REVISITING THE COSMIC STAR FORMATION HISTORY: CAUTION ON THE UNCERTAINTIES IN DUST CORRECTION AND STAR FORMATION RATE CONVERSION
- Astronomy Data Center, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)
- Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)
The cosmic star formation rate density (CSFRD) has been observationally investigated out to redshift z {approx_equal} 10. However, most of the theoretical models for galaxy formation underpredict the CSFRD at z {approx}> 1. Since the theoretical models reproduce the observed luminosity functions (LFs), luminosity densities (LDs), and stellar mass density at each redshift, this inconsistency does not simply imply that theoretical models should incorporate some missing unknown physical processes in galaxy formation. Here, we examine the cause of this inconsistency at UV wavelengths by using a mock catalog of galaxies generated by a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation. We find that this inconsistency is due to two observational uncertainties: the dust obscuration correction and the conversion from UV luminosity to star formation rate (SFR). The methods for correction of obscuration and SFR conversion used in observational studies result in the overestimation of the CSFRD by {approx}0.1-0.3 dex and {approx}0.1-0.2 dex, respectively, compared to the results obtained directly from our mock catalog. We present new empirical calibrations for dust attenuation and conversion from observed UV LFs and LDs into the CSFRD.
- OSTI ID:
- 22167234
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 763, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
DUST OBSCURATION AND METALLICITY AT HIGH REDSHIFT: NEW INFERENCES FROM UV, H{alpha}, AND 8 {mu}m OBSERVATIONS OF z {approx} 2 STAR-FORMING GALAXIES
THE H{alpha} LUMINOSITY FUNCTION AND STAR FORMATION RATE VOLUME DENSITY AT z = 0.8 FROM THE NEWFIRM H{alpha} SURVEY