The mid-infrared and CO gas properties of an extreme star-forming FeLoBAL quasar

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2019-08, Vol.487 (3), p.3130-3139
• Main Authors: Pitchford, Lura K, Farrah, Duncan, Alatalo, Katherine, Afonso, José, Efstathiou, Andreas, Hatziminaoglou, Evanthia, Lacy, Mark, Urrutia, Tanya, Violino, Giulio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz1471

ABSTRACT We present a detailed study of a high-redshift iron low-ionization broad absorption line (FeLoBAL) quasar (SDSS1214 at $z$ = 1.046), including new interferometric 12CO J = 2–1 observations, optical through far-infrared photometry, and mid-infrared spectroscopy. The CO line is well fit by a single Gaussian centred 40 km s−1 away from the systemic velocity and implies a total molecular gas mass of $M_{\rm gas} = 7.3 \times 10^{10}\, {\rm M}_\odot$. The infrared spectral energy distribution requires three components: an active galactic nucleus (AGN) torus, an AGN polar dust component, and a starburst. The starburst dominates the infrared emission with a luminosity of log$(L_{\rm SB}[{\rm L}_\odot ]) = 12.91^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$, implying a star formation rate of about 2000 M⊙yr−1, the highest known among FeLoBAL quasars. The AGN torus and polar dust components are less luminous, at log$(L_{\rm AGN}[{\rm L}_\odot ]) = 12.36^{+0.14}_{-0.15}$ and log$(L_{\rm dust}[{\rm L}_\odot ]) = 11.75^{+0.26}_{-0.46}$, respectively. If all of the molecular gas is used to fuel the ongoing star formation, then the lower limit on the subsequent duration of the starburst is 40 Myr. We do not find conclusive evidence that the AGN is affecting the CO gas reservoir. The properties of SDSS1214 are consistent with it representing the endpoint of an obscured starburst transitioning through a LoBAL phase to that of a classical quasar.