J/A+A/706/A40ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/706/A40doi:10.26093/cds/vizier/bc-p2/leaCDSBazzi Z.Colombo D.Bigiel F.Leroy A.K.Rosolowsky E.Sandstrom K.,Duarte-Cabral A.Faustino Vieira H.Kobayashi M.I.N.He H.Meidt S.E.,Barnes A.T.Klessen R.S.Glover S.C.O.Thorp M.D.Pan H.-A.Chown R.,Smith R.J.Dale D.A.Williams T.G.Amiri A.Dlamini S.Chastenet J.,Sarbadhicary S.K.Hughes A.Lee J.C.Hands L.the PHANGS collaboration2026-03-02T20:01:21Z2026-01-29T09:39:55ZCDS support team

CDS, Observatoire de Strasbourg, 11 rue de l'Universite, F-67000 Strasbourg, France

cds-question@unistra.frgalaxiesmolecular-cloudsinterstellar-mediuminfrared-photometryHigh-resolution JWST images of nearby spiral galaxies reveal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) structures that potentially trace molecular clouds, even CO-dark regions. In this paper, we identify ISM cloud structures in PHANGS-JWST 7.7 micron polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission maps for 66 galaxies smoothed to a common physical resolution of 30 pc and at native resolution. We extracted 108466 cloud structures in the 30pc sample and 146040 clouds in the native resolution sample. We then calculated their molecular properties following a linear conversion from PAH to CO. Given the tendency for clouds in galaxy centers to overlap in velocity space, we opted to flag these and omit them from the analysis in this work. The remaining clouds correspond to giant molecular clouds (GMCs), such as those detected in CO(2-1) emission by ALMA, or lower surface density clouds that either fall below the ALMA detection limits of existing maps or genuinely have no molecular counterpart. We specifically used the homogenized sample for our analysis. Upon cross-matching the PAH clouds to ALMA CO clouds at a homogenized resolution of 90pc in 27 galaxies, we find that 41% of the PAH clouds are associated with a CO counterpart. We also show that the converted molecular cloud properties of the PAH clouds do not differ much when compared in different galactic environments. However, outside the central environment, the highest molecular mass surface density clouds are preferentially found in spiral arms. We further apply a lognormal fit to the mass spectra to an unprecedented extragalactic completeness limit of 2 x 10^3 Msun, and find that spiral arms contain the most massive clouds compared to other galactic environments. Our findings support the idea that spiral arm gravitational potentials foster the formation of high surface density clouds, and lower surface density clouds form in the interarm regions. The cloud Sigma_mol values show a decline of a factor of ~1.5-2 towards the outer 2-3Re. However, the trend largely varies in individual galaxies, with flat, decreasing, and even no trend as a function of Rgal. Factors like large-scale processes, galaxy types, and morphologies might influence the observed trends. We note that combining homogenized molecular properties of individual galaxies leads to the loss of information about the physical processes that are driving deviations in trends of those properties across different galactic environments. We publish two catalogs online, one at the common resolution of 30 pc and another at the native resolution. We expect them to have broad utility for future PAH clouds, molecular clouds, and star formation studies.2026A&A...706A..40Bhttps://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/706/A40CatalogResearchIsServedByTAP VizieR generic serviceIsServedByConesearch servicehttps://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.htmlhttps://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/706/A40https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/706/A40http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/A+A/706/A40https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/706/A40https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/706/A40http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/votable?-source=J/A+A/706/A40GETtext/xml+votablehttps://tapvizier.cds.unistra.fr/TAPVizieR/tapCone search capability for table J/A+A/706/A40/cat30pc (Catalog of molecular clouds identified in 66 PHANGS-JWST mid-IR F770W maps, 30 pc)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/cat30pc?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/cat30pc?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/cat30pc?