Molecular gas in the halo fuels the growth of a massive cluster galaxy at high redshift

B. H. C. Emonts; M. D. Lehnert; M. Villar-Martin; R. P. Norris; R. D. Ekers; G. A. van Moorsel; H. Dannerbauer; L. Pentericci; G. K. Miley; null [and thirteen others]

doi:10.1126/science.aag0512

Molecular gas in the halo fuels the growth of a massive cluster galaxy at high redshift

B. H. C. Emonts, M. D. Lehnert, M. Villar-Martin, R. P. Norris, R. D. Ekers, G. A. van Moorsel, H. Dannerbauer, L. Pentericci, G. K. Miley, [and thirteen others]

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The largest galaxies in the Universe reside in galaxy clusters. Using sensitive observations of carbon-monoxide, we show that the Spiderweb Galaxy – a massive galaxy in a distant proto-cluster – is forming from a large reservoir of molecular gas. Most of this molecular gas lies between the proto-cluster galaxies and has low velocity dispersion, indicating that it is part of an enriched inter-galactic medium. This may constitute the reservoir of gas that fuels the widespread star formation seen in earlier ultraviolet observations of the Spiderweb Galaxy. Our results support the notion that giant galaxies in clusters formed from extended regions of recycled gas at high redshift.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1128-1130
Number of pages	20
Journal	Science
Volume	354
Issue number	6316
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aag0512
Publication status	Published - 2016

Keywords

clusters
formation
galaxies

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10.1126/science.aag0512

Cite this

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title = "Molecular gas in the halo fuels the growth of a massive cluster galaxy at high redshift",

abstract = "The largest galaxies in the Universe reside in galaxy clusters. Using sensitive observations of carbon-monoxide, we show that the Spiderweb Galaxy – a massive galaxy in a distant proto-cluster – is forming from a large reservoir of molecular gas. Most of this molecular gas lies between the proto-cluster galaxies and has low velocity dispersion, indicating that it is part of an enriched inter-galactic medium. This may constitute the reservoir of gas that fuels the widespread star formation seen in earlier ultraviolet observations of the Spiderweb Galaxy. Our results support the notion that giant galaxies in clusters formed from extended regions of recycled gas at high redshift.",

keywords = "clusters, formation, galaxies",

author = "Emonts, {B. H. C.} and Lehnert, {M. D.} and M. Villar-Martin and Norris, {R. P.} and Ekers, {R. D.} and Moorsel, {G. A. van} and H. Dannerbauer and L. Pentericci and Miley, {G. K.} and {[and thirteen others]}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1126/science.aag0512",

language = "English",

volume = "354",

pages = "1128--1130",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)",

number = "6316",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular gas in the halo fuels the growth of a massive cluster galaxy at high redshift

AU - Emonts, B. H. C.

AU - Lehnert, M. D.

AU - Villar-Martin, M.

AU - Norris, R. P.

AU - Ekers, R. D.

AU - Moorsel, G. A. van

AU - Dannerbauer, H.

AU - Pentericci, L.

AU - Miley, G. K.

AU - [and thirteen others], null

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The largest galaxies in the Universe reside in galaxy clusters. Using sensitive observations of carbon-monoxide, we show that the Spiderweb Galaxy – a massive galaxy in a distant proto-cluster – is forming from a large reservoir of molecular gas. Most of this molecular gas lies between the proto-cluster galaxies and has low velocity dispersion, indicating that it is part of an enriched inter-galactic medium. This may constitute the reservoir of gas that fuels the widespread star formation seen in earlier ultraviolet observations of the Spiderweb Galaxy. Our results support the notion that giant galaxies in clusters formed from extended regions of recycled gas at high redshift.

AB - The largest galaxies in the Universe reside in galaxy clusters. Using sensitive observations of carbon-monoxide, we show that the Spiderweb Galaxy – a massive galaxy in a distant proto-cluster – is forming from a large reservoir of molecular gas. Most of this molecular gas lies between the proto-cluster galaxies and has low velocity dispersion, indicating that it is part of an enriched inter-galactic medium. This may constitute the reservoir of gas that fuels the widespread star formation seen in earlier ultraviolet observations of the Spiderweb Galaxy. Our results support the notion that giant galaxies in clusters formed from extended regions of recycled gas at high redshift.

KW - clusters

KW - formation

KW - galaxies

UR - http://handle.westernsydney.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:38157

U2 - 10.1126/science.aag0512

DO - 10.1126/science.aag0512

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 354

SP - 1128

EP - 1130

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6316

ER -

Molecular gas in the halo fuels the growth of a massive cluster galaxy at high redshift

Abstract

Keywords

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