2,098 research outputs found
The Cool ISM in S0 Galaxies. I. A Survey of Molecular Gas
Lenticular galaxies remain remarkably mysterious as a class. Observations to
date have not led to any broad consensus about their origins, properties and
evolution, though they are often thought to have formed in one big burst of
star formation early in the history of the Universe, and to have evolved
relatively passively since then. In that picture, current theory predicts that
stellar evolution returns substantial quantities of gas to the interstellar
medium; most is ejected from the galaxy, but significant amounts of cool gas
might be retained. Past searches for that material, though, have provided
unclear results. We present results from a survey of molecular gas in a
volume-limited sample of field S0 galaxies, selected from the Nearby Galaxies
Catalog. CO emission is detected from 78 percent of the sample galaxies. We
find that the molecular gas is almost always located inside the central few
kiloparses of a lenticular galaxy, meaning that in general it is more centrally
concentrated than in spirals. We combine our data with HI observations from the
literature to determine the total masses of cool and cold gas. Curiously, we
find that, across a wide range of luminosity, the most gas rich galaxies have
about 10 percent of the total amount of gas ever returned by their stars. That
result is difficult to understand within the context of either monolithic or
hierarchical models of evolution of the interstellar medium.Comment: 26 pages of text, 15 pages of tables, 10 figures. Accepted for
publication in the Astrophysical Journa
Dust-to-Gas Ratio and Metallicity in Dwarf Galaxies
We examine the dust-to-gas ratio as a function of metallicity for dwarf
galaxies [dwarf irregular galaxies (dIrrs) and blue compact dwarf galaxies
(BCDGs)]. Using a one-zone model and adopting the instantaneous recycling
approximation, we prepare a set of basic equations which describes processes of
dust formation and destruction in a galaxy. Four terms are included for the
processes: dust formation from heavy elements ejected by stellar mass loss,
dust destruction in supernova remnants, dust destruction in star-forming
regions, and accretion of heavy elements onto preexisting dust grains. Solving
the equations, we compare the result with observational data of nearby dIrrs
and BCDGs. The solution is consistent with the data within the reasonable
ranges of model parameters constrained by the previous examinations. This means
that the model is successful in understanding the dust amount of nearby
galaxies. We also show that the accretion rate of heavy element onto
preexisting dust grains is less effective than the condensation of heavy
elements in dwarf galaxies.Comment: 14 pages LaTeX, 4 figures, to appear in Ap
CO Luminosity Functions For FIR and B-band Selected Galaxies and the First Estimate for Omega_{HI+H2}
We derive a non-parametric CO luminosity function using a FIR and an optical
B-band selected sample of the galaxies included in the FCRAO Extragalactic CO
Survey. The FIR selected sample is defined using the IRAS Bright Galaxy Surveys
(BGS; IRAS 60 micron flux density >= 5.24 Jy). Although our CO sample is not
complete, the normalization using the BGS reproduces the IRAS 60 micron
luminosity function in excellent agreement with those found in the literature.
Similarly, a B-band selected sample defined using the Revised Shapley-Ames
(RSA) catalog is used to derive a CO luminosity function for a comparison. A
Schechter function describes the both derived CO luminosity functions
reasonably well. Adopting the standard CO-to-H2 conversion factor, we derive a
molecular gas density of rho_{H2}=(3.1\pm 1.2)*10^7h Mo Mpc^{-3} for the local
volume. Combining with the measurements of the local HI mass density and the
helium contribution, we estimate that the total mass density of cold neutral
gas in the local universe is Omega_{gas} =(4.3 \pm 1.1)*10^{-4} h^{-1}, which
is about 20% of the total stellar mass density Omega_{stars}.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures uses aastex.cls and emulateapj5.sty. Accepted
for publication in Ap
Novel Mechanism of Supersolid of Ultracold Polar Molecules in Optical Lattices
We study the checkerboard supersolid of the hard-core Bose-Hubbard model with
the dipole-dipole interaction. This supersolid is different from all other
supersolids found in lattice models in the sense that superflow paths through
which interstitials or vacancies can hop freely are absent in the crystal. By
focusing on repulsive interactions between interstitials, we reveal that the
long-range tail of the dipole-dipole interaction have the role of increasing
the energy cost of domain wall formations. This effect produces the supersolid
by the second-order hopping process of defects. We also perform exact quantum
Monte Carlo simulations and observe a novel double peak structure in the
momentum distribution of bosons, which is a clear evidence for supersolid. This
can be measured by the time-of-flight experiment in optical lattice systems
The Central Region of Barred Galaxies: Molecular Environment, Starbursts, and Secular Evolution
