C-GOALS: Chandra observations of a complete sample of luminous infrared galaxies from the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Survey

May 2011 • 2011A&A...529A.106I

Authors • Iwasawa, K. • Sanders, D. B. • Teng, S. H. • U, Vivian • Armus, L. • Evans, A. S. • Howell, J. H. • Komossa, S. • Mazzarella, J. M. • Petric, A. O. • Surace, J. A. • Vavilkin, T. • Veilleux, S. • Trentham, N.

Abstract • We present X-ray data for a complete sample of 44 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), obtained with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. These are the X-ray observations of the high luminosity portion of the Great Observatory All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), which includes the most luminous infrared selected galaxies, log (L_ir/L_⊙) ≥ 11.73, in the local universe, z ≤ 0.088. X-rays were detected from 43 out of 44 objects, and their arcsec-resolution images, spectra, and radial brightness distributions are presented. With a selection by hard X-ray colour and the 6.4 keV iron line, AGN are found in 37% of the objects, with higher luminosity sources more likely to contain an AGN. These AGN also tend to be found in late-stage mergers. The AGN fraction would increase to 48% if objects with [Ne v]λ14.3 μm detection are included. Double AGN are clearly detected only in NGC 6240 among 24 double/triple systems. Other AGN are found either in single nucleus objects or in one of the double nuclei at similar rates. Objects without conventional X-ray signatures of AGN appear to be hard X-ray quiet, relative to the X-ray to far-IR correlation for starburst galaxies, as discussed elsewhere. Most objects also show extended soft X-ray emission, which is likely related to an outflow from the nuclear region, with a metal abundance pattern suggesting enrichment by core collapse supernovae, as expected for a starburst.

Links

• PREPRINT http://arxiv.org/abs/1103.2755
• NED https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/uri/NED::InRefcode/2011A%26A...529A.106I
• POSTSCRIPT https://www.aanda.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201015264/postscript
• ELECTR https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201015264
• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=2011A%26A...529A.106I
• PDF https://www.aanda.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201015264/pdf
• DATA https://archive.stsci.edu/mastbibref.php?bibcode=2011A%26A...529A.106I
• DATA https://cda.harvard.edu/chaser?obsid=809,869,1031,1590,2033,2035,2036,2037,3432,4028,4029,4030,4110,4112,4115,4552,6227,6857,6858,6861,6862,7801,7802,7803,7804,7805,7806,7807,7808,7809,7810,7811,7812,7813,7814,7815,7816,7817,7818,7819,7820,7821,7822,7887,7888,7889,7890
• DATA https://hst.esac.esa.int/ehst/#/pages/search;bibcode=2011A%26A...529A.106I