Regulated star formation in forming disk galaxies under ultraviolet radiation background

TL;DR

This study uses radiation hydrodynamics simulations to investigate how ultraviolet background radiation influences star formation in galactic gas disks, revealing a critical column density threshold for self-shielding and fragmentation.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed simulation analysis showing the impact of UV radiation on disk fragmentation and star formation, highlighting a critical column density threshold.

Findings

Self-shielding occurs at N_H > 10^21 cm^-2 under UV radiation.

Unshielded disks remain smooth without fragmentation.

Self-shielded disks fragment and potentially form stars.

Abstract

We perform radiation hydrodynamics simulations on the evolution of galactic gas disks irradiated by ultraviolet radiation background. We find gas disks with N_H > 10^21 cm^-2 exposed to ultraviolet radiation at a level of I_21=1 can be self-shielded from photoheating, whereas the disk with N_H < 10^21 cm^-2 cannot. We also find that the unshielded disks keep smooth density distribution without any sign of fragmentation, while the self-shielded disks easily fragment into small pieces by self-gravity, possibly followed by star formation. The suppression of star formation in unshielded disks is different from photoevaporation effect, since the assumed dark halo potential is deep enough to keep the photoheated gas. Presence of such critical threshold column density would be one of the reason for the so-called down-sizing feature of present-day galaxies.