The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST survey: Spatially resolved star formation relations at z ∼ 5
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Context. Star formation governs galaxy evolution, shaping stellar mass assembly and gas consumption across cosmic time. The Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, linking the star formation rate (SFR) and gas surface densities, is fundamental to understand star formation regulation, yet remains poorly constrained at z > 2 due to observational limitations and uncertainties in locally calibrated gas tracers. The [CII] 158 μm line has recently emerged as a key probe of the cold ISM and star formation in the early Universe. Aims. We investigate whether the resolved [CII]–SFR and KS relations established at low redshift remain valid at 4 < z < 6 by analysing 13 main-sequence galaxies from the ALPINE and CRISTAL surveys, using multi-wavelength data (HST, JWST, ALMA) at ∼2 kpc resolution. Methods. We performed pixel-by-pixel spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling with CIGALE on resolution-homogenised images. We developed a statistical framework to fit the [CII]–SFR relation that accounts for pixel covariance and compare our results to classical fitting methods. We tested two [CII]-to-gas conversion prescriptions to assess their impact on inferred gas surface densities and depletion times. Results. We find a resolved [CII]–SFR relation with a slope of 0.87 ± 0.15 and intrinsic scatter of 0.19 ± 0.03 dex, which is shallower and tighter than previous studies at z ∼ 5. The resolved KS relation is highly sensitive to the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor: using a fixed global α [CII] yields depletion times of 0.5–1 Gyr, while a surface brightness-dependent W [CII] , accounting for local ISM conditions, places some galaxies with high gas density in the starburst regime (< 0.1 Gyr). Conclusions. Future inputs from both simulations and observations are required to better understand how the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor depends on local ISM properties. We need to break this fundamental limit to properly study the KS relation at z ≳ 4.
Source: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Authors: C. Accard, M. Béthermin, M. Boquien, V. Buat, L. Vallini, F. Renaud, K. Kraljic, M. Aravena, P. Cassata, E. da Cunha, P. Dam, I. de Looze, M. Dessauges-Zavadsky, Y. Dubois, A. Faisst, Y. Fudamoto, M. Ginolfi, C. Gruppioni, S. Han, R. Herrera-Camus, H. Inami, A. M. Koekemoer, B. C. Lemaux, J. Li, Y. Li, B. Mobasher, J. Molina, A. Nanni, M. Palla, F. Pozzi, M. Relaño, M. Romano, P. Sawant, J. Spilker, A. Tsujita, E. Veraldi, V. Villanueva, W. Wang, S. K. Yi, G. Zamorani
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Université Côte d'Azur, Lagrange Laboratory, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Aix-Marseille Université, Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, National Institute for Astrophysics, Universidad Diego Portales, University of Padua, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, The University of Western Australia, ASTRO-3D, ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Ghent University, University of Geneva, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Sorbonne Université, California Institute of Technology, Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, Chiba University, Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory, University of Florence, University of Concepción, Hiroshima University, Space Telescope Science Institute, NSF NOIRLab, Texas A&M University, University of Valparaíso, National Centre for Nuclear Research, Collurania Teramo Observatory, University of Bologna, Universidad de Granada, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, The University of Tokyo, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Yonsei University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,865
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Telescope Science Institute, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, National Research Foundation, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, National Research Foundation of Korea, Université de Strasbourg, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Universidad de Concepción, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Grand Équipement National De Calcul Intensif, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, European Research Council, Australian Research Council, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico
Awards: G103270039, Galaxy evolution in high definition with the world's largest telescopes, G1190173965, G1338664626, G164444715, G1800105685, G1949054838, G2106555614, Par-delà les frontières, l'Université de Strasbourg, G2255650664, G2262748287, G2277320295, G2421315707, G2428672771, G256731684, Idex UCA JEDI, G2694206344, Façonner les talents en formation et en recherche à l'Université de Strasbourg, G3001655549, G3357951378, G3392138632, G3456374072, G3480869486, G3527965702, G3847461893, G399734812, G425668148, G4360986921, G4436073038, G4518818167, G4538171546, G457452161, G464105488, G4704682132, G471331628, G4779185514, MILLENIUM NUCLEUS FOR GALAXIES, G5406298433, G5568641063, G5635532810, G5834573078, G6136357505, G6273510985, G6276897512, G6524350462, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, G7084143925, G7169023097, G7240651115, G7369074969, G767601387, G7863371703, G7993388881, G8052326542, G8497050386, ORCHIDS: ORIGIN OF THE [CII] HALOS IN DISTANT SYSTEMS, CENTRO DE ASTROFISICA Y TECNOLOGIAS AFINES (CATA), G8800819381, G880779785
OpenAlex ID: W4414196143