144 research outputs found

    The dust and cold gas content of local star forming galaxies

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    We use dust masses (MdustM_{dust}) derived from far-infrared data and molecular gas masses (MmolM_{mol}) based on CO luminosity, to calibrate proxies based on a combination of the galaxy Balmer decrement, disk inclination and gas metallicity. We use such proxies to estimate MdustM_{dust} and MmolM_{mol} in the local SDSS sample of star-forming galaxies (SFGs). We study the distribution of MdustM_{dust} and MmolM_{mol} along and across the Main Sequence (MS) of SFGs. We find that MdustM_{dust} and MmolM_{mol} increase rapidly along the MS with increasing stellar mass (MM_*), and more marginally across the MS with increasing SFR (or distance from the relation). The dependence on MM_* is sub-linear for both MdustM_{dust} and MmolM_{mol}. Thus, the fraction of dust (fdustf_{dust}) and molecular gas mass (fmolf_{mol}) decreases monotonically towards large MM_*. The star formation efficiency (SFE, the inverse of the molecular gas depletion time) depends strongly on the distance from the MS and it is constant along the MS. As nearly all galaxies in the sample are central galaxies, we estimate the dependence of fdustf_{dust} and fgasf_{gas} on the host halo mass and find a tight anti-correlation. As the region where the MS is bending is numerically dominated by massive halos, we conclude that the bending of the MS is due to lower availability of molecular gas mass in massive halos rather than a lower efficiency in forming stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 12 pages, 9 figure

    The far-infrared/radio correlation for a sample of strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies detected by Herschel

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    We investigate the radio/far-infrared (FIR) correlation for a sample of 28 bright high-redshift (1 z 4) star-forming galaxies selected in the FIR from the Herschel -ATLAS fields as candidates to be strongly gravitationally lensed. The radio information comes either from high sensitivity dedicated Australia Telescope Compact Array observations at 2.1 GHz or from cross-matches with the FIRST surv e y at 1.4 GHz. By taking advantage of source brightness possibly enhanced by lensing magnification, we identify a weak evolution with redshift out to z 4 of the FIR-to-radio luminosity ratio q FIR . We also find that the q FIR parameter as a function of the radio power L 1 . 4 GHz displays a clear decreasing trend, similarly to what is observed for optically/radio- selected lensed quasars found in literature, yet co v ering a complementary region in the q FIR –L 1 . 4 GHz diagram. We interpret such a behaviour in the framework of an in situ galaxy formation scenario, as a result of the transition from an early dust-obscured star-forming phase (mainly pinpointed by our FIR selection) to a late radio-loud quasar phase (preferentially sampled by the optical/radio selection)

    A panchromatic spatially-resolved analysis of nearby galaxies -- I. Sub-kpc scale Main Sequence in grand-design spirals

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    We analyse the spatially resolved relation between stellar mass (M_{\star}) and star formation rate (SFR) in disk galaxies (i.e. the Main Sequence, MS). The studied sample includes eight nearby face-on grand-design spirals, e.g. the descendant of high-redshift, rotationally-supported star-forming galaxies. We exploit photometric information over 23 bands, from the UV to the far-IR, from the publicly available DustPedia database to build spatially resolved maps of stellar mass and star formation rates on sub-galactic scales of 0.5-1.5 kpc, by performing a spectral energy distribution fitting procedure that accounts for both the observed and the obscured star formation processes, over a wide range of internal galaxy environments (bulges, spiral arms, outskirts). With more than 30 thousands physical cells, we have derived a definition of the local spatially resolved MS per unit area for disks, log(ΣSFR)\log(\Sigma_{SFR})=0.82log(Σ)(\Sigma_{*})-8.69. This is consistent with the bulk of recent results based on optical IFU, using the Hα\alpha line emission as a SFR tracer. Our work extends the analysis at lower sensitivities in both M_{\star} and SFR surface densities, up to a factor \sim 10. The self consistency of the MS relation over different spatial scales, from sub-galactic to galactic, as well as with a rescaled correlation obtained for high redshift galaxies, clearly proves its universality.Comment: 21 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

