The Subillimeter Properties of Extremely Red Objects in the CUDSS Fields

Abstract

We discuss the submillimeter properties of Extremely Red Objects (EROs) in the two Canada-UK Deep Submillimeter Survey (CUDSS) Fields. We measure the mean submillimeter flux of the ERO population (to K < 20.7) and find 0.4 +/- 0.07 mJy for EROs selected by (I-K) > 4.0 and 0.56 +/- 0.09 mJy for EROs selected by (R-K) > 5.3 but, these measurements are dominated by discrete, bright submillimeter sources. We estimate that EROs produce 7-11% of the far-infrared background at 850um. This is substantially less than a previous measurement by Wehner, Barger & Kneib (2002) and we discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy. We show that ERO counterparts to bright submillimeter sources lie within the starburst region of the near-infrared color-color plot of Pozzetti & Mannucci (2000). Finally, we claim that pairs or small groups of EROs with separations of < 10 arcseconds often mark regions of strong submillimeter flux.

9 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