Deciphering Gas Dynamics and Star Formation in a z=1.1 Main Sequence Spiral Galaxy with ALMA and JWST

TL;DR

This study combines ALMA and JWST data to analyze gas dynamics and star formation in a z=1.1 main sequence galaxy, revealing regulated star formation, stable disk structure, and typical gas-to-star conversion efficiency.

Contribution

First detailed joint analysis of molecular and ionized gas in a z=1.1 galaxy using ALMA and JWST, demonstrating typical star formation and stable disk growth.

Findings

Galaxy follows Kennicutt-Schmidt relation

Extended structures suggest regulated star formation

Smooth mass assembly across bulge and disk

Abstract

We present a joint analysis of high-resolution CO(2-1) and Paschen-$\alpha$ emission lines to trace gas dynamics and spatially resolved star formation in ASPECS-LP.3mm.06, a $z=1.1$ main sequence galaxy. Utilizing data from the ALMA and JWST NIRCam Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy (WFSS), we explore both ionized gas and molecular gas within this galaxy. With a substantial molecular gas fraction (f$_\mathrm{mol}$ = 0.44 $\pm$ 0.02), ASPECS-LP.3mm.06 remains on the star-forming main sequence and adheres to the Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, indicating typical gas-to-star conversion efficiency. Our analysis reveals extended structures across multiple wavelengths, suggesting regulated star formation within a stable disk. The spatially resolved star formation efficiency (SFE) and kinematic analysis indicate that ASPECS-LP.3mm.06 features a smooth mass assembly process across bulge and disk. Additionally, the galaxy exhibits modest dust extinction (A$_\mathrm{V}$ = 0.8), potentially linked to self-regulation during bulge formation. These findings position ASPECS-LP.3mm.06 as a prototypical galaxy, offering valuable insights into the mechanisms governing normal disk galaxy growth at z$\sim$1.