    A titanic interstellar medium ejection from a massive starburst galaxy at redshift 1.4

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    Feedback-driven winds from star formation or active galactic nuclei might be a relevant channel for the abrupt quenching of star formation in massive galaxies. However, both observations and simulations support the idea that these processes are non-conflictingly co-evolving and self-regulating. Furthermore, evidence of disruptive events that are capable of fast quenching is rare, and constraints on their statistical prevalence are lacking. Here we present a massive starburst galaxy at redshift z = 1.4, which is ejecting 46 ± 13% of its molecular gas mass at a startling rate of ≳10,000 M⊙ yr−1. A broad component that is red-shifted from the galaxy emission is detected in four (low and high J) CO and [C i] transitions and in the ionized phase, which ensures a robust estimate of the expelled gas mass. The implied statistics suggest that similar events are potentially a major star-formation quenching channel. However, our observations provide compelling evidence that this is not a feedback-driven wind, but rather material from a merger that has been probably tidally ejected. This finding challenges some literature studies in which the role of feedback-driven winds might be overstated

    A panchromatic spatially resolved analysis of nearby galaxies-II. The main sequence-gas relation at sub-kpc scale in grand-design spirals

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    In this work, we analyse the connection between gas availability and the position of a region with respect to the spatially resolved main-sequence (MS) relation. Following the procedure presented in Enia et al. (2020), for a sample of five face-on, grand design spiral galaxies located on the MS we obtain estimates of stellar mass and star formation rate surface densities (E∗ and ESFR) within cells of 500 pc size. Thanks to HI 21cm and 12CO(2-1) maps of comparable resolution, within the same cells we estimate the surface densities of the atomic (EHI) and molecular (EH2) gas and explore the correlations among all these quantities. E∗, ESFR, and EH2 define a 3D relation whose projections are the spatially resolved MS, the Kennicutt-Schmidt law and the molecular gas MS. We find that EH2 steadily increases along the MS relation and is almost constant perpendicular to it. EHI is nearly constant along the MS and increases in its upper envelope. As a result, ESFR can be expressed as a function of E∗ and E HI, following the relation log ESFR = 0.97log E∗ + 1.99log EH I-11.11. We show that the total gas fraction significantly increases towards the starburst regions, accompanied by a weak increase in star formation efficiency. Finally, we find that H2/HI varies strongly with the distance from the MS, dropping dramatically in regions of intense star formation, where the UV radiation from newly formed stars dissociates the H2 molecule, illustrating the self-regulating nature of the star formation process

    ALPINE−ALMA [C II] Survey: on the nature of an extremely obscured serendipitous galaxy

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    We report the serendipitous discovery of a dust-obscured galaxy observed as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) Large Program to INvestigate [C II] at Early times (ALPINE). While this galaxy is detected both in line and continuum emissions in ALMA Band 7, it is completely dark in the observed optical/near-infrared bands and only shows a significant detection in the UltraVISTA K_s band. We discuss the nature of the observed ALMA line, that is [C II] at z ∼ 4.6 or high-J CO transitions at z ∼ 2.2. In the first case, we find a [C II]/FIR luminosity ratio of log(L_([CII])/L_(FIR))∼−2.5⁠, consistent with the average value for local star-forming galaxies (SFGs). In the second case instead, the source would lie at larger CO luminosities than those expected for local SFGs and high-z submillimetre galaxies. At both redshifts, we derive the star formation rate (SFR) from the ALMA continuum and the physical parameters of the galaxy, such as the stellar mass (M*), by fitting its spectral energy distribution. Exploiting the results of this work, we believe that our source is a ‘main-sequence’, dusty SFG at z = 4.6 (i.e. [C II] emitter) with log(SFR/M_⊙ yr⁻¹) ∼ 1.4 and log(M*/M_⊙) ∼ 9.9. As a support to this scenario our galaxy, if at this redshift, lies in a massive protocluster recently discovered at z ∼ 4.57, at only ∼1 proper Mpc from its centre. This work underlines the crucial role of the ALPINE survey in making a census of this class of objects, in order to unveil their contribution to the global SFR density at the end of the Reionization epoch

