Cold gas mass measurements for the era of large optical spectroscopic surveys

• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac3134
• Publication Date: 2022-11-11T17:04:43Z
• Authors: Dirk Scholte; Amélie Saintonge
• Keywords: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA); FOS: Physical sciences; galaxies: evolution; galaxies: general; Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies; ISM: general

Gas plays an important role in many processes galaxy formation and evolution, but quantifying the importance of gas has been hindered by challenge to measure masses for large samples galaxies. Datasets direct atomic molecular measurements are sufficient establish simple scaling relations, often not enough quantify three-parameter or second order dependencies. As alternative approach, we derive here indirect cold from optical emission lines using photoionization models galaxies SDSS main sample PHANGS-MUSE survey. We calibrate surface density xCOLD GASS PHANGS-ALMA ensure our reliable. demonstrate taking into account scale-dependence relation between depth ($\tau_V$) ($\Sigma_{gas}$) provide a general prescription estimate $\Sigma_{gas}$ $\tau_V$, metallicity dust-to-metal ratio, at any arbitrary physical resolution. To that accurate study mass-metallicity (MZR) show as third parameter, mass is better than SFR reducing scatter relation, predicted simulations.