Radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies have been detected in GeV gamma-rays by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), but the origin of much of this emission is unclear. We consider the nearby example, the Seyfert galaxy GRS 1734-292, which exhibits weak starburst and jet activities that are insufficient to explain the observed gamma-ray flux. With the first detailed multi-wavelength study of this source, we demonstrate that an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk wind can account for its gamma-ray emission. Using a lepto-hadronic emission model based on a shocked ambient medium and a shocked wind region created by an AGN accretion disk wind, we identify two viable scenarios that are consistent with the Fermi-LAT data and multi-wavelength observations: a hadronic pp-dominated scenario and a leptonic external Compton-dominated scenario. Both of these show that future observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) could detect TeV emission from a disk wind in GRS 1734-292. Such a detection would substantially improve our understanding of cosmic ray acceleration efficiency in AGN disk wind systems, and would establish radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies as cosmic ray accelerators capable of reaching ultra-high energies.
Nozomi Ishii, Takuya Hashimoto, Carl Ferkinhoff, Matus Rybak, Akio K. Inoue, Tomonari Michiyama, Darko Donevski, Seiji Fujimoto, Dragan Salak, Nario Kuno, Hiroshi Matsuo, Ken Mawatari, Yoichi Tamura, Takuma Izumi, Tohru Nagao, Yurina Nakazato, Wataru Osone, Yuma Sugahara, Mitsutaka Usui, Koki Wakasugi, et al (6) We report the highest-redshift detection of [O I] 63 $\mu$m from a luminous quasar, J2054-0005, at $z=6.04$ based on the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array Band 9 observations. The [O I] 63 $\mu$m line luminosity is $(4.5\pm1.5) \times 10^{9}~L_{\rm \odot}$, corresponding to the [O I] 63 $\mu$m-to-far-infrared luminosity ratio of $\approx 6.7\times10^{-4}$, which is consistent with the value obtained in the local universe. Remarkably, [O I] 63 $\mu$m is as bright as [C II] 158 $\mu$m, resulting in the [O I]-to-[C II] line luminosity ratio of $1.3\pm0.5$. Based on a careful comparison of the luminosity ratios of [O I] 63 $\mu$m, [C II] 158 $\mu$m, and dust continuum emission to models of photo-dissociation regions, we find that J2054-0005 has a gas density log($n_{\rm H}$/cm$^{-3}$)$=3.7\pm0.3$ and an incident far-ultraviolet radiation field of log($G/G_{\rm 0}$)$= 3.0\pm0.1$, showing that [O I] 63 $\mu$m serves as an important coolant of the dense and warm gas in J2054-0005. A close examination of the [O I] and [C II] line profiles suggests that the [O I] line may be partially self-absorbed, however deeper observations are needed to verify this conclusion. Regardless, the gas density and incident radiation field are in a broad agreement with the values obtained in nearby star-forming galaxies and objects with [O I] 63 $\mu$m observations at $z=1-3$ with the Herschel Space Observatory. These results demonstrate the power of ALMA high-frequency observations targeting [O I] 63 $\mu$m to examine the properties of photo-dissociation regions in high-redshift galaxies.
Unraveling the origins of radio emissions from radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (RQ AGNs) remains a pivotal challenge in astrophysics. One potential source of this radiation is the shock interaction between AGN disk winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). To understand this phenomenon, we construct a spherical, one-zone, and self-similar expansion model of shock structure between ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) and the ISM. We then calculate the energy density distribution of non-thermal electrons by solving the transport equation, considering diffusive shock acceleration as the acceleration mechanism and synchrotron and inverse Compton cooling as the cooling mechanisms. Based on the derived energy distribution of non-thermal electrons, we model the radio synchrotron spectrum of shocked ISM. For the 15 nearby RQ AGNs hosting UFOs, we investigate shocked ISM parameters required to model their observed radio spectra, based on X-ray observations and measured UFO velocities. Radio spectra of 11 out of 15 nearby RQ AGNs would be explained by the AGN disk wind model. This is a compelling indication that shock interactions between AGN disk winds and the ISM could indeed be the source of their radio emissions. The typical predicted source size and magnetic field strength are several $100$ pc and $0.1$ mG, respectively. We also discuss whether our prediction can be tested by future radio observations.
GRS 1734-292 is a radio-quiet galaxy, exhibiting neither intense starburst nor jet activities. However, Fermi-LAT detected this object in the GeV band. The origin of non-thermal activity in this Seyfert galaxy is an intriguing question. We report Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of GRS 1734-292 at frequencies of 97.5, 145, and 225 GHz. These observations confirmed the millimeter excess within the central <100 pc region and its time variability based on two separate observations conducted four days apart. The timescale of variability aligns with the light crossing time for a compact source smaller than <100 Schwarzschild radius. If we take into account the power-law synchrotron emission originating from the corona (i.e., the hot plasma located above the accretion disk), the millimeter spectrum indicates the coronal magnetic field of ~10 G and the size of ~10 Schwarzschild radius. An alternative explanation for this millimeter emission could be synchrotron and free-free emission from disk winds (i.e., fast wide-opening angle outflows from the disk) with the size of ~10 pc, although it may be difficult to explain the fast variability. Future millimeter observations with higher resolution (~0.01") will enable the differentiation between these two scenarios. Such observations will provide insights into the acceleration sites of high-energy particles at the core of active galactic nuclei.
Lihwai Lin, Hsi-An Pan, Sara L. Ellison, Nanase Harada, Maria J. Jimenez-Donaire, K. Decker French, William M. Baker, Bau-Ching Hsieh, Yusei Koyama, Carlos Lopez-Coba, Tomonari Michiyama, Kate Rowlands, Sebastian F. Sanchez, Mallory Thorp We present ALMA observations of two dense gas tracers, HCN(1-0) and HCO$^{+}$(1-0), for three galaxies in the green valley and two galaxies on the star-forming main sequence with comparable molecular gas fractions as traced by the CO(1-0) emissions, selected from the ALMaQUEST survey. We investigate whether the deficit of molecular gas star formation efficiency (SFE$_{\rm mol}$) that leads to the low specific star formation rate in these green valley galaxies is due to a lack of dense gas (characterized by the dense gas fraction $f_{\rm dense}$) or the low star formation efficiency of dense gas (SFE$_{\rm dense}$). We find that SFE$_{\rm mol}$ as traced by the CO emissions, when considering both star-forming and retired spaxels together, is tightly correlated with SFE$_{\rm dense}$ and depends only weakly on $f_{\rm dense}$. The specific star formation rate (sSFR) on kpc scales is primarily driven by SFE$_{\rm mol}$ and SFE$_{\rm dense}$, followed by the dependence on $f_{\rm mol}$, and is least correlated with $f_{\rm dense}$ or the dense-to-stellar mass ratio ($R_{\rm dense}$). When compared with other works in the literature, we find that our green valley sample shows lower global SFE$_{\rm mol}$ as well as lower SFE$_{\rm dense}$ while exhibiting similar dense gas fractions when compared to star-forming and starburst galaxies. We conclude that the star formation of the 3 green valley galaxies with a normal abundance of molecular gas is suppressed mainly due to the reduced SFE$_{\rm dense}$ rather than the lack of dense gas.
Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies (DSFGs) are amongst the most massive and active star-forming galaxies during the cosmic noon. Theoretical studies have proposed various formation mechanisms of DSFGs, including major merger-driven starbursts and secular star-forming disks. Here, we report J0107a, a bright ($\sim8$ mJy at observed-frame 888 $\mu$m) DSFG at $z=2.467$ that appears to be a gas-rich massive disk and might be an extreme case of the secular disk scenario. J0107a has a stellar mass $M_\star\sim5\times10^{11}M_\odot$, molecular gas mass $M_\mathrm{mol}\sim(1\textendash6)\times10^{11}M_\odot$, and a star formation rate (SFR) of $\sim500M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. J0107a does not have a gas-rich companion. The rest-frame 1.28 $\mu$m JWST NIRCam image of J0107a shows a grand-design spiral with a prominent stellar bar extending $\sim15$ kpc. ALMA band 7 continuum map reveals that the dust emission originates from both the central starburst and the stellar bar. 3D disk modeling of the CO(4-3) emission line indicates a dynamically cold disk with rotation-to-dispersion ratio $V_\mathrm{max}/\sigma\sim8$. The results suggest a bright DSFG may have a non-merger origin, and its vigorous star formation may be triggered by bar and/or rapid gas inflow.
We analyze all the available Atacama Large Millimeter / submillimeter Array archival data of the nearby Type-II Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, including new 100 GHz data with the angular resolution of 0\farcs05, which was not included in previous continuum spectral analysis. By combining with the literature data based on the Very Large Array, we investigate the broadband radio continuum spectrum of the central $\lesssim7$ pc region of NGC 1068. We found that the flux density is between $\approx$10-20 mJy at 5-700 GHz. Due to the inability of the model in previous studies to account for the newly added 100 GHz data point, we proceeded to update the models and make the necessary adjustments to the parameters. One possible interpretation of this broadband radio spectrum is a combination of emission from the jet base, the dusty torus, and the compact X-raying corona with the magnetic field strength of $\approx20$ G on scales of $\approx30$ Schwarzschild radii from the central black hole. In order to firmly identify the compact corona by omitting any other possible extended components (e.g., free-free emission from ionized gas around), high-resolution/sensitivity observations achieved by next-generation interferometers will be necessary.
We have performed CO J =1-0 observations of ten galaxies hosting luminous ($L_{\rm bol} > 10^{46}\,{\rm erg\,s^{-1}}$) type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with the Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope. The targets are selected because they are expected to be rich in molecular gas based on their high nebular dust extinction ($A_{\rm V}$). However, no significant CO emission lines were detected in any of the targets. The upper limits of the CO J=1-0 luminosities are lower than expected given the molecular gas mass inferred from the nebular $A_{\rm V}$. This inconsistency may be due to overestimated $A_{\rm V}$ values due to the lack of stellar absorption correction. Considering more reliable $A_{\rm V}$ values, the CO J=1-0 non-detections by Nobeyama 45-m are natural. This suggests that our results do not contradict the conversion methods from $A_{\rm V}$ to molecular gas mass proposed in the literature. This survey suggests that careful $A_{\rm V}$ measurements as well as CO observations are still needed to improve the measurements or estimates of the molecular gas content of galaxies hosting luminous AGNs.
Long-term observations of synchrotron emission from supernovae (SNe), covering more than a year after the explosion, provide a unique opportunity to study the poorly-understood evolution of massive stars in the final millennium of their lives via changes in the mass-loss rate. Here, we present a result of our long-term monitoring of a peculiar type IIL SN 2018ivc, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Following the initial decay, it showed unprecedented rebrightening starting at ~ a year after the explosion. This is one of the rare examples showing such rebrightening in the synchrotron emission, and the first case at millimeter wavelengths. We find it to be in the optically-thin regime unlike the optically-thick centimeter emission. As such, we can robustly reconstruct the distribution of the circumstellar matter (CSM) and thus the mass-loss history in the final ~1,000 years. We find that the progenitor of SN 2018ivc had experienced a very high mass-loss rate >~10^-3 Msun/yr ~1,500 years before the explosion, which was followed by a moderately high mass-loss rate (>~10^-4 Msun/yr) up until the explosion. From this behavior, we suggest SN 2018ivc represents an extreme version of a binary evolution toward SNe IIb, which bridges the hydrogen-poor SNe (toward SNe Ib/c, without a hydrogen envelope) and hydrogen-rich SNe (SNe IIP, with a massive envelope).
Keiichi Maeda, Poonam Chandra, Takashi J. Moriya, Andrea Reguitti, Stuart Ryder, Tomoki Matsuoka, Tomonari Michiyama, Giuliano Pignata, Daichi Hiramatsu, K. Azalee Bostroem, Esha Kundu, Hanindyo Kuncarayakti, Melina C. Bersten, David Pooley, Shiu-Hang Lee, Daniel Patnaude, Osmar Rodriguez, Gaston Folatelli SN 2018ivc is an unusual type II supernova (SN II). It is a variant of SNe IIL, which might represent a transitional case between SNe IIP with a massive H-rich envelope, and IIb with only a small amount of the H-rich envelope. However, SN 2018ivc shows an optical light curve evolution more complicated than canonical SNe IIL. In this paper, we present the results of prompt follow-up observations of SN 2018ivc with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Its synchrotron emission is similar to that of SN IIb 1993J, suggesting that it is intrinsically an SN IIb-like explosion of a He star with a modest (~0.5 - 1 Msun) extended H-rich envelope. Its radio, optical, and X-ray light curves are explained primarily by the interaction between the SN ejecta and the circumstellar material (CSM); we thus suggest that it is a rare example (and the first involving the `canonical' SN IIb ejecta) for which the multi-wavelength emission is powered mainly by the SN-CSM interaction. The inner CSM density, reflecting the progenitor activity in the final decade, is comparable to that of SN IIb 2013cu that showed a flash spectral feature. The outer CSM density, and therefore the mass-loss rate in the final ~200 years, is larger than that of SN 1993J by a factor of ~5. We suggest that SN 2018ivc represents a missing link between SNe IIP and IIb/Ib/Ic in the binary evolution scenario.
