Luminosity functions for galaxies and quasars in the Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extra-galactic (SWIRE) Legacy survey

Simple item page
dc.creatorBabbedge, T. S. R.
dc.creatorRowan-Robinson, M.
dc.creatorVaccari, M.
dc.creatorSurace, J. A.
dc.creatorLonsdale, C. J.
dc.creatorClement, D. L.
dc.creatorFarrah, D.
dc.creatorFang, F.
dc.creatorFranceschini, A.
dc.creatorGonzalez-Solares, E.
dc.creatorHatziminaoglou, E.
dc.creatorLacey, C. G.
dc.creatorOliver, S.
dc.creatorOnyett, N.
dc.creatorPerez-Fournon, I.
dc.creatorPolletta, M.
dc.creatorPozzi, F.
dc.creatorRodighiero, G.
dc.creatorShupe, D. L.
dc.creatorSiana, B.
dc.creatorSmith, H. E.
dc.date2006-05-11
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T10:23:06Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T10:23:06Z
dc.descriptionWe construct rest-frame luminosity functions at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8 and 24 microns over the redshift range 0<z<2 for galaxies and 0<z<4 for optical QSOs, using optical and infrared data from the Spitzer Wide-area InfraRed Extragalactic survey. The 3.6 and 4.5 micron galaxy LFs show evidence for moderate positive luminosity evolution up to z~1.5, consistent with the passive ageing of evolved stellar populations. Their comoving luminosity density was found to evolve passively, gradually increasing out to z~0.5-1 but flattening, or even declining, at higher redshift. Conversely, the 24 micron galaxy LF, which is more sensitive to obscured star formation and/or AGN activity, undergoes strong positive evolution, with the derived IR energy density and SFR density proportional to (1+z)^gamma with gamma=4.5^{+0.7}_{-0.6} and the majority of this evolution occurring since z~1. Optical QSOs, however, show positive luminosity evolution in all bands, out to the highest redshifts (3<z<4). Modelling as L* proportional to (1+z)^gamma gave gamma=1.3^{+0.1}_{-0.1} at 3.6 micron, gamma=1.0^{+0.1}_{-0.1} at 4.5 micron and stronger evolution at the longer wavelengths (5.8, 8 and 24 micron), of gamma~3. Comparison of the galaxy LFs to predictions from a semi-analytic model based on CDM indicate that an IMF skewed towards higher mass star formation in bursts compared to locally is preferred. As a result the currently inferred massive star formation rates in distant sub-mm sources may require substantial downwards revision.
dc.description21 figures and 6 tables, MNRAS, accepted
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0605305
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0605305
dc.identifierMon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.370:1159-1180,2006
dc.identifierdoi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10547.x
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/175705
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleLuminosity functions for galaxies and quasars in the Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extra-galactic (SWIRE) Legacy survey
dc.typetext

Files

Collections

arXiv