Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters
Scaling relationships, both integrated and spatially resolved, arise owing to the physical processes that govern galaxy evolution and are frequently measured in both observed and simulated data. However, the accuracy and comparability of these measurements are hindered by various differences between...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ade13c |
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| author | Bryanne McDonough Olivia Curtis Tereasa G. Brainerd |
| author_facet | Bryanne McDonough Olivia Curtis Tereasa G. Brainerd |
| author_sort | Bryanne McDonough |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scaling relationships, both integrated and spatially resolved, arise owing to the physical processes that govern galaxy evolution and are frequently measured in both observed and simulated data. However, the accuracy and comparability of these measurements are hindered by various differences between studies such as spatial resolution, sample selection criteria, and fitting technique. In this Letter, we compare variations of standard least-squares techniques to the ridge line method for identifying spatially resolved scaling relations (Σ _* −Σ _SFR , Σ _* −Σ _gas , and Σ _gas −Σ _SFR ) for TNG100 galaxies. We find that using the ridge line technique to fit these scaling relations with a double linear function (in logarithmic space) results in significantly better fits than fitting with ordinary least squares. We further illustrate the utility of the ridge line technique with an investigation into the dependence of resolved star formation main-sequence (rSFMS) measurements on spatial resolution and smoothing scale. Specifically, we find that the slope of the rSFMS at low Σ _* is independent (within 2 σ ) of spatial resolution and smoothing scale. Finally, we discuss the need for a consistent reanalysis of resolved scaling relations in the literature and physically motivate adoption of the ridge line technique over other fitting methods. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-68e3f41ecbbf478482a3706aeec094ee |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-68e3f41ecbbf478482a3706aeec094ee2025-08-20T03:22:16ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019862L3210.3847/2041-8213/ade13cMeasuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique MattersBryanne McDonough0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6928-4345Olivia Curtis1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0212-4563Tereasa G. Brainerd2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7917-7623Department of Physics, Northeastern University , 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA ; br.mcdonough@northeastern.edu; Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University , 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USAInstitute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University , 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University , 251 Pollock Road, University Park, PA 16802, USAInstitute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University , 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USAScaling relationships, both integrated and spatially resolved, arise owing to the physical processes that govern galaxy evolution and are frequently measured in both observed and simulated data. However, the accuracy and comparability of these measurements are hindered by various differences between studies such as spatial resolution, sample selection criteria, and fitting technique. In this Letter, we compare variations of standard least-squares techniques to the ridge line method for identifying spatially resolved scaling relations (Σ _* −Σ _SFR , Σ _* −Σ _gas , and Σ _gas −Σ _SFR ) for TNG100 galaxies. We find that using the ridge line technique to fit these scaling relations with a double linear function (in logarithmic space) results in significantly better fits than fitting with ordinary least squares. We further illustrate the utility of the ridge line technique with an investigation into the dependence of resolved star formation main-sequence (rSFMS) measurements on spatial resolution and smoothing scale. Specifically, we find that the slope of the rSFMS at low Σ _* is independent (within 2 σ ) of spatial resolution and smoothing scale. Finally, we discuss the need for a consistent reanalysis of resolved scaling relations in the literature and physically motivate adoption of the ridge line technique over other fitting methods.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ade13cStar formationAstronomical simulationsGalaxy propertiesGalaxy evolutionScaling relations |
| spellingShingle | Bryanne McDonough Olivia Curtis Tereasa G. Brainerd Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters The Astrophysical Journal Letters Star formation Astronomical simulations Galaxy properties Galaxy evolution Scaling relations |
| title | Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters |
| title_full | Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters |
| title_fullStr | Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters |
| title_short | Measuring Scaling Relations: Fitting Technique Matters |
| title_sort | measuring scaling relations fitting technique matters |
| topic | Star formation Astronomical simulations Galaxy properties Galaxy evolution Scaling relations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ade13c |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bryannemcdonough measuringscalingrelationsfittingtechniquematters AT oliviacurtis measuringscalingrelationsfittingtechniquematters AT tereasagbrainerd measuringscalingrelationsfittingtechniquematters |