The major mechanism to drive turbulence in star-forming galaxies

ABSTRACT Two competing models, gravitational instability-driven transport and stellar feedback, have been proposed to interpret the high velocity dispersions observed in high-redshift galaxies. We study major mechanisms drive turbulence star-forming galaxies using a sample of from xCOLD GASS survey, selected based on their star formation rate (SFR) gas fraction be regime that can best distinguish between models. perform Wide Field Spectrograph integral field spectroscopic observations measure intrinsic dispersions, circular velocities, orbital periods these Comparing relation SFR, dispersion, with predictions two theoretical we find our results are most consistent model includes both feedback as drivers interstellar medium. By contrast, where alone drives under-predicts dispersion galaxies, does not reproduce trend fraction. These therefore support idea instability makes substantial contribution high-SFR