Modelling the Velocity Width Distribution Function for Dusty Galaxies at High Redshift

Advisor: Dr. Andrew Baker

Background

At high redshifts and early cosmological time, sub-millimeter galaxies (SMGs)
are dusty galaxies with luminosities powered primarily by star formation, and
quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) are systems whose luminosities are powered
mostly by accretion onto supermassive black holes. Velocity widths of CO
rotational lines can be obtained from the gas reservoirs that fuel star
formation in SMGs and the accretion onto black holes in QSOs. The galaxy’s
inclination angle toward Earth affects the measured velocity widths, with
face-on inclinations giving the lowest velocity measurements and edge-on
inclinations giving the highest measurements