@article {2011A\&A...528A..30C, title = {{Molecules as tracers of galaxy evolution: an EMIR survey. I. Presentation of the data and first results}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {528}, year = {2011}, month = {apr}, pages = {A30}, abstract = {
Aims: We investigate the molecular gas properties of a sample of 23 galaxies in order to find and test chemical signatures of galaxy evolution and to compare them to IR evolutionary tracers.
Methods: Observation at 3 mm wavelengths were obtained with the EMIR broadband receiver, mounted on the IRAM 30 m telescope on Pico Veleta, Spain. We compare the emission of the main molecular species with existing models of chemical evolution by means of line intensity ratios diagrams and principal component analysis.
Results: We detect molecular emission in 19 galaxies in two 8 GHz-wide bands centred at 88 and 112 GHz. The main detected molecules are CO, $^{13}$CO, HCN, HNC, HCO$^{+}$, CN, and C$_{2}$H. We also detect HC$_{3}$N J = 10-9 in the galaxies IRAS 17208, IC 860, NGC 4418, NGC 7771, and NGC 1068. The only HC$_{3}$N detections are in objects with HCO$^{+}$/HCN {\l}t} 1. Galaxies with the highest HC$_{3}$N/HCN ratios have warm IRAS colours (60/100 {$μ$}m {\gt} 0.8). The brightest HC$_{3}$N emission is found in IC 860, where we also detect the molecule in its vibrationally excited state. We find low HNC/HCN line ratios ({\l}t}0.5), that cannot be explained by existing PDR or XDR chemical models. The intensities of HCO+ and HNC appear anti-correlated. No correlation is found between the HNC/HCN line ratio and dust temperature. All HNC-bright objects are either luminous IR galaxies (LIRG) or Seyferts. Galaxies with bright polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) emission show low HNC/HCO$^{+}$ ratios. The CO/$^{13}$CO ratio is positively correlated with the dust temperature and is generally higher than in our galaxy. The emission of CN and C$^{18}$O is correlated.
Conclusions: Bright HC$_{3}$N emission in HCO$^{+}$-faint objects may imply that these are not dominated by X-ray chemistry. Thus the HCN/HCO$^{+}$ line ratio is not, by itself, a reliable tracer of XDRs. Bright HC$_{3}$N and faint HCO$^{+}$ could be signatures of embedded star-formation, instead of AGN activity. Mechanical heating caused by supernova explosions may be responsible for the low HNC/HCN and high HCO$^{+}$/HCN ratios in some starbursts. We cannot exclude, however, that the discussed trends are largely caused by optical depth effects or excitation. Chemical models alone cannot explain all properties of the observed molecular emission. Better constraints to the gas spacial distribution and excitation are needed to distinguish abundance and excitation effects. Appendices are only available in electronic form http://www.aanda.org}, keywords = {evolution, galaxies: active, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: ISM, ISM: molecules}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201015628}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011A\%26A...528A..30C}, author = {F. Costagliola and Aalto, S. and M. Rodr{\'\i}guez and Muller, S. and Spoon, H.~W.~W. and Mart{\'\i}n, S. and M. A. P{\'e}rez-Torres and Alberdi, A. and Lindberg, J.~E. and Batejat, F. and J{\"u}tte, E. and van der Werf, P. and Lahuis, F.} } @article {2011A\&A...527A.150L, title = {{A survey of HC$_{3}$N in extragalactic sources. Is HC$_{3}$N a tracer of activity in ULIRGs?}}, journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics}, volume = {527}, year = {2011}, month = {mar}, pages = {A150}, abstract = {Context. HC$_{3}$N is a molecule that is mainly associated with Galactic star-forming regions, but it has also been detected in extragalactic environments.
Aims: To present the first extragalactic survey of HC$_{3}$N, when combining earlier data from the literature with six new single-dish detections, and to compare HC$_{3}$N with other molecular tracers (HCN, HNC), as well as other properties (silicate absorption strength, IR flux density ratios, C ii flux, and megamaser activity).
Methods: We present mm IRAM 30 m, OSO 20 m, and SEST observations of HC$_{3}$N rotational lines (mainly the J = 10-9 transition) and of the J = 1-0 transitions of HCN and HNC. Our combined HC$_{3}$N data account for 13 galaxies (excluding the upper limits reported for the non-detections), while we have HCN and HNC data for more than 20 galaxies.
Results: A preliminary definition {\textquoteright}{\textquoteright}HC$_{3}$N-luminous galaxy{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} is made based upon the HC$_{3}$N/HCN ratio. Most (\~{}80\%) HC$_{3}$N-luminous galaxies seem to be deeply obscured galaxies and (U)LIRGs. A majority (\~{}60\% or more) of the HC$_{3}$N-luminous galaxies in the sample present OH mega- or strong kilomaser activity. A possible explanation is that both HC$_{3}$N and OH megamasers need warm dust for their excitation. Alternatively, the dust that excites the OH megamaser offers protection against UV destruction of HC$_{3}$N. A high silicate absorption strength is also found in several of the HC$_{3}$N-luminous objects, which may help the HC$_{3}$N to survive. Finally, we find that a high HC$_{3}$N/HCN ratio is related to a high dust temperature and a low C ii flux. Appendix is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org}, keywords = {galaxies: active, galaxies: ISM, galaxies: starburst, ISM: molecules, radio lines: galaxies, radio lines: ISM}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201015565}, url = {http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011A\%26A...527A.150L}, author = {Lindberg, J.~E. and Aalto, S. and F. Costagliola and P{\'e}rez-Beaupuits, J.-P. and Monje, R. and Muller, S.} }