Region Of M82 Research Articles

Anatomy of Starbursts in Extragalactic Giant HII Regions: M51 Case Study

AbstractExtragalactic giant HII regions (EGHRs) are sites of active, concentrated star formation, and thus provide excellent labs to analyze the starburst phenomenon. Although they have been known for a long time, ground-based observations cannot resolve the physical structures and stellar content of EGHRs. The high resolution and sensitivity of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) are ideal for detailed studies of EGHRs. We have searched the Hubble Legacy Archives (HLA) and found 17 nearby galaxies, within ∼15 Mpc, with Hα and continuum images; to determine the best methods for analyzing these data, we perform an in-depth analysis of the EGHRs in M51. M51 is a face-on spiral galaxy ∼8.4 Mpc away, with well-resolved multi-wavelength observations in the HLA. We sample the 25 most luminous HII regions in M51, many of which are bonafide EGHRs with an H-alpha luminosity > 1039 ergs s−1. We use the Hα image to study the distribution and physical structure of the gas in each HII region and determine its Hα luminosity and required ionizing flux. We use the continuum images to determine whether super stellar clusters (SSCs) are found in these HII regions, and use photometric measurements to determine the mass and age spread of the resolved stellar population. These are then compared with the interstellar structures. The results help us provide the groundwork for studying EGHRs in multiple galaxies and elucidate the starburst phenomenon by investigating questions such as: What role does environment play in the formation of EGHRs? How do EGHRs evolve? How does star formation proceed in an EGHR?

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND NATURE OF SUPERNOVA REMNANTS IN M101

Supernova remnant (SNR) candidates in the giant spiral galaxy M101 have been previously identified from ground-based H-alpha and [SII] images. We have used archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) H-alpha and broad-band images as well as stellar photometry of 55 SNR candidates to examine their physical structure, interstellar environment, and underlying stellar population. We have also obtained high-dispersion echelle spectra to search for shocked high-velocity gas in 18 SNR candidates, and identified X-ray counterparts to SNR candidates using data from archival observations made by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Twenty-one of these 55 SNR candidates studied have X-ray counterparts, although one of them is a known ultra-luminous X-ray source. The multi-wavelength information has been used to assess the nature of each SNR candidate. We find that within this limited sample, ~16% are likely remnants of Type Ia SNe and ~45% are remnants of core-collapse SNe. In addition, about ~36% are large candidates which we suggest are either superbubbles or OB/HII complexes. Existing radio observations are not sensitive enough to detect the non-thermal emission from these SNR candidates. Several radio sources are coincident with X-ray sources, but they are associated with either giant HII regions in M101 or background galaxies. The archival HST H-alpha images do not cover the entire galaxy and thus prevents a complete study of M101. Furthermore, the lack of HST [SII] images precludes searches for small SNR candidates which could not be identified by ground-based observations. Such high-resolution images are needed in order to obtain a complete census of SNRs in M101 for a comprehensive investigation of the distribution, population, and rates of SNe in this galaxy.

20cm VLA radio-continuum study of M31: Images and point source catalogues

We present a series of new high-sensitivity and high-resolution radio-continuum images of M31 at ?=20 cm (?=1.4 GHz). These new images were produced by merging archived 20 cm radio-continuum observations from the Very Large Array (VLA) telescope. Images presented here are sensitive to rms=60 ?Jy and feature high angular resolution (<10??). A complete sample of discrete radio sources have been catalogued and analyzed across 17 individual VLA projects. We identified a total of 864 unique discrete radio sources across the field of M31. One of the most prominent regions in M31 is the ring feature for which we estimated total integrated flux of 706 mJy at ?=20 cm. We compare here detected sources to those listed in Gelfand et al. (2004) at ?=92 cm and find 118 sources in common to both surveys. The majority (61%) of these sources exhibit a spectral index of ? <-0.6 indicating that their emission is predominantly non-thermal in nature, that is more typical for background objects.

