Bar quenching: Evidence from star-formation-rate indicators

TL;DR

This study investigates how bars in spiral galaxies influence star formation, finding that bars can suppress central star formation and that bar length may correlate with overall quenching.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence linking bar length to star formation suppression and distinguishes between central and global quenching in barred galaxies.

Findings

651 galaxies with suppressed central star formation but active outside

Possible correlation between bar length and galaxy-wide star formation rate

Bars can induce central quenching while allowing star formation in outer regions

Abstract

The central regions of star-forming barred spiral galaxies can be devoid of star formation because of the redistribution of gas along the length of the bar. However, there can be gas outside the length of the bar that can host star formation. We study a sample of barred disc galaxies in the local Universe with an aim to discriminate between centrally quenched and globally quenched galaxies based on their positions on star-formation-rate(SFR)--stellar mass plots and to find a connection between the SFR of quenched galaxies and the length of their bar. We classified barred galaxies as centrally quenched and globally quenched based on their position on SFR--stellar mass plots, with SFRs derived from H$\alpha$ flux and spectral energy distribution fits on combined ultraviolet and optical flux. We selected galaxies as passive based on the distance from the main sequence relation. From a total 2514 barred galaxies studied here, we present 651 with suppressed star formation in their central region but hosting star formation outside. We also find a possible correlation between bar length and SFR for the galaxies that are fully quenched because of the stellar bar.