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Tanio Diaz-Santos

Publications and source records attributed to Tanio Diaz-Santos.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2021

Regulating Star Formation in Nearby Dusty Galaxies: Low Photoelectric Efficiencies in the Most Compact Systems

Star formation in galaxies is regulated by the heating and cooling in the interstellar medium. In particular, the processing of molecular gas into stars will depend strongly on the ratio of gas heating to gas cooling in the neutral gas around sites of recent star-formation. In this work, we combine mid-infrared (mid-IR) observations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), the dominant heating mechanism of gas in the interstellar medium (ISM), with [C II], [O I], and [Si II] fine-structure emission, the strongest cooling channels in dense, neutral gas. The ratio of IR cooling line emission to PAH emission measures the photoelectric efficiency, a property of the ISM which dictates how much energy carried by ultraviolet photons gets transferred into the gas. We find that star-forming, IR luminous galaxies in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) with high IR surface densities have low photoelectric efficiencies. These systems also have, on average, higher ratios of radiation field strength to gas densities, and larger average dust grain size distributions. The data support a scenario in which the most compact galaxies have more young star-forming regions per unit area, which exhibit less efficient gas heating. These conditions may be more common at high-z, and may help explain the higher star-formation rates at cosmic noon. We make predictions on how this can be investigated with JWST.

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arXiv2020

Fast Outflows in Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies with Keck/NIRES

We present rest-frame optical spectroscopic observations of 24 Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies (Hot DOGs) at redshifts 1.7-4.6 with KECK/NIRES. Our targets are selected based on their extreme red colors to be the highest luminosity sources from the WISE infrared survey. In 20 sources with well-detected emission we fit the key [O III], H$β$, H$α$, [N II], and [S II] diagnostic lines to constrain physical conditions. Of the 17 targets with a clear detection of the [O III]$\rm λ$5007A emission line, 15 display broad blueshifted and asymmetric line profiles, with widths ranging from 1000 to 8000 $\rm km\ s^{-1}$ and blueshifts up to 3000 $\rm km\ s^{-1}$. These kinematics provide strong evidence for the presence of massive ionized outflows of up to $8000\ \rm M_\odot\ yr^{-1}$, with a median of $150\ \rm M_\odot\ yr^{-1}$. As many as eight sources show optical emission line ratios consistent with vigorous star formation. Balmer line star-formation rates, uncorrected for reddening, range from 30--1300 $\rm M_\odot\ yr^{-1}$, with a median of $50\ \rm M_\odot\ yr^{-1}$. Estimates of the SFR from SED fitting of mid and far-infrared photometry suggest significantly higher values. We estimate the central black hole masses to be of order $10^{8-10}\rm\ M_\odot$, assuming the present-day $\rm M_{BH}-σ_*$ relation. The bolometric luminosities and the estimated masses of the central black holes of these galaxies suggest that many of the AGN-dominated Hot DOGs are accreting at or above their Eddington limit. The combination of ongoing star formation, massive outflows, and high Eddington ratios suggest Hot DOGs are a transitional phase in galaxy evolution.

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arXiv2020

A Comparison of the Stellar, CO and Dust-Continuum Emission from Three, Star-Forming HUDF Galaxies at $z\sim 2$

We compare the extent of the dust, molecular gas and stars in three star-forming galaxies, at $z= 1.4, 1.6$ and $2.7$, selected from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field based on their bright CO and dust-continuum emission as well as their large rest-frame optical sizes. The galaxies have high stellar masses, $\mathrm{M}_*>10^{11}\mathrm{M}_\odot$, and reside on, or slightly below, the main sequence of star-forming galaxies at their respective redshifts. We probe the dust and molecular gas using subarcsecond Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the 1.3 mm continuum and CO line emission, respectively, and probe the stellar distribution using \emph{Hubble Space Telescope} observations at 1.6 \textmu m. We find that for all three galaxies the CO emission appears $\gtrsim 30\%$ more compact than the stellar emission. For the $z= 1.4$ and $2.7$ galaxies, the dust emission is also more compact, by $\gtrsim 50\%$, than the stellar emission, whereas for the $z=1.6$ galaxy, the dust and stellar emission have similar spatial extents. This similar spatial extent is consistent with observations of local disk galaxies. However, most high redshift observations show more compact dust emission, likely due to the ubiquity of central starbursts at high redshift and the limited sensitivity of many of these observations. Using the CO emission line, we also investigate the kinematics of the cold interstellar medium in the galaxies, and find that all three have kinematics consistent with a rotation-dominated disk.

