2008A&A...491..483P -
Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 491, 483-487 (2008/11-4)
High-excitation molecular gas in local luminous AGN hosts.
PAPADOPOULOS P.P., KOVACS A., EVANS A.S. and BARTHEL P.
Abstract (from CDS):
The discovery of large amounts of molecular gas in the hosts of luminous AGN in the local Universe offers a unique opportunity to study its physical conditions under the influence of starbursts and powerful AGN in great detail with present and future mm/sub-mm telescopes. Towards achieving this goal we present first results of multi-J CO line observations of such objects. We made use of the mm/sub-mm receivers on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) to conduct observations of the CO J=3-2, 2-1 lines in five local, optically powerful AGN and of the higher excitation CO J=4-3 line in 3C293 (a powerful radio galaxy). Luminous CO J=3-2 emission and high CO (3-2)/(1-0) intensity ratios are found in all objects, indicating highly excited molecular gas. In 3C293, an exceptionally bright CO J=4-3 line with a high CO(4-3)/(1-0) ratio cannot be easily explained given its quiescent star-forming environment and very low AGN X-ray luminosity. In 3C293, shocks emanating from a well-known interaction of a powerful jet with a dense ISM may be responsible for the high excitation of its molecular gas on galaxy-wide scales. Star formation can readily account for the gas excitation in the rest of the objects, although high X-ray AGN luminosities can also contribute significantly in two cases. Measuring and eventually imaging CO (high-J)/(low-J) line ratios in local luminous QSO hosts can be done by a partially completed ALMA during its early phases of commissioning, promising a sensitive probe of starburst versus AGN activity in obscured environments at high linear resolutions.
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Journal keyword(s):
ISM: molecules - radio lines: ISM - galaxies: active - galaxies: quasars: individual: I Zw 1 - galaxies: quasars: individual: Mrk 1048 - galaxies: individual: 3C 293
Simbad objects:
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