arXiv subjects

B. Magnelli

Publications and source records attributed to B. Magnelli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Euclid: Disky titans -- surprisingly high star formation efficiency in two brightest group galaxies at $z\sim 0.75$

We present the discovery of two disky titans in the first data release of the Euclid satellite. These sources are massive ($M>10^{11} M_\odot$) star-forming (SFR $\sim 20 M_\odot$/yr) discs located in strong over-densities at intermediate redshift ($z\sim 0.75$). They represent an small fraction of the massive galaxies in over-dense regions (just four candidates in more than 20 deg2 analysed in this study), and their existence is puzzling considering the abundance of passive and bulge-dominated sources commonly found at the centre of groups and clusters at low redshift. Firstly, our analysis shows that these objects are located in massive groups ($M_h\sim 10^{13.8} M_\odot$), where rapid accretion of cold gas should be prevented from the formation of a static hot halo. Despite this, a millimetre follow-up with NOEMA shows significant cold gas reservoirs $M_{h_2} \sim 10^{10.3} M_\odot$) within these sources. Secondly, our morphological analysis shows the presence of a massive and passive bulge in these galaxies, which is expected to stabilise the disc against fragmentation thereby suppressing further star formation. However, these sources lie on the Schmidt-Kennicutt relation or even slightly above. Building on these observations, we propose a scenario where these disky titans are the product of a merger-induced rejuvenation episode, in which the most massive galaxy of a group accretes cold gas from another member and briefly restarts star-formation. Such scenario is supported by a comparison with the TNG300 simulation and easily explains the surviving of star-formation activity in massive galaxies in over-dense environments as temporary stages in a more complex evolution. More in general, our study showcases the ability of Euclid to find rare objects thanks to the unprecedented statistics offered by its surveys and the scientific potential residing in the synergy between Euclid and other facilities observing at longer wavelengths.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

A first [CII] view of high-z quiescent galaxies

We present ALMA detections (or stringent upper limits) of the [CII] 158 $\mu m$ emission line and underlying dust continuum from five massive quenched galaxies (QGs) at 2<z<4.7. We find extreme variations in the molecular gas fractions ($\rm{f_g=M_{mol}/M_{\star}}$), spanning 0.1%-25%, if a standard $\rm{\alpha_{[CII]}}$ applies. We attempt a first empirical calibration of $\rm{\alpha_{[CII]}}$ with respect to dust continuum in a $z=2$ lensed QG and with respect to CO(3-2) in a $z=3.1$ QG, finding no evidence of strong deviations from the standard value. Dust continuum measurements, coupled with JWST/MIRI fluxes, suggest higher dust temperatures compared to expectations from $z<2$ QGs, reaching $T_{d}\sim40-50 \,K$ in two galaxies. Coupled with remarkably high total infrared luminosities (LIR) not explained by observed JWST colors not by energy balance based on literature dust extinction measurements, and with [CII] deficits down to $\rm{[CII]/LIR\sim 2\times10^{-4}}$ typical of (Ultra)Luminous Infrared Galaxies, our findings point to additional dust-heating mechanisms other than dust-absorbed stellar radiation. Surprisingly, JWST/NIRCam and ALMA imaging reveal widespread disturbed stellar morphologies and offsets/tails in dust and gas, indicative of ongoing interactions. While larger samples are needed to assess how common these features are in high-z QGs, these findings support a merger-driven origin for the phenomenology observed in these systems, with key similarities with respect to local post-starburst galaxies where low-velocity shocks and turbulence also inject energy into the residual ISM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The observed total star formation rate function up to z \sim 6: complementary UV and IR contributions and comparison with state-of-the-art galaxy formation models

