D. Cormier

An Overview of the Dwarf Galaxy Survey

The Dwarf Galaxy Survey (DGS) program is studying low-metallicity galaxies using 230 hr of farinfrared (FIR) and submillimetre (submm) photometric and spectroscopic observations of the Herschel Space Observatory and draws from this a rich database of a wide range of wavelengths tracing the dust, gas and stars. This sample of 50 galaxies includes the largest metallicity range achievable in the local Universe including the lowest metallicity (Z) galaxies, 1/50 Z., and spans four orders of magnitude in star formation rates. The survey is designed to get a handle on the physics of the interstellar medium (ISM) of low metallicity dwarf galaxies, especially their dust and gas properties and the ISM heating and cooling processes. The DGS produces PACS and SPIRE maps of low-metallicity galaxies observed at 70, 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 mu m with the highest sensitivity achievable to date in the FIR and submm. The FIR fine-structure lines, [CII] 158 mu m, [OI] 63 mu m, [OI] 145 mu m, [OIII] 88 mu m, [NIII] 57 mu m, and [NII] 122 and 205 mu m have also been observed with the aim of studying the gas cooling in the neutral and ionized phases. The SPIRE FTS observations include many CO lines (J = 4-3 to J = 13-12), [NII] 205 mu m, and [CI] lines at 370 and 609 mu m. This paper describes the sample selection and global properties of the galaxies and the observing strategy as well as the vast ancillary database available to complement the Herschel observations. The scientific potential of the full DGS survey is described with some example results included.

The gas-to-dust mass ratio of Centaurus A as seen by Herschel

We present photometry of the nearby galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A) observed with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments on board the Herschel Space Observatory, at 70, 160, 250, 350 and 500 mu m, as well as new CO J= 32 observations taken with the HARP-B instrument on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). Using a single-component modified blackbody, we model the dust spectral energy distribution within the disc of the galaxy using all five Herschel wavebands and find dust temperatures of similar to 30 K towards the centre of the disc and a smoothly decreasing trend to similar to 20 K with increasing radius. We find a total dust mass of (1.59 +/- 0.05) x 107 M? and a total gas mass of (2.7 +/- 0.2) x 109 M?. The average gas-to-dust mass ratio is 103 +/- 8, but we find an interesting increase in this ratio to approximately 275 towards the centre of Cen A. We discuss several possible physical processes that may be causing this effect, including dust sputtering, jet entrainment and systematic variables such as the XCO factor. Dust sputtering by X-rays originating in the active galactic nucleus or the removal of dust by the jets is our most favoured explanation.

Star formation and dust heating in the FIR bright sources of M83

We investigate star formation and dust heating in the compact far-infrared (FIR) bright sources detected in the Herschel maps of M83. We use the source extraction code getsources to detect and extract sources in the FIR, as well as their photometry in the mid-infrared and H alpha. By performing infrared spectral energy distribution fitting and applying an H alpha-based star formation rate (SFR) calibration, we derive the dust masses and temperatures, SFRs, gas masses and star formation efficiencies (SFEs). The detected sources lie exclusively on the spiral arms and represent giant molecular associations, with gas masses and sizes of 10(6)-10(8) M-circle dot and 200-300 pc, respectively. The inferred parameters show little to no radial dependence and there is only a weak correlation between the SFRs and gas masses, which suggests that more massive clouds are less efficient at forming stars. Dust heating is mainly due to local star formation. However, although the sources are not optically thick, the total intrinsic young stellar population luminosity can almost completely account for the dust luminosity. This suggests that other radiation sources also contribute to the dust heating and approximately compensate for the unabsorbed fraction of UV light.

An overview of the dwarf galaxy survey (PASP, 125, 600, [2013]) - Corrigendum

After finding an error in the procedure for computing the stellar masses of the Dwarf Galaxy Survey sample, we present here the correct values for the stellar masses.

The elusive ISM of dwarf galaxies: excess submillimetre emission & CO-dark molecular gas

The Herschel Dwarf Galaxy Survey investigates the interplay of star formation activity and the the metal-poor gas and dust of dwarf galaxies using FIR and submillimetre imaging spectroscopic and photometric observations in the 50 to 550mu window of the Herschel Space Observatory. The dust SEDs are well constrained with the new Herschel and MIR Spitzer data. A submillimetre excess is often found in low metallicity galaxies, which,if tracing very cold dust, would highlight large dust masses not easily reconciled in some cases, given the low metallicities and expected gas-to-dust mass ratios. The galaxies are also mapped in the FIR fine-structure lines (63 and 145mu OI, 158mu CII, 122 and 205mu NII, 88mu OIII) probing the low density ionised gas, the HII regions and photodissociation regions. While still early in the Herschel mission we can already see, along with earlier studies, that line ratios in the metal-poor ISM differ remarkably from those in the metal-rich starburst environments. In dwarf galaxies, L[CII]/L(CO) (>10^4) is at least an order of magnitude greater than in the most metal-rich starburst galaxies. The enhanced [CII] arises from the larger photodissociation region where H2, not traced by the CO, can exist. The 88mu [OIII] line usually dominates the FIR line emission over galaxy-wide scales in dwarf galaxies, not the 158mu [CII] line which is the dominant FIR cooling line in metal-rich galaxies. All of the FIR lines together can contribute 1% to 2% of the L(TIR). The Herschel Dwarf Galaxy survey will provide statistical information on the nature of the dust and gas in low metallicity galaxies, elucidating the origin of the submm excess in dwarf galaxies, and help determine a ([CII] +CO) to H2 conversion factor, thus providing observational constraints on chemical evolution models of galaxies.

Probing the baryon cycle of galaxies with SPICA mid- and far-infrared observations

The SPICA mid and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity enabled by the cold telescope, optimized detectors, and wide instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The spectroscopic, imaging and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular: (i) The access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed spread in star formation rates within and between galaxies. (ii) Observations of HD rotational lines (out to

The central region of spiral galaxies as seen by Herschel

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The ISM of Low Metallicity Galaxies: The Herschel view

10 Mpc) and fine structure lines such as [CII] 158

The central region of spiral galaxies as seen by Herschel [Letter]

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Radial distribution of gas and dust in spiral galaxies

m (out to