First firm spectral classification of an early-B pre-main-sequence star: B275 in M 17

The optical to near-infrared (300 - 2500 nm) spectrum of the candidate massive Young Stellar Object (YSO) B275, embedded in the star forming region M17, has been observed with X-shooter on the ESO Very Large Telescope. The spectrum includes both photospheric absorption lines and emission features (H and Ca triplet emission lines, 1st and 2nd overtone CO bandhead emission), as well as an infrared excess indicating the presence of a (flaring) circumstellar disk. The strongest emission lines are double-peaked with a peak separation ranging between 70 and 105 km s^-1 and provide information on the physical structure of the disk. The underlying photospheric spectrum is classified as B6-B7, significantly cooler than a previous estimate based on modeling of the spectral energy distribution. This discrepancy is solved by allowing for a larger stellar radius (i.e. a bloated star), and thus positioning the star above the main sequence. This constitutes the first firm spectral classification of an early-B pre-main-sequence (PMS) star. We discuss the position of B275 in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram in terms of PMS evolution. Although the position is consistent with PMS tracks of heavily accreting protostars (Macc > 10^-5 Msun yr^-1), the fact that the photosphere of the object is detectable suggests that the current mass-accretion rate is not very high.

HIDE AND SEEK BETWEEN ANDROMEDA'S HALO, DISK, AND GIANT STREAM

Photometry in B, V (down to V ~ 26 mag) is presented for two 23' x 23' fields of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) that were observed with the blue channel camera of the Large Binocular Telescope during the Science Demonstration Time. Each field covers an area of about 5.1kpc x 5.1kpc at the distance of M31 ((m-M)o ~ 24.4 mag), sampling, respectively, a northeast region close to the M31 giant stream (field S2), and an eastern portion of the halo in the direction of the galaxy minor axis (field H1). The stream field spans a region that includes Andromeda's disk and the giant stream, and this is reflected in the complexity of the color magnitude diagram of the field. One corner of the halo field also includes a portion of the giant stream. Even though these demonstration time data were obtained under non-optimal observing conditions the B photometry, acquired in time-series mode, allowed us to identify 274 variable stars (among which 96 are bona fide and 31 are candidate RR Lyrae stars, 71 are Cepheids, and 16 are binary systems) by applying the image subtraction technique to selected portions of the observed fields. Differential flux light curves were obtained for the vast majority of these variables. Our sample includes mainly pulsating stars which populate the instability strip from the Classical Cepheids down to the RR Lyrae stars, thus tracing the different stellar generations in these regions of M31 down to the horizontal branch of the oldest (t ~ 10 Gyr) component.

PROBING THE M33 HALO USING RR LYRAE STARS

We present the discovery of RR Lyrae (RRL) variable stars in two fields of M33 to the southeast of its center using Gemini North observations. In the outermost field (45 � to the southeast of the M33 center; projected distance of 10.8 kpc; deprojected distance of about 19 kpc; about 5 V-band disk scale lengths) we detected two RRLs, consisting of one RRab star and one RRc star. An additional variable was found in this field that is a possible Cepheid. The mean g � -band magnitude for the two RRL stars is 25.60 ± 0.04 mag. In the other field (25 � to the southeast of the M33 center; projected distance of 5.6 kpc; deprojected distance of about 10 kpc; about 3 V-band disk scale lengths) we found 12 RRL stars, all of which are RRab stars. We also detected two candidate Cepheid variables in this field. The mean magnitude for the RRL stars in this field is 25.64 ±0.14 mag. We found a distance modulus of � (m − M)0 �= 24.69 ± 0.17 mag from the RRab stars in the field 25 � from M33. The mean periods of the RRab stars in both fields (0.630 ± 0.002 days, 45 � southeast; 0.628 ± 0.055 days, 25 � southeast) are much longer than found for previously detected RRL stars in the inner regions of M33. This finding argues for a low metallicity for the RRab stars in the field 25 � from M33 ([Fe/H] =− 1.84 ± 0.30 dex). Given these properties, we conclude that the RRLs we have detected belong to the halo of M33 and thus that there is an old component in the outer regions of M33.

