arXiv subjects

Daniel H. McIntosh

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel H. McIntosh.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Less than 10 percent of star formation in z=0.6 massive galaxies is triggered by major interactions

Both observations and simulations show that major tidal interactions or mergers between gas-rich galaxies can lead to intense bursts of starformation. Yet, the average enhancement in star formation rate (SFR) in major mergers and the contribution of such events to the cosmic SFR are not well estimated. Here we use photometric redshifts, stellar masses and UV SFRs from COMBO-17, 24 micron SFRs from Spitzer and morphologies from two deep HST cosmological survey fields (ECDFS/GEMS and A901/STAGES) to study the enhancement in SFR as a function of projected galaxy separation. We apply two-point projected correlation function techniques, which we augment with morphologically-selected very close pairs (separation <2 arcsec) and merger remnants from the HST imaging. Our analysis confirms that the most intensely star-forming systems are indeed interacting or merging. Yet, for massive (M* > 10^10 Msun) star-forming galaxies at 0.4<z<0.8, we find that the SFRs of galaxies undergoing a major interaction (mass ratios <1:4 and separations < 40 kpc) are only 1.80 +/- 0.30 times higher than the SFRs of non-interacting galaxies when averaged over all interactions and all stages of the interaction, in good agreement with other observational works. We demonstrate that these results imply that <10% of star formation at 0.4 < z < 0.8 is triggered directly by major mergers and interactions; these events are not important factors in the build-up of stellar mass since z=1.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Optically-passive spirals: The missing link in gradual star formation suppression upon cluster infall

Galaxies migrate from the blue cloud to the red sequence when their star formation is quenched. Here, we report on galaxies quenched by environmental effects and not by mergers or strong AGN as often invoked: They form stars at a reduced rate which is optically even less conspicuous, and manifest a transition population of blue spirals evolving into S0 galaxies. These 'optically passive' or 'red spirals' are found in large numbers in the STAGES project (and by Galaxy Zoo) in the infall region of clusters and groups.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

History of Galaxy Interactions and their Impact on Star Formation over the Last 7 Gyr from GEMS

We perform a comprehensive estimate of the frequency of galaxy mergers and their impact on star formation over z~0.24--0.80 (lookback time T_b~3--7 Gyr) using 3698 (M*>=1e9 Msun) galaxies with GEMS HST, COMBO-17, and Spitzer data. Our results are: (1) Among 790 high mass (M*>=2.5e10 Msun) galaxies, the visually-based merger fraction over z~0.24--0.80, ranges from 9%+-5% to 8%+-2%. Lower limits on the major and minor merger fractions over this interval range from 1.1% to 3.5%, and 3.6% to 7.5%, respectively. This is the first approximate empirical estimate of the frequency of minor mergers at z<1. For a visibility timescale of ~0.5 Gyr, it follows that over T_b~3--7 Gyr, ~68% of high mass systems have undergone a merger of mass ratio >1/10, with ~16%, 45%, and 7% of these corresponding respectively to major, minor, and ambiguous `major or minor' mergers. The mean merger rate is a few x 1e-4 Gyr-1 Mpc-3. (2) We compare the empirical merger fraction and rate for high mass galaxies to a suite of Lambda CDM-based models: halo occupation distribution models, semi-analytic models, and hydrodynamic SPH simulations. We find qualitative agreement between observations and models such that the (major+minor) merger fraction or rate from different models bracket the observations, and show a factor of five dispersion. Near-future improvements can now start to rule out certain merger scenarios. (3) Among ~3698 M*>=1e9 Msun galaxies, we find that the mean SFR of visibly merging systems is only modestly enhanced compared to non-interacting galaxies over z~0.24--0.80. Visibly merging systems only account for less than 30% of the cosmic SFR density over T_b~3--7 Gyr. This suggests that the behavior of the cosmic SFR density over the last 7 Gyr is predominantly shaped by non-interacting galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

The nature of red dwarf galaxies

Using dark matter halos traced by galaxy groups selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4, we find that about 1/4 of the faint galaxies ($\rmag >-17.05$, hereafter dwarfs) that are the central galaxies in their own halo are not blue and star forming, as expected in standard models of galaxy formation, but are red. In contrast, this fraction is about 1/2 for dwarf satellite galaxies. Many red dwarf galaxies are physically associated with more massive halos. In total, about $\sim 45$% of red dwarf galaxies reside in massive halos as satellites, while another $\sim 25$% have a spatial distribution that is much more concentrated towards their nearest massive haloes than other dwarf galaxies. We use mock catalogs to show that the reddest population of non-satellite dwarf galaxies are distributed within about 3 times the virial radii of their nearest massive halos. We suggest that this population of dwarf galaxies are hosted by low-mass halos that have passed through their massive neighbors, and that the same environmental effects that cause satellite galaxies to become red are also responsible for the red colors of this population of galaxies. We do not find any significant radial dependence of the population of dwarf galaxies with the highest concentrations, suggesting that the mechanisms operating on these galaxies affect color more than structure. However, over 30% of dwarf galaxies are red and isolated and their origin remains unknown.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2009

