Stellar populations in gas-rich galaxy mergers I. Dependence on star formation history

We investigate the nature of stellar populations of major galaxy mergers between late-type spirals considerably abundant in interstellar medium by performing numerical simulations designed to solve both the dynamical and chemical evolution in a self-consistent manner. We particularly consider that the star formation history of galaxy mergers is a crucial determinant for the nature of stellar populations of merger remnants, and therefore investigate how the difference in star formation history between galaxy mergers affects the chemical evolution of galaxy mergers. We found that the rapidity of star formation, which is defined as the ratio of the dynamical time-scale to the time-scale of gas consumption by star formation, is the most important determinant for a number of fundamental characteristics of stellar populations of merger remnants. We mainly demonstrate that even the chemical evolution of elliptical galaxies can be strongly affected by the details of dynamical evolution of galaxy merging. Based upon the present numerical results, we adopt a specific assumption of the luminosity dependence of the rapidity of star formation and thereby discuss how successfully the present merger model can reproduce a number of fundamental chemical, photometric, and spectroscopic characteristics of elliptical galaxies.Comment: 70 pages 20 figures, 1 table (ps file), ApJ in pres

Detection of Molecular Clouds in the Interarm of the Flocculent Galaxy NGC 5055

We present high-resolution (~ 4") 12CO (J = 1 - 0) mapping observations with high - velocity resolution (~ 2.6 km s^{-1}) toward the disk of flocculent galaxy NGC 5055, using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array in order to study the physical properties of the molecular clouds in the arm and the interarm. The obtained map shows clumpy structures. Although these are mainly distributed along a spiral arm seen in near-infrared observations, some clouds are located far from the arm, namely in the interarm. These clouds in both the arm and the interarm have a typical size and mass of a few 100 pc and a few 10^6 Mo, respectively. These correspond to the largest Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC) in our Galaxy, and are slightly smaller than Giant Molecular Associations (GMAs) in the grand design spiral M 51. Their CO flux-based masses show good agreement with their virial masses. A size - velocity dispersion relation is also plotted on an extension of the relation for the Galactic GMCs. These facts suggest that the properties of these clouds are similar to that of the Galactic GMCs. We also found no clear systematic offset between the molecular gas and HII regions unlike M 51. This fact and no existense of GMAs suggest the view that, in NGC 5055, cloud formation and following star formation in both the arm and the interarm are due to enhancement of gas by local fluctuation. On the other hand, in grand design spiral galaxies, such as M 51, GMA formations may occur only in the arm due to a strong density wave also enhanced star formation in GMA formation may also occur. These may control the optical morphology of spiral arms in spiral galaxies.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Formation of intermediate-mass black holes in circumnuclear regions of galaxies

Recent high-resolution X-ray imaging studies have discovered possible candidates of intermediate-mass black holes with masses of M_\bullet \sim 10^{2-4} \MO in circumnuclear regions of many (disk) galaxies. It is known that a large number of massive stars are formed in a circumnuclear giant H {\sc ii} region. Therefore, we propose that continual merger of compact remnants left from these massive stars is responsible for the formation of such an intermediate-mass black hole within a timescale of $\sim 10^9$ years. A necessary condition is that several hundreds of massive stars are formed in a compact region with a radius of a few pc.Comment: 11 pages, PASJ in pres

Dissipative transformation of non-nucleated dwarf galaxies into nucleated systems

Recent photometric observations by the {\it Hubble Space Telescope (HST)} have revealed the physical properties of stellar galactic nuclei in nucleated dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster of galaxies. In order to elucidate the formation processes of nucleated dwarfs, we numerically investigate gas dynamics, star formation, and chemical evolution within the central 1 kpc of gas disks embedded within the galactic stellar components of non-nucleated dwarfs. We find that high density, compact stellar systems can be formed in the central regions of dwarfs as a result of dissipative, repeated merging of massive stellar and gaseous clumps developed from nuclear gaseous spiral arms as a result of local gravitational instability. The central stellar components are found to have stellar masses which are typically $~$5% of their host dwarfs and show very flattened shapes, rotational kinematics, and central velocity dispersions significantly smaller than those of their host dwarfs. We also find that more massive dwarfs can develop more massive, more metal-rich, and higher density stellar systems in their central regions, because star formation and chemical enrichment proceed more efficiently owing to the less dramatic suppression of star formation by supernovae feedback effects in more massive dwarfs. Based on these results, we suggest that gas-rich, non-nucleated dwarfs can be transformed into nucleated ones as a result of dissipative gas dynamics in their central regions. We discuss the origin of the observed correlations between physical properties of stellar galactic nuclei and those of their host galaxies.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures (1 color), ApJL in pres

On the Origin of Lymanα\alpha Blobs at High Redshift: Submillimetric Evidence for a Hyperwind Galaxy at z=3.1

The most remarkable class of high-redshift objects observed so far is extended Ly$\alpha$ emission-line blobs found in an over-density region at redshift 3.1. They may be either a dust-enshrouded, extreme starburst galaxy with a large-scale galactic outflow (superwind) or cooling radiation from dark matter halos. Recently one of these Ly$\alpha$ blobs has been detected at submillimeter wavelengths (450 and 850 $\mu$m). Here we show that its rest-frame spectral energy distribution between optical and far-infrared is quite similar to that of Arp 220, which is a typical ultraluminous starburst/superwind galaxy in the local universe. This suggests strongly that the superwind model proposed by Taniguchi & Shioya is applicable to this Ly$\alpha$ blob. Since the blob is more luminous in the infrared by a factor of 30 than Arp 220, it comprises a new population of hyperwind galaxies at high redshift.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. ApJ (Letters), in pres

