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A. Boselli

Publications and source records attributed to A. Boselli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2024

ViCTORIA project: The LOFAR-MeerKAT view of AGN in Virgo cluster early-type galaxies

The evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) is closely connected to their host galaxies and surroundings. Via feedback processes, AGN can counteract the cooling of the intracluster medium (ICM) and suppress star formation in their host galaxies. Radio observations at low frequencies provide a glimpse into the history of AGN activity. The Virgo cluster is a substantial reservoir of nearby galaxies and provides an ideal laboratory for the study of AGN as well as their feedback mechanisms. The aim of our work is to characterise the AGN population within the Virgo cluster down to low radio luminosities, constrain the AGN duty cycle and investigate environmental feedback in cluster member galaxies. We analyse 144 MHz and 1.3 GHz radio observations of early-type galaxies from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey (ACSVCS) taken with LOFAR and MeerKAT. We detect 12 of these galaxies at 144 MHz, 5 of which show clearly extended radio emission. The radio luminosity shows a strong dependence on the stellar mass of the host galaxy, in agreement with previous results. As a notable outlier, the massive elliptical galaxy NGC 4365 ($M_* = 2.2 \times 10^{11} M_\odot$) is not detected as a compact source in the LOFAR observations. Instead, it is surrounded by diffuse, low-surface brightness emission, which hints towards a past phase of stronger nuclear activity. Furthermore, we find a cavity in NGC 4472 (= M 49) inflated by the wide-angle tail only visible in the LOFAR data, which implies that the cavity was created by a past outburst. The corresponding cavity power is of the same order of magnitude as the jet power in the present duty cycle of the AGN.

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arXiv2024

Euclid: Early Release Observations -- Dwarf galaxies in the Perseus galaxy cluster

We make use of the unprecedented depth, spatial resolution, and field of view of the Euclid Early Release Observations of the Perseus galaxy cluster to detect and characterise the dwarf galaxy population in this massive system. The Euclid high resolution VIS and combined VIS+NIR colour images were visually inspected and dwarf galaxy candidates were identified. Their morphologies, the presence of nuclei, and their globular cluster (GC) richness were visually assessed, complementing an automatic detection of the GC candidates. Structural and photometric parameters, including Euclid filter colours, were extracted from 2-dimensional fitting. Based on this analysis, a total of 1100 dwarf candidates were found across the image, with 638 appearing to be new identifications. The majority (96%) are classified as dwarf ellipticals, 53% are nucleated, 26% are GC-rich, and 6% show disturbed morphologies. A relatively high fraction of galaxies, 8%, are categorised as ultra-diffuse galaxies. The majority of the dwarfs follow the expected scaling relations. Globally, the GC specific frequency, S_N, of the Perseus dwarfs is intermediate between those measured in the Virgo and Coma clusters. While the dwarfs with the largest GC counts are found throughout the Euclid field of view, those located around the east-west strip, where most of the brightest cluster members are found, exhibit larger S_N values, on average. The spatial distribution of the dwarfs, GCs, and intracluster light show a main iso-density/isophotal centre displaced to the west of the bright galaxy light distribution. The ERO imaging of the Perseus cluster demonstrates the unique capability of Euclid to concurrently detect and characterise large samples of dwarfs, their nuclei, and their GC systems, allowing us to construct a detailed picture of the formation and evolution of galaxies over a wide range of mass scales and environments.

