The infrared properties of the GPS and CSS radio sources

Abstract

AbstractI review the results of three Spitzer studies of GHz‐Peaked Spectrum (GPS) and Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) radio galaxies. The luminosity of the IR continuum and the high ionization lines confirm that some GPS/CSS can have central engines which are similar to those of the extended powerful radio sources. This is consistent with the hypothesis that some GPS/CSS can evolve to become the large‐scale sources. Warm H2 is common in the GPS/CSS sources consistent with feedback via jet‐ISM interaction. The GPS/CSS seem to have higher star formation rates than typical (2JY + 3CRR) radio sources. This should be confirmed with a larger sample. If compact sources interact with dense, clumpy star forming clouds and if the interaction with the dense medium sufficiently enhances the radio power, these star forming galaxies with enhanced radio emission will be selected for the current bright samples of GPS and CSS sources. This will increase the number of GPS and CSS sources which are observed to be forming stars. If radio sources have longer lives and/or star formation is more common in large radio galaxies, the need for a new population of star forming compact sources with enhanced radio emission is reduced. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)