# Is a top-heavy initial mass function needed to reproduce the submillimeter galaxy number counts?

## TL;DR

This study shows that a standard initial mass function, combined with dust mass considerations, can reproduce observed submillimeter galaxy counts and distributions, challenging previous claims that a top-heavy IMF is necessary.

## Contribution

The paper demonstrates that incorporating dust mass effects in semi-analytic models allows matching SMG observations without modifying the IMF, contrary to prior assumptions.

## Key findings

- Dust mass influences far-infrared spectral energy distribution.
- Standard IMF models can match SMG counts and redshift distribution.
- IMF variation is degenerate with other physical processes in models.

## Abstract

Matching the number counts and redshift distribution of submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) without invoking modifications to the initial mass function (IMF) has proved challenging for semi-analytic models (SAMs) of galaxy formation. We adopt a previously developed SAM that is constrained to match the z=0 galaxy stellar mass function and makes various predictions that agree well with observational constraints; we do not recalibrate the SAM for this work. We implement three prescriptions to predict the submillimeter flux densities of the model galaxies; two depend solely on star formation rate, whereas the other also depends on the dust mass. By comparing the predictions of the models, we find that taking into account the dust mass, which affects the dust temperature and thus influences the far-infrared spectral energy distribution, is crucial for matching the number counts and redshift distribution of SMGs. Moreover, despite using a standard IMF, our model can match the observed SMG number counts and redshift distribution reasonably well, which contradicts the conclusions of some previous studies that a top-heavy IMF, in addition to taking into account the effect of dust mass, is needed to match these observations. Although we have not identified the key ingredient that is responsible for our model matching the observed SMG number counts and redshift distribution without IMF variation- which is challenging given the different prescriptions for physical processes employed in the SAMs of interest-our results demonstrate that in SAMs, IMF variation is degenerate with other physical processes, such as stellar feedback.