Abstract
HST NICMOS observations of a sample of 24 luminous (LIGs: L IR[8-1000 μm] = 1011.0-11.99 L⊙) and ultraluminous (ULIGs:L IR ≳ 1012.0 L⊙) infrared galaxies are presented.The observations provide, for the first time, high resolution HST imagingof the imbedded 1.1 - 2.2 μm nuclear regions of these mergers. Allbut one of the ULIGs are observed to have at least one compact (50-200 pc)nucleus, and more than half contain what appear to be blue star clusters.The warm infrared galaxies (i.e., the transition sources) are observed tohave bright nuclei which account for most of the light of the galaxy.This, combined with the tendency for the light of ULIGs to become morecentrally concentrated as a function of increasing wavelength, impliesthat most of their energy is generated within a region 50-200 pcacross.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Djorgovski, S., de Carvalno, R. R., & Thompson, D. J. 1990, AJ, 99, 1414
Kim, D.-C. 1995, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Hawaii
Murphy, T. et al. 1996, AJ, 111, 1025
Sanders, D. B., Soifer, B. T., Elias, J. H., et al. 1988a, ApJ, 325, 74
Sanders, D. B., Soifer, B. T., Elias, J. H., et al. 1988b, ApJ, 328, L35
Surace, J.A., Sanders, D.B. Vacca, W.D., et al. 1998, ApJ, 492, 116
Veilleux, S., Kim, D.-C., Sanders, D. B., et al. 1995, ApJS, 98, 171
Whitmore. B. C., Schweizer, F., Leitherer, C., et al. 1993, AJ, 106, 1354
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Evans, A.S. NICMOS observations of luminous & ultraluminous infrared galaxies. Astrophysics and Space Science 266, 73–78 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1002685211755
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1002685211755