scholarly journals Interacting galaxies in the IllustrisTNG simulations – II: star formation in the post-merger stage

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (3) ◽  
pp. 3716-3731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maan H Hani ◽  
Hayman Gosain ◽  
Sara L Ellison ◽  
David R Patton ◽  
Paul Torrey
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Interacting Galaxies ◽  
Galaxy Mergers ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Significant Progress ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Binary Mergers ◽  
Minor Mergers

ABSTRACT Galaxy mergers are a major evolutionary transformation whose effects are borne out by a plethora of observations and numerical simulations. However, most previous simulations have used idealized, isolated, binary mergers and there has not been significant progress on studying statistical samples of galaxy mergers in large cosmological simulations. We present a sample of 27 691 post-merger (PM) galaxies (0c ≤ z ≤ 1) identified from IllustrisTNG: a cosmological, large box, magnetohydrodynamical simulation suite. The PM sample spans a wide range of merger and galaxy properties (M⋆, μ, fgas). We demonstrate that star-forming (SF) PMs exhibit enhanced star formation rates (SFRs) on average by a factor of ∼2, while the passive PMs show no statistical enhancement. We find that the SFR enhancements: (1) show no dependence on redshift, (2) anticorrelate with the PM’s stellar mass, and (3) correlate with the gas fraction of the PM’s progenitors. However, SF PMs show stronger enhancements which may indicate other processes being at play (e.g. gas phase, feedback efficiency). Although the SFR enhancement correlates mildly with the merger mass ratio, the more abundant minor mergers (0.1 ≤ μ < 0.3) still contribute ${\sim}50{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the total SFR enhancement. By tracing the PM sample forward in time, we find that galaxy mergers can drive significant SFR enhancements which decay over ∼0.5 Gyr independent of the merger mass ratio, although the decay time-scale is dependent on the simulation resolution. The strongest merger-driven starburst galaxies evolve to be passive/quenched on faster time-scales than their controls.

scholarly journals Galaxy pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey – XIV. Galaxy mergers do not lie on the fundamental metallicity relation

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (3) ◽  
pp. 3469-3480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastián Bustamante ◽  
Sara L Ellison ◽  
David R Patton ◽  
Martin Sparre
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Galaxy Mergers ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Evolutionary Phase

ABSTRACT In recent observational studies, star-forming galaxies have been shown to follow a relation often dubbed the fundamental metallicity relation (FMR). This relation links the stellar mass of a galaxy with its star formation rate (SFR) and its gas-phase metallicity. Specifically, the FMR predicts that galaxies, at a given stellar mass, exhibit lower metallicities for higher SFRs. This trend is qualitatively consistent with observations of galaxy pairs, which have been robustly shown to experience increasing gas-phase metallicity dilution and enhanced star formation activity with decreasing projected separation. In this work, we show that, despite the qualitative consistency with FMR expectations, the observed O/H dilution in galaxy pairs of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey is stronger than what is predicted by the FMR. We conclude that the evolutionary phase of galaxies interacting with companions is not encoded in the FMR, and thus, mergers constitute a clearly defined population of outliers. We find that galaxies in pairs are consistent with the FMR only when their separation is larger than 110 kpc. Finally, we also quantify the local environment of the pairs using the number of galaxy neighbours within 2 Mpc, N2, and the projected separation to the second closest galaxy, r2. We find that pairs are more sensitive to a second companion than to the local galaxy density, displaying less elevated SFRs with smaller values of r2.

scholarly journals Gas accretion as fuel for residual star formation in Galaxy Zoo elliptical galaxies

2019 ◽  
Vol 489 (1) ◽  
pp. L108-L113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A Davis ◽  
Lisa M Young
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
External Source ◽  
Elliptical Galaxies ◽  
Sloan Digital Sky Survey ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Low Metallicity ◽  
Minor Mergers ◽  
Gas Accretion

