%0 Generic %1 troncoso2013metallicity %A Troncoso, P. %A Maiolino, R. %A Sommariva, V. %A Cresci, G. %A Mannucci, F. %A Marconi, A. %A Meneghetti, M. %A Grazian, A. %A Cimatti, A. %A Fontana, A. %A Nagao, T. %A Pentericci, L. %D 2013 %K evolution metallicity redshift %T Metallicity evolution, metallicity gradients and gas fractions at z~3.4 %U http://arxiv.org/abs/1311.4576 %X We use near-infrared integral field spectroscopic observations to constrain the metallicity in a sample of 40 star forming galaxies at 3<z<5 (most of which at z~3.4). We measure metallicities by exploiting strong emission line diagnostics. We find that a significant fraction of star forming galaxies at z~3.4 deviate from the Fundamental Metallicity Relation (FMR), by having a metallicity up to a factor of ten lower than expected by the FMR. The deviation does not correlate with the dynamical properties of the galaxy or with the presence of interactions. To further investigate the origin of the metallicity deviations, we also infer information on the gas content, by inverting the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation. In agreement with recent CO observational data, we find that, in contrast with the steeply rising trend at 0<z<2, the gas fraction in massive galaxies remains constant, with indication of a marginal decline, at 2<z<3.5. When combined with the metallicity information, we infer that, in order to explain both the low metallicity and gas content in z~3.4 galaxies, both prominent outflows and massive pristine gas inflows are needed. In ten galaxies we can also spatially resolve the metallicity distribution. We find that generally the metallicity anticorrelates with the distribution of star formation and with the gas surface density. We discuss these findings, both in terms of pristine gas inflows towards the center and outflows of metal rich gas from the center towards the external regions. (Abridged)

@misc{troncoso2013metallicity, abstract = {We use near-infrared integral field spectroscopic observations to constrain the metallicity in a sample of 40 star forming galaxies at 3<z<5 (most of which at z~3.4). We measure metallicities by exploiting strong emission line diagnostics. We find that a significant fraction of star forming galaxies at z~3.4 deviate from the Fundamental Metallicity Relation (FMR), by having a metallicity up to a factor of ten lower than expected by the FMR. The deviation does not correlate with the dynamical properties of the galaxy or with the presence of interactions. To further investigate the origin of the metallicity deviations, we also infer information on the gas content, by inverting the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation. In agreement with recent CO observational data, we find that, in contrast with the steeply rising trend at 0<z<2, the gas fraction in massive galaxies remains constant, with indication of a marginal decline, at 2<z<3.5. When combined with the metallicity information, we infer that, in order to explain both the low metallicity and gas content in z~3.4 galaxies, both prominent outflows and massive pristine gas inflows are needed. In ten galaxies we can also spatially resolve the metallicity distribution. We find that generally the metallicity anticorrelates with the distribution of star formation and with the gas surface density. We discuss these findings, both in terms of pristine gas inflows towards the center and outflows of metal rich gas from the center towards the external regions. (Abridged)}, added-at = {2013-11-20T19:23:59.000+0100}, author = {Troncoso, P. and Maiolino, R. and Sommariva, V. and Cresci, G. and Mannucci, F. and Marconi, A. and Meneghetti, M. and Grazian, A. and Cimatti, A. and Fontana, A. and Nagao, T. and Pentericci, L.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2d6fff917a4a60a198d64cf43f78036c9/miki}, description = {[1311.4576] Metallicity evolution, metallicity gradients and gas fractions at z~3.4}, interhash = {fe15bcf22abb0262ec2743ed2cf25614}, intrahash = {d6fff917a4a60a198d64cf43f78036c9}, keywords = {evolution metallicity redshift}, note = {cite arxiv:1311.4576Comment: Resubmitted to A&A after incorporating referee comments}, timestamp = {2013-11-20T19:23:59.000+0100}, title = {Metallicity evolution, metallicity gradients and gas fractions at z~3.4}, url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/1311.4576}, year = 2013 }