Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness

JWST/MIRI images have been used to study the Fourier transform power spectra (PS) of two spiral galaxies, NGC 628 and NGC 5236, and two dwarfs, NGC 4449 and NGC 5068, at distances ranging from 4 to 10 Mpc. The PS slopes on scales larger than 200 pc range from $-0.6$ at $21\mu$m to $-1.2$ at $5.6\mu$...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bruce Elmegreen, Angela Adamo, Varun Bajaj, Ana Duarte-Cabral, Daniela Calzetti, Michele Cignoni, Matteo Correnti, John S. Gallagher, Kathryn Grasha, Benjamin Gregg, Kelsey E. Johnson, Sean T. Linden, Matteo Messa, Goran Ostlin, Alex Pedrini, Jenna Ryon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Maynooth Academic Publishing 2025-02-01
Series:The Open Journal of Astrophysics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.130810
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849416095884115968
author Bruce Elmegreen
Angela Adamo
Varun Bajaj
Ana Duarte-Cabral
Daniela Calzetti
Michele Cignoni
Matteo Correnti
John S. Gallagher
Kathryn Grasha
Benjamin Gregg
Kelsey E. Johnson
Sean T. Linden
Matteo Messa
Goran Ostlin
Alex Pedrini
Jenna Ryon
author_facet Bruce Elmegreen
Angela Adamo
Varun Bajaj
Ana Duarte-Cabral
Daniela Calzetti
Michele Cignoni
Matteo Correnti
John S. Gallagher
Kathryn Grasha
Benjamin Gregg
Kelsey E. Johnson
Sean T. Linden
Matteo Messa
Goran Ostlin
Alex Pedrini
Jenna Ryon
author_sort Bruce Elmegreen
collection DOAJ
description JWST/MIRI images have been used to study the Fourier transform power spectra (PS) of two spiral galaxies, NGC 628 and NGC 5236, and two dwarfs, NGC 4449 and NGC 5068, at distances ranging from 4 to 10 Mpc. The PS slopes on scales larger than 200 pc range from $-0.6$ at $21\mu$m to $-1.2$ at $5.6\mu$m. These slopes for one-dimensional PS are consistent with the PS slopes observed elsewhere using HI and dust emission. They are likely related to turbulence, but they may also be viewed as a hierarchical distribution of objects having a size-luminosity relation and size distribution function. There is no evidence for a kink or steepening of the PS at some transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional turbulence on the scale of the disk thickness. This lack of a kink could be from large positional variations in the PS depending on two opposite effects: local bright sources that make the slope shallower and exponential galaxy profiles that make the slope steeper. The sources could also be confined to a layer of molecular clouds that is thinner than the HI or cool dust layers where PS kinks have been observed before. If the star formation layers observed in the mid-infrared here are too thin, then the PS kink could also be hidden in the broad tail of the JWST point spread function.
format Article
id doaj-art-99b528ed382948b09c6947341d9fa4a4
institution Kabale University
issn 2565-6120
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Maynooth Academic Publishing
record_format Article
series The Open Journal of Astrophysics
spelling doaj-art-99b528ed382948b09c6947341d9fa4a42025-08-20T03:33:17ZengMaynooth Academic PublishingThe Open Journal of Astrophysics2565-61202025-02-01810.33232/001c.130810Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk ThicknessBruce ElmegreenAngela AdamoVarun BajajAna Duarte-CabralDaniela CalzettiMichele CignoniMatteo CorrentiJohn S. GallagherKathryn GrashaBenjamin GreggKelsey E. JohnsonSean T. LindenMatteo MessaGoran OstlinAlex PedriniJenna RyonJWST/MIRI images have been used to study the Fourier transform power spectra (PS) of two spiral galaxies, NGC 628 and NGC 5236, and two dwarfs, NGC 4449 and NGC 5068, at distances ranging from 4 to 10 Mpc. The PS slopes on scales larger than 200 pc range from $-0.6$ at $21\mu$m to $-1.2$ at $5.6\mu$m. These slopes for one-dimensional PS are consistent with the PS slopes observed elsewhere using HI and dust emission. They are likely related to turbulence, but they may also be viewed as a hierarchical distribution of objects having a size-luminosity relation and size distribution function. There is no evidence for a kink or steepening of the PS at some transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional turbulence on the scale of the disk thickness. This lack of a kink could be from large positional variations in the PS depending on two opposite effects: local bright sources that make the slope shallower and exponential galaxy profiles that make the slope steeper. The sources could also be confined to a layer of molecular clouds that is thinner than the HI or cool dust layers where PS kinks have been observed before. If the star formation layers observed in the mid-infrared here are too thin, then the PS kink could also be hidden in the broad tail of the JWST point spread function.https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.130810
spellingShingle Bruce Elmegreen
Angela Adamo
Varun Bajaj
Ana Duarte-Cabral
Daniela Calzetti
Michele Cignoni
Matteo Correnti
John S. Gallagher
Kathryn Grasha
Benjamin Gregg
Kelsey E. Johnson
Sean T. Linden
Matteo Messa
Goran Ostlin
Alex Pedrini
Jenna Ryon
Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
The Open Journal of Astrophysics
title Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
title_full Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
title_fullStr Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
title_full_unstemmed Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
title_short Power Spectra of JWST images of Local Galaxies: Searching for Disk Thickness
title_sort power spectra of jwst images of local galaxies searching for disk thickness
url https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.130810
work_keys_str_mv AT bruceelmegreen powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT angelaadamo powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT varunbajaj powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT anaduartecabral powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT danielacalzetti powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT michelecignoni powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT matteocorrenti powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT johnsgallagher powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT kathryngrasha powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT benjamingregg powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT kelseyejohnson powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT seantlinden powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT matteomessa powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT goranostlin powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT alexpedrini powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness
AT jennaryon powerspectraofjwstimagesoflocalgalaxiessearchingfordiskthickness