arXiv subjects

Stuart N. Vogel

Publications and source records attributed to Stuart N. Vogel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

CARMA Survey Toward Infrared-bright Nearby Galaxies (STING): Molecular Gas Star Formation Law in NGC4254

This study explores the effects of different assumptions and systematics on the determination of the local, spatially resolved star formation law. Using four star formation rate (SFR) tracers (Hαwith azimuthally averaged extinction correction, mid-infrared 24 micron, combined Hαand mid-infrared 24 micron, and combined far-ultraviolet and mid-infrared 24 micron), several fitting procedures, and different sampling strategies we probe the relation between SFR and molecular gas at various spatial resolutions and surface densities within the central 6.5 kpc in the disk of NGC4254. We find that in the high surface brightness regions of NGC4254 the form of the molecular gas star formation law is robustly determined and approximately linear and independent of the assumed fraction of diffuse emission and the SFR tracer employed. When the low surface brightness regions are included, the slope of the star formation law depends primarily on the assumed fraction of diffuse emission. In such case, results range from linear when the fraction of diffuse emission in the SFR tracer is ~30% or less (or when diffuse emission is removed in both the star formation and the molecular gas tracer), to super-linear when the diffuse fraction is ~50% and above. We find that the tightness of the correlation between gas and star formation varies with the choice of star formation tracer. The 24 micron SFR tracer by itself shows the tightest correlation with the molecular gas surface density, whereas the Hαcorrected for extinction using an azimuthally-averaged correction shows the highest dispersion. We find that for R<0.5R_25 the local star formation efficiency is constant and similar to that observed in other large spirals, with a molecular gas depletion time ~2 Gyr.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Relationship Between Molecular Gas and Star Formation in Low-Mass E/S0 Galaxies

We consider the relationship between molecular-gas and star-formation surface densities in 19 morphologically defined E/S0s with stellar mass <~ 4x10^10 M_sun, paying particular attention to those found on the blue sequence in color vs. stellar mass parameter space, where spiral galaxies typically reside. While some blue-sequence E/S0s must be young major-merger remnants, many low-mass blue-sequence E/S0s appear much less disturbed, and may be experiencing the milder starbursts associated with inner-disk building as spirals (re)grow. For a sample of eight E/S0s (four blue-, two mid-, and two red-sequence) whose CARMA CO(1-0), Spitzer MIPS 24um, and GALEX FUV emission distributions are spatially resolved on a 750pc scale, we find roughly linear relationships between molecular-gas and star-formation surface densities within all galaxies, with power law indices N = 0.6-1.9 (median 1.2). Adding 11 more blue-sequence E/S0s whose CO(1-0) emission is not as well resolved, we find that most of our E/S0s have global 1-8 kpc aperture-averaged molecular-gas surface densities overlapping the range spanned by the disks and centers of spiral galaxies. While many of our E/S0s fall on the same Schmidt-Kennicutt relation as local spirals, ~80% (predominantly on the blue sequence) are offset towards apparently higher molecular-gas star formation efficiency (i.e., shorter molecular gas depletion time). Possible interpretations of the elevated efficiencies include bursty star formation similar to that in local dwarf galaxies, H2 depletion in advanced starbursts, or simply a failure of the CO(1-0) emission to trace all of the molecular gas.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Cold Gas in Blue-Sequence E/S0s: Galaxies in Transition

We examine the HI+H_2 content of blue-sequence E/S0s -- a recently identified population of galaxies that are morphologically early type, but reside alongside spiral galaxies in color vs. stellar mass space. We test the idea that the majority of low-to-intermediate mass blue-sequence E/S0s may be settled products of past mergers evolving toward later-type morphology via disk regrowth. We find that blue-sequence E/S0s with stellar masses <= 4 x 10^10 M_{\odot} have atomic gas-to-stellar mass ratios of 0.1 to > 1.0, comparable to those of spiral galaxies. Preliminary CO(1-0) maps reveal disk-like rotation of molecular gas in the inner regions of several of our blue-sequence E/S0s, which suggests that they may have gas disks suitable for stellar disk regrowth. At the current rate of star formation, many of our blue-sequence E/S0s will exhaust their atomic gas reservoirs in <~ 3 Gyr. Over the same time period, most of these galaxies are capable of substantial growth in the stellar component. Star formation in blue-sequence E/S0s appears to be bursty, and likely involves inflow triggered by minor mergers and/or interactions.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