A NEW CATALOG OF H II REGIONS IN M31

We present a new catalog of HII regions in M31. The full disk of the galaxy is covered in a 2.2 deg^2 mosaic of 10 fields observed with the Mosaic Camera as part of the Local Group Galaxies survey. We used HIIphot, a code for automated photometry of HII regions, to identify the regions and measure their fluxes and sizes. A 10 {\sigma} detection level was used to exclude diffuse gas fluctuations and star residuals after continuum subtraction. That selection limit may result in missing some faint HII regions, but our catalog of 3691 HII regions is still complete to a luminosity of LH{\alpha} = 10^34 erg/s. This is five times fainter than the only previous CCD-based study which contained 967 objects in the NE half of M31. We determined the H{\alpha} luminosity function (LF) by fitting a power law to luminosities larger than LH{\alpha} = 10^36.7 and determined a slope of 2.52\pm0.07. The in-arm and inter-arm LFs peak at different luminosities but they have similar bright-end slopes. The inter- arm regions are less populated (40% of total detected regions) and constitute only 14% of the total luminosity of LH{\alpha} = 5.6 /times 10^40 erg/s (after extinction correction and considering 65% contribution from diffused ionized gas). A star formation rate of 0.44 M\odot/yr was estimated from the H{\alpha} total luminosity; this value is consistent with the determination from the Spitzer 8 {\mu}m image. We removed all known and potential planetary nebulae, yet we found a double peaked luminosity function. The inter-arm older population suggests a starburst between 15 and 20 million years ago. This result is in agreement with UV studies of the star formation history in M31 which found a star formation rate decrease in the recent past. We found a fair spatial correlation between the HII regions and stellar clusters in selected star forming regions. Most of the matched regions lie within the arm regions.

Spectral Energy Distributions of a set of H ii regions in M33 (HerM33es)

AbstractWithin the framework of the HerM33es Key Project for Herschel and in combination with multi-wavelength data, we study the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of a set of H ii regions in the Local Group Galaxy M33. Using the Hα emission, we perform a classification of a selected H ii region sample in terms of morphology, separating the objects in filled, mixed, shell and clear shell objects. We obtain the SED for each H ii region as well as a representative SED for each class of objects. We also study the emission distribution of each band within the regions. We find different trends in the SEDs for each morphological type that are related to properties of the dust and their associated stellar cluster. The emission distribution of each band within the region is different for each morphological type of object.

INTERNAL γγ OPACITY IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE TeV OBSERVATIONS OF M87 AND Cen A

Low Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei (LLAGNs) possess the characteristic features of more luminous Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) but exhibit a much lower nuclear Halpha luminosity than their more luminous counterparts. M87 (NGC 4486) and Centaurus A (NGC 5128, CenA) are well-studied nearby LLAGNs. As an additional feature they show gamma-radiation up to TeV (10^{12}eV) energies, but the origin of this radiation is not resolved. The coincident observation of a radio and TeV flare in M87 suggests that the TeV radiation is produced within around 50-100 gravitational radii of the central supermassive black hole, depending on the assumed value of the mass of the black hole. Strong radiation fields can be produced in the central region of an (LL)AGN, e.g., by the accretion flow around the black hole, the jet plasma, or stars closely orbiting the black hole. These radiation fields can lead to the absorption of emitted TeV photons, and in fact high optical depths of such fields can make TeV detection from inner regions impossible. In this paper we consider the accretion flow around the black hole as the most prominent source for such a radiation field and we accordingly calculate the probability for absorption of TeV photons produced near the black holes in M87 and CenA assuming a low luminosity Shakura-Sunyaev Disk (SSD). We find that the results are very different for between the two LLAGNs. While the inner region of M87 is transparent for TeV radiation up to 15TeV, the optical depth in CenA is >> 1, leading to an absorption of TeV photons that might be produced near the central black hole. These results imply either that the TeV gamma production sites and processes are different for both sources, or that LLAGN black holes do not accrete (at least only) in form of a low luminosity SSD.

The central planetary nebulae populations of external galaxies with SAURON

AbstractThanks to SAURON integral-field observations we uncovered the planetary nebulae (PNe) populations inhabiting the central and nuclear regions of our galactic neighbours M32 and M31, respectively, and discuss the significant differences between their corresponding PNe luminosity functions in light of the properties of their parent stellar populations. In particular, we conclude that the lack of bright PNe in the nuclear regions of M31 is likely linked to the nearly Solar value for the stellar metallicity, consistent with previous suggestions that a larger metallicity would bias the horizontal-branch (HB) populations toward bluer colors, leading to fewer red HB stars capable of producing PNe and more blue HB stars that instead could contribute to the far-UV flux observed in metal-rich early-type galaxies and, incidentally, in the nucleus of M31.

