Stellar Component Research Articles

The molecular gas resolved by ALMA in the low-metallicity merging dwarf galaxy Haro 11

Context.The physical mechanisms driving starbursts and quenching in less massive (M* ≤ 1010 M⊙) galaxies are unclear. The merger is one of the inescapable processes referred to as both starburst and quenching in massive galaxies. However, the effects of the merger on star formation in dwarf galaxies and their evolution are still uncertain.Aims.We aim to explore how star formation in dwarf galaxies is both triggered and quenched by studying metal-poor gas-rich dwarf mergers based on multi-band observations at a spatial resolution of ∼460 pc.Methods.We use archival data of Atacama Large Millimetre Array (Band 3 and 8) and Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer to map CO(J = 1–0), [CI](3P1–3P0), and Hαemission in one of the most extreme merging starburst dwarf galaxies, Haro 11.Results.We find the molecular gas is assembled around the central two star-forming regions (knots B and C). The molecular and ionized gas and stellar components show complex kinematics, indicating that the gas is probably at a combined stage of collision of clouds and feedback from star formation. The peak location and distribution of [CI](1–0) closely coincide with the CO(1–0) emission, meaning that it might trace the same molecular gas as CO in such a dwarf merger starburst galaxy. The enhancement of line ratios (∼0.5) of [CI]/CO around knot C is probably generated by the dissociation of CO molecules by cosmic rays and far-ultraviolet photons. Globally, Haro 11 and its star-forming regions share similar star formation efficiency (SFE) to the high-zstarburst galaxies or the clumps in nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxies.Conclusions.Given the high SFE, the high specific star formation rate, small stellar mass, low metallicity, and deficient HI gas, Haro 11 could be an analog of a high-zdwarf starburst and the potential progenitor of the nearby less massive elliptical galaxies. The significantly smaller turbulent pressure and viral parameter is probably triggering the intense starbursts. We predict that Haro 11 will quench atM* ≤ 8.5 × 109 M⊙.

Apostle–Auriga: effects of different subgrid models on the baryon cycle around Milky Way-mass galaxies

ABSTRACT Modern hydrodynamical simulations reproduce many properties of the real Universe. These simulations model various physical processes, but many of these are included using ‘subgrid models’ due to resolution limits. Although different subgrid models have been successful in modelling the effects of supernovae (SNe) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) feedback on galactic properties, it remains unclear if, and by how much, these differing implementations affect observable halo gas properties. In this work, we use ‘zoom-in’ cosmological initial conditions of two volumes selected to resemble the Local Group (LG) evolved with both the Auriga and Apostle galaxy formation models. While the subgrid physics models in both simulations reproduce realistic stellar components of L⋆ galaxies, they exhibit different gas properties. Namely, Auriga predicts that the Milky Way is almost baryonically closed, whereas Apostle suggests that only half of the expected baryons reside within the halo. Furthermore, Apostle predicts that this baryon deficiency extends to the LG (r ≤ 1 Mpc). Some of the baryon deficiency in Apostle is due to SNe feedback at high redshift, which generates halo-wide outflows, with high covering fractions and radial velocities, which both eject baryons and significantly impede cosmic gas accretion. Conversely, in Auriga, gas accretion into the halo appears to be almost unaffected by feedback. These differences appear to result from the different energy injection methods from feedback (both SNe and AGNs) to gas. Our results suggest that both quasar absorption lines and fast radio burst dispersion measures could constrain these two regimes with future observations.

Spirals in Galaxies

Spirals in galaxies have long been thought to be caused by gravitational instability in the stellar component of the disk, but discerning the precise mechanism had proved elusive. Tidal interactions, and perhaps bars, may provoke some spiral responses, but spirals in many galaxies must be self-excited. We survey the relevant observational data and aspects of disk dynamical theory. The origin of the recurring spiral patterns in simulations of isolated disk galaxies has recently become clear, and it is likely that the mechanism is the same in real galaxies, although evidence to confirm this supposition is hard to obtain. As transient spiral activity increases random motion, the patterns must fade over time unless the disk also contains a dissipative gas component. Continuing spiral activity alters the structure of the disks in other ways: reducing metallicity gradients and flattening rotation curves are two of the most significant. The overwhelming majority of spirals in galaxies have two- or three-fold rotational symmetry, indicating that the cool, thin disk component is massive. Spirals in simulations of halo-dominated disks instead manifest many arms and, consequently, do not capture the expected full spiral-driven evolution. We conclude by identifying areas where further work is needed.

