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Published February 10, 2020 | Version Accepted Version + Published
Journal Article Open

Systematic Variations of CO J = 2−1/1–0 Ratio and Their Implications in The Nearby Barred Spiral Galaxy M83

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Stony Brook University
  • 2. ROR icon Kagoshima University
  • 3. ROR icon Atacama Large Millimeter Submillimeter Array
  • 4. ROR icon Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica
  • 5. ROR icon University of Tokyo
  • 6. ROR icon Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
  • 7. ROR icon University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • 8. ROR icon National Radio Astronomy Observatory
  • 9. ROR icon IBM Research - Thomas J. Watson Research Center
  • 10. ROR icon Complutense University of Madrid
  • 11. ROR icon Peking University
  • 12. ROR icon Osaka University
  • 13. ROR icon University of Tsukuba
  • 14. ROR icon European Southern Observatory
  • 15. ROR icon National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
  • 16. ROR icon The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI
  • 17. ROR icon California Institute of Technology
  • 18. ROR icon Carnegie Observatories
  • 19. ROR icon Nihon University

Abstract

We present spatial variations of the CO J = 2−1/1–0 line ratio (R₂₁/₁₀) in the barred spiral galaxy M83 using Total Power Array (single-dish telescopes) data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. While the intensities of these two lines correlate tightly, R₂₁/₁₀ varies over the disk, with a disk average ratio of 0.69, and shows the galactic center and a two-arm spiral pattern. It is high (≳0.7) in regions of high molecular gas surface density (Σ_(mol)), but ranges from low to high ratios in regions of low Σ_(mol). The ratio correlates well with the spatial distributions and intensities of far-ultraviolet (FUV) and infrared (IR) emissions, with FUV being the best correlated. It also correlates better with the ratio of specific intensities at 70 and 350 μm, a proxy for dust temperature, than with the IR intensities. Taken together, these results suggest either a direct or indirect link between the dust heating by the interstellar radiation field and the condition of giant molecular clouds (GMCs), even though no efficient mechanism is known for a thermal coupling of dust and bulk gas in GMCs. We speculate that the large spread of R₂₁/₁₀ in low Σ_(mol) regions, mostly at the downstream sides of spiral arms, may be due to the evolution of massive stars after spiral arm passage. Having in a late phase escaped from the spiral arms and their parental clouds, they may contribute to the dust heating by FUV and gas heating by cosmic rays produced by supernovae.

Additional Information

© 2020 The American Astronomical Society. Received 2019 December 10; revised 2020 January 5; accepted 2020 January 28; published 2020 February 11. This Letter makes use of the following ALMA data: ADS/JAO.ALMA#2013.1.01161.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2015.1.00121.S, ADS/JAO.ALMA#2016.1.00386.S, and ADS/JAO.ALMA#2017.1.00079.S. ALMA is a partnership of ESO (representing its member states), NSF (USA) and NINS (Japan), together with NRC (Canada), MOST and ASIAA (Taiwan), and KASI (Republic of Korea), in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. The Joint ALMA Observatory is operated by ESO, AUI/NRAO, and NAOJ. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. J.K. acknowledges support from NSF through grant AST-1812847. The work of L.C.H. was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (11721303, 11991052) and the National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFA0400702). K.S. was supported by MOST 108-2112-M-001-015. We also thank the anonymous referee. Facilities: ALMA - Atacama Large Millimeter Array, IRSA - , Spitzer - , Herschel. - Software: CASA 5.4.1-31 (McMullin et al. 2007).

Attached Files

Published - Koda_2020_ApJL_890_L10.pdf

Accepted Version - 2001.11043.pdf

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2001.11043.pdf

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Additional details

Additional titles

Alternative title
Systematic Variations of CO J = 2−1/1–0 Ratio in The Barred Spiral Galaxy M83

Identifiers

Eprint ID
101224
Resolver ID
CaltechAUTHORS:20200211-112445066

Related works

Describes
https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.11043 (URL)

Funding

NSF
AST-1812847
National Science Foundation of China
11721303
National Science Foundation of China
11991052
National Key Research and Development Program of China
2016YFA0400702
Ministry of Science and Technology (Taipei)
108-2112-M-001-015

Dates

Created
2020-02-11
Created from EPrint's datestamp field
Updated
2021-11-16
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Astronomy Department