# Global Hot Gas Excess in (U)LIRGs: Replicating Galactic Nuclei Scaling Relations between Diffuse X-ray Emission and Star Formation on Galaxy-Wide Scales

## TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray data from 78 luminous infrared galaxies, revealing a super-linear relation between hot gas X-ray luminosity and star formation rate, and exploring how galactic mergers and gas absorption influence hot gas emission.

## Contribution

It replicates and extends galactic nuclei scaling relations to galaxy-wide scales in (U)LIRGs, highlighting the impact of mergers and gas absorption on hot gas X-ray emission.

## Key findings

- Hot gas X-ray luminosity exceeds standard SFR predictions in high-SFR galaxies.
- Super-linear L_X-SFR relation with slope 1.34 for SFR > 50 M_sun/yr.
- Negative correlation between apparent and intrinsic X-ray luminosity ratios and gas absorption.

## Abstract

Hot ionized interstellar medium interlinks star formation and stellar feedback processes, redistributing energy, momentum, and material throughout galaxies. We use X-ray data from $Chandra$ to extract the hot gas emission from 78 of the most luminous infrared-selected galaxies in the local Universe. In the extreme star-forming environments, the intrinsic thermal X-ray luminosity of hot gas ($L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm gas}$) shows a significant excess over the predictions of the standard linear $L_{\rm X}$$-$SFR relation for most objects with very high star formation rates (SFRs). The contribution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) appears to have little impact on the global hot gas luminosity. For galaxies with SFR $\gt$ 50 ${M_{\rm \odot}}\,\,{\rm yr^{-1}}$, the Bayesian analysis gives a super-linear relation of ${\rm log}(L_{\rm 0.5-2\,keV}^{\rm gas} /{\rm erg\,s^{-1}})=1.34\,{\rm log}({\rm SFR}/{M_{\rm \odot}}\,{\rm yr^{-1}})+39.82$, similar to that found in the central regions of normal spiral galaxies. These results suggest a scenario in which the merger of galaxies delivers substantial amounts of gas, triggering intense star formation in both the nuclear region and the galactic disk, and ultimately enhancing the global thermal X-ray emission. The ratio of the apparent thermal luminosity in the 0.5$-$2 keV band ($L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm appar}$) to $L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm gas}$ shows statistically significant negative correlations with the intrinsic column density ($N_{\rm H}$) and SFR. Moreover, in contrast to the luminosity ratio, SFR shows a moderate positive correlation with intrinsic $N_{\rm H}$. This suggests that the correlation between $L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm appar}$/$L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm gas}$ and SFR may be driven by the underlying $L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm appar}$/$L_{\rm 0.5 - 2\,keV}^{\rm gas}$$-$$N_{\rm H}$ and SFR$-$$N_{\rm H}$ relations.