Difference of Photometric Properties between Regular and Nonregular Miras in the Magellanic Clouds

Abstract Mira variables are asymptotic giant-branch pulsating stars with long pulsation periods and large amplitudes in optical bands. By applying the random forest algorithm to the I-band light curves for the Miras in the Magellanic Clouds, we have classified these Miras into regular Miras and nonregular Miras. Nonregular Miras exhibit a long-term variation in addition to their primary pulsation periods. Our results confirm that the period–luminosity relation for maximum light has a small dispersion, but only occurs on the regular oxygen-rich Miras, which we recommend to be applied in future distance-scale work. We have also collected multiband photometry for these Miras to perform a spectral energy distribution fitting with stellar and dust components, showing that a significant fraction of dust is present around the nonregular Miras. According to our results, we believe that the periodic long-term variations seen in the nonregular Miras might be due to the presence of dust.

Unveiling an Old Disk around a Massive Young Leaking Blueberry in SDSS-IV MaNGA

Abstract Extreme emission-line galaxies, such as blue compact dwarfs (BCDs), Green Peas (GPs), and blueberries in the local universe are potential candidates for understanding the nature of galaxies that reionized the early universe. Being low-mass, metal-poor starburst systems, they are understood to be local analogs of the high-redshift Lyman continuum and Lyα emitters (LAEs). Even with their proximity to us, we know little about their spatially resolved properties; while most blueberries and GPs are indeed compact, they remain unresolved. Here, we report the detection of a disk-like lower-surface-brightness (LSB) stellar host with a very old population around a blueberry LAE system using broad i-band imaging and integral field spectroscopic data from the SDSS and SDSS-IV MaNGA surveys, respectively. The LSB stellar host is structurally similar to that observed around local starburst BCDs. Furthermore, the kinematics of the studied blueberry source bears signs of misalignment between the gas and stellar components. Our findings establish an intriguing thread connecting the blueberry and an LSB disk with an old stellar population and suggest that blueberries and their high-redshift counterparts such as GPs do not represent peculiar cases of dwarf galaxy evolution. In fact, with respect to the structural properties of their host galaxies, they are compatible with a common evolutionary track of the main population of local BCDs.

NIHAO-LG: the uniqueness of Local Group dwarf galaxies

ABSTRACT Recent observational and theoretical studies of the Local Group (LG) dwarf galaxies have highlighted their unique star-formation history, stellar metallicity, gas content, and kinematics. We investigate the commonality of these features by comparing constrained LG and field central dwarf halo simulations in the Numerical Investigation of a Hundred Astrophysical Objects (NIHAO) project. Our simulations, performed with NIHAO-like hydrodynamics which track the evolution of the Milky Way (MW) and M31 along with ∼100 dwarfs in the LG, reveal the total gas mass and stellar properties (velocity dispersion, evolution history, etc.) of present-day LG dwarfs to be similar to field systems. However, relative to field galaxies, LG dwarfs have more cold gas in their central parts and more metal-rich gas in the halo stemming from interactions with other dwarfs living in a high-density environment like the LG. Interestingly, the direct impact of massive MW/M31 analogues on the metallicity evolution of LG dwarfs is minimal; LG dwarfs accrete high-metallicity gas mostly from other dwarfs at late times. We have also tested for the impact of metal diffusion on the chemical evolution of LG dwarfs, and found that it does not affect the stellar or gaseous content of LG dwarfs. Our simulations suggest that the stellar components of LG dwarfs offer a unique and unbiased local laboratory for galaxy-formation tests and comparisons, especially against the overall dwarf population in the Universe.

