A large mass of H2 in the brightest cluster galaxy in Zwicky 3146

E. Egami; G. H. Rieke; D. Fadda; D. C. Hines

doi:10.1086/509886

A large mass of H₂ in the brightest cluster galaxy in Zwicky 3146

E. Egami, G. H. Rieke, D. Fadda, D. C. Hines

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52 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the Spitzer/IRS mid-infrared spectrum of the infrared-luminous (L_IR = 4 × 10¹¹ L⊙ brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the X-ray-luminous cluster Zwicky 3146 (Z3146; z = 0.29). The spectrum shows strong aromatic emission features, indicating that the dominant source of the infrared luminosity is star formation. The most striking feature of the spectrum, however, is the exceptionally strong molecular hydrogen (H ₂) emission lines, which seem to be shock-excited. The line luminosities and inferred warm H₂ gas mass (∼¹⁰ M⊙) are 6 times larger than those of NGC 6240, the most H ₂-luminous galaxy at z =s 0.05. Together with the large amount of cold H₂ detected previously (∼10¹¹ M⊙), this indicates that the Z3146 BCG contains disproportionately large amounts of both warm and cold H₂ gas for its infrared luminosity, which may be related to the intracluster gas cooling process in the cluster core.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L21-L24
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	652
Issue number	1 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/509886
State	Published - Nov 20 2006

Keywords

Cooling flows
Galaxies: active
Galaxies: clusters: general galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD
Infrared: galaxies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/509886

Cite this

@article{c48738af8a0743d4b9abefacf0652ed8,

title = "A large mass of H2 in the brightest cluster galaxy in Zwicky 3146",

abstract = "We present the Spitzer/IRS mid-infrared spectrum of the infrared-luminous (LIR = 4 × 1011 L⊙ brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the X-ray-luminous cluster Zwicky 3146 (Z3146; z = 0.29). The spectrum shows strong aromatic emission features, indicating that the dominant source of the infrared luminosity is star formation. The most striking feature of the spectrum, however, is the exceptionally strong molecular hydrogen (H 2) emission lines, which seem to be shock-excited. The line luminosities and inferred warm H2 gas mass (∼10 M⊙) are 6 times larger than those of NGC 6240, the most H 2-luminous galaxy at z =s 0.05. Together with the large amount of cold H2 detected previously (∼1011 M⊙), this indicates that the Z3146 BCG contains disproportionately large amounts of both warm and cold H2 gas for its infrared luminosity, which may be related to the intracluster gas cooling process in the cluster core.",

keywords = "Cooling flows, Galaxies: active, Galaxies: clusters: general galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD, Infrared: galaxies",

author = "E. Egami and Rieke, {G. H.} and D. Fadda and Hines, {D. C.}",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/509886",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "652",

pages = "L21--L24",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1 II",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A large mass of H2 in the brightest cluster galaxy in Zwicky 3146

AU - Egami, E.

AU - Rieke, G. H.

AU - Fadda, D.

AU - Hines, D. C.

PY - 2006/11/20

Y1 - 2006/11/20

N2 - We present the Spitzer/IRS mid-infrared spectrum of the infrared-luminous (LIR = 4 × 1011 L⊙ brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the X-ray-luminous cluster Zwicky 3146 (Z3146; z = 0.29). The spectrum shows strong aromatic emission features, indicating that the dominant source of the infrared luminosity is star formation. The most striking feature of the spectrum, however, is the exceptionally strong molecular hydrogen (H 2) emission lines, which seem to be shock-excited. The line luminosities and inferred warm H2 gas mass (∼10 M⊙) are 6 times larger than those of NGC 6240, the most H 2-luminous galaxy at z =s 0.05. Together with the large amount of cold H2 detected previously (∼1011 M⊙), this indicates that the Z3146 BCG contains disproportionately large amounts of both warm and cold H2 gas for its infrared luminosity, which may be related to the intracluster gas cooling process in the cluster core.

AB - We present the Spitzer/IRS mid-infrared spectrum of the infrared-luminous (LIR = 4 × 1011 L⊙ brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the X-ray-luminous cluster Zwicky 3146 (Z3146; z = 0.29). The spectrum shows strong aromatic emission features, indicating that the dominant source of the infrared luminosity is star formation. The most striking feature of the spectrum, however, is the exceptionally strong molecular hydrogen (H 2) emission lines, which seem to be shock-excited. The line luminosities and inferred warm H2 gas mass (∼10 M⊙) are 6 times larger than those of NGC 6240, the most H 2-luminous galaxy at z =s 0.05. Together with the large amount of cold H2 detected previously (∼1011 M⊙), this indicates that the Z3146 BCG contains disproportionately large amounts of both warm and cold H2 gas for its infrared luminosity, which may be related to the intracluster gas cooling process in the cluster core.

KW - Cooling flows

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: clusters: general galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

KW - Infrared: galaxies

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