Bibcode
Brisbin, Drew; Aravena, Manuel; Hodge, Jacqueline; Carilli, Chris Luke; Daddi, Emanuele; Dannerbauer, H.; Riechers, Dominik; Wagg, Jeff
Bibliographical reference
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #232, id.#201.04
Advertised on:
6
2018
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
We have resolved molecular gas in a 'typical' star forming disk galaxy
at z>2 down to the scale of ~500 pc. Previous observations of CO and
[CI] lines on larger spatial scales have revealed bulk molecular and
atomic gas properties indicating that the target is a massive disk
galaxy with large gas reserves. Unlike many galaxies studied at high
redshift, it is undergoing modest quiescent star formation rather than
bursty centrally concentrated star formation. Therefore this galaxy
represents an under-studied, but cosmologically important population in
the early universe. Our new observations of CO (4-3) highlight the
clumpy molecular gas fuelling star formation throughout the disk.
Underlying continuum from cold dust provides a key constraint on star
formation rate surface densities, allowing us to examine the star
formation rate surface density scaling law in a never-before-tested
regime of early universe galaxies.These observations enable an
unprecedented view of the obscured star formation that is hidden to
optical/UV imaging and trace molecular gas on a fine enough scale to
resolve morphological traits and provide a view akin to single dish
surveys in the local universe.