2025ApJ...989...85H -
Astrophys. J., 989, 85 (2025/August-2)
Origin of Radio Emission in Three Nearby Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies with Signatures of Luminous Buried Active Galactic Nuclei.
HAYASHI T.J., HAGIWARA Y. and IMANISHI M.
Abstract (from CDS):
We report multifrequency Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations at 2.3 and 8.4 GHz of three nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies, identified via mid-infrared spectroscopic analyses as hosting deeply embedded active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Milliarcsecond-scale observations at both frequencies reveal compact continuum emission in IRAS F00188-0856 and IRAS F01298-0744, accounting for ∼10% of the flux density measured on arcsecond scales. The nondetection in IRAS F00091-0738 and the lower limit on the intrinsic 8.4 GHz brightness temperature of 106.1 K in IRAS F01298-0744 yield no conclusive evidence of AGN-driven radio emission, whereas the measurement of 107.8 K in IRAS F00188-0856 confirms an AGN origin. Thus, the mid-infrared AGN classification remains robust, with at least one object exhibiting compact radio emission indicative of AGN activity. We further investigate the high-frequency spectral steepening observed in all three galaxies. In each case, this steepening arises from spectral aging in diffuse kiloparsec-scale emission, which is resolved out by the VLBA observations. One possible explanation for the steepening of the sample is merger-induced particle acceleration. IRAS F00188-0856 exhibits a peaked radio spectrum, characteristic of a young radio source, with the high-frequency steepening attributable to this AGN activity. Consequently, the spectral steepening at high frequencies arises from particles accelerated by merger dynamics or AGN activity.
Abstract Copyright:
© 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.
Journal keyword(s):
Ultraluminous infrared galaxies - Active galactic nuclei - Radio continuum emission - Very long baseline interferometry - Interacting galaxies
Simbad objects:
5
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