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arXiv2024

Euclid: Early Release Observations -- Programme overview and pipeline for compact- and diffuse-emission photometry

The Euclid ERO showcase Euclid's capabilities in advance of its main mission, targeting 17 astronomical objects, from galaxy clusters, nearby galaxies, globular clusters, to star-forming regions. A total of 24 hours observing time was allocated in the early months of operation, engaging the scientific community through an early public data release. We describe the development of the ERO pipeline to create visually compelling images while simultaneously meeting the scientific demands within months of launch, leveraging a pragmatic, data-driven development strategy. The pipeline's key requirements are to preserve the image quality and to provide flux calibration and photometry for compact and extended sources. The pipeline's five pillars are: removal of instrumental signatures; astrometric calibration; photometric calibration; image stacking; and the production of science-ready catalogues for both the VIS and NISP instruments. We report a PSF with a full width at half maximum of 0.16" in the optical and 0.49" in the three NIR bands. Our VIS mean absolute flux calibration is accurate to about 1%, and 10% for NISP due to a limited calibration set; both instruments have considerable colour terms. The median depth is 25.3 and 23.2 AB mag with a SNR of 10 for galaxies, and 27.1 and 24.5 AB mag at an SNR of 5 for point sources for VIS and NISP, respectively. Euclid's ability to observe diffuse emission is exceptional due to its extended PSF nearly matching a pure diffraction halo, the best ever achieved by a wide-field, high-resolution imaging telescope. Euclid offers unparalleled capabilities for exploring the LSB Universe across all scales, also opening a new observational window in the NIR. Median surface-brightness levels of 29.9 and 28.3 AB mag per square arcsec are achieved for VIS and NISP, respectively, for detecting a 10 arcsec x 10 arcsec extended feature at the 1 sigma level.

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arXiv2024

Euclid: Early Release Observations -- Overview of the Perseus cluster and analysis of its luminosity and stellar mass functions

The Euclid ERO programme targeted the Perseus cluster of galaxies, gathering deep data in the central region of the cluster over 0.7 square degree, corresponding to approximately 0.25 r_200. The data set reaches a point-source depth of IE=28.0 (YE, JE, HE = 25.3) AB magnitudes at 5 sigma with a 0.16" and 0.48" FWHM, and a surface brightness limit of 30.1 (29.2) mag per square arcsec. The exceptional depth and spatial resolution of this wide-field multi-band data enable the simultaneous detection and characterisation of both bright and low surface brightness galaxies, along with their globular cluster systems, from the optical to the NIR. This study advances beyond previous analyses of the cluster and enables a range of scientific investigations summarised here. We derive the luminosity and stellar mass functions (LF and SMF) of the Perseus cluster in the Euclid IE band, thanks to supplementary u,g,r,i,z and Halpha data from the CFHT. We adopt a catalogue of 1100 dwarf galaxies, detailed in the corresponding ERO paper. We identify all other sources in the Euclid images and obtain accurate photometric measurements using AutoProf or AstroPhot for 138 bright cluster galaxies, and SourceExtractor for half a million compact sources. Cluster membership for the bright sample is determined by calculating photometric redshifts with Phosphoros. Our LF and SMF are the deepest recorded for the Perseus cluster, highlighting the groundbreaking capabilities of the Euclid telescope. Both the LF and SMF fit a Schechter plus Gaussian model. The LF features a dip at M(IE)=-19 and a faint-end slope of alpha_S = -1.2 to -1.3. The SMF displays a low-mass-end slope of alpha_S = -1.2 to -1.35. These observed slopes are flatter than those predicted for dark matter halos in cosmological simulations, offering significant insights for models of galaxy formation and evolution.

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arXiv2024

MAGIC: Muse gAlaxy Groups In Cosmos -- A survey to probe the impact of environment on galaxy evolution over the last 8 Gyr

We introduce the MUSE gAlaxy Groups in COSMOS (MAGIC) survey, which was built to study the impact of environment on galaxy evolution over the last 8 Gyr. It consists of 17 MUSE fields targeting 14 massive structures at intermediate redshift ($0.3 21.5$. The spectroscopic redshift completeness is high: in the redshift range of [OII] emitters ($0.25 \le z < 1.5$), where most of the groups are found, it globally reaches a maximum of 80% down to $z_{app}^{++}=25.9$, and locally decreases from $\sim 100$% to $\sim50$% in magnitude bins from $z_{app}^{++}=23-24$ to $z_{app}^{++}=25.5$. We find that the fraction of quiescent galaxies increases with local density and with the time spent in groups. A morphological dichotomy is also found between bulge-dominated quiescent and disk-dominated star-forming galaxies. As environment gets denser, the peak of the stellar mass distribution shifts towards $M_*>10^{10}~M_\odot$, and the fraction of galaxies with $M_*<10^9~M_\odot$ decreases significantly, even for star-forming galaxies. We also highlight peculiar features such as close groups, extended nebulae, and a gravitational arc. Our results suggest that galaxies are preprocessed in groups of increasing mass before entering rich groups and clusters. We publicly release two catalogs containing the properties of galaxies and groups, respectively.

