The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies
We report the detection of H _2 O maser emission in 4 out of 77 (5.2%) mid-IR red galaxies that meet the color criteria of W 1 − W 2 > 0.5 and W 1 − W 4 > 7 and are classified as Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) based on optical, near-IR, and mid-IR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitti...
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2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adbe3a |
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| author | C. Y. Kuo C. Y. Tai A. Constantin J. A. Braatz H. H. Chung B. Y. Chen D. W. Pesce C. M. V. Impellizzeri F. Gao Y.-Y. Chang |
| author_facet | C. Y. Kuo C. Y. Tai A. Constantin J. A. Braatz H. H. Chung B. Y. Chen D. W. Pesce C. M. V. Impellizzeri F. Gao Y.-Y. Chang |
| author_sort | C. Y. Kuo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We report the detection of H _2 O maser emission in 4 out of 77 (5.2%) mid-IR red galaxies that meet the color criteria of W 1 − W 2 > 0.5 and W 1 − W 4 > 7 and are classified as Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) based on optical, near-IR, and mid-IR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Here, W 1, W 2, and W 4 represent the IR magnitudes at 3.4, 4.6, and 22 μ m, respectively, as measured by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Three of the four newly identified maser galaxies are classified as either Seyfert 2 or low-ionization nuclear emission-line region systems, but none are disk maser systems. Our analysis indicates that AGN identifications based solely on SED fitting are unreliable, resulting in an unexpectedly low megamaser detection rate. By restricting our sample to optically classified Type 2 AGNs that satisfy the mid-IR color criteria, we achieve a maser detection rate of ∼13%–18%, aligning with previous predictions for mid-IR red sources. These selection criteria are one of the most effective methods to date for facilitating new maser detections, particularly in light of the recent identification of additional Type 2 AGNs identified from ongoing galaxy and AGN surveys. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d52aef241b1449f99b3a20398f4fcb7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d52aef241b1449f99b3a20398f4fcb72025-08-20T02:11:30ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198329610.3847/1538-4357/adbe3aThe Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red GalaxiesC. Y. Kuo0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6211-5581C. Y. Tai1A. Constantin2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2441-1619J. A. Braatz3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1468-9203H. H. Chung4B. Y. Chen5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1633-8271D. W. Pesce6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5278-9221C. M. V. Impellizzeri7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3443-2472F. Gao8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2581-9114Y.-Y. Chang9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6720-8047Physics Department, National Sun Yat-Sen University , No. 70, Lien-Hai Rd., Kaosiung City 80424, Taiwan, ROC; Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics , PO Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROCGraduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University , No. 300, Zhongda Rd., Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City 320317, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Applied Physics, Kaosiung University , No. 700, Gaoxiongdaxue Rd., Nanzi Dist., Kaohsiung City 811726, Taiwan, ROCDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, James Madison University , Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USANational Radio Astronomy Observatory , 520 Edgemont Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22903, USAPhysics Department, National Sun Yat-Sen University , No. 70, Lien-Hai Rd., Kaosiung City 80424, Taiwan, ROCPhysics Department, National Sun Yat-Sen University , No. 70, Lien-Hai Rd., Kaosiung City 80424, Taiwan, ROCCenter for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University , 20 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USALeiden Observatory, Leiden University , PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsMax Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy , auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, GermanyDepartment of Physics, National Chung Hsing University , No. 145, Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung City 402202, Taiwan, ROCWe report the detection of H _2 O maser emission in 4 out of 77 (5.2%) mid-IR red galaxies that meet the color criteria of W 1 − W 2 > 0.5 and W 1 − W 4 > 7 and are classified as Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) based on optical, near-IR, and mid-IR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Here, W 1, W 2, and W 4 represent the IR magnitudes at 3.4, 4.6, and 22 μ m, respectively, as measured by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Three of the four newly identified maser galaxies are classified as either Seyfert 2 or low-ionization nuclear emission-line region systems, but none are disk maser systems. Our analysis indicates that AGN identifications based solely on SED fitting are unreliable, resulting in an unexpectedly low megamaser detection rate. By restricting our sample to optically classified Type 2 AGNs that satisfy the mid-IR color criteria, we achieve a maser detection rate of ∼13%–18%, aligning with previous predictions for mid-IR red sources. These selection criteria are one of the most effective methods to date for facilitating new maser detections, particularly in light of the recent identification of additional Type 2 AGNs identified from ongoing galaxy and AGN surveys.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adbe3aAstrophysical masersSupermassive black holesHubble constant |
| spellingShingle | C. Y. Kuo C. Y. Tai A. Constantin J. A. Braatz H. H. Chung B. Y. Chen D. W. Pesce C. M. V. Impellizzeri F. Gao Y.-Y. Chang The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies The Astrophysical Journal Astrophysical masers Supermassive black holes Hubble constant |
| title | The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies |
| title_full | The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies |
| title_fullStr | The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies |
| title_short | The Detection of H2O Maser Emission from Mid-IR Red Galaxies |
| title_sort | detection of h2o maser emission from mid ir red galaxies |
| topic | Astrophysical masers Supermassive black holes Hubble constant |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adbe3a |
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