Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies

M. Querejeta; E. Schinnerer; S. Meidt; J. Sun; A. K. Leroy; E. Emsellem; R. S. Klessen; J. C. Muñoz-Mateos; H. Salo; E. Laurikainen; I. Bešlić; G. A. Blanc; M. Chevance; D. A. Dale; C. Eibensteiner; C. Faesi; A. García-Rodríguez; S. C.O. Glover; K. Grasha; J. Henshaw; C. Herrera; A. Hughes; K. Kreckel; J. M.D. Kruijssen; D. Liu; E. J. Murphy; H. A. Pan; J. Pety; A. Razza; E. Rosolowsky; T. Saito; A. Schruba; A. Usero; E. J. Watkins; T. G. Williams

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies

M. Querejeta
, E. Schinnerer
, S. Meidt
, J. Sun
, A. K. Leroy
, E. Emsellem
, R. S. Klessen
, J. C. Muñoz-Mateos
, H. Salo
, E. Laurikainen
, I. Bešlić
, G. A. Blanc
, M. Chevance
, D. A. Dale
, C. Eibensteiner
, C. Faesi
, A. García-Rodríguez
, S. C.O. Glover
, K. Grasha
, J. Henshaw

C. Herrera, A. Hughes, K. Kreckel, J. M.D. Kruijssen, D. Liu, E. J. Murphy, H. A. Pan, J. Pety, A. Razza, E. Rosolowsky, T. Saito, A. Schruba, A. Usero, E. J. Watkins, T. G. Williams

Physics And Astronomy

Producción científica: Article › revisión exhaustiva

137 Citas (Scopus)

Resumen

We identify stellar structures in the PHANGS sample of 74 nearby galaxies and construct morphological masks of sub-galactic environments based on Spitzer 3.6 m images. At the simplest level, we distinguish five environments: centres, bars, spiral arms, interarm regions, and discs without strong spirals. Slightly more sophisticated masks include rings and lenses, which are publicly released but not explicitly used in this paper. We examine trends with environment in the molecular gas content, star formation rate, and depletion time using PHANGS-ALMA CO(2-1) intensity maps and tracers of star formation. The interarm regions and discs without strong spirals clearly dominate in area, whereas molecular gas and star formation are quite evenly distributed among the five basic environments. We reproduce the molecular Kennicutt-Schmidt relation with a slope compatible with unity within the uncertainties and without significant slope differences among environments. In contrast to what has been suggested by early studies, we find that bars are not always deserts devoid of gas and star formation, but instead they show large diversity. Similarly, spiral arms do not account for most of the gas and star formation in disc galaxies, and they do not have shorter depletion times than the interarm regions. Spiral arms accumulate gas and star formation, without systematically boosting the star formation efficiency. Centres harbour remarkably high surface densities and on average shorter depletion times than other environments. Centres of barred galaxies show higher surface densities and wider distributions compared to the outer disc; yet, depletion times are similar to unbarred galaxies, suggesting highly intermittent periods of star formation when bars episodically drive gas inflow, without enhancing the central star formation efficiency permanently. In conclusion, we provide quantitative evidence that stellar structures in galaxies strongly affect the organisation of molecular gas and star formation, but their impact on star formation efficiency is more subtle.

Idioma original	English
Número de artículo	A133
Publicación	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volumen	656
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140695
Estado	Published - dic 1 2021

Nota bibliográfica

Publisher Copyright:
© ESO 2021.