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arXiv2023

The dynamical state of bars in cluster dwarf galaxies: The cases of NGC 4483 and NGC 4516

Dwarf barred galaxies are the perfect candidates for hosting slowly-rotating bars. They are common in dense environments and they have a relatively shallow potential well, making them prone to heating by interactions. When an interaction induces bar formation, the bar should rotate slowly. They reside in massive and centrally-concentrated dark matter halos, which slow down the bar rotation through dynamical friction. While predictions suggest that slow bars should be common, measurements of bar pattern speed, using the Tremaine-Weinberg method, show that bars are mostly fast in the local Universe. We present a photometric and kinematic characterisation of bars hosted by two dwarf galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, NGC 4483 and NGC 4516. We derive the bar length and strength using the Next Generation Virgo Survey imaging and the circular velocity, bar pattern speed, and rotation rate using spectroscopy from the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. Including the previously studied galaxy IC 3167, we compare the bar properties of the three dwarf galaxies with those of their massive counterparts from literature. Bars in the dwarf galaxies are shorter and weaker, and rotate slightly slower with respect to those in massive galaxies. This could be due to a different bar formation mechanism and/or to a large dark matter fraction in the centre of dwarf galaxies. We show that it is possible to push the application of the Tremaine-Weinberg method to the galaxy low mass regime.

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arXiv2023

ViCTORIA project: The LOFAR-view of environmental effects in Virgo Cluster star-forming galaxies

Environmental effects such as ram-pressure stripping (RPS) shape the evolution of galaxies in dense regions. We use the nearby Virgo cluster as a laboratory to study environmental effects on the non-thermal components of star-forming galaxies. We constructed a sample of 17 RPS galaxies in the Virgo cluster and a statistical control sample of 119 nearby galaxies from the Herschel Reference Survey. All objects in these samples are detected in LOFAR 144 MHz observations and come with H$α$ and/or far-UV star formation rate (SFR) estimates. We derived the radio-SFR relations, confirming a clearly super-linear slope of $\approx1.4$. We found that Virgo cluster RPS galaxies have radio luminosities that are a factor of 2-3 larger than galaxies in our control sample. We also investigated the total mass-spectral index relation, where we found a relation for the Virgo cluster RPS galaxies that is shifted to steeper spectral index values by $0.17\pm0.06$. Analyzing the spatially resolved ratio between the observed and the expected radio emission based on the hybrid near-UV + 100$\,μ$m SFR surface density, we generally observe excess radio emission all across the disk with the exception of a few leading-edge radio-deficient regions. The radio excess and the spectral steepening for the RPS sample could be explained by an increased magnetic field strength if the disk-wide radio enhancement is due to projection effects. For the galaxies that show the strongest radio excesses (NGC 4330, NGC 4396, NGC 4522), a rapid decline of the SFR ($t_\mathrm{quench} \leq 100$ Myr) could be an alternative explanation. We disfavor shock acceleration of electrons as cause for the radio excess since it cannot easily explain the spectral steepening and radio morphology.

