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Register a new userLinking dust emission to fundamental properties in galaxies: The low-metallicity picture
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Aur\\'elie R\\'emy-Ruyer
Publication date
2015
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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In this work, we aim at providing a consistent analysis of the dust properties from metal-poor to metal-rich environments by linking them to fundamental galactic parameters. We consider two samples of galaxies: the Dwarf Galaxy Survey (DGS) and KINGFISH, totalling 109 galaxies, spanning almost 2 dex in metallicity. We collect infrared (IR) to submillimetre (submm) data for both samples and present the complete data set for the DGS sample. We model the observed spectral energy distributions (SED) with a physically-motivated dust model to access the dust properties. Using a different SED model (modified blackbody), dust composition (amorphous carbon), or wavelength coverage at submm wavelengths results in differences in the dust mass estimate of a factor two to three, showing that this parameter is subject to non-negligible systematic modelling uncertainties. For eight galaxies in our sample, we find a rather small excess at 500 microns (< 1.5 sigma). We find that the dust SED of low-metallicity galaxies is broader and peaks at shorter wavelengths compared to more metal-rich systems, a sign of a clumpier medium in dwarf galaxies. The PAH mass fraction and the dust temperature distribution are found to be driven mostly by the specific star-formation rate, SSFR, with secondary effects from metallicity. The correlations between metallicity and dust mass or total-IR luminosity are direct consequences of the stellar mass-metallicity relation. The dust-to-stellar mass ratios of metal-rich sources follow the well-studied trend of decreasing ratio for decreasing SSFR. The relation is more complex for highly star-forming low-metallicity galaxies and depends on the chemical evolutionary stage of the source (i.e., gas-to-dust mass ratio). Dust growth processes in the ISM play a key role in the dust mass build-up with respect to the stellar content at high SSFR and low metallicity. (abridged)
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Comparison of the ISM properties of a wide range of metal-poor galaxies with normal metal-rich galaxies reveals striking differences. We find that the combination of the low dust abundance and the active star formation results in a very porous ISM filled with hard photons, heating the dust in dwarf galaxies to overall higher temperatures than their metal-rich counterparts. This results in photodissociation of molecular clouds to greater depths, leaving relatively large PDR envelopes and difficult-to-detect CO cores. From detailed modeling of the low-metallicity ISM, we find significant fractions of CO-dark H2 - a reservoir of molecular gas not traced by CO, but present in the [CII] and [CI]-emitting envelopes. Self-consistent analyses of the neutral and ionized gas diagnostics along with the dust SED is the necessary way forward in uncovering the multiphase structure of galaxies
We combine samples of nearby galaxies with Herschel photometry selected on their dust, metal, HI, and stellar mass content, and compare these to chemical evolution models in order to discriminate between different dust sources. In a companion paper, we used a HI-selected sample of nearby galaxies to reveal a sub-sample of very gas rich (gas fraction > 80 per cent) sources with dust masses significantly below predictions from simple chemical evolution models, and well below $M_d/M_*$ and $M_d/M_{gas}$ scaling relations seen in dust and stellar-selected samples of local galaxies. We use a chemical evolution model to explain these dust-poor, but gas-rich, sources as well as the observed star formation rates (SFRs) and dust-to-gas ratios. We find that (i) a delayed star formation history is required to model the observed SFRs; (ii) inflows and outflows are required to model the observed metallicities at low gas fractions; (iii) a reduced contribution of dust from supernovae (SNe) is needed to explain the dust-poor sources with high gas fractions. These dust-poor, low stellar mass galaxies require a typical core-collapse SN to produce 0.01 - 0.16 $M_{odot}$ of dust. To match the observed dust masses at lower gas fractions, significant grain growth is required to counteract the reduced contribution from dust in SNe and dust destruction from SN shocks. These findings are statistically robust, though due to intrinsic scatter it is not always possible to find one single model that successfully describes all the data. We also show that the dust-to-metals ratio decreases towards lower metallicity.