We investigate how the obscured IR-derived and the dust-corrected UV star formation rate functions (SFRFs) compare with each other, and with predictions from state-of-the-art theoretical models of galaxy formation and evolution. We derive the IR-SFRF from the ALMA A$^3$COSMOS survey, by converting the IR luminosity functions (IR-LFs) into SFRF after correcting for AGN contribution. Similarly, we obtain the UV SFRFs from literature UV LFs, corrected for dust-extinction. First, we fit the two SFRFs independently via a MCMC approach, then we combine them to obtain the first estimate of the total SFRF out to $z \sim 6$. Finally, we compare this SFRF with the predictions of a set of theoretical models. We derived the UV (dust-extinction corrected, from literature UV-LFs) and IR SFRFs (from Herschel and ALMA IR-LFs) at $0.5 < z < 6$ , finding that they are mostly complementary, covering different ranges in star formation rate (SFR$ < 10-100$ M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$ for the UV-corrected and SFR$ > 100$ M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$ for the IR). From the comparison of the total SFRF with model predictions we find an overall good agreement at $z < 2.5$, with increasing difference at higher redshifts, with all models missing the galaxies that are forming stars with the highest SFRs. We finally obtained the UV (dust-corrected), IR and total star formation rate densities (SFRDs), finding that there are no redshift ranges where UV and IR alone are able to reproduce the whole total SFRD.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Quenching precedes bulge formation in dense environments but follows it in the field

(Abridged) The bimodality between star-forming discs and quiescent spheroids requires the existence of two main processes: the galaxy quenching and the morphological transformation. In this paper, we aim to understand the link between these processes and their relation with the stellar mass of galaxies and their local environment. Taking advantage of the first data released by the Euclid Collaboration, covering more than 60 deg2 with space-based imaging and photometry, we analyse a mass-complete sample of nearly one million galaxies in the range 0.25 10^{9.5} M_\odot$. We divide the sample into four sub-populations of galaxies, based on their star-formation activity and morphology. We then analyse the physical properties of these populations and their relative abundances in the stellar mass vs. local density plane. Together with confirming the passivity-density relation and the morphology-density relation, we find that quiescent discy galaxies are more abundant in the low-mass regime of high-density environment. At the same time, star-forming bulge-dominated galaxies are more common in field regions, preferentially at high masses. Building on these results and interpreting them through comparison with simulations, we propose a scenario where the evolution of galaxies in the field significantly differs from that in higher-density environments. The morphological transformation in the majority of field galaxies takes place before the onset of quenching and is mainly driven by secular processes taking place within the main sequence, leading to the formation of star-forming bulge-dominated galaxies as intermediate-stage galaxies. Conversely, quenching of star formation precedes morphological transformation for most galaxies in higher-density environments. This causes the formation of quiescent disc-dominated galaxies before their transition into bulge-dominated ones.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Active galactic nuclei-heated dust revealed in "little red dots"

Little red dots (LRDs) are a puzzling population of extragalactic sources whose origin is highly debated. In this {work}, we performed a comprehensive stacking analysis of NIRCam, MIRI, and ALMA images of a large and homogeneously selected sample of LRDs from multiple JWST Legacy fields. We report clear evidence of hot-dust emission in the median stacked spectral energy distribution (SED) that features a rising near-infrared continuum up to rest-frame $\lambda_{\rm rest}$$\sim$ 3$\mu$m, which is best explained by a standard dusty active galactic nucleus (AGN) structure. Although LRDs are likely to be a heterogeneous population, our findings suggest that most ($\gtrsim$50 %) LRDs show AGN-heated dust emission, regardless of whether the optical and ultraviolet (UV) continua are stellar or AGN-dominated. In either case, the best-fit dusty-AGN SED, combined with the lack of X-ray detection in the deep Chandra stacks, suggests that Compton-thick ($N_{\rm H}$$>$3$\times$10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$) gas obscuration is common, and likely confined within the dust sublimation radius ($R$$_{\rm sub}$$\sim$0.1 pc). Therefore, we argue that AGN-heated dust does not directly obscure either the optical-UV continuum or the broad-line region emission, in order to explain the observed blue UV slopes and prominent Balmer features. While a gas-dust displacement is in line with several models, the formation scenario (in-situ or ex-situ) of this pre-enriched hot dust remains unclear.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Dust emission from the bulk of galaxies at the Epoch of Reionization

