Inhibition of star formation in Sa galaxies

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167589· OSTI ID:5398094

Pompea, S M; Rieke, G H ^[1]

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1. Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA)

Only 4 percent of Sas in the Revised Shapley-Ames Catalog with B(T) less than 12 have an infrared luminosity greater than 10 to the 10th solar. This proportion is about one-sixth of the corresponding one for Sbs and Scs. Although the infrared luminosities of most Sa galaxies are dominated by disk emission, the same trend appears in the incidence of nuclear starbursts. IRAS measurements indicate that no more than three Sas out of the entire RSA sample of 166 galaxies have nuclear starbursts that cannot be associated with interactions or active nuclei. Plots of H I fluxes do not strongly correlate with infrared fluxes. Similarly, for at least the infrared selected Sas, the trend of IR flux with CO flux is similar to that of later type spiral galaxies. This would imply that molecular cloud formation is inhibited in Sas, leading to the lack of infrared activity. 38 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5398094
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 342; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC GASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUIDS
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GASES
INFRARED RADIATION
LUMINOSITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SATELLITES
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS