Spitzer Space Telescope - Archive Research Proposal #3326


Far-IR Measurement of AGN and Starburst Activity in the First Look
Survey

Principal Investigator: Matthew Malkan
           Institution: UCLA

Science Category: AGN/quasars/radio galaxies 
Dollars Approved: 59000.0 

Abstract:
The infrared fluxes of nearly every galaxy observed so far can be
fitted with a combination of these D, B, and S components, which have
an underlying physical basis:  the strength of B gives a measure of
the recent rate of star formation, while the strength of S (in those
minority of galaxies where it is present) is associated with Seyfert
activity.  We will use the flux ratios of the sources detected in all
three MIPS bands to quantify how much of their emission comes from a
quiescent disk, a starburst, or a Seyfert nucleus.  The MIPS color
differences between the D, B and S SEDs are so large (about an order
of magnitude difference in flux ratios), that high precision
photometry is not even essential.  Since the MIPS classification is
somewhat z-dependent, we will use the IRAC and R-band photometry of
our MIPS sources to sort them approximately by redshift.  We will
compare estimates of the luminosity functions of starburst power and
accretion power from z of 0  to above 1 In the First Look Survey
field, our galaxy evolution models predict that we will have over 600
sources with a 5$\\sigma$ or better detection in {\\it all} 3 MIPS
bands.  We have measured photometry of all the IRAC, MIPS and R-band
sources within the early release field of FLS.  These measurements of
source counts, magnitudes and multiwavelength colors fully confirm the
feasibility of our program.