Star Formation in CALIFA survey perturbed galaxies. I. Effects of Tidal Interactions

TL;DR

This study investigates how tidal interactions influence star formation in galaxies, revealing that such interactions can flatten the star formation main sequence and potentially enhance gas accretion, with implications for galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of star formation in tidally perturbed versus non-perturbed galaxies using CALIFA survey data, highlighting the effects of tidal interactions on star formation properties.

Findings

Tidally perturbed galaxies show flatter SFMS slopes.

Star-forming regions in perturbed galaxies are generally older.

Tidal perturbations may increase gas accretion rates.

Abstract

We explore the effects of tidal interactions on star formation (SF) by analysing a sample of CALIFA survey galaxies. The sample consists of tidally and non-tidally perturbed galaxies, paired at the closest stellar mass densities for the same galaxy type between subsamples. They are then compared, both on the resolved Star Formation Main Sequence (SFMS) plane and in annular property profiles. Star-forming regions in tidally perturbed galaxies exhibit flatter SFMS slopes compared to star-forming regions in non-tidally perturbed galaxies. Despite that the annular profiles show star-forming regions in tidally perturbed galaxies as being mostly older, their SF properties are never reduced against those ones proper of non-tidally perturbed galaxies. Star-forming regions in non-tidally perturbed galaxies are better candidates for SF suppression (quenching). The lowered SF with increasing stellar mass density in tidally perturbed galaxies may suggest a lower dependence of SF on stellar mass. Though the SFMS slopes, either flatter or steeper, are found independent of stellar mass density, the effect of global stellar mass can not be ignored when distinguishing among galaxy types. Since a phenomenon or property other than local/global stellar mass may be taking part in the modulation of SF, the integrated SF properties are related to the tidal perturbation parameter. We find weak, but detectable, positive correlations for perturbed galaxies suggesting that tidal perturbations induced by close companions increase the gas accretion rates of these objects.