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Extragalactic abstracts - IRSA - California Institute of Technology

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Spitzer_Approved_<strong>Extragalactic</strong><br />

Mar 25, 10 16:24 Page 359/742<br />

Spitzer Space Telescope − General Observer Proposal #3453<br />

IRS spectroscopy <strong>of</strong> strongly lensed faint high redshift submillimeter galaxies:<br />

star formation and extinction<br />

Principal Investigator: Paul van der Werf<br />

Institution: Leiden Observatory<br />

Technical Contact: Colin Borys, Caltech<br />

Co−Investigators:<br />

Colin Borys, <strong>California</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Technology</strong><br />

Kirsten Kraiberg Knudsen, Leiden Observatory<br />

Tracy Webb, Leiden Observatory<br />

Andrew Blain, <strong>California</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Technology</strong><br />

Jean−Paul Kneib, <strong>California</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Technology</strong><br />

Science Category: high−z galaxies (z>0.5)<br />

Observing Modes: IrsStare<br />

Hours Approved: 5.0<br />

Abstract:<br />

We propose to obtain IRS (Long−Low) spectra <strong>of</strong> 2 strongly lensed faint<br />

submillimeter galaxies at z=2.5 and 2.8. These galaxies are gravitationally<br />

lensed by foreground clusters, with amplification factors >10. Intrinsically<br />

however, their 850 micron fluxes are about 0.8 mJy. The sub−mJy submm population<br />

is important since the integrated background is believed to be dominated by such<br />

galaxies, as inferred from the steepness <strong>of</strong> the submm counts at brighter flux<br />

levels. Lyman break galaxies on the other hand are believed to have somewhat<br />

lower fluxes, at the level 0.1−0.4 mJy. Since all <strong>of</strong> these flux levels are below<br />

the blank−field confusion limit, they can only be probed using gravitational<br />

lenses. Our sources are thus unique objects, providing the only present<br />

opportunity to study the faint submm population at flux levels where the<br />

transition towards the relatively unobscured Lyman break galaxies occurs. Here<br />

we propose IRS spectroscopy <strong>of</strong> both <strong>of</strong> these objects, aimed at characterizing<br />

the dusty star forming interstellar medium (ISM) <strong>of</strong> these faint submm sources.<br />

Our spectra will probe the rest−frame 5.5−11 micron region, where aromatic<br />

features are diagnostic <strong>of</strong> star formation, and silicate absorption provides a<br />

measure <strong>of</strong> absorbing material. We will compare the results to local<br />

(ultra)luminous infrared galaxies and to similar observations <strong>of</strong> intrinsically<br />

much more luminous sources included in GTO Spitzer programs. The silicate<br />

absorption will be especially relevant for the faint submm sources studied here,<br />

which may be less obscured than their more luminous cousins, and where the<br />

underlying starburst may begin to shine through.<br />

Spitzer_Approved_<strong>Extragalactic</strong><br />

Printed_by_SSC<br />

Mar 25, 10 16:24 Page 360/742<br />

Spitzer Space Telescope − General Observer Proposal #40026<br />

Characterizing the Stellar Populations in Lyman−Alpha Emitters and Lyman Break<br />

Galaxies at 5.76 galaxies<br />

that have both secure spectroscopic redshifts and high−quality infrared<br />

photometry (especially with Spitzer/IRAC) is still fairly small. Considering<br />

that only several photometric points are available per source, and that many<br />

model SEDs are highly degenerate, it is crucial to obtain as many observational<br />

constraints as possible for each source to ensure the validity <strong>of</strong> SED modeling.<br />

To better understand the physical properties <strong>of</strong> high−redshift galaxies, we<br />

propose here to conduct HST/NICMOS (72 orbits) and Spitzer/IRAC (102 hours)<br />

imaging <strong>of</strong> spectroscopically confirmed, bright (z6 galaxies?<br />

Thursday March 25, 2010 xgal_covers.txt<br />

180/371

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