1999/04/21 by D. B. Sanders · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/s0273-1177(99)01161-8
LaTex, 14 pages with 9 embedded .eps figures. To appear in ``Space Infrared Telescopes and Related Science", 32nd COSPAR workshop, Nagoya, Japan 1998, ed. T. Matsumoto, T. de Graauw
arxiv created 1999/04/21 · openalex publication_date 2000/06/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Deep surveys at 850microns from Mauna Kea using the SCUBA camera on the JCMT appear to have discovered a substantial population of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs: Lir > 1012 Lsun). The cumulative space density of these sources (~10,000 per sq.deg with S850 > 1mJy) is sufficient to account for nearly all of the extragalactic background light at submillimeter wavelengths. Current estimates of the redshift distribution suggest a peak in the comoving space density of SCUBA sources at z = 1-3, similar to what is observed for QSOs and radio galaxies. The luminosity density in the far-infrared/submillimeter exceeds that in the UV by factors of 3-10 over this redshift range, implying that as much as 80-90% of the "activity" in galaxies at z < 4 is hidden by dust. The SCUBA sources plausibly represent the primary epoch in the formation of spheroids and massive black holes triggered by major mergers of large gas-rich disks.