LYRA – II. Cosmological dwarf galaxy formation with inhomogeneous Population III enrichment

ABSTRACT We present the simulation of a $2\times 10^{9}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ halo mass cosmological dwarf galaxy run to z = 0 at 4 solar mass gas resolution with resolved supernova feedback. We compare three simple subgrid implementations for the inhomogeneous chemical enrichment from Population III stars and compare them to constraints from Local Group dwarf galaxies. The employed model, LYRA, is a novel high-resolution galaxy formation model built for the moving mesh code arepo, which is marked by a resolved multiphase interstellar medium, single stars, and individual supernova events. The resulting reionization relic is characterized by a short (<1.5 Gyr) star formation history that is repeatedly brought to a standstill by violent bursts of feedback. Star formation is reignited for a short duration due to a merger at z ≈ 4 and then again at z ≈ 0.2−0 after sustained gas accretion. Our model z = 0 galaxy matches the stellar mass, size, stellar kinematics, and metallicity relations of Local Group dwarf galaxies well. The dark matter profile does not exhibit a core in any version of the model. We show that the host halo masses of Population III stars affect the assembly history of dwarf galaxies. This manifests itself through the initial gaseous collapse in the progenitor haloes, affecting the central density of the stellar component and through the accretion of luminous substructure.

The Dawn of Disk Formation in a Milky Way-sized Galaxy Halo: Thin Stellar Disks at z > 4

Abstract We present results from GigaEris, a cosmological, N-body hydrodynamical “zoom-in” simulation of the formation of a Milky Way-sized galaxy halo with unprecedented resolution, encompassing of order a billion particles within the refined region. The simulation employs a modern implementation of smoothed-particle hydrodynamics, including metal-line cooling and metal and thermal diffusion. We focus on the early assembly of the galaxy, down to redshift z = 4.4. The simulated galaxy has properties consistent with extrapolations of the main sequence of star-forming galaxies to higher redshifts and levels off to a star formation rate of ∼60 M ⊙ yr−1 at z = 4.4. A compact, thin rotating stellar disk with properties analogous to those of low-redshift systems arises already at z ∼ 8. The galaxy rapidly develops a multi-component structure, and the disk, at least at these early stages, does not grow “upside-down” as often reported in the literature. Rather, at any given time, newly born stars contribute to sustain a thin disk. The kinematics reflect the early, ubiquitous presence of a thin disk, as a stellar disk component with v ϕ /σ R larger than unity is already present at z ∼ 9–10. Our results suggest that high-resolution spectro-photometric observations of very high-redshift galaxies should find thin rotating disks, consistent with the recent discovery of cold rotating gas disks by ALMA. Finally, we present synthetic images for the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam camera, showing how the early disk would be easily detectable already at those early times.

Millisecond pulsar kicks cause difficulties in explaining the Galactic Centre gamma-ray excess

ABSTRACT The unexplained excess gamma-ray emission from the Milky Way’s Galactic Centre has puzzled astronomers for nearly a decade. Two theories strive to explain the origin of this excess: self-annihilating dark matter particles or an unresolved population of radio millisecond pulsars. We examine the plausibility of a pulsar origin for the GeV excess using N-body simulations. We simulated millisecond pulsars in a realistic dynamical environment: (i) pulsars were born from the known stellar mass components of our Galaxy; (ii) pulsars were given natal velocity kicks as empirically observed from two different studies (or, for comparison, without kicks); (iii) pulsars were evolved in a Galactic gravitational potential consistent with observations. Multiple populations of pulsars (with different velocity kicks) were simulated over 1 Gyr. With final spatial distributions of pulsars, we constructed synthetic gamma-ray surface brightness profiles. From comparisons with published Fermi-LAT surface brightness profiles, our pulsar simulations cannot reproduce the concentrated emission in the central degrees of the Bulge, though models without natal velocity kicks approach the data. We considered additive combinations of our (primordial MSP) simulations with models where pulsars are deposited from destroyed globular clusters in the Bulge, and a simple model for pulsars produced in the nuclear star cluster. We can reasonably reproduce the measured central gamma-ray surface brightness distribution of Horiuchi and collaborators using several combinations of these models, but we cannot reproduce the measured distribution of Di Mauro with any combination of models. Our fits provide constraints on potential pathways to explain the gamma-ray excess using MSPs.

