A MeerKAT 1.28 GHz Atlas of Southern Sources in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample


Abstract in English

The IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample (RBGS) comprises galaxies and unresolved mergers stronger than $S = 5.24$ Jy at $lambda = 60~mumathrm{m}$ with galactic latitudes $vert b vert > 5^circ$. Nearly all are dusty star-forming galaxies whose radio continuum and far-infrared luminosities are proportional to their current rates of star formation. We used the MeerKAT array of 64 dishes to make $5 times 3$ min snapshot observations at $ u = 1.28$ GHz covering all 298 southern (J2000 $delta < 0^circ$) RBGS sources identified with external galaxies. The resulting images have $theta approx 7.5$ arcsec FHWM resolution and rms fluctuations $sigma approx 20~mumathrm{Jy~beam}^{-1} approx 0.26$ K, low enough to reveal even faint disk emission. The rms position uncertainties are $sigma_alpha approx sigma_delta approx 1$ arcsec relative to accurate near-infrared positions, and the image dynamic ranges are DR $gtrsim 10^4:1$.

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