Financiación

Acknowledgements. This work was carried out as part of the PHANGS collaboration. We would like to thank the anonymous referee for very detailed and valuable comments that helped us improve the manuscript. We would also like to thank Seppo Laine and the whole Spitzer Helpdesk for advice regarding IRAC data reduction. This work is based on observations and archival data obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under a contract with NASA. This paper makes use of the following ALMA data: ADS/JAO.ALMA#2012.1.00650.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2013.1.00803.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2013.1.01161.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2015.1.00121.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2015.1.00782.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2015.1.00925.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2015.1.00956.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2016.1.00386.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2017.1.00886.L, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2018.1.01651.S. ALMA is a partnership of ESO (representing its member states), NSF (USA) and NINS (Japan), together with NRC (Canada), MOST and ASIAA (Taiwan), and KASI (Republic of Korea), in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. The Joint ALMA Observatory is operated by ESO, AUI/NRAO and NAOJ. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. MQ acknowledges support from the research project PID2019-106027GA-C44 from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. ES, DL, HAP, TS, and TGW acknowledge funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 694343). The work of JS and AKL is partially supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grants No. 1615105, 1615109, and 1653300, as well as by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under ADAP grants NNX16AF48G and NNX17AF39G. RSK and SCOG acknowledge financial support from the German Research Foundation (DFG) via the collaborative research centre (SFB 881, Project-ID 138713538) ‘The Milky Way System’ (subprojects A1, B1, B2, and B8). They also acknowledge funding from the Heidelberg Cluster of Excellence “STRUCTURES” in the framework of Germany’s Excellence Strategy (grant EXC-2181/1, Project-ID 390900948) and from the European Research Council via the ERC Synergy Grant “ECOGAL” (grant 855130). HS and EL acknowledge financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 721463 to the SUNDIAL ITN network, and by the Academy of Finland grant No. 297738. IB acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 726384/Empire). MC and JMDK gratefully acknowledge funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in the form of an Emmy Noether Research Group (grant number KR4801/1-1) and the DFG Sachbeihilfe (grant number KR4801/2-1), as well as from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme via the ERC Starting Grant MUSTANG (grant agreement number 714907). CE acknowledges funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Sachbeihilfe, grant number BI1546/3-1. CMF is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 1903946 and acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 694343). AGR acknowledges support from the Spanish funding grants AYA2016-79006-P (MINECO/FEDER) and PID2019-108765GB-I00 (MICINN). AH was supported by the Programme National Cosmology et Galaxies (PNCG) of CNRS/INSU with INP and IN2P3, co-funded by CEA and CNES, and by the Programme National ‘Physique et Chimie du Milieu Inter-stellaire’ (PCMI) of CNRS/INSU with INC/INP co-funded by CEA and CNES. CH and JP acknowledge support from the Programme National ‘Physique et Chimie du Milieu Interstellaire’ (PCMI) of CNRS/INSU with INC/INP co-funded by CEA and CNES. KK gratefully acknowledges funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the form of an Emmy Noether Research Group (grant number KR4598/2-1, PI Kreckel). ER acknowledges the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), funding reference number RGPIN-2017-03987. AU acknowledges support from the Spanish funding grants AYA2016-79006-P (MINECO/FEDER), PGC2018-094671-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER), and PID2019-108765GB-I00 (MICINN). EJW is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – Project-ID 138713538 – SFB 881 (“The Milky Way System”, subproject P2).

Financiadores	Número del financiador
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
Institut national de physique nucléaire et de physique des particules
Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
INSU
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Programme National ‘Physique et Chimie du Milieu Inter-stellaire
Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e innovación
H2020 European Research Council
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	NNX16AF48G, NNX17AF39G
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program	1903946, 1615109, 1653300, 1615105
H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions	721463
Academy of Finland	297738, 726384/Empire
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme	726384, 694343, 855130
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft	138713538, KR4801/1-1
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada	RGPIN-2017-03987, PGC2018-094671-B-I00
CNRS Programme National Physique Chimie du Milieu Interstellaire	KR4598/2-1
DFG Sachbeihilfe	714907, BI1546/3-1, AYA2016-79006-P, KR4801/2-1
European Regional Development Fund	PID2019-108765GB-I00
German Excellence Strategy in the Heidelberg Cluster of Excellence STRUCTURES	EXC-2181/1, 390900948

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

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Querejeta, M., Schinnerer, E., Meidt, S., Sun, J., Leroy, A. K., Emsellem, E., Klessen, R. S., Muñoz-Mateos, J. C., Salo, H., Laurikainen, E., Bešlić, I., Blanc, G. A., Chevance, M., Dale, D. A., Eibensteiner, C., Faesi, C., García-Rodríguez, A., Glover, S. C. O., Grasha, K., ... Williams, T. G. (2021). Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 656, Artículo A133. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