A Second Planet Transiting LTT 1445A and a Determination of the Masses of Both Worlds

Abstract LTT 1445 is a hierarchical triple M-dwarf star system located at a distance of 6.86 pc. The primary star LTT 1445A (0.257 M ⊙) is known to host the transiting planet LTT 1445Ab with an orbital period of 5.36 days, making it the second-closest known transiting exoplanet system, and the closest one for which the host is an M dwarf. Using Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite data, we present the discovery of a second planet in the LTT 1445 system, with an orbital period of 3.12 days. We combine radial-velocity measurements obtained from the five spectrographs, Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations, High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher, High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer, MAROON-X, and Planet Finder Spectrograph to establish that the new world also orbits LTT 1445A. We determine the mass and radius of LTT 1445Ab to be 2.87 ± 0.25 M ⊕ and 1.304 − 0.060 + 0.067 R ⊕, consistent with an Earth-like composition. For the newly discovered LTT 1445Ac, we measure a mass of 1.54 − 0.19 + 0.20 M ⊕ and a minimum radius of 1.15 R ⊕, but we cannot determine the radius directly as the signal-to-noise ratio of our light curve permits both grazing and nongrazing configurations. Using MEarth photometry and ground-based spectroscopy, we establish that star C (0.161 M ⊙) is likely the source of the 1.4 day rotation period, and star B (0.215 M ⊙) has a likely rotation period of 6.7 days. We estimate a probable rotation period of 85 days for LTT 1445A. Thus, this triple M-dwarf system appears to be in a special evolutionary stage where the most massive M dwarf has spun down, the intermediate mass M dwarf is in the process of spinning down, while the least massive stellar component has not yet begun to spin down.

On the polytropic Bondi accretion in two-component galaxy models with a central massive BH

ABSTRACT In many investigations involving accretion on a central point mass, ranging from observational studies to cosmological simulations, including semi-analytical modelling, the classical Bondi accretion theory is the standard tool widely adopted. Previous works generalized the theory to include the effects of the gravitational field of the galaxy hosting a central black hole and of electron scattering in the optically thin limit. Here, we apply this extended Bondi problem, in the general polytropic case, to a class of new two-component galaxy models recently presented. In these models, a Jaffe stellar density profile is embedded in a dark matter halo such that the total density distribution follows a r−3 profile at large radii; the stellar dynamical quantities can be expressed in a fully analytical way. The hydrodynamical properties of the flow are set by imposing that the gas temperature at infinity is proportional to the virial temperature of the stellar component. The isothermal and adiabatic (monoatomic) cases can be solved analytically; in the other cases, we explore the accretion solution numerically. As non-adiabatic accretion inevitably leads to an exchange of heat with the ambient, we also discuss some important thermodynamical properties of the polytropic Bondi accretion and provide the expressions needed to compute the amount of heat exchanged with the environment as a function of radius. The results can be useful for the subgrid treatment of accretion in numerical simulations, as well as for the interpretation of observational data.

The Smallest Scale of Hierarchy Survey (SSH) – II. Extended star formation and bar-like features in the dwarf galaxy NGC 3741: recent merger or ongoing gas accretion?

ABSTRACTUsing Large Binocular Telescope deep imaging data from the Smallest Scale of Hierarchy Survey (SSH) and archival Hubble Space Telescope data, we reveal the presence of two elongated stellar features contiguous to a bar-like stellar structure in the inner regions of the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 3741. These structures are dominated by stars younger than a few hundred Myr and collectively are about twice as extended as the old stellar component. These properties are very unusual for dwarf galaxies in the nearby Universe and difficult to explain by hydro-dynamical simulations. From the analysis of archival 21-cm observations, we find that the young stellar ‘bar’ coincides with an H i high-density region proposed by previous studies to be a purely gaseous bar; we furthermore confirm radial motions of a few km s−1, compatible with an inflow/outflow, and derive a steeply rising rotation curve and high H i surface density at the centre, indicating a very concentrated mass distribution. We propose that the peculiar properties of the stellar and gaseous components of NGC 3741 may be explained by a recent merger or ongoing gas accretion from the intergalactic medium, which caused gas inflows towards the galaxy centre and triggered star formation a few hundred Myr ago. This event may explain the young and extended stellar features, the bar-like structure, the very extended H i disc and the central H i spiral arms. The high central H i density and the steeply rising rotation curve suggest that NGC 3741 may be the progenitor or the descendant of a starburst dwarf.

