arXiv subjects

M. I. Rodríguez

Publications and source records attributed to M. I. Rodríguez.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

ALMA CO-CAVITY II. Resolved Scaling Relations in Void Galaxies

Scaling relations involving star formation rates (SFRs), molecular gas mass, and stellar mass are key to understand galaxy evolution, and have previously been explored at resolved scales. However, they have not been examined with particular emphasis on the large-scale environments (LSEs). In this work, we study the resolved Schmidt-Kennicutt relation (rSK), molecular gas main sequence (rMGMS) and star-forming main sequence (rSFMS) from a sample of 41 void galaxies (VGs) residing in the least dense regions of the Universe. Using high-resolution interferometric CO(1-0) data and optical IFU data from the ALMA CO-CAVITY and CAVITY surveys at scales of 2.5" (0.8-2.1 kpc), we study these relations for the full sample as well as for individual galaxies in voids. We fit the relations, finding a similar parametrisation as that used for galaxies from all LSEs. However, the rMGMS is the tightest of the three relations ($σ_{rMGMS}=0.16$ dex, $σ_{rSK}=0.21$ dex, and $σ_{rSFMS}=0.24$ dex), unlike in other samples. We find that a large source of deviations in the relations comes from galaxy-to-galaxy variations. However, the rMGMS is less affected by these variations. It has been suggested that the rMGMS arises from the concentration of molecular gas within the gravitational potential set by the stellar content and dark matter. We hypothesise that deviations from the rMGMS trace changes in the gravitational potential occurring on longer time-scales, whereas deviations in the rSK and the rSFMS are driven by more rapid variations in the SFR. This distinction is particularly relevant for our sample of VGs because the 41 ALMA CO-CAVITY VGs are more isolated than galaxies in other LSEs, and therefore are less affected by events that can significantly alter the gas distribution or trigger SF on short time-scales. In this sense, the rMGMS is likely the most stable of these relations over time.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

ALMA CO-CAVITY I. Resolved Molecular Gas in Void Galaxies

The environment plays a key role in galaxy evolution, yet it remains unclear how detailed molecular gas properties and their connection to star formation and stellar content are influenced by both large-scale and local environments. Here we introduce the ALMA CO-CAVITY project, the first interferometric CO(1-0) survey of a large sample of 41 void galaxies (VGs) to characterise in detail their molecular gas properties. It is built over the CAVITY project, offering optical integral field unit (IFU) data, enabling a direct, pixel-to-pixel comparison between molecular gas (from ALMA), star formation, and stellar properties, as well as the derivation of their scaling relations. In this work we present ALMA data products for our sample, containing data cubes, moment maps and position-velocity diagrams at angular resolutions of 1 arcsec. We also present molecular gas, stellar mass, and star formation rate surface density maps at a common resolution of 2.5 arcsec. We contextualise our sample against representative unresolved and resolved surveys. While our sample provides a good representation of the VG population and follows the distribution of key properties seen in star-forming galaxy samples, galaxies included in resolved studies from the literature tend to be more massive, less isolated, and located in denser large-scale environments. We present global scaling relations for the ALMA CO-CAVITY sample and find that the molecular gas main sequence exhibits the smallest scatter (0.21 dex), followed by the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation and the star-forming main sequence. From integrated properties alone, we find that these scaling relations for VGs are compatible with those for denser environments. This paper lays the foundation for forthcoming studies exploiting this unique dataset.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