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arXiv2020

Similar Scaling Relations for the Gas Content of Galaxies across Environments to z ~ 3.5

We study the effects of the local environment on the molecular gas content of a large sample of log($M_{*}$/$M_{\odot}$) $\gtrsim$ 10 star-forming and starburst galaxies with specific star-formation rates (sSFRs) on and above the main sequence (MS) to $z$ $\sim$ 3.5. ALMA observations of the dust continuum in the COSMOS field are used to estimate molecular gas masses at $z$ $\approx$ 0.5-3.5. We also use a local universe sample from the ALFALFA HI survey after converting it into molecular masses. The molecular mass ($M_{ISM}$) scaling relation shows a dependence on $z$, $M_{*}$, and sSFR relative to the MS, but no dependence on environmental overdensity $Δ$ ($M_{ISM}$ $\propto$ $Δ^{0.03}$). Similarly, gas mass fraction (f$_{gas}$) and depletion timescale ($τ$) show no environmental dependence to $z$ $\sim$ 3.5. At $\langle z\rangle$ $\sim$ 1.8, the average $\langle M_{ISM}\rangle$,$\langle$f$_{gas}\rangle$, and $\langle τ\rangle$ in densest regions is (1.6$\pm$0.2)$\times$10$^{11}$ $M_{\odot}$, 55$\pm$2%, and 0.8$\pm$0.1 Gyr, respectively, similar to those in the lowest density bin. Independent of the environment, f$_{gas}$ decreases and $τ$ increases with increasing cosmic time. Cosmic molecular mass density ($ρ$) in the lowest density bins peaks at $z$ $\sim$ 1-2, and this peak happens at $z$ $<$ 1 in densest bins. This differential evolution of $ρ$ across environments is likely due to the growth of the large-scale structure with cosmic time. Our results suggest that the molecular gas content and the subsequent star-formation activity of log($M_{*}$/$M_{\odot}$) $\gtrsim$ 10 star-forming and starburst galaxies is primarily driven by internal processes, and not by their local environment since $z$ $\sim$ 3.5.

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arXiv2020

VLA-ALMA Spectroscopic Survey in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (VLASPECS): Total Cold Gas Masses and CO Line Ratios for z=2-3 "Main Sequence" Galaxies

Using the NSF's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), we report six detections of CO(J=1-0) emission and one upper limit in z=2-3 galaxies originally detected in higher-J CO emission in the Atacama Large submillimeter/Millimeter Array (ALMA) Spectroscopic Survey in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (ASPECS). From the CO(J=1-0) line strengths, we measure total cold molecular gas masses of M_gas = 2.4-11.6 x 10^10 (alpha_CO/3.6) Msun. We also measure a median CO(J=3-2) to CO(J=1-0) line brightness temperature ratio of r_31 = 0.84 +/- 0.26, and a CO(J=7-6) to CO(J=1-0) ratio range of r_71 <0.05 to 0.17. These results suggest that CO(J=3-2) selected galaxies may have a higher CO line excitation on average than CO(J=1-0) selected galaxies, based on the limited, currently available samples from the ASPECS and VLA CO Luminosity Density at High Redshift (COLDz) surveys. This implies that previous estimates of the cosmic density of cold gas in galaxies based on CO(J=3-2) measurements should be revised down by a factor of ~=2 on average based on assumptions regarding CO excitation alone. This correction further improves the agreement between the best currently existing constraints on the cold gas density evolution across cosmic history from line scan surveys, and the implied characteristic gas depletion times.

