Spatially and Dynamically Extended Molecular Gas in Stephan's Quintet Revealed by ALMA CO(1-0) Total Power Mapping

TL;DR

This study uses ALMA CO(1-0) total power mapping to reveal the extensive distribution of molecular gas across Stephan's Quintet, including in intergalactic regions and tidal features, providing new insights into gas dynamics and star formation in galaxy groups.

Contribution

First complete ALMA CO(1-0) mapping of Stephan's Quintet showing molecular gas spread over 120x80 kpc, including in intergalactic regions and tidal features, with analysis of gas dynamics and star formation.

Findings

Molecular gas extends over 120x80 kpc in SQ.

Total molecular gas mass is approximately 10^10 solar masses.

Star formation efficiency is comparable to or lower than nearby galaxies.

Abstract

We present ALMA Total Power CO(1-0) mapping of Stephan's Quintet (SQ), a prototypical compact galaxy group, with a uniform noise level at a spatial scale of ~25 kpc. These observations provide the first complete view of molecular gas across the whole system. Molecular gas is found to spread over a wide area (~120 x 80 kpc), mainly over the two main member galaxies (NGC7318B and 7319), but also in the shocked ridges between these galaxies, the tidal tail, and also in intergalactic regions north of the tail. The total CO(1-0) luminosity is $(2.47\pm0.12)\times10^9~\mathrm{K~km~s^{-1}~pc^2}$, corresponding to a molecular gas mass of $(1.07\pm0.05)\times10^{10}~M_\odot$ assuming the Galactic CO-to-H2 conversion factor. The global star formation efficiency of SQ is estimated at 0.29-0.70 $\mathrm{Gyr^{-1}}$, comparable to or lower than that of nearby star-forming galaxies. Molecular gas spans a velocity range of ~1300 km/s, which can be divided into three components (low, mid, high). The low- and mid-velocity components, linked to NGC7318B and the ridge, show relatively active star formation, whereas the high-velocity component, associated with NGC7319, shows suppressed star formation. Our mapping reveals molecular gas extending ~100 kpc in projection along the inner tail and north of it, containing $(1.64\pm0.08)\times10^9~M_\odot$ (15% of total) with low velocity dispersion (~20 km/s) and ongoing star formation. While previous studies suggested in situ molecular gas formation in the tail, our data suggest an additional contribution from gas stripped from NGC7319.