Context. Recent studies with, for example, Spitzer and Herschel have suggested that star formation in dense molecular gas may be governed by essentially the same “law” in Galactic clouds and external ...galaxies. This conclusion remains controversial, however, in large part because different tracers have been used to probe the mass of dense molecular gas in Galactic and extragalactic studies. Aims. We aimed to calibrate the HCN and HCO+ lines commonly used as dense gas tracers in extragalactic studies and to test the possible universality of the star-formation efficiency in dense gas (≳104 cm-3), SFEdense. Methods. We conducted wide-field mapping of the Aquila, Ophiuchus, and Orion B clouds at ~0.04 pc resolution in the J = 1 − 0 transition of HCN, HCO+, and their isotopomers. For each cloud, we derived a reference estimate of the dense gas mass MHerschelAV > 8, as well as the strength of the local far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation field, using Herschel Gould Belt survey data products, and estimated the star-formation rate from direct counting of the number of Spitzer young stellar objects. Results. The H13CO+(1–0) and H13CN(1–0) lines were observed to be good tracers of the dense star-forming filaments detected with Herschel. Comparing the luminosities LHCN and LHCO+ measured in the HCN and HCO+ lines with the reference masses MHerschelAV > 8, the empirical conversion factors αHerschel − HCN (=MHerschelAV > 8/LHCN) and αHerschel − HCO+ (=MHerschelAV > 8/LHCO+) were found to be significantly anti-correlated with the local FUV strength. In agreement with a recent independent study of Orion B by Pety et al., the HCN and HCO+ lines were found to trace gas down to AV ≳ 2. As a result, published extragalactic HCN studies must be tracing all of the moderate density gas down to nH2 ≲ 103 cm-3. Estimating the contribution of this moderate density gas from the typical column density probability distribution functions in nearby clouds, we obtained the following G0-dependent HCN conversion factor for external galaxies: αHerschel − HCNfit′ = 64 × G0-0.34. Re-estimating the dense gas masses in external galaxies with αHerschel − HCNfit′(G0), we found that SFEdense is remarkably constant, with a scatter of less than 1.5 orders of magnitude around 4.5 × 10-8 yr-1, over eight orders of magnitude in dense gas mass. Conclusions. Our results confirm that SFEdense of galaxies is quasi-universal on a wide range of scales from ~ 1–10 pc to > 10 kpc. Based on the tight link between star formation and filamentary structure found in Herschel studies of nearby clouds, we argue that SFEdense is primarily set by the “microphysics” of core and star formation along filaments.
Due to an environment that promotes gravitational interactions and ram pressure stripping, galaxies within clusters are particularly likely to present unusual interstellar medium (ISM) properties. ...NGC 4654 is a Virgo cluster galaxy seen almost face-on, which undergoes nearly edge-on gas ram pressure stripping and a fly-by gravitational interaction with another massive galaxy, NGC 4639. NGC 4654 shows a strongly compressed gas region near the outer edge of the optical disk, with H
I
surface densities (high H
I
surface density region) significantly exceeding the canonical value of 10−15
M
⊙
pc
−2
. New IRAM 30 m HERA CO(2−1) data of NGC 4654 are used to study the physical conditions of the ISM and its ability to form stars in the region where gas compression occurs. The CO-to-H
2
conversion factor was estimated by (i) simultaneously solving for the conversion factor and the dust-to-gas ratio by assuming that the latter is approximately constant on giant molecular cloud scales and (ii) by assuming that the dust-to-gas ratio is proportional to the metallicity. The CO-to-H
2
conversion factor was found to be one to two times the Galactic value. Based on the comparison with a region of similar properties in NGC 4501, we favor the higher value. We observe a significant decrease in the ratio between the molecular fraction and the total ISM pressure in the high H
I
surface density region. The gas in this region is self-gravitating, with a Toomre parameter below the critical value of
Q
= 1. However, the star-formation efficiency (SFE
H
2
= Σ
SFR
/Σ
H
2
) is 1.5 to 2 times higher, depending on the assumed conversion factor, in the high H
I
surface density region than in the rest of the disk. Analytical models were used to reproduce radial profiles of the SFR and the atomic and molecular surface densities to better understand which physical properties are mandatory to maintain such high H
I
surface density regions. We conclude that a Toomre parameter of
Q
∼ 0.8 combined with an increase in the velocity dispersion of Δ
v
disp
∼ 5 km s
−1
are necessary conditions to simultaneously reproduce the gas surface densities and the SFR. A dynamical model that takes into account both gravitational interactions and ram pressure stripping was used to reproduce the gas distribution of NGC 4654. While the ISM properties are well reproduced in the whole disk, we find that the model SFR is significantly underestimated in the high H
I
surface density region due to the absence of gas cooling and stellar feedback. The comparison between the velocity dispersion given by the moment 2 map and the intrinsic 3D velocity dispersion from the model were used to discriminate between regions of broader linewidths caused by a real increase in the velocity dispersion and those caused by an unresolved velocity gradient only. We found that the 5 km s
−1
increase in the intrinsic velocity dispersion predicted by the model is compatible with the observed velocity dispersion measured in the high H
I
surface density region. During a period of gas compression through external interactions, the gas surface density is enhanced, leading to an increased SFR and stellar feedback. Our observations and subsequent modeling suggest that, under the influence of stellar feedback, the gas density increases only moderately (by less than a factor of two). The stellar feedback acts as a regulator of star-formation, significantly increasing the turbulent velocity within the region.
