The Stability of Galaxy Disks

K. B. Westfall; D. R. Andersen; M. A. Bershady; T. P. K. Martinsson; R. A. Swaters; M. A. W. Verheijen

The Stability of Galaxy Disks

K. B. Westfall, D. R. Andersen, M. A. Bershady, T. P. K. Martinsson, R. A. Swaters, M. A. W. Verheijen

Astronomy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We calculate the stellar surface mass density (Σ*) and two-component (gas+stars) disk stability (QRW) for 25 late-type galaxies from the DiskMass Survey. These calculations are based on fits of a dynamical model to our ionized-gas and stellar kinematic data performed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling of the Bayesian posterior. Marginalizing over all galaxies, we find a median value of QRW = 2.0±0.9 at 1.5 scale lengths. We also find that QRW is anti-correlated with the star-formation rate surface density (Σ*), which can be predicted using a closed set of empirical scaling relations. Finally, we find that the star-formation efficiency (Σ*/Σg) is correlated with Σ* and weakly anti-correlated with QRW. The former is consistent with an equilibrium prediction of Σ*/Σg ∝ Σ*1/2. Despite its order-of-magnitude range, we find no correlation of Σ*/ΣgΣ*1/2 with any other physical quantity derived by our study.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the Conference held 12-16 August, 2013 at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, USA
Editors	M.S. Seigar, P. Treuthardt
Pages	93-
Volume	480
Publication status	Published - 1-Mar-2014
Event	Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies - , United Kingdom Duration: 12-Aug-2013 → 16-Aug-2013

Publication series

Name	ASP Conference Series

Conference

Conference	Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
Period	12/08/2013 → 16/08/2013

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http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ASPC..480...93W

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Westfall, K. B., Andersen, D. R., Bershady, M. A., Martinsson, T. P. K., Swaters, R. A., & Verheijen, M. A. W. (2014). The Stability of Galaxy Disks. In M. S. Seigar, & P. Treuthardt (Eds.), Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies: Proceedings of the Conference held 12-16 August, 2013 at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, USA (Vol. 480, pp. 93-). (ASP Conference Series). http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ASPC..480...93W

@inproceedings{3b193ecb53344a2c96526935f3007051,

title = "The Stability of Galaxy Disks",

abstract = "We calculate the stellar surface mass density (Σ*) and two-component (gas+stars) disk stability (QRW) for 25 late-type galaxies from the DiskMass Survey. These calculations are based on fits of a dynamical model to our ionized-gas and stellar kinematic data performed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling of the Bayesian posterior. Marginalizing over all galaxies, we find a median value of QRW = 2.0±0.9 at 1.5 scale lengths. We also find that QRW is anti-correlated with the star-formation rate surface density (Σ*), which can be predicted using a closed set of empirical scaling relations. Finally, we find that the star-formation efficiency (Σ*/Σg) is correlated with Σ* and weakly anti-correlated with QRW. The former is consistent with an equilibrium prediction of Σ*/Σg ∝ Σ*1/2. Despite its order-of-magnitude range, we find no correlation of Σ*/ΣgΣ*1/2 with any other physical quantity derived by our study.",

author = "Westfall, {K. B.} and Andersen, {D. R.} and Bershady, {M. A.} and Martinsson, {T. P. K.} and Swaters, {R. A.} and Verheijen, {M. A. W.}",

year = "2014",

month = mar,

day = "1",

language = "English",

volume = "480",

series = "ASP Conference Series",

pages = "93--",

editor = "M.S. Seigar and P. Treuthardt",

booktitle = "Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies",

note = "Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies ; Conference date: 12-08-2013 Through 16-08-2013",

}

Westfall, KB, Andersen, DR, Bershady, MA, Martinsson, TPK, Swaters, RA & Verheijen, MAW 2014, The Stability of Galaxy Disks. in MS Seigar & P Treuthardt (eds), Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies: Proceedings of the Conference held 12-16 August, 2013 at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, USA . vol. 480, ASP Conference Series, pp. 93-, Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies, United Kingdom, 12/08/2013. <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ASPC..480...93W>

The Stability of Galaxy Disks. / Westfall, K. B.; Andersen, D. R.; Bershady, M. A. et al.
Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies: Proceedings of the Conference held 12-16 August, 2013 at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas, USA . ed. / M.S. Seigar; P. Treuthardt. Vol. 480 2014. p. 93- (ASP Conference Series).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The Stability of Galaxy Disks

AU - Westfall, K. B.

AU - Andersen, D. R.

AU - Bershady, M. A.

AU - Martinsson, T. P. K.

AU - Swaters, R. A.

AU - Verheijen, M. A. W.

PY - 2014/3/1

Y1 - 2014/3/1

N2 - We calculate the stellar surface mass density (Σ*) and two-component (gas+stars) disk stability (QRW) for 25 late-type galaxies from the DiskMass Survey. These calculations are based on fits of a dynamical model to our ionized-gas and stellar kinematic data performed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling of the Bayesian posterior. Marginalizing over all galaxies, we find a median value of QRW = 2.0±0.9 at 1.5 scale lengths. We also find that QRW is anti-correlated with the star-formation rate surface density (Σ*), which can be predicted using a closed set of empirical scaling relations. Finally, we find that the star-formation efficiency (Σ*/Σg) is correlated with Σ* and weakly anti-correlated with QRW. The former is consistent with an equilibrium prediction of Σ*/Σg ∝ Σ*1/2. Despite its order-of-magnitude range, we find no correlation of Σ*/ΣgΣ*1/2 with any other physical quantity derived by our study.

AB - We calculate the stellar surface mass density (Σ*) and two-component (gas+stars) disk stability (QRW) for 25 late-type galaxies from the DiskMass Survey. These calculations are based on fits of a dynamical model to our ionized-gas and stellar kinematic data performed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling of the Bayesian posterior. Marginalizing over all galaxies, we find a median value of QRW = 2.0±0.9 at 1.5 scale lengths. We also find that QRW is anti-correlated with the star-formation rate surface density (Σ*), which can be predicted using a closed set of empirical scaling relations. Finally, we find that the star-formation efficiency (Σ*/Σg) is correlated with Σ* and weakly anti-correlated with QRW. The former is consistent with an equilibrium prediction of Σ*/Σg ∝ Σ*1/2. Despite its order-of-magnitude range, we find no correlation of Σ*/ΣgΣ*1/2 with any other physical quantity derived by our study.

M3 - Conference contribution

VL - 480

T3 - ASP Conference Series

SP - 93-

BT - Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies

A2 - Seigar, M.S.

A2 - Treuthardt, P.

T2 - Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies

Y2 - 12 August 2013 through 16 August 2013

ER -

The Stability of Galaxy Disks

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