A nuclear spiral in a dusty star-forming galaxy at $z=2.78$
| Autor: | Stacey, H. R., Kaasinen, M., O'Riordan, C. M., McKean, J. P., Powell, D. M., Rizzo, F. |
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| Rok vydání: | 2024 |
| Předmět: | |
| Druh dokumentu: | Working Paper |
| Popis: | The nuclear structure of dusty star-forming galaxies is largely unexplored but harbours critical information about their structural evolution. Here, we present long-baseline Atacama Large (sub-)Millimetre Array (ALMA) continuum observations of a gravitationally lensed dusty star-forming galaxy at $z=2.78$. We use a pixellated lens modelling analysis to reconstruct the rest-frame 230 $\rm\mu$m dust emission with a mean resolution of $\approx55$ pc and demonstrate that the inferred source properties are robust to changes in lens modelling methodology. The central 1 kpc is characterised by an exponential profile, a dual spiral arm morphology and an apparent super-Eddington compact central starburst. We find tentative evidence for a nuclear bar in the central 300 pc. These features may indicate that secular dynamical processes play a role in accumulating a high concentration of cold gas that fuels the rapid formation of a compact stellar spheroid and black hole accretion. We propose that the high spatial resolution provided by long-baseline ALMA observations and strong gravitational lensing will give key insights into the formation mechanisms of massive galaxies. Comment: 5 pages; accepted as A&A Letter |
| Databáze: | arXiv |
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