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arXiv2020

Measuring the Heating and Cooling of the Interstellar Medium at High redshift: PAH and [C II] Observations of the Same Star Forming Galaxies at z~2

Star formation depends critically on cooling mechanisms in the interstellar medium (ISM); however, thermal properties of gas in galaxies at the peak epoch of star formation (z ~ 2) remain poorly understood. A limiting factor in understanding the multiphase ISM is the lack of multiple tracers detected in the same galaxies, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) emission, a tracer of a critical photoelectric heating mechanism in interstellar gas, and [C II] 158μm fine-structure emission, a principal coolant. We present ALMA Band 9 observations targeting [C II] in six z ~ 2 star-forming galaxies with strong Spitzer IRS detections of PAH emission. All six galaxies are detected in dust continuum and marginally resolved. We compare the properties of PAH and [C II] emission, and constrain their relationship as a function of total infrared luminosity (LIR) and IR surface density. [C II] emission is detected in one galaxy at high signal-to-noise (34σ), and we place a secure upper limit on a second source. The rest of our sample are not detected in [C II] likely due to redshift uncertainties and narrow ALMA bandpass windows. Our results are consistent with the deficit in [C II]/LIR and PAH/LIR observed in the literature. However, the ratio of [C II] to PAH emission at z ~ 2 is possibly much lower than what is observed in nearby dusty star-forming galaxies. This could be the result of enhanced cooling via [O I] at high-z, hotter gas and dust temperatures, and/or a reduction in the photoelectric efficiency, in which the coupling between interstellar radiation and gas heating is diminished.

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arXiv2019

Spectral Classification and Ionized Gas Outflows in $z\sim2$ WISE-Selected Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies

We present VLT/XSHOOTER rest-frame UV-optical spectra of 10 Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies (Hot DOGs) at $z\sim2$ to investigate AGN diagnostics and to assess the presence and effect of ionized gas outflows. Most Hot DOGs in this sample are narrow-line dominated AGN (type 1.8 or higher), and have higher Balmer decrements than typical type 2 quasars. Almost all (8/9) sources show evidence for ionized gas outflows in the form of broad and blueshifted [O III] profiles, and some sources have such profiles in H$α$ (5/7) or [O II] (3/6). Combined with the literature, these results support additional sources of obscuration beyond the simple torus invoked by AGN unification models. Outflow rates derived from the broad [O III] line ($\rm \gtrsim10^{3}\,M_{\odot}\,yr^{-1}$) are greater than the black hole accretion and star formation rates, with feedback efficiencies ($\sim0.1-1\%$) consistent with negative feedback to the host galaxy's star formation in merger-driven quasar activity scenarios. We find the broad emission lines in luminous, obscured quasars are often better explained by outflows within the narrow line region, and caution that black hole mass estimates for such sources in the literature may have substantial uncertainty. Regardless, we find lower bounds on the Eddington ratio for Hot DOGs near unity.

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arXiv2019

Warm H$_2$ as a probe of massive accretion and feedback through shocks and turbulence across cosmic time

Galaxy formation depends on a complex interplay between gravitational collapse, gas accretion, merging, and feedback processes. Yet, after many decades of investigation, these concepts are poorly understood. This paper presents the argument that warm H$_2$ can be used as a tool to unlock some of these mysteries. Turbulence, shocks and outflows, driven by star formation, AGN activity or inflows, may prevent the rapid buildup of star formation in galaxies. Central to our understanding of how gas is converted into stars is the process by which gas can dissipate its mechanical energy through turbulence and shocks in order to cool. H$_2$ lines provide direct quantitative measurements of kinetic energy dissipation in molecular gas in galaxies throughout the Universe. Based on the detection of very powerful H$_2$ lines from z = 2 galaxies and proto-clusters at the detection limits of {\it Spitzer}, we are confident that future far-IR and UV H$_2$ observations will provide a wealth of new information and insight into galaxy evolution to high-z. Finally, at the very earliest epoch of star and galaxy formation, warm H$_2$ may also provide a unique glimpse of molecular gas collapse at 7 $<$ z $<$ 12 in massive dark matter (DM) halos on their way to forming the very first galaxies. Such measurements are beyond the reach of existing and planned observatories.

