First detection of [CII]158 μm at high redshift: vigorous star formation in the early universe
Abstract
We report the detection of the 2P3/2 → 2P1/2 fine-structure line of C+ at 157.74 μ m in SDSS J114816.64+525150.3 (hereafter J1148+5251), the most distant known quasar, at z=6.42, using the IRAM 30-m telescope. This is the first detection of the [Cii] line at high redshift, and also the first detection in a Hyperluminous Infrared Galaxy (LFIR > 1013 L⊙). The [Cii] line is detected at a significance level of 8σ and has a luminosity of 4.4× 109 L⊙. The L[CII]/LFIR ratio is 2× 10-4, about an order of magnitude smaller than observed in local normal galaxies and similar to the ratio observed in local Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies. The [Cii] line luminosity indicates that the host galaxy of this quasar is undergoing an intense burst of star formation with an estimated rate of ≈ 3000 M⊙ yr-1. The detection of C+ in SDSS J1148+5251 suggests a significant enrichment of metals at z∼ 6 (age of the universe ~870 Myr), although the data are consistent with a reduced carbon to oxygen ratio as expected from chemical evolutionary models of the early phases of galaxy formation.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- September 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:200500165
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0508064
- Bibcode:
- 2005A&A...440L..51M
- Keywords:
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- galaxies: high redshift;
- galaxies: ISM;
- quasars: individual: J114816.64+525150.3;
- infrared: galaxies;
- submillimeter;
- ISM: abundances;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted by A&