Fast Outflows in Hot Dust-obscured Galaxies Detected with Keck/NIRES

Abstract

We present rest-frame optical spectroscopic observations of 24 Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies (Hot DOGs) at redshifts 1.7–4.6 with KECK/NIRES. Our targets are selected, based on their extreme red colors, to be the highest-luminosity sources from the WISE infrared survey. In 20 sources with well-detected emission, we fit the key [O iii], Hβ, Hα, [N ii], and [S ii] diagnostic lines to constrain physical conditions. Of the 17 targets with a clear detection of the [O iii]λ5007 Å emission line, 15 display broad blueshifted and asymmetric line profiles, with widths ranging from 1000 to 8000 km s⁻¹ and blueshifts up to 3000 km s⁻¹. These kinematics provide strong evidence for the presence of massive ionized outflows of up to 8000 M_ ⊙ yr⁻¹, with a median of 150 M_ ⊙ yr⁻¹. As many as eight sources show optical emission line ratios consistent with vigorous star formation. Balmer-line star formation rates, uncorrected for reddening, range from 30 to 1300 M_ ⊙ yr⁻¹, with a median of 50 M_ ⊙ yr⁻¹. Estimates of the SFR from Spectral Energy Distribution fitting of mid- and far-infrared photometry suggest significantly higher values. We estimate the central black hole masses to be of order 10⁸⁻¹⁰ M_ ⊙, assuming the present-day M_(BH)-σ_★ relation. The bolometric luminosities and the estimated masses of the central black holes of these galaxies suggest that many of the active galactic nucleus-dominated Hot DOGs are accreting at or above their Eddington limit. The combination of ongoing star formation, massive outflows, and high Eddington ratios suggest Hot DOGs are a transitional phase in galaxy evolution.

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