C A Jackson, D M Londish, PASA, 17 (3), 234.
Next Section: Summary
Title/Abstract Page: The spectral characteristics of
Previous Section: The sample of 2dFGRS-NVSS
Emission-line diagnostic analysis
Figure 3. Radio power as a function of redshift for the 32 narrow-emission-line 2dFGRS-NVSS galaxies. Symbols show the initial galaxy classification types: Starburst galaxy and emission-line AGN. |
We determine the emission line ratios for the narrow-line galaxy sample using the lines of H, H, [OIII], [NII], [SII] and [OI]. Figure 3 shows the distribution of radio powers and redshifts for this sample. Comparing the distribution to Figure 1 we find we have an unbiased (P-z) sub-set of the complete sample.
Even though the 2dFGRS spectra are not flux calibrated, the pairs of emission lines were originally chosen to be close in wavelength. The line ratios are therefore accurately determined even for our uncalibrated spectra. The flux in each emission line is measured using the NOAO IRAF splot routine, fitting a Gaussian function to each emission feature. Diagnostic line ratios for [NII]6583/H, [SII]
6716,6731/H and [OI]6300/H are plotted in Figure 4 and the data summarised in Table 1.
|
2dFGRS | á | á | Measured line ratios | ||||
Galaxy id | bJ | Redshift | P
| [OIII]/H | [NII]/H | [SII]/H | [OI]/H |
Initial classification SF | á | á | á | á | |||
TGS166Z108 | 17.2 | 0.0801 | 21.5 | 0.4770.020 | 0.3690.003 | 0.2820.003 | 0.0530.002 |
TGS206Z164 | 14.6 | 0.0255 | 20.5 | 1.8871.324 | 0.3800.024 | 0.3070.023 | á |
TGS206Z015 | 17.4 | 0.0685 | 21.9 | 1.5440.040 | 0.5110.002 | 0.1950.002 | 0.0730.002 |
TGS232Z060 | 16.8 | 0.0590 | 21.2 | 0.4430.046 | 0.5140.007 | 0.3420.007 | 0.0690.005 |
TGS235Z125 | 14.8 | 0.0243 | 20.9 | <0.1670.093 | 0.3450.008 | 0.0610.007 | 0.0160.006 |
TGS236Z095 | 17.6 | 0.1420 | 20.6 | <0.1870.048 | 0.3900.005 | 0.2620.004 | <0.0210.003 |
TGS236Z091 | 17.0 | 0.0552 | 21.2 | 0.6870.210 | <0.3640.012 | <0.3200.011 | <0.0510.009 |
TGS236Z194 | 15.5 | 0.0237 | 20.5 | 0.5570.144 | 0.4590.009 | 0.3190.008 | 0.0170.006 |
TGS238Z047 | 16.5 | 0.0215 | 20.6 | 0.2710.009 | <0.3910.001 | 0.3380.001 | 0.0160.001 |
TGS238Z180 | 17.2 | 0.1255 | 21.9 | 0.9420.197 | 0.5190.026 | 0.4240.024 | <0.0200.017 |
TGS239Z196 | 14.8 | 0.0219 | 20.4 | 0.7980.455 | 0.2660.016 | >0.0930.014 | á |
TGS318Z156 | 18.3 | 0.0687 | 21.3 | 0.7990.047 | 0.7890.004 | 0.3050.003 | 0.0710.002 |
TGN218Z230 | 15.9 | 0.0201 | 20.3 | 0.6540.142 | 0.4520.011 | 0.2450.010 | á |
TGN220Z065 | 17.3 | 0.0492 | 21.2 | <4.3401.000 | >0.3980.018 | 0.5860.021 | 0.1480.015 |
TGN222Z132 | 16.7 | 0.0505 | 21.1 | 1.6330.329 | <0.6280.009 | <0.4000.008 | á |
TGN231Z143 | 15.5 | 0.0314 | 20.6 | 0.6470.124 | 0.3830.007 | 0.2710.007 | á |
TGN239Z061 | 17.5 | 0.0554 | 21.2 | 1.9020.076 | 0.2520.004 | 0.3870.005 | 0.0500.003 |
TGN239Z082 | 18.8 | 0.1412 | 21.9 | <1.0500.054 | 0.4550.007 | 0.2980.006 | >0.0730.005 |
TGN239Z221 | 17.4 | 0.0430 | 21.1 | 0.3490.015 | 0.4400.002 | 0.2510.001 | 0.0290.001 |
TGN239Z172 | 16.2 | 0.0459 | 21.5 | 1.0260.229 | 0.4700.007 | <0.1910.005 | <0.0490.005 |
TGN240Z019 | 19.3 | 0.1216 | 22.1 | 1.3140.216 | 0.2580.024 | 0.5170.029 | á |
TGN309Z233 | 17.9 | 0.0677 | 21.4 | 0.8170.062 | 0.3610.004 | 0.2860.004 | 0.0360.003 |
