The circumnuclear environment of IRAS 20551-4250 a case study of AGN/Starburst connection for JWST

Abstract

We present a general review of the current knowledge of IRAS 20551-4250 and its circumnuclear environment. This Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxy is one of the most puzzling sources of its class in the nearby Universe: the near-IR spectrum is typical of a galaxy experiencing a very intense starburst, but a highly obscured active nucleus is identified beyond 5 micron and possibly dominates the mid-IR energy output of the system. At longer wavelengths star formation is again the main driver of the global spectral shape and features. We interpret all the available IR diagnostics in the framework of simultaneous black hole growth and star formation, and discuss the key properties that make this source an ideal laboratory for the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope.

19 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for pubblication in Advances in Astronomy. To appear in the special issue: "Seeking for the Leading Actor on the Cosmic Stage: Galaxies versus Supermassive Black Holes"

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• Molecular outflows in local ULIRGs: energetics from multi-transition OH analysis
• Spatially resolved observations of warm ionized gas and feedback in local ULIRGs
• A new infrared color criterion for the selection of 0<z<7 AGN: application to deep fields and implications for JWST surveys
• High resolution ALMA observations of dense molecular medium in the central regions of active galaxies