| |
 |
| Paper: |
Star Formation is Very Rapid in Spiral Galaxies |
| Volume: |
396, Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Disks |
| Page: |
163 |
| Authors: |
Tamburro, D.; Rix, H.-W.; Walter, F.; Brinks, E.; de Blok, W.J.G.; Kennicutt, R.C.; Mac Low, M.-M. |
| Abstract: |
We estimate a characteristic timescale for star formation in the spiral arms of disk galaxies, going from atomic hydrogen (H I) to dust enshrouded young stars. Drawing on high resolution H I data from The H I Nearby Galaxy Survey (THINGS) and 24 μm images from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS) for a sample of 14 nearby disk galaxies, we measure the angular offset between the H I and 24 μm emissivity peaks as a function of radius. We model these offsets assuming a kinematic pattern speed, Ωp, and a timescale, tHI→24 μm, for the time span between the dense H I phase and the existence of young stars heating the surrounding dust. The resulting values of tHI→24 μm for the sample, within the range 1−5 Myr, imply a rapid timescale for massive star formation in spiral arms. |
|
|
|
|
|
