Star Formation in Massive Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

Massive low surface brightness galaxies have disk central surface brightnesses at least one magnitude fainter than the night sky, but total magnitudes and masses that show they are among the largest galaxies known. Like all low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies, massive LSB galaxies are often in the midst of star formation yet their stellar light has remained diffuse, raising the question of how star formation is proceeding within these galaxies. We have undertaken a multi-wavelength study to clarify the structural parameters and stellar and gas content of these enigmatic systems. The results of these studies, which include HI, CO, optical, near UV, and far UV images of the galaxies will provide the most in depth study done to date of how, when, and where star formation proceeds within this unique subset of the galaxy population.Comment: to be published in proceeding of IAU 244 - Dark Galaxies and Lost Baryons IAU Symposiu

SENSITIVE VERY LONG BASELINE INTERFEROMETRY STUDIES OF INTERACTING/MERGING GALAXIES

It has become clear in recent years that the study of interacting/merging galaxies plays an important role in understanding important astrophysical phenomena. This thesis presents an observational study of interacting/merging galaxies at radio frequencies. The observations have been carried out at extremely high resolution using very long baseline interferometry. The observations described here include: (1) A study of the high velocity Hi absorption associated with the peculiar galaxy NGC 1275; (2) A study of the radio continuum and Hi absorption of the ULIRG IRAS 172080014; (3) A study of the radio continuum and Hi absorption of the LIRG NGC 7674. Some of the most prominent results of these observations include: Detection of several narrow Hi absorption features in the high velocity system associated with NGC 1275. These Hi absorption lines were observed toward the strong radio nucleus 3C 84. The results indicate the existence of several Hi clouds with velocity differences and widths similar to those seen in Galactic neutral hydrogen absorption and similar to some of the Hi absorption seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The discovery of an extreme nuclear starburst region in the advanced merger system IRAS 172080014. Our results suggest a star formation rate of 84 M yr-1, and a supernova rate of 4 yr-1. Hi absorption is detected in multiple components with optical depths ranging between 0.3 and 2.5, and velocity widths between 58 and 232 km s-1. The detection of complex jet structures in the inner 1 kpc region of the galaxy NGC 7674. At full resolution, several compact sources are observed with brightness temperatures on the order of 107 K. While it is possible that one of these compact structures could host an AGN, they could also be shock-like features formed by the interaction of the jet with compact interstellar clouds in the nuclear region of this galaxy. At least eight Hi absorption lines are detected toward some of the continuum emission regions in NGC 7674. If the widest Hi feature in our observations is rotationally broadened by a central supermassive black hole, the implied dynamical mass is about 107 M

Neutral Hydrogen and Star Formation in the Coma-Abell1367 Supercluster

We present preliminary results of a multi-wavelength study focused on the evolution of spiral galaxies in the UV-optical colour-magnitude (CM) diagram. By combining HI, UV and optical observations of the Coma-Abell1367 supercluster we are able to identify galaxies at different stages of their evolution: from healthy star-forming galaxies, to blue HI-poor spirals and transition objects. Our analysis shows that galaxies in the transition region are likely to be the progeny of healthy spirals, whose star-formation has been quenched by the harsh cluster environment. This result suggests that, at least in clusters of galaxies, the migration of galaxies from the blue to the red sequence might be due to environmental processes.Comment: To appear in AIP Conf. Proc., "The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window", Feb 1-3 2008, Arecibo, eds. R. Minchin & E. Momjian. 4 pages, 2 figure

Extragalactic HI Surveys at Arecibo: the Future

Starting in the 1970s, the Arecibo 305m telescope has made seminal contributions in the field of extragalactic spectroscopy. With the Gregorian upgrade completed in the late 1990s, the telescope acquired a field of view. Population of that field of view with a seven-feed array at L-band (ALFA) increased by nearly one order of magnitude its survey speed. As a result, much of the extragalactic astronomy time of the telescope is now allocated to survey projects, which are briefly discussed. The next technical development stage for the 305m telescope is foreseen as that of a 40 beam system that would take advantage of phased array technology: AO40. This would further speed up the survey performance of the telescope. It is shown how the figure of merit for survey speed of AO40 would be comparable with that of SKA-precursor facilities, planned for operation in the next decade. A number of scientifically desirable new surveys that would become possible with AO40 are briefly discussed.Comment: To appear in AIP Conference Proceedings, "The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window", Feb 1-3 2008, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, eds. R. Minchin & E. Momjian. 6 pages including 1 figur

