Gas Content and Kinematics in Clumpy, Turbulent Star-forming Disks

We present molecular gas-mass estimates for a sample of 13 local galaxies whose kinematic and star-forming properties closely resemble those observed in z ≈ 1.5 main-sequence galaxies. Plateau de Bure observations of the CO[1-0] emission line and Herschel Space Observatory observations of the dust emission both suggest molecular gas-mass fractions of ∼20%. Moreover, dust emission modeling finds Tdust < 30 K, suggesting a cold dust distribution compared to their high infrared luminosity. The gas-mass estimates argue that z ∼ 0.1 DYNAMO galaxies not only share similar kinematic properties with high-z disks, but they are also similarly rich in molecular material. Pairing the gas-mass fractions with existing kinematics reveals a linear relationship between fgas and σ/vc, consistent with predictions from stability theory of a self-gravitating disk. It thus follows that high gas-velocity dispersions are a natural consequence of large gas fractions. We also find that the systems with the lowest tdep (∼0.5 Gyr) have the highest ratios of σ/vc and more pronounced clumps, even at the same high molecular gas fraction.

[1]  Mauricio Solar,et al.  Astronomical data analysis software and systems , 2018, Astron. Comput..

[2]  A. Bolatto,et al.  Connecting Clump Sizes in Turbulent Disk Galaxies to Instability Theory , 2017, 1703.00458.

[3]  D. Fisher,et al.  DYNAMO-HST survey: clumps in nearby massive turbulent discs and the effects of clump clustering on kiloparsec scale measurements of clumps , 2016, 1608.08241.

[4]  S. Maddox,et al.  The Herschel-ATLAS Data Release 1 Paper II: Multi-wavelength counterparts to submillimetre sources , 2016, 1606.09254.

[5]  K. Glazebrook,et al.  Kinematic modelling of disc galaxies using graphics processing units , 2015, 1510.01815.

[6]  R. Genzel,et al.  Measures of galaxy dust and gas mass with Herschel photometry and prospects for ALMA , 2015, 1511.05147.

[7]  D. Pisano,et al.  NEARBY CLUMPY, GAS RICH, STAR-FORMING GALAXIES: LOCAL ANALOGS OF HIGH-REDSHIFT CLUMPY GALAXIES , 2015, 1506.04649.

[8]  L. Cortese,et al.  HIGHz: a survey of the most H i-massive galaxies at z ∼ 0.2 , 2014, 1410.7464.

[9]  M. Fabricius,et al.  THE KMOS3D SURVEY: DESIGN, FIRST RESULTS, AND THE EVOLUTION OF GALAXY KINEMATICS FROM 0.7 ⩽ z ⩽ 2.7 , 2014, 1409.6791.

[10]  B. Weiner,et al.  COMBINED CO AND DUST SCALING RELATIONS OF DEPLETION TIME AND MOLECULAR GAS FRACTIONS WITH COSMIC TIME, SPECIFIC STAR-FORMATION RATE, AND STELLAR MASS , 2014, 1409.1171.

[11]  S. Ravindranath,et al.  CLUMPY GALAXIES IN CANDELS. I. THE DEFINITION OF UV CLUMPS AND THE FRACTION OF CLUMPY GALAXIES AT 0.5 < z < 3 , 2014, 1410.7398.

[12]  M. J. Griffin,et al.  A FAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF INTERMEDIATE REDSHIFT (ULTRA) LUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES , 2014, 1409.5605.

[13]  D. Fisher,et al.  DYNAMO – II. Coupled stellar and ionized-gas kinematics in two low-redshift clumpy discs , 2014, 1405.6753.

[14]  G. J. Bendo,et al.  Gas-to-dust mass ratios in local galaxies over a 2 dex metallicity range , 2013, 1312.3442.

[15]  P. McCarthy,et al.  DYNAMO – I. A sample of Hα-luminous galaxies with resolved kinematics , 2013, 1310.6082.

[16]  M. Dickinson,et al.  Cosmic Star-Formation History , 1996, 1403.0007.

[17]  Markus Nielbock,et al.  The Herschel-PACS photometer calibration , 2013, Experimental Astronomy.

[18]  H. Hwang,et al.  THE CALIBRATION OF STAR FORMATION RATE INDICATORS FOR WISE 22 μm-SELECTED GALAXIES IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY , 2013, 1307.4078.

