CO luminosity - line width correlation of sub-millimeter galaxies and a possible cosmological application

Abstract

Context. A possible correlation between CO luminosity (L_CO ) and its line width (FWHM) has been suggested and denied in the literature. Such claims were often based on a small, or heterogeneous sample of galaxies, and thus inconclusive. Aims. We aim to prove or dis-prove the L_CO -FWHM correlation. Methods. We compile a large sample of submm galaxies at z>2 from the literature, and investigate the L_CO-FWHM relation. Results. After carefully evaluating the selection effects and uncertainties such as inclination and magnification via gravitational lensing, we show that there exist a weak but significant correlation between L_CO and FWHM. We also discuss a feasibility to measure the cosmological distance using the correlation.

4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A. A related video is at https://youtu.be/scWMFurOJi8

References in corpus (2)

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• Cosmological Constraints from calibrated Yonetoku and Amati relation implies Fundamental plane of Gamma-ray bursts

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