scholarly journals The EDGE–CALIFA survey: using optical extinction to probe the spatially resolved distribution of gas in nearby galaxies

2019 ◽  
Vol 492 (2) ◽  
pp. 2651-2662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge K Barrera-Ballesteros ◽  
Dyas Utomo ◽  
Alberto D Bolatto ◽  
Sebastián F Sánchez ◽  
Stuart N Vogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Empirical Relation ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Optical Extinction ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Cold Gas

ABSTRACT We present an empirical relation between the cold gas surface density (Σgas) and the optical extinction (AV) in a sample of 103 galaxies from the Extragalactic Database for Galaxy Evolution (EDGE) survey. This survey provides CARMA interferometric CO observations for 126 galaxies included in the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey. The matched, spatially resolved nature of these data sets allows us to derive the Σgas–AV relation on global, radial, and kpc (spaxel) scales. We determine AV from the Balmer decrement (H α/H β). We find that the best fit for this relation is $\Sigma _{\rm gas}\,(\rm {M_\odot \,pc}^{-2}) \sim 26 \times {\rm \mathit{ A}_\mathit{ V}} \,(\rm mag)$, and that it does not depend on the spatial scale used for the fit. However, the scatter in the fits increases as we probe smaller spatial scales, reflecting the complex relative spatial distributions of stars, gas, and dust. We investigate the Σgas/AV ratio on radial and spaxel scales as a function of $\mathrm{EW(H\,\alpha)}$. We find that at larger values of $\mathrm{EW({H\,\alpha })}$ (i.e. actively star-forming regions) this ratio tends to converge to twice the value expected for a foreground dust screen geometry (∼30 $\mathrm{M_{\odot } \, pc^{-2} \, mag^{-1}}$). On radial scales, we do not find a significant relation between the Σgas/AV ratio and the ionized gas metallicity. We contrast our estimates of Σgas using AV with compilations in the literature of the gas fraction on global and radial scales as well as with well-known scaling relations such as the radial star formation law and the Σgas–Σ* relation. These tests show that optical extinction is a reliable proxy for estimating Σgas in the absence of direct sub/millimeter observations of the cold gas.

scholarly journals High-J CO Intensity Measurements for Galaxies Observed by the Herschel FTS

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (S315) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
Julia Kamenetzky ◽  
Naseem Rangwala ◽  
Jason Glenn ◽  
Philip Maloney ◽  
Alex Conley
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
J 13 ◽  
Systematic Effects ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Co Emission

AbstractMolecular gas is the raw material for star formation and is commonly traced by the carbon monoxide (CO) molecule. The atmosphere blocks all but the lowest-J transitions of CO for observatories on the ground, but the launch of the Herschel Space Observatory revealed the CO emission of nearby galaxies from J = 4−3 to J = 13−12. Herschel showed that mid- and high-J CO lines in nearby galaxies are emitted from warm gas, accounting for approximately 10% of the molecular mass, but the majority of the CO luminosity. The energy budget of this warm, highly-excited gas is a significant window into the feedback interactions among molecular gas, star formation, and galaxy evolution. Likely, mechanical heating is required to explain the excitation. Such gas has also been observed in star forming regions within our galaxy.We have examined all ~300 spectra of galaxies from the Herschel Fourier Transform Spectrometer and measured line fluxes or upper limits for the CO J = 4−3 to J = 13−12, [CI], and [NII] 205 micron lines in ~200 galaxies, taking systematic effects of the FTS into account. We will present our line fitting method, illustrate trends available so far in this large sample, and preview the full 2-component radiative transfer likelihood modeling of the CO emission using an illustrative sample of 20 galaxies, including comparisons to well-resolved galactic regions. This work is a comprehensive study of mid- and high-J CO emission among a variety of galaxy types, and can be used as a resource for future (sub)millimeter studies of galaxies with ground-based instruments.

scholarly journals Star formation on galactic scales

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S237) ◽  
pp. 311-316
Author(s):  
Robert C. Kennicutt
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Nearby Galaxies

AbstractNew multi-wavelength data on nearby galaxies are providing a much more accurate and complete observational picture of star formation on galactic scales. Here I briefly report on recent results from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS). These provide new constraints on the frequency and lifetime of deeply obscured star-forming regions in galaxies, the measurement of dust-corrected star formation rates in galaxies, and the form of the spatially-resolved Schmidt law.

scholarly journals Early galaxy growth: mergers or gravitational instability?

