Showing papers by "Deidre A. Hunter published in 2022"
TL;DR: In this article , the conditions necessary for CO core formation in low-metallicity galaxies have been investigated, and the presence of CO cores in a variety of different local environments, along with the similar properties between star-forming regions with and without CO cores, leads them to conclude that there are no obvious environmental characteristics that drive the formation of these CO cores.
Abstract: The low metallicities of dwarf irregular galaxies (dIrr) greatly influence the formation and structure of molecular clouds. These clouds, which consist primarily of H2, are typically traced by CO, but low-metallicity galaxies are found to have little CO despite ongoing star formation. In order to probe the conditions necessary for CO core formation in dwarf galaxies, we have used the catalog of Rubio et al. for CO cores in WLM, a Local Group dwarf with an oxygen abundance that is 13% of solar. Here we aim to characterize the galactic environments in which these 57 CO cores formed. We grouped the cores together based on proximity to each other and strong FUV emission, examining properties of the star-forming region enveloping the cores and the surrounding environment where the cores formed. We find that high H i surface density does not necessarily correspond to higher total CO mass, but regions with higher CO mass have higher H i surface densities. We also find the cores in star-forming regions spanning a wide range of ages show no correlation between age and CO core mass, suggesting that the small size of the cores is not due to fragmentation of the clouds with age. The presence of CO cores in a variety of different local environments, along with the similar properties between star-forming regions with and without CO cores, leads us to conclude that there are no obvious environmental characteristics that drive the formation of these CO cores.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors measured the excess energy, velocity dispersion, and surface density of H i gas associated with regions of excess star formation, where the excess is determined from the difference between the observed local value and the azimuthal average.
Abstract: The spatial range for feedback from star formation varies from molecular cloud disruption on parsec scales to supershells and disk blowout on kiloparsec scales. The relative amounts of energy and momentum given to these scales are important for understanding the termination of star formation in any one region and the origin of interstellar turbulence and disk stability in galaxies as a whole. Here, we measure, for 11 THINGS galaxies, the excess kinetic energy, velocity dispersion, and surface density of H i gas associated with regions of excess star formation, where the excess is determined from the difference between the observed local value and the azimuthal average. We find small decreases in the excess kinetic energy and velocity dispersion in regions of excess star formation rate density, suggesting that most of the feedback energy does not go into local H i motion. Most likely, it disrupts molecular clouds and dissipates rapidly at high gas density. Some could also be distributed over larger regions, filling in spaces between the peaks of star formation and contributing to other energy sources from self-gravity and spiral arm shocks.
1 citations