á | á | á | á | á | á | á | á |
Initial classification AGN | á | á | á | á | |||
TGS207Z011 | 14.2 | 0.0355 | 22.0 | 1.6490.035 | 3.8450.014 | 2.8170.011 | 0.5530.004 |
TGS218Z173 | 18.6 | 0.0911 | 22.1 | 7.1700.499 | 0.1910.012 | >0.3350.013 | 0.0200.010 |
TGS220Z128 | 18.9 | 0.1298 | 21.9 | 20.8175.495 | 0.3910.042 | >0.2650.038 | 0.0810.033 |
TGS233Z084 | 18.4 | 0.0643 | 21.4 | 2.9720.554 | 0.0960.019 | 0.3610.023 | á |
TGS234Z066 | 18.9 | 0.1503 | 22.9 | <7.1010.098 | 0.3730.006 | 0.3660.006 | 0.0470.005 |
TGS313Z081 | 17.7 | 0.1220 | 23.4 | 0.3060.271 | 0.3340.039 | >0.1650.034 | á |
TGS313Z100 | 17.1 | 0.1457 | 22.8 | <3.0000.741 | 0.5800.086 | 0.3740.075 | á |
TGN231Z211 | 16.4 | 0.0671 | 21.3 | 7.4021.041 | 0.6160.009 | 0.3880.008 | 0.0290.006 |
TGN239Z017 | 18.4 | 0.1150 | 22.0 | 2.9761.282 | >0.8140.064 | 0.5110.054 | á |
TGN238Z202 | 19.3 | 0.1602 | 23.3 | 1.3230.103 | 0.3110.011 | 0.3010.011 | 0.0490.009 |
á | á | á | á | á | á | á |
units W Hz-1 sr-1.
The diagnostic diagrams reveal that the majority of our narrow-line galaxy sample has [NII]6583/H, [SII]6716+6731/H and [OI]6300/H ratios which straddle the region dividing AGN and starburst galaxies. This is in contrast to optically-selected galaxy samples, whose narrow-line emission characteristics clearly delineate those with a hard ionizing radiation source (AGNs: right-hand side of curves in Figure 4) and those with hot OB stars (starburst, left-hand side of curves). Similar results to our line ratio distribution have been found for other radio-selected samples (e.g. Georgakakis et al. 1999) as well as IR-selected galaxy samples (Kewley et al. 2000).
In Table 2 we show how the galaxies are classified based on the individual emission-line ratio values. Where the errors associated with the line ratio cross the empirical dividing line, the classification is given as A? or S?. For the cases where the ratio lies right on the dividing line, the classification is given as ?.
We find 4 galaxies with different line-ratio classifications than the `eyeball' classifications of Sadler et al. (1999):
1) TGN220Z065: Starburst galaxy, line ratio diagnostics indicate it is an AGN. However, the H measurement is a lower limit so that the the [OIII]/H value is over-estimated.
2) TGN222Z132: Starburst galaxy, line ratio diagnostics indicate it is an AGN. However, the H measurement is a lower limit so that the [SII]/H value is over-estimated.
3) TGN238Z202: AGN galaxy, line ratio diagnostics indicate it is a starburst galaxy. Re-examining the 2dFGRS spectrum shows dominant Balmer lines characteristic of a starburst galaxy.
4) TGS313Z081: AGN galaxy, line ratio diagnostics indicate it is a starburst galaxy. Re-examining the 2dFGRS spectrum reveals strong H, weak H and the 5577ö…- line coincident with [OIII, 5007ö…]. On balance this probably should be classified as a starburst galaxy.
Thus the diagnostic line ratios confirm 30 out of 32 of the `eyeball' classifications. However, the frequency of ambiguous classifications from the line-ratio diagnostics (indicated as A?, S? and ? in Table 3) indicates that a radio-selected sample does not clearly separate into the starburst and AGN regions defined by optically-selected samples.
