The impact of spiral density waves on the star formation distribution: a view from core-collapse supernovae

Abstract

We present an analysis of the impact of spiral density waves (DWs) on the radial and surface density distributions of core-collapse (CC) supernovae (SNe) in host galaxies with different arm classes. For the first time, we show that the corotation radius normalized surface density distribution of CC SNe (tracers of massive star formation) indicates a dip at corotation in long-armed grand-design (LGD) galaxies. The high SNe surface density just inside and outside corotation may be the sign of triggered massive star formation by the DWs. Our results may support the large-scale shock scenario induced by spiral DWs in LGD galaxies, which predicts a higher star formation efficiency around the shock fronts, avoiding the corotation region.