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On the far infrared emission of quasars

Rolf Chini 

Ruhr Universität, Bochum, Germany




Infrared spectral energy distributions between 4.8 and 200 $\mu$m are presented for a subsample of ten quasars and radio galaxies from the European Central Quasar Programme observed with ISO. For three of the sources this represents the first far infrared detection. The SEDs reveal signatures of thermal dust as well as synchroton emission. In most cases one of the two components is so dominant that the other remains hidden. The SEDs of the radio quiet and steep spectrum quasars show a bump around 60$\mu$m and a decline longward of 100$\mu$m, strong evidence for thermal emission. It can be described as a superposition of several modified blackbodies, showing the broad variety of temperatures from hot (about 600K) to cool (about 30K) dust present in these objects. The infrared emission of the flat spectrum radio quasars is in smooth continuation of the radio spectrum supporting the interpretation as synchroton emission. For one of these sources (3C279) a bump is prying above the synchroton spectrum and we interprete it as thermal emission. For comparison within the framework of unified schemes the radio galaxies Cyg A (3C405) and 3C20 are observed. While 3C20 has not been detected, Cyg A reveals an infrared spectrum surprisingly similar to that of 3C48 and the radio quiet quasars, strongly supporting the interpretation of the radio galaxy Cyg A as a hidden quasar.


next up previous contents index
Next: ISOCAM observations of compact Up: Poster session E Galaxies Previous: The mid-infrared view of
"The Universe as seen by ISO", 20 - 23 October 1998, Paris: Abstract Book