Multiwavelength characterisation of an ACT-selected, lensed dusty star-forming galaxy at z=2.64

We present (2–1) and multi-transition ^12CO observations of a dusty star-forming galaxy, ACT J2029+0120, which we spectroscopically confirm to lie at z = 2.64. We detect CO(3–2), CO(5–4), CO(7–6), CO(8–7), and (2–1) at high significance, tentatively detect HCO^+(4–3), and place strong upper limits on the integrated strength of dense gas tracers (HCN(4–3) and CS(7–6)). Multi-transition CO observations and dense gas tracers can provide valuable constraints on the molecular gas content and excitation conditions in high-redshift galaxies. We therefore use this unique data set to construct a CO spectral line energy distribution (SLED) of the source, which is most consistent with that of a ULIRG/Seyfert or QSO host object in the taxonomy of the Herschel Comprehensive ULIRG Emission Survey. We employ RADEX models to fit the peak of the CO SLED, inferring a temperature of T∼117 K and n_H_2∼10^5 cm^-3, most consistent with a ULIRG/QSO object and the presence of high density tracers. We also find that the velocity width of the line is potentially larger than seen in all CO transitions for this object, and that the L'_ C I(2-1)/L'_ CO(3-2) ratio is also larger than seen in other lensed and unlensed submillimeter galaxies and QSO hosts; if confirmed, this anomaly could be an effect of differential lensing of a shocked molecular outflow.