Rotation of molecular clouds in M 51 Braine, J.; Hughes, A.; Rosolowsky, E. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
01/2020, Letnik:
633
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The grand-design spiral galaxy M 51 was observed at 40 pc resolution in CO(1–0) by the PAWS project. A large number of molecular clouds were identified and we search for velocity gradients in two ...high signal-to-noise subsamples, containing 682 and 376 clouds. The velocity gradients are found to be systematically prograde oriented, as was previously found for the rather flocculent spiral M 33. This strongly supports the idea that the velocity gradients reflect cloud rotation, rather than more random dynamical forces, such as turbulence. Not only are the gradients prograde, but their
∂v
/
∂x
and
∂v
/
∂y
coefficients follow galactic shear in sign, although with a lower amplitude. No link is found between the orientation of the gradient and the orientation of the cloud. The values of the cloud angular momenta appear to be an extension of the values noted for galactic clouds despite the orders of magnitude difference in cloud mass. Roughly 30% of the clouds show retrograde velocity gradients. For a strictly rising rotation curve, as in M 51, gravitational contraction would be expected to yield strictly prograde rotators within an axisymmetric potential. In M 51, the fraction of retrograde rotators is found to be higher in the spiral arms than in the disk as a whole. Along the leading edge of the spiral arms, a majority of the clouds are retrograde rotators. While this work should be continued on other nearby galaxies, the M 33 and M 51 studies have shown that clouds rotate and that they rotate mostly prograde, although the amplitudes are not such that rotational energy is a significant support mechanism against gravitation. In this work, we show that retrograde rotation is linked to the presence of a spiral gravitational potential.
The sample of 566 molecular clouds identified in the CO(2–1) IRAM survey covering the disk of M 33 is explored in detail. The clouds were found using CPROPS and were subsequently catalogued in terms ...of their star-forming properties as non-star-forming (A), with embedded star formation (B), or with exposed star formation (C, e.g., presence of Hα emission). We find that the size-linewidth relation among the M 33 clouds is quite weak but, when comparing with clouds in other nearby galaxies, the linewidth scales with average metallicity. The linewidth and particularly the line brightness decrease with galactocentric distance. The large number of clouds makes it possible to calculate well-sampled cloud mass spectra and mass spectra of subsamples. As noted earlier, but considerably better defined here, the mass spectrum steepens (i.e., higher fraction of small clouds) with galactocentric distance. A new finding is that the mass spectrum of A clouds is much steeper than that of the star-forming clouds. Further dividing the sample, this difference is strong at both large and small galactocentric distances and the A vs. C difference is a stronger effect than the inner vs. outer disk difference in mass spectra. Velocity gradients are identified in the clouds using standard techniques. The gradients are weak and are dominated by prograde rotation; the effect is stronger for the high signal-to-noise clouds. A discussion of the uncertainties is presented. The angular momenta are low but compatible with at least some simulations. Finally, the cloud velocity gradients are compared with the gradient of disk rotation. The cloud and galactic gradients are similar; the cloud rotation periods are much longer than cloud lifetimes and comparable to the galactic rotation period. The rotational kinetic energy is 1–2% of the gravitational potential energy and the cloud edge velocity is well below the escape velocity, such that cloud-scale rotation probably has little influence on the evolution of molecular clouds.
