Large molecular gas reservoirs in star-forming cluster galaxies
OA Location
Author(s)
Cairns, Joseph
Stroe, Andra
De Breuck, Carlos
Mroczkowski, Tony
Clements, David
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present CO (2−1) observations of 72 galaxies in the nearby, disturbed Antlia Cluster with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment telescope. The galaxies in our sample are selected to span a wide range of stellar masses (108 M ⊙ lesssim M sstarf lesssim 1010 M ⊙) and star formation rates (0.0005 M ⊙ yr−1 < SFR < 0.3 M ⊙ yr−1). Reaching a depth of 23 mJy in 50 km s−1 channels, we report a total CO detection rate of 37.5% and a CO detection rate of 86% for sources within 1 dex of the main sequence. We compare our sample with a similar sample of galaxies in the field, finding that, for a fixed stellar mass and SFR, galaxies in the Antlia Cluster have comparable molecular gas reservoirs to field galaxies. We find that ~41% (11/27) of our CO detections display non-Gaussian CO (2−1) emission-line profiles, and a number of these sources display evidence of quenching in their optical images. We also find that the majority of our sample lies either just below or far below the main sequence of field galaxies, further hinting at potential ongoing quenching. We conclude that the Antlia Cluster represents an intermediate environment between fields and dense clusters, where the gentler intracluster medium (ICM) allows the cluster members to retain their reservoirs of molecular gas, but in which the disturbed ICM is just beginning to influence the member galaxies, resulting in high SFRs and possible ongoing quenching.
Date Issued
2019-09-10
Date Acceptance
2019-07-17
Citation
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics, 2019, 882 (2), pp.1-26
ISSN
0004-637X
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Start Page
1
End Page
26
Journal / Book Title
The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics
Volume
882
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2019. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The definitive publisher authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab8eaf.
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000485693400012&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
galaxies: clusters: individual (Antlia)
galaxies: evolution
galaxies: ISM
galaxies: spiral
galaxies: star formation
ISM: molecules
ALPHA LUMINOSITY FUNCTION
IRAM LEGACY SURVEY
SPIRAL GALAXIES
VIRGO CLUSTER
RAM-PRESSURE
H-I
DISK GALAXIES
NEUTRAL HYDROGEN
NEARBY GALAXIES
ATOMIC GAS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 132
Date Publish Online
2019-09-10