Predicting Resolved Dust Attenuation from Local Galaxy Properties Using MaNGA

Abstract

Accurate spatially resolved dust corrections are critical for interpreting the structure and evolution of star-forming galaxies (SFGs). We present an empirical model for predicting spatially resolved dust attenuation ($A_V$) in SFGs using integral field spectroscopy from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey. Using a sample of 5,155 galaxies over $7.20<M_{\ast }<11.14$ and $0.0002<z<0.1444$, we derive $A_V$ maps from the Balmer decrement across more than 1,898,954 star-forming spaxels. Using local star formation rate surface density ($\hat{I}{\pounds }_{\text{SFR}}$) as a predictor, the model achieves $R^2=0.69$ and RMSE $=0.22$ mag, with residuals that are approximately Gaussian and centred near zero. It predicts $A_V$ within a factor of $\sim$1.3 on kpc scales. We also demonstrate that the relation can be applied iteratively to recover dust-corrected $\hat{I}{\pounds }_{\mathrm{SFR}}$ from uncorrected values, converging by the fourth iteration with minimal residual bias ($-0.01$ mag) and low RMSE ($0.42$ mag). The model accurately reproduces $A_V$ maps across diverse morphologies and orientations, including edge-on systems. It also recovers the observed radial $A_V$ profiles, capturing their dependence on stellar mass and relative star formation activity, with more massive and more strongly star-forming galaxies showing steeper gradients.

Accepted for Publication