A 3D view on the local gravitational instability of cold gas discs in star-forming galaxies at 0 ≲ z ≲ 5

Local gravitational instability (LGI) is considered crucial for regulating star formation and gas turbulence in galaxy discs, especially at high redshift. Instability criteria usually assume infinitesimally thin discs or rely on approximations to include the stabilising effect of the gas disc thickness. We test a new 3D instability criterion for rotating gas discs that are vertically stratified in an external potential. This criterion reads Q(3D) < 1, where Q(3D) is the 3D analogue of the Toomre parameter Q. The advantage of Q(3D) is that it allows us to study LGI in and above the galaxy midplane in a rigorous and self-consistent way. We apply the criterion to a sample of 44 star-forming galaxies at 0 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 5 hosting rotating discs of cold gas. The sample is representative of galaxies on the main sequence at z approximate to 0 and includes massive star-forming and starburst galaxies at 1 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 5. For each galaxy, we first apply the Toomre criterion for infinitesimally thin discs, finding ten unstable systems. We then obtain maps of Q(3D) from a 3D model of the gas disc derived in the combined potential of dark matter, stars and the gas itself. According to the 3D criterion, two galaxies with Q < 1 show no evidence of instability and the unstable regions that are 20% smaller than those where Q < 1. No unstable disc is found at 0 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 1, while approximate to 60% of the systems at 2 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 5 are locally unstable. In these latter, a relatively small fraction of the total gas (approximate to 30%) is potentially affected by the instability. Our results disfavour LGI as the main regulator of star formation and turbulence in moderately star-forming galaxies in the present-day Universe. LGI likely becomes important at high redshift, but the input by other mechanisms seems required in a significant portion of the disc. We also estimate the expected mass of clumps in the unstable regions, offering testable predictions for observations.