Conference Summary: HI Science in the Next Decade

The atomic hydrogen (HI) 21cm line measures the gas content within and around galaxies, traces the dark matter potential and probes volumes and objects that other surveys do not. Over the next decade, 21cm line science will exploit new technologies, especially focal plane and aperture arrays, and will see the deployment of Epoch of Reionization/Dark Age detection experiments and Square Kilometer Array (SKA) precursor instruments. Several experiments designed to detect and eventually to characterize the reionization history of the intergalactic medium should deliver first results within two-three years time. Although "precision cosmology" surveys of HI in galaxies at z ~ 1 to 3 require the full collecting area of the SKA, a coherent program of HI line science making use of the unique capabilities of both the existing facilities and the novel ones demonstrated by the SKA precursors will teach us how many gas rich galaxies there really are and where they reside and will yield fundamental insight into how galaxies accrete gas, form stars and interact with their environment.Comment: To appear in AIP Conference Proceedings, "The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window", Feb 1-3 2008, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, eds. R. Minchin & E. Momjian. 8 page

HI Structure Observations of Reionization and Dark Energy

This proceeding concentrates on the BAO signature of dark energy, and how the SKA dark energy case has been complicated by the emergence of HI structure experiments modeled after the Epoch of Reionization observatories. The purpose of the conference talk was to review the current status of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), and show the applications of HI structure observations for both reionization and dark energy measurements. Since the status of the MWA is changing weekly, please see the website www.haystack.mit.edu/ast/arrays/mwa/ for the current status. This proceedings will instead concentrate on HI structure observations, their applicability to reionization and cosmography, and the implications for the SKA and future HI structure observations of dark energy.Comment: Proceeding from The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window, Arecibo, 2008, AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 103

The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS)

The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS) is a large targeted survey that started at Arecibo in March 2008. GASS is designed to measure the neutral hydrogen content of ~1000 massive galaxies (with stellar mass Mstar > 10^10 Msun) at redshift 0.025<z<0.05, uniformly selected from the SDSS spectroscopic and GALEX imaging surveys. Our selected mass range straddles the recently identified "transition mass" (Mstar ~3x10^10 Msun) above which galaxies show a marked decrease in their present to past-averaged star formation rates. GASS will produce the first statistically significant sample of massive "transition" galaxies with homogeneously measured stellar masses, star formation rates and gas properties. The analysis of this sample will allow us to investigate if and how the cold gas responds to a variety of different physical conditions in the galaxy, thus yielding insights on the physical processes responsible for the transition between blue, star-forming and red, passively evolving galaxies. GASS will be of considerably legacy value not only in isolation but also by complementing ongoing HI-selected surveys.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures. To appear in proceedings of "The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window", R. Minchin & E. Momjian eds. Higher resolution version at http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/GASS/pubs.ph

The environmental dependence of neutral hydrogen content in spiral galaxies

We present a study of the relationship between the deficiency of neutral hydrogen and the local three-dimensional number density of spiral galaxies in the Arecibo catalog of global HI measurements (Springob et al. 2005). We find that the dependence on density of the HI content is weak at low densities, but increases sharply at high densities where interactions between galaxies and the intra-cluster medium become important. This behavior is reminiscent of the morphology-density relation (Dressler 1980) in that the effect manifests itself only at cluster-type densities, and indeed when we plot both the HI deficiency-density and morphology-density relations, we see that the densities at which they "turn up" are similar. This suggests that the physical mechanisms responsible for the increase in early types in clusters are also responsible for the decrease in HI content.Comment: To appear in AIP Conference Proceedings, "The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window", Feb 1-3 2008, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, eds. R. Minchin & E. Momjian. 3 pages, 2 figure

Growth and Destruction of Disks: Combined HI and HII View

How large disk galaxies have evolved in, and out of, the blue cloud of actively star-forming galaxies as a function of environment and time is an outstanding question. Some of the largest disks become systems like M31, M33 and the Milky Way today. In denser environments, it appears they transform onto the red sequence. Tracking disk systems since z<0.5 as a function HI mass, dynamical mass, and environment should be possible in the coming decade. HI and optical data combined can sample outer and inner disk dynamics to connect halo properties with regions of most intense star-formation, and the gas reservoir to the consumption rate. We describe existing and future IFUs on 4-10m telescopes that complement upcoming HI surveys for studying disks at z<0.5. Multiple units, deployable over large fields-of-view, and with logarithmic sampling will yield kinematic and star-formation maps and properties of the stellar populations, resolving the core but retaining sensitivity to disk outskirts.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; to appear in The Evolution of Galaxies through the Neutral Hydrogen Window, eds. R. Minchin and E. Momjian, AIPC, in pres