Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

The Star Formation Rate Efficiency of Neutral Atomic-dominated Hydrogen Gas in the Outskirts of Star-forming Galaxies from z ~ 1 to z ~3

Rafelski, Marc; Gardner, Jonathan P.; Fumagalli, Michele; Neeleman, Marcel; Teplitz, Harry I.; Grogin, Norman; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Scarlata, Claudia

The Star Formation Rate Efficiency of Neutral Atomic-dominated Hydrogen Gas in the Outskirts of Star-forming Galaxies from z ~ 1 to z ~3 Thumbnail


Authors

Marc Rafelski

Jonathan P. Gardner

Marcel Neeleman

Harry I. Teplitz

Norman Grogin

Anton M. Koekemoer

Claudia Scarlata



Abstract

Current observational evidence suggests that the star formation rate (SFR) efficiency of neutral atomic hydrogen gas measured in damped Lyα systems (DLAs) at $z\sim 3$ is more than 10 times lower than predicted by the Kennicutt–Schmidt (KS) relation. To understand the origin of this deficit, and to investigate possible evolution with redshift and galaxy properties, we measure the SFR efficiency of atomic gas at $z\;\sim $ 1, $z\;\sim $ 2, and $z\sim 3$ around star-forming galaxies. We use new robust photometric redshifts in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field to create galaxy stacks in these three redshift bins, and measure the SFR efficiency by combining DLA absorber statistics with the observed rest-frame UV emission in the galaxies' outskirts. We find that the SFR efficiency of H i gas at $z\gt 1$ is ~1%–3% of that predicted by the KS relation. Contrary to simulations and models that predict a reduced SFR efficiency with decreasing metallicity and thus with increasing redshift, we find no significant evolution in the SFR efficiency with redshift. Our analysis instead suggests that the reduced SFR efficiency is driven by the low molecular content of this atomic-dominated phase, with metallicity playing a secondary effect in regulating the conversion between atomic and molecular gas. This interpretation is supported by the similarity between the observed SFR efficiency and that observed in local atomic-dominated gas, such as in the outskirts of local spiral galaxies and local dwarf galaxies

Citation

Rafelski, M., Gardner, J. P., Fumagalli, M., Neeleman, M., Teplitz, H. I., Grogin, N., …Scarlata, C. (2016). The Star Formation Rate Efficiency of Neutral Atomic-dominated Hydrogen Gas in the Outskirts of Star-forming Galaxies from z ~ 1 to z ~3. Astrophysical Journal, 825(2), Article 87. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/825/2/87

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 27, 2016
Online Publication Date Jul 6, 2016
Publication Date Jul 6, 2016
Deposit Date Jul 15, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Astrophysical Journal
Print ISSN 0004-637X
Publisher American Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 825
Issue 2
Article Number 87
DOI https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/825/2/87

Files

Published Journal Article (5.8 Mb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
© 2016. The American Astronomical Society.





You might also like



Downloadable Citations