1999/03/09 by Paola Andreani, Andrea Cimatti, Huub Roettgering +1
Physics and Astronomy · #astro-ph
published as Astrophys.Space Sci. 266 (1999) 267-272 · 6 pages, Proceedings of the Workshop 'Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies: Monsters or Babies', Ringberg Castle, Germany, Sep. 1998
arxiv created 1999/03/09 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
Preliminary results of a project aiming at unveiling the nature of the extremely red galaxies (ERGs) (objects with colours R-K>6 and I-K>5) found in deep optical-NIR surveys are presented. Very little is known about these objects, the critical issue being whether they are old ellipticals at z>1 or distant star-forming galaxies strongly reddened by dust extinction. We expect to shed light onto the unknown nature of these galaxies by completing our three-step project: (1) the construction of two very deep optical/NIR surveys to select ERGs, (2) subsequent VLT/NIR spectroscopy; (3) observations in the sub-mm region with SCUBA at the JCMT and with MPIfRbolo at the IRAM 30m antenna.