[Abridged] Our view of dust in primordial galaxies is limited towards a few tens of z~7 galaxies, pre-selected from UV-optical observations, and are thus not necessarily representative of the bulk of the sources at these redshifts. In this work, we aim at constraining the dust properties of galaxies at 6 9) at 6 -19mag), lower mass sources (log Mstar<9), and at higher redshift (z>7). Fitting these 6 8, compared to the fit without FIR. We extend the LIR vs MUV relation down to MUV=-19mag and show a tentative breakdown of the relation at fainter UV magnitudes. The positions of the JADES z~6.5 sample on the IRX versus beta and IRX versus Mstar diagrams are consistent with those of the ALPINE (z~5.5) and REBELS (z~6.5) samples, suggesting that the dust composition and content of our mass-selected sample are similar to these UV-selected galaxies. Extending our analysis of the infrared properties to z>7 galaxies, we find a non-evolution of beta with redshift in the MUV range probed by our sample (-17.24+/-0.62) and highlight the fact that samples from the literature are not representative of the bulk of galaxy populations at z>6. We confirm a linear relation between AV and 1/sSFR with a flatter slope than previously reported due to the use of ALMA constraints. Our results suggest that rapid and significant dust production has already happened by z~7.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

[CII] line intensity mapping the epoch of reionization with the Prime-Cam on FYST II. CO foreground masking based on an external catalog

Context. The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) line intensity mapping (LIM) survey will measure the power spectrum (PS) of the singly ionized carbon 158 $\rm \mu$m fine-structure line, [CII], to trace the appearance of the first galaxies that emerged during and right after the epoch of reionization (EoR, $6<z<9$). Aims. We aim to quantify the contamination of the (post-)EoR [CII] LIM signal by foreground carbon monoxide (CO) line emission ($3 < J_{ \rm up} < 12$) and assess the efficiency to retrieve this [CII] LIM signal by the targeted masking of bright CO emitters. Methods. Using the IllustrisTNG300 simulation, we produced mock CO intensity tomographies based on empirical star formation rate-to-CO luminosity relations. Combining these predictions with the [CII] PS predictions of the first paper of this series, we evaluated a masking technique where the interlopers are identified and masked using an external catalog whose properties are equivalent to those of a deep Euclid survey. Results. Prior to masking, our [CII] PS forecast is an order of magnitude lower than the predicted CO contamination in the 225 GHz ([CII] emitted at $z=6.8-8.3$) band of the FYST LIM survey, at the same level in its 280 GHz ([CII] emitted at $z=5.3-6.3$) and 350 GHz ([CII] emitted at $z=4.1-4.8$) bands, and an order of magnitude higher in its 410 GHz ([CII] emitted at $z=3.4-3.9$) band. For our fiducial model, the optimal masking depth is reached when less than 10\% of the survey volume is masked at 350 and 410 GHz but around 40\% at 280 GHz and 60 \% at 225 GHz. At these masking depths we anticipate a detection of the [CII] PS at 350 and 410 GHz, a tentative detection at 280 GHz, whereas at 225 GHz the CO signal still dominates our model. In the last case, alternative decontamination techniques will be needed.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

A$^3$COSMOS: the dust mass function and dust mass density at $0.5<z<6$

Context. Although dust in galaxies represents only a few percent of the total baryonic mass, it plays a crucial role in the physical processes occurring in galaxies. Studying the dust content of galaxies, particularly at high$-z$, is therefore crucial to understand the link between dust production, obscured star formation and the build-up of galaxy stellar mass. Aims. To study the dust properties (mass and temperature) of the largest Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)-selected sample of star-forming galaxies available from the archive (A$^3$COSMOS) and derive the dust mass function and dust mass density of galaxies from $z=0.5\,-\,6$. Methods. We performed spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting with the CIGALE code to constrain the dust mass and temperature of the A$^3$COSMOS galaxy sample, thanks to the UV-to-near-infrared photometric coverage of each galaxies combined with the ALMA (and Herschel when available) coverage of the Rayleigh-Jeans tail of their dust-continuum emission. We then computed and fitted the dust mass function by combining the A$^3$COSMOS and state-of-the-art {\it Herschel} samples, in order to obtain the best estimate of the integrated dust mass density up to $z \sim 6$. Results. Galaxies in \a3 have dust masses between $\sim 10^8$ and $\sim 10^{9.5}$ M$_{\odot}$. From the SED fitting, we were also able to derive a dust temperature, finding that the distribution of the dust temperature peaks at $\sim 30-35$K. The dust mass function at $z=0.5\,-\,6$ evolves with an increase of $M^*$ and decrease of the number density ($\Phi ^*$) and is in good agreement with literature estimates. The dust mass density shows a smooth decrease in its evolution from $z \sim 0.5$ to $z \sim 6$, which is steeper than what is found by models at $z \gtrsim 2$.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

