Molecular gas and star formation beyond the optical disk of the galaxy

1995 ◽  
pp. 30-32
Author(s):  
E. J. de Geus ◽  
S. W. Digel
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Optical Disk ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
The Galaxy

scholarly journals Survival of molecular gas in a stellar feedback-driven outflow witnessed with the MUSE TIMER project and ALMA

2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (3) ◽  
pp. 3904-3928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Leaman ◽  
Francesca Fragkoudi ◽  
Miguel Querejeta ◽  
Gigi Y C Leung ◽  
Dimitri A Gadotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Star Formation ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Ionized Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Dominant Component ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Field Lines

ABSTRACT Stellar feedback plays a significant role in modulating star formation, redistributing metals, and shaping the baryonic and dark structure of galaxies – however, the efficiency of its energy deposition to the interstellar medium is challenging to constrain observationally. Here we leverage HST and ALMA imaging of a molecular gas and dust shell ($M_{\mathrm{ H}_2} \sim 2\times 10^{5}\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$) in an outflow from the nuclear star-forming ring of the galaxy NGC 3351, to serve as a boundary condition for a dynamical and energetic analysis of the outflowing ionized gas seen in our MUSE TIMER survey. We use starburst99 models and prescriptions for feedback from simulations to demonstrate that the observed star formation energetics can reproduce the ionized and molecular gas dynamics – provided a dominant component of the momentum injection comes from direct photon pressure from young stars, on top of supernovae, photoionization heating, and stellar winds. The mechanical energy budget from these sources is comparable to low luminosity active galactic neuclei, suggesting that stellar feedback can be a relevant driver of bulk gas motions in galaxy centres – although here ≲10−3 of the ionized gas mass is escaping the galaxy. We test several scenarios for the survival/formation of the cold gas in the outflow, including in situ condensation and cooling. Interestingly, the geometry of the molecular gas shell, observed magnetic field strengths and emission line diagnostics are consistent with a scenario where magnetic field lines aided survival of the dusty ISM as it was initially launched (with mass-loading factor ≲1) from the ring by stellar feedback. This system’s unique feedback-driven morphology can hopefully serve as a useful litmus test for feedback prescriptions in magnetohydrodynamical galaxy simulations.

scholarly journals The global star formation law: from dense cores to extreme starbursts

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S237) ◽  
pp. 331-335
Author(s):  
Yu Gao
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Linear Correlation ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Gas Content ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Active Star ◽  
Dense Cores ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractActive star formation (SF) is tightly related to the dense molecular gas in the giant molecular clouds' dense cores. Our HCN (measure of the dense molecular gas) survey in 65 galaxies (including 10 ultraluminous galaxies) reveals a tight linear correlation between HCN and IR (SF rate) luminosities, whereas the correlation between IR and CO (measure of the total molecular gas) luminosities is nonlinear. This suggests that the global SF rate depends more intimately upon the amount of dense molecular gas than the total molecular gas content. This linear relationship extends to both the dense cores in the Galaxy and the hyperluminous extreme starbursts at high-redshift. Therefore, the global SF law in dense gas appears to be linear all the way from dense cores to extreme starbursts, spanning over nine orders of magnitude in IR luminosity.

scholarly journals The Connection between Molecular Gas and Star Formation in XUV Disks

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (S321) ◽  
pp. 214-216
Author(s):  
Linda C. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Hydrogen ◽  
Optical Disk ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions

AbstractWe found that star-forming regions in extended ultraviolet (XUV) disks are generally consistent with the molecular-hydrogen Kennicutt-Schmidt law that applies within the inner, optical disk. This is true for star formation rates based on Hα + 24 μm data or FUV + 24 μm data. We estimated that the star-forming regions have ages of 1 − 7 Myr and propose that the presence or absence of molecular gas provides an additional “clock” that may help distinguish between aging and stochasticity as the explanation for the low Hα-to-FUV flux ratios in XUV disks. This contribution is a summary of the work originally presented in Watson et al. (2016).

scholarly journals Simulations of the star-forming molecular gas in an interacting M51-like galaxy

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (2) ◽  
pp. 2973-2995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin G Tress ◽  
Rowan J Smith ◽  
Mattia C Sormani ◽  
Simon C O Glover ◽  
Ralf S Klessen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Secondary Importance ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Cold Star ◽  
Self Gravity

