box 2208, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Abstract

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We report on our first results from a mid-infrared spectroscopic study of ISM features in a sample of deeply obscured ULIRG nuclei using the InfraRed Spectrograph (IRS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectra are extremely rich and complex, revealing absorption features of both amorphous and crystalline silicates, aliphatic hydrocarbons, water ice and gas-phase bands of hot CO and warm C2H2, HCN and CO2. PAH emission bands were found to be generally weak and in some cases absent. The features probe a dense and warm environment, in which crystalline silicates and water ice are able to survive but volatile ices, commonly detected in Galactic dense molecular clouds, cannot. If powered largely by star formation, the stellar density and conditions of the gas and dust have to be extreme not to give rise to the commonly detected emission features associated with starbursts.

Keywords

galaxies: ISM — galaxies: nuclei — infrared: ISM — ISM: evolution — ISM: molecules
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 1 , Symposium S231: Astrochemistry: Recent Successes and Current Challenges , August 2005 , pp. 281 - 290
Copyright
2006 International Astronomical Union