Dalya Baron (Carnegie Observatories): "Molecular Gas And Star Formation Properties of Galaxies in Transition"

At the basis of hierarchical theories of galaxy formation are mergers between galaxies, which are believed to trigger intense star formation and supermassive black hole accretion. Post-starburst E+A galaxies are believed to be systems in a rapid transition between major merger starbursts and quiescent ellipticals. Although this is a common stage in galaxy evolution, it is still not clear what causes the sudden quenching of star formation. In this talk, I will review recent observational efforts to constrain the molecular gas and star formation properties in such systems, which revealed many surprises, including (i) large molecular gas reservoirs in apparently-quenched galaxies, (ii) significant differences between different star formation rate tracers, and more. I will discuss how these observations paint a more complex picture of these transitioning sources, and the broader implications of these results to high-redshift galaxies in the JWST+ALMA era.