The cluster environment can affect galaxy evolution in different ways: via ram pressure stripping or by gravitational perturbations caused by galactic encounters. Both kinds of interactions can lead ...to the compression of the interstellar medium (ISM) and its associated magnetic fields, causing an increase in the gas surface density and the appearance of asymmetric ridges of polarized radio continuum emission. New IRAM 30m HERA CO(2-1) data of NGC 4501, a Virgo spiral galaxy currently experiencing ram pressure stripping, and NGC 4567/68, an interacting pair of galaxies in the Virgo cluster, are presented. We find an increase in the molecular fraction where the ISM is compressed. The gas is close to self-gravitation in compressed regions. We suggest that the decrease in star formation depends on the ratio between the compression timescale and the turbulent dissipation timescale. In NGC 4501 and NGC 4567/68 the compression timescale is comparable to the turbulent dissipation timescale and only leads to minor changes in the molecular star formation efficiency.
Abstract
We compare the properties of clouds in simulated M33 galaxies to those observed in the real M33. We apply a friends of friends algorithm and CPROPS to identify clouds, as well as a ...pixel-by-pixel analysis. We obtain very good agreement between the number of clouds, and maximum mass of clouds. Both are lower than occurs for a Milky Way-type galaxy and thus are a function of the surface density, size, and galactic potential of M33. We reproduce the observed dependence of molecular cloud properties on radius in the simulations, and find this is due to the variation in gas surface density with radius. The cloud spectra also show good agreement between the simulations and observations, but the exact slope and shape of the spectra depend on the algorithm used to find clouds, and the range of cloud masses included when fitting the slope. Properties such as cloud angular momentum, velocity dispersions, and virial relation are also in good agreement between the simulations and observations, but do not necessarily distinguish between simulations of M33 and other galaxy simulations. Our results are not strongly dependent on the level of feedback used here (10 and 20 per cent) although they suggest that 15 per cent feedback efficiency may be optimal. Overall our results suggest that the molecular cloud properties are primarily dependent on the gas and mass surface density, and less dependent on the localized physics such as the details of stellar feedback, or the numerical code used.
The Taffy system (UGC 12914/15) consists of two massive spiral galaxies that had a head-on collision about 20 Myr ago. It represents an ideal laboratory for studying the reaction of the interstellar ...medium (ISM) to a high-speed (∼1000 km s
−1
) gas-gas collision. New sensitive, high-resolution (2.7″ or ∼800 pc) CO(1−0) observations of the Taffy system with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) are presented. The total CO luminosity of the Taffy system detected with the PdBI is
L
CO, tot
= 4.8 × 10
9
K km s
−1
pc
2
, 60% of the CO luminosity found with the IRAM 30 m telescope. About 25% of the total interferometric CO luminosity stems from the bridge region. Assuming a Galactic
N
(H
2
)/
I
CO
conversion factor for the galactic disks and a third of this value for the bridge gas, about 10% of the molecular gas mass is located in the bridge region. The giant H
II
region close to UGC 12915 is located at the northern edge of the high-surface-brightness giant molecular cloud association (GMA), which has the highest velocity dispersion among the bridge GMAs. The bridge GMAs are clearly not virialized because of their high velocity dispersion. Three dynamical models are presented and while no single model reproduces all of the observed features, they are all present in at least one of the models. Most of the bridge gas detected in CO does not form stars. We suggest that turbulent adiabatic compression is responsible for the exceptionally high velocity dispersion of the molecular ISM and the suppression of star formation in the Taffy bridge. In this scenario the turbulent velocity dispersion of the largest eddies and turbulent substructures or clouds increase such that giant molecular clouds are no longer in global virial equilibrium. The increase in the virial parameter leads to a decrease in the star formation efficiency. The suppression of star formation caused by turbulent adiabatic compression was implemented in the dynamical simulations and decreased the star formation rate in the bridge region by ∼90%. Most of the low-surface-density, CO-emitting gas will disperse without forming stars but some of the high-density gas will probably collapse and form dense star clusters, such as the luminous H
II
region close to UGC 12915. We suggest that globular clusters and super star clusters formed and still form through the gravitational collapse of gas previously compressed by turbulent adiabatic compression during galaxy interactions.