[CII] luminosity models and large-scale image cubes based on COSMOS 2020 and ALPINE-ALMA [CII] data back to the epoch of reionisation

We have implemented a novel method to create simulated [CII] emission line intensity mapping (LIM) data cubes using COSMOS 2020 galaxy catalogue data. It allows us to provide solid lower limits for previous simulation-based model predictions and the expected signal strength of upcoming surveys. We applied [CII]158$\mu$m luminosity models to COSMOS 2020 to create LIM cubes covering a 1.2$\times$1.2 deg$^2$ sky area. These models were derived using galaxy bulk property data from the ALPINE-ALMA survey over the redshift range $4.4 1 when using FYST parameters. However, our high-redshift results remain inconclusive because of the poor completeness of COSMOS 2020 at $z$>6.3. These predictions will be improved on the basis of future JWST data.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Identification of a transition from stochastic to secular star formation around $z=9$ with JWST

Star formation histories (SFH) of early (6$ 9$, 87% of massive galaxies, ($\log(M_\ast/M_\odot)\gtrsim$9), have SFR gradients consistent with a stochastic star-formation activity during the last 100 Myr, while this fraction drops to 15% at $z<7$. On the other hand, we see an increasing fraction of galaxies with a star-formation activity following a common stream on the SFR-$M_\ast$ plane with cosmic time, indicating that a secular mode of star-formation is emerging. We place our results in the context of the observed excess of UV emission as probed by the UV luminosity function at $z\gtrsim10$, by estimating $\sigma_{UV}$, the dispersion of the UV absolute magnitude distribution, to be of the order of 1.2mag and compare it with predictions from the literature. In conclusion, we find a transition of star-formation mode happening around $z\sim9$: Galaxies with stochastic SFHs dominates at $z\gtrsim9$, although this level of stochasticity is too low to reach those invoked by recent models to reproduce the observed UV luminosity function.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

A$^3$COSMOS: the infrared luminosity function and dust-obscured star formation rate density at $0.5<z<6$

Aims: We leverage the largest available Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) survey from the archive (A$^3$COSMOS) to study to study infrared luminosity function and dust-obscured star formation rate density of sub-millimeter/millimeter (sub-mm/mm) galaxies from $z=0.5\,-\,6$. Methods: The A$^3$COSMOS survey utilizes all publicly available ALMA data in the COSMOS field, therefore having inhomogeneous coverage in terms of observing wavelength and depth. In order to derive the luminosity functions and star formation rate densities, we apply a newly developed method that corrects the statistics of an inhomogeously sampled survey of individual pointings to those representing an unbiased blind survey. Results: We find our sample to mostly consist of massive ($M_{\star} \sim 10^{10} - 10^{12}$ $\rm M_{\odot}$), IR-bright ($L_* \sim 10^{11}-10^{13.5} \rm L_{\odot}$), highly star-forming (SFR $\sim 100-1000$ $\rm M_{\odot}$ $\rm yr^{-1}$) galaxies. We find an evolutionary trend in the typical density ($\Phi^*$) and luminosity ($L^*$) of the galaxy population, which decrease and increase with redshift, respectively. Our IR LF is in agreement with previous literature results and we are able to extend to high redshift ($z > 3$) the constraints on the knee and bright-end of the LF, derived by using the Herschel data. Finally, we obtain the SFRD up to $z\sim 6$ by integrating the IR LF, finding a broad peak from $z \sim 1$ to $z \sim 3$ and a decline towards higher redshifts, in agreement with recent IR/mm-based studies, within the uncertainties, thus implying the presence of larger quantities of dust than what is expected by optical/UV studies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Probing the Timescale of the 1.4 GHz Radio emissions as a Star formation tracer

