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Jin Koda

Publications and source records attributed to Jin Koda.

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The Super-linear Slope of the Spatially-Resolved Star Formation Law in NGC 3521 and NGC 5194 (M51a)

We have conducted interferometric observations with CARMA and an OTF mapping with the 45-m telescope at NRO in the CO (J=1-0) emission line of NGC 3521. Combining these new data, together with CARMA+NRO45 data for M51a and archival SINGS H$α$, 24$μ$m, THINGS H I and GALEX FUV data for both galaxies, we investigate the empirical scaling law that connects the surface density of SFR and cold gas (the Schmidt-Kennicutt law) on a spatially-resolved basis. We argue that plausibly deriving SFR maps of nearby galaxies requires the diffuse stellar/dust background emission to be carefully subtracted. An approach to complete this task is presented and applied in our pixel-by-pixel analysis on both galaxies, showing that the controversial results whether the molecular S-K law is super-linear or basically linear is a result of removing or preserving the local background. In both galaxies, the power index of the molecular S-K law is 1.5-1.9 at the highest available resolution (230 pc), and decreases monotonically for decreasing resolution; while the scatter (mainly intrinsic) increases as the resolution becomes higher, indicating a trend for which the S-K law breaks down below some scale. Both quantities are systematically larger in M51a than in NGC 3521, but when plotted against the de-projected scale (δ_{dp}), they become highly consistent between the two galaxies, tentatively suggesting that the sub-kpc molecular S-K law in spiral galaxies depends only on the considered scale, without varying amongst spiral galaxies. A logarithmic function γ_{H_2}=-1.1 log[δ_{dp}/kpc]+1.4 and a linear relation σ_{H_2}=-0.2 [δ_{dp}/kpc]+0.7 are obtained through fitting to the M51a data, which describes both galaxies impressively well on sub-kpc scales. A larger sample of galaxies with better quality data are required to test the general applicability of these relations.

astro-ph.CO↗

Star formation efficiency in the Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 4303

We present new $^{12}$CO(J=1-0) observations of the barred galaxy NGC 4303 using the Nobeyama 45m telescope (NRO45) and the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA). The H$α$ images of barred spiral galaxies often show active star formation in spiral arms, but less so in bars. We quantify the difference by measuring star formation rate and efficiency at a scale where local star formation is spatially resolved. Our CO map covers the central 2$\farcm$3 region of the galaxy; the combination of NRO45 and CARMA provides a high fidelity image, enabling accurate measurements of molecular gas surface density. We find that star formation rate and efficiency are twice as high in the spiral arms as in the bar. We discuss this difference in the context of the Kennicutt-Schimidt (KS) law, which indicates a constant star formation rate at a given gas surface density. The KS law breaks down at our native resolution ($\sim$ 250 pc), and substantial smoothing (to 500 pc) is necessary to reproduce the KS law, although with greater scatter.

astro-ph.CO↗

Molecular Gas Evolution across a Spiral Arm in M 51

We present sensitive and high angular resolution CO(1-0) data obtained by the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) observations toward the nearby grand-design spiral galaxy M 51. The angular resolution of 0.7" corresponds to 30 pc, which is similar to the typical size of Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs), and the sensitivity is also high enough to detect typical GMCs. Within the 1' field of view centered on a spiral arm, a number of GMC-scale structures are detected as clumps. However, only a few clumps are found to be associated with each Giant Molecular Association (GMA), and more than 90% of the total flux is resolved out in our data. Considering the high sensitivity and resolution of our data, these results indicate that GMAs are not mere confusion of GMCs but plausibly smooth structures. In addition, we have found that the most massive clumps are located downstream of the spiral arm, which suggests that they are at a later stage of molecular cloud evolution across the arm and plausibly are cores of GMAs. By comparing with H-alpha and Pa-alpha images, most of these cores are found to have nearby star forming regions. We thus propose an evolutionary scenario for the interstellar medium, in which smaller molecular clouds collide to form smooth GMAs at spiral arm regions and then star formation is triggered in the GMA cores. Our new CO data have revealed the internal structure of GMAs at GMC scales, finding the most massive substructures on the downstream side of the arm in close association with the brightest H II regions.

astro-ph.CO↗

The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S^4G)

