Categorising the sub-mJy population: Star-forming galaxies from deep radio surveys

Tom Dwelly, Nick Seymour, Ian McHardy, Derek Moss, Abdu Zhogbi, Mathew Page, Andrew Hopkins, George Rieke, Nicola Loaring

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

Abstract

Models predict that starforming galaxies make up the majority of the source population detected in the very deepest radio surveys. Radio selected samples of starforming galaxies are therefore a potentially excellent method to chart e.g. the cosmic history of star-formation. However, a significant minority of the faintest radio sources are AGN powered 'contaminants', and must be removed from any solely star-formation powered sample. Here we descibe a multi-pronged method for spearating star-forming and AGN powered sources in a deep 1.4 GHz radio survey. We utilise a wealth of multi-wavelength information, including radio spectral and morphological information and radio to mid-IR SED modelling, to select a clean sample of star-formation powered sources. We then derive the 1.4 GHz source counts separately for AGN and SFGs, calculate an independent measure of the evolving star-formation rate density to z∼2, and compare our results to the star-formation rate density determined at other wavelengths.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalProceedings of Science
Volume52
StatePublished - 2007
Event2007 From Planets to Dark Energy: The Modern Radio Universe, MRU 2007 - Manchester, United Kingdom
Duration: Oct 1 2007Oct 5 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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