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations at $\approx100$ GHz with $0.05$ arcsec (3 pc) resolution of the kiloparsec-scale jet seen in the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, and we report the presence of parsec-scale blobs at the head of the jet. The combination of the detected radio flux ($\approx0.8$ mJy), spectral index ($\approx0.5$), and the blob size ($\approx10$ pc) suggests a strong magnetic field of $B\approx240\,\mu$G. Such a strong magnetic field most likely implies magnetic field amplification by streaming cosmic rays. The estimated cosmic-ray power by the jet may exceed the limit set by the star formation activity in this galaxy. This result suggests that even modest-power jets can increase the galactic cosmic-ray content while propagating through the galactic bulge.
Bumhyun Lee, Jing Wang, Aeree Chung, Luis C. Ho, Ran Wang, Tomonari Michiyama, Juan Molina, Yongjung Kim, Li Shao, Virginia Kilborn, Shun Wang, Xuchen Lin, Dawoon E. Kim, B. Catinella, L. Cortese, N. Deg, H. Dénes, A. Elagali, Bi-Qing For, D. Kleiner, et al (13) We present new results of a 12CO(J=1-0) imaging survey using the Atacama Compact Array (ACA) for 31 HI detected galaxies in the IC 1459 and NGC 4636 groups. This is the first CO imaging survey for loose galaxy groups. We obtained well-resolved CO data (~0.7-1.5 kpc) for a total of 16 galaxies in two environments. By comparing our ACA CO data with the HI and UV data, we probe the impacts of the group environment on the cold gas components (CO and HI gas) and star formation activity. We find that CO and/or HI morphologies are disturbed in our group members, some of which show highly asymmetric CO distributions (e.g., IC 5264, NGC 7421, and NGC 7418). In comparison with isolated galaxies in the xCOLD GASS sample, our group galaxies tend to have low star formation rates and low H2 gas fractions. Our findings suggest that the group environment can change the distribution of cold gas components, including the molecular gas, and star formation properties of galaxies. This is supporting evidence that preprocessing in the group-like environment can play an important role in galaxy evolution.
Yuka Kawana, Toshiki Saito, Sachiko K. Okumura, Ryohei Kawabe, Daniel Espada, Daisuke Iono, Hiroyuki Kaneko, Minju M. Lee, Tomonari Michiyama, Kentaro Motohara, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Alex R. Pettitt, Zara Randriamanakoto, Junko Ueda, Takuji Yamashita We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of multiple CO(1-0), $^{13}$CO(1-0), and C$^{18}$O(1-0) lines and 2.9 mm and 1.3 mm continuum emission toward the nearby interacting luminous infrared galaxy NGC 3110, supplemented with similar spatial resolution H$\alpha$, 1.4GHz continuum, and $K$-band data. We estimate the typical CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor of 1.7 $M_{\odot}$ (K km s$^{-1}$ pc$^2$)$^{-1}$ within the disk using LTE-based and dust-based H$_2$ column densities, and measure the 1-kpc scale surface densities of star formation rate ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$), super star clusters ($\Sigma_{\rm SSC}$), molecular gas mass, and star formation efficiency (SFE) toward the entire gas disk. These parameters show a peak at the southern part of the southern spiral arm (SFE $\sim$ 10$^{-8.2}$ yr$^{-1}$, $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$ $\sim$ 10$^{-0.6}$ $M_{\odot}$ kpc$^{-2}$ yr$^{-1}$, $\Sigma_{\rm SSC}$ $\sim$ 6.0 kpc$^{-2}$), which is likely attributed to the on-going tidal interaction with the companion galaxy MCG-01-26-013, as well as toward the circumnuclear region. We also find that thermal free-free emission contributes to a significant fraction of the millimeter continuum emission at the southern peak position. Those measurements imply that the peak of the southern arm is an active and young star-forming region, whereas the central part of NGC 3110 is a site of long-continued star formation. We suggest that, during the early stage of the galaxy-galaxy interaction with large mass ratio that in NGC 3110, fragmentation along the main galaxy's arms is an important driver of merger-induced star formation and massive gas inflow results in dusty nuclear starbursts.
Ken-ichi Tadaki, Akiyoshi Tsujita, Yoichi Tamura, Kotaro Kohno, Bunyo Hatsukade, Daisuke Iono, Minju M. Lee, Yuichi Matsuda, Tomonari Michiyama, Tohru Nagao, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Yuri Nishimura, Toshiki Saito, Hideki Umehata, Jorge Zavala We present observations of [NII] 205 $\mu$m, [OIII] 88 $\mu$m and dust emission in a strongly-lensed, submillimeter galaxy (SMG) at $z=6.0$, G09.83808, with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Both [NII] and [OIII] line emissions are detected at $>12\sigma$ in the 0.8$"$-resolution maps. Lens modeling indicates that the spatial distribution of the dust continuum emission is well characterized by a compact disk with an effective radius of 0.64$\pm$0.02 kpc and a high infrared surface brightness of $\Sigma_\mathrm{IR}=(1.8\pm0.3)\times10^{12}~L_\odot$ kpc$^{-2}$. This result supports that G09.83808 is the progenitors of compact quiescent galaxies at $z\sim4$, where the majority of its stars are expected to be formed through a strong and short burst of star formation. G09.83808 and other lensed SMGs show a decreasing trend of the [NII] line to infrared luminosity ratio with increasing continuum flux density ratio between 63 $\mu$m and 158 $\mu$m, as seen in local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs). The decreasing trend can be reproduced by photoionization models with increasing ionization parameters. Furthermore, by combining the [NII]/[OIII] luminosity ratio with far-infrared continuum flux density ratio in G09.83808, we infer that the gas phase metallicity is already $Z\approx 0.5-0.7~Z_\odot$. G09.83808 is likely one of the earliest galaxies that has been chemically enriched at the end of reionization.
