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arXiv · 1212.2971

GOODS-Herschel: Separating High Redshift active galactic Nuclei and star forming galaxies Using Infrared Color Diagnostics

Allison Kirkpatrick·Alexandra Pope·Vassilis Charmandaris·Emmanuele Daddi·David Elbaz·Ho Seong Hwang·Maurilio Pannella·Douglas Scott·Bruno Altieri·Herve Aussel·Daniela Coia·Helmut Dannerbauer·Kalliopi Dasyra·Mark Dickinson·Jeyhan Kartaltepe·Roger Leiton·Georgios Magdis·Benjamin Magnelli·Paola Popesso·Ivan Valtchanov
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Abstract

We have compiled a large sample of 151 high redshift (z=0.5-4) galaxies selected at 24 microns (S24>100 uJy) in the GOODS-N and ECDFS fields for which we have deep Spitzer IRS spectroscopy, allowing us to decompose the mid-infrared spectrum into contributions from star formation and activity in the galactic nuclei. In addition, we have a wealth of photometric data from Spitzer IRAC/MIPS and Herschel PACS/SPIRE. We explore how effective different infrared color combinations are at separating our mid-IR spectroscopically determined active galactic nuclei from our star forming galaxies. We look in depth at existing IRAC color diagnostics, and we explore new color-color diagnostics combining mid-IR, far-IR, and near-IR photometry, since these combinations provide the most detail about the shape of a source's IR spectrum. An added benefit of using a color that combines far-IR and mid-IR photometry is that it is indicative of the power source driving the IR luminosity. For our data set, the optimal color selections are S250/S24 vs. S8.0/S3.6 and S100/S24 vs. S8.0/S3.6; both diagnostics have ~10% contamination rate in the regions occupied primarily by star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei, respectively. Based on the low contamination rate, these two new IR color-color diagnostics are ideal for estimating both the mid-IR power source of a galaxy when spectroscopy is unavailable and the dominant power source contributing to the IR luminosity. In the absence of far-IR data, we present color diagnostics using the WISE mid-IR bands which can efficiently select out high z (z~2) star forming galaxies.

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Allison Kirkpatrick, Alexandra Pope, Vassilis Charmandaris, Emmanuele Daddi, David Elbaz, Ho Seong Hwang, Maurilio Pannella, Douglas Scott, Bruno Altieri, Herve Aussel, Daniela Coia, Helmut Dannerbauer, Kalliopi Dasyra, Mark Dickinson, Jeyhan Kartaltepe, Roger Leiton, Georgios Magdis, Benjamin Magnelli, Paola Popesso, Ivan Valtchanov. 2012-12-12. GOODS-Herschel: Separating High Redshift active galactic Nuclei and star forming galaxies Using Infrared Color Diagnostics. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x%2F763%2F2%2F123

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