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arXiv2018

SOFIA/FORCAST resolves 30 - 40 um extended dust emission in nearby active galactic nuclei

We present arcsecond-scale observations of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) of seven nearby Seyfert galaxies observed from the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) using the 31.5 and 37.1 um filters of the Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST). We isolate unresolved emission from the torus and find extended diffuse emission in six 37.1 um residual images in our sample. Using Spitzer/IRS spectra, we determine the dominant mid-infrared (MIR) extended emission source and attribute it to dust in the narrow line region (NLR) or star formation. We compare the optical NLR and radio jet axes to the extended 37.1 um emission and find coincident axes for three sources. For those AGNs with extended emission coincident with the optical axis, we find that spatial scales of the residual images are consistent with 0.1 - 1 kpc scale distances to which dust can be heated by the AGN. Using previously published subarcsecond 1 - 20 um imaging and spectroscopic data along with our new observations, we construct broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the AGNs at wavelengths 1 - 40 um. We find that three AGNs in our sample tentatively show a turnover in the SED between 30 - 40 um. Using results from Clumpy torus models and the Bayesian inference tool BayesClumpy, we find that the posterior outputs for AGNs with MIR turnover revealed by SOFIA/FORCAST have smaller uncertainties than AGNs that do not show a turnover.

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arXiv2018

Jet-related Excitation of the [CII] Emission in the Active Galaxy NGC 4258 with SOFIA

We detect widespread [CII]157.7um emission from the inner 5 kpc of the active galaxy NGC 4258 with the SOFIA integral field spectrometer FIFI-LS. The emission is found associated with warm H2, distributed along and beyond the end of southern jet, in a zone known to contain shock-excited optical filaments. It is also associated with soft X-ray hot-spots, which are the counterparts of the `anomalous radio arms' of NGC~4258, and a 1 kpc-long filament on the minor axis of the galaxy which contains young star clusters. Palomar-CWI H-alpha integral field spectroscopy shows that the filament exhibits non-circular motions within NGC 4258. Many of the [CII] profiles are very broad, with the highest line width, 455 km/s, observed at the position of the southern jet bow-shock. Abnormally high ratios of L([CII])/L(FIR) and L([CII])/L(PAH7.7um) are found along and beyond the southern jet and in the X-ray hotspots. These are the same regions that exhibit unusually large intrinsic [CII] line widths. This suggests that the [CII] traces warm molecular gas in shocks and turbulence associated with the jet. We estimate that as much as 40% (3.8 x 10^39 erg/s) of the total [CII] luminosity from the inner 5 kpc of NGC 4258 arises in shocks and turbulence (< 1% bolometric luminosity from the active nucleus), the rest being consistent with [CII] excitation associated with star formation. We propose that the highly-inclined jet is colliding with, and being deflected around, dense irregularities in a thick disk, leading to significant energy dissipation over a wide area of the galaxy.