The Global Structure of the Milky Way’s Stellar Halo Based on the Orbits of Local Metal-poor Stars

Abstract We analyze the global structure of the Milky Way (MW)'s stellar halo, including its dominant subcomponent, Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus (GSE). The method for reconstructing the global distribution of this old stellar component is to employ the superposition of the orbits covering the large MW’s space, where each of the orbit-weighting factors is assigned following the probability that the star is located at its currently observed position. The selected local, metal-poor sample with [Fe/H] <−1, using Gaia Early Data Release 3 and Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 16, shows that the global shape of the halo is systematically rounder at all radii in more metal-poor ranges, such that an axial ratio, q, is nearly 1 for [Fe/H] <−2.2 and ∼0.7 for −1.4 < [Fe/H] < −1.0. It is also found that a halo in the relatively metal-rich range of [Fe/H] >−1.8 actually shows a boxy/peanut-like shape, suggesting a major merger event. The distribution of azimuthal velocities shows a disk-like flattened structure at −1.4 < [Fe/H] < −1.0, which is thought to be the metal-weak thick disk. For the subsample of stars showing GSE-like kinematics, at [Fe/H] >−1.8, its global density distribution has an axis ratio of 0.9, which is more spherical than the general halo sample, and an outer ridge at r ~ 20 kpc. This spherical shape is consistent with the features of accreted halo components, and the ridge suggests that the orbit of GSE’s progenitor had an apocenter of ∼20 kpc. Implications for the formation of the stellar halo are also presented.

Rapid Growth of Seed Black Holes during Early Bulge Formation

Abstract We study the early growth of massive seed black holes (BHs) via accretion in protogalactic nuclei where the stellar bulge component is assembled, performing axisymmetric two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical simulations. We find that when a seed BH with M • ∼ 105 M ⊙ is embedded in dense metal-poor gas (Z = 0.01 Z ⊙) with a density of ≳ 100 cm−3 and bulge stars with a total mass of M ⋆ ≳ 100 M •, a massive gaseous disk feeds the BH efficiently at rates of ≳ 0.3–1 M ⊙ yr−1, and the BH mass increases nearly tenfold within ∼2 Myr. This rapid accretion phase lasts until a good fraction of the gas bounded within the bulge accretes onto the BH, although the feeding rate is regulated owing to strong outflows driven by ionizing radiation emitted from the accreting BH. The transient growing mode can be triggered for seed BHs formed in massive dark-matter halos with masses of ≳ 109 M ⊙ at z ∼ 15–20 (the virial temperature is T vir ≃ 105 K). The host halos are heavier and rarer than those of typical first galaxies, but are more likely to end up in quasar hosts by z ≃ 6. This mechanism naturally yields a mass ratio of M •/M ⋆ > 0.01 higher than the value seen in the local universe. The existence of such overmassive BHs provides us with a unique opportunity to detect highly accreting seed BHs at z ∼ 15 with AB magnitude of m AB ∼ 26–29 mag at 2 μm (rest frame 10 eV) by the upcoming observations by the James Webb Space Telescope and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Improved strong lensing modelling of galaxy clusters using the Fundamental Plane: Detailed mapping of the baryonic and dark matter mass distribution of Abell S1063