We present $\sim$0."3 (114 pc) resolution maps of [CI] $^{3}P_{1}$-$^{3}P_{0}$ (hereafter [CI] (1-0)) and $^{12}$CO (1-0) obtained toward Arp 220 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. The overall distribution of the [CI] (1-0) emission is consistent with the CO (1-0). While the [CI] (1-0) and CO (1-0) luminosities of the system follow the empirical linear relation for the unresolved ULIRG sample, we find a sublinear relation between [CI] (1-0) and CO (1-0) using the spatially-resolved data. We measure the [CI] (1-0)/CO (1-0) luminosity ratio per pixel in star-forming environments of Arp 220 and investigate its dependence on the CO (3-2)/CO (1-0) ratio ($R_{\rm CO}$). On average, the [CI] (1-0)/CO (1-0) luminosity ratio is almost constant up to $R_{\rm CO} \simeq 1$ and then increases with $R_{\rm CO}$. According to the radiative transfer analysis, a high CI/CO abundance ratio is required in regions with high [CI] (1-0)/CO (1-0) luminosity ratios and $R_{\rm CO} > 1$, suggesting that the CI/CO abundance ratio varies at $\sim$100 pc scale in Arp 220. The [CI] (1-0)/CO (1-0) luminosity ratio depends on multiple factors and may not be straightforward to interpret. We also find the high-velocity components traced by [CI] (1-0) in the western nucleus, likely associated with the molecular outflow. The [CI] (1-0)/CO (1-0) luminosity ratio in the putative outflow is 0.87 $\pm$ 0.28, which is four times higher than the average ratio of Arp 220. While there is a possibility that the [CI] (1-0) and CO (1-0) emission traces different components, we suggest that the high line ratios are likely because of elevated CI/CO abundance ratios based on our radiative transfer analysis. A CI-rich and CO-poor gas phase in outflows could be caused by the irradiation of the cosmic rays, the shock heating, and the intense radiation field.
We present the 3 mm wavelength spectra of 28 local galaxy merger remnants obtained with the Large Millimeter Telescope. Fifteen molecular lines from 13 different molecular species and isotopologues were identified, and 21 out of 28 sources were detected in one or more molecular lines. On average, the line ratios of the dense gas tracers, such as HCN (1-0) and HCO$^{+}$(1-0), to $^{13}$CO (1-0) are 3-4 times higher in ultra/luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) than in non-LIRGs in our sample. These high line ratios could be explained by the deficiency of $^{13}$CO and high dense gas fractions suggested by high HCN (1-0)/$^{12}$CO (1-0) ratios. We calculate the IR-to-HCN (1-0) luminosity ratio as a proxy of the dense gas star formation efficiency. There is no correlation between the IR/HCN ratio and the IR luminosity, while the IR/HCN ratio varies from source to source (1.1-6.5) $\times 10^{3}$ $L_{\odot}$/(K km s$^{-1}$ pc$^{2}$). Compared with the control sample, we find that the average IR/HCN ratio of the merger remnants is higher by a factor of 2-3 than those of the early/mid-stage mergers and non-merging LIRGs, and it is comparable to that of the late-stage mergers. The IR-to-$^{12}$CO (1-0) ratios show a similar trend to the IR/HCN ratios. These results suggest that star formation efficiency is enhanced by the merging process and maintained at high levels even after the final coalescence. The dynamical interactions and mergers could change the star formation mode and continue to impact the star formation properties of the gas in the post-merger phase.
Tomonari Michiyama, Toshiki Saito, Ken-ichi Tadaki, Junko Ueda, Ming-Yang Zhuang, Juan Molina, Bumhyun Lee, Ran Wang, Alberto Bolatto, Daisuke Iono, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Takuma Izumi, Takuji Yamashita, Luis C. Ho We present the results of surveying [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$, $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$, and 630 $\mu$m dust continuum emission for 36 nearby ultra/luminous infrared galaxies (U/LIRGs) using the Band 8 receiver mounted on the Atacama Compact Array (ACA) of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. We describe the survey, observations, data reduction, and results; the main results are as follows. (i) We confirmed that [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$ has a linear relationship with both the $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$and 630 $\mu$m continuum. (ii) In NGC 6052 and NGC 7679, $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$ was detected but [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$ was not detected with a [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$/ $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$ ratio of $\lesssim0.08$. Two possible scenarios of weak [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$ emission are C$^0$-poor/CO-rich environments or an environment with an extremely large [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$ missing flux. (iii) There is no clear evidence showing that galaxy mergers, AGNs, and dust temperatures control the ratios of [CI] $^3P_1-^3P_0$/ $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$ and $L'_{\rm [CI](1-0)}/L_{\rm 630\mu m}$. (iv) We compare our nearby U/LIRGs with high-z galaxies, such as galaxies on the star formation main sequence (MS) at z$\sim1$ and submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) at $z=2-4$. We found that the mean value for the [CII] $^3P_1$--$^3P_0$/ $^{12}$CO $J=4-3$ ratio of U/LIRGs is similar to that of SMGs but smaller than that of galaxies on the MS.
We use both new and archival ALMA data of three energy lines each of CN and HCN to explore intensity ratios in dense gas in NGC 3256, NGC 7469, and IRAS 13120-5453. The HCN (3-2)/HCN (1-0) intensity ratio varies in NGC 3256 and NGC 7469, with superlinear trends of 1.53$\pm$0.07 and 1.55$\pm$0.05, respectively. We find an offset to higher HCN (3-2)/HCN (1-0) intensity ratios (~0.8) in IRAS 13120-5453 compared to NGC 3256 (~0.3-0.4) and NGC 7469 (~0.3-0.5). The HCN (4-3)/HCN (3-2) intensity ratio in NGC 7469 has a slope of 1.34$\pm$0.05. We attribute the variation within NGC 3256 to excitation associated with the northern and southern nuclei. In NGC 7469, the variations are localized to the region surrounding the active galactic nucleus. At our resolution (~700 pc), IRAS 13120-5453 shows little variation in the HCN intensity ratios. Individual galaxies show nearly constant CN (2-1)/CN (1-0) intensity ratios. We find an offset to lower CN (2-1)/CN (1-0) intensity ratios (~0.5) in NGC 3256 compared to the other two galaxies (~0.8). For the CN (3-2)/CN (2-1) intensity ratio, NGC 7469 has a superlinear trend of 1.55$\pm$0.04, with the peak localized toward the active galactic nucleus. We find high (~1.7) CN (1-0)/HCN (1-0) intensity ratios in IRAS 13120-5453 and in the northern nucleus of NGC 3256, compared to a more constant ratio (~1.1) in NGC 7469 and non-starbursting regions of NGC 3256.
