Connecting the physics of gas & star formation- from parsec to galaxy-scales with WISDOM and KILOGAS

Our current understanding of the role of cold gas in galaxy evolution was constructed by studying samples of hundreds of unresolved galaxies to scan the full galaxy population, several dozens of (primarily) disc galaxies at∼kpc resolution, & now a similar number of systems at ∼hundred pc resolution. Here I will report on our efforts to make the next steps: WISDOM - which maps the centres of spiral & early-type systems in CO at ~10-20pc resolution, & KILOGAS, a large ALMA program mapping ~500 nearby galaxies at kiloparsec resolution; each of which has existing IFU data providing a resolved view of their stellar & ionised gas properties. I will show using observations at tens of parsec scales (from ALMA, SITELLE & MUSE), along with simulations, that the gas in galaxies cares about the potential at larger scales. Shear, spiral arm streaming & bars all affect both its small-scale spatial distribution & can impact the efficiency of star formation. I will then present KILOGAS first results, showing how we can apply the lessons learned at small scales, benchmarking them on a fully representative survey of local volume galaxies with much greater statistical power. With the advent of large ALMA surveys, combined with optical IFU information, we can provide the link between the small scale physics & more global properties. This powerful information is vital to explain the trends seen in unresolved studies, & guide our interpretation of what is seen in the higher redshift universe.