Related papers: How warm is the molecular gas in active environmen…
Banerji et al. (2009) suggested that top-heavy stellar Initial Mass Functions (IMFs) in galaxies may arise when the interstellar physical conditions inhibit low-mass star formation, and they determined the physical conditions under which…
We present infrared and millimeter observations of molecular gas, dust and ionized gas towards a sample of clouds distributed along the 500 central pc of the Galaxy. The clouds were selected to investigate the physical state, in particular…
We study the impact of relatively weak AGN feedback on the interstellar medium of intermediate and massive elliptical galaxies. We find that the AGN activity, while globally heating the ISM, naturally stimulates some degree of hot gas…
The role of star formation in luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies is a hotly debated issue: while it is clear that starbursts play a large role in powering the IR luminosity in these galaxies, the relative importance of possible…
All measurements of cosmic star formation must assume an initial distribution of stellar masses -- the stellar initial mass function -- in order to extrapolate from the star-formation rate measured for typically rare, massive stars (> 8…
I review observational studies of the large-scale star formation process in nearby galaxies. A wealth of new multi-wavelength data provide an unprecedented view on the interplay of the interstellar medium and (young) stellar populations on…
(Abridged) Although both Warm (WNM, 10^4 K) and Cool (CNM, about 100 K) atomic phases coexist in many environments, the dominant mass contribution within a galaxy's star-forming disk (R_25) is that of the CNM. Mass fractions of 60 to 90%…
Powerful radio-AGN are hosted by massive elliptical galaxies which are usually very poor in molecular gas. Nevertheless gas is needed in the very center to feed the nuclear activity. We aim to study the molecular gas properties (mass,…
With the recent advent of large interferometric surveys, we can now probe the physical conditions, dynamics, and star-forming properties of molecular gas in the central kpc of starbursts and active galactic nuclei. We present results from…
The stellar initial mass function (IMF) is predicted to depend upon the temperature of gas in star-forming molecular clouds. The introduction of an additional parameter, $T_{IMF}$ , into photometric template fitting, allows galaxies to be…
An overview is given of the chemical processes that occur in primordial systems under the influence of radiation, metal abundances and dust surface reactions. It is found that radiative feedback effects differ for UV and X-ray photons at…
For a general understanding of the physics involved in the star formation process, measurements of physical parameters such as temperature and density are indispensable. The chemical and physical properties of dense clumps of molecular…
New observations of 11 compact galaxies in the 12CO J=2-1 and J=3-2 transitions and literature data have been used to construct accurate line ratios in matched beams allowing LVG modelling of physical parameters. Fitting a single gas…
The star formation rates in starburst galaxies are orders of magnitude higher than in local star-forming regions, and the origin of this difference is not well understood. We use sub-mm spectral line maps to characterize the physical…
The molecular gas in galaxies traces both the fuel for star formation and the processes that can enhance or suppress star formation. Observations of the molecular gas state can thus point to when and why galaxies stop forming stars. In this…
A model is presented which calculates the gas temperature and chemistry in the surface layers of flaring circumstellar disks using a code developed for photon-dominated regions. Special attention is given to the influence of dust settling.…
With a goal toward deriving the physical conditions in external galaxies, we present a survey of formaldehyde (H2CO) and ammonia (NH3) emission and absorption in a sample of starburst galaxies using the Green Bank Telescope. By extending…
Active galactic nucleus (AGN)-driven gas outflows are one of the best tracers of AGN feedback in action, as these powerful outflows expel/heat or compress the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM), thus quenching or enhancing star-forming…
In this review, I discuss some highlights of recent research on molecular gas in galaxies; large-scale CO maps of nearby galaxies are being made, which extend our knowledge on global properties, radial gradients, and spiral structure of the…
The study of the content, distribution and kinematics of interstellar gas is a key to understand the origin and maintenance of both starburst and nuclear (AGN) activity in galaxies. The processes involved in AGN fueling encompass a wide…