Juan Molina, Edo Ibar, Nicolas Godoy, Andres Escala, Tomonari Michiyama, Cheng Cheng, Thomas M. Hughes, Maarten Baes, Yongquan Xue, Michał J. Michałowski, Paul van der Werf, Xue-Jian Jiang Context. Spatially resolved observations of the ionized and molecular gas are critical for understanding the physical processes that govern the interstellar medium (ISM) in galaxies. Aims. To study the morpho-kinematic properties of the ionized and molecular gas in three dusty starburst galaxies at $z = 0.12-0.17$ to explore the relation between molecular ISM gas phase dynamics and the star-formation activity. Methods. We analyse $\sim$kpc-scale ALMA CO(1--0) and seeing limited SINFONI Paschen-$\alpha$ observations. We use a dynamical mass model, which accounts for beam-smearing effects, to constrain the CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor. Results. One starburst galaxy shows irregular morphology which may indicate a major merger, while the other two systems show disc-like morpho-kinematics. The two disc-like starbursts show molecular gas velocity dispersion values comparable with that seen in local LIRG/ULIRGs, but in an ISM with molecular gas fraction and surface density values consistent to that reported for local star-forming galaxies. These molecular gas velocity dispersion values can be explained by assuming vertical pressure equilibrium. The star-formation activity is correlated with the molecular gas content suggesting depletion times of the order of $\sim 0.1-1$ Gyr. The star formation rate surface density ($\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$) correlates with the ISM pressure set by self-gravity ($P_{\rm grav}$) following a power law with an exponent close to 0.8. Conclusions. In dusty disc-like starburst galaxies, our data support the scenario in which the molecular gas velocity dispersion values are driven by the ISM pressure set by self-gravity, responsible to maintain the vertical pressure balance. The correlation between $\Sigma_{\rm SFR}$ and $P_{\rm grav}$ suggests that, in these dusty starbursts galaxies, the star formation activity arises as a consequence of the ISM pressure balance.
We present high-quality ALMA Band 8 observations of the [CI] $^3P_1$-$^3P_0$ line and 609 $\mu$m dust continuum emission toward the nearby luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) IRAS F18293-3413, as well as matched resolution (300-pc scale) Band 3 CO $J=$1-0 data, which allow us to assess the use of the [CI] $^3P_1$-$^3P_0$ line as a total gas mass estimator. We find that the [CI] line basically traces structures detected in CO (and dust), and a mean (median) [CI]/CO luminosity ($L'_{\rm [CI]}$/$L'_{\rm CO}$) ratio of 0.17 (0.16) with a scatter of 0.04. However, a pixel-by-pixel comparison revealed that there is a radial $L'_{\rm [CI]}$/$L'_{\rm CO}$ gradient and a superlinear $L'_{\rm CO}$ vs. $L'_{\rm [CI]}$ relation (slope = 1.54 $\pm$ 0.02) at this spatial scale, which can be explained by radial excitation and/or line opacity gradients. Based on the molecular gas masses converted from the dust continuum emission, we found that the CO-to-H$_2$ and [CI]-to-H$_2$ conversion factors are relatively flat across the molecular gas disk with a median value of 3.5$^{+1.9}_{-1.3}$ and 20.7$^{+9.2}_{-4.9}$ $M_{\odot}$ (K km s$^{-1}$ pc$^2$)$^{-1}$, respectively. A non-LTE calculation yields that typical molecular gas properties seen in nearby (U)LIRGs ($n_{\rm H_2}$ = 10$^{3-4}$ cm$^{-3}$, $T_{\rm kin}$ $\sim$ 50 K, and $X_{\rm CI}$ = (0.8-2.3) $\times$ 10$^{-5}$) can naturally reproduce the derived [CI]-to-H$_2$ conversion factor. However, we caution that a careful treatment of the physical gas properties is required in order to measure H$_2$ gas mass distributions in galaxies using a single [CI] line. Otherwise, a single [CI] line is not a good molecular gas estimator in a spatially resolved manner.
Tomonari Michiyama, Junko Ueda, Ken-ichi Tadaki, Alberto Bolatto, Juan Molina, Toshiki Saito, Takuji Yamashita, Ming-Yang Zhuang, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Daisuke Iono, Ran Wang, Luis C. Ho We report sensitive [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ and $^{12}$CO~$J$=4--3 observations of the nearby merging galaxy NGC 6052 using the Morita (Atacama Compact) Array of ALMA. We detect $^{12}$CO~$J$=4--3 toward the northern part of NGC 6052, but [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ is not detected with a [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ to $^{12}$CO~$J$=4--3 line luminosity ratio of$~\lesssim0.07$. According to models of photodissociation regions, the unusual weakness of [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ relative to $^{12}$CO~$J$=4--3 can be explained if the interstellar medium has a hydrogen density larger than $10^5\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$, conditions that might arise naturally in the ongoing merging process in NGC 6052. Its [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ emission is also weaker than expected given the molecular gas mass inferred from previous measurements of $^{12}$CO~$J$=1--0 and $^{12}$CO~$J$=2--1. This suggests that [\ionC1]~$^3P_1$--$^3P_0$ may not be a reliable tracer of molecular gas mass in this galaxy. NGC 6052 is a unique laboratory to investigate how the merger process impacts the molecular gas distribution.