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title = "Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies",

abstract = "We identify stellar structures in the PHANGS sample of 74 nearby galaxies and construct morphological masks of sub-galactic environments based on Spitzer 3.6 m images. At the simplest level, we distinguish five environments: centres, bars, spiral arms, interarm regions, and discs without strong spirals. Slightly more sophisticated masks include rings and lenses, which are publicly released but not explicitly used in this paper. We examine trends with environment in the molecular gas content, star formation rate, and depletion time using PHANGS-ALMA CO(2-1) intensity maps and tracers of star formation. The interarm regions and discs without strong spirals clearly dominate in area, whereas molecular gas and star formation are quite evenly distributed among the five basic environments. We reproduce the molecular Kennicutt-Schmidt relation with a slope compatible with unity within the uncertainties and without significant slope differences among environments. In contrast to what has been suggested by early studies, we find that bars are not always deserts devoid of gas and star formation, but instead they show large diversity. Similarly, spiral arms do not account for most of the gas and star formation in disc galaxies, and they do not have shorter depletion times than the interarm regions. Spiral arms accumulate gas and star formation, without systematically boosting the star formation efficiency. Centres harbour remarkably high surface densities and on average shorter depletion times than other environments. Centres of barred galaxies show higher surface densities and wider distributions compared to the outer disc; yet, depletion times are similar to unbarred galaxies, suggesting highly intermittent periods of star formation when bars episodically drive gas inflow, without enhancing the central star formation efficiency permanently. In conclusion, we provide quantitative evidence that stellar structures in galaxies strongly affect the organisation of molecular gas and star formation, but their impact on star formation efficiency is more subtle.",

keywords = "Galaxies: ISM, Galaxies: star formation, Galaxies: structure",

author = "M. Querejeta and E. Schinnerer and S. Meidt and J. Sun and Leroy, \{A. K.\} and E. Emsellem and Klessen, \{R. S.\} and Mu{\~n}oz-Mateos, \{J. C.\} and H. Salo and E. Laurikainen and I. Be{\v s}li{\'c} and Blanc, \{G. A.\} and M. Chevance and Dale, \{D. A.\} and C. Eibensteiner and C. Faesi and A. Garc{\'i}a-Rodr{\'i}guez and Glover, \{S. C.O.\} and K. Grasha and J. Henshaw and C. Herrera and A. Hughes and K. Kreckel and Kruijssen, \{J. M.D.\} and D. Liu and Murphy, \{E. J.\} and Pan, \{H. A.\} and J. Pety and A. Razza and E. Rosolowsky and T. Saito and A. Schruba and A. Usero and Watkins, \{E. J.\} and Williams, \{T. G.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} ESO 2021.",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/202140695",

language = "English",

volume = "656",

}

Querejeta, M, Schinnerer, E, Meidt, S, Sun, J, Leroy, AK, Emsellem, E, Klessen, RS, Muñoz-Mateos, JC, Salo, H, Laurikainen, E, Bešlić, I, Blanc, GA, Chevance, M, Dale, DA, Eibensteiner, C, Faesi, C, García-Rodríguez, A, Glover, SCO, Grasha, K, Henshaw, J, Herrera, C, Hughes, A, Kreckel, K, Kruijssen, JMD, Liu, D, Murphy, EJ, Pan, HA, Pety, J, Razza, A, Rosolowsky, E, Saito, T, Schruba, A, Usero, A, Watkins, EJ & Williams, TG 2021, 'Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies', Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 656, A133. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies

AU - Querejeta, M.

AU - Schinnerer, E.

AU - Meidt, S.

AU - Sun, J.

AU - Leroy, A. K.

AU - Emsellem, E.

AU - Klessen, R. S.

AU - Muñoz-Mateos, J. C.

AU - Salo, H.

AU - Laurikainen, E.

AU - Bešlić, I.

AU - Blanc, G. A.

AU - Chevance, M.

AU - Dale, D. A.

AU - Eibensteiner, C.

