Gas Fraction and Depletion Time of Massive Star Forming Galaxies at
  z~3.2: No Change in Global Star Formation Process out to z>3
  The observed evolution of the gas fraction and its associated depletion time
in main sequence (MS) galaxies provides insights on how star formation proceeds
over cosmic time. We report ALMA detections of the rest-frame $\sim$300$\mu$m
continuum observed at 240 GHz for 45 massive ($\rm \langle
log(M_{\star}(M_{\odot}))\rangle=10.7$), normal star forming ($\rm \langle
log(sSFR(yr^{-1}))\rangle=-8.6$), i.e. MS, galaxies at $\rm z\approx3.2$ in the
COSMOS field. From an empirical calibration between cold neutral, i.e.
molecular and atomic, gas mass $\rm M_{gas}$ and monochromatic (rest-frame)
infrared luminosity, the gas mass for this sample is derived. Combined with
stellar mass $\rm M_{\star}$ and star formation rate (SFR) estimates (from {\sc
MagPhys} fits) we obtain a median gas fraction of $\rm
\mu_{gas}=M_{gas}/M_{\star}=1.65_{-0.19}^{+0.18}$ and a median gas depletion
time $\rm t_{depl.}(Gyr)=M_{gas}/SFR=0.68_{-0.08}^{+0.07}$; correction for the
location on the MS will only slightly change the values. The reported
uncertainties are the $\rm 1\sigma$ error on the median. Our results are fully
consistent with the expected flattening of the redshift evolution from the
2-SFM (2 star formation mode) framework that empirically prescribes the
evolution assuming a universal, log-linear relation between SFR and gas mass
coupled to the redshift evolution of the specific star formation rate (sSFR) of
main sequence galaxies. While $\rm t_{dep.}$ shows only a mild dependence on
location within the MS, a clear trend of increasing $\rm \mu_{gas}$ across the
MS is observed (as known from previous studies). Further we comment on trends
within the MS and (in)consistencies with other studies.
