ALMA Measures Rapidly Depleted Molecular Gas Reservoirs in Massive Quiescent Galaxies at z similar to 1.5
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ALMA Measures Rapidly Depleted Molecular Gas Reservoirs in Massive Quiescent Galaxies at z similar to 1.5. / Williams, Christina C.; Spilker, Justin S.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Dave, Romeel; Woodrum, Charity; Brammer, Gabriel; Bezanson, Rachel; Narayanan, Desika; Weiner, Benjamin.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 908, No. 1, 54, 11.02.2021.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - ALMA Measures Rapidly Depleted Molecular Gas Reservoirs in Massive Quiescent Galaxies at z similar to 1.5
AU - Williams, Christina C.
AU - Spilker, Justin S.
AU - Whitaker, Katherine E.
AU - Dave, Romeel
AU - Woodrum, Charity
AU - Brammer, Gabriel
AU - Bezanson, Rachel
AU - Narayanan, Desika
AU - Weiner, Benjamin
PY - 2021/2/11
Y1 - 2021/2/11
N2 - We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) CO(2-1) spectroscopy of six massive (log(10) M-*/M-circle dot > 11.3) quiescent galaxies at z similar to 1.5. These data represent the largest sample using CO emission to trace molecular gas in quiescent galaxies above z > 1, achieving an average 3 sigma sensitivity of M-H2 similar to 10(10)M(circle dot). We detect one galaxy at 4 sigma significance and place upper limits on the molecular gas reservoirs of the other five, finding molecular gas mass fractions M-H2/M-* = f(H2) <2%-6% (3 sigma upper limits). This is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than coeval star-forming galaxies at similar stellar.mass, and comparable to galaxies at z.=.0 with similarly low specific star formation rate (sSFR). This indicates that their molecular gas reservoirs were rapidly and efficiently used up or destroyed, and that gas fractions are uniformly low ( 12 by z similar to 4 that halt the accretion of baryons early in the universe. Our data are consistent with a simple picture where galaxies truncate accretion and then consume the existing gas at or faster than typical main-sequence rates. Alternatively, we cannot rule out that these galaxies reside in lower.mass halos, and low gas fractions may instead reflect either stronger feedback, or more efficient gas consumption.
AB - We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) CO(2-1) spectroscopy of six massive (log(10) M-*/M-circle dot > 11.3) quiescent galaxies at z similar to 1.5. These data represent the largest sample using CO emission to trace molecular gas in quiescent galaxies above z > 1, achieving an average 3 sigma sensitivity of M-H2 similar to 10(10)M(circle dot). We detect one galaxy at 4 sigma significance and place upper limits on the molecular gas reservoirs of the other five, finding molecular gas mass fractions M-H2/M-* = f(H2) <2%-6% (3 sigma upper limits). This is 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than coeval star-forming galaxies at similar stellar.mass, and comparable to galaxies at z.=.0 with similarly low specific star formation rate (sSFR). This indicates that their molecular gas reservoirs were rapidly and efficiently used up or destroyed, and that gas fractions are uniformly low ( 12 by z similar to 4 that halt the accretion of baryons early in the universe. Our data are consistent with a simple picture where galaxies truncate accretion and then consume the existing gas at or faster than typical main-sequence rates. Alternatively, we cannot rule out that these galaxies reside in lower.mass halos, and low gas fractions may instead reflect either stronger feedback, or more efficient gas consumption.
U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/abcbf6
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/abcbf6
M3 - Journal article
VL - 908
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 1
M1 - 54
ER -
ID: 260357723