The evolution of the scatter of the cosmic average color-magnitude relation: Demonstrating consistency with the ongoing formation of elliptical galaxies

We present first measurements of the evolution of the scatter of the cosmic average early-type galaxy color-magnitude relation (CMR) from z=1 to the present day, finding that it is consistent with models in which galaxies are constantly being added to the red sequence through truncation of star formation in blue cloud galaxies. We used a sample of over 700 red sequence, structurally-selected early-type galaxies (defined to have Sersic index >2.5) with redshifts 0<z<1 taken from the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (173 galaxies) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (550 galaxies), constructing rest-frame U-V colors accurate to <0.04mag. We find that the scatter of the CMR of cosmic average early-type galaxies is ~0.1mag in rest-frame U-V color at 0.05<z<0.75, and somewhat higher at z=1. We compared these observations with a model in which new red sequence galaxies are being constantly added at the rate required to match the observed number density evolution, and found that this model predicts the correct CMR scatter and its evolution. Furthermore, this model predicts approximately the correct number density of `blue spheroids' - structurally early-type galaxies with blue colors - albeit with considerable model dependence. Thus, we conclude that both the evolution of the number density and colors of the early-type galaxy population paint a consistent picture in which the early-type galaxy population grows significantly between z=1 and the present day through the quenching of star formation in blue cloud galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Structural Properties of Central Galaxies in Groups and Clusters

Using a representative sample of 911 central galaxies (CENs) from the SDSS DR4 group catalogue, we study how the structure of the most massive members in groups and clusters depend on (1) galaxy stellar mass (Mstar), (2) dark matter halo mass of the host group (Mhalo), and (3) their halo-centric position. We establish and thoroughly test a GALFIT-based pipeline to fit 2D Sersic models to SDSS data. We find that the fitting results are most sensitive to the background sky level determination and strongly recommend using the SDSS global value. We find that uncertainties in the background translate into a strong covariance between the total magnitude, half-light size (r50), and Sersic index (n), especially for bright/massive galaxies. We find that n depends strongly on Mstar for CENs, but only weakly or not at all on Mhalo. Less (more) massive CENs tend to be disk (spheroid)-like over the full Mhalo range. Likewise, there is a clear r50-Mstar relation for CENs, with separate slopes for disks and spheroids. When comparing CENs with satellite galaxies (SATs), we find that low mass (<10e10.75 Msun/h^2) SATs have larger median n than CENs of similar Mstar. Low mass, late-type SATs have moderately smaller r50 than late-type CENs of the same Mstar. However, we find no size differences between spheroid-like CENs and SATs, and no structural differences between CENs and SATs matched in both mass and colour. The similarity of massive SATs and CENs shows that this distinction has no significant impact on the structure of spheroids. We conclude that Mstar is the most fundamental property determining the basic structure of a galaxy. The lack of a clear n-Mhalo relation rules out a distinct group mass for producing spheroids, and the responsible morphological transformation processes must occur at the centres of groups spanning a wide range of masses. (abridged)

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

Environmental Effects on Satellite Galaxies: The Link Between Concentration, Size and Colour Profile

Using the SDSS DR4 group catalogue of Yang et al. (2007), we investigate sizes, concentrations, colour gradients and surface brightness profiles of central and satellite galaxies. We compare central and satellite galaxies at fixed stellar mass, in order to disentangle environmental from stellar mass dependencies. Early and late type galaxies are defined according to concentration. We find that at fixed stellar mass, late type satellite galaxies have smaller radii and larger concentrations than late type central galaxies. No such differences are found for early-type galaxies. We have also constructed surface brightness and colour profiles for the central and satellite galaxies in our sample. We find that late-type satellite galaxies have a lower surface brightness and redder colours than late-type central galaxies. We show that all observed differences between satellite and central galaxies can be explained by a simple fading model, in which the star formation in the disk decreases over timescales of 2-3 Gyr after a galaxy becomes a satellite. Processes that induce strong morphological changes (e.g. harassment) and processes that strip the galaxy of its entire ISM need not to be invoked in order to explain the environmental dependencies we find.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

