High molecular gas fractions in normal massive star-forming galaxies in the young Universe

L. J. Tacconi (), R. Genzel, R. Neri, P. Cox, M. C. Cooper, K. Shapiro, A. Bolatto, N. Bouché, F. Bournaud, A. Burkert, F. Combes, J. Comerford, M. Davis, N. M. Förster Schreiber, S. Garcia-Burillo, J. Gracia-Carpio, D. Lutz, T. Naab, A. Omont, A. Shapley, A. Sternberg and B. Weiner
Additional contact information
L. J. Tacconi: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
R. Genzel: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
R. Neri: IRAM, 300 Rue de la Piscine, 38406 St Martin d’Heres, Grenoble, France
P. Cox: IRAM, 300 Rue de la Piscine, 38406 St Martin d’Heres, Grenoble, France
M. C. Cooper: Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave., University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0065, USA
K. Shapiro: Campbell Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
A. Bolatto: University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-2421, USA
N. Bouché: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
F. Bournaud: Service d'Astrophysique, DAPNIA, CEA/Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
A. Burkert: Universitätssternwarte der Ludwig-Maximiliansuniversität, Scheinerstr. 1, D-81679 München, Germany
F. Combes: LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Av. de l'Observatoire, F-75 014 Paris, France
J. Comerford: Campbell Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
M. Davis: Campbell Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
N. M. Förster Schreiber: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
S. Garcia-Burillo: Observatorio Astronómico Nacional-OAN, Apartado 1143, 28800 Alcalá de Henares-Madrid, Spain
J. Gracia-Carpio: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
D. Lutz: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
T. Naab: Universitätssternwarte der Ludwig-Maximiliansuniversität, Scheinerstr. 1, D-81679 München, Germany
A. Omont: Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS and Université Pierre and Marie Curie, 98 bis boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris, France
A. Shapley: University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547, USA
A. Sternberg: School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University
B. Weiner: Steward Observatory, 933 N. Cherry Ave., University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0065, USA

Nature, 2010, vol. 463, issue 7282, 781-784

Abstract: Gas supply to the stars Star formation requires the presence of cold molecular gas, which makes up only a small fraction of the total mass of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies where only a few new stars are formed per year. To establish whether the rapid star formation occurring in distant massive galaxies reflects a greater supply of cold gas or a more efficient process of star formation, gas content was surveyed in massive-star-forming galaxies at two cosmic epochs — at redshifts of approximately 1.2 and 2.3, when the Universe was 40% and 24% of its current age. The results reveal that distant star-forming galaxies were indeed gas rich and that the star-formation efficiency is not strongly dependent on cosmic epoch. The average fraction of cold gas relative to total galaxy mass is three to ten times higher in distant galaxies than in today's massive spiral galaxies.

Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1038/nature08773

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