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Star Formation Thresholds: The View from Inside the Galaxy

Part of: IAU Issue 315 - From Interstellar Clouds...

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2016

James Di Francesco
James Di Francesco*
Affiliation:
National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Programs in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC, Canada, V9E 2E7 email: james.difrancesco@canada.ca
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Abstract

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We explore the relationship between the total gas surface density and star formation rate surface density, a.k.a., the “Kennicutt-Schmidt relation,” in a Galactic context. Specifically, we probe the origins of thresholds in the behaviour of the K-S relation at 10 M⊙ pc−2 and 100-200 M⊙ pc−2 using images from the Herschel Hi-GAL and Gould Belt surveys. In both cases, pervasive filamentary structures are seen, possibly due to turbulent motions. The Hi-GAL image supports the view that at ~10 M⊙ pc−2 gas becomes molecular, leading to the formation of clouds that harbour star formation. The GBS images suggest the 100-200 M⊙ pc−2 threshold originates from the nature of filaments being stable until a critical column density of ~160 M⊙ pc−2 is reached. Therefore, the transition between non-star-forming and star-forming gas in clouds (and galaxies) may be set universally by the dynamical properties of filaments.

Keywords

stars: formationISM: cloudsISM: structuregalaxies: ISMsubmillimeter
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 11 , Symposium S315: From Interstellar Clouds to Star-Forming Galaxies: Universal Processes? , August 2015 , pp. 183 - 190
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2016 

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