The STAGES view of red spirals and dusty red galaxies: Mass-dependent quenching of star-formation in cluster infall

We investigate the properties of optically passive spirals and dusty red galaxies in the A901/2 cluster complex at redshift ~0.17 using restframe near-UV-optical SEDs, 24 micron IR data and HST morphologies from the STAGES dataset. The cluster sample is based on COMBO-17 redshifts with an rms precision of sigma_cz~2000 km/sec. We find that 'dusty red galaxies' and 'optically passive spirals' in A901/2 are largely the same phenomenon, and that they form stars at a substantial rate, which is only 4x lower than that in blue spirals at fixed mass. This star formation is more obscured than in blue galaxies and its optical signatures are weak. They appear predominantly in the stellar mass range of log M*/Msol=[10,11] where they constitute over half of the star-forming galaxies in the cluster; they are thus a vital ingredient for understanding the overall picture of star formation quenching in clusters. We find that the mean specific SFR of star-forming galaxies in the cluster is clearly lower than in the field, in contrast to the specific SFR properties of blue galaxies alone, which appear similar in cluster and field. Such a rich red spiral population is best explained if quenching is a slow process and morphological transformation is delayed even more. At log M*/Msol<10, such galaxies are rare, suggesting that their quenching is fast and accompanied by morphological change. We note, that edge-on spirals play a minor role; despite being dust-reddened they form only a small fraction of spirals independent of environment.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

STAGES: the Space Telescope A901/2 Galaxy Evolution Survey

We present an overview of the Space Telescope A901/2 Galaxy Evolution Survey (STAGES). STAGES is a multiwavelength project designed to probe physical drivers of galaxy evolution across a wide range of environments and luminosity. A complex multi-cluster system at z~0.165 has been the subject of an 80-orbit F606W HST/ACS mosaic covering the full 0.5x0.5 (~5x5 Mpc^2) span of the supercluster. Extensive multiwavelength observations with XMM-Newton, GALEX, Spitzer, 2dF, GMRT, and the 17-band COMBO-17 photometric redshift survey complement the HST imaging. Our survey goals include simultaneously linking galaxy morphology with other observables such as age, star-formation rate, nuclear activity, and stellar mass. In addition, with the multiwavelength dataset and new high resolution mass maps from gravitational lensing, we are able to disentangle the large-scale structure of the system. By examining all aspects of environment we will be able to evaluate the relative importance of the dark matter halos, the local galaxy density, and the hot X-ray gas in driving galaxy transformation. This paper describes the HST imaging, data reduction, and creation of a master catalogue. We perform Sersic fitting on the HST images and conduct associated simulations to quantify completeness. In addition, we present the COMBO-17 photometric redshift catalogue and estimates of stellar masses and star-formation rates for this field. We define galaxy and cluster sample selection criteria which will be the basis for forthcoming science analyses, and present a compilation of notable objects in the field. Finally, we describe the further multiwavelength observations and announce public access to the data and catalogues.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Satellite Ecology: The Dearth of Environment Dependence

Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) galaxy group catalogue of Yang et al. (2007), we study the average colour and average concentration of satellite galaxies as function of (i) their stellar mass, (ii) their group mass, and (iii) their group-centric radius. We find that the colours and concentrations of satellite galaxies are (almost) completely determined by their stellar mass. In particular, at fixed stellar mass, the average colours and concentrations of satellite galaxies are independent of either halo mass or halo-centric radius. We find clear evidence for mass segregation of satellite galaxies in haloes of all masses, and argue that this explains why satellites at smaller halo-centric radii are somewhat redder and somewhat more concentrated. In addition, the weak colour and concentration dependence of satellite galaxies on halo mass is simply a reflection of the fact that more massive haloes host, on average, more massive satellites. Combining these results with the fact that satellite galaxies are, on average, redder and somewhat more concentrated than central galaxies of the same stellar mass, the following picture emerges: galaxies become redder and somewhat more concentrated once they fall into a bigger halo (i.e., once they become a satellite galaxy). This is a clear manifestation of environment dependence. However, there is no indication that the magnitude of the transformation (or its timescale) depends on environment; a galaxy undergoes a transition when it becomes a satellite, but it does not matter whether it becomes a satellite of a small (Milky Way sized) halo, or of a massive cluster. We discuss the implication of this `dearth' of environment dependence for the physical processes responsible for transforming satellite galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

The dark matter environment of the Abell 901/902 supercluster: a weak lensing analysis of the HST STAGES survey

We present a high resolution dark matter reconstruction of the z=0.165 Abell 901/902 supercluster from a weak lensing analysis of the HST STAGES