2020 ◽  
Vol 500 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-137
Author(s):  
A Zanella ◽  
A Pallottini ◽  
A Ferrara ◽  
S Gallerani ◽  
S Carniani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gravitational Instability ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Joint Effect ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
James Webb Space Telescope ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Hydrodynamical Simulations

ABSTRACT We investigate the spatially resolved morphology of galaxies in the early Universe. We consider a typical redshift z = 6 Lyman break galaxy, ‘Althæa’, from the SERRA hydrodynamical simulations. We create mock rest-frame ultraviolet (UV), optical, and far-infrared observations, and perform a two-dimensional morphological analysis to deblend the galaxy disc from substructures (merging satellites or star-forming regions). We find that the [C ii]158 μm emitting region has an effective radius 1.5–2.5 times larger than the optical one, consistent with recent observations. This [C ii] halo in our simulated galaxy arises as the joint effect of stellar outflows and carbon photoionization by the galaxy UV field, rather than from the emission of unresolved nearby satellites. At the typical angular resolution of current observations (≳ 0.15 arcsec) only merging satellites can be detected; detection of star-forming regions requires resolutions of ≲ 0.05 arcsec. The [C ii]-detected satellite has a 2.5-kpc projected distance from the galaxy disc, whereas the star-forming regions are embedded in the disc itself (distance ≲ 1 kpc). This suggests that multicomponent systems reported in the literature, which have separations ≳ 2 kpc, are merging satellites, rather than galactic substructures. Finally, the star-forming regions found in our mock maps follow the local L[C ii]–SFRUV relation of galaxy discs, although sampling the low-luminosity, low-SFR tail of the distribution. We show that future James Webb Space Telescope observations, bridging UV and [C ii] data sets, will be exceptionally suited to characterize galaxy substructures, thanks to their exquisite spatial resolution and sensitivity to both low-metallicity and dust-obscured regions that are bright at infrared wavelengths.

scholarly journals Sub-galactic views of cold gas and dust in distant star-forming galaxies: Pushing the ∼ 100 pc frontier at z ∼ 3

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S352) ◽  
pp. 266-266
Author(s):  
Wiphu Rujopakarn
Keyword(s):  
Black Holes ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Angular Resolution ◽  
Cosmic Time ◽  
First Year ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Resolution Capability ◽  
Synergistic Approach ◽  
Cold Gas

AbstractWhile the evolution of spatially-integrated properties of galaxies are relatively well constrained across cosmic time, many of the most fundamental processes are not well understood, especially down to the sub-galactic scales, where frontier questions in galaxy evolution lie: How did galactic spheroids form? How did galaxies and their supermassive black holes co-evolve? With the angular resolution capability of ∼tens of milliarcseconds, ALMA has conferred extinction- independent views of cold gas and dust distributions within individual z ∼ 1 – 4 galaxies at resolutions approaching ∼ 100 pc, thereby opening new avenues to study sub-galactic properties of galaxies at the peak of their assembly. In this talk, I will review recent findings and ongoing challenges enabled by ALMA's extinction-independent, spatially-resolved views of star forming galaxies, particularly the galactic substructures, e.g., clumps (or the lack thereof) from both field and gravitationally-lensed galaxies, and their implications on the bulge assembly scenario. I will also discuss a new synergistic approach between radio and millimeter observations (using, e.g., VLA and ALMA) to independently pinpoint the locations of star-forming region and AGN down to < 100 pc at z ∼ 3. Lastly, I will discuss the planned surveys with JWST in the first year of operation, and ways that the first datasets can be combined with ALMA to provide new breakthroughs and plan future observations to utilize Webb to the fullest.

scholarly journals What drives galaxy quenching? Resolving molecular gas and star formation in the green valley

2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (1) ◽  
pp. L66-L71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simcha Brownson ◽  
Francesco Belfiore ◽  
Roberto Maiolino ◽  
Lihwai Lin ◽  
Stefano Carniani
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Gas Content ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Central Regions

ABSTRACT We study quenching in seven green valley galaxies on kpc scales by resolving their molecular gas content using 12CO(1–0) observations obtained with NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array and Atacama Large Millimeter Array, and their star formation rate using spatially resolved optical spectroscopy from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory survey. We perform radial stacking of both data sets to increase the sensitivity to molecular gas and star formation, thereby avoiding biases against strongly quenched regions. We find that both spatially resolved gas fraction (fgas) and star formation efficiency ($\rm {SFE}$) are responsible for quenching green valley galaxies at all radii: both quantities are suppressed with respect to typical star-forming regions. fgas and $\rm {SFE}$ have roughly equal influence in quenching the outer disc. We are, however, unable to identify the dominant mechanism in the strongly quenched central regions. We find that fgas is reduced by $\rm \sim\! 1~dex$ in the central regions, but the star formation rate is too low to be measured, leading to upper limits for the $\rm {SFE}$. Moving from the outer disc to central regions, the reduction in fgas is driven by an increasing $\rm \Sigma _{\star }$ profile rather than a decreasing $\rm \Sigma _{H_{2}}$ profile. The reduced fgas may therefore be caused by a decrease in the gas supply rather than molecular gas ejection mechanisms, such as winds driven by active galactic nuclei. We warn more generally that studies investigating fgas may be deceiving in inferring the cause of quenching, particularly in the central (bulge-dominated) regions of galaxies.