Radio used as a star formation rate (SFR) tracer presents enormous advantages by being unaffected by dust and radio sources being pinpointed at the sub-arc-second level. The interpretation of the low frequency 1.4 GHz luminosity is hampered by the difficulty in modeling the cosmic ray paths in the interstellar medium, and their interactions with the magnetic field. In this work, we compare the SFR derived from radio observations, and the ones derived from spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling. We aim at better understand the behavior of the SFR radio tracer, with a specific emphasis on the link with star-formation histories. We used the SED modeling code Code Investigating GALaxy Emission, CIGALE, with a non-parametric star formation history model (SFH) and fit the data over the wavelength range from the ultraviolet (UV) up to the mid-infrared (mid-IR). We interpret the difference between radio and SED-based SFR tracers in the light of recent gradients in the derived SFH. To validate the robustness of the results, we checked for any remaining active galaxy nuclei (AGN) contribution and tested the impact of our SFH modeling approach. Approximately 27% our galaxies present a radio SFR (SFR$_{\rm radio}$) at least ten times larger than the instantaneous SFR from SED-fitting (SFR$_{\rm SED}$). This trend affects primarily the galaxies that show a declining SFH activity over the last 300 Myr. Both SFR indicators converge toward a consistent value, when the SFHs are averaged over a period larger than 150 Myr to derive SFR$_{\rm SED}$. Although the radio at low frequency 1.4 GHz is a good tracer of the star formation activity of galaxies with constant or increasing SFH, our results indicate that this is not the case for galaxies that are quenching. Our analysis suggests that the star formation time sensitivity of the radio low frequency could be longer than 150 Myr.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The Gas Mass Reservoir of Quiescent Galaxies at Cosmic Noon

We present a 1.1mm stacking analysis of moderately massive (log($M_{*}$/$M_{\odot}$) = 10.7 $\pm$ 0.2) quiescent galaxies (QGs) at $\langle z\rangle \sim1.5$, searching for cold dust continuum emission, an excellent tracer of dust and gas mass. Using both the recent GOODS-ALMA survey as well as the full suite of ALMA Band-6 ancillary data in the GOODS-S field, we report the tentative detection of dust continuum equivalent of dust mass log($M_{dust}$/$M_{\odot}$) = 7.47 $\pm$ 0.13 and gas mass log($M_{gas}$/$M_{\odot}$) = 9.42 $\pm$ 0.14. The emerging gas fraction is $f_{gas}$ = 5.3 $\pm$ 1.8%, consistent with the results of previous stacking analyses based on lower resolution sub(mm) observations. Our results support the scenario where high-z QGs have an order of magnitude larger $f_{gas}$ compared to their local counterparts and have experienced quenching with a non negligible gas reservoir in their interstellar medium - i.e. with gas retention. Subsequent analysis yields an anti-correlation between the $f_{gas}$ and the stellar mass of QGs, especially in the high mass end where galaxies reside in the most massive haloes. The $f_{gas}$ - $M_{*}$ anti-correlation promotes the selection bias as a possible solution to the tension between the stacking results pointing towards gas retention in high-z QGs of moderate $M_{*}$ and the studies of individual targets that favour a fully depleted ISM in massive (log($M_{*}$/$M_{\odot}$) high-z QGs.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

GOODS-ALMA 2.0: Last gigayear star formation histories of the so-called starbursts within the main sequence