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arXiv2018

Super-Eddington Accretion in the WISE-Selected Extremely Luminous Infrared Galaxy W2246-0526

We use optical and near-infrared spectroscopy to observe rest-UV emission lines and estimate the black hole mass of WISEA J224607.56-052634.9 (W2246-0526) at z = 4.601, the most luminous hot dust-obscured galaxy yet discovered by WISE. From the broad component of the MgII-2799A emission line, we measure a black hole mass of log (M_BH/M_sun) = 9.6 +- 0.4. The broad CIV-1549A line is asymmetric and significantly blue-shifted. The derived M_BH from the blueshift-corrected broad CIV line width agrees with the MgII result. From direct measurement using a well-sampled SED, the bolometric luminosity is 3.6 * 10^14 L_sun. The corresponding Eddington ratio for W2246-0526 is lambda_Edd = L_AGN / L_Edd = 2.8. This high Eddington ratio may reach the level where the luminosity is saturating due to photon trapping in the accretion flow, and be insensitive to the mass accretion rate. In this case, the M_BH growth rate in W2246-0526 would exceed the apparent accretion rate derived from the observed luminosity.

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arXiv2018

CO (7-6), [CI] 370 micron and [NII] 205 micron Line Emission of the QSO BRI 1335-0417 at Redshift 4.407

We present the results from our Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) imaging observations of the CO (7-6), [CI] 370 um (hereafter [CI]) and [NII] 205 um (hereafter [NI]I) lines and their underlying continuum emission of BRI 1335-0417, an infrared bright quasar at z = 4.407. At the achieved resolutions of 1.1" to 1.2" (or 7.5 to 8.2 kpc), the continuum at 205 and 372 um (rest-frame), the CO (7-6), and the [CI] emissions are at best barely resolved whereas the [NII] emission is well resolved with an ALMA beam de-convolved major axis of 1.3" (+/- 0.3") or 9 (+/-2) kpc. As a warm dense gas tracer, the CO (7-6) emission shows a more compact spatial distribution and a significantly higher peak velocity dispersion than the other two lines that probe lower density gas, a picture favoring a merger-triggered star formation (SF) scenario over an orderly rotating SF disk. The CO (7-6) data also indicate a possible QSO-driven gas outflow that reaches a maximum line-of-sight velocity of 500 to 600 km/s. The far-infrared (FIR) dust temperature (T_dust) of 41.5 K from a gray-body fit to the continuum agrees well with the average T_dust inferred from various line luminosity ratios. The resulting L_CO(7-6)/L_FIR luminosity ratio is consistent with that of local luminous infrared galaxies powered predominantly by SF. The CO(7-6) luminosity-inferred SF rate is 5.1 (+/-1.5) x 10^3 M_solar/yr . The system has an effective star-forming region of 1.7 (+1.7/-0.8) kpc in diameter and a molecular gas reservoir of ~5 x 10^{11} M_solar.

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arXiv2018

Warm Molecular Hydrogen in Nearby, Luminous Infrared Galaxies

Mid-infrared molecular hydrogen (H$_2$) emission is a powerful cooling agent in galaxy mergers and in radio galaxies; it is a potential key tracer of gas evolution and energy dissipation associated with mergers, star formation, and accretion onto supermassive black holes. We detect mid-IR H$_2$ line emission in at least one rotational transition in 91\% of the 214 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) observed with Spitzer as part of the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). We use H$_2$ excitation diagrams to estimate the range of masses and temperatures of warm molecular gas in these galaxies. We find that LIRGs in which the IR emission originates mostly from the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) have about 100K higher H$_2$ mass-averaged excitation temperatures than LIRGs in which the IR emission originates mostly from star formation. Between 10 and 15\% of LIRGs have H$_2$ emission lines that are sufficiently broad to be resolved or partially resolved by the high resolution modules of Spitzer's Infrared Spectrograph (IRS). Those sources tend to be mergers and contain AGN. This suggests that a significant fraction of the H$_2$ line emission is powered by AGN activity through X-rays, cosmic rays, and turbulence. We find a statistically significant correlation between the kinetic energy in the H$_2$ gas and the H$_2$ to IR luminosity ratio. The sources with the largest warm gas kinetic energies are mergers. We speculate that mergers increase the production of bulk in-flows leading to observable broad H$_2$ profiles and possibly denser environments.