H II REGION LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF THE INTERACTING GALAXY M51

We present a study of HII regions in M51 using the Hubble Space Telescope ACS images taken as part of the Hubble Heritage Program. We have catalogued about 19,600 HII regions in M51 with Ha luminosity in the range of L = 10^{35.5} erg/s to 10^{39.0} erg/s. The Ha luminosity function of HII regions (HII LF) in M51 is well represented by a double power law with its index alpha=-2.25\pm0.02 for the bright part and alpha=-1.42\pm0.01 for the faint part, separated at a break point L= 10^{37.1} erg/s. This break was not found in previous studies of M51 HII regions. Comparison with simulated HII LFs suggests that this break is caused by the transition of HII region ionizing sources, from low mass clusters (with ~ 10^3 M_sun, including several OB stars) to more massive clusters (including several tens of OB stars). The HII LFs with L < 10^{37.1} erg/s are found to have different slopes for different parts in M51: the HII LF for the interarm region is steeper than those for the arm and the nuclear regions. This observed difference in HII LFs can be explained by evolutionary effects that HII regions in the interarm region are relatively older than those in the other parts of M51.

A Morphological Study of UV-Bright Stars and Emission Nebulae in a Selection of Star Formation Regions in M31

ABSTRACTUsing the data from the NOAO Local Group Survey, we have measured the Hα fluxes of 291 nebulae associated with 21 of the van den Bergh OB associations. We have combined these data together with six-color HST WFPC2 photometry, in order to identify the most UV-bright stars in the region. The simple purpose of this article is to explore the spatial relationships between these components. We find that there are basically three types of Hα-hot star morphology. One type consists of a very bright H II region, with a tightly spaced group of hot stars at or near its center; we refer to these as monolithic structures. A second common arrangement is that of a ringlike bubble structure with an often-empty central area, where the hot stars are concentrated. We construct simple models of these objects, which show that their photometric profiles are like those of spherical shells. We refer to these as bubble structures A third morphology is a scattered distribution of small nebulae with a few hot stars that are widely spaced; these are called dispersed structures. We suggest that this sequence may be an evolutionary one.

WATER MASERS IN THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY: THE FIRST STEP TOWARD PROPER MOTION

We have detected and confirmed five water maser complexes in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) using the Green Bank Telescope. These masers will provide the high brightness temperature point sources needed for proper motion studies of M31, enabling measurement of its full three-dimensional velocity vector and its geometric distance via proper rotation. The motion of M31 is the keystone of Local Group dynamics and a gateway to the dark matter profiles of galaxies in general. Our survey for water masers selected 206 luminous compact 24 micron-emitting regions in M31 and was sensitive enough to detect any maser useful for ~10 microarcsecond per year astrometry. The newly discovered masers span the isotropic luminosity range 0.3-1.9 x 10^-3 L(Sun) in single spectral components and are analogous to luminous Galactic masers. The masers are distributed around the molecular ring, including locations close to the major and minor axes, which is nearly ideal for proper motion studies. We find no correlation between 24 micron luminosity and water maser luminosity, suggesting that while water masers arise in star-forming regions, the nonlinear amplification pathways and beamed nature of the water masers means that they are not predictable based on IR luminosity alone. This suggests that there are additional bright masers to be found in M31. We predict that the geometric distance and systemic proper motion of M31 can be measured in 2-3 years with current facilities. A "moving cluster" observation of diverging masers as M31 approaches the Galaxy may be possible in the long term.

Extraction of homogeneous turbulent motions in the ionized interstellar medium: application to the NGC 595 nebula

Relatively unexplored in recent years, turbulence in the ionized interstellar medium could allow us to explain peculiar gas motions observed in H ii regions. We present an improved method that allows the extraction of quasi-homogeneous turbulent motions from bidimensional radial velocity maps. This paper is an application to the NGC 595 nebula, a giant H ii region in M33. The use of the Zurflueh filter is re-instated in order to separate ordered motions from turbulent fluctuations in astronomical observations. A statistical approach, based on the application of the autocorrelation and second-order structure functions, is used on the filtered centroid measurements in Hα, [O iii] and [S ii]. Following the work of Brunt & Mac Low, an investigation of the density inhomogeneities in NGC 595 suggests that turbulence in the large nebula could be at least partially supersonic. Compressible shock waves related to stellar winds of massive stars are presented as the main source for stirring up optical gases into high-amplitude turbulent velocity fluctuations. Unfortunately, the transition from a 2D to 3D geometry, required in order to compare observations to existing turbulence models, could not be appropriately accomplished. This is attributed to an important scattering characterizing the supersonic regime in the theoretical results. Using particular conclusions reached in our ongoing work on standard H ii regions in M33, the kinematical disorder induced by turbulent velocities and observed on the plane of the sky is translated into a mean broadening effect along the line of sight for each investigated ion. This confirms that the O++ sphere is largely governed by supersonic turbulence while the same argument remains inconclusive in Hα and [S ii]. The amplitude of the turbulent motions (velocities) seems to decrease with distance from the central star cluster. This provides a reasonable explanation for a well-defined signature in non-thermal linewidths already identified in our first paper on NGC 595.

