Cosmic Evolution of Gas and Star Formation *
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Cosmic Evolution of Gas and Star Formation *. / Scoville, Nick; Faisst, Andreas; Weaver, John; Toft, Sune; McCracken, Henry J.; Ilbert, Olivier; Diaz-Santos, Tanio; Staguhn, Johannes; Koda, Jin; Casey, Caitlin; Sanders, David; Mobasher, Bahram; Chartab, Nima; Sattari, Zahra; Capak, Peter; Vanden Bout, Paul; Bongiorno, Angela; Vlahakis, Catherine; Sheth, Kartik; Yun, Min; Aussel, Herve; Laigle, Clotilde; Masters, Dan.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 943, No. 2, 82, 01.02.2023.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Cosmic Evolution of Gas and Star Formation *
AU - Scoville, Nick
AU - Faisst, Andreas
AU - Weaver, John
AU - Toft, Sune
AU - McCracken, Henry J.
AU - Ilbert, Olivier
AU - Diaz-Santos, Tanio
AU - Staguhn, Johannes
AU - Koda, Jin
AU - Casey, Caitlin
AU - Sanders, David
AU - Mobasher, Bahram
AU - Chartab, Nima
AU - Sattari, Zahra
AU - Capak, Peter
AU - Vanden Bout, Paul
AU - Bongiorno, Angela
AU - Vlahakis, Catherine
AU - Sheth, Kartik
AU - Yun, Min
AU - Aussel, Herve
AU - Laigle, Clotilde
AU - Masters, Dan
PY - 2023/2/1
Y1 - 2023/2/1
N2 - Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the long-wavelength dust continuum are used to estimate the gas masses in a sample of 708 star-forming galaxies at z = 0.3-4.5. We determine the dependence of gas masses and star formation efficiencies (SFEs; SFR per unit gas mass) on redshift (z), M (*), and star formation rate (SFR) relative to the main sequence (MS). We find that 70% of the increase in SFRs of the MS is due to the increased gas masses at earlier epochs, while 30% is due to increased efficiency of star formation (SF). For galaxies above the MS this is reversed-with 70% of the increased SFR relative to the MS being due to elevated SFEs. Thus, the major evolution of star formation activity at early epochs is driven by increased gas masses, while the starburst activity taking galaxies above the MS is due to enhanced triggering of star formation (likely due to galactic merging). The interstellar gas peaks at z = 2 and dominates the stellar mass down to z = 1.2. Accretion rates needed to maintain continuity of the MS evolution reach >100 M (circle dot) yr(-1) at z > 2. The galactic gas contents are likely the driving determinant for both the rise in SF and AGN activity from z = 5 to their peak at z = 2 and subsequent fall at lower z. We suggest that for self-gravitating clouds with supersonic turbulence, cloud collisions and the filamentary structure of the clouds regulate the star formation activity.
AB - Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the long-wavelength dust continuum are used to estimate the gas masses in a sample of 708 star-forming galaxies at z = 0.3-4.5. We determine the dependence of gas masses and star formation efficiencies (SFEs; SFR per unit gas mass) on redshift (z), M (*), and star formation rate (SFR) relative to the main sequence (MS). We find that 70% of the increase in SFRs of the MS is due to the increased gas masses at earlier epochs, while 30% is due to increased efficiency of star formation (SF). For galaxies above the MS this is reversed-with 70% of the increased SFR relative to the MS being due to elevated SFEs. Thus, the major evolution of star formation activity at early epochs is driven by increased gas masses, while the starburst activity taking galaxies above the MS is due to enhanced triggering of star formation (likely due to galactic merging). The interstellar gas peaks at z = 2 and dominates the stellar mass down to z = 1.2. Accretion rates needed to maintain continuity of the MS evolution reach >100 M (circle dot) yr(-1) at z > 2. The galactic gas contents are likely the driving determinant for both the rise in SF and AGN activity from z = 5 to their peak at z = 2 and subsequent fall at lower z. We suggest that for self-gravitating clouds with supersonic turbulence, cloud collisions and the filamentary structure of the clouds regulate the star formation activity.
KW - FREE-FREE EMISSION
KW - H-ATLAS GALAXIES
KW - MOLECULAR GAS
KW - SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES
KW - INTERSTELLAR-MEDIUM
KW - FORMING GALAXIES
KW - CO J=1-0
KW - DUST
KW - REDSHIFT
KW - MASSES
U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aca1bc
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aca1bc
M3 - Journal article
VL - 943
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 2
M1 - 82
ER -
ID: 337793466