Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data
We analyzed the deepest Hubble Space Telescope F275W ultraviolet (UV) imaging of M87 to obtain the most robust constraints on its star formation rate (SFR) and star formation history (SFH). After removing the galaxy continuum and globular clusters, we detected an excess of UV point sources near the...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adf20d |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849229075469565952 |
|---|---|
| author | Prathamesh Tamhane William Waldron Ming Sun Silvia Martocchia Claudia Maraston Alessandro Boselli William Forman Massimo Gaspari Juhi Tiwari Megan Donahue G. Mark Voit Tim Edge Grant Tremblay Daniel Thomas |
| author_facet | Prathamesh Tamhane William Waldron Ming Sun Silvia Martocchia Claudia Maraston Alessandro Boselli William Forman Massimo Gaspari Juhi Tiwari Megan Donahue G. Mark Voit Tim Edge Grant Tremblay Daniel Thomas |
| author_sort | Prathamesh Tamhane |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We analyzed the deepest Hubble Space Telescope F275W ultraviolet (UV) imaging of M87 to obtain the most robust constraints on its star formation rate (SFR) and star formation history (SFH). After removing the galaxy continuum and globular clusters, we detected an excess of UV point sources near the center. By comparing their colors to young stellar source (YSS) colors generated by stochastically simulated star formation (SF) for various SFRs and SFHs, we ruled out their origin as a UV-upturn population and identified them as YSS. We found an extremely low SFR of ∼2 × 10 ^−5 M _⊙ yr ^−1 in M87, with evidence of a weak starburst ∼125 Myr ago that formed ∼1000 M _⊙ of stars. Unlike other cool-core clusters where SF is stronger and directly linked to cooling gas, we found no spatial correlation between YSS and H α filaments. Comparing SF activity with M87’s active galactic nucleus (AGN) outburst history suggests that recent AGN feedback events (≲12 Myr ago) neither triggered nor were associated with any detectable SF; however, earlier outbursts may have triggered weak starbursts. We detected UV filaments cospatial with H α filaments with similar lengths and widths, though they are obscured by dust near the center. These filaments are likely powered by metal-line emission from collisional ionization, suggesting ongoing low-level precipitation of the intracluster medium. Our results indicate that AGN feedback has quenched SF significantly in M87 for at least 200 Myr, even though some precipitation persists. Additionally, we identified a hotspot created by the counterjet, with the spectral index also constrained. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-249132c8febc45db89d0aed966243720 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-249132c8febc45db89d0aed9662437202025-08-22T06:19:46ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0199013610.3847/1538-4357/adf20dConstraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV DataPrathamesh Tamhane0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8176-7665William Waldron1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6009-0197Ming Sun2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5880-0703Silvia Martocchia3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7110-6775Claudia Maraston4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7711-3677Alessandro Boselli5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9795-6433William Forman6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9478-1682Massimo Gaspari7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2754-9258Juhi Tiwari8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7705-4483Megan Donahue9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2808-0853G. Mark Voit10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3514-0383Tim Edge11Grant Tremblay12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5445-5401Daniel Thomas13https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6325-5671Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville , 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; pdt0003@uah.edu, ms0071@uah.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville , 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; pdt0003@uah.edu, ms0071@uah.eduDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville , 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; pdt0003@uah.edu, ms0071@uah.eduAix Marseille University , CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, FranceInstitute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth , 1-8 Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX, UKAix Marseille University , CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France; Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari , Via della Scienza 5, 09047 Selargius (CA), ItalyCenter for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USADepartment of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Modena, ItalyDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville , 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; pdt0003@uah.edu, ms0071@uah.eduMichigan State University , Physics and Astronomy Department, East Lansing, MI 48824-2320, USAMichigan State University , Physics and Astronomy Department, East Lansing, MI 48824-2320, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama in Huntsville , 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA ; pdt0003@uah.edu, ms0071@uah.eduCenter for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAInstitute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth , 1-8 Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX, UKWe analyzed the deepest Hubble Space Telescope F275W ultraviolet (UV) imaging of M87 to obtain the most robust constraints on its star formation rate (SFR) and star formation history (SFH). After removing the galaxy continuum and globular clusters, we detected an excess of UV point sources near the center. By comparing their colors to young stellar source (YSS) colors generated by stochastically simulated star formation (SF) for various SFRs and SFHs, we ruled out their origin as a UV-upturn population and identified them as YSS. We found an extremely low SFR of ∼2 × 10 ^−5 M _⊙ yr ^−1 in M87, with evidence of a weak starburst ∼125 Myr ago that formed ∼1000 M _⊙ of stars. Unlike other cool-core clusters where SF is stronger and directly linked to cooling gas, we found no spatial correlation between YSS and H α filaments. Comparing SF activity with M87’s active galactic nucleus (AGN) outburst history suggests that recent AGN feedback events (≲12 Myr ago) neither triggered nor were associated with any detectable SF; however, earlier outbursts may have triggered weak starbursts. We detected UV filaments cospatial with H α filaments with similar lengths and widths, though they are obscured by dust near the center. These filaments are likely powered by metal-line emission from collisional ionization, suggesting ongoing low-level precipitation of the intracluster medium. Our results indicate that AGN feedback has quenched SF significantly in M87 for at least 200 Myr, even though some precipitation persists. Additionally, we identified a hotspot created by the counterjet, with the spectral index also constrained.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adf20dActive galactic nucleiRadio active galactic nucleiRadio hot spotsStar formationYoung star clustersInterstellar filaments |
| spellingShingle | Prathamesh Tamhane William Waldron Ming Sun Silvia Martocchia Claudia Maraston Alessandro Boselli William Forman Massimo Gaspari Juhi Tiwari Megan Donahue G. Mark Voit Tim Edge Grant Tremblay Daniel Thomas Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data The Astrophysical Journal Active galactic nuclei Radio active galactic nuclei Radio hot spots Star formation Young star clusters Interstellar filaments |
| title | Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data |
| title_full | Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data |
| title_fullStr | Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data |
| title_short | Constraining Star Formation in M87 Using Deep Hubble Space Telescope UV Data |
| title_sort | constraining star formation in m87 using deep hubble space telescope uv data |
| topic | Active galactic nuclei Radio active galactic nuclei Radio hot spots Star formation Young star clusters Interstellar filaments |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adf20d |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT prathameshtamhane constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT williamwaldron constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT mingsun constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT silviamartocchia constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT claudiamaraston constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT alessandroboselli constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT williamforman constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT massimogaspari constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT juhitiwari constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT megandonahue constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT gmarkvoit constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT timedge constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT granttremblay constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata AT danielthomas constrainingstarformationinm87usingdeephubblespacetelescopeuvdata |