ABSTRACT In this letter we construct a large sample of early-type galaxies (ETGs) with measured gas-phase metallicities from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Galaxy Zoo in order to investigate the origin of the gas that fuels their residual star formation. We use this sample to show that star-forming elliptical galaxies have a substantially different gas-phase metallicity distribution from spiral galaxies, with ≈7.4 per cent having a very low gas-phase metallicity for their mass. These systems typically have fewer metals in the gas phase than they do in their stellar photospheres, which strongly suggests that the material fuelling their recent star formation was accreted from an external source. We use a chemical evolution model to show that the enrichment time-scale for low-metallicity gas is very short, and thus that cosmological accretion and minor mergers are likely to supply the gas in ≳ 37 per cent of star-forming ETGs, in good agreement with estimates derived from other independent techniques.

scholarly journals Modelling H2 and its effects on star formation using a joint implementation of gadget-3 and KROME

2021 ◽  
Vol 504 (2) ◽  
pp. 2325-2345
Author(s):  
Emanuel Sillero ◽  
Patricia B Tissera ◽  
Diego G Lambas ◽  
Stefano Bovino ◽  
Dominik R Schleicher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Chemical Enrichment ◽  
Numerical Resolution ◽  
Stellar Radiation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT We present p-gadget3-k, an updated version of gadget-3, that incorporates the chemistry package krome. p-gadget3-k follows the hydrodynamical and chemical evolution of cosmic structures, incorporating the chemistry and cooling of H2 and metal cooling in non-equilibrium. We performed different runs of the same ICs to assess the impact of various physical parameters and prescriptions, namely gas metallicity, molecular hydrogen formation on dust, star formation recipes including or not H2 dependence, and the effects of numerical resolution. We find that the characteristics of the simulated systems, both globally and at kpc-scales, are in good agreement with several observable properties of molecular gas in star-forming galaxies. The surface density profiles of star formation rate (SFR) and H2 are found to vary with the clumping factor and resolution. In agreement with previous results, the chemical enrichment of the gas component is found to be a key ingredient to model the formation and distribution of H2 as a function of gas density and temperature. A star formation algorithm that takes into account the H2 fraction together with a treatment for the local stellar radiation field improves the agreement with observed H2 abundances over a wide range of gas densities and with the molecular Kennicutt–Schmidt law, implying a more realistic modelling of the star formation process.

scholarly journals Clumpy Galaxies in the Early Universe

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S235) ◽  
pp. 376-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Meloy Elmegreen
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Early Universe ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Thick Disks ◽  
Hubble Ultra Deep Field

AbstractClumpy galaxies are prominent in the early Universe. We present morphological and photometric properties of a wide range of galaxy types and their star-forming clumps in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Sizes, scale lengths, and scale heights suggest that galaxies grow by a factor of 2 fromz= 4 to the present, and that thick disks are present in the early Universe. The largest clumps of star formation are 107–109M⊙in different galaxies, much more massive than large star-forming complexes in local galaxies. Dissolved clumps may account for both the exponential disks and the early thick disks of spirals and proto-spiral galaxies.

Gas dynamics and star formation in “isolated” and interacting galaxies using FP observations

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (S353) ◽  
pp. 264-265
Author(s):  
Isaura Fuentes-Carrera ◽  
Nelli Cárdenas-Martínez ◽  
Martín Nava-Callejas ◽  
Margarita Rosado
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Gas Dynamics ◽  
Equal Mass ◽  
Interacting Galaxies ◽  
Ionized Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Gas Kinematics ◽  
Fabry Perot ◽  
Different Types

AbstractWe present scanning Fabry-Perot observations of different types of star-forming galaxies from apparently isolated LIRGs to equal mass interacting galaxies. We analyze the ionized gas kinematics, its relation with the morphology of each system and the location of SF regions for different systems.

scholarly journals Spatially resolved signature of quenching in star-forming galaxies

2019 ◽  
Vol 490 (2) ◽  
pp. 2347-2366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Quai ◽  
Lucia Pozzetti ◽  
Michele Moresco ◽  
Annalisa Citro ◽  
Andrea Cimatti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Radial Profile ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Radial Profiles ◽  
Two Samples

