Dissecting the formation of gas-versus-star counter-rotating galaxies from the NewHorizon simulation

TL;DR

This study uses the NewHorizon simulation to analyze the formation of gas-star counter-rotating galaxies, revealing the processes of gas accretion, disk formation, and the impact on star formation and black hole activity.

Contribution

It provides a detailed simulation-based analysis of counter-rotating galaxy formation, highlighting the role of gas accretion and the resulting stellar and gas dynamics.

Findings

Counter-rotating gas disks form from retrograde accretion.

Counter-rotating stellar disks are always associated with gas disks.

Counter-rotating disks host younger, metal-rich stars.

Abstract

(Reduced)Using the NewHorizon simulation, we have studied ten gas-versus-star counter-rotating galaxies in field environments with a stellar mass of M*~[1-5]x10^10 Msun. For all of them, the retrograde accretion of gas either from gas stripping from a nearby companion or from the circumgalactic medium is the starting point of the formation process. This is followed by the co-existence of two distinct disks of gas rotating in opposite directions, the pre-existing one in the inner parts and the accreted gas in the outer parts of the galaxy. The latter progressively replaces the former leading to the final gas-star kinetic misalignment configuration. During the process, the star formation is first enhanced and then progressively decreases. We roughly estimate that a higher fraction of the pre-existing gas is converted into stars rather than being expelled. We also found that the black hole activity (BH) tends to be enhanced during the removal of the pre-existing gas. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the formation of a counter-rotating gas component is always accompanied with the formation of counter-rotating stellar disks. These stellar disks can have diverse properties but host in general a younger and more metal rich population of stars with respect to the main disc, depending on the star formation history and BH activity. The central part of counter-rotating disks tend also to be characterized by a younger population, an enhanced star formation rate and a higher metallicity than their outer parts. The high metallicity comes the progressive metal enrichment of the accreted gas by mixing with the pre-existing gas and by supernovae activity as it sinks toward the center of the galaxy. In case of major mergers, a large amount of accreted stars from the companion would be distributed at large distances from the remnant center due to conservation of the initial orbital angular momentum.