The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies S^4G is an Exploration Science Legacy Program approved for the Spitzer post-cryogenic mission. It is a volume-, magnitude-, and size-limited (d < 40 Mpc, |b| > 30 degrees, m_(Bcorr) < 15.5, D25>1') survey of 2,331 galaxies using IRAC at 3.6 and 4.5 microns. Each galaxy is observed for 240 s and mapped to > 1.5 x D25. The final mosaicked images have a typical 1 sigma rms noise level of 0.0072 and 0.0093 MJy / sr at 3.6 and 4.5 microns, respectively. Our azimuthally-averaged surface brightness profile typically traces isophotes at mu_3.6 (AB) (1 sigma) ~ 27 mag arcsec^-2, equivalent to a stellar mass surface density of ~ 1 Msun pc^-2. S^4G thus provides an unprecedented data set for the study of the distribution of mass and stellar structures in the local Universe. This paper introduces the survey, the data analysis pipeline and measurements for a first set of galaxies, observed in both the cryogenic and warm mission phase of Spitzer. For every galaxy we tabulate the galaxy diameter, position angle, axial ratio, inclination at mu_3.6 (AB) = 25.5 and 26.5 mag arcsec^-2 (equivalent to ~ mu_B (AB) =27.2 and 28.2 mag arcsec^-2, respectively). These measurements will form the initial S^4G catalog of galaxy properties. We also measure the total magnitude and the azimuthally-averaged radial profiles of ellipticity, position angle, surface brightness and color. Finally, we deconstruct each galaxy using GALFIT into its main constituent stellar components: the bulge/spheroid, disk, bar, and nuclear point source, where necessary. Together these data products will provide a comprehensive and definitive catalog of stellar structures, mass and properties of galaxies in the nearby Universe.

astro-ph.CO↗

Molecular Gas in the z=1.2 Ultraluminous Merger GOODS J123634.53+621241.3

We report the detection of CO(2-1) emission from the z=1.2 ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) GOODS J123634.53+621241.3 (also known as the sub-millimeter galaxy GN26). These observations represent the first discovery of high-redshift CO emission using the new Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA). Of all high-redshift (z>1) galaxies within the GOODS-North field, this source has the largest far-infrared (FIR) flux observed in the Spitzer 70um and 160um bands. The CO redshift confirms the optical identification of the source, and the bright CO(2-1) line suggests the presence of a large molecular gas reservoir of about 7x10^10 M(sun). The infrared-to-CO luminosity ratio of L(IR)/L'(CO) = 80+/-30 L(sun) (K Km/s pc^2)^-1 is slightly smaller than the average ratio found in local ULIRGs and high-redshift sub-millimeter galaxies. The short star-formation time scale of about 70 Myr is consistent with a starburst associated with the merger event and is much shorter than the time scales for spiral galaxies and estimates made for high-redshift galaxies selected on the basis of their B-z and z-K colors.

astro-ph↗

Virgo High-Resolution CO Survey :V. Circumnuclear Elliptical Ring in NGC 4569

We present high-resolution ($1\farcs8$ -- $4\farcs5$) CO data of the Virgo spiral galaxy NGC 4569, obtained using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. We found that the molecular gas is highly concentrated in the circumnuclear region with two off-center peaks. A CO image with the highest angular resolution of $2\farcs0 \times 1\farcs8$ shows that six blobs likely form a circumnuclear elliptical ring (CER) with a semi-major axis radius of 720 pc. The CER shows a strongly twisted velocity field, and the position--velocity (PV) diagram shows significant forbidden velocity components. These kinetic features are understood as being non-circular motion due to a bar-potential. We found that the CER coincides with the H$α$ bright central core and that the mass ratio of the molecular gas to the dynamical mass is about 18%. These results support a gaseous inflow scenario induced by a weak bar potential and self-gravity of the gas.

astro-ph↗

Tidal disruption of dark matter halos around proto-globular clusters

Tidal disruption of dark matter halos around proto-globular clusters in a halo of a small galaxy is studied in the context of the hierarchical clustering scenario by using semi-cosmological N-body/SPH simulations assuming the standard cold dark matter model ($Ω_0 = 1$). Our analysis on formation and evolution of the galaxy and its substructures archives until $z = 2.0$. In such a high-redshift universe, the Einstein-de Sitter universe is still a good approximation for a recently favored $Λ$-dominated universe, and then our results does not depend on the choice of cosmology. In order to resolve small gravitationally-bound clumps around galaxies and consider radiative cooling below $T = 10^4 K$, we adopt a fine mass resolution ($m_{\rm SPH} = 1.12 \times 10^3 \Msun$). Because of the cooling, each clump immediately forms a `core-halo' structure which consists of a baryonic core and a dark matter halo. The tidal force from the host galaxy mainly strips the dark matter halo from clumps and, as a result, theses clumps get dominated by baryons. Once a clump is captured by the host halo, its mass drastically decreases each pericenter passage. At $z = 2$, more than half of the clumps become baryon dominated systems (baryon mass/total mass $> 0.5$). Our results support the tidal evolution scenario of the formation of globular clusters and baryon dominated dwarf galaxies in the context of the cold dark matter universe.