AU - Faesi, C.

AU - García-Rodríguez, A.

AU - Glover, S. C.O.

AU - Grasha, K.

AU - Henshaw, J.

AU - Herrera, C.

AU - Hughes, A.

AU - Kreckel, K.

AU - Kruijssen, J. M.D.

AU - Liu, D.

AU - Murphy, E. J.

AU - Pan, H. A.

AU - Pety, J.

AU - Razza, A.

AU - Rosolowsky, E.

AU - Saito, T.

AU - Schruba, A.

AU - Usero, A.

AU - Watkins, E. J.

AU - Williams, T. G.

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - We identify stellar structures in the PHANGS sample of 74 nearby galaxies and construct morphological masks of sub-galactic environments based on Spitzer 3.6 m images. At the simplest level, we distinguish five environments: centres, bars, spiral arms, interarm regions, and discs without strong spirals. Slightly more sophisticated masks include rings and lenses, which are publicly released but not explicitly used in this paper. We examine trends with environment in the molecular gas content, star formation rate, and depletion time using PHANGS-ALMA CO(2-1) intensity maps and tracers of star formation. The interarm regions and discs without strong spirals clearly dominate in area, whereas molecular gas and star formation are quite evenly distributed among the five basic environments. We reproduce the molecular Kennicutt-Schmidt relation with a slope compatible with unity within the uncertainties and without significant slope differences among environments. In contrast to what has been suggested by early studies, we find that bars are not always deserts devoid of gas and star formation, but instead they show large diversity. Similarly, spiral arms do not account for most of the gas and star formation in disc galaxies, and they do not have shorter depletion times than the interarm regions. Spiral arms accumulate gas and star formation, without systematically boosting the star formation efficiency. Centres harbour remarkably high surface densities and on average shorter depletion times than other environments. Centres of barred galaxies show higher surface densities and wider distributions compared to the outer disc; yet, depletion times are similar to unbarred galaxies, suggesting highly intermittent periods of star formation when bars episodically drive gas inflow, without enhancing the central star formation efficiency permanently. In conclusion, we provide quantitative evidence that stellar structures in galaxies strongly affect the organisation of molecular gas and star formation, but their impact on star formation efficiency is more subtle.

AB - We identify stellar structures in the PHANGS sample of 74 nearby galaxies and construct morphological masks of sub-galactic environments based on Spitzer 3.6 m images. At the simplest level, we distinguish five environments: centres, bars, spiral arms, interarm regions, and discs without strong spirals. Slightly more sophisticated masks include rings and lenses, which are publicly released but not explicitly used in this paper. We examine trends with environment in the molecular gas content, star formation rate, and depletion time using PHANGS-ALMA CO(2-1) intensity maps and tracers of star formation. The interarm regions and discs without strong spirals clearly dominate in area, whereas molecular gas and star formation are quite evenly distributed among the five basic environments. We reproduce the molecular Kennicutt-Schmidt relation with a slope compatible with unity within the uncertainties and without significant slope differences among environments. In contrast to what has been suggested by early studies, we find that bars are not always deserts devoid of gas and star formation, but instead they show large diversity. Similarly, spiral arms do not account for most of the gas and star formation in disc galaxies, and they do not have shorter depletion times than the interarm regions. Spiral arms accumulate gas and star formation, without systematically boosting the star formation efficiency. Centres harbour remarkably high surface densities and on average shorter depletion times than other environments. Centres of barred galaxies show higher surface densities and wider distributions compared to the outer disc; yet, depletion times are similar to unbarred galaxies, suggesting highly intermittent periods of star formation when bars episodically drive gas inflow, without enhancing the central star formation efficiency permanently. In conclusion, we provide quantitative evidence that stellar structures in galaxies strongly affect the organisation of molecular gas and star formation, but their impact on star formation efficiency is more subtle.

KW - Galaxies: ISM

KW - Galaxies: star formation

KW - Galaxies: structure

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85121908143

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85121908143#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/202140695

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85121908143

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 656

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A133

ER -

Stellar structures, molecular gas, and star formation across the PHANGS sample of nearby galaxies

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