Journal article
The growth of the central region by acquisition of counterrotating gas in star-forming galaxies
Nature communications, Vol.7(1), pp.13269-13269
10/19/2016
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13269
PMCID: PMC5075802
PMID: 27759033
Abstract
Galaxies grow through both internal and external processes. In about 10% of nearby red galaxies with little star formation, gas and stars are counter-rotating, demonstrating the importance of external gas acquisition in these galaxies. However, systematic studies of such phenomena in blue, star-forming galaxies are rare, leaving uncertain the role of external gas acquisition in driving evolution of blue galaxies. Here, based on new measurements with integral field spectroscopy of a large representative galaxy sample, we find an appreciable fraction of counter-rotators among blue galaxies (9 out of 489 galaxies). The central regions of blue counter-rotators show younger stellar populations and more intense, ongoing star formation than their outer parts, indicating ongoing growth of the central regions. The result offers observational evidence that the acquisition of external gas in blue galaxies is possible; the interaction with pre-existing gas funnels the gas into nuclear regions (<1 kpc) to form new stars.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The growth of the central region by acquisition of counterrotating gas in star-forming galaxies
- Creators
- Yan-Mei Chen - Astronomy and SpaceHai Fu - University of IowaYong Shi - Nanjing UniversityDaniel Thomas - University of PortsmouthChristy A Tremonti - University of Wisconsin–MadisonMatt Bershady - University of Wisconsin–MadisonMichael Merrifield - University of NottinghamEric Emsellem - European Southern ObservatoryYi-Fei Jin - Nanjing UniversitySong Huang - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the UniverseDavid A Wake - The Open UniversityKevin Bundy - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the UniverseDavid Stark - Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the UniverseLihwai Lin - Academia SinicaMaria Argudo-Fernandez - Universidad de Antofagasta, Unidad de Astronoma, Facultad Cs. Bsicas, Av. U. de Antofagasta, 02800 Antofagasta, ChileThaisa Storchi Bergmann - Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-AstronomiaDmitry Bizyaev - New Mexico State UniversityJoel Brownstein - University of UtahMartin Bureau - University of OxfordJohn Chisholm - University of Wisconsin–MadisonNiv Drory - University of California, Santa CruzQi Guo - Chinese Academy of SciencesLei Hao - Shanghai Astronomical ObservatoryJian Hu - Tsinghua UniversityCheng Li - Tsinghua UniversityRan Li - Chinese Academy of SciencesAlexandre Roman Lopes - University of La SerenaKai-Ke Pan - New Mexico State UniversityRogemar A Riffel - Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-AstronomiaLan Wang - Chinese Academy of SciencesKyle Westfall - University of PortsmouthRen-Bin Yan - University of Kentucky
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nature communications, Vol.7(1), pp.13269-13269
- DOI
- 10.1038/ncomms13269
- PMID
- 27759033
- PMCID
- PMC5075802
- NLM abbreviation
- Nat Commun
- ISSN
- 2041-1723
- eISSN
- 2041-1723
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/19/2016
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199772402771
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