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true24.153924635655915.79959306799460.005555555555555556Cone search capability for table J/A+A/706/A40/catnat (Catalog of molecular clouds identified in 66 PHANGS-JWST mid-IR F770W maps, native)https://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/catnat?https://vizier.iucaa.in/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/catnat?http://vizieridia.saao.ac.za/viz-bin/conesearch/J/A+A/706/A40/catnat?GETtext/xml+votable180.050000true24.182216659048515.75271034460490.0055555555555555566/4149 4511 17747 17753 18398 20526 20929 22751 24912 25135 25762 25788 25790 26119 26271 26303 26338 26472 27030 27514 27643 27728 27736 27738 27861 27905 27914 27917-27918 27937 27942 27949 28015 28033 28035 28167 28208 28221 28264 28304 28306 33077 33176 33228 33920-33921 33954 33958 34272 34343 34382 34404 34531 35993 36134 36261 36987 36990 38390 38653 38655 38832 40328 40461 40472 42016 43339 44011 44027 46481 46495 46519 46549https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/moc/J/A+A/706/A40?format=asciiInfrareddefaultJ/A+A/706/A40/cat30pcCatalog of molecular clouds identified in 66 PHANGS-JWST mid-IR F770W maps, 30 pcGalaxyName of the host galaxy (galaxy)meta.id.parentcharrecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintClusterID of the cloud in a specific galaxy (clusts)meta.id;meta.mainintEnv[1/10] Galactic environment (Env) (G1)meta.codefloatXposx-position of the cloud (pos_x)pixpos.cartesian.x;instr.detdoubleYposy-position of the cloud (pos_y)pixpos.cartesian.y;instr.detdoubleRAJ2000Right Ascension (J2000) of the cloud (pos_ra)degpos.eq.ra;meta.mainindexedDEJ2000Declination (J2000) of the cloud (pos_dec)degpos.eq.dec;meta.mainindexedLPAHPAH luminosity (Lpah)pc**2.MJy.sr**-1phys.luminositydoubleLCOCO-based luminosity (Lco)pc**2.K.km.s**-1phys.luminositydoubleMassCSTMolecular mass using constant MW alpha_CO (mass_cst)solMassphys.massdoubleMassSLMolecular mass using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (mass_sl)solMassphys.massdoubleMassSMolecular mass using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (mass_s)solMassphys.massdoubleMassBMolecular mass using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (mass_b)solMassphys.massdoubleMassTMolecular mass using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (mass_t)solMassphys.massdoubleRadEqCloud radius based on area (rad_eq)pcphys.size.radiusdoubleRadEqDec? Beam-deconvolved radius based on the area (rad_eq_dec)pcphys.size.radiusdoublenullableRadRadius from intensity-weighted second moments HWHM times 1.18 (rad)pcphys.size.radiusdoubleSDCSTMolecular surface density using constant MW alpha_CO (SD_cst)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDSLMolecular surface density using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (SD_sl)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDSMolecular surface density using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (SD_s)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDBMolecular surface density using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (SD_b)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDTMolecular surface density using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (SD_t)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleDistGalactocentric distance (Distance)kpcpos.distancedoubleDistReGalactocentric distance in Re units (Distance_Re)pos.distance;pos.galactocentricdoubleoverRatioAllPercentage overlap in velocity space (overlap_ratio_all)stat.fit.paramdoubleEdgeClouds[0/1] Edge clouds flag 1 is edge, 0 is not edge (edge_clouds)meta.codeinte_LPAHError on PAH luminosity (err_Lpah)pc**2.MJy.sr**-1stat.errordoublee_LCOError on CO luminosity (err_Lco)pc**2.K.km.s**-1stat.errordoublee_RadDeFinError on cloud deconvolved-radius based on area (rad_dec_err_fin)pcstat.errordoublee_RadFinError on cloud radius based on area (rad_err_fin)pcstat.errordoublee_MassfinCSTError on the molecular mass using constant MW alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_cst)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinSLError on the molecular mass using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_sl)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinSError on the molecular mass using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_s)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinBError on the molecular mass using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_b)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinTError on the molecular mass using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_t)solMassstat.errordoublee_SDfinCSTError on SD using constant MW alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_cst)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinSLError on SD using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_sl)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinSError on SD using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_s)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinBError on SD