astro-ph↗

The Elongations and Supersonic Motions of Molecular Clouds

New 13CO data from the BU-FCRAO Milky Way Galactic Ring Survey (GRS) are analyzed to understand the shape and internal motions of molecular clouds. For a sample of more than five hundred molecular clouds, we find that they are preferentially elongated along the Galactic plane. On the other hand, their spin axes are randomly oriented. We therefore conclude that the elongation is not supported by internal spin but by internal velocity anisotropy. It has been known that some driving mechanisms are necessary to sustain the supersonic velocity dispersion within molecular clouds. The mechanism for generating the velocity dispersion must also account for the preferred elongation. This excludes some driving mechanisms, such as stellar winds and supernovae, because they do not produce the systemic elongation along the Galactic plane. Driving energy is more likely to come from large scale motions, such as the Galactic rotation.

astro-ph↗

CO in the Bipolar-Radio-Continuum Galaxy NGC 3367

CO emission has been imaged at 2" resolution in the central 10 kpc of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3367. This galaxy has bipolar synchrotron lobes out to a radii of 6 kpc, straddling the compact nucleus. The peak molecular emission is in a source of radius 2" (425 pc) centered on the galaxy nucleus. The molecular mass is about 3 times 10**8 Msun in this peak an about 5.9 times 10**8 Msun within a radius of 4".5 (950 pc). The very large gas masses in the central source imply extinctions sufficiently high to completely obscure optical emission lines (e.g.BLR) associated with the nuclear radio source. The observed Balmer lines probably originate in the narrow line region few hundred pc from the nucleus. The CO emission in the central region is elongated NE-SW, very similar to the PA of the large scale synchrotron lobes. This elongation is likely due to non-axisymmetric gravitational potential of the stellar bar. We infer that the NE radio continuum lobe is on the far side of the galaxy and the SW lobe is on the near side. The central mass of molecular gas is sufficient mass to power the AGN accretion luminosity for over 10**8 yrs at 3 Msun per yr.

astro-ph↗

Virgo High-Resolution CO Survey IV. Spiral-Driven Gas Dynamics in the Non-Barred Seyfert Galaxy NGC 4501

We report on high-resolution interferometer observations of the 12CO(J=1-0) emission in the central 5 kpc region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4501. The observations were made using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array during a long-term CO line survey of Virgo spirals. The major features are: (1) a nuclear concentration with a radius of r~5'' (390 pc), which is resolved into double peaks, and (2) spiral arms which extend out from the nuclear region. The nuclear component has a mass of 1.3x10^8 Mo, which corresponds to ~3.5% of the dynamical mass, and shows a slight non-circular motion. The double peaks are separated by ~4''.7. (370 pc), and located on the root of optical spiral arms in a HST image. The gas arms are associated with the spiral dust lanes, and are linked to the central double peaks. The non-circular motions along the molecular arms indicate the fact that the gas is driven by the density wave, rather than the stochastic processes. We calculated the gas cloud orbits in a stellar spiral potential, and explained the observed CO spiral arms and non-circular motions. We suggest that the central gas condensation arises from spiral-driven gas transfer. We estimated and compared the effect of two possible mechanisms of angular-momentum transfer: galactic shock, and gravitational torques. We discuss that the galactic shock is dominant.

