Related papers: The Single-Cloud Star Formation Relation
We study the star formation rate (SFR) versus molecular gas mass ($M_\mathrm{mol}$) scaling relation from hundreds to thousands parsec scales in two strongly lensed galaxies at redshift $z\sim 1$, the Cosmic Snake and A521. We trace SFR…
Star formation is one of the key factors that shapes galaxies. This process is relatively well understood from both simulations and observations on a small "local" scale of individual giant molecular clouds and also on a "global"…
It is well-established that a gas density gradient inside molecular clouds and clumps raises their star formation rate compared to what they would experience from a gas reservoir of uniform density. This effect should be observed in the…
[abridged] While observations of Local Group galaxies show a very simple, local star formation law in which the star formation rate per unit area in each patch of a galaxy scales linearly with the molecular gas surface density, recent…
We present an analytical model of the relation between the surface density of gas and star formation rate in galaxies and clouds, as a function of the presence of supersonic turbulence and the associated structure of the interstellar…
The Kennicutt-Schmidt law is an empirical relation between the star formation rate surface density ($\Sigma_{SFR}$) and the gas surface density ($\Sigma_{gas}$) in disc galaxies. The relation has a power-law form $\Sigma_{SFR} \propto…
By resimulating a region of a global disc simulation at higher resolution, we resolve and study the properties of molecular clouds with a range of masses from a few 100's M$_{\odot}$ to $10^6$ M$_{\odot}$. The purpose of our paper is…
We present the results of a numerical study designed to address the question of whether there is a column density threshold for star formation within molecular clouds. We have simulated a large number of different clouds, with volume and…
We consider the relationship between molecular-gas and star-formation surface densities in 19 morphologically defined E/S0s with stellar mass <~ 4x10^10 M_sun, paying particular attention to those found on the blue sequence in color vs.…
We study the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation between average star formation rate and average cold gas surface density in the Hi dominated ISM of nearby spiral and dwarf irregular galaxies. We divide the galaxies into grid cells varying from…
We explain the large variety of star formation laws in terms of one single, simple law that can be inferred from the definition of the star formation rate and basic algebra. The resulting equation, $\SFR = \eff\ \Mcollapsing/\tauff$,…
We use smoothed-particle hydrodynamics simulations of isolated Milky Way-mass disk galaxies that include cold, interstellar gas to test subgrid prescriptions for star formation (SF). Our fiducial model combines a Schmidt law with a…
(abridged) The star formation rate (SFR) linearly correlates with the amount of dense gas mass (Mdg) involved in the formation of stars both for distant galaxies and clouds in our Galaxy. Similarly, the mass accretion rate (Macc) and the…
We compare atomic gas, molecular gas, and the recent star formation rate (SFR) inferred from H-alpha in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). By using infrared dust emission and local dust-to-gas ratios, we construct a map of molecular gas that…
The surface densities of molecular gas, $\Sigma_{\rm H_2}$, and the star formation rate (SFR), $\dot\Sigma_\star$, correlate almost linearly on kiloparsec scales in observed star-forming (non-starburst) galaxies. We explore the origin of…
The inner few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way harbours gas densities, pressures, velocity dispersions, an interstellar radiation field and a cosmic ray ionisation rate orders of magnitude higher than the disc; akin to the environment found…
Star formation laws are empirical relations between the cold gas (HI+H$_2$) content of a galaxy and its star formation rate (SFR), being crucial for any model of galaxy formation and evolution. A well known example of such laws is the…
Star formation governs galaxy evolution, shaping stellar mass assembly and gas consumption across cosmic time. The Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, linking star formation rate (SFR) and gas surface densities, is fundamental to understand…
We review recent observations of molecular gas in nearby galaxies and their implications for the star formation law on large (>1 kpc) scales. High-resolution data provided by millimetre interferometers are now adding to the basic…
Observations that resolve nearby galaxies into individual regions across multiple phases of the gas-star formation-feedback ``matter cycle'' have provided a sharp new view of molecular clouds, star formation efficiencies, timescales for…