Spatially Extended Low Ionization Emission Regions (LIERs) at $zsim0.9$


الملخص بالإنكليزية

We present spatially resolved emission diagnostics for eight $zsim0.9$ galaxies that demonstrate extended low ionization emission-line regions (LIERs) over kpc scales. Eight candidates are selected based on their spatial extent and emission line fluxes from slitless spectroscopic observations with the HST/WFC3 G141 and G800L grisms in the well-studied GOODS survey fields. Five of the candidates (62.5%) are matched to X-ray counterparts in the textit{Chandra X-Ray Observatory} Deep Fields. We modify the traditional Baldwin-Philips-Terlevich (BPT) emission line diagnostic diagram to use [SII]/(H$alpha$+[NII]) instead of [NII]/H$alpha$ to overcome the blending of [NII] and H$alpha$+[NII] in the low resolution slitless grism spectra. We construct emission line ratio maps and place the individual pixels in the modified BPT. The extended LINER-like emission present in all of our candidates, coupled with X-Ray properties consistent with star-forming galaxies and weak [OIII]$lambda$5007AA detections, is inconsistent with purely nuclear sources (LINERs) driven by active galactic nuclei. While recent ground-based integral field unit spectroscopic surveys have revealed significant evidence for diffuse LINER-like emission in galaxies within the local universe $(zsim0.04)$, this work provides the first evidence for the non-AGN origin of LINER-like emission out to high redshifts.

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