Feedback-regulated star formation in molecular clouds and galactic discs
  We present a two-zone theory for feedback-regulated star formation in
galactic discs, consistently connecting the galaxy-averaged star formation law
with star formation proceeding in giant molecular clouds (GMCs). Our focus is
on galaxies with gas surface density Sigma_g>~100 Msun pc^-2. In our theory,
the galactic disc consists of Toomre-mass GMCs embedded in a volume-filling
ISM. Radiation pressure on dust disperses GMCs and most supernovae explode in
the volume-filling medium. A galaxy-averaged star formation law is derived by
balancing the momentum input from supernova feedback with the gravitational
weight of the disc gas. This star formation law is in good agreement with
observations for a CO conversion factor depending continuously on Sigma_g. We
argue that the galaxy-averaged star formation efficiency per free fall time,
epsilon_ff^gal, is only a weak function of the efficiency with which GMCs
convert their gas into stars. This is possible because the rate limiting step
for star formation is the rate at which GMCs form: for large efficiency of star
formation in GMCs, the Toomre Q parameter obtains a value slightly above unity
so that the GMC formation rate is consistent with the galaxy-averaged star
formation law. We contrast our results with other theories of
turbulence-regulated star formation and discuss predictions of our model. Using
a compilation of data from the literature, we show that the galaxy-averaged
star formation efficiency per free fall time is non-universal and increases
with increasing gas fraction, as predicted by our model. We also predict that
the fraction of the disc gas mass in bound GMCs decreases for increasing values
of the GMC star formation efficiency. This is qualitatively consistent with the
smooth molecular gas distribution inferred in local ultra-luminous infrared
galaxies and the small mass fraction in giant clumps in high-redshift galaxies.
