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1. VERTICO. IV. Environmental Effects on the Gas Distribution and Star Formation Efficiency of Virgo Cluster Spirals

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac9d3c  

   Villanueva, Vicente ; Bolatto, Alberto D. ; Vogel, Stuart ; Brown, Tobias ; Wilson, Christine D. ; Zabel, Nikki ; Ellison, Sara ; Stevens, Adam R. H. ; Jiménez Donaire, María Jesús ; Spekkens, Kristine ; et al ( December 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We measure the molecular-to-atomic gas ratio,R_mol, and the star formation rate (SFR) per unit molecular gas mass, SFE_mol, in 38 nearby galaxies selected from the Virgo Environment Traced in CO (VERTICO) survey. We stack ALMA¹²CO (J= 2−1) spectra coherently using Hivelocities from the VIVA survey to detect faint CO emission out to galactocentric radiir_gal∼ 1.2r₂₅. We determine the scale lengths for the molecular and stellar components, finding a ∼3:5 relation compared to ∼1:1 in field galaxies, indicating that the CO emission is more centrally concentrated than the stars. We computeR_molas a function of different physical quantities. While the spatially resolvedR_molon average decreases with increasing radius, we find that the mean molecular-to-atomic gas ratio within the stellar effective radiusR_e,R_mol(r<R_e), shows a systematic increase with the level of Hi, truncation and/or asymmetry (H_Iperturbation). Analysis of the molecular- and the atomic-to-stellar mass ratios withinR_e,$R_{\star }^{\mathrm{mol}}(r<R_e)$and$R_{\star }^{\mathrm{atom}}(r<R_e)$, shows that VERTICO galaxies have increasingly lower$R_{\star }^{\mathrm{atom}}(r<R_e)$for larger levels of H_Iperturbation (compared to field galaxies matched in stellar mass), but no significant change in$R_{\star }^{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{l}}(r<R_e)$. We also measure a clear systematic decrease of the SFE_molwithinR_e, SFE_mol(r<R_e),more »with increasingly perturbed Hi. Therefore, compared to field galaxies from the field, VERTICO galaxies are more compact in CO emission in relation to their stellar distribution, but increasingly perturbed atomic gas increases theirR_moland decreases the efficiency with which their molecular gas forms stars.

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2. Now You See It, Now You Don’t: Star Formation Truncation Precedes the Loss of Molecular Gas by ∼100 Myr in Massive Poststarburst Galaxies at z ∼ 0.6

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac3dfa  

   Bezanson, Rachel ; Spilker, Justin S. ; Suess, Katherine A. ; Setton, David J. ; Feldmann, Robert ; Greene, Jenny E. ; Kriek, Mariska ; Narayanan, Desika ; Verrico, Margaret ( February 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We use ALMA observations of CO(2–1) in 13 massive (M_*≳ 10¹¹M_⊙) poststarburst galaxies atz∼ 0.6 to constrain the molecular gas content in galaxies shortly after they quench their major star-forming episode. The poststarburst galaxies in this study are selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic samples (Data Release 14) based on their spectral shapes, as part of the Studying QUenching at Intermediate-z Galaxies: Gas, angu$$\overrightarrow{L}\mathrm{ar}$$momentum, and Evolution ($\mathit{SQuIGG}\vec{L}E$) program. Early results showed that two poststarburst galaxies host large H₂reservoirs despite their low inferred star formation rates (SFRs). Here we expand this analysis to a larger statistical sample of 13 galaxies. Six of the primary targets (45%) are detected, with$M_{{\mathrm{H}}_2}\gtrsim {10}^9$M_⊙. Given their high stellar masses, this mass limit corresponds to an average gas fraction of$〈f_{{\mathrm{H}}_2}\equiv M_{{\mathrm{H}}_2}/M_{*}〉\sim 7\%$or ∼14% using lower stellar masses estimates derived from analytic, exponentially declining star formation histories. The gas fraction correlates with theD_n4000 spectral index, suggesting that the cold gas reservoirs decrease with time since burst, as found in local K+A galaxies. Star formation histories derived from flexible stellar population synthesis modeling support thismore »empirical finding: galaxies that quenched ≲150 Myr prior to observation host detectable CO(2–1) emission, while older poststarburst galaxies are undetected. The large H₂reservoirs and low SFRs in the sample imply that the quenching of star formation precedes the disappearance of the cold gas reservoirs. However, within the following 100–200 Myr, the$\mathit{SQuIGG}\vec{L}E$galaxies require the additional and efficient heating or removal of cold gas to bring their low SFRs in line with standard H₂scaling relations.