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arXiv2023

Nearby galaxies in the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey III. Influence of cosmic-ray transport on the radio-SFR relation

Context. In order to understand galaxy evolution, it is essential to measure star formation rates (SFRs) across Cosmic times. Aims. The use of radio continuum emission as an extinction-free star formation tracer necessitates a good understanding of the influence of cosmic-ray electron (CRE) transport that we are aiming to improve with this work. Methods. We analyse the spatially resolved radio continuum-star-formation rate (radio-SFR) relation in 15 nearby galaxies using data from the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at 144 and 1365 MHz, respectively. The hybrid SFR maps are based on observations with Spitzer at 24 $ μ$m and with GALEX at 156 nm. Our pixel-by-pixel analysis at 1.2 kpc resolution reveals the usual sublinear radio-SFR relation for local measurements which can be linearised with a smoothing experiment, convolving the hybrid SFR map with a Gaussian kernel that provides us with the CRE transport length. Results. CRE transport can be described as energy-independent isotropic diffusion. If we consider only young CREs as identified with the radio spectral index, we find a linear relation showing the influence of cosmic-ray transport. We then define the CRE calorimetric efficiency as the ratio of radio-to-hybrid SFR surface density and show that it is a function of the radio spectral index. If we correct the radio-SFR relation for the CRE calorimetric efficiency parametrised with the radio spectral index, it becomes nearly linear with a slope of $1.01\pm 0.02$ independent of frequency. Conclusions. The corrected radio-SFR relation is universal and holds, both, for global and local measurements.

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arXiv2023

ViCTORIA project: MeerKAT HI observations of the ram pressure stripped galaxy NGC 4523

We present the first results of a 21 cm HI line pilot observation carried out with MeerKAT in preparation for the ViCTORIA project, an untargeted survey of the Virgo galaxy cluster. The extraordinary quality of the data in terms of sensitivity and angular resolution (rms~0.65 mJy beam^-1 at ~27"x39" and 11 km/s resolution) allowed us to detect an extended (~10 kpc projected length) low column density (N(HI) < 2.5x10^20 cm^-2) HI gas tail associated with the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC4523 at the northern edge of the cluster. The morphology of the tail and of the stellar disc suggest that the galaxy is suffering a hydrodynamic interaction with the surrounding hot intracluster medium (ICM; ram pressure stripping). The orientation of the trailing tail, the gradient in the HI gas column density at the interface between the cold ISM and the hot ICM, the velocity of the galaxy with respect to that of the cluster, and its position indicate that NGC4523 is infalling for the first time into Virgo from the NNW background of the cluster. Using a grid of hydrodynamic simulations we derive the impact parameters with the surrounding ICM, and estimate that the galaxy will be at pericentre (D~500-600 kpc) in ~1 Gyr, where ram pressure stripping will be able to remove most, if not all, of its gas. The galaxy is located on the star formation main sequence when its star formation rate is derived using Halpha images obtained during the VESTIGE survey, suggesting that NGC4523 is only at the beginning of its interaction with the surrounding environment. A few HII regions are detected in the Halpha images within the HI gas tail outside the stellar disc. Their ages, derived by comparing their Halpha, FUV, NUV, and optical colours with the predictions of SED fitting models, are <30 Myr, and suggest that these HII regions have formed within the stripped gas.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2023

Variation of optical and infrared properties of galaxies with their surface brightness

Although low surface brightness galaxies (LSBs) contribute a large fraction to the number density of galaxies, their properties are still poorly known. LSBs are often considered dust poor, based only on a few studies. We use, for the first time, a large sample of LSBs and high surface brightness galaxies (HSBs) with deep observational data to study their dust properties as a function of surface brightness. Our sample consists of 1631 optically selected galaxies at $z < 0.1$ from the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) wide field. We use the large set of data available in this field, from UV to FIR. We measured the optical size and the surface brightness of the targets, and analyzed their spectral energy distribution using the CIGALE fitting code. We found that the specific star formation rate and specific infrared luminosity (total infrared luminosity per stellar mass) remain mostly flat as a function of surface brightness for both LSBs and HSBs that are star-forming but decline steeply for the quiescent galaxies. The majority of LSBs in our sample have negligible dust attenuation (A$_{V} < 0.1$ mag), except for about 4% of them that show significant attenuation with a mean A$_{V}$ of 0.8 mag. We found that these LSBs also have a high $\textit{r}$-band mass-to-light ratio ($M/L_r>3$ M$_{\odot}$/L$_{\odot}$), and show similarity to the extreme giant LSBs from the literature, indicating a possibly higher dust attenuation in giant LSBs as well. This work provides a large catalog of LSBs and HSBs with detailed measurements of their several optical and infrared physical properties. Our results suggest that the dust content of LSBs is more varied than previously thought, with some of them having significant attenuation making them fainter than their intrinsic value. This will have serious implications for the observation and analysis of LSBs with current/upcoming surveys like JWST and LSST.