The chemical enrichment in the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies is regulated by several physical processes: stellar evolution, grain formation and destruction, galactic inflows and outflows. Understanding such processes is essential to follow the chemical enrichment of galaxies through the cosmic epochs, and to interpret the observations. Despite the importance of such topics, the efficiency of the different processes driving the evolution of baryons in galaxies, remain controversial. We revise the current description of metal and dust evolution in local low-metallicity dwarf galaxies and we develop a description for Lyman Break Galaxies. Our main goal is to reproduce i) the peak in the mass of dust over the mass of stars (sMdust) observed within few hundred Myrs; ii) the decrease of the sMdust at later time. The spectral energy distribution of the galaxies is fitted with the Code Investigating GALaxies Emission (CIGALE), through which the stellar and dust masses, and the star formation rate are estimated. For some of the dwarf galaxies, the metal and gas content are also available. We run different calculations of chemical evolution in galaxies, and we fit the observed properties through the model predictions. We show that i) a top-heavy initial mass function that favours massive stars and a dust condensation fraction for Type II Supernovae (SNe II) of 50% or more help to reproduce the peak of sMdust observed after 100 Myrs since the beginning of the cycle; ii) galactic outflows play a crucial role in reproducing the decline in sMdust with age, and they are more efficient than grain destruction from SNe II; iii) a star formation efficiency (mass of gas converted into stars) of few per cent is required to explain the metallicity of local dwarf galaxies; iv) dust growth in the ISM is not necessary to reproduce the sMdust and, if present, its effect is erased by galactic outflows.
Stars form out of the densest parts of molecular clouds. Far-IR emission can be used to estimate the Star Formation Rate (SFR) and high dipole moment molecules, typically HCN, trace the dense gas. A strong correlation exists between HCN and Far-IR emission, with the ratio being nearly constant, over a large range of physical scales. A few recent observations have found HCN to be weak with respect to the Far-IR and CO in subsolar metallicity (low-Z) objects. We present observations of the Local Group galaxies M33, IC10, and NGC6822 with the IRAM 30meter and NRO 45m telescopes, greatly improving the sample of low-Z galaxies observed. HCN, HCO$^+$, CS, C$_2$H, and HNC have been detected. Compared to solar metallicity galaxies, the Nitrogen-bearing species are weak (HCN, HNC) or not detected (CN, HNCO, N$_2$H$^+$) relative to Far-IR or CO emission. HCO$^+$ and C$_2$H emission is normal with respect to CO and Far-IR. While $^{13}$CO is the usual factor 10 weaker than $^{12}$CO, C$^{18}$O emission was not detected down to very low levels. Including earlier data, we find that the HCN/HCO$^+$ ratio varies with metallicity (O/H) and attribute this to the sharply decreasing Nitrogen abundance. The dense gas fraction, traced by the HCN/CO and HCO$^+$/CO ratios, follows the SFR but in the low-Z objects the HCO$^+$ is much easier to measure. Combined with larger and smaller scale measurements, the HCO$^+$ line appears to be an excellent tracer of dense gas and varies linearly with the SFR for both low and high metallicities.
Understanding the ionizing spectrum of low-metallicity galaxies is of great importance for modeling and interpreting emission line observations of early/distant galaxies. Although a wide suite of stellar evolution, atmosphere, population synthesis, and photoionization models, taking many physical processes into account now exist, all models face a common problem: the inability to explain the presence of nebular HeII emission, which is observed in many low metallicity galaxies, both in UV and optical spectra. Several possible explanations have been proposed in the literature, including Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, binaries, very massive stars, X-ray sources, or shocks. However, none has so far been able to explain the major observations. We briefly discuss the HeII problem, available empirical data, and observed trends combining X-ray, optical and other studies. We present a simple and consistent physical model showing that X-ray binaries could explain the long-standing nebular HeII problem. Our model, described in Schaerer et al. (2019), successfully explains the observed trends and strength of nebular HeII emission in large samples of low metallicity galaxies and in individual galaxies, which have been studied in detail and with multi-wavelength observations. Our results have in particular important implications for the interpretation of galaxy spectra in the early Universe, which will be obtained with upcoming and future facilities.
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