Stellar Population Synthesis of star forming clumps in galaxy pairs and non-interacting spiral galaxies

TL;DR

This study uses multi-wavelength observations and spectral energy distribution fitting to analyze star forming complexes in interacting and non-interacting galaxies, revealing differences in star formation activity and ages.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of star forming clumps in galaxy pairs and isolated spirals using SED fitting, highlighting differences in star formation rates and ages.

Findings

Higher SFR per stellar mass in galaxy pairs

Younger star forming clumps in galaxy pairs

Enhanced SFR in disks and tidal features of interacting galaxies

Abstract

We have identified 1027 star forming complexes in a sample of 46 galaxies from the Spirals, Bridges, and Tails (SB&T) sample of interacting galaxies, and 693 star forming complexes in a sample of 38 non-interacting spiral (NIS) galaxies in $8\rm{\mu m}$ observations from the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera. We have used archival multi-wavelength UV-to IR observations to fit the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) of our clumps with the Code Investigating GALaxy Emission (CIGALE) using a double exponentially declined star formation history (SFH). We derive SFRs, stellar masses, ages and fractions of the most recent burst, dust attenuation, and fractional emission due to an AGN for these clumps. The resolved star formation main sequence holds on 2.5kpc scales, although it does not hold on 1kpc scales. We analyzed the relation between SFR, stellar mass, and age of the recent burst in the SB&T and NIS samples, and we found that the SFR per stellar mass is higher in the SB&T galaxies, and the clumps are younger in the galaxy pairs. We analyzed the SFR radial profile and found that SFR is enhanced through the disk and in the tidal features relative to normal spirals.