Aims. From accurate photometric and spectroscopic information, we build the Fundamental Plane (FP) relation for the early-type galaxies of the cluster Abell S1063. We use this relation to develop an improved strong lensing model of the cluster, and we decompose the cluster’s cumulative projected total mass profile into its stellar, hot gas, and dark matter mass components. We compare our results with the predictions of cosmological simulations. Methods. We calibrate the FP using Hubble Frontier Fields photometry and data from the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer on the Very Large Telescope. The FP allows us to determine the velocity dispersions of all 222 cluster members included in the model from their measured structural parameters. As for their truncation radii, we test a proportionality relation with the observed half-light radii. Fixing the mass contribution of the hot gas component from X-ray data, the mass density distributions of the diffuse dark matter haloes are optimised by comparing the observed and model-predicted positions of 55 multiple images of 20 background sources distributed over the redshift range 0.73 − 6.11. We determine the uncertainties on the model parameters with Monte Carlo Markov chains. Results. We find that the most accurate predictions of the positions of the multiple images are obtained when the truncation radii of the member galaxies are approximately 2.3 times their effective radii. Compared to earlier work on the same cluster, our model allows for the inclusion of some scatter on the relation between the total mass and the velocity dispersion of the cluster members. We notice a lower statistical uncertainty on the value of some model parameters. For instance, the main dark matter halo of the cluster has a core radius of 86 ± 2 kpc: the uncertainty on this value decreases by more than 30% with respect to previous work. Taking advantage of a new estimate of the stellar mass of all cluster members from the HST multi-band data, we measure the cumulative two-dimensional mass profiles out to a radius of 350 kpc for all baryonic and dark matter components of the cluster. At the outermost radius of 350 kpc, we obtain a baryon fraction of 0.147 ± 0.002. We study the stellar-to-total mass fraction of the high-mass cluster members in our model, finding good agreement with the observations of wide galaxy surveys and some disagreement with the predictions of halo occupation distribution studies based on N-body simulations. Finally, we compare the features of the sub-haloes as described by our model with those predicted by high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations. We obtain compatible results in terms of the stellar over total mass fraction. On the other hand, we report some discrepancies both in terms of the maximum circular velocity, which is an indication of the halo compactness, and the sub-halo total mass function in the central cluster regions.

The Gaia-ESO Survey: Target selection of open cluster stars

Context. The Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) is a public, high-resolution spectroscopic survey, conducted with the multi-object spectrograph Fibre Large Array Multi Element Spectrograph (FLAMES) on the Very Large Telescope (European Southern Observatory, ESO, Cerro Paranal, Chile) from December 2011 to January 2018. Gaia-ESO has targeted all the main stellar components of the Milky Way, including thin and thick disc, bulge, and halo. In particular, a large sample of open clusters has been observed, from very young ones, just out of the embedded phase, to very old ones. Aims. The different kinds of clusters and stars targeted in them are useful to reach the main science goals of the open cluster part of GES, which are the study of the open cluster structure and dynamics, the use of open clusters to constrain and improve stellar evolution models, and the definition of Galactic disc properties (e.g., metallicity distribution). Methods. The Gaia-ESO Survey is organised in 19 working groups (WGs), each one being responsible for a task. We describe here the work of three of them, one in charge of the selection of the targets within each cluster or association (WG4), one responsible for defining the most probable candidate member stars (WG1), and another one in charge of the preparation of the observations (WG6). As the entire GES has been conducted before the second Gaia data release, we could not make use of the Gaia astrometry to define cluster member candidates. We made use of public and private photometry to select the stars to be observed with FLAMES, once brought on a common astrometric system (the one defined by 2MASS). Candidate target selection was based on ground-based proper motions, radial velocities, and X-ray properties when appropriate, for example, and it was mostly used to define the position of the clusters’ evolutionary sequences in the colour-magnitude diagrams. Targets for GIRAFFE were then selected near the sequences in an unbiased way. We used known information on membership, when available, only for the few stars to be observed with UVES. Results. We collected spectra for 62 confirmed clusters in the main observing campaign (and a few more clusters were taken from the ESO archive). Among them are very young clusters, where the main targets are pre-main sequence stars, clusters with very hot and massive stars currently on the main sequence, intermediate-age and old clusters where evolved stars are the main targets. Our strategy of making the selection of targets as inclusive and unbiased as possible and of observing a significant and representative fraction of all possible targets permitted us to collect the largest, most accurate, and most homogeneous spectroscopic data set on open star clusters ever achieved.

