The spatially resolved correlation between [NII] 205 μm line emission and the 24 μm continuum in nearby galaxies

A correlation between the 24 μm continuum and the [Nii] 205 μm line emission may arise if both quantities trace the star formation activity on spatially-resolved scales within a galaxy, yet has so far only been observed in the nearby edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 891. We therefore assess whether the [Nii] 205−24 μm emission correlation has some physical origin or is merely an artefact of line-of-sight projection effects in an edge-on disc. We search for the presence of a correlation in Herschel and Spitzer observations of two nearby face-on galaxies, M 51 and M 83, and the interacting Antennae galaxies NGC 4038 and 4039. We show that not only is this empirical relationship also observed in face-on galaxies, but also that the correlation appears to be governed by the star formation rate (SFR). Both the nuclear starburst in M 83 and the merger-induced star formation in NGC 4038/9 exhibit less [Nii] emission per unit SFR surface density than the normal star-forming discs. These regions of intense star formation exhibit stronger ionization parameters, as traced by the 70/160 μm far-infrared (FIR) colour. These observations suggest the presence of higher ionization lines that may become more important for gas cooling, thereby reducing the observed [Nii] 205 μm line emission in regions with higher star formation rates. Finally, we present a general relation between the [Nii] 205 μm line flux density and SFR density for normal star-forming galaxies, yet note that future studies should extend this analysis by including observations with wider spatial coverage for a larger sample of galaxies.