Molecular Gas in the z=1.2 Ultraluminous Merger GOODS J123634.53+621241.3

TL;DR

This paper reports the first detection of CO(2-1) emission from a high-redshift ULIRG using CARMA, revealing a large molecular gas reservoir and a short star-formation timescale indicative of a merger-driven starburst.

Contribution

First high-redshift CO detection in a ULIRG using CARMA, confirming optical ID and revealing molecular gas properties and starburst characteristics.

Findings

Detected CO(2-1) emission at z=1.2 in GOODS J123634.53+621241.3

Estimated molecular gas mass of about 7x10^10 solar masses

Star-formation timescale of approximately 70 million years

Abstract

We report the detection of CO(2-1) emission from the z=1.2 ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) GOODS J123634.53+621241.3 (also known as the sub-millimeter galaxy GN26). These observations represent the first discovery of high-redshift CO emission using the new Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA). Of all high-redshift (z>1) galaxies within the GOODS-North field, this source has the largest far-infrared (FIR) flux observed in the Spitzer 70um and 160um bands. The CO redshift confirms the optical identification of the source, and the bright CO(2-1) line suggests the presence of a large molecular gas reservoir of about 7x10^10 M(sun). The infrared-to-CO luminosity ratio of L(IR)/L'(CO) = 80+/-30 L(sun) (K Km/s pc^2)^-1 is slightly smaller than the average ratio found in local ULIRGs and high-redshift sub-millimeter galaxies. The short star-formation time scale of about 70 Myr is consistent with a starburst associated with the merger event and is much shorter than the time scales for spiral galaxies and estimates made for high-redshift galaxies selected on the basis of their B-z and z-K colors.