Star Formation and the ISM of Local Group Galaxies

The local group galaxies are ideal object to study the interstellar medium and star formation in conditions in wide a range of properties (metallicity, molecular fraction, radiation field) and with a linear resolution sufficient to resolve individual giant molecular clouds.

In a series of papers, we have shown that the star formation properties of small, gas rich galaxies of the local group: NGC6822 and M33, are different than that of late spirals like our Galaxy. In these smaller galaxies, the star formation efficiency is higher, so that the molecular gas from which stars are born is depleted more rapidly.

The M33 21 cm HI data from the VLA is available for download here.