[19]  Karl Glazebrook,et al.  The Dawes Review 1: Kinematic Studies of Star-Forming Galaxies Across Cosmic Time , 2013, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.

[20]  B. Weiner,et al.  PHIBSS: MOLECULAR GAS, EXTINCTION, STAR FORMATION, AND KINEMATICS IN THE z = 1.5 STAR-FORMING GALAXY EGS13011166 , 2013, 1304.0668.

[21]  A. Romeo,et al.  A simple and accurate approximation for the Q stability parameter in multicomponent and realistically thick discs , 2013, 1302.4291.

[22]  B. Groves,et al.  Calibration of the total infrared luminosity of nearby galaxies from Spitzer and Herschel bands , 2013, 1302.4363.

[23]  A. Bolatto,et al.  The CO-to-H2 Conversion Factor , 2013, 1301.3498.

[24]  G. J. Bendo,et al.  The Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey - XII. FIR properties of optically selected Virgo cluster galaxies , 2012, 1209.4651.

[25]  B. Weiner,et al.  PHIBSS: MOLECULAR GAS CONTENT AND SCALING RELATIONS IN z ∼ 1–3 MASSIVE, MAIN-SEQUENCE STAR-FORMING GALAXIES , 2012, 1211.5743.

[26]  D. Elbaz,et al.  Dust temperature and CO → H2 conversion factor variations in the SFR-M∗ plane , 2012, 1210.2760.

[27]  Edinburgh,et al.  THE PROPERTIES OF THE STAR-FORMING INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM AT z = 0.8–2.2 FROM HiZELS: STAR FORMATION AND CLUMP SCALING LAWS IN GAS-RICH, TURBULENT DISKS , 2012, 1209.1396.

[28]  F. Walter,et al.  THE SHAPES OF THE H i VELOCITY PROFILES OF THE THINGS GALAXIES , 2012, 1207.5041.

[29]  N. Evans,et al.  Star Formation in the Milky Way and Nearby Galaxies , 2012, 1204.3552.

[30]  C. Blake,et al.  Scaling relations of star-forming regions: from kpc-sized clumps to H ii regions , 2012, 1203.0309.

[31]  D. Clements,et al.  The dust scaling relations of the Herschel Reference Survey , 2012, 1201.2762.

[32]  G. Gavazzi,et al.  Far-infrared colours of nearby late-type galaxies in the Herschel Reference Survey , 2012, 1201.2305.

[33]  A. Bolatto,et al.  CARMA SURVEY TOWARD INFRARED-BRIGHT NEARBY GALAXIES (STING). II. MOLECULAR GAS STAR FORMATION LAW AND DEPLETION TIME ACROSS THE BLUE SEQUENCE , 2011, 1110.1630.

[34]  Scott Croom,et al.  The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: high-resolution kinematics of luminous star-forming galaxies , 2011, 1107.3338.

[35]  Benjamin D. Johnson,et al.  THE EMISSION BY DUST AND STARS OF NEARBY GALAXIES IN THE HERSCHEL KINGFISH SURVEY , 2011, 1106.4022.

[36]  B. Weiner,et al.  THE METALLICITY DEPENDENCE OF THE CO → H2 CONVERSION FACTOR IN z ⩾ 1 STAR-FORMING GALAXIES , 2011, 1106.2098.

[37]  R. Giovanelli,et al.  COLD GASS, an IRAM legacy survey of molecular gas in massive galaxies - II. The non-universality of the molecular gas depletion time-scale , 2011, 1104.0019.

[38]  R. Giovanelli,et al.  COLD GASS, an IRAM legacy survey of molecular gas in massive galaxies – I. Relations between H2, H i, stellar content and structural properties , 2011, 1103.1642.

[39]  G. Zamorani,et al.  THE SINS SURVEY OF z ∼ 2 GALAXY KINEMATICS: PROPERTIES OF THE GIANT STAR-FORMING CLUMPS , 2010, 1011.5360.

[40]  Patrick J. McCarthy,et al.  High star formation rates as the origin of turbulence in early and modern disk galaxies , 2010, Nature.

[41]  Martin G. Cohen,et al.  THE WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER (WISE): MISSION DESCRIPTION AND INITIAL ON-ORBIT PERFORMANCE , 2010, 1008.0031.

[42]  S. Ott,et al.  Herschel Space Observatory - An ESA facility for far-infrared and submillimetre astronomy , 2010, 1005.5331.