Takuma Izumi, Dieu D. Nguyen, Masatoshi Imanishi, Taiki Kawamuro, Shunsuke Baba, Suzuka Nakano, Kotaro Kohno, Satoki Matsushita, David S. Meier, Jean L. Turner, Tomonari Michiyama, Nanase Harada, Sergio Martín, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Shuro Takano, Tommy Wiklind, Naomasa Nakai, Pei-Ying Hsieh We used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to map $^{12}$CO($J$ = 1-0), $^{12}$CO($J$ = 2-1), $^{12}$CO($J$ = 3-2), $^{13}$CO($J$ = 2-1), and [CI]($^3P_1$-$^3P_0$) emission lines around the type 1 active galactic nucleus (AGN) of NGC 7469 ($z = 0.0164$) at $\sim 100$ pc resolutions. The CO lines are bright both in the circumnuclear disk (central $\sim 300$ pc) and the surrounding starburst (SB) ring ($\sim 1$ kpc diameter), with two bright peaks on either side of the AGN. By contrast, the [CI]($^3P_1$-$^3P_0$) line is strongly peaked on the AGN. Consequently, the brightness temperature ratio of [CI]($^3P_1$-$^3P_0$) to $^{13}$CO(2-1) is $\sim 20$ at the AGN, as compared to $\sim 2$ in the SB ring. Our local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE models indicate that the enhanced line ratios (or CI enhancement) are due to an elevated C$^0$/CO abundance ratio ($\sim 3-10$) and temperature ($\sim 100-500$ K) around the AGN as compared to the SB ring (abundance ratio $\sim 1$, temperature $\lesssim 100$ K), which accords with the picture of the X-ray-dominated Region (XDR). Based on dynamical modelings, we also provide CO(1-0)-to- and [CI]($^3P_1$-$^3P_0$)-to-molecular mass conversion factors at the central $\sim 100$ pc of this AGN as $\alpha_{\rm CO} = 4.1$ and $\alpha_{\rm CI} = 4.4~M_\odot$ (K km s$^{-1}$ pc$^2$)$^{-1}$, respectively. Our results suggest that the CI enhancement is potentially a good marker of AGNs that could be used in a new submillimeter diagnostic method toward dusty environments.
We investigate low-density accretion flows onto massive black holes (BHs) with masses of $\gtrsim 10^5~M_\odot$ orbiting around in the outskirts of their host galaxies, performing three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations. Those wandering BHs are populated via ejection from the galactic nuclei through multi-body BH interactions and gravitational wave recoils associated with galaxy and BH coalescences. We find that when a wandering BH is fed with hot and diffuse plasma with density fluctuations, the mass accretion rate is limited at $\sim 10-20\%$ of the canonical Bondi-Hoyle-Littleton rate owing to a wide distribution of inflowing angular momentum. We further calculate radiation spectra from radiatively inefficient accretion flows onto the wandering BH using a semi-analytical two-temperature disk model and find that the predicted spectra have a peak at the millimeter band, where the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has the highest sensitivity and spatial resolution. Millimeter observations with ALMA and future facilities such as the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) will enable us to hunt for a population of wandering BHs and push the detectable mass limit down to $M_\bullet \simeq 2\times10^7~M_\odot$ for massive nearby ellipticals, e.g., M87, and $M_\bullet \simeq 10^5~M_\odot$ for the Milky Way. This radiation spectral model, combined with numerical simulations, will be applied to give physical interpretations of off-nuclear BHs detected in dwarf galaxies, which may constrain BH seed formation scenarios.
A galaxy-galaxy merger and the subsequent triggering of starburst activity are fundamental processes linked to the morphological transformation of galaxies and the evolution of star formation across the history of the Universe. Both nuclear and disk-wide starbursts are assumed to occur during the merger process. However, quantifying both nuclear and disk-wide star formation activity is non-trivial because the nuclear starburst is dusty in the most active merging starburst galaxies. This paper presents a new approach to this problem: combining hydrogen recombination lines in optical, millimeter, and free-free emission. Using NGC~3256 as a case study, H$\beta$, H40$\alpha$, and free-free emissions are investigated using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer at the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory (MUSE/VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The H$\beta$ image obtained by MUSE identifies star-forming regions outside the nuclear regions, suggesting a disk-wide starburst. In contrast, the H40$\alpha$ image obtained by ALMA identifies a nuclear starburst where optical lines are undetected due to dust extinction ($A_{\rm V}\sim25$). Combining both MUSE and ALMA observations, we conclude that the total SFR is $49\pm2~M_{\odot}$~yr$^{-1}$ and the contributions from nuclear and disk-wide starbursts are $\sim34~\%$ and $\sim66~\%$, respectively. This suggests the dominance of disk-wide star formation in NGC~3256. In addition, pixel-by-pixel analyses for disk-wide star-forming regions suggest that shock gas tracers (e.g., CH$_3$OH) are enhanced where gas depletion time ($\tau_{\rm gas}$=$M_{\rm gas}/SFR$) is long. This possibly means that merger-induced shocks regulate disk-wide star formation activities.
Ken-ichi Tadaki, Daisuke Iono, Min S. Yun, Itziar Aretxaga, Bunyo Hatsukade, Minju M. Lee, Tomonari Michiyama, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Toshiki Saito, Junko Ueda, Hideki Umehata We report the detection of a non-corotating gas component in a bright unlensed submillimeter galaxy at z=4.3, COSMOS-AzTEC-1, hosting a compact starburst. ALMA 0.17 and 0.09 arcsec resolution observations of [CII] emission clearly demonstrate that the gas kinematics is characterized by an ordered rotation. After subtracting the best-fit model of a rotating disk, we kinematically identify two residual components in the channel maps. Both observing simulations and analysis of dirty images confirm that these two subcomponents are not artificially created by noise fluctuations and beam deconvolution. One of the two has a velocity offset of 200 km/s and a physical separation of 2 kpc from the primary disk and is located along the kinematic minor axis of disk rotation. We conclude that this gas component is falling into the galaxy from a direction perpendicular to the disk rotation. The accretion of such small non-corotating gas components could stimulate violent disk instability, driving radial gas inflows into the center of galaxies and leading to formation of in-situ clumps such as identified in dust continuum and CO. We require more theoretical studies on high gas fraction mergers with mass ratio of 1:>10 to verify this process.
