We present Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) and Arecibo observations of two lensed submillimeter galaxies at z ~ 2.5, in order to search for redshifted 22.235 GHz water megamaser emission. Both SMM J14011+0252 and SMM J16359+6612 have multi-wavelength characteristics consistent with ongoing starburst activity, as well as CO line emission indicating the presence of warm molecular gas. Our observations do not reveal any evidence for H2O megamaser emission in either target, while the lensing allows us to obtain deep limits to the H2O line luminosities, (3σ) in the case of SMM J14011+0252, and for SMM J16359+6612, assuming line widths of 80 km s–1. Our search for, and subsequent nondetection of, H2O megamaser emission in two strongly lensed starburst galaxies rich in gas and dust suggests that such megamaser emission is not likely to be common within the unlensed population of high-redshift starburst galaxies. We use the recent detection of strong H2O megamaser emission in the lensed quasar, MG J0414+0534 at z = 2.64 to make predictions for future EVLA C-band surveys of H2O megamaser emission in submillimeter galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei.
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