CO(J = 1→0) in z > 2 Quasar Host Galaxies: No Evidence for Extended Molecular Gas Reservoirs

We report the detection of CO(J = 1->0) emission in the strongly lensed high-redshift quasars IRAS F10214+4724 (z = 2.286), the Cloverleaf (z = 2.558), RX J0911+0551 (z = 2.796), SMM J04135+10277 (z = 2.846), and MG 0751+2716 (z = 3.200), using the Expanded Very Large Array and the Green Bank Tel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astrophysical journal. Letters 2011-09, Vol.739 (1), p.L32-jQuery1323915882395='48'
Main Authors: Riechers, Dominik A, Carilli, Christopher L, Maddalena, Ronald J, Hodge, Jacqueline, Harris, Andrew I, Baker, Andrew J, Walter, Fabian, Wagg, Jeff, Vanden Bout, Paul A, Weiß, Axel, Sharon, Chelsea E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
BRIGHTNESS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVOLUTION
EXCITATION
GALAXIES
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASARS
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Summary:We report the detection of CO(J = 1->0) emission in the strongly lensed high-redshift quasars IRAS F10214+4724 (z = 2.286), the Cloverleaf (z = 2.558), RX J0911+0551 (z = 2.796), SMM J04135+10277 (z = 2.846), and MG 0751+2716 (z = 3.200), using the Expanded Very Large Array and the Green Bank Telescope. We report lensing-corrected CO(J = 1->0) line luminosities of L'CO = (0.34-18.4) X 1010 K km s--1 pc2 and total molecular gas masses of M(H2) = (0.27-14.7) X 1010 M for the sources in our sample. Based on CO line ratios relative to previously reported observations in J >= 3 rotational transitions and line excitation modeling, we find that the CO(J = 1->0) line strengths in our targets are consistent with single, highly excited gas components with constant brightness temperature up to mid-J levels. We thus do not find any evidence for luminous-extended, low-excitation, low surface brightness molecular gas components. These properties are comparable to those found in z > 4 quasars with existing CO(J = 1->0) observations. These findings stand in contrast to recent CO(J = 1->0) observations of z 2-4 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), which have lower CO excitation and show evidence for multiple excitation components, including some low-excitation gas. These findings are consistent with the picture that gas-rich quasars and SMGs represent different stages in the early evolution of massive galaxies.
ISSN:2041-8205
2041-8213
DOI:10.1088/2041-8205/739/1/L32