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3. CLEAR: Emission-line Ratios at Cosmic High Noon

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac3919  

   Backhaus, Bren E. ; Trump, Jonathan R. ; Cleri, Nikko J. ; Simons, Raymond ; Momcheva, Ivelina ; Papovich, Casey ; Estrada-Carpenter, Vicente ; Finkelstein, Steven L. ; Matharu, Jasleen ; Ji, Zhiyuan ; et al ( February 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We use Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 G102 and G141 grism spectroscopy to measure rest-frame optical emission-line ratios of 533 galaxies atz∼ 1.5 in the CANDELS LyαEmission at Reionization survey. We compare [Oiii]/Hβversus [Sii]/(Hα+ [Nii]) as an “unVO87” diagram for 461 galaxies and [Oiii]/Hβversus [Neiii]/[Oii] as an “OHNO” diagram for 91 galaxies. The unVO87 diagram does not effectively separate active galactic nuclei (AGN) and [Nev] sources from star-forming galaxies, indicating that the unVO87 properties of star-forming galaxies evolve with redshift and overlap with AGN emission-line signatures atz> 1. The OHNO diagram does effectively separate X-ray AGN and [Nev]-emitting galaxies from the rest of the population. We find that the [Oiii]/Hβline ratios are significantly anticorrelated with stellar mass and significantly correlated with$\log (L_{\mathrm{H}\beta })$, while [Sii]/(Hα+ [Nii]) is significantly anticorrelated with$\log (L_{\mathrm{H}\beta })$. Comparison with MAPPINGS V photoionization models indicates that these trends are consistent with lower metallicity and higher ionization in low-mass and high-star formation rate (SFR) galaxies. We do not find evidence for redshift evolution of the emission-line ratios outside of the correlations with mass and SFR. Our results suggest that the OHNO diagram of [Oiii]/Hβversus [Neiii]/[Oii] willmore »be a useful indicator of AGN content and gas conditions in very high-redshift galaxies to be observed by the James Webb Space Telescope.

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4. Metallicity Distribution Function of the Eridanus II Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxy from Hubble Space Telescope Narrowband Imaging

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac3665  

   Fu, Sal Wanying ; Weisz, Daniel R. ; Starkenburg, Else ; Martin, Nicolas ; Ji, Alexander P. ; Patel, Ekta ; Boylan-Kolchin, Michael ; Côté, Patrick ; Dolphin, Andrew E. ; Longeard, Nicolas ; et al ( January 2022 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   We use deep narrowband CaHK (F395N) imaging taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to construct the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of Local Group ultra-faint dwarf galaxy EridanusII(EriII). When combined with archival F475W and F814W data, we measure metallicities for 60 resolved red giant branch stars as faint asm_F475W∼ 24 mag, a factor of ∼4× more stars than current spectroscopic MDF determinations. We find that EriIIhas a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = −2.50${}_{-0.07}^{+0.07}$and a dispersion of${\sigma }_{[\mathrm{Fe}/\mathrm{H}]}={0.42}_{-0.06}^{+0.06}$, which are consistent with spectroscopic MDFs, though more precisely constrained owing to a larger sample. We identify a handful of extremely metal-poor star candidates (EMP; [Fe/H] < −3) that are marginally bright enough for spectroscopic follow-up. The MDF of EriIIappears well described by a leaky box chemical evolution model. We also compute an updated orbital history for EriIIusing Gaia eDR3 proper motions, and find that it is likely on first infall into the Milky Way. Our findings suggest that EriIIunderwent an evolutionary history similar to that of an isolated galaxy. Compared to MDFs for select cosmological simulations of similar mass galaxies, we find that EriIIhas a lower fraction of stars withmore »[Fe/H] < −3, though such comparisons should currently be treated with caution due to a paucity of simulations, selection effects, and known limitations of CaHK for EMPs. This study demonstrates the power of deep HST CaHK imaging for measuring the MDFs of UFDs.

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5. X-Ray Emission from Candidate Stellar Merger Remnant TYC 2597-735-1 and Its Blue Ring Nebula

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ac54a2  

   Günther, Hans Moritz ; Hoadley, Keri ; Günther, Maximilian N. ; Metzger, Brian D. ; Schneider, P. C. ; Shen, Ken J. ( March 2022 , The Astronomical Journal)

   Tight binary or multiple-star systems can interact through mass transfer and follow vastly different evolutionary pathways than single stars. The star TYC 2597-735-1 is a candidate for a recent stellar merger remnant resulting from a coalescence of a low-mass companion with a primary star a few thousand years ago. This violent event is evident in a conical outflow (“Blue Ring Nebula”) emitting in UV light and surrounded by leading shock filaments observed in Hαand UV emission. From Chandra data, we report the detection of X-ray emission from the location of TYC 2597-735-1 with a luminosity$\log (L_{\mathrm{X}}/L_{\mathrm{bol}})=-5.5$. Together with a previously reported period of ~14 days, this indicates ongoing stellar activity and the presence of strong magnetic fields on TYC 2597-735-1. Supported by stellar evolution models of merger remnants, we interpret the inferred stellar magnetic field as dynamo action associated with a newly formed convection zone in the atmosphere of TYC 2597-735-1, though internal shocks at the base of an accretion-powered jet cannot be ruled out. We speculate that this object will evolve into an FK Com–type source, i.e., a class of rapidly spinning magnetically active stars for which a merger origin has beenmore »proposed but for which no relic accretion or large-scale nebula remains visible. We also detect likely X-ray emission from two small regions close to the outer shock fronts in the Blue Ring Nebula, which may arise from inhomogeneities either in the circumstellar medium or in the mass and velocity distribution in the merger-driven outflow.

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