Asymmetric Star Formation Triggered by Gas Inflow in a Barred Lenticular Galaxy PGC 34107

Abstract

Abstract Comparing the inactive and gas-poor normal lenticular galaxies (S0s) in the local universe, we study a barred star-forming S0 galaxy, PGC 34107, which has been observed by the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán 3.5 m telescope and the Northern Extended Millimeter Array. The spatially resolved ionized gas and molecular gas traced by 12CO(1–0), hereafter CO(1–0), show similar distribution and kinematics to the stellar component with an off-center star-forming region, ∼380 pc away from the center. The resolved kinematics of molecular CO(1–0) emission reveals that there is a blueshifted (redshifted) velocity component on the receding (approaching) side of the galaxy along the stellar bar. This might provide plausible evidence of noncircular motion, such as the bar-induced molecular gas inflow. The velocity of the molecular gas inflow decreases when approaching toward the peak of the off-center star formation in the north, which might be associated with the inner Lindblad resonance. In addition to CO(1–0), we also detect the isotopic line of 13CO(1–0). For most Hα, CO(1–0) and 13CO(1–0) emissions are concentrated on this northern star-forming region. We find that PGC 34107 follows the local stellar mass–metallicity relation, star-forming main sequence, and the Kennicutt–Schmidt law. The resolved and integrated molecular gas main sequence suggests that there is a higher gas fraction in the central region of the galaxy, which supports a scenario that the bar-induced gas reservoir provides the raw material, and subsequently triggers the central star formation.