using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_b)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinTError on SD using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_t)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublefallFlag to exclude clouds according to our method, setting True excludes the clouds (f_all) (2)meta.codecharJ/A+A/706/A40/catnatCatalog of molecular clouds identified in 66 PHANGS-JWST mid-IR F770W maps, nativerecnoRecord number assigned by the VizieR team. Should Not be used for identification.meta.recordintClusterID of the cloud in a specific galaxy (clusts)meta.id;meta.mainfloatEnvGalactic environment (Env) (G1)meta.codefloatXposx-position of the cloud (pos_x)pixpos.cartesian.x;instr.detdoubleYposy-position of the cloud (pos_y)pixpos.cartesian.y;instr.detdoubleRAJ2000Right Ascension (J2000) of the cloud (pos_ra)degpos.eq.ra;meta.mainindexedDEJ2000Declination (J2000) of the cloud (pos_dec)degpos.eq.dec;meta.mainindexedLPAHPAH luminosity (Lpah)pc**2.MJy.sr**-1phys.luminositydoubleLCOCO-based luminosity (Lco)pc**2.K.km.s**-1phys.luminositydoubleMassCSTMolecular mass using constant MW alpha_CO (mass_cst)solMassphys.massdoubleMassSLMolecular mass using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (mass_sl)solMassphys.massdoubleMassSMolecular mass using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (mass_s)solMassphys.massdoubleMassBMolecular mass using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (mass_b)solMassphys.massdoubleMassTMolecular mass using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (mass_t)solMassphys.massdoubleRadEqCloud radius based on area (rad_eq)pcphys.size.radiusdoubleRadEqDecBeam-deconvolved radius based on the area (rad_eq_dec)pcphys.size.radiusdoubleRadRadius from intensity-weighted second moments HWHM times 1.18 (rad)pcphys.size.radiusdoubleSDCSTMolecular surface density using constant MW alpha_CO (SD_cst)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDSLMolecular surface density using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (SD_sl)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDSMolecular surface density using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (SD_s)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDBMolecular surface density using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (SD_b)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleSDTMolecular surface density using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (SD_t)solMass.pc**-2phot.flux.density.sbdoubleDistGalactocentric distance (Distance)kpcpos.distancedoubleDistReGalactocentric distance in Re units (Distance_Re)pos.distance;pos.galactocentricdoublefallFlag to exclude clouds according to our method, setting True excludes the clouds (f_all)meta.codecharoverRatioAllPercentage overlap in velocity space (overlap_ratio_all)stat.fit.paramdoubleEdgeClouds[0/1] Edge clouds flag 1 is edge, 0 is not edge (edge_clouds)meta.codeinte_LPAHError on PAH luminosity (err_Lpah)pc**2.MJy.sr**-1stat.errordoublee_LCOError on CO luminosity (err_Lco)pc**2.K.km.s**-1stat.errordoublee_RadDeFinError on cloud deconvolved-radius based on area (rad_dec_err_fin)pcstat.errordoublee_RadFinError on cloud radius based on area (rad_err_fin)pcstat.errordoublee_MassfinCSTError on the molecular mass using constant MW alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_cst)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinSLError on the molecular mass using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_sl)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinSError on the molecular mass using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_s)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinBError on the molecular mass using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_b)solMassstat.errordoublee_MassfinTError on the molecular mass using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (mass_err_fin_t)solMassstat.errordoublee_SDfinCSTError on SD using constant MW alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_cst)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinSLError on SD using Schinnerer & Leroy 2024ARA&A..62..369S alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_sl)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinSError on SD using Sun et al. 2020ApJ...892..148S alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_s)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinBError on SD using Bolatto et al. 2013ARA&A..51..207B alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_b)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoublee_SDfinTError on SD using Teng et al. 2023atyp.confE..36T alpha_CO (SD_err_fin_t)solMass.pc**-2stat.errordoubleGalaxyName of the host galaxy (galaxy)meta.id.parentchar