Resolving the ISM at the Peak of Cosmic Star Formation with ALMA: The Distribution of CO and Dust Continuum in z ∼2.5 Submillimeter Galaxies

• We use Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations of four submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) at z ∼2-3 to investigate the spatially resolved properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) at scales of 1-5 kpc (0.″1-0.″6). The velocity fields of our sources, traced by the12CO(J =3-2) emission, are consistent with disk rotation to the first order, implying average dynamical masses of ∼3 1011within two half-light radii. Through a Bayesian approach we investigate the uncertainties inherent to dynamically constraining total gas masses. We explore the covariance between the stellar mass-to-light ratio and CO-to-H2conversion factor, αCO, finding values of for dark matter fractions of 15%. We show that the resolved spatial distribution of the gas and dust continuum can be uncorrelated to the stellar emission, challenging energy balance assumptions in global SED fitting. Through a stacking analysis of the resolved radial profiles of the CO(3-2), stellar, and dust continuum emission in SMG samples, we find that the cool molecular gas emission in these sources (radii ∼5-14 kpc) is clearly more extended than the rest-frame ∼250 μm dust continuum by a factor >2. We propose that assuming a constant dust-to-gas ratio, this apparent difference in sizes can be explained by temperature and optical depth gradients alone. Our results suggest that caution must be exercised when extrapolating morphological properties of dust continuum observations to conclusions about the molecular gas phase of the interstellar medium (ISM).

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

ISM: structure

submillimeter: galaxies

galaxies: ISM

galaxies: structure

galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

submillimeter: ISM

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)