THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM AND STAR FORMATION IN EDGE-ON GALAXIES. II. NGC 4157, 4565, AND 5907

We present a study of the vertical structure of the gaseous and stellar disks in a sample of edge-on galaxies (NGC
\n4157, 4565, and 5907) using BIMA/CARMA ^(12)CO J = 1 → 0, VLA HI, and Spitzer 3.6 μm data. In order to take
\ninto account projection effects when we measure the disk thickness as a function of radius, we first obtain the
\ninclination by modeling the radio data. Using the measurement of the disk thicknesses and the derived radial
\nprofiles of gas and stars, we estimate the corresponding volume densities and vertical velocity dispersions. Both
\nstellar and gas disks have smoothly varying scale heights and velocity dispersions, contrary to assumptions of
\nprevious studies. Using the velocity dispersions, we find that the gravitational instability parameter Q follows a
\nfairly uniform profile with radius and is ⩾1 across the star-forming disk. The star formation law has a slope that is significantly different from those found in more face-on galaxy studies, both in deprojected and pixel-by-pixel
\nplots. Midplane gas pressure based on the varying scale heights and velocity dispersions appears to roughly hold a
\npower-law correlation with the midplane volume density ratio.