Submillimeter recombination lines in dust-obscured starbursts and active galactic nuclei

Abstract

We examine the use of submillimeter (submm) recombination lines of H, He, and He+ to probe the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) luminosity of starbursts (SBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We find that the submm recombination lines of H, He, and He+ are in fact extremely reliable and quantitative probes of the EUV continuum at 13.6 eV to above 54.6 eV. At submm wavelengths, the recombination lines originate from low energy levels (n = 20-50). The maser amplification, which poses significant problems for quantitative interpretation of the higher n, radio frequency recombination lines, is insignificant. Lastly, at submm wavelengths, the dust extinction is minimal. The submm line luminosities are therefore directly proportional to the emission measures (EMION = ne × n ion × volume) of their ionized regions. We also find that the expected line fluxes are detectable with ALMA and can be imaged at ∼0.″1 resolution in low redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies. Imaging of the H I lines will provide accurate spatial and kinematic mapping of the star formation distribution in low-z IR-luminous galaxies, and the relative fluxes of the H I and He II recombination lines will strongly constrain the relative contributions of SBs and AGNs to the luminosity. The H I lines should also provide an avenue to constraining the submm dust extinction curve. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..