Ken-ichi Tadaki, Daisuke Iono, Bunyo Hatsukade, Kotaro Kohno, Minju M. Lee, Yuichi Matsuda, Tomonari Michiyama, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Tohru Nagao, Toshiki Saito, Yoichi Tamura, Junko Ueda, Hideki Umehata We present the results from ALMA observations of [NII]205 micron, [CII]158 micron, and [OII]88 micron lines in an unlensed submillimeter galaxy at z=4.3, COSMOS-AzTEC-1, hosting a compact starburst core with an effective radius of 1 kpc. The [CII] and [NII] emission are spatially-resolved in 0.3 arcsec-resolution (1 kpc in radius). The kinematic properties of the [NII] emission are consistent with those of the CO(4-3) and [CII] emission, suggesting that the ionized gas feels the same gravitational potential as the associated molecular gas and photodissociation regions (PDRs). On the other hand, the spatial extent is different among the lines and dust continuum: the [CII] emitting gas is the most extended and the dust is the most compact, leading to a difference of the physical conditions in the interstellar medium. We derive the incident far-ultraviolet flux and the hydrogen gas density through PDR modeling by properly subtracting the contribution of ionized gas to the total [CII] emission. The observed [CII] emission is likely produced by dense PDRs with nH(PDR)=10^(5.5-5.75) cm^-3 and G0=10^(3.5-3.75) in the central 1 kpc region and nH(PDR)=10^(5.0-5.25) cm^-3 and G0=10^(3.25-3.5) in the central 3 kpc region. We have also successfully measured the line ratio of [OIII/[NII] in the central 3 kpc region of COSMOS-AzTEC-1 at z=4.3, which is the highest redshift where both nitrogen and oxygen lines are detected. Under the most likely physical conditions, the measured luminosity ratio of L([OIII])/L([NII])=6.4+-2.2 indicates a near solar metallicity with Zgas=0.7-1.0 Zsol, suggesting a chemically evolved system at z=4.3.
We report ~2" resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the HCN(1-0), HCO+(1-0), CO(1-0), CO(2-1), and CO(3-2) lines towards the nearby merging double-nucleus galaxy NGC 3256. We find that the high density gas outflow traced in HCN(1-0) and HCO+(1-0) emission is co-located with the diffuse molecular outflow emanating from the southern nucleus, where a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) is believed to be the dominant source of the far-infrared luminosity. On the other hand, the same lines were undetected in the outflow region associated with the northern nucleus, whose primary heating source is likely related to starburst activity without obvious signs of AGN. Both HCO+(1-0)/CO(1-0) line ratio (i.e. dense gas fraction) and the CO(3-2)/CO(1-0) line ratio are larger in the southern outflow (0.20$\pm$0.04 and 1.3$\pm$0.2, respectively) than in the southern nucleus (0.08$\pm$0.01, 0.7$\pm$0.1, respectively). By investigating these line ratios for each velocity component in the southern outflow, we find that the dense gas fraction increases and the CO(3-2)/CO(1-0) line ratio decreases towards the largest velocity offset. This suggests the existence of a two-phase (diffuse and clumpy) outflow. One possible scenario to produce such a two-phase outflow is an interaction between the jet and the interstellar medium, which possibly triggers shocks and/or star formation associated with the outflow.
Ken-ichi Tadaki, Daisuke Iono, Min S. Yun, Itziar Aretxaga, Bunyo Hatsukade, David H. Hughes, So Ikarashi, Takuma Izumi, Ryohei Kawabe, Kotaro Kohno, Minju Lee, Yuichi Matsuda, Kohichiro Nakanishi, Toshiki Saito, Yoichi Tamura, Junko Ueda, Hideki Umehata, Grant W. Wilson, Tomonari Michiyama, Misaki Ando, et al (1) Submillimeter bright galaxies in the early Universe are vigorously forming stars at ~1000 times higher rate than the Milky Way. A large fraction of stars is formed in the central 1 kiloparsec region, that is comparable in size to massive, quiescent galaxies found at the peak of the cosmic star formation history, and eventually the core of giant elliptical galaxies in the present-day Universe. However, the physical and kinematic properties inside a compact starburst core are poorly understood because dissecting it requires angular resolution even higher than the Hubble Space Telescope can offer. Here we report 550 parsec-resolution observations of gas and dust in the brightest unlensed submillimeter galaxy at z=4.3. We map out for the first time the spatial and kinematic structure of molecular gas inside the heavily dust-obscured core. The gas distribution is clumpy while the underlying disk is rotation-supported. Exploiting the high-quality map of molecular gas mass surface density, we find a strong evidence that the starburst disk is gravitationally unstable, implying that the self-gravity of gas overcomes the differential rotation and the internal pressure by stellar radiation feedback. The observed molecular gas would be consumed by star formation in a timescale of 100 million years, that is comparable to those in merging starburst galaxies. Our results suggest that the most extreme starburst in the early Universe originates from efficient star formation due to a gravitational instability in the central 2 kpc region.
Yuta Kato, Yuichi Matsuda, Daisuke Iono, Bunyo Hatsukade, Hideki Umehata, Kotaro Kohno, David M. Alexander, Yiping Ao, Scott C. Chapman, Matthew Hayes, Mariko Kubo, Bret D. Lehmer, Matthew A. Malkan, Tomonari Michiyama, Tohru Nagao, Tomoki Saito, Ichi Tanaka, Yoshiaki Taniguchi We present CO J=4-3 line and 3 mm dust continuum observations of a 100 kpc-scale filamentary Ly\alpha nebula (SSA22 LAB18) at z=3.1 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We detected the CO J=4-3 line at a systemic z(CO)=3.093 \pm 0.001 at 11 \sigma from one of the ALMA continuum sources associated with the Ly\alpha filament. We estimated the CO J=4-3 luminosity of L'CO(4-3)=(2.3\pm0.2)x10^9 K km s^-1 pc^2 for this CO source, which is one order of magnitude smaller than those of typical z>1 dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) of similar far-infrared luminosity L(IR)~10^12 Lsun. We derived a molecular gas mass of Mgas=(4.4^+0.9_-0.6)x10^9 Msun and a star-formation rate of SFR=270\pm160 Msun yr^-1. We also estimated a gas depletion time of \tau(dep)=17\pm10 Myr, being shorter than those of typical DSFGs. It is suggested that this source is in a transition phase from DSFG to a gas-poor, early-type galaxy. From ALMA to Herschel multi-band dust continuum observations, we measured a dust emissivity index \beta=2.3\pm0.2, which is similar to those of local gas-poor, early-type galaxies. Such a high \beta can be reproduced by specific chemical compositions for interstellar dust at the submillimeter wavelengths from recent laboratory experiments. ALMA CO and multi-band dust continuum observations can constrain the evolutionary stage of high-redshift galaxies through \tau(dep) and \beta, and thus we can investigate dust chemical compositions even in the early Universe.