    The ALPINE-ALMA [CII] Survey: On the nature of an extremely obscured serendipitous galaxy

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    We report the serendipitous discovery of a bright galaxy (Gal-A) observed as part of the ALMA Large Program to INvestigate [CII] at Early times (ALPINE). While this galaxy is detected both in line and continuum emission in ALMA Band 7, it is completely dark in UV/optical filters and only presents a marginal detection in the UltraVISTA Ks band. We discuss the nature of the observed ALMA line, i.e. whether the emission comes from [CII] at z~4.6, or from high-J CO transitions at z~2.2. In the first case we find a [CII]-to-FIR luminosity ratio of log(L_[CII]/L_FIR)=-2.5, consistent with the average value for local star-forming galaxies (SFGs); in the second case, instead, the source would lie outside of the empirical relations between L_CO and L_FIR found in the literature. At both redshifts, we derive the star-formation rate (SFR) from the ALMA continuum, and the stellar mass (M*) by using stellar population synthesis models as input for LePHARE spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Exploiting our results, we believe that Gal-A is a Main-Sequence (MS), dusty SFG at z=4.6 (i.e. [CII] emitter) with log(SFR/[M/yr])~1.4 and log(M*/M)~9.7. This work underlines the crucial role of the ALPINE survey in making a census of this class of objects, in order to unveil their contribution to the global star-formation rate density (SFRD) of the Universe at the end of the Reionisation epoch.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to MNRA

    The COSMOS-Web ring: in-depth characterization of an Einstein ring lensing system at z~2

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    Aims. We provide an in-depth analysis of the COSMOS-Web ring, an Einstein ring at z=2 that we serendipitously discovered in the COSMOS-Web survey and possibly the most distant lens discovered to date. Methods. We extract the visible and NIR photometry from more than 25 bands and we derive the photometric redshifts and physical properties of both the lens and the source with three different SED fitting codes. Using JWST/NIRCam images, we also produce two lens models to (i) recover the total mass of the lens, (ii) derive the magnification of the system, (iii) reconstruct the morphology of the lensed source, and (iv) measure the slope of the total mass density profile of the lens. Results. The lens is a very massive and quiescent (sSFR < 10^(-13) yr-1) elliptical galaxy at z = 2.02 \pm 0.02 with a total mass Mtot(<thetaE) = (3.66 \pm 0.36) x 10^11 Msun and a stellar mass M* = (1.37 \pm 0.14) x 10^11 Msun. Compared to SHMRs from the literature, we find that the total mass is consistent with the presence of a DM halo of mass Mh = 1.09^(+1.46)_(-0.57) x 10^13 Msun. In addition, the background source is a M* = (1.26 \pm 0.17) x 10^10 Msun star-forming galaxy (SFR=(78 \pm 15) Msun/yr) at z = 5.48 \pm 0.06. Its reconstructed morphology shows two components with different colors. Dust attenuation values from SED fitting and nearby detections in the FIR also suggest it could be partially dust-obscured. Conclusions. We find the lens at z=2. Its total, stellar, and DM halo masses are consistent within the Einstein ring, so we do not need any unexpected changes in our description of the lens (e.g. change its IMF or include a non-negligible gas contribution). The most likely solution for the lensed source is at z = 5.5. Its reconstructed morphology is complex and highly wavelength dependent, possibly because it is a merger or a main sequence galaxy with a heterogeneous dust distribution.Comment: 16 pages, submitted to A&
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