Threshold between Spontaneous and Cloud-Collisional Star Formation

Based on simple physical and geometric assumptions, we have calculated the mean surface molecular density of spiral galaxies at the threshold between star formation induced by cloud-cloud collision and spontaneous gravitational collapse. The calculated threshold is approximately $\log \Sigma_\mathrm{crit} \sim 2.5$, where \Sigma \quad \mathrm{M_{\solar}}\cdot \mathrm{pc}^{-2} is the observed surface mass density of an assumed flat gas disk. Above this limit, the rate of molecular cloud collisions dominates over spontaneous molecular cloud collapse. This model may explain the apparent discontinuity in the Schmidt law found recently at $2 \lesssim \log \Sigma \lesssim 3$.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

The Schmidt Law at High Molecular Densities

We have combined Halpha and recent high resolution CO(J=1-0) data to consider the quantitative relation between gas mass and star formation rate, or the so-called Schmidt law in nearby spiral galaxies at regions of high molecular density. The relation between gas quantity and star formation rate has not been previously studied for high density regions, but using high resolution CO data obtained at the NMA(Nobeyama Millimeter Array), we have found that the Schmidt law is valid at densities as high as $10^3 \mathrm{M_\odot} \mathrm{pc}^{-2}$ for the sample spiral galaxies, which is an order of magnitude denser than what has been known to be the maximum density at which the empirical law holds for non-starburst galaxies. Furthermore, we obtain a Schmidt law index of $N=1.33\pm0.09$ and roughly constant star formation efficiency over the entire disk, even within the several hundred parsecs of the nucleus. These results imply that the physics of star formation does not change in the central regions of spiral galaxies. Comparisons with starburst galaxies are also given. We find a possible discontinuity in the Schmidt law between normal and starburst galaxies

Deep CO Observations and the CO-to-H_2 Conversion Factor in DDO 154, a Low Metallicity Dwarf Irregular Galaxy

We present a deep spectroscopic search for CO emission in the dwarf irregular galaxy DDO154, which has an Oxygen abundance of only 1/20 the solar value. The observations were conducted in order to constrain the CO-to-$\mathrm{H_2}$ conversion factor at low metallicity. No CO was detected, however, despite being one of the sensitive observations done towards galaxies of this type. We succeed in putting a strong lower limit on the conversion factor, at least 10 times the Galactic value. Our result supports previous studies which argue for a high conversion factor at low metallicity.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in PAS

ASTE observations of nearby galaxies: A tight correlation between CO(J=3-2) emission and Halpha

Star formation rates (SFRs) obtained via extinction corrected H alpha are compared to dense gas as traced by CO(J=3-2) emission at the centers of nearby galaxies, observed with the ASTE telescope. It is found that, although many of the observed positions are dusty and therefore heavily absorbed at H alpha, the SFR shows a striking correlation with dense gas in the form of the Schmidt law with an index 1.0. The correlation is also compared between gas traced by CO(J=1-0) and application of H alpha extinction correction. We find that dense gas produces a far better correlation with SFR in view of surface density values.Comment: 6 pages, PASJ accepte

12CO and 13CO observation of the low-metallicity dwarf galaxy DDO 154

The conversion factor from carbon monoxide (CO) intensity to molecular gas mass is a source of large uncertainty in understanding gas and its relation to star formation in galaxies. In particular, the conversion factor in low metallicity environments have remained elusive, as currently only two galaxies have been detected in any CO isotopes in environments with 12+log (O/H) < 8.0. Here we report 12CO(J=1-0) and 13CO(J=1-0) observations towards a star forming region in DDO 154, a low metallicity dwarf irregular galaxy at 12+log (O/H) = 7.67. This is a re-observation of a previous non-detection at higher angular and velocity resolution. No significant emission was detected. By estimating the molecular gas mass from associated star formation, we find that DDO 154 has a conversion factor of more than 10^3 times the Milky Way. Alternatively, if we estimate molecular mass using dust continuum emission, the conversion factor is at least 2 orders of magnitude larger than the Milky Way. These estimates signify a large amount of CO-dark molecular gas in this galaxy.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan (PASJ

13CO(J=1-0) On-the-fly Mapping of the Giant HII Region NGC 604: Variation in Molecular Gas Density and Temperature due to Sequential Star Formation

We present 13CO(J=1-0) line emission observations with the Nobeyama 45-m telescope toward the giant HII region NGC 604 in the spiral galaxy M 33. We detected 13CO(J=1-0) line emission in 3 major giant molecular clouds (GMCs) labeled as GMC-A, B, and C beginning at the north. We derived two line intensity ratios, 13CO(J=1-0)/12CO(J =1-0), R13/12, and 12CO(J=3-2)/12CO(J =1-0), R31, for each GMC at an angular resolution of 25" (100 pc). Averaged values of R13/12 and R31 are 0.06 and 0.31 within the whole GMC-A, 0.11 and 0.67 within the whole GMC-B, and 0.05 and 0.36 within the whole GMC-C, respectively. In addition, we obtained R13/12=0.09\pm0.02 and R31=0.76\pm0.06 at the 12CO(J=1-0) peak position of the GMC-B. Under the Large Velocity Gradient approximation, we determined gas density of 2.8 \times10^3 cm^-3 and kinetic temperature of 33+9-5 K at the 12CO(J=1-0) peak position of the GMC-B. Moreover, we determined 2.5 \times10^3 cm^-3 and 25\pm2 K as averaged values within the whole GMC-B. We concluded that dense molecular gas is formed everywhere in the GMC-B because derived gas density not only at the peak position of the GMC but also averaged over the whole GMC exceeds 10^3 cm^-3. On the other hand, kinetic temperature averaged over the whole GM-B, 25 K, is significantly lower than that at the peak position, 33 K. This is because HII regions are lopsided to the northern part of the GMC-B, thus OB stars can heat only the northern part, including the 12CO(J=1-0) peak position, of this GMC.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, PASJ in pres