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arXiv2018

Circumnuclear star-formation and AGN activity: Clues from surface brightness radial profile of PAHs and [SIV]

We studied the circumnuclear MIR emission in a sample of 19 local active galactic nuclei (AGN) with high spatial resolution spectra using T-ReCS (Gemini) and CanariCam (GTC), together with IRS/Spitzer observations. We measured the flux and the equivalent width for the 11.3 micron PAH feature and the [SIV] line emission as a function of galactocentric distance. This allowed to study the star formation (SF) at sub-kpc scales from the nucleus for a large sample of nearby AGN. The [SIV] line emission could be tracing the AGN radiation field within a few thousand times the sublimation radius (R_sub), but it often peaks at distances greater than 1000 R_sub. One possibility is that the SF is contributing to the [SIV] total flux. We found an 11.3 micron PAH emission deficit within the inner few tens of parsecs from the AGN. This deficit might be due to the destruction of the molecules responsible for this feature or the lack of SF at these distances. We found a sensible agreement in the expected shift of the relation of the AGN bolometric luminosity and the SF rate. This indicates that numerical models attributing the link between AGN activity and host galaxy growth to mergers are in agreement with our data, for most inner galaxy parts.

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arXiv2018

Starbursts in and out of the star-formation main sequence

We use high-resolution continuum images obtained at 870microns with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) to probe the surface density of star-formation in z~2 galaxies and study the different physical properties between galaxies within and above the star-formation main sequence of galaxies. This sample of eight star-forming galaxies at z~2 selected among the most massive Herschel galaxies in the GOODS-South field is supplemented with eleven galaxies from the public data of the 1.3 mm survey of the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field. ALMA reveals systematically dense concentrations of dusty star-formation close to the center of the stellar component of the galaxies. We identify two different starburst regimes: (i) the classical population of starbursts located above the SFR-M* main sequence, with enhanced gas fractions and short depletion times and (ii) a sub-population of galaxies located within the scatter of the main sequence that experience compact star formation with depletion timescales typical of starbursts of ~150 Myr. In both starburst populations, the far infrared and UV are distributed in distinct regions and dust-corrected star formation rates estimated using UV-optical-NIR data alone underestimate the total star formation rate. Starbursts hidden in the main sequence show instead the lowest gas fractions of our sample and could represent the last stage of star-formation before they become passive. Being Herschel-selected, these main sequence galaxies are located in the high-mass end of the main sequence, hence we do not know whether these "starbursts hidden in the main sequence" also exist below 10^11 Msun. Active galactic nuclei are found to be ubiquitous in these compact starbursts, suggesting that the triggering mechanism also feeds the central black hole or that the active nucleus triggers star formation.

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arXiv2017

ALMA Maps of Dust and Warm Dense Gas Emission in the Starburst Galaxy IC 5179$^\star$

We present our high-resolution ($0^{\prime\prime}.15\times0^{\prime\prime}.13$, $\sim$34 pc) observations of the CO(6-5) line emission, which probes the warm and dense molecular gas, and the 434 $μ$m dust continuum emission in the nuclear region of the starburst galaxy IC 5179, conducted with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The CO(6-5) emission is spatially distributed in filamentary structures with many dense cores and shows a velocity field that is characteristic of a circum-nuclear rotating gas disk, with 90% of the rotation speed arising within a radius of $\lesssim150$ pc. At the scale of our spatial resolution, the CO(6-5) and dust emission peaks do not always coincide, with their surface brightness ratio varying by a factor of $\sim$10. This result suggests that their excitation mechanisms are likely different, as further evidenced by the Southwest to Northeast spatial gradient of both CO-to-dust continuum ratio and Pa-$α$ equivalent width. Within the nuclear region (radius$\sim$300 pc) and with a resolution of $\sim$34 pc, the CO line flux (dust flux density) detected in our ALMA observations is $180\pm18$ Jy km/s ($71\pm7$ mJy), which account for 22% (2.4%) of the total value measured by Herschel.