PROPERTIES OF THE H II REGION POPULATIONS OF M51 AND NGC 4449 FROM Hα IMAGES WITH THE ADVANCED CAMERA FOR SURVEYS ON THEHUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

We have used the images from the ACS on HST in Halpha, and in the neighboring continuum, to produce flux calibrated images of the large spiral galaxy M51, and the dwarf irregular NGC 4449. From these images we have derived the absolute luminosities in Halpha, the areas, and the positions with respect to the galactic centers as reference points, of over 2600 HII regions in M51 and over 270 HII regions in NGC 4449. Using this database we have derived luminosity (L)--volume (V) relations for the regions in the two galaxies, showing that within the error limits these obey the equation L ~ V^(2/3), which differs from the linear relation expected for regions of constant uniform electron density. We discuss briefly possible models which would give rise to this behavior, notably models with strong density inhomogeneities within the regions. Plotting the luminosity functions for the two galaxies we find a break in the slope for M51 at log(L) = 38.5 dex (units in erg s^(-1)) for M51 in good agreement with the previous ground-based study by Rand, and above this luminosity NGC 4449 also shows a sharp decline in its luminosity function, although the number of regions is too small to plot the function well at higher luminosities. The cumulative diameter distribution for the HII regions of M51 shows dual behaviour, with a break at a radius close to 100 pc, the radius of regions with the break luminosity. Here too we indicate the possible physical implications.

USING Hα MORPHOLOGY AND SURFACE BRIGHTNESS FLUCTUATIONS TO AGE-DATE STAR CLUSTERS IN M83

We use new WFC3 observations of the nearby grand design spiral galaxy M83 to develop two independent methods for estimating the ages of young star clusters. The first method uses the physical extent and morphology of Halpha emission to estimate the ages of clusters younger than tau ~10 Myr. It is based on the simple premise that the gas in very young (tau < few Myr) clusters is largely coincident with the cluster stars, is in a small, ring-like structure surrounding the stars in slightly older clusters (e.g., tau ~5 Myr), and is in a larger ring-like bubble for still older clusters (i.e., ~5-10 Myr). The second method is based on an observed relation between pixel-to-pixel flux variations within clusters and their ages. This method relies on the fact that the brightest individual stars in a cluster are most prominent at ages around 10 Myr, and fall below the detection limit (i.e., M_V < -3.5) for ages older than about 100 Myr. These two methods are the basis for a new morphological classification system which can be used to estimate the ages of star clusters based on their appearance. We compare previous age estimates of clusters in M83 determined from fitting UBVI Halpha measurements using predictions from stellar evolutionary models with our new morphological categories and find good agreement at the ~95% level. The scatter within categories is ~0.1 dex in log tau for young clusters (<10 Myr) and ~0.5 dex for older (>10 Myr) clusters. A by-product of this study is the identification of 22 "single-star" HII regions in M83, with central stars having ages ~4 Myr.

STAR CLUSTERS IN M31: OLD CLUSTERS WITH BAR KINEMATICS

We analyze our accurate kinematical data for the old clusters in the inner regions of M31. These velocities are based on high S/N Hectospec data (Caldwell et al 2010). The data are well suited for analysis of M31's inner regions because we took particular care to correct for contamination by unresolved field stars from the disk and bulge in the fibers. The metal poor clusters show kinematics which are compatible with a pressure-supported spheroid. The kinematics of metal-rich clusters, however, argue for a disk population. In particular the innermost region (inside 2 kpc) shows the kinematics of the x2 family of bar periodic orbits, arguing for the existence of an inner Lindblad resonance in M31.