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arXiv2023

Constraining the LyC escape fraction from LEGUS star clusters with SIGNALS HII region observations: A pilot study of NGC 628

The ionising radiation of young and massive stars is a crucial form of stellar feedback. Most ionising (Lyman-continuum; LyC, $λ< 912A$) photons are absorbed close to the stars that produce them, forming compact HII regions, but some escape into the wider galaxy. Quantifying the fraction of LyC photons that escape is an open problem. In this work, we present a semi-novel method to estimate the escape fraction by combining broadband photometry of star clusters from the Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) with HII regions observed by the Star formation, Ionized gas, and Nebular Abundances Legacy Survey (SIGNALS) in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 628. We first assess the completeness of the combined catalogue, and find that 49\% of HII regions lack corresponding star clusters as a result of a difference in the sensitivities of the LEGUS and SIGNALS surveys. For HII regions that do have matching clusters, we infer the escape fraction from the difference between the ionising power required to produce the observed HII luminosity and the predicted ionising photon output of their host star clusters; the latter is computed using a combination of LEGUS photometric observations and a stochastic stellar population synthesis code SLUG (Stochastically Lighting Up Galaxies). Overall, we find an escape fraction of $f_{esc} = 0.09^{+0.06}_{-0.06}$ across our sample of 42 HII regions; in particular, we find HII regions with high $f_{esc}$ are predominantly regions with low H$α$-luminosity. We also report possible correlation between $f_{esc}$ and the emission lines [O ii]/[N ii] and [O ii]/H$β$.

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arXiv2023

ViCTORIA project: The LOFAR HBA Virgo Cluster Survey

The Virgo cluster is the nearest massive galaxy cluster and thus a prime target to study astrophysical processes in dense large-scale environments. In the radio band, we can probe the non-thermal components of the inter-stellar medium (ISM), intracluster medium (ICM) and of active galactic nuclei (AGN). With the ViCTORIA (Virgo Cluster multi-Telescope Observations in Radio of Interacting galaxies and AGN) project, we are carrying out multiple wide-field surveys of the Virgo cluster at different frequencies. We aim to investigate the impact of the environment on the evolution of galaxies and the contribution of AGN to the ICM-heating, from the inner cluster regions out to beyond the virial radius. We present a survey of the cluster at 120-168 MHz using LOFAR. We image a 132 deg$^2$ region of the cluster, reaching an order of magnitude greater sensitivity than existing wide-field radio surveys of this field at three times higher spatial resolution compared to other low-frequency observations. We developed a tailored data processing strategy to subtract the bright central radio galaxy M87 from the data. This allowed us to correct for the systematic effects due to ionospheric variation as a function of time and direction. In the final mosaic with a resolution of 9"x5", we reach a median noise level of 140 $μ$Jy/beam inside the virial radius and 280 $μ$Jy/beam for the full area. We detect 112 Virgo member galaxies and 114 background galaxies. In at least 18 cases, the radio morphology of the cluster member galaxies shows clear signs of ram-pressure stripping. This includes three previously unreported candidates. In addition, we reveal for the first time 150 kpc long tails from a previous epoch of AGN activity for NGC 4472 (M 49). While no cluster-scale diffuse radio sources are discovered, we find the presence of an extended radio signature of the W$'$-group.

