Starbursts and black hole masses in X-shaped radio galaxies: Signatures of a merger event?

Mezcua, M.; Chavushyan, V. H.; Lobanov, A. P.; León-Tavares, J.
Bibliographical reference

Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 544, id.A36

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8
2012
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
20
Refereed citations
17
Description
We present new spectroscopic identifications of 12 X-shaped radio galaxies and use the spectral data to derive starburst histories and masses of the nuclear supermassive black holes in these galaxies. The observations were done with the 2.1-m telescope of the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional at San Pedro Mártir, México. The new spectroscopic results extend the sample of X-shaped radio galaxies studied with optical spectroscopy. We show that the combined sample of the X-shaped radio galaxies has statistically higher black-hole masses and older episodes of star formation than a control sample of canonical double-lobed radio sources with similar redshifts and luminosities. The data reveal enhanced star-formation activity in the X-shaped sample on the timescales expected in galactic mergers. We discuss the results obtained in the framework of the merger scenario.
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