Characterizing the radial oxygen abundance distribution in disk galaxies

TL;DR

This study investigates how non-axisymmetrical structures like bars and spirals influence the radial oxygen abundance distribution in disk galaxies, finding minimal impact from these structures but noting correlations with galaxy mass and other parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a multiparametric relation for oxygen abundance considering galaxy structural parameters, and concludes non-axisymmetrical features have little effect on abundance gradients.

Findings

Non-axisymmetrical structures do not significantly affect oxygen abundance gradients.

Higher galaxy mass correlates with flatter oxygen abundance gradients.

Oxygen abundance outside the galaxy center depends on g-r color and surface brightness.

Abstract

We examine the possible dependence of the radial oxygen abundance distribution on non-axisymmetrical structures (bar/spirals) and other macroscopic parameters such as the mass, the optical radius R25, the color g-r, and the surface brightness of the galaxy. A sample of disk galaxies from the CALIFA DR3 is considered. We adopted the Fourier amplitude A2 of the surface brightness as a quantitative characteristic of the strength of non-axisymmetric structures in a galactic disk, in addition to the commonly used morphologic division for A, AB, and B types based on the Hubble classification. To distinguish changes in local oxygen abundance caused by the non-axisymmetrical structures, the multiparametric mass--metallicity relation was constructed as a function of parameters such as the bar/spiral pattern strength, the disk size, color index g-r in the SDSS bands, and central surface brightness of the disk. The gas-phase oxygen abundance gradient is determined by using the R calibration. We find that there is no significant impact of the non-axisymmetric structures such as a bar and/or spiral patterns on the local oxygen abundance and radial oxygen abundance gradient of disk galaxies. Galaxies with higher mass, however, exhibit flatter oxygen abundance gradients in units of dex/kpc, but this effect is significantly less prominent for the oxygen abundance gradients in units of dex/R25 and almost disappears when the inner parts are avoided. We show that the oxygen abundance in the central part of the galaxy depends neither on the optical radius R25 nor on the color g-r or the surface brightness of the galaxy. Instead, outside the central part of the galaxy, the oxygen abundance increases with g-r value and central surface brightness of the disk.