Radial Dependence of the Pattern Speed of M51

The grand-design spiral galaxy M51 has long been a crucial target for theories of spiral structure. Studies of this iconic spiral can address the question of whether strong spiral structure is transient (e.g. interaction-driven) or long-lasting. As a clue to the origin of the structure in M51, we investigate evidence for radial variation in the spiral pattern speed using the radial Tremaine-Weinberg (TWR) method. We implement the method on CO observations tracing the ISM-dominant molecular component. Results from the method's numerical implementation--combined with regularization, which smooths intrinsically noisy solutions--indicate two distinct patterns speeds inside 4 kpc at our derived major axis PA=170 deg., both ending at corotation and both significantly higher than the conventionally adopted global value. Inspection of the rotation curve suggests that the pattern speed interior to 2 kpc lacks an ILR, consistent with the leading structure seen in HST near-IR observations. We also find tentative evidence for a lower pattern speed between 4 and 5.3 kpc measured by extending the regularized zone. As with the original TW method, uncertainty in major axis position angle (PA) is the largest source of error in the calculation; in this study, where δPA=+/-5 deg. a ~20% error is introduced to the parameters of the speeds at PA=170 deg. Accessory to this standard uncertainty, solutions with PA=175 deg. (also admitted by the data) exhibit only one pattern speed inside 4 kpc, and we consider this circumstance under the semblance of a radially varying PA.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Comparative Analysis of Molecular Clouds in M31, M33 and the Milky Way

We present BIMA observations of a 2$\arcmin$ field in the northeastern spiral arm of M31. In this region we find six giant molecular clouds that have a mean diameter of 57$\pm$13 pc, a mean velocity width of 6.5$\pm$1.2 \kms, and a mean molecular mass of 3.0 $\pm$ 1.6 $\times$ 10$^5$\Msun. The peak brightness temperature of these clouds ranges from 1.6--4.2 K. We compare these clouds to clouds in M33 observed by \citet{wilson90} using the OVRO millimeter array, and some cloud complexes in the Milky Way observed by \cite{dame01} using the CfA 1.2m telescope. In order to properly compare the single dish data to the spatially filtered interferometric data, we project several well-known Milky Way complexes to the distance of Andromeda and simulate their observation with the BIMA interferometer. We compare the simulated Milky Way clouds with the M31 and M33 data using the same cloud identification and analysis technique and find no significant differences in the cloud properties in all three galaxies. Thus we conclude that previous claims of differences in the molecular cloud properties between these galaxies may have been due to differences in the choice of cloud identification techniques. With the upcoming CARMA array, individual molecular clouds may be studied in a variety of nearby galaxies. With ALMA, comprehensive GMC studies will be feasible at least as far as the Virgo cluster. With these data, comparative studies of molecular clouds across galactic disks of all types and between different galaxy disks will be possible. Our results emphasize that interferometric observations combined with the use of a consistent cloud identification and analysis technique will be essential for such forthcoming studies that will compare GMCs in the Local Group galaxies to galaxies in the Virgo cluster.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Kinematics of Spiral Arm Streaming in M51

We use CO and H alpha velocity fields to study the gas kinematics in the spiral arms and interarms of M51 (NGC 5194), and fit the 2D velocity field to estimate the radial and tangential velocity components as a function of spiral phase (arm distance). We find large radial and tangential streaming velocities, which are qualitatively consistent with the predictions of density wave theory and support the existence of shocks. The streaming motions are complex, varying significantly across the galaxy as well as along and between arms. Aberrations in the velocity field indicate that the disk is not coplanar, perhaps as far in as 20\arcsec\ (800 pc) from the center. Velocity profile fits from CO and H alpha are typically similar, suggesting that most of the H alpha emission originates from regions of recent star formation. We also explore vortensity and mass conservation conditions. Vortensity conservation, which does not require a steady state, is empirically verified. The velocity and density profiles show large and varying mass fluxes, which are inconsistent with a steady flow for a single dominant global spiral mode. We thus conclude that the spiral arms cannot be in a quasi-steady state in any rotating frame, and/or that out of plane motions may be significant.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

