The Nature of the Far-Infrared Emission from Seyfert Galaxies

Abstract

Optical R-band imaging data and far-infrared (FIR) Infrared Space Observatory data from Seyfert galaxies are combined to show that the compact optical emission from the nuclear and circumnuclear region correlates reasonably well with the warm FIR emission that is observed in these objects, while the extended optical emission, which essentially originates in the host galaxy disk, correlates with the cold FIR emission that peaks at around 100 μm.

We further show that while the compact optical emission in all the objects studied always accounts for less than half of the total R-band emission, the warm FIR emission, which is attributed to the nuclear and circumnuclear region, dominates the total FIR luminosity in some objects.

Based on observations with the Infrared Space Observatory, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.