ABSTRACT Understanding when, how, and where star formation ceased (quenching) within galaxies is still a critical subject in galaxy evolution studies. Taking advantage of the new methodology developed by Quai et al. to select recently quenched galaxies, we explored the spatial information provided by the IFU data to get critical insights on this process. In particular, we analyse 10 SDSS-IV MaNGA galaxies that show regions with low [O iii]/H α compatible with a recent quenching of the star formation. We compare the properties of these 10 galaxies with those of a control sample of 8 MaNGA galaxies with ongoing star formation in the same stellar mass, redshift, and gas-phase metallicity range. The quenching regions found are located between 0.5 and 1.1 effective radii from the centre. This result is supported by the analysis of the average radial profile of the ionization parameter, which reaches a minimum at the same radii, while the one of the star-forming sample shows an almost flat trend. These quenching regions occupy a total area between ∼ 15 and 45 per cent of our galaxies. Moreover, the average radial profile of the star formation rate surface density of our sample is lower and flatter than that of the control sample, at any radii, suggesting a systematic suppression of the star formation in the inner part of our galaxies. Finally, the radial profiles of gas-phase metallicity of the two samples have a similar slope and normalization. Our results cannot be ascribed to a difference in the intrinsic properties of the analysed galaxies, suggesting a quenching scenario more complicated than a simple inside-out quenching.

scholarly journals Formation sites of Population III star formation: The effects of different levels of rotation and turbulence on the fragmentation behaviour of primordial gas

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (2) ◽  
pp. 1871-1893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina M J Wollenberg ◽  
Simon C O Glover ◽  
Paul C Clark ◽  
Ralf S Klessen
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Turbulent Energy ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Population Iii Stars ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Population Iii

ABSTRACT We use the moving-mesh code arepo to investigate the effects of different levels of rotation and turbulence on the fragmentation of primordial gas and the formation of Population III stars. We consider nine different combinations of turbulence and rotation and carry out five different realizations of each setup, yielding one of the largest sets of simulations of Population III star formation ever performed. We find that fragmentation in Population III star-forming systems is a highly chaotic process and show that the outcomes of individual realizations of the same initial conditions often vary significantly. However, some general trends are apparent. Increasing the turbulent energy promotes fragmentation, while increasing the rotational energy inhibits fragmentation. Within the ∼1000 yr period that we simulate, runs including turbulence yield flat protostellar mass functions while purely rotational runs show a more top-heavy distribution. The masses of the individual protostars are distributed over a wide range from a few $10^{-3} \, {\rm M_{\odot }}$ to several tens of M⊙. The total mass growth rate of the stellar systems remains high throughout the simulations and depends only weakly on the degree of rotation and turbulence. Mergers between protostars are common, but predictions of the merger fraction are highly sensitive to the criterion used to decide whether two protostars should merge. Previous studies of Population III star formation have often considered only one realization per set of initial conditions. However, our results demonstrate that robust trends can only be reliably identified by considering averages over a larger sample of runs.

scholarly journals The EDGE-CALIFA survey: Self-regulation of Star formation at kpc scales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J K Barrera-Ballesteros ◽  
S F Sánchez ◽  
T Heckman ◽  
T Wong ◽  
A Bolatto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Good Representation ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Stellar Masses

Abstract The processes that regulate star formation are essential to understand how galaxies evolve. We present the relation between star formation rate density, ΣSFR , and hydrostatic midplane pressure, Ph , for 4260 star-forming regions of kpc size located in 96 galaxies included in the EDGE-CALIFA survey covering a wide range of stellar masses and morphologies. We find that these two parameters are tightly correlated, showing a smaller scatter in comparison to other star-forming relations. A power-law, with a slightly sub-linear index, is a good representation of this relation. Its residuals show a significant anti-correlation with both stellar age and metallicity whereas the total stellar mass may also play a secondary role in shaping the ΣSFR - Ph relation. For actively star-forming regions we find that the effective feedback momentum per unit stellar mass (p*/m*), measured from the Ph/ΣSFR ratio increases with Ph. The median value of this ratio for all the sampled regions is larger than the expected momentum just from supernovae explosions. Morphology of the galaxies, including bars, does not seem to have a significant impact in the ΣSFR - Ph relation. Our analysis indicates that local ΣSFR self-regulation comes mainly from momentum injection to the interstellar medium from supernovae explosions. However, other mechanisms in disk galaxies may also play a significant role in shaping the ΣSFR at kpc scales. Our results also suggest that Ph is the main parameter that modulates star formation at kpc scales, rather than individual components of the baryonic mass.