á | á | á | á | Line ratio classification | ||
2dFGRS | á | á | [NII]/ | [SII]/ | [OI]/ | |
Galaxy id | Mag bJ | Redshift | P
| H | H | H |
Initial classification SF | á | á | á | á | ||
TGS166Z108 | 17.2 | 0.0801 | 21.5 | S | S | S |
TGS206Z164 | 14.6 | 0.0255 | 20.5 | S? | S? | - |
TGS206Z015 | 17.4 | 0.0685 | 21.9 | ? | S | A |
TGS232Z060 | 16.8 | 0.0590 | 21.2 | S | S | ? |
TGS235Z125 | 14.8 | 0.0243 | 20.9 | S | S | S |
TGS236Z095 | 17.6 | 0.1420 | 20.6 | S | S | S |
TGS236Z091 | 17.0 | 0.0552 | 21.2 | S | S | S |
TGS236Z194 | 15.5 | 0.0237 | 20.5 | S | S | S |
TGS238Z047 | 16.5 | 0.0215 | 20.6 | S | S | S |
TGS238Z180 | 17.2 | 0.1255 | 21.9 | S | S | S |
TGS239Z196 | 14.8 | 0.0219 | 20.4 | S | S | - |
TGS318Z156 | 18.3 | 0.0687 | 21.3 | ? | S | A |
TGN218Z230 | 15.9 | 0.0201 | 20.3 | S | S | - |
TGN220Z065 | 17.3 | 0.0492 | 21.2 | A? | A | A |
TGN222Z132 | 16.7 | 0.0505 | 21.1 | A | ? | - |
TGN231Z143 | 15.5 | 0.0314 | 20.6 | S | S | - |
TGN239Z061 | 17.5 | 0.0554 | 21.2 | S | ? | ? |
TGN239Z082 | 18.8 | 0.1412 | 21.9 | S | S | A |
TGN239Z221 | 17.4 | 0.0430 | 21.1 | S | S | S |
TGN239Z172 | 16.2 | 0.0459 | 21.5 | S | S | S |
TGN240Z019 | 19.3 | 0.1216 | 22.1 | S | A | - |
TGN309Z233 | 17.9 | 0.0677 | 21.4 | S | S | S |
á | á | á | á | á | á | á |
Initial classification AGN | á | á | á | á | ||
TGS207Z011 | 14.2 | 0.0355 | 22.0 | A | A | A |
TGS218Z173 | 18.6 | 0.0911 | 22.1 | A | A | S |
TGS220Z128 | 18.9 | 0.1298 | 21.9 | A | A | A |
TGS233Z084 | 18.4 | 0.0643 | 21.4 | S | A | - |
TGS234Z066 | 18.9 | 0.1503 | 22.9 | A | A | A |
TGS313Z081 | 17.7 | 0.1220 | 23.4 | S | S | - |
TGS313Z100 | 17.1 | 0.1457 | 22.8 | A? | A? | - |
TGN231Z211 | 16.4 | 0.0671 | 21.3 | A | A | ? |
TGN239Z017 | 18.4 | 0.1150 | 22.0 | A | A | - |
TGN238Z202 | 19.3 | 0.1602 | 23.3 | S | S | S |
á | á | á | á | á | á |
units W Hz-1 sr-1.
á | á | Star-formation rate | |
2dFGRS |
yr-1 | ||
galaxy id | P
| Radio
| IR
|
TGS166Z108 | 21.5 | 9.3 | 7.1 |
TGS206Z164 | 20.5 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
TGS206Z015 | 21.9 | 26.4 | 77.7 |
TGS232Z060 | 21.2 | 5.4 | 4.2 |
TGS235Z125 | 20.9 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
TGS236Z095 | 20.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
TGS236Z091 | 21.2 | 4.9 | 2.9 |
TGS236Z194 | 20.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 |
TGS238Z047 | 20.6 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
TGS238Z180 | 21.9 | 23.9 | 11.0 |
TGS239Z196 | 20.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 |
TGS318Z156 | 21.3 | 6.4 | 8.8 |
TGN218Z230 | 20.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
TGN220Z065 | 21.2 | 5.1 | 2.6 |
TGN231Z143 | 20.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
TGN239Z061 | 21.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
TGN239Z172 | 21.5 | 9.7 | 7.4 |
á | á | á |
Further evidence as to the composite nature of the starburst galaxies can be found by comparing the star-formation rates indicated by the radio and IR flux densities. Table 3 shows the flux densities and the implied star-formation rates for massive stars (, Cram et al. (1998)), using 60m flux density data compiled by Sadler et al. (1999) from the IRAS Point Source and Faint Source catalogues. Two galaxies stand out as having very discrepant implied star-formation rates: (1) TGS206Z015 has an IR excess and (2) TGS238Z180 has a radio excess: in both cases the UKST IIIaJ images show the galaxies are undergoing mergers which is possibly enhancing or triggering starburst activity in these objects.
Furthermore we suggest that the majority of the narrow-line galaxies whose line ratios are strung out between the two regions (starforming and AGN) are composite galaxies: The individual line ratios lie along mixing lines whose position on the diagnostic plots is determined by the admixture of AGN and starburst components as shown in Figure 5.
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Next Section: Summary
Title/Abstract Page: The spectral characteristics of
Previous Section: The sample of 2dFGRS-NVSS
á© Copyright Astronomical Society of Australia 1997