A SURVEY OF DIFFUSE INTERSTELLAR BANDS IN THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY: OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY OF M31 OB STARS

We present the largest sample to-date of intermediate-resolution blue-to-red optical spectra of B-type supergiants in M31 and undertake the first survey of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) in this galaxy. Spectral classifications, radial velocities and interstellar reddenings are presented for 34 stars in three regions of M31. Radial velocities and equivalent widths are given for the 5780 and 6283 DIBs towards 11 stars. Equivalent widths are also presented for the following DIBs detected in three sightlines in M31: 4428, 5705, 5780, 5797, 6203, 6269, 6283, 6379, 6613, 6660, and 6993. All of these M31 DIB carriers reside in clouds at radial velocities matching those of interstellar Na I and/or H I. The relationships between DIB equivalent widths and reddening (E(B-V)) are consistent with those observed in the local ISM of the Milky Way. Many of the observed sightlines show DIB strengths (per unit reddening) which lie at the upper end of the range of Galactic values. DIB strengths per unit reddening are found (with 68% confidence), to correlate with the interstellar UV radiation field strength. The strongest DIBs are observed where the interstellar UV flux is lowest. The mean Spitzer 8/24 micron emission ratio in our three fields is slightly lower than that measured in the Milky Way, but we identify no correlation between this ratio and the DIB strengths in M31. Interstellar oxygen abundances derived from the spectra of three M31 H II regions in one of the fields indicate that the average metallicity of the ISM in that region is 12 + log[O/H] = 8.54 +- 0.18, which is approximately equal to the value in the solar neighbourhood.

The red supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars of NGC 604

We study the post-main-sequence stars in NGC 604, the most luminous H ii region in M33. A number of Wolf–Rayet (WR) stars and one red supergiant (RSG) were discovered earlier. Based on the broad-band photometry of the region, we present evidence that is consistent with the presence of this RSG and with three more RSG candidates. Using spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting based on Hubble Space Telescope UVIJHK photometry, we estimate the ages of the WR stars and RSGs and find that the two populations are from distinct formation episodes with ages of 3.2 ± 1.0 and 12.4 ± 2.1 Myr, respectively. The RSGs have greater extinctions towards their line of sight than the WR stars which is consistent with the production of a large amount of dust by the RSGs. Using the WR and RSG populations and similar SED fits to the most massive O stars, we estimate that the total stellar mass is (3.8 ± 0.6) × 105 M⊙. We find a large discrepancy between the expected Hα flux from such a massive cluster and the one observed. This suggests that 49+16−19 per cent of the ionizing photons produced by massive stars in NGC 604 are leaking from this H ii region. We also suggest that the implications of an old RSG population mean that if NGC 604 were more distant and only observed in the infrared, it would be difficult to study the youngest burst of star formation due to the contamination of RSGs.

Kiloparsec-scale star formation law in M 81 and M 101 based on AKARI far-infrared observations

We assess the relationships between the surface densities of the gas and star formation rate (SFR) within spiral arms of the nearby late-type spiral galaxies M81 and M101. By analyzing these relationships locally, we derive empirically a kiloparsec scale Kennicutt-Schmidt Law. Both M81 and M101 were observed with the Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) aboard AKARI in four far-infrared bands at 65, 90, 140, and 160 um. The spectral energy distributions of the whole galaxies show the presence of the cold dust component (Tc~20 K) in addition to the warm dust component (Tw~60 K). We deconvolved the cold and warm dust emission components spatially by making the best use of the multi-band photometric capability of the FIS. The cold and warm dust components show power-law correlations in various regions, which can be converted into the gas mass and the SFR, respectively. We find a power-law correlation between the gas and SFR surface densities with significant differences in the power law index N between giant HII regions (N=1.0) and spiral arms (N=2.2) in M101. The power-law index for spiral arms in M81 is similar (N=1.9) to that of spiral arms in M101. Conclusions: The power-law index is not always constant within a galaxy. The difference in the power-law index can be attributed to the difference in the star formation processes on a kiloparsec scale. N~2 seen in the spiral arms in M81 and M101 supports the scenario of star formation triggered by cloud-cloud collisions enhanced by spiral density wave, while N~1 derived in giant HII regions in M101 suggests the star formation induced by the Parker instability triggered by high velocity HI gas infall. The present method can be applied to a large galaxy sample for which the AKARI All Sky Survey provides the same 4 far-infrared band data.