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arXiv2023

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE) XV. The Halpha luminosity function of the Virgo cluster

We use a complete set of deep narrow-band imaging data for 384 galaxies gathered during the VESTIGE survey to derive the first Halpha luminosity function (LF) of the Virgo cluster within R200. The data allow us to cover the whole dynamic range of the Halpha LF (10^36 10^14 Mo. The comparison with the IllustrisTNG cosmological hydrodynamical simulations shows a more pronounced decrease at the faint end of the distribution. If Virgo is representative of typical nearby clusters of similar mass, this difference suggests that the stripping process in simulated galaxies in these environments is more efficient than observed.

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arXiv2022

VERTICO III: The Kennicutt-Schmidt relation in Virgo cluster galaxies

In this VERTICO science paper we aim to study how the star formation process depends on galactic environment and gravitational interactions in the context of galaxy evolution. We explore the scaling relation between the star formation rate (SFR) surface density and the molecular gas surface density, also known as the Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) relation, in a subsample of Virgo cluster spiral galaxies. We use new ACA and TP observations from the VERTICO-ALMA Large Program at 720pc resolution to resolve the molecular gas content, as traced by the 12CO(2-1) transition, across the disks of 37 spiral galaxies in the Virgo cluster. In combination with archival observations, we estimate the parameters of the KS relation for the entire ensemble of galaxies, and within individual galaxies. We find the KS slope for the entire population to be N=0.97+/-0.07, with a characteristic molecular gas depletion time of 1.86Gyr for our full sample, in agreement with previous work in isolated star-forming galaxies. In individual galaxies, we find KS slopes ranging between 0.69 and 1.40, and typical star formation efficiencies (SFE) that can vary from galaxy to galaxy by a factor of ~4. These galaxy-to-galaxy variations account for ~0.20dex in scatter in the ensemble KS relation, which is characterized by a 0.42dex scatter. We find that the HI-deficient galaxies in the Virgo cluster show a steeper resolved KS relation and lower molecular gas efficiencies than HI-normal cluster galaxies. While the molecular gas content in Virgo cluster galaxies appears to behave similarly to that in isolated galaxies, our VERTICO sample shows that cluster environments play a key role in regulating star formation. The environmental mechanisms affecting the HI galaxy content also have a direct impact in the SFE of molecular gas in cluster galaxies, leading to longer depletion times in HI-deficient members.

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arXiv2022

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE).XIV. The main sequence relation in a rich environment down to M_star ~ 10^6 Mo

Using a compilation of Halpha fluxes for 384 star forming galaxies detected during the VESTIGE survey, we study several important scaling relations for a complete sample of galaxies in a rich environment. The extraordinary sensitivity of the data allows us to sample the whole dynamic range of the Halpha luminosity function, from massive (M*~10^11 Mo) to dwarf systems (M*~10^6 Mo). This extends previous works to a dynamic range in stellar mass and star formation rate (10^-4<SFR<10 Mo yr^-1) never explored so far. The main sequence (MS) relation derived for all star forming galaxies within one virial radius of the Virgo cluster has a slope comparable to that observed in other nearby samples of isolated objects, but has a dispersion ~3 times larger. The dispersion is tightly connected to the available amount of HI gas, with gas-poor systems located far below objects of similar stellar mass but with a normal HI content. When measured on unperturbed galaxies with a normal HI gas content, the relation has a slope a=0.92, an intercept b=-1.57, and a scatter ~0.40. We compare these observational results to the prediction of models. The observed scatter in the MS relation can be reproduced only after a violent and active stripping process such as ram-pressure that removes gas from the disc and quenches star formation on short (<1 Gyr) timescales. This rules out milder processes such as starvation. This interpretation is also consistent with the position of galaxies of different star formation activity and gas content within the phase-space diagram. We also show that the star forming regions formed in the stripped material outside perturbed galaxies are located well above the MS relation drawn by unperturbed systems. These HII regions, which might be at the origin of compact sources typical in rich environments, are living a starburst phase lasting only <50 Myr, later becoming quiescent systems.