An HST Archival Survey of Feathers in Spiral Galaxies

We present a survey of spiral arm extinction substructure referred to as feathers in 223 spiral galaxies using HST WFPC2 images. The sample includes all galaxies in the RC3 catalog with cz < 5000 km/s, B_T < 15, i < 60 degrees, and types Sa--Sd with well-exposed broadband WFPC2 images. The detection frequency of delineated, periodic feathers in this sample is 20% (45 of 223). This work is consistent with Lynds (1970), who concluded that feathers are common in prototypical Sc galaxies; we find that feathers are equally common in Sb galaxies. Sb--Sc galaxies without clear evidence for feathers either had poorer quality images, or flocculent or complex structure. We did not find clearly defined feathers in any Scd--Sd galaxy. The probability of detecting feathers was highest (83%) for spirals with well-defined primary dust lanes (PDLs; the lanes which line the inner edge of an arm); well-defined PDLs were only noted in Sab--Sc galaxies. Consistent with earlier work, we find that neighboring feathers tend to have similar shapes and pitch angles. OB associations are often found lining feathers, and many feathers transition to the stellar substructures known as spurs (Elmegreen 1980). We find that feathers are coincident with interarm filaments strikingly revealed in Spitzer 8 micron images. Comparison with CO 1-0 maps of NGC 0628 and NGC 5194 from BIMA SONG shows that feathers originate at the PDL coincident with gas surface density peaks. Contrary to the appearance at 8 microns, the CO maps show that gas surface density in feathers decreases rapidly with distance from the PDL. Also, we find that the spacing between feathers decreases with increasing gas surface density, consistent with formation via a gravitational instability.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

CO Detection and Millimeter Continuum Emission from Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

We present BIMA and IRAM CO(1--0) observations of seven low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies, including three large spirals with faint disks but prominent bulges, and four relatively small LSB galaxies with irregular disks. The giant LSB galaxies are UGC 5709, UGC 6614 and F568-6 (Malin2). The smaller LSB galaxies are NGC 5585, UGC 4115, UGC 5209 and F583-1. The galaxies were selected based on their relatively high metallicity and apparent signs of star formation in their disks. The BIMA maps suggested the presence of molecular gas in 2 of the giant LSB galaxies, F568-6 and UGC 6614. Using the 30m IRAM telescope we detected CO (1--0) emission in the disks of both galaxies and in the nucleus of F568-6. The molecular gas in these galaxies is clearly offset from the nucleus and definitely associated with the LSB disk. In addition we also detected a millimeter continuum source in the center of UGC 6614. When compared with VLA 1.5 GHz observations of the galaxy, the emission was found to have a flat spectrum indicating that the millimeter continuum emission is most likely due to an active galactic nucleus (AGN) in the galaxy. Our results show that giant LSB spirals may contain significant quantities of molecular gas in their disks and also harbor radio bright AGN in their centers.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Secular Evolution Via Bar-Driven Gas Inflow: Results from BIMA SONG

We present an analysis of the molecular gas distributions in the 29 barred and 15 unbarred spirals in BIMA SONG. For CO-bright galaxies, we confirm the conclusion by Sakamoto et al. (1999b) that barred spirals have higher molecular gas concentrations in the central kiloparsec. The SONG sample also includes 27 galaxies below the CO brightness limit used by Sakamoto et al. Even in these CO-faint galaxies we show that high central gas concentrations are more common in barred galaxies, consistent with radial inflow driven by the bar. However, there is a significant population of early-type (Sa--Sbc) barred spirals (6 of 19) that have little or no molecular gas detected in the nuclear region and out to the bar co-rotation radius. In these galaxies, the bar has already driven most of the gas within the bar to the nuclear region, where it has been consumed by star formation. The median nuclear gas mass is over four times higher in early type bars; since the gas consumption rate is an order of magnitude higher in early type bars, early types must have significantly higher bar-driven inflows. The lower inflow rates in late type bars can be attributed to differences in bar structure between early and late types. Despite bar-driven inflows, the data indicate that it is highly unlikely for a late type galaxy to evolve into an early type via bar-induced gas inflow. Nonetheless, secular evolutionary processes are undoubtedly present, and pseudo-bulges are inevitable; evidence for pseudo-bulges is likely to be clearest in early-type galaxies because of their high gas inflow rates and higher star formation activity (abridged).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Millimeter Wave Observations of the Core-Jet and Molecular Gas in the FR I Radio Galaxy NGC 3801

We present BIMA 3 mm observations of the radio continuum source and the molecular gas disk in the radio loud Fanaroff & Riley Type I (FR I)galaxy NGC3801.We have detected a continuum source in the nucleus and determined that it has a flat millimeter-wave spectrum, suggesting that the emission is non-thermal and due to an AGN; the radio core is not evident in existing VLA observations. We also map the extended 3 mm emission from the previously known radio jets. In addition, we detect CO (1--0) emission associated with the dust disk observed in previous HST images. A velocity gradient is observed, indicating a two kpc radius rotating gas ring or disk oriented roughly perpendicular to the radio jets. The inferred molecular gas mass of the disk is $M(H_{2})=3\times10^{8}M_{\odot}$, about 1% of the dynamical mass. We also find a $\sim 10^8$ M$_\odot$ molecular gas clump not associated with the gas disk. There is evidence that this gas is associated with a merger and is infalling. This suggests that FR I type activity is related to merger activity, as is thought to be the case for FR II type radio galaxies. We also find indications that one of the radio jets is entraining gas from the infalling molecular gas.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

The BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (BIMA SONG). II. The CO Data

The BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies is a systematic imaging study of the 3 mm CO J = 1--0 molecular emission within the centers and disks of 44 nearby spiral galaxies. The typical spatial resolution of the survey is 6", or 360 pc at the average distance (12 Mpc) of the sample, over a field of view of 10kpc. The velocity resolution of the CO observations is 4 km/s. The sample was not chosen based on CO or infrared brightness; instead, all spirals were included that met the selection criteria of vsun <= 2000 km/s, dec >= -20deg, inc <= 70deg, D25 < 70', and BT < 11.0. The detection rate was 41/44 sources or 93%. Fully-sampled single-dish CO data were incorporated into the maps for 24 galaxies; these single-dish data comprise the most extensive collection of fully-sampled, two-dimensional single-dish CO maps of external galaxies to date. We also tabulate direct measurements of the global CO flux densities for these 24 sources. We demonstrate that the measured ratios of flux density recovered are a function of the signal-to-noise of the interferometric data. We examine the degree of central peakedness of the molecular surface density distributions and show that the distributions exhibit their brightest CO emission within the central 6" in only 20/44 or 45% of the sample. We show that all three Local Group spiral galaxies have CO morphologies that are represented in SONG, though the Milky Way CO luminosity is somewhat below the SONG average, and M31 and M33 are well below average. This survey provides a unique public database of integrated intensity maps, channel maps, spectra, and velocity fields of molecular emission in nearby galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Central Mass Concentration and Bar Dissolution in Nearby Spiral Galaxies

We use data from the BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (SONG) to investigate the relationship between ellipticity and central mass concentration in barred spirals. Existing simulations predict that bar ellipticity decreases as inflowing mass driven by the bar accumulates in the central regions, ultimately destroying the bar. Using the ratio of the bulge mass to the mass within the bar radius as an estimate of the central mass concentration, we obtain dynamical mass estimates from SONG CO 1-0 rotation curve data. We find an inverse correlation between bar ellipticity and central mass concentration, consistent with simulations of bar dissolution.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Molecular Gas and Star Formation in Bars of Nearby Spiral Galaxies

We compare the distribution of molecular gas and star formation activity in the bar region of six spirals (NGC 2903, NGC 3627, NGC 4321, NGC 5457, NGC 6946, & IC 342) from the BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (SONG). The molecular gas, traced using the CO (J=1--0) emission line, is brightest along the leading edge of the stellar bar in the bar dust lanes. The star formation activity, traced using the Halpha emission line, is offset towards the leading side of the CO emission. A cross-correlation analysis shows that a) the HII regions are offset 0--800 pc on the leading side of the CO emission, b) the largest offsets are found in the strongest bars, and c) there is a wide range in offsets in a single bar with no systematic pattern as a function of the galacto-centric radius. The CO-Halpha offset constrains how stars may form depending on the gas flow. We examine possible star formation scenarios in context of the two main classes of bar gas flow simulations, the N-body/sticky particle and hydrodynamic models. Though both model gas flows are generally consistent with the observed offsets, we suggest the inclusion of a two- or multi-phase medium to improve the agreement between models and observation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Inner Molecular Rings in Barred Galaxies: BIMA SONG CO Observations

Although inner star-forming rings are common in optical images of barred spiral galaxies, observational evidence for the accompanying molecular gas has been scarce. In this paper we present images of molecular inner rings, traced using the CO (1-0) emission line, from the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association Survey of Nearby Galaxies (BIMA SONG). We detect inner ring CO emission from all five SONG barred galaxies classified as inner ring (type (r)). We also examine the seven SONG barred galaxies classified as inner spiral (type (s)); in one of these, NGC 3627, we find morphological and kinematic evidence for a molecular inner ring. Inner ring galaxies have been classified as such based on optical images, which emphasize recent star formation. We consider the possibility that there may exist inner rings in which star formation efficiency is not enhanced. However, we find that in NGC 3627 the inner ring star formation efficiency is enhanced relative to most other regions in that galaxy. We note that the SONG (r) galaxies have a paucity of CO and H alpha emission interior to the inner ring (except near the nucleus), while NGC 3627 has relatively bright bar CO and H alpha emission; we suggest that galaxies with inner rings such as NGC 3627 may be misclassified if there are significant amounts of gas and star formation in the bar.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Optical emission from high velocity clouds and the ionization sources in the Galactic halo

