Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #50764


The Search for Powerful Molecular Hydrogen Emission in Hickson Compact Groups

Principal Investigator: Philip Appleton
           Institution: Caltech

     Technical Contact: Philip Appleton, Caltech

Co-Investigators: 
Patrick Ogle, SSC-caltech                                             
Robert Antonucci, UC Santa Babara                                     
Francois Boulanger, IAS Paris                                         
Vassilis Charmandaris, U. of Crete                                    
Eiichi Egami, U. of Arizona                                           
Pierre Guillard, IAS Paris                                            
Emeric Le Floc'h, IfA hawaii                                          
Lourdes verdes-Montenegro, IdAA                                       
Min Yun, UMASS                                                        

Science Category: interacting/merging galaxies 
 Observing Modes: IracMap IrsMap IrsStare MipsPhot 
  Hours Approved: 48.1 

Abstract:
We propose to search for powerful molecular hydrogen emission in 29 Hickson
Compact Groups of galaxies. The proposal is the first systematic attempt to
understand the new class of H2-powerful galaxies, called MOHEGs, which have
recently been discovered by Spitzer. These galaxies are characterized as having
huge luminosities emitted in the pure-rotational lines of H2 in the MID-IR, and
are very likely shock excited. This proposal targets the very environments in
which MOHEGs have been discovered, and will for the first time attempt to
understand the conditions that lead to this activity. The results will have
lasting value for IR astronomy, providing a starting point for similar searches
of H2 bright galaxies at high-z with the next generation of IR telescopes.