[43]  S. J. Liu,et al.  Herschel : the first science highlights Special feature L etter to the E ditor The Herschel-SPIRE instrument and its in-flight performance , 2010 .

[44]  M. C. Cooper,et al.  High molecular gas fractions in normal massive star-forming galaxies in the young Universe , 2010, Nature.

[45]  D. Elbaz,et al.  VERY HIGH GAS FRACTIONS AND EXTENDED GAS RESERVOIRS IN z = 1.5 DISK GALAXIES , 2009, 0911.2776.

[46]  S. Maddox,et al.  The Herschel ATLAS , 2009, 0910.4279.

[47]  M. Martig,et al.  THE THICK DISKS OF SPIRAL GALAXIES AS RELICS FROM GAS-RICH, TURBULENT, CLUMPY DISKS AT HIGH REDSHIFT , 2009, 0910.3677.

[48]  B. Elmegreen,et al.  CLUMPY GALAXIES IN GOODS AND GEMS: MASSIVE ANALOGS OF LOCAL DWARF IRREGULARS , 2009, 0906.2660.

[49]  S. Rawlings,et al.  THE COSMIC DECLINE IN THE H2/H i RATIO IN GALAXIES , 2009, 0904.0213.

[50]  Shy Genel,et al.  THE SINS SURVEY: SINFONI INTEGRAL FIELD SPECTROSCOPY OF z ∼ 2 STAR-FORMING GALAXIES , 2009, 0903.1872.

[51]  F. Bournaud,et al.  UNSTABLE DISKS AT HIGH REDSHIFT: EVIDENCE FOR SMOOTH ACCRETION IN GALAXY FORMATION , 2009, 0902.2806.

[52]  L. Chemin,et al.  PHYSICAL CONDITIONS IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM OF INTENSELY STAR-FORMING GALAXIES AT REDSHIFT∼2 , 2009, 0902.2784.

[53]  Daniel Ceverino,et al.  FORMATION OF MASSIVE GALAXIES AT HIGH REDSHIFT: COLD STREAMS, CLUMPY DISKS, AND COMPACT SPHEROIDS , 2009, 0901.2458.

[54]  B. Madore,et al.  THE STAR FORMATION EFFICIENCY IN NEARBY GALAXIES: MEASURING WHERE GAS FORMS STARS EFFECTIVELY , 2008, 0810.2556.

[55]  B. Madore,et al.  THE STAR FORMATION LAW IN NEARBY GALAXIES ON SUB-KPC SCALES , 2008, 0810.2541.

[56]  E. Brinks,et al.  THINGS: THE H i NEARBY GALAXY SURVEY , 2008, 0810.2125.

[57]  S. Rabien,et al.  From Rings to Bulges: Evidence for Rapid Secular Galaxy Evolution at z ~ 2 from Integral Field Spectroscopy in the SINS Survey , 2008, 0807.1184.

[58]  A. Cimatti,et al.  Submillimeter Galaxies at z ~ 2: Evidence for Major Mergers and Constraints on Lifetimes, IMF, and CO-H2 Conversion Factor , 2008, 0801.3650.

[59]  Thomas Henning,et al.  The Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) for the Herschel Space Observatory , 2004, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[60]  U. Toronto,et al.  350 μm Observations of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies at Intermediate Redshifts , 2007, astro-ph/0702463.

[61]  B. Draine,et al.  Infrared Emission from Interstellar Dust. IV. The Silicate-Graphite-PAH Model in the Post-Spitzer Era , 2006, astro-ph/0608003.

[62]  I. Smail,et al.  SHARC-2 350 μm Observations of Distant Submillimeter-selected Galaxies , 2006, The Astrophysical Journal.

[63]  A. Hopkins,et al.  On the Normalization of the Cosmic Star Formation History , 2006, astro-ph/0601463.

[64]  G. Lewis,et al.  The Bivariate Luminosity-Color Distribution of IRAS Galaxies and Implications for the High-Redshift Universe , 2003, astro-ph/0301233.

[65]  D. Clements,et al.  The SCUBA Local Universe Galaxy Survey — I. First measurements of the submillimetre luminosity and dust mass functions , 2000, astro-ph/0002234.

[66]  Wolfgang Wild,et al.  Imaging at Radio through Submillimeter Wavelengths , 2000 .

[67]  Simon J. E. Radford,et al.  The Molecular Interstellar Medium in Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies , 1996, astro-ph/9610166.

[68]  A. Toomre,et al.  On the gravitational stability of a disk of stars , 1964 .