Exploring the Role of Galaxy Morphology in the Mass-Metallicity-Star Formation Rate Relation

The Mass-Metallicity-Star Formation Rate (M-Z-SFR) fundamental relation reveals the underlying physics behind galaxy evolution: the mechanics of gas inflow, outflow, and the formation of stars are intimately connected. At higher redshift, we observe galaxies which are believed to be more actively accreting from the cosmic web, and as a result bright star-forming clumps are expected to form due to the increased gravitational instability of the galactic medium. We investigate these “clumpy” galaxies in context of their location on the M-Z-SFR plane to search for evidence of metal-poor gas inflows as predicted by theoretical models, and to help us understand how galaxies form and change at a higher redshift (1.3 < z < 2.2). We use the CANDELS survey to examine the morphological structure of star forming regions utilizing the high resolution of space-based HST imaging. We create stamps in their rest-frame UV light to investigate recent star formation and visually classify the morphology of the galaxies. We also utilize stellar population fits of the photometric data to determine properties such as mass and star formation rate. From the grism data of the 3D-HST survey, we select 1861 galaxies based on the strong detection of the [OIII_5007] line, and determine metallicity through the line-diagnostic R_23 using [OIII_5007], [OII_3727] and H_beta. We improve these results through the stacking of spectra to remove a sample bias of requiring strong detections on weak emission lines. Using mass, star formation rate, and metallicity we compare the location of clumpy galaxies on the fundamental plane to investigate possible diminished metallicity and heightened star formation rate compared to the remainder of the sample. This will enable us to better understand the theoretical underpinnings of gas accretion and galaxy evolution at high redshift.