scholarly journals A diversity of starburst-triggering mechanisms in interacting galaxies and their signatures in CO emission

2019 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. A65 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Renaud ◽  
F. Bournaud ◽  
O. Agertz ◽  
K. Kraljic ◽  
E. Schinnerer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Interacting Galaxies ◽  
Dense Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Co Emission

The physical origin of enhanced star formation activity in interacting galaxies remains an open question. Knowing whether starbursts are triggered by an increase in the quantity of dense gas or an increase in the star formation efficiency therein would improve our understanding of galaxy evolution and make it possible to transfer the results obtained in the local Universe to high-redshift galaxies. In this paper, we analyze a parsec-resolution simulation of a model of interacting galaxies similar to the Antennae Galaxies. We find that the interplay of physical processes such as tides, shear, and turbulence shows complex and important variations in time and space, but that different combinations of these processes can produce similar signatures in observable quantities such as the depletion time and CO emission. Some clouds within the interacting galaxies exhibit an excess of dense gas (> 104 cm−3), while others only attain similarly high densities in the tail of their density distribution. The clouds with an excess of dense gas are found across all regions of the galaxies, but their number density varies between regions due to different cloud assembly mechanisms. This translates into variations in the scale dependence of quantities related to cloud properties and star formation. The super-linearity of the relationship between the star formation rate and gas density implies that the dense gas excess corresponds to a decrease in the depletion time, and thus leads to a deviation from the classical star formation regime that is visible up to galactic scales. We find that the αCO conversion factor between the CO luminosity and molecular gas mass exhibits stronger spatial than temporal variations in a system like the Antennae. Our results raise several caveats for the interpretation of observations of unresolved star-forming regions, but also predict that the diversity of environments for star formation will be better captured by the future generations of instruments.

scholarly journals A contribution of star-forming clumps and accreting satellites to the mass assembly of z ∼ 2 galaxies

2019 ◽  
Vol 489 (2) ◽  
pp. 2792-2818 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Zanella ◽  
E Le Floc’h ◽  
C M Harrison ◽  
E Daddi ◽  
E Bernhard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Mass Assembly

ABSTRACT We investigate the contribution of clumps and satellites to the galaxy mass assembly. We analysed spatially resolved HubbleSpace Telescope observations (imaging and slitless spectroscopy) of 53 star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1–3. We created continuum and emission line maps and pinpointed residual ‘blobs’ detected after subtracting the galaxy disc. Those were separated into compact (unresolved) and extended (resolved) components. Extended components have sizes ∼2 kpc and comparable stellar mass and age as the galaxy discs, whereas the compact components are 1.5 dex less massive and 0.4 dex younger than the discs. Furthermore, the extended blobs are typically found at larger distances from the galaxy barycentre than the compact ones. Prompted by these observations and by the comparison with simulations, we suggest that compact blobs are in situ formed clumps, whereas the extended ones are accreting satellites. Clumps and satellites enclose, respectively, ∼20 per cent and ≲80 per cent of the galaxy stellar mass, ∼30 per cent and ∼20 per cent of its star formation rate. Considering the compact blobs, we statistically estimated that massive clumps (M⋆ ≳ 109 M⊙) have lifetimes of ∼650 Myr, and the less massive ones (108 < M⋆ < 109 M⊙) of ∼145 Myr. This supports simulations predicting long-lived clumps (lifetime ≳ 100 Myr). Finally, ≲30 per cent (13 per cent) of our sample galaxies are undergoing single (multiple) merger(s), they have a projected separation ≲10 kpc, and the typical mass ratio of our satellites is 1:5 (but ranges between 1:10 and 1:1), in agreement with literature results for close pair galaxies.

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