Star formation bursts in isolated spiral galaxies

Abstract

We study the response of the gaseous component of a galactic disc to the time-dependent potential generated by N-body simulations of a spiral galaxy. The results show significant variation of the spiral structure of the gas which might be expected to result in significant fluctuations in the star formation rate (SFR). Pronounced local variations of the SFR are anticipated in all cases. Bursty histories for the global SFR, however, require that the mean surface density is much less (around an order of magnitude less) than the putative threshold for star formation. We thus suggest that bursty star formation histories, normally attributed to mergers and/or tidal interactions, may be a normal pattern for gas-poor isolated spiral galaxies. © 2006 RAS.