Optical emission lines have now been detected from about 20 high velocity clouds. These emission lines -- primarily H-alpha, secondarily [N II] and [S II] -- are very faint and diffuse, spread over the surfaces of the clouds. We compile emission line measurements and present a model in which the H-alpha is recombination caused by photoionizing radiation escaping the Milky Way. In such a model, we infer HVC distances of 5--30 kpc. The photoionization model fails to explain the relatively strong H-alpha emission from the Magellanic Stream, and the O VI absorption seen by FUSE in HVCs and the MS, which require a second source of ionization (likely collisional). Regardless of mechanism, the fact that HVCs are detectable in H-alpha indicates they are not far away enough to be Local Group objects. Adopting the HVC distances from the model, there appear to be two classes of HVCs: H-alpha-bright clouds with low velocity deviations from Galactic rotation, and often strong [N II], which are presumably affiliated with the Galactic disk; and H-alpha-faint clouds with high velocity deviations, which are likely to be infalling gas.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

The BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (BIMA SONG): I. The Radial Distribution of CO Emission in Spiral Galaxies

We present the first results of the BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (BIMA SONG), an imaging survey of the CO J=(1-0) emission in 44 nearby spiral galaxies at a typical resolution of 6". BIMA SONG differs from previous high-resolution CO surveys in that: (1) CO brightness was not an explicit selection criterion; (2) a larger area (200" diameter for most galaxies) of each galaxy was imaged; and (3) fully-sampled single-dish CO data (55" resolution) were obtained for over half of the sample galaxies, so all of the CO flux is imaged in these galaxies. The radial distribution of stellar light in galactic disks is generally characterized as an exponential. It is, therefore, of interest to investigate whether the molecular gas, which is the star-forming medium, has a similar distribution. Though our low-resolution single-dish radial profiles of CO emission can be described by simple exponentials, this is not true for the emission at our full 6" resolution. The scale lengths of the CO disks are correlated with the scale lengths of the stellar disks with a mean ratio of the scale lengths of about one. We also find that:(1) there is also a weak correlation between the ratio of K-band to CO luminosity and Hubble type; (2) in half of the galaxies presented here, CO emission does not peak at the location of the stellar nucleus; (3) averaged over the inner kiloparsec, the CO emission in one-half of the galaxies exhibits an excess over that expected from an exponential disk which is similar to the excess in stellar light caused by the bulge stars; and (4) this excess CO emission may be due to an increase in the total molecular gas content in the bulge region, or alternatively, to an increase in the CO emissivity caused by the increased pressure of the bulge region.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Comparing Giant Molecular Clouds in M31, M33 & the Milky Way

We present new observations of a 2' field in the north-eastern spiral arm of M31. In the 0.8 x 3.6 kpc mosaicked region, we have detected six distinct, large complexes of molecular gas, most of which lie along the spiral arm dust lane or in the vicinity of HII regions. The mean properties of these complexes are as follows: diameter ~ 57+/-13 pc, fwhm velocity ~ 6.5+/-1.2 km/s, M(CO) ~ 3.0+/-1.6 x 10^5 solar masses, peak brightness temperatures ~ 1.6--4.2 K. We investigate the effects of spatial filtering on the quantitative comparison of Local Group and Milky Way giant molecular clouds properties and distributions. We also discuss different cloud identification techniques and their impact on derived cloud properties. When we employ the same cloud identification method and account for differences in data acquisition for M31, Milky Way, and M33, we find that the molecular cloud complexes in all three galaxies are similar. While the global distribution of molecular gas may vary from galaxy to galaxy, cloud complexes are similar, suggesting that cloud formation and destruction is determined by local physics. This work is supported by grants AST-9613716 & AST-9981289 from the National Science Foundation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Distance Constraints for High Velocity Clouds from Optical Emission Lines

We report results from a survey of high velocity clouds and the Magellanic Stream for faint, diffuse optical recombination emission lines. We detect H-alpha emission with surface brightness from 41 to 1680 milli-Rayleighs (mR) from HVCs, and from <40 to 1360 mR in the MS. A simple model for the photoionizing radiation emergent from the Galaxy, normalized to the HVCs A and M with known distances, predicts distances from a few to 40 kpc, placing the faintest HVCs in the Galactic halo, too far away for a Galactic fountain. This model cannot explain the bright and spatially varying H-alpha in the Magellanic Stream, which requires another source of ionization. However, we do not find any HVCs super-faint in H-alpha; even with another ionization source, we conclude that the detected HVCs are not more than 2--4 times the distance of the MS (100-200 kpc).

astro-ph↗