Recently, a population of compact main sequence (MS) galaxies exhibiting starburst-like properties have been identified in the GOODS-ALMA blind survey at 1.1mm. Several evolution scenarios were proposed to explain their particular physical properties (e.g., compact size, low gas content, short depletion time). In this work, we aim at studying the star formation history (SFH) of the GOODS-ALMA galaxies to understand if the so-called ``starburst (SB) in the MS'' galaxies exhibit a different star formation activity over the last Gyr compared to MS galaxies that could explain their specificity. We use the CIGALE SED modelling code to which we add non-parametric SFHs. To compare quantitatively the recent SFH of the galaxies, we define a parameter, the star formation rate (SFR) gradient that provides the angle showing the direction that a galaxy has followed in the SFR vs stellar mass plane over a given period. We show that ``SB in the MS'' have positive or weak negative gradients over the last 100, 300, and 1000 Myr, at odds with a scenario where these galaxies would be transitioning from the SB region at the end of a strong starburst phase. Normal GOODS-ALMA galaxies and ``SB in the MS'' have the same SFR gradients distributions meaning that they have similar recent SFH, despite their different properties (compactness, low depletion time). The ``SBs in the MS'' manage to maintain a star-formation activity allowing them to stay within the MS. This points toward a diversity of galaxies within a complex MS.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

The Ly$\alpha$, CIV, and HeII nebulae around J1000+0234: a galaxy pair at the center of a galaxy overdensity at $z=4.5$

Ly$\alpha$ $\lambda$1216 (Ly$\alpha$) emission extending over $\gtrsim\,\rm 10\,kiloparsec\,(kpc)$ around dusty, massive starbursts at $z\gtrsim3$ might represent a short-lived phase in the evolution of present-day, massive quiescent galaxies. To obtain empirical constraints on this emerging scenario, we present Ly$\alpha$, CIV $\lambda$1550 (CIV), and HeII $\lambda$1640 (HeII) observations taken with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer towards J1000$+$0234: a galaxy pair at $z=4.5$ composed of a low-mass starburst (J1000$+$0234$-$South) neighboring a massive Submillimeter Galaxy (SMG; J1000$+$0234$-$North) that harbors a rotationally supported gas disk. Based on the spatial distribution and relative strength of Ly$\alpha$, CIV, and HeII, we find that star formation in J1000+0234$-$South and an active galactic nucleus in J1000+0234$-$North are dominant factors in driving the observed 40 kiloparsec-scale Ly$\alpha$ blob (LAB). We use the non-resonant HeII line to infer kinematic information of the LAB. We find marginal evidence for two spatially and spectrally separated HeII regions, which suggests that the two-peaked Ly$\alpha$ profile is mainly a result of two overlapping and likely interacting HI clouds. We also report the serendipitous identification of three Ly$\alpha$ emitters spanning over a redshift bin $\Delta z \leq 0.007$ (i.e., $\lesssim 380\,\rm km\,s^{-1}$) located at $\lesssim 140\,\rm kpc$ from J1000+0234. A galaxy overdensity analysis confirms that J1000+0234 lies near the center of a Megaparsec-scale galaxy overdensity at $z= 4.5$ that might evolve into a galaxy cluster at $z=0$. The properties of J1000+0234 and its large-scale environment strengthen the link between SMGs within LABs, tracing overdense regions, as the progenitors of local massive ellipticals in galaxy clusters.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

A super-linear "radio-AGN main sequence'' links mean radio-AGN power and galaxy stellar mass since z$\sim$3

