The ALPINE-ALMA [C II] survey: a triple merger at z similar to 4.56
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- slz154(1)
Final published version, 1.58 MB, PDF document
We report the detection of [C II] lambda 158 mu m emission from a system of three closely separated sources in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field at z similar to 4.56 , as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate C II at Early times (ALPINE). The two most luminous sources are closely associated, both spatially (1.6 arcsec similar to 11 kpc) and in velocity (similar to 100 km s(-1)), while the third source is slightly more distant (2.8 arcsec similar to 18 kpc, similar to 300 km s(-1)). The second most luminous source features a slight velocity gradient, while no significant velocity gradient is seen in the other two sources. Using the observed [C II] luminosities, we derive a total log(10)(SFR[C II] [M-circle dot Yr(-1)]) = 2.8 +/- 0.2, which may be split into contributions of 59, 31, and 10 per cent from the central, east, and west sources, respectively. Comparison of these [C II] detections to recent zoom-in cosmological simulations suggests an ongoing major merger. We are thus witnessing a system in a major phase of mass build-up by merging, including an ongoing major merger and an upcoming minor merger, which is expected to end up in a single massive galaxy by z similar to 2.5.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
Volume | 491 |
Issue number | 1 |
Pages (from-to) | L18-L23 |
Number of pages | 6 |
ISSN | 0035-8711 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2020 |
- galaxies: evolution, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: interactions, galaxies: kinematics and dynamics, DUST CONTENT, GALAXIES, COSMOS, DEEP, KINEMATICS, REDSHIFTS, EVOLUTION, FIELD
Research areas
ID: 258030003