EMBERS I: Low redshift post-starburst galaxies are frequently depleted in molecular gas relative to star forming progenitors

TL;DR

This study investigates the atomic and molecular gas content of post-starburst galaxies, revealing diverse gas reservoirs and indicating that many are depleted in molecular gas compared to star-forming galaxies, shedding light on rapid quenching mechanisms.

Contribution

Introduces the EMBERS survey, providing the first homogeneous, multiphase gas assessment of post-starburst galaxies at low redshift with new CO observations.

Findings

Many PSBs are depleted in molecular gas relative to star-forming galaxies.

Individual PSBs show diverse gas content, from gas-rich to gas-poor in both phases.

Most PSBs are gas-poor compared to star-forming controls, with reservoirs intermediate to quenched galaxies.

Abstract

The cold gas content of post-starburst galaxies (PSBs) provides important insight into the mechanisms that drive rapid quenching, but a multiphase assessment of both the atomic and molecular gas in PSBs does not yet exist. We introduce the Ensemble of Multiphase Baryons Evolving in Rapidly-quenching Systems, or EMBERS, a homogeneously selected, nearly mass- and redshift-complete survey of the global atomic (HI) and molecular gas (H2) in PSBs, observed with the Five Hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) and the Institut de radioastronomie millimetrique (IRAM) 30m telescope. We present new CO(1-0) observations for 52 PSBs with the IRAM 30m, which, combined with 9 archival observations, gives a total H2 sample of 61, of which 58/61 have ancillary HI measurements. We detect CO(1-0) in 34/61 galaxies, corresponding to molecular gas fractions (fH2 = MH2/M*) ranging from two to 250 per cent. By comparing with a stellar-mass matched star-forming (SF) control sample from xCOLD GASS, we find that PSBs on average are 0.3-0.6 dex depleted in H2. However, considering both HI and H2, individual PSBs host diverse gas reservoirs ranging from gas-rich in both phases, elevated in one phase, or gas-poor, the latter of which is common at lower stellar mass. The existence of gas-normal and gas-depleted PSBs in both phases suggests that some PSBs may rejuvenate their star formation, but the rapid shutdown of star formation in others is likely terminal. Despite this diversity, the majority of EMBERS PSBs are gas-poor compared to SF controls, with the typical PSB hosting gas reservoirs intermediate to those found in star-forming and quenched galaxies.