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arXiv2017

ALMA [NII] 205 micron Imaging Spectroscopy of the Interacting Galaxy System BRI 1202-0725 at Redshift 4.7

We present the results from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) imaging in the [NII] 205 micron fine-structure line (hereafter [NII]) and the underlying continuum of BRI 1202-0725, an interacting galaxy system at $z =$ 4.7, consisting of an optical QSO, a sub-millimeter galaxy (SMG) and two Lyman-$α$ emitters (LAEs), all within $\sim$25 kpc of the QSO. We detect the QSO and SMG in both [NII] and continuum. At the $\sim$$1"$ (or 6.6 kpc) resolution, both QSO and SMG are resolved in [NII], with the de-convolved major axes of $\sim$9 and $\sim$14 kpc, respectively. In contrast, their continuum emissions are much more compact and unresolved even at an enhanced resolution of $\sim$$0.7"$. The ratio of the [NII] flux to the existing CO (7$-$6) flux is used to constrain the dust temperature ($T_{\rm dust}$) for a more accurate determination of the FIR luminosity $L_{\rm FIR}$. Our best estimated $T_{\rm dust}$ equals $43 (\pm 2)$ K for both galaxies (assuming an emissivity index $β= 1.8$). The resulting $L_{\rm CO(7-6)}/L_{\rm FIR}$ ratios are statistically consistent with that of local luminous infrared galaxies, confirming that $L_{\rm CO(7-6)}$ traces the star formation (SF) rate (SFR) in these galaxies. We estimate that the on-going SF of the QSO (SMG) has a SFR of 5.1 $(6.9) \times 10^3 M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ ($\pm$ 30%) assuming Chabrier initial mass function, takes place within a diameter (at half maximum) of 1.3 (1.5) kpc, and shall consume the existing 5 $(5) \times 10^{11} M_{\odot}$ of molecular gas in 10 $(7) \times 10^7$ years.

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arXiv2017

A controlled study of cold dust content in galaxies from $z=0-2$

At $z=1-3$, the formation of new stars is dominated by dusty galaxies whose far-IR emission indicates they contain colder dust than local galaxies of a similar luminosity. We explore the reasons for the evolving IR emission of similar galaxies over cosmic time using: 1) Local galaxies from GOALS $(L_{\rm IR}=10^{11}-10^{12}\,L_\odot)$; 2) Galaxies at $z\sim0.1-0.5$ from the 5MUSES ($L_{\rm IR}=10^{10}-10^{12}\,L_\odot$); 3) IR luminous galaxies spanning $z=0.5-3$ from GOODS and Spitzer xFLS ($L_{\rm IR}>10^{11}\,L_\odot$). All samples have Spitzer mid-IR spectra, and Herschel and ground-based submillimeter imaging covering the full IR spectral energy distribution, allowing us to robustly measure $L_{\rm IR}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}$, $T_{\rm dust}$, and $M_{\rm dust}$ for every galaxy. Despite similar infrared luminosities, $z>0.5$ dusty star forming galaxies have a factor of 5 higher dust masses and 5K colder temperatures. The increase in dust mass is linked with an increase in the gas fractions with redshift, and we do not observe a similar increase in stellar mass or star formation efficiency. $L_{160}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}/L_{70}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}$, a proxy for $T_{\rm dust}$, is strongly correlated with $L_{\rm IR}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}/M_{\rm dust}$ independently of redshift. We measure merger classification and galaxy size for a subsample, and there is no obvious correlation between these parameters and $L_{\rm IR}^{\rm \scriptscriptstyle SF}/M_{\rm dust}$ or $L_{160}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}/L_{70}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}$. In dusty star forming galaxies, the change in $L_{\rm IR}^{\rm\scriptscriptstyle SF}/M_{\rm dust}$ can fully account for the observed colder dust temperatures, suggesting that any change in the spatial extent of the interstellar medium is a second order effect.

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