ABSTRACT We present here the first of a series of papers aimed at better understanding the evolution and properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in a galactic context. We perform high-resolution, three-dimensional arepo simulations of an interacting galaxy inspired by the well-observed M51 galaxy. Our fiducial simulations include a non-equilibrium, time-dependent, chemical network that follows the evolution of atomic and molecular hydrogen as well as carbon and oxygen self-consistently. Our calculations also treat gas self-gravity and subsequent star formation (described by sink particles), and coupled supernova feedback. In the densest parts of the simulated interstellar medium (ISM), we reach sub-parsec resolution, granting us the ability to resolve individual GMCs and their formation and destruction self-consistently throughout the galaxy. In this initial work, we focus on the general properties of the ISM with a particular focus on the cold star-forming gas. We discuss the role of the interaction with the companion galaxy in generating cold molecular gas and controlling stellar birth. We find that while the interaction drives large-scale gas flows and induces spiral arms in the galaxy, it is of secondary importance in determining gas fractions in the different ISM phases and the overall star formation rate. The behaviour of the gas on small GMC scales instead is mostly controlled by the self-regulating property of the ISM driven by coupled feedback.

scholarly journals Towards a multi-scale understanding of the gas-star formation cycle in the Central Molecular Zone

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (S322) ◽  
pp. 64-74
Author(s):  
J. M. Diederik Kruijssen
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Orbital Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Stellar Clusters ◽  
High Redshift Galaxies ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractThe Central Molecular Zone (CMZ, the central 500 pc of the Milky Way) contains the largest reservoir of high-density molecular gas in the Galaxy, but forms stars at a rate 10–100 times below commonly-used star formation relations. We discuss recent efforts in understanding how the nearest galactic nucleus forms its stars. The latest models of the gas inflow, star formation, and feedback duty cycle reproduce the main observable features of the CMZ, showing that star formation is episodic and that the CMZ currently resides at a star formation minimum. Using orbital modelling, we derive the three-dimensional geometry of the CMZ and show how the orbital dynamics and the star formation potential of the gas are closely coupled. We discuss how this coupling reveals the physics of star formation and feedback under the conditions seen in high-redshift galaxies, and promotes the formation of the densest stellar clusters in the Galaxy.

scholarly journals A 200 pc Ring of Molecular Gas and an Outburst in the Galaxy M82

1987 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
pp. 614-620
Author(s):  
N. Nakai ◽  
M. Hayashi ◽  
T. Hasegawa ◽  
Y. Sofue ◽  
T. Handa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Intensity Distribution ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Galactic Plane ◽  
Ring Structure ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Expansion Energy ◽  
Two Peaks

The CO (J=1-0) emission in M82 has been mapped with the Nobeyama 45-m telescope. The CO intensity distribution in the central region is resolved into two peaks. An axisymmetric model reveals a ring structure of molecular gas at a distance of 80-400 pc (centered near 200 pc) from the nucleus. This “200-pc ring” corresponds to just the region of a star formation burst. The molecular gas in M82 is also expanding out of the galactic plane with a velocity of 100-500 km s−1. The expansion energy of (0.1-1.4) x 1056 erg can be explained by the energy supply of supernovae in the central region.

scholarly journals The Galactic Centre - a laboratory for starburst galaxies (?)

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S284) ◽  
pp. 371-378
Author(s):  
Roland M. Crocker
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Cosmic Rays ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Galactic Disk ◽  
Starburst Galaxies ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Thermal Activity ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractThe Galactic centre – as the closest galactic nucleus – holds both intrinsic interest and possibly represents a useful analogue to starburst nuclei which we can observe with orders of magnitude finer detail than these external systems. The environmental conditions in the GC – here taken to mean the inner 200 pc in diameter of the Milky Way – are extreme with respect to those typically encountered in the Galactic disk. The energy densities of the various GC ISM components are typically ~two orders of magnitude larger than those found locally and the star-formation rate density ~three orders of magnitude larger. Unusually within the Galaxy, the Galactic centre exhibits hard-spectrum, diffuse TeV (=1012 eV) gamma-ray emission spatially coincident with the region's molecular gas. Recently the nuclei of local starburst galaxies NGC 253 and M82 have also been detected in gamma-rays of such energies. We have embarked on an extended campaign of modelling the broadband (radio continuum to TeV gamma-ray), non- thermal signals received from the inner 200 pc of the Galaxy. On the basis of this modelling we find that star-formation and associated supernova activity is the ultimate driver of the region's non-thermal activity. This activity drives a large-scale wind of hot plasma and cosmic rays out of the GC. The wind advects the locally-accelerated cosmic rays quickly, before they can lose much energy in situ or penetrate into the densest molecular gas cores where star-formation occurs. The cosmic rays can, however, heat/ionize the lower density/warm H2 phase enveloping the cores. On very large scales (~10 kpc) the non-thermal signature of the escaping GC cosmic rays has probably been detected recently as the spectacular ‘Fermi bubbles’ and corresponding ‘YWMAP haze’.

