Star-Formation Rates of Galaxies (Cambridge Astrophysics, Series Number 55)

Star-formation is one of the key processes that shape the current state and evolution of galaxies. This volume provides a comprehensive presentation of the different methods used to measure the intensity of recent or on-going star-forming activity in galaxies, discussing their advantages and complications in detail. It includes a thorough overview of the theoretical underpinnings of star-formation rate indicators, including topics such as stellar evolution and stellar spectra, the stellar initial mass function, and the physical conditions in the interstellar medium. The authors bring together in one place detailed and comparative discussions of traditional and new star-formation rate indicators, star-formation rate measurements in different spatial scales, and comparisons of star-formation rate indicators probing different stellar populations, along with the corresponding theoretical background. This is a useful reference for students and researchers working in the field of extragalactic astrophysics and studying star-formation in local and higher-redshift galaxies.--Provided by publisher Cover Half-title Series information Title page Copyright information Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Preface Part I Background 1 Introduction 1.1 Star Formation in the Context of Galaxy Evolution 1.2 Definitions 1.3 Measuring Star-Formation Rates 1.4 Star-Formation `Laws' 1.5 The Star-Formation Rate History of Galaxies 2 The Initial Mass Function of Stars and the Star-Formation Rates of Galaxies 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Can the Initial Mass Function Be Measured? 2.3 What Is the Shape of the Initial Mass Function? 2.4 What Is the Mathematical Nature of the Initial Mass Function? 2.5 Does the Initial Mass Function Vary? 2.6 Is the Initial Mass Function of a Simple Stellar Population Equal to That of a Composite Population? 2.7 Implications for the SFRs of Galaxies 2.8 Conclusion 3 Stellar Populations, Stellar Evolution, and Stellar Atmospheres 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Stellar Evolution 3.3 Stellar Atmospheres 3.4 Principles of Stellar Population and Spectral Synthesis 3.5 Existing Population Synthesis Models 3.6 Further Considerations 3.7 Looking to the Future... 4 Dust Extinction, Attenuation, and Emission 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Extinction 4.3 Attenuation 4.4 Emission 4.5 Recommendations – Resolved Stellar Populations 4.6 Recommendations – Integrated Observations Part II SFR Measurements 5 Star-Formation Rates from Resolved Stellar Populations 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Brief Historical Overview 5.3 Star-Formation Rates 5.4 Lifetime Star-Formation Histories 5.5 Future Work 6 Star-Formation Measurements in Nearby Galaxies 6.1 Conditions for a Reliable Star-Formation Rate Indicator 6.2 Star-Formation Rates of Star-Forming Regions 6.3 Star-Formation Rates within Galaxies 6.4 Summary 7 Continuum and Emission-Line Star-Formation Rate Indicators 7.1 Observing Star Formation in Galaxies 7.2 Theoretical Considerations 7.3 Observational Constraints 7.4 Summary 8 Star-Formation Rates from Spectral Energy Distributions of Galaxies 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Why Spectral Energy Distributions to Estimate the Star-Formation Rate? 8.3 What Information Can Be Extracted from the Spectral Energy Distribution? 8.4 How to Estimate the Quality of the Fits and the Physical Parameters Associated to the Star Formation? 8.5 What Kind of Star-Formation History? 8.6 Codes and Ingredients 9 Modelling the Spectral Energy Distribution of Star-Forming Galaxieswith Radiative Transfer Methods 9.1 Introduction 9.2 The Propagation of Starlight in Star-Forming Galaxies 9.3 Main Ingredients 9.4 Geometries for Stars and Dust 9.5 Calculating the SED of Galaxies 9.6 Applications of Radiative-Transfer Modelling: Fitting the SEDs of Galaxies and Measuring Their SFRs 9.7 Comparison between Radiative-Transfer Modelsand Phenomenological Models 9.8 Conclusion 10 Measuring the Star-Formation Rate in Active Galactic Nuclei 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Physics of an AGN and Its Emission 10.3 X-ray Identification 10.4 Ultraviolet and Optical Continuum 10.5 Emission Lines 10.6 Mid-Infrared Emission 10.7 Far-Infrared Emission 10.8 Radio Continuum 10.9 Summary 11 High-Energy Star-Formation Rate Indicators 11.1 Introduction 11.2 X-ray Emission from Galaxies 11.3 Scaling Relations between X-ray Emission and Stellar Populations 11.4 X-ray Binary Luminosity Functions 11.5 Age and Metallicity Dependence of X-ray Binary Formation Efficiency and Luminosity Functions 11.6 X-ray Binary Population Synthesis Models 11.7 X-ray Emission as SFR Indicator: Promise and Complications 11.8 Supernovae and Supernova Remnants 11.9 γ-ray Emission and Star Formation 11.10 γ-ray Bursts as Star-Formation Rate Probes 11.11 Gravitational Waves as Star-Formation Rate Probes 11.12 Summary Index This volume provides a comprehensive presentation of the different methods used to measure the intensity of recent or on-going star-forming activity in galaxies. It is a useful reference for students and researchers working in the field of extragalactic astrophysics and studying star-formation and the evolution of galaxies. A comprehensive presentation of the diverse methods used to measure star-formation activity in galaxies, for students and researchers