astro-ph↗

Instabilities of Spiral Shocks I: Onset of Wiggle Instability and its Mechanism

We found that loosely wound spiral shocks in an isothermal gas disk caused by a non-axisymmetric potential are hydrodynamically unstable, if the shocks are strong enough. High resolution, global hydrodynamical simulations using three different numerical schemes, i.e. AUSM, CIP, and SPH, show similarly that trailing spiral shocks with the pitch angle of larger than ~10 deg wiggle, and clumps are developed in the shock-compressed layer. The numerical simulations also show clear wave crests that are associated with ripples of the spiral shocks. The spiral shocks tend to be more unstable in a rigidly rotating disk than in a flat rotation. This instability could be an origin of the secondary structures of spiral arms, i.e. the spurs/fins, observed in spiral galaxies. In spite of this local instability, the global spiral morphology of the gas is maintained over many rotational periods. The Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability in a shear layer behind the shock is a possible mechanism for the wiggle instability. The Richardson criterion for the K-H stability is expressed as a function of the Mach number, the pitch angle, and strength of the background spiral potential. The criterion suggests that spiral shocks with smaller pitch angles and smaller Mach numbers would be more stable, and this is consistent with the numerical results.

astro-ph↗

The Virgo High-Resolution CO Survey. III. NGC 4254

We present high-angular-resolution (1".5 - 5") interferometer observations of the \co emission in the central region of the SA(s)c galaxy NGC 4254. The observations were obtained using the Nobeyama Millimeter-wave Array (NMA) during the course of a long-term CO line survey of Virgo spirals. We present the spectra, channel maps, integrated intensity distributions, velocity fields, position--velocity diagrams, and compare the data with various optical images. The rotation velocity is already finite at the nucleus, or at least it rises steeply to 80 km/s within the central 1", indicating the existence of a massive core of 10^8 Msun within 1" (80 pc) radius. The CO intensity maps show that the inner disk has well-developed multiple spiral arms, winding out from a bar-shaped elongated molecular complex. In addition to the bisymmetric spiral arms, an asymmetric tightly wound arm with high molecular gas density is found to wind out from the molecular bar. The molecular spiral arms, particularly the tightly wound arm, well traces optical dark lanes, and are associated with H$α$ arms having many H {\sc ii} regions. The inner asymmetric spiral structures can be explained by ram-pressure distortion of inter-arm low density regions of the inner disk by the intra-cluster gas wind, and is indeed reproduced by a hydrodynamical simulation.

astro-ph↗

Intrinsic errors of the central galactic mass derived from rotation curves under the influence of a weak non-axisymmetric potential

Rotation curves are often used to estimate the mass distribution of spiral galaxies, assuming circular rotation of disks. However, non-circular motions caused by a non-axisymmetric gravitational potential, such as a stellar bar, may disturb the velocity field, resulting in errors in mass estimation, especially in the central regions of galaxies, because the line-of-sight velocity depends on the viewing angles in a non-axisymmetric flow. Observing rotation curves of edge-on galaxies in time-dependent numerical simulations from different viewing angles, we obtain errors in the estimation of galactic mass from the rotation curves. In the most extreme case, the ellipticity of gas orbits is as high as 0.8 in the central regions, even if the bar potential is weak. When rotation curves are defined as the highest velocity envelope of position-velocity diagrams, the mass estimated from the rotation curves is larger than the true mass by a factor of five for 15% of the viewing angles, and the ratio between the apparent mass and true mass is less than six for any viewing angle. The overestimation in mass occurs more frequently than the underestimation.

astro-ph↗

A Unified Scaling Law in Spiral Galaxies

We investigate the origin of a unified scaling relation in spiral galaxies. Observed spiral galaxies are spread on a plane in the three-dimensionallogarithmic space of luminosity L, radius R and rotation velocity V. The plane is expressed as $L \propto (V R)^α$ in I-passband, where $α$ is a constant. On the plane, observed galaxies are distributed in an elongated region which looks like the shape of a surfboard. The well-known scaling relations, L-V (Tully-Fisher relation), V-R (also the Tully-Fisher relation) and R-L (Freeman's law), can be understood as oblique projections of the surfboard-like plane into 2-D spaces. This unified interpretation of the known scaling relations should be a clue to understand the physical origin of all the relations consistently. Furthermore, this interpretation can also explain why previous studies could not find any correlation between TF residuals and radius. In order to clarify the origin of this plane, we simulate formation and evolution of spiral galaxies with the N-body/SPH method, including cooling, star formation and stellar feedback. Initial conditions are set to isolated 14 spheres with two free parameters, such as mass and angular momentum. The CDM (h=0.5, $Ω_0=1$) cosmology is considered as a test case. The simulations provide the following two conclusions: (a) The slope of the plane is well reproduced but the zero-point is not. This zero-point discrepancy could be solved in a low density ($Ω_0<1$) and high expansion (h>0.5) cosmology. (b) The surfboard-shaped plane can be explained by the control of galactic mass and angular momentum.

astro-ph↗