1998/02/19 by D. H. Hughes, J. S. Dunlop, Hughes, David H. +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9802260
openalex publication_date 1998/02/19 · openalex created_date 2022/09/16 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
New bolometer arrays operating on the world's largest sub-mm and mm\ntelescopes offer a unique view of the high-redshift universe with unprecedented\nsensitivity. Recent sub-millimetre continuum studies show that the host\ngalaxies of many luminous high-redshift AGN (radio galaxies and radio-quiet\nquasars) radiate strongly at rest-frame far-infrared wavelengths and thus\ncontain substantial quantities of dust. In the majority of these high-redshift\nAGN-hosts, the inferred star formation is proceeding at a rate comparable to\nthat found in local, interacting ultra-luminous FIR galaxies. This level of\nactivity is an order of magnitude greater than the more modest star-formation\nrates apparently displayed by the recently-discovered Lyman-limit galaxies at z\n~ 3, which have been argued to represent the era of spheroid formation\n(although the degree to which the effects of reddening by dust grains may have\nbiased the interpretation of these optical/UV studies of high-z galaxies has\nyet to be properly determined). However, it is too early to say whether such\nbright FIR emission is a feature of all massive galaxies at z > 3, or whether\nit is in fact confined to the hosts of the most luminous AGN.\n In this paper we review the current status of cosmological observations at\nsub-mm and mm wavelengths, highlighting our own recent SCUBA observations of\nhigh-redshift radio galaxies. We also explain how observations over the next\nfew years should allow the true level of star-formation activity in the high-z\nuniverse to be properly quantified, and we provide example predictions for the\nfirst deep sub-millimetre survey (of the Hubble Deep Field), which we and our\ncolleagues are currently undertaking with SCUBA at the JCMT.\n