Molecular gas properties of UV-bright star-forming galaxies at low redshift

Lyman break analogues (LBAs) are a population of star-forming galaxies at low redshift (z ∼ 0.2) selected in the ultraviolet (UV). These objects present higher star formation rates and lower dust extinction than other galaxies with similar masses and luminosities in the local universe. In this work, we present results from a survey with the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) array to detect CO(1–0) emission in LBAs, in order to analyse the properties of the molecular gas in these galaxies. Our results show that LBAs follow the same Schmidt–Kennicutt law as local galaxies. On the other hand, they have higher gas fractions (up to 66 per cent) and faster gas depletion time-scales (below 1 Gyr). These characteristics render these objects more akin to high-redshift star-forming galaxies. We conclude that LBAs are a great nearby laboratory for studying the cold interstellar medium in low-metallicity, UV-bright compact star-forming galaxies.