Lymanα\alpha Emitters beyond Redshift 5:The Dawn of Galaxy Formation

The 8m class telescopes in the ground-based optical astronomy together with help from the ultra-sharp eye of the Hubble Space Telescope have enabled us to observe forming galaxies beyond redshift $z=5$. In particular, more than twenty Ly$\alpha$-emitting galaxies have already been found at $z > 5$. These findings provide us with useful hints to investigate how galaxies formed and then evolved in the early universe. Further, detailed analysis of Ly$\alpha$ emission line profiles are useful in exploring the nature of the intergalactic medium because the trailing edge of cosmic reionization could be close to $z \sim 6$ -- 7, at which forming galaxies have been found recently. We also discuss the importance of superwinds from forming galaxies at high redshift, which has an intimate relationship between galaxies and the intergalactic medium. We then give a review of early cosmic star formation history based on recent progress in searching for Ly$\alpha$-emitting young galaxies beyond redshift 5.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figures, jkas35.sty. To appear in the proceedings of the APCTP WoFormation and Interaction of Galaxies, edited by Hyung Mok Leerkshop o

Clustering Properties of Low-Luminosity Star-Forming galaxies at z = 0.24 and 0.40 in the Subaru Deep Field

We present our analysis on the clustering properties of star-forming galaxies selected by narrow-band excesses in the Subaru Deep Field. Specifically we focus on Halpha emitting galaxies at z = 0.24 and z = 0.40 in the same field, to investigate possible evolutionary signatures of clustering properties of star-forming galaxies. Based on the analysis on 228 Halpha emitting galaxies with 39.8 < log L(Halpha) < 40.8 at z = 0.40, we find that their two-point correlation function is estimated as xi = (r/1.62^{+0.64}_{-0.50} Mpc)^{-1.84 +/- 0.08}. This is similar to that of Halpha emitting galaxies in the same Halpha luminosity range at z = 0.24, xi = (r/1.88^{+0.60}_{-0.49} Mpc)^{-1.89 +/- 0.07}. These correlation lengths are smaller than those for the brighter galaxy sample studied by Meneux et al. (2006) in the same redshift range. The evolution of correlation length between z = 0.24 and z = 0.40 is interpreted by the gravitational growth of the dark matter halos.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, PASJ, Vol.60, No.6, in pres

Passive spiral formation from halo gas starvation: Gradual transformation into S0s

Recent spectroscopic and high resolution $HST$-imaging observations have revealed significant numbers of ``passive'' spiral galaxies in distant clusters, with all the morphological hallmarks of a spiral galaxy (in particular, spiral arm structure), but with weak or absent star formation. Exactly how such spiral galaxies formed and whether they are the progenitors of present-day S0 galaxies is unclear. Based on analytic arguments and numerical simulations of the hydrodynamical evolution of a spiral galaxy's halo gas (which is a likely candidate for the source of gas replenishment for star formation in spirals), we show that the origin of passive spirals may well be associated with halo gas stripping. Such stripping results mainly from the hydrodynamical interaction between the halo gas and the hot intracluster gas. Our numerical simulations demonstrate that even if a spiral orbits a cluster with a pericenter distance $\sim$ 3 times larger than the cluster core radius, $\sim$ 80 % of the halo gas is stripped within a few Gyr and, accordingly, cannot be accreted by the spiral. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that this dramatic decline in the gaseous infall rate leads to a steady increase in the $Q$ parameter for the disk, with the spiral arm structure, although persisting, becoming less pronounced as the star formation rate gradually decreases. These results suggest that passive spirals formed in this way, gradually evolve into red cluster S0s.Comment: 13 pages 4 figures (fig.1 = jpg format), accepted by Ap

New High-Redshift Galaxies at zz = 5.8 - 6.5 in the Subaru Deep Field

In order to search for high-redshift galaxies around $z \sim 6$ in the Subaru Deep Field, we have investigated NB816-dropout galaxies where NB816 is the narrowband filter centered at 815nm with FWHM of 12.5 nm for the Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. Since the NB816 imaging is so deep we can detect 10 well-defined NB816-dropout galaxies that we identify to lie at $z$ = 5.8 -- 6.5. We discuss their observational properties.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, PASJ, Vol.57, No.4, in pres

Formation of quasar nuclei in the hearts of ultraluminous infrared galaxies

We investigate whether or not supermassive black holes (SMBHs) with mass ≳ 108 M⊙ can be made in the hearts of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs) during the course of mergers between/among gas-rich galaxies. (1) If one progenitor galaxy had a seed SMBH with mass of ∼107 M⊙, this seed SMBH can grow up to ≳108 M⊙ due to efficient Bondi-type gas accretion during the course of merger, given a gas density in the circumnuclear region of nH ∼ 103 cm-3. (2) Even if there was no progenitor galaxy with a seed SMBH, star clusters with compact remnants (neutron stars and/or black holes) produced in the circumnuclear starbursts can merge into the merger center within a dynamical timescale of ∼109 yr to form an SMBH with ≳108 M⊙. Note, however, that the contribution of compact remnants supplied from hidden star clusters is necessary to lead to the formation of an SMBH. In conclusion, the ULIGs observed in the local universe can make SMBHs in their centers during the course of merging either by gas accretion onto a seed SMBH or by dynamical relaxation of compact remnants made in the violent circumnuclear starbursts. Therefore, it is quite likely that the ULIGs will finally evolve to optically luminous quasars, as suggested by Sanders et al