CO-CAVITY project: Molecular gas and star formation in void galaxies

Cosmic voids, distinguished by their low-density environment, provide a unique opportunity to explore the interplay between the cosmic environment and the processes of galaxy formation and evolution. Data on the molecular gas has been scarce so far. In this paper, we continue previous research done in the CO-CAVITY pilot project to study the molecular gas content and properties in void galaxies to search for possible differences compared to galaxies that inhabit denser structures. We observed at the IRAM 30 m telescope the CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) emission of 106 void galaxies selected from the CAVITY survey. Together with data from the literature, we obtained a sample of 200 void galaxies with CO data. We conducted a comprehensive comparison of the specific star formation rate (sSFR = SFR/M$_*$), the molecular gas fraction (MH$_2$/M$_*$), and the star formation efficiency (SFE = SFR/MH$_2$) between the void galaxies and a comparison sample of galaxies in filaments and walls, selected from the xCOLD GASS survey. We found no statistically significant difference between void galaxies and the comparison sample in the molecular gas fraction as a function of stellar mass for galaxies on the star-forming main sequence (SFMS). However, for void galaxies, the SFE was found to be constant across all stellar mass bins, while there is a decreasing trend with M$_*$ for the comparison sample. Finally, we found some indications for a smaller dynamical range in the molecular gas fraction as a function of distance to the SFMS in void galaxies. Overall, our analysis finds that the molecular gas properties of void galaxies are not very different from denser environments. The physical origin of the most significant difference that we found - a constant SFE as a function of stellar mass in void galaxies - is unclear and requires further investigation and higher-resolution data.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

CAVITY, Calar Alto Void Integral-field Treasury surveY and project extension

We have learnt in the last decades that the majority of galaxies belong to high density regions interconnected in a sponge-like fashion. This large-scale structure is characterised by clusters, filaments, walls, where most galaxies concentrate, but also under-dense regions, called voids. The void regions and the galaxies within represent an ideal place for the study of galaxy formation and evolution as they are largely unaffected by the complex physical processes that transform galaxies in high-density environments. These void galaxies can hold the key as well to answer current challenges to the $Λ$CDM paradigm. The Calar Alto Void Integral-field Treasury surveY (CAVITY) is a Legacy project approved by the Calar Alto Observatory to obtain spatially resolved spectroscopic information of $\sim300$ void galaxies in the Local Universe (0.005 < z < 0.050) covering from -17.0 to -21.5 in $\rm r$ band absolute magnitude. It officially started in January 2021 and has been awarded 110 useful dark observing nights at the 3.5 m telescope using the PMAS spectrograph. Complementary follow-up projects including deep optical imaging, integrated, as well as resolved CO data, and integrated HI spectra, have joint the PMAS observations and naturally complete the scientific aim of characterising galaxies in cosmic voids. The extension data has been denominated CAVITY+. The data will be available to the whole community in different data releases, the first of which is planned for July 2024, and it will provide the community with PMAS data cubes for around 100 void galaxies through a user friendly, and well documented, database platform. We present here the survey, sample selection, data reduction, quality control schemes, science goals, and some examples of the scientific power of the CAVITY and CAVITY+ data.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

The molecular gas content of ULIRG type 2 quasars at z < 1

We present new results of CO(1-0) spectroscopic observations of 4 SDSS type 2 quasars (QSO2) at z$\sim$0.3, observed with the 30m IRAM telescope. The QSO2 have infrared luminosities in the ULIRG (UltraLuminous Infrared Galaxies) regime. We confirm the CO(1-0) detection in one of our 4 QSO2, SDSS J1543-00, with $L'_{CO}$ and $M_{H_2}$ (1.2$\pm$0.2) $\times$10$^{10}$ K km s$^{-1}$ pc$^2$ and (9.4$\pm$1.4)$\times$10$^9$ M$_{\odot}$, respectively. The CO(1-0) line has $FWHM=$575$\pm$102 km s$^{-1}$. No CO(1-0) emission is detected in SDSS J0903+02, SDSS J1337-01, SDSS J1520-01 above 3 sigma, yielding upper limits on $M(H_2)\sim$ 9.6, 4.3 and 5.1 $\times$10$^9$ M$_{\odot}$ respectively. Together with CO measurements of 9 QSO2 at $z\sim$0.3-1.0 from the ULIRG sample by Combes et al. (2011, 2013), we expand previous studies of the molecular gas content of intermediate $z$ QSO2 into the ULIRG regime. We discuss the location of the 13 ULIRG QSO2 at $z<$1 with available $L'_{CO}$ measurements in the $L'_{CO}$ vs. $z$ and $L'_{CO}$ vs. $L_{FIR}$ diagrams, in comparison with other QSO1 and ULIRG star forming samples.

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