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

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.

The origin of star–gas misalignments in simulated galaxies

ABSTRACT We study the origin of misalignments between the stellar and star-forming gas components of simulated galaxies in the eagle simulations. We focus on galaxies with stellar masses ≥109 M⊙ at 0 ≤ z ≤ 1. We compare the frequency of misalignments with observational results from the SAMI survey and find that overall, eagle can reproduce the incidence of misalignments in the field and clusters, as well as the dependence on stellar mass and optical colour within the uncertainties. We study the dependence on kinematic misalignments with internal galaxy properties and different processes related to galaxy mergers and sudden changes in stellar and star-forming gas mass. We find that galaxy mergers happen in similar frequency in mis- and aligned galaxies, with the main difference being misaligned galaxies showing a higher tidal field strength and fraction of ex situ stars. We find that despite the environment being relevant in setting the conditions to misalign the star-forming gas, the properties internal to galaxies play a crucial role in determining whether the gas quickly aligns with the stellar component or not. Hence, galaxies that are more triaxial and more dispersion dominated display more misalignments because they are inefficient at realigning the star-forming gas towards the stellar angular momentum vector.

The NewHorizon simulation – to bar or not to bar

ABSTRACT We use the NewHorizon simulation to study the redshift evolution of bar properties and fractions within galaxies in the stellar masses range M⋆ = 107.25–1011.4$\, \rm {M}_\odot$ over the redshift range of z = 0.25–1.3. We select disc galaxies using stellar kinematics as a proxy for galaxy morphology. We employ two different automated bar detection methods, coupled with visual inspection, resulting in observable bar fractions of fbar = 0.070$_{{-0.012}}^{{+0.018}}$ at z ∼ 1.3, decreasing to fbar = 0.011$_{{-0.003}}^{{+0.014}}$ at z ∼ 0.25. Only one galaxy is visually confirmed as strongly barred in our sample. This bar is hosted by the most massive disc and only survives from z = 1.3 down to z = 0.7. Such a low bar fraction, in particular amongst Milky Way-like progenitors, highlights a missing bars problem, shared by literally all cosmological simulations with spatial resolution <100 pc to date. The analysis of linear growth rates, rotation curves, and derived summary statistics of the stellar, gas and dark matter components suggest that galaxies with stellar masses below 109.5−1010$\, \rm {M}_\odot$ in NewHorizon appear to be too dominated by dark matter relative to stellar content to form a bar, while more massive galaxies typically have formed large bulges that prevent bar persistence at low redshift. This investigation confirms that the evolution of the bar fraction puts stringent constraints on the assembly history of baryons and dark matter on to galaxies.

Structure and kinematics of tidally limited satellite galaxies in LCDM

ABSTRACT We use N-body simulations to model the tidal evolution of dark matter-dominated dwarf spheroidal galaxies embedded in cuspy Navarro-Frenk-White subhaloes. Tides gradually peel off stars and dark matter from a subhalo, trimming it down according to their initial binding energy. This process strips preferentially particles with long orbital times, and comes to an end when the remaining bound particles have crossing times shorter than a fraction of the orbital time at pericentre. The properties of the final stellar remnant thus depend on the energy distribution of stars in the progenitor subhalo, which in turn depends on the initial density profile and radial segregation of the initial stellar component. The stellar component may be completely dispersed if its energy distribution does not extend all the way to the subhalo potential minimum, although a bound dark remnant may remain. These results imply that ‘tidally limited’ galaxies, defined as systems whose stellar components have undergone substantial tidal mass-loss, neither converge to a unique structure nor follow a single tidal track. On the other hand, tidally limited dwarfs do have characteristic sizes and velocity dispersions that trace directly the characteristic radius (rmx) and circular velocity (Vmx) of the subhalo remnant. This result places strong upper limits on the size of satellites whose unusually low velocity dispersions are often ascribed to tidal effects. In particular, the large size of kinematically cold ‘feeble giant’ satellites like Crater 2 or Antlia 2 cannot be explained as due to tidal effects alone in the Lambda Cold Dark Matter scenario.