scholarly journals Physical conditions in Centaurus A’s northern filaments

2019 ◽  
Vol 627 ◽  
pp. A6
Author(s):  
Q. Salomé ◽  
P. Salomé ◽  
A. Gusdorf ◽  
F. Combes
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Large Reservoir ◽  
Filamentary Structure ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Integrated Intensity ◽  
Shock Density ◽  
Post Shock ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Centaurus A

NGC 5128 (Centaurus A) is one of the best targets to study AGN-feedback in the local Universe. Optical filaments located at 16 kpc from the galaxy along the radio jet direction show recent star formation, likely triggered by the interaction of the jet with an H I shell. A large reservoir of molecular gas has been discovered outside the H I. In this reservoir, lies the Horseshoe complex: a filamentary structure seen in CO with ALMA and in Hα with MUSE. The ionised gas is mostly excited by shocks, with only a minor contribution of star formation. We used the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) to observe the 12CO(3-2) and 12CO(4-3) transitions, as well as dense gas tracers in the Horseshoe complex. 12CO(3-2) and 12CO(4-3) are detected for the first time in the northern filaments of Centaurus A, with integrated intensity line ratios R32 ∼ 0.2 and R43 ∼ 0.1, compared to the 12CO(1-0) emission. We also derived a line ratio R21 ∼ 0.6, based on previous 12CO(2-1) observations. We used the non-LTE radiative transfer code RADEX and determined that the molecular gas in this region has a temperature of 55−70 K and densities between 2−6 × 102 cm−3. Such densities are also in agreement with results from the Paris-Durham shock code that predicts a post-shock density of a few 100 cm−3. However, we need more observations of emission lines at a better angular resolution in order to place tighter constraints on our radiative models, whether they are used as a stand-alone tool (LVG codes) or combined with a shock model.

scholarly journals Star formation in CALIFA early-type galaxies: a matter of discs

2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (1) ◽  
pp. L80-L84 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Méndez-Abreu ◽  
S F Sánchez ◽  
A de Lorenzo-Cáceres
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Main Sequence ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Early Type ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Integral Field Spectroscopy ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
First Time ◽  
Integral Field

ABSTRACT The star formation main sequence (SFMS) is a tight relation between the galaxy star formation rate (SFR) and its total stellar mass (M⋆). Early-type galaxies (ETGs) are often considered as low-SFR outliers of this relation. We study, for the first time, the separated distribution in the SFR versus M⋆ of bulges and discs of 49 ETGs from the CALIFA survey. This is achieved using c2d, a new code to perform spectrophotometric decompositions of integral field spectroscopy data cubes. Our results reflect that: (i) star formation always occurs in the disc component and not in bulges; (ii) star-forming discs in our ETGs are compatible with the SFMS defined by star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 0; (iii) the star formation is not confined to the outskirts of discs, but it is present at all radii (even where the bulge dominates the light); (iv) for a given mass, bulges exhibit lower sSFR than discs at all radii; and (v) we do not find a deficit of molecular gas in bulges with respect to discs for a given mass in our ETGs. We speculate our results favour a morphological quenching scenario for ETGs.

scholarly journals The Role of Quasars in Galaxy Formation

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S267) ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Elbaz
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Galaxy Formation ◽  
Positive Feedback ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Massive Galaxies ◽  
Radio Jets ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractWe discuss evidence that quasars, and more generally radio jets, may have played an active role in the formation stage of galaxies by inducing star formation, i.e., through positive feedback. This mechanism first proposed in the 1970s has been considered as anecdotal until now, contrary to the opposite effect that is generally put forward, i.e., the quenching of star formation in massive galaxies to explain the galaxy bimodality, downsizing, and the universal black hole mass over bulge stellar mass ratio. This suggestion is based on the recent discovery of an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy, i.e., an extreme starburst, that appears to be triggered by a radio jet from the QSO HE 0450-2958 at z = 0.2863, together with the finding in several systems of a positional offset between molecular gas and quasars, which may be explained by the positive feedback effect of radio jets on their local environment.

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