G515, Revisited. I. Stellar Populations And Evidence Of Nuclear Activity In A Luminous "E+A" Galaxy

Abstract

We present multiwavelength observations of the very luminous "E+A" galaxy known as G515 (J152426.55+080906.7), including deep K_s imaging, spatially resolved H-alpha spectroscopy, and radio observations. The data, together with detailed spectral synthesis of the galaxy's integrated stellar population, show that G515 is a ~1 Gyr old post-merger, post-starburst galaxy. We detect no Balmer line emission in the galaxy, although there is a small amount of [NII]6548,6583A emission. The galaxy's H I mass has a 2-sigma upper limit of 1.0 * 10^9 solar masses. IRAS detections in the 60-micron and 100-micron bands indicate a far infrared luminosity of ~5.8 * 10^10 solar luminosities. A small amount (~3 mJy) of radio continuum flux, which appears to be variable, has been detected. The data suggest that G515 may have once been an ultraluminous infrared galaxy, and may harbor a weak, dust-obscured active nucleus.

25 pages, 7 figures, accepted to ApJ