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arXiv2022

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE).XIII. The role of ram-pressure stripping in transforming the diffuse and ultra-diffuse galaxies in the Virgo cluster

Low-surface-brightness galaxies (LSBs) contribute to a significant fraction of all the galaxies in the Universe. Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) form a subclass of LSBs that has attracted a lot of attention in recent years (although its definition may vary between studies). Although UDGs are found in large numbers in galaxy clusters, groups, and in the field, their formation and evolution are still very much debated. Using a comprehensive set of multiwavelength data from the NGVS (optical), VESTIGE (H$α$ narrowband), and GUViCS (UV) surveys, we studied a sample of 64 diffuse galaxies and UDGs in the Virgo cluster to investigate their formation history. We analyzed the photometric colors and surface-brightness profiles of these galaxies and then compared them to models of galaxy evolution, including ram-pressure stripping (RPS) events to infer any possible strong interactions with the hot cluster gas in the past. While our sample consists mainly of red LSBs, which is typical in cluster environments, we found evidence of a color variation with the cluster-centric distance. Blue, HI-bearing, star-forming diffuse galaxies are found at larger distances from the cluster center than the rest of the sample. The comparison of our models with multifrequency observations suggests that most of the galaxies of the sample might have undergone a strong RPS event in their lifetime, on average 1.6 Gyr ago (with a large dispersion, and RPS still ongoing for some of them). This process resulted in the transformation of initially gas-rich diffuse blue galaxies into gas-poor and red ones that form the dominant population now, the more extreme UDGs having undergone the process in a more distant past on average. The RPS in dense environments could be one of the major mechanisms for the formation of the large number of quiescent UDGs we observe in galaxy clusters.

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arXiv2022

Spatial disconnection between stellar and dust emissions: the test of the Antennae Galaxies (Arp 244)

The detection with of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) of dust-rich high redshift galaxies whose cold dust emission is spatially disconnected from the ultraviolet emission bears a challenge for modelling their spectral energy distributions (SED) with codes based on an energy budget between the stellar and dust components. We test the validity of energy balance modelling on a nearby resolved galaxy with vastly different ultraviolet and infrared spatial distributions and infer what information can be reliably retrieved from the analysis of the full spectral energy distribution. We use 15 broadband images of the Antennae Galaxies ranging from far-ultraviolet to far-infrared and divide Arp 244 into 58 square ~1 kpc$^2$ regions. We fit the data with CIGALE to determine the star formation rate, stellar mass and dust attenuation of each region. We compare these quantities for the addition of the 58 regions to the ones obtained for Arp 244 as a whole and find that both estimates are consistent within one sigma. We present the spatial distribution of these physical parameters as well as the shape of the attenuation curve across the Antennae Galaxies . We also observe a flattening of the attenuation curves with increasing attenuation and dust surface density in agreement with the predictions of hydrodynamical simulations coupled with radiative transfer modelling.

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arXiv2022

Ram Pressure Stripping in High-Density Environments

Galaxies living in rich environments are suffering different perturbations able to drastically affect their evolution. Among these, ram pressure stripping, i.e. the pressure exerted by the hot and dense intracluster medium (ICM) on galaxies moving at high velocity within the cluster gravitational potential well, is a key process able to remove their interstellar medium (ISM) and quench their activity of star formation. This review is aimed at describing this physical mechanism in different environments, from rich clusters of galaxies to loose and compact groups. We summarise the effects of this perturbing process on the baryonic components of galaxies, from the different gas phases (cold atomic and molecular, ionised, hot) to magnetic fields and cosmic rays, and describe their induced effects on the different stellar populations, with a particular attention to its role in the quenching episode generally observed in high density environments. We also discuss on the possible fate of the stripped material once removed from the perturbed galaxies and mixed with the ICM, and we try to estimate its contribution to the pollution of the surrounding environment. Finally, combining the results of local and high redshift observations with the prediction of tuned models and simulations, we try to quantify the importance of this process on the evolution of galaxies of different mass, from dwarfs to giants, in various environments and at different epochs.

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