We present an analysis of the relation between star formation rate (SFR) surface density (sigmasfr) and mass surface density of molecular gas (sigmahtwo), commonly referred to as the Kennicutt-Schmidt (K-S) relation, at its intrinsic spatial scale, i
.e. the size of giant molecular clouds (10-150 pc), in the central, high-density regions of four nearby low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN). We used interferometric IRAM CO(1-0) and CO(2-1), and SMA CO(3-2) emission line maps to derive sigmahtwo and HST-Halpha images to estimate sigmasfr. Each galaxy is characterized by a distinct molecular SF relation at spatial scales between 20 to 200 pc. The K-S relations can be sub-linear, but also super-linear, with slopes ranging from 0.5 to 1.3. Depletion times range from 1 and 2Gyr, compatible with results for nearby normal galaxies. These findings are valid independently of which transition, CO(1-0), CO(2-1), or CO(3-2), is used to derive sigmahtwo. Because of star-formation feedback, life-time of clouds, turbulent cascade, or magnetic fields, the K-S relation might be expected to degrade on small spatial scales (<100 pc). However, we find no clear evidence for this, even on scales as small as 20 pc, and this might be because of the higher density of GMCs in galaxy centers which have to resist higher shear forces. The proportionality between sigmahtwo and sigmasfr found between 10 and 100 Msun/pc2 is valid even at high densities, 10^3 Msun/pc2. However, by adopting a common CO-to-H2 conversion factor (alpha_CO), the central regions of the galaxies have higher sigmasfr for a given gas column than those expected from the models, with a behavior that lies between the mergers/high-redshift starburst systems and the more quiescent star-forming galaxies, assuming that the first ones require a lower value of alpha_CO.
We present optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer IRAC and MIPS observations of the host galaxy of the dark gamma-ray burst GRB 080207. The host is faint, with extremely red optical-infrared colors ($R-K,=,6.3$, 24micron/$R-$band flux $sim1000$) making
it an extremely red object (ERO) and a dust-obscured galaxy (DOG). The spectral energy distribution (SED) shows the clear signature of the 1.6 micron photometric bump, typical of evolved stellar populations. We use this bump to establish the photometric redshift $z_{rm phot}$ as 2.2$^{+0.2}_{-0.3}$, using a vast library of SED templates, including M 82. The star-formation rate (SFR) inferred from the SED fitting is $sim$119msun,yr$^{-1}$, the stellar mass $3times10^{11}$,msun, and av extinction from 1-2,mag. The ERO and DOG nature of the host galaxy of the dark GRB 080207 may be emblematic of a distinct class of dark GRB hosts, with high SFRs, evolved and metal-rich stellar populations, and significant dust extinction within the host galaxy.