Dense gas in low-metallicity galaxies Braine, J.; Shimajiri, Y.; André, P. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
01/2017, Letnik:
597
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Stars form out of the densest parts of molecular clouds. Far-IR emission can be used to estimate the star formation rate (SFR) and high dipole moment molecules, typically HCN, trace the dense gas. A ...strong correlation exists between HCN and far-IR emission, with the ratio being nearly constant, over a large range of physical scales. A few recent observations have found HCN to be weak with respect to the far-IR and CO in subsolar metallicity (low-Z) objects. We present observations of the Local Group galaxies M 33, IC 10, and NGC 6822 with the IRAM 30 m and NRO 45 m telescopes, greatly improving the sample of low-Z galaxies observed. HCN, HCO+, CS, C2H, and HNC have been detected. Compared to solar metallicity galaxies, the nitrogen-bearing species are weak (HCN, HNC) or not detected (CN, HNCO, N2H+) relative to far-IR or CO emission. HCO+ and C2H emission is normal with respect to CO and far-IR. While 13CO is the usual factor 10 weaker than 12CO, C18O emission was not detected down to very low levels. Including earlier data, we find that the HCN/HCO+ ratio varies with metallicity (O/H) and attribute this to the sharply decreasing nitrogen abundance. The dense gas fraction, traced by the HCN/CO and HCO+/CO ratios, follows the SFR but in the low-Z objects the HCO+ is much easier to measure. Combined with larger and smaller scale measurements, the HCO+ line appears to be an excellent tracer of dense gas and varies linearly with the SFR for both low and high metallicities.
Context. The relative abundance of the dust grain types in the interstellar medium is directly linked to physical quantities that trace the evolution of galaxies. Because of the poor spatial ...resolution of the infrared and submillimetre data, we are able to study the dependence of the resolved infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) across regions of the interstellar medium (ISM) with different physical properties in just a few objects. Aims. We aim to study the dust properties of the whole disc of M 33 at spatial scales of ~170 pc. This analysis allows us to infer how the relative dust grain abundance changes with the conditions of the ISM, study the existence of a submillimetre excess and look for trends of the gas-to-dust mass ratio (GDR) with other physical properties of the galaxy. Methods. For each pixel in the disc of M 33 we have fitted the infrared SED using a physically motivated dust model that assumes an emissivity index β close to two. We applied a Bayesian statistical method to fit the individual SEDs and derived the best output values from the study of the probability density function of each parameter. We derived the relative amount of the different dust grains in the model, the total dust mass, and the strength of the interstellar radiation field (ISRF) heating the dust at each spatial location. Results. The relative abundance of very small grains tends to increase, and for big grains to decrease, at high values of Hα luminosity. This shows that the dust grains are modified inside the star-forming regions, in agreement with a theoretical framework of dust evolution under different physical conditions. The radial dependence of the GDR is consistent with the shallow metallicity gradient observed in this galaxy. The strength of the ISRF derived in our model correlates with the star formation rate in the galaxy in a pixel by pixel basis. Although this is expected, it is the first time that a correlation between the two quantities has been reported. We have produced a map of submillimetre excess in the 500 μm SPIRE band for the disc of M 33. The excess can be as high as 50% and increases at large galactocentric distances. We further studied the relation of the excess with other physical properties of the galaxy and find that the excess is prominent in zones of diffuse ISM outside the main star-forming regions, where the molecular gas and dust surface density are low.
The IRAM M 33 CO(2–1) survey Druard, C; Braine, J; Schuster, K F ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
07/2014, Letnik:
567
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
To study the interstellar medium and the interplay between the atomic and molecular components in a low-metallicity environment, we present a complete high angular and spectral resolution map and ...position-position-velocity data cube of the sup 12 CO(J = 2-1) emission from the Local Group galaxy Messier 33. Its metallicity is roughly half-solar, such that we can compare its interstellar medium with that of the Milky Way with the main changes being the metallicity and the gas mass fraction. Using the CO(2-1) emission to trace the molecular gas, the probability distribution function of the Hsub 2 column density shows an excess at high column density above a log-normal distribution.
PDF