Despite compelling evidence that stellar bars drive gas into the inner 1--2
kpc or circumnuclear (CN) region of galaxies, there are few large, high
resolution studies of the CN molecular gas and star formation (SF). We study a
sample of local barred non-starbursts and starbursts with high-resolution CO,
optical, Ha, RC, Br-gamma, and HST data, and find the following. (1) The inner
kpc of bars differs markedly the outer disk and hosts molecular gas surface
densities Sigma-gas-m of 500-3500 Msun pc-2, gas mass fractions of 10--30 %,
and epicyclic frequencies of several 100--1000 km s-1 kpc-1.Consequently,
gravitational instabilities can only set in at high gas densities and grow on a
short timescale (few Myr). This high density, short timescale, `burst' mode may
explain why powerful starbursts tend to be in the CN region of galaxies. (2) We
suggest that the variety in CO morphologies is due to different stages of
bar-driven inflow. At late stages, most of the CN gas is inside the outer inner
Lindblad resonance (OILR), and has predominantly circular motions. Across the
sample, we find bar pattern speeds with upper limits of 43 to 115 km s-1 kpc-1
and OILR radii of > 500 pc. (3) Barred starbursts and non-starbursts have CN
SFRs of 3--11 and 0.1--2 Msun yr-1, despite similar CN gas mass. Sigma-gas-m in
the starbursts is larger (1000--3500 Msun pc-2) and close to the Toomre
critical density over a large region. (4) Molecular gas makes up 10%--30% of
the CN dynamical mass (6--30 x 10^9 Msun).In the starbursts, it fuels CN SFRs
of 3--11 Msun yr-1, building young, massive, high V/sigma components. We
present evidence for such a pseudo-bulge in NGC 3351. Implications for secular
evolution along the Hubble sequence are discussed.Comment: Accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. Paper length reduced to fit
within APJ page limits. Version of paper with high resolution figures is at
http://www.as.utexas.edu/~sj/papers/ms-hires-sj05a.ps.g
Search for Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies During Quiescence
Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) galaxies are metal poor systems going through a
major starburst that cannot last for long. We have identified galaxies which
may be BCDs during quiescence (QBCD), i.e., before the characteristic starburst
sets in or when it has faded away. These QBCD galaxies are assumed to be like
the BCD host galaxies. The SDSS/DR6 database provides ~21500 QBCD candidates.
We also select from SDSS/DR6 a complete sample of BCD galaxies to serve as
reference. The properties of these two galaxy sets have been computed and
compared. The QBCD candidates are thirty times more abundant than the BCDs,
with their luminosity functions being very similar except for the scaling
factor, and the expected luminosity dimming associated with the end of the
starburst. QBCDs are redder than BCDs, and they have larger HII region based
oxygen abundance. QBCDs also have lower surface brightness. The BCD candidates
turn out to be the QBCD candidates with the largest specific star formation
rate (actually, with the largest H_alpha equivalent width). One out of each
three dwarf galaxies in the local universe may be a QBCD. The properties of the
selected BCDs and QBCDs are consistent with a single sequence in galactic
evolution, with the quiescent phase lasting thirty times longer than the
starburst phase. The resulting time-averaged star formation rate is low enough
to allow this cadence of BCD -- QBCD phases during the Hubble time.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 17 pages. 13 Fig
Multiwavelength Observations of the Low Metallicity Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxy SBS 0335-052
New infrared and millimeter observations from Keck, Palomar, ISO, and OVRO
and archival data from the NRAO VLA and IRAS are presented for the low
metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxy SBS 0335-052. Mid-infrared imaging shows
this young star-forming system is compact (0.31"; 80 pc) at 12.5 microns. The
large Br-gamma equivalent width (235 Angstroms) measured from integral field
spectroscopy is indicative of a ~5 Myr starburst. The central source appears to
be optically thin in emission, containing both a warm (~80 K) and a hot (~210
K) dust component, and the overall interstellar radiation field is quite
intense, about 10,000 times the intensity in the solar neighborhood. CO
emission is not detected, though the galaxy shows an extremely high global H I
gas-to-dust mass ratio, high even for blue compact dwarfs. Finally, the
galaxy's mid-infrared-to-optical and mid-to-near-infrared luminosity ratios are
quite high, whereas its far-infrared-to-radio and far-infrared-to-optical flux
ratios are surprisingly similar to what is seen in normal star-forming
galaxies. The relatively high bolometric infrared-to-radio ratio is more easily
understood in the context of such a young system with negligible nonthermal
radio continuum emission. These new lines of evidence may outline features
common to primordial galaxies found at high redshift.Comment: 28 pages including 6 figures; accepted for publication in the
Astronomical Journa
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