Near-identical star formation rate densities from H$α$ and FUV at redshift zero [GA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1806.05875


For the first time both H$\alpha$ and far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations from an HI-selected sample are used to determine the dust-corrected star formation rate density (SFRD: $\dot{\rho}$) in the local Universe. Applying the two star formation rate indicators on 294 local galaxies we determine log($\dot{\rho}$$ {H\alpha}) = -1.68~^{+0.13}{-0.05}$ [M${\odot} $ yr$^{-1} $ Mpc$^{-3}]$ and log($\dot{\rho}{FUV}$) $ = -1.71~^{+0.12}{-0.13}$ [M$\odot $ yr$^{-1} $ Mpc$^{-3}]$. These values are derived from scaling H$\alpha$ and FUV observations to the HI mass function. Galaxies were selected to uniformly sample the full HI mass (M${HI}$) range of the HI Parkes All-Sky Survey (M${HI} \sim10^{7}$ to $\sim10^{10.7}$ M$_{\odot}$). The approach leads to relatively larger sampling of dwarf galaxies compared to optically-selected surveys. The low HI mass, low luminosity and low surface brightness galaxy populations have, on average, lower H$\alpha$/FUV flux ratios than the remaining galaxy populations, consistent with the earlier results of Meurer. The near-identical H$\alpha$- and FUV-derived SFRD values arise with the low H$\alpha$/FUV flux ratios of some galaxies being offset by enhanced H$\alpha$ from the brightest and high mass galaxy populations. Our findings confirm the necessity to fully sample the HI mass range for a complete census of local star formation to include lower stellar mass galaxies which dominate the local Universe.

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F. Audcent-Ross, G. Meurer, O. Wong, et. al.
Mon, 18 Jun 18
3/54

Comments: 17 pages, 7 figures