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GAMA/H-ATLAS: The Dust Opacity-Stellar Mass Surface Density Relation for Spiral Galaxies

Grootes, M.W.; Tuffs, R.J.; Popescu, C.C.; Pastrav, B.; Andrae, E.; Gunawardhana, M.; Kelvin, L.S.; Liske, J.; Seibert, M.; Taylor, E.N.; Graham, A.W.; Baes, M.; Baldry, I.K.; Bourne, N.; Brough, S.; Cooray, A.; Dariush, A.; De Zotti, G.; Driver, S.P.; Dunne, L.; Gomez, H.; Hopkins, A.M.; Hopwood, R.; Jarvis, M.; Loveday, J.; Maddox, S.; Madore, B.F.; Michałowski, M.J.; Norberg, P.; Parkinson, H.R.; Prescott, M.; Robotham, A.S.G.; Smith, D.J.B.; Thomas, D.; Valiante, E.

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Authors

M.W. Grootes

R.J. Tuffs

C.C. Popescu

B. Pastrav

E. Andrae

M. Gunawardhana

L.S. Kelvin

J. Liske

M. Seibert

E.N. Taylor

A.W. Graham

M. Baes

I.K. Baldry

N. Bourne

S. Brough

A. Cooray

A. Dariush

G. De Zotti

S.P. Driver

L. Dunne

H. Gomez

A.M. Hopkins

R. Hopwood

M. Jarvis

J. Loveday

S. Maddox

B.F. Madore

M.J. Michałowski

H.R. Parkinson

M. Prescott

A.S.G. Robotham

D.J.B. Smith

D. Thomas

E. Valiante



Abstract

We report the discovery of a well-defined correlation between B-band face-on central optical depth due to dust, τ f/B, and the stellar mass surface density, μ∗, of nearby (z <= 0.13) spiral galaxies: log(τ f/B ) = 1.12(±0.11) · log(μ∗/M kpc−2) − 8.6(±0.8). This relation was derived from a sample of spiral galaxies taken from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, which were detected in the FIR/submillimeter (submm) in the Herschel-ATLAS science demonstration phase field. Using a quantitative analysis of the NUV attenuation–inclination relation for complete samples of GAMA spirals categorized according to stellar mass surface density, we demonstrate that this correlation can be used to statistically correct for dust attenuation purely on the basis of optical photometry and Sérsic-profile morphological fits. Considered together with previously established empirical relationships of stellar mass to metallicity and gas mass, the near linearity and high constant of proportionality of the τ f/B –μ∗ relation disfavors a stellar origin for the bulk of refractory grains in spiral galaxies, instead being consistent with the existence of a ubiquitous and very rapid mechanism for the growth of dust in the interstellar medium. We use the τ f/B –μ∗ relation in conjunction with the radiation transfer model for spiral galaxies of Popescu & Tuffs to derive intrinsic scaling relations between specific star formation rate (SFR), stellar mass, and stellar surface density, in which attenuation of the UV light used for the measurement of SFR is corrected on an object-to-object basis. A marked reduction in scatter in these relations is achieved which we demonstrate is due to correction of both the inclination-dependent and face-on components of attenuation. Our results are consistent with a general picture of spiral galaxies in which most of the submm emission originates from grains residing in translucent structures, exposed to UV in the diffuse interstellar radiation field.

Citation

Grootes, M., Tuffs, R., Popescu, C., Pastrav, B., Andrae, E., Gunawardhana, M., …Valiante, E. (2013). GAMA/H-ATLAS: The Dust Opacity-Stellar Mass Surface Density Relation for Spiral Galaxies. Astrophysical Journal, 766(1), Article 59. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/766/1/59

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 20, 2013
Deposit Date Jun 3, 2014
Publicly Available Date Jun 23, 2014
Journal Astrophysical Journal
Print ISSN 0004-637X
Electronic ISSN 1538-4357
Publisher American Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 766
Issue 1
Article Number 59
DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/766/1/59
Keywords Dust, Extinction; galaxies, Fundamental parameters, Galaxies: ISM, Galaxies: spiral.

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Copyright Statement
© 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.





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