Toshiki Saito, Daisuke Iono, Daniel Espada, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Junko Ueda, Hajime Sugai, Min S. Yun, Shuro Takano, Masatoshi Imanishi, Tomonari Michiyama, Satoshi Ohashi, Minju Lee, Yoshiaki Hagiwara, Kentaro Motohara, Takuji Yamashita, Misaki Ando, Ryohei Kawabe We present high-resolution observations (0".2-1".5) of multiple dense gas tracers, HCN and HCO$^+$ ($J$ = 1-0, 3-2, and 4-3), HNC ($J$ = 1-0), and CS ($J$ = 7-6) lines, toward the nearby luminous infrared galaxy VV 114 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. All lines are robustly detected at the central gaseous filamentary structure including the eastern nucleus and the Overlap region, the collision interface of the progenitors. We found that there is no correlation between star formation efficiency and dense gas fraction, indicating that the amount of dense gas does not simply control star formation in VV 114. We predict the presence of more turbulent and diffuse molecular gas clouds around the Overlap region compared to those at the nuclear region assuming a turbulence-regulated star formation model. The intracloud turbulence at the Overlap region might be excited by galaxy-merger-induced shocks, which also explains the enhancement of gas-phase CH$_3$OH abundance previously found there. We also present spatially resolved spectral line energy distributions of HCN and HCO$^+$ for the first time, and derive excitation parameters by assuming optically-thin and local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions. The LTE model revealed that warmer, HCO$^+$-poorer molecular gas medium is dominated around the eastern nucleus, harboring an AGN. The HCN abundance is remarkably flat ($\sim$3.5 $\times$ 10$^{-9}$) independently of the various environments within the filament of VV 114 (i.e., AGN, star formation, and shock).
T. Saito, D. Iono, J. Ueda, D. Espada, K. Sliwa, K. Nakanishi, N. Lu, C. K. Xu, T. Michiyama, H. Kaneko, T. Yamashita, M. Ando, M. S. Yun, K. Motohara, R. Kawabe We present 0".97 $\times$ 0".53 (470 pc $\times$ 250 pc) resolution CO ($J$ = 2-1) observations toward the nearby luminous merging galaxy NGC 6240 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. We confirmed a strong CO concentration within the central 700 pc, which peaks between the double nuclei, surrounded by extended CO features along the optical dust lanes ($\sim$11 kpc). We found that the CO emission around the central a few kpc has extremely broad velocity wings with full width at zero intensity $\sim$ 2000 km s$^{-1}$, suggesting a possible signature of molecular outflow(s). In order to extract and visualize the high-velocity components in NGC 6240, we performed a multiple Gaussian fit to the CO datacube. The distribution of the broad CO components show four extremely large linewidth regions ($\sim$1000 km s$^{-1}$) located 1-2 kpc away from both nuclei. Spatial coincidence of the large linewidth regions with H$\alpha$, near-IR H$_2$, and X-ray suggests that the broad CO (2-1) components are associated with nuclear outflows launched from the double nuclei.
Daisuke Iono, Min S. Yun, Itziar Aretxaga, Bunyo Hatsukade, David Hughes, Soh Ikarashi, Takuma Izumi, Ryohei Kawabe, Kotaro Kohno, Minju Lee, Yuichi Matsuda, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Toshiki Saito, Yoichi Tamura, Junko Ueda, Hideki Umehata, Grant Wilson, Tomonari Michiyama, Misaki Ando The central structure in three of the brightest unlensed z=3-4 submillimeter galaxies are investigated through 0.015" - 0.05" (120 -- 360~pc) 860 micron continuum images obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The distribution in the central kpc in AzTEC1 and AzTEC8 are extremely complex, and they are composed of multiple ~200 pc clumps. AzTEC4 consists of two sources that are separated by ~1.5 kpc, indicating a mid-stage merger. The peak star formation rate densities in the central clumps are ~300 - 3000 Msun/yr/kpc^2, suggesting regions with extreme star formation near the Eddington Limit. By comparing the flux obtained by ALMA and Submillimeter Array (SMA), we find that 68-90% of the emission is extended (> 1 kpc) in AzTEC 4 and 8. For AzTEC1, we identify at least 11 additional compact (~200 pc) clumps in the extended 3 - 4 kpc region. Overall, the data presented here suggest that the luminosity surface densities observed at < 150 pc scales are roughly similar to that observed in local ULIRGs, as in the eastern nucleus of Arp 220. Between 10 to 30% of the 860 micron continuum is concentrated in clumpy structures in the central kpc while the remaining flux is distributed over > 1 kpc regions, some of which could also be clumpy. These sources can be explained by a rapid inflow of gas such as a merger of gas-rich galaxies, surrounded by extended and clumpy starbursts. However, the cold mode accretion model is not ruled out.
Tomonari Michiyama, Daisuke Iono, Kouichiro Nakanishi, Junko Ueda, Toshiki Saito, Misaki Ando, Hiroyuki Kaneko, Takuji Yamashita, Yuichi Matsuda, Bunyo Hatsukade, Kenichi Kikuchi, Shinya Komugi, Takayuki Muto We present the new single dish CO (3-2) emission data obtained toward 19 early stage and 7 late stage nearby merging galaxies using the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE). Combining with the single dish and interferometric data of galaxies observed in previous studies, we investigate the relation between the CO (3-2) luminosity (L'CO(3-2)) and the far Infrared luminosity (LFIR) in a sample of 29 early stage and 31 late stage merging galaxies, and 28 nearby isolated spiral galaxies. We find that normal isolated spiral galaxies and merging galaxies have different slopes (alpha) in the log L'CO(3-2) - log LFIR plane (alpha ~ 0.79 for spirals and ~ 1.12 for mergers). The large slope (alpha > 1) for merging galaxies can be interpreted as an evidence for increasing Star Formation Efficiency (SFE=LFIR/L'CO(3-2)) as a function of LFIR. Comparing our results with sub-kpc scale local star formation and global star-burst activity in the high-z Universe, we find deviations from the linear relationship in the log L'CO(3-2) - log LFIR plane for the late stage mergers and high-z star forming galaxies. Finally, we find that the average SFE gradually increases from isolated galaxies, merging galaxies, and to high-z submillimeter galaxies / quasi-stellar objects (SMGs/QSOs). By comparing our findings with the results from numerical simulations, we suggest; (1) inefficient star-bursts triggered by disk-wide dense clumps occur in the early stage of interaction and (2) efficient star-bursts triggered by central concentration of gas occur in the final stage. A systematic high spatial resolution survey of diffuse and dense gas tracers is a key to confirm this scenario.