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8th of January 2015
 
2014 Science Highlights
CO(1-0) survey of high-z radio galaxies: alignment of molecular halo gas with distant radio sources
Emonts et al. (2014) present a CO(1-0) survey for cold molecular gas in a representative sample of 13 high-z radio galaxies (HzRGs) at 1.4 < z < 2.8, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). They detect CO(1-0) emission associated with five sources: MRC 0114-211, MRC 0152-209, MRC 0156-252, MRC 1138-262 (Spiderweb Galaxy) and MRC 2048-272. Intriguingly, in all five sources the CO(1-0) emission is found up to tens of kpc from the host galaxy. In several cases the CO(1-0) traces a large reservoir of cold gas at the tip of the radio source, which suggests that jet-induced feedback can trigger the formation of cold molecular gas in the halo environment of high-z radio galaxies. These results show that the compact hybrid array configurations of the ATCA are sensitive to tracing the most widespread and possibly diffuse molecular gas in the Early Universe, something that cannot be efficiently done by any other radio telescope. The image shows CO(1-0) emission (in blue) spread across the inter-galactic medium of the massive Spiderweb Galaxy at z=2.16 (high-resolution follow-up, as shown by the line-profile on the top-right, is in progress).

ATNF Science Highlights from refereed publications during 2014.



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