scholarly journals Using stellar population studies to determine the progenitors of GRBs and SNe

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S262) ◽  
pp. 436-437
Author(s):  
Christina C. Thöne ◽  
Lise Christensen ◽  
Johan P. U. Fynbo
Keyword(s):  
Emission Line ◽  
Stellar Population ◽  
Population Studies ◽  
Population Models ◽  
Host Galaxy ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Star Forming Regions

AbstractWe present spatially resolved emission line studies of three nearby GRB and SN hosts with longslit and/or IFU observations. We compare the environment of the GRBs/SNe with those of other star-forming regions in the host galaxy and try to get informations on the progenitor from stellar population models and metallicities.

scholarly journals THE FRACTAL DIMENSION OF STAR-FORMING REGIONS AT DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES IN M33

2010 ◽  
Vol 720 (1) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Néstor Sánchez ◽  
Neyda Añez ◽  
Emilio J. Alfaro ◽  
Mary Crone Odekon
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions

scholarly journals Scaling Relations between Gas and Star Formation in Nearby Galaxies

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S270) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Bigiel ◽  
Adam Leroy ◽  
Fabian Walter
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Multiple Regimes ◽  
Combining Data ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Physical Quantities ◽  
Individual Galaxy

AbstractHigh resolution, multi-wavelength maps of a sizeable set of nearby galaxies have made it possible to study how the surface densities of H i, H2 and star formation rate (ΣHI, ΣH2, ΣSFR) relate on scales of a few hundred parsecs. At these scales, individual galaxy disks are comfortably resolved, making it possible to assess gas-SFR relations with respect to environment within galaxies. ΣH2, traced by CO intensity, shows a strong correlation with ΣSFR and the ratio between these two quantities, the molecular gas depletion time, appears to be constant at about 2 Gyr in large spiral galaxies. Within the star-forming disks of galaxies, ΣSFR shows almost no correlation with ΣHI. In the outer parts of galaxies, however, ΣSFR does scale with ΣHI, though with large scatter. Combining data from these different environments yields a distribution with multiple regimes in Σgas – ΣSFR space. If the underlying assumptions to convert observables to physical quantities are matched, even combined datasets based on different SFR tracers, methodologies and spatial scales occupy a well define locus in Σgas – ΣSFR space.

ERRATUM: “THE FRACTAL DIMENSION OF STAR-FORMING REGIONS AT DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES IN M33” (2010, ApJ, 720, 541)

2010 ◽  
Vol 723 (1) ◽  
pp. 969-969
Author(s):  
Néstor Sánchez ◽  
Neyda Añez ◽  
Emilio J. Alfaro ◽  
Mary Crone Odekon
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions

scholarly journals First detection of [13C II] in the Large Magellanic Cloud

2019 ◽  
Vol 631 ◽  
pp. L12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko Okada ◽  
Ronan Higgins ◽  
Volker Ossenkopf-Okada ◽  
Cristian Guevara ◽  
Jürgen Stutzki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Line Profile ◽  
Large Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Abundance Ratio ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Distant Galaxies ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Galactic Sources

Context. [13C II] observations in several Galactic sources show that the fine-structure [12C II] emission is often optically thick (the optical depths around 1 to a few). Aims. Our goal was to test whether this also affects the [12C II] emission from nearby galaxies like the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Methods. We observed three star-forming regions in the LMC with upGREAT on board SOFIA at the frequency of the [C II] line. The 4 GHz bandwidth covers all three hyperfine lines of [13C II] simultaneously. For the analysis, we combined the [13C II] F = 1−0 and F = 1−1 hyperfine components as they do not overlap with the [12C II] line in velocity. Results. Three positions in N159 and N160 show an enhancement of [13C II] compared to the abundance-ratio-scaled [12C II] profile. This is likely due to the [12C II] line being optically thick, supported by the fact that the [13C II] line profile is narrower than [12C II], the enhancement varies with velocity, and the peak velocity of [13C II] matches the [O I] 63 μm self-absorption. The [12C II] line profile is broader than expected from a simple optical depth broadening of the [13C II] line, supporting the scenario of several PDR components in one beam having varying [12C II] optical depths. The derived [12C II] optical depth at three positions (beam size of 14″, corresponding to 3.4 pc) is 1−3, which is similar to values observed in several Galactic sources shown in previous studies. If this also applies to distant galaxies, the [C II] intensity will be underestimated by a factor of approximately 2.

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