articleThe Astrophysical Journal LettersApr 5, 2010BRONZE OA

DIFFERENT STAR FORMATION LAWS FOR DISKS VERSUS STARBURSTS AT LOW AND HIGH REDSHIFTS

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Délégation Paris 7 · +8 more institutions

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Abstract

We present evidence that bona fide disks and starburst systems occupy distinct regions in the gas mass versus star formation rate (SFR) plane, both for the integrated quantities and for the respective surface densities. This result is based on carbon monoxide (CO) observations of galaxy populations at low and high redshifts, and on the current consensus for the CO luminosity to gas mass conversion factors. The data suggest the existence of two different SF regimes: a long-lasting mode for disks and a more rapid mode for starbursts, the latter probably occurring during major mergers or in dense nuclear SF regions. Both modes are observable over a large range of SFRs. The detection of CO emission from distant…

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