Mapping the average AGN luminosity across galaxy populations and over time encapsulates important clues on the interplay between supermassive black hole (SMBH) and galaxy growth. This paper presents the demography, mean power and cosmic evolution of radio AGN across star-forming galaxies (SFGs) of different stellar masses (${M_{*}}$). We exploit deep VLA-COSMOS 3 GHz data to build the rest-frame 1.4 GHz AGN luminosity functions at 0.1$\leq$$z$$\leq$4.5 hosted in SFGs. Splitting the AGN luminosity function into different ${M_{*}}$ bins reveals that, at all redshifts, radio AGN are both more frequent and more luminous in higher ${M_*}$ than in lower ${M_*}$ galaxies. The cumulative kinetic luminosity density exerted by radio AGN in SFGs peaks at $z$$\sim$2, and it is mostly driven by galaxies with 10.5$\leq$$\log$(${M_{*}}$/${M_{\odot}}$)$<$11. Averaging the cumulative radio AGN activity across all SFGs at each (${M_{*}}$,$z$) results in a "radio-AGN main sequence" that links the time-averaged radio-AGN power $\langle$$L_{1.4}^{{AGN}}$$\rangle$ and galaxy stellar mass, in the form: $\log$$\langle$[$L_{1.4}^{{AGN}}$/ W Hz$^{-1}]\rangle$ = (20.97$\pm$0.16) + (2.51$\pm$0.34)$\cdot$$\log$(1+$z$) + (1.41$\pm$0.09)$\cdot$($\log$[${M_{*}}$/${M_{\odot}}$] -10). The super-linear dependence on ${M_{*}}$, at fixed redshift, suggests enhanced radio-AGN activity in more massive SFGs, as compared to star formation. We ascribe this enhancement to both a higher radio AGN duty cycle and a brighter radio-AGN phase in more massive SFGs. A remarkably consistent ${M_{*}}$ dependence is seen for the evolving X-ray AGN population in SFGs. This similarity is interpreted as possibly driven by secular cold gas accretion fueling both radio and X-ray AGN activity in a similar fashion over the galaxy's lifetime.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

The bending of the star-forming main sequence traces the cold- to hot-accretion transition mass over 0<z<4

We analyse measurements of the evolving stellar mass (M0) at which the bending of the star-forming main sequence (MS) occurs over 0 1.4 (for which we propose a revision in agreement with latest simulations). We hence argue that the MS bending is primarily due to the lessening of cold-accretion causing a reduction in available cold gas in galaxies and supports predictions of gas feeding theory. In particular, the rapidly rising M0 with redshift at z>1 is confirming evidence for the cold-streams scenario. In this picture, a progressive fueling reduction rather than its sudden suppression in halos more massive than Mshock/Mstream produces a nearly constant star-formation rate in galaxies with stellar masses larger than M0, and not their quenching, for which other physical processes are thus required. Compared to the knee M* in the stellar mass function of galaxies, M0 is significantly lower at z<1.5, and higher at z>2, suggesting that the imprint of gas deprivation on the distribution of galaxy masses happened at early times (z>1.5-2). The typical mass at which galaxies inside the MS become bulge-dominated evolves differently from M0, consistent with the idea that bulge-formation is a distinct process from the phasing-out of cold-accretion.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

GOODS-ALMA 2.0: Starbursts in the main sequence reveal compact star formation regulating galaxy evolution prequenching

Compact star formation appears to be generally common in dusty star-forming galaxies (SFGs). However, its role in the framework set by the scaling relations in galaxy evolution remains to be understood. In this work we follow up on the galaxy sample from the GOODS-ALMA 2.0 survey, an ALMA blind survey at 1.1mm covering a continuous area of 72.42arcmin$^2$ using two array configurations. We derived physical properties, such as star formation rates, gas fractions, depletion timescales, and dust temperatures for the galaxy sample built from the survey. There exists a subset of galaxies that exhibit starburst-like short depletion timescales, but they are located within the scatter of the so-called main sequence of SFGs. These are dubbed starbursts in the main sequence and display the most compact star formation and they are characterized by the shortest depletion timescales, lowest gas fractions, and highest dust temperatures of the galaxy sample, compared to typical SFGs at the same stellar mass and redshift. They are also very massive, accounting for $\sim 60\%$ of the most massive galaxies in the sample ($\log (M_{\rm{*}}/M_{\odot}) > 11.0$). We find trends between the areas of the ongoing star formation regions and the derived physical properties for the sample, unveiling the role of compact star formation as a physical driver of these properties. Starbursts in the main sequence appear to be the extreme cases of these trends. We discuss possible scenarios of galaxy evolution to explain the results drawn from our galaxy sample. Our findings suggest that the star formation rate is sustained in SFGs by gas and star formation compression, keeping them within the main sequence even when their gas fractions are low and they are presumably on the way to quiescence.

astro-ph.GA↗