The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST survey: Spatially resolved star formation relations at <i>z</i> ∼ 5

Context. Star formation governs galaxy evolution, shaping stellar mass assembly and gas consumption across cosmic time. The Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, linking the star formation rate (SFR) and gas surface densities, is fundamental to understand star formation regulation, yet remains poorly constrained at z &gt; 2 due to observational limitations and uncertainties in locally calibrated gas tracers. The [CII] 158 μm line has recently emerged as a key probe of the cold ISM and star formation in the early Universe. Aims. We investigate whether the resolved [CII]–SFR and KS relations established at low redshift remain valid at 4 &lt; z &lt; 6 by analysing 13 main-sequence galaxies from the ALPINE and CRISTAL surveys, using multi-wavelength data (HST, JWST, ALMA) at ∼2 kpc resolution. Methods. We performed pixel-by-pixel spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling with CIGALE on resolution-homogenised images. We developed a statistical framework to fit the [CII]–SFR relation that accounts for pixel covariance and compare our results to classical fitting methods. We tested two [CII]-to-gas conversion prescriptions to assess their impact on inferred gas surface densities and depletion times. Results. We find a resolved [CII]–SFR relation with a slope of 0.87 ± 0.15 and intrinsic scatter of 0.19 ± 0.03 dex, which is shallower and tighter than previous studies at z ∼ 5. The resolved KS relation is highly sensitive to the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor: using a fixed global α [CII] yields depletion times of 0.5–1 Gyr, while a surface brightness-dependent W [CII] , accounting for local ISM conditions, places some galaxies with high gas density in the starburst regime (&lt; 0.1 Gyr). Conclusions. Future inputs from both simulations and observations are required to better understand how the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor depends on local ISM properties. We need to break this fundamental limit to properly study the KS relation at z ≳ 4.

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Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2025-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202556140
Primary Topic
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
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article
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article

The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST survey: Spatially resolved star formation relations at z ∼ 5

E. da Cunha, I. de Looze, Akiyoshi Tsujita, M. Boquien et al.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
article

The ALPINE-CRISTAL-JWST survey: Spatially resolved star formation relations at z ∼ 5

E. da Cunha, I. de Looze, Akiyoshi Tsujita, M. Boquien, M. Relaño, Francesca Pozzi, Michael Romano, Y. Fudamoto, Juan Carlos Molina, Marco Palla, Vicente Villanueva, Anton M. Koekemoer, Rodrigo Herrera-Camus, San Han, M. Ginolfi, A. Nanni, M. Dessauges‐Zavadsky, A. Faisst, M. Aravena, M. Béthermin, C. Gruppioni, V. Buat, G. Zamorani, F. Renaud, Sukyoung K. Yi, L. Vallini, Justin Spilker, Yohan Dubois, H. Inami, Juno Li, Katarina Kraljic, C. Accard, Yuan Li, Wenxin Wang, B. C. Lemaux, B. Mobasher, P. van Dam, P. Cassata, P. Sawant, E. Veraldi
article en

Abstract

Context. Star formation governs galaxy evolution, shaping stellar mass assembly and gas consumption across cosmic time. The Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, linking the star formation rate (SFR) and gas surface densities, is fundamental to understand star formation regulation, yet remains poorly constrained at z &gt; 2 due to observational limitations and uncertainties in locally calibrated gas tracers. The [CII] 158 μm line has recently emerged as a key probe of the cold ISM and star formation in the early Universe. Aims. We investigate whether the resolved [CII]–SFR and KS relations established at low redshift remain valid at 4 &lt; z &lt; 6 by analysing 13 main-sequence galaxies from the ALPINE and CRISTAL surveys, using multi-wavelength data (HST, JWST, ALMA) at ∼2 kpc resolution. Methods. We performed pixel-by-pixel spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling with CIGALE on resolution-homogenised images. We developed a statistical framework to fit the [CII]–SFR relation that accounts for pixel covariance and compare our results to classical fitting methods. We tested two [CII]-to-gas conversion prescriptions to assess their impact on inferred gas surface densities and depletion times. Results. We find a resolved [CII]–SFR relation with a slope of 0.87 ± 0.15 and intrinsic scatter of 0.19 ± 0.03 dex, which is shallower and tighter than previous studies at z ∼ 5. The resolved KS relation is highly sensitive to the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor: using a fixed global α [CII] yields depletion times of 0.5–1 Gyr, while a surface brightness-dependent W [CII] , accounting for local ISM conditions, places some galaxies with high gas density in the starburst regime (&lt; 0.1 Gyr). Conclusions. Future inputs from both simulations and observations are required to better understand how the [CII]-to-gas conversion factor depends on local ISM properties. We need to break this fundamental limit to properly study the KS relation at z ≳ 4.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 702
Hiroshima University (JP), University of Geneva (CH), California Institute of Technology (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Space Telescope Science Institute (US), Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (IT), University of Padua (IT), Valparaiso University (US), Chiba University (JP), University of Concepción (CL), Universidad de Granada (ES), Yonsei University (KR), Université Côte d'Azur (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory (IT), Mitchell Institute (US), Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (FR), Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg (FR), Ghent University (BE), Sorbonne Université (FR), National Centre for Nuclear Research (PL), Gemini North Observatory (US), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova (IT), Institute of Astronomy (RU), Gemini South Observatory (CL), Collurania Teramo Observatory (IT), Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (FR), ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (AU), Millenium Nucleus for Planet Formation (CL), Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (DE), Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (IT), International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (AU), Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (US), Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, University of Florence (IT), The University of Tokyo (JP), Universidad Diego Portales (CL), University of Bologna (IT)
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Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
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