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1. 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)

   Abstract 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 this 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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2. DUVET: Spatially Resolved Observations of Star Formation Regulation via Galactic Outflows in a Starbursting Disk Galaxy

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aca1bd  

   Reichardt Chu, Bronwyn; Fisher, Deanne B.; Bolatto, Alberto D.; Chisholm, John; Fielding, Drummond; Berg, Danielle; Cameron, Alex J.; Glazebrook, Karl; Herrera-Camus, Rodrigo; Kacprzak, Glenn G.; et al (December 2022, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract We compare 500 pc scale, resolved observations of ionized and molecular gas for thez∼ 0.02 starbursting disk galaxy IRAS08339+6517, using measurements from KCWI and NOEMA. We explore the relationship of the star-formation-driven ionized gas outflows with colocated galaxy properties. We find a roughly linear relationship between the outflow mass flux ( ${\dot{\mathrm{\Sigma }}}_{\mathrm{out}}$) and star formation rate surface density (Σ_SFR), ${\dot{\mathrm{\Sigma }}}_{\mathrm{out}}\propto {\mathrm{\Sigma }}_{\mathrm{SFR}}^{1.06\pm 0.10}$, and a strong correlation between ${\dot{\mathrm{\Sigma }}}_{\mathrm{out}}$and the gas depletion time, such that ${\dot{\mathrm{\Sigma }}}_{\mathrm{out}}\propto t_{\mathrm{dep}}^{-1.1\pm 0.06}$. Moreover, we find these outflows are so-calledbreakoutoutflows, according to the relationship between the gas fraction and disk kinematics. Assuming that ionized outflow mass scales with total outflow mass, our observations suggest that the regions of highest Σ_SFRin IRAS08 are removing more gas via the outflow than through the conversion of gas into stars. Our results are consistent with a picture in which the outflow limits the ability of a region of a disk to maintain short depletion times. Our results underline the need for resolved observations of outflows in more galaxies. 

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3. Mapping the Growth of Supermassive Black Holes as a Function of Galaxy Stellar Mass and Redshift

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad27cc  

   Zou, Fan; Yu, Zhibo; Brandt, W N; Tak, Hyungsuk; Yang, Guang; Ni, Qingling (March 2024, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract The growth of supermassive black holes is strongly linked to their galaxies. It has been shown that the population mean black hole accretion rate ( $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$) primarily correlates with the galaxy stellar mass (M_⋆) and redshift for the general galaxy population. This work aims to provide the best measurements of $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$as a function ofM_⋆and redshift over ranges of 10^9.5<M_⋆< 10¹²M_⊙andz< 4. We compile an unprecedentedly large sample with 8000 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and 1.3 million normal galaxies from nine high-quality survey fields following a wedding cake design. We further develop a semiparametric Bayesian method that can reasonably estimate $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$and the corresponding uncertainties, even for sparsely populated regions in the parameter space. $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$is constrained by X-ray surveys sampling the AGN accretion power and UV-to-infrared multiwavelength surveys sampling the galaxy population. Our results can independently predict the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) from the galaxy stellar mass function (SMF), and the prediction is consistent with the observed XLF. We also try adding external constraints from the observed SMF and XLF. We further measure $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$for star-forming and quiescent galaxies and show that star-forming $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$is generally larger than or at least comparable to the quiescent $\overline{\mathrm{BHAR}}$. 

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4. The Comprehensive Archive of Substellar and Planetary Accretion Rates

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad06b8  

   Betti, S K; Follette, K B; Ward-Duong, K; Peck, A E; Aoyama, Y; Bary, J; Dacus, B; Edwards, S; Marleau, G-D; Mohamed, K; et al (November 2023, The Astronomical Journal)

   Abstract Accretion rates ( $\dot{M}$) of young stars show a strong correlation with object mass (M); however, extension of the $\dot{M}–M$relation into the substellar regime is less certain. Here, we present the Comprehensive Archive of Substellar and Planetary Accretion Rates (CASPAR), the largest compilation to date of substellar accretion diagnostics. CASPAR includes: 658 stars, 130 brown dwarfs, and 10 bound planetary mass companions. In this work, we investigate the contribution of methodological systematics to scatter in the $\dot{M}–M$relation and compare brown dwarfs to stars. In our analysis, we rederive all quantities using self-consistent models, distances, and empirical line flux to accretion luminosity scaling relations to reduce methodological systematics. This treatment decreases the original 1σscatter in the $\log \dot{M}–\log M$relation by ∼17%, suggesting that it makes only a small contribution to the dispersion. The CASPAR rederived values are best fit by $\dot{M}\propto M^{2.02\pm 0.06}$from 10M_Jto 2M_⊙, confirming previous results. However, we argue that the brown-dwarf and stellar populations are better described separately and by accounting for both mass and age. Therefore, we derive separate age-dependent $\dot{M}–M$relations for these regions and find a steepening in the brown-dwarf $\dot{M}–M$slope with age. Within this mass regime, the scatter decreases from 1.36 dex to 0.94 dex, a change of ∼44%. This result highlights the significant role that evolution plays in the overall spread of accretion rates, and suggests that brown dwarfs evolve faster than stars, potentially as a result of different accretion mechanisms. 

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5. The Scale of Stellar Yields: Implications of the Measured Mean Iron Yield of Core Collapse Supernovae

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad6313  

   Weinberg, David_H; Griffith, Emily_J; Johnson, James_W; Thompson, Todd_A (September 2024, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract The scale ofα-element yields is difficult to predict from theory because of uncertainties in massive star evolution, supernova physics, and black hole formation, and it is difficult to constrain empirically because the impact of higher yields can be compensated by greater metal loss in galactic winds. We use a recent measurement of the mean iron yield of core collapse supernovae (CCSN) by Rodriguez et al., ${\overline{y}}_{\mathrm{Fe}}^{\mathrm{cc}}=0.058\pm 0.007M_{\odot }$, to infer the scale ofα-element yields by assuming that the plateau of [α/Fe] abundance ratios observed in low-metallicity stars represents the yield ratio of CCSN. For a plateau at [α/Fe]_cc= 0.45, we find that the population-averaged yields of O and Mg are about equal to the solar abundance of these elements, $\log y_{\mathrm{O}}^{\mathrm{cc}}/Z_{\mathrm{O},\odot }=\log y_{\mathrm{Mg}}^{\mathrm{cc}}/Z_{\mathrm{Mg},\odot }=-0.01\pm 0.1$, where $y_{\mathrm{X}}^{\mathrm{cc}}$is the mass of element X produced by massive stars per unit mass of star formation. The inferred O and Fe yields agree with predictions of the Sukhbold et al. CCSN models assuming their Z9.6+N20 neutrino-driven engine, a scenario in which many progenitors withM< 40M_⊙implode to black holes rather than exploding. The yields are lower than assumed in many models of the galaxy mass–metallicity relation, reducing the level of outflows needed to match observed abundances. Our one-zone chemical evolution models with $\eta ={\dot{M}}_{\mathrm{out}}/{\dot{M}}_{*}\approx 0.6$evolve to solar metallicity at late times. By further requiring that models reach [α/Fe] ≈ 0 at late times, we infer a Hubble-time integrated Type Ia supernova rate of $1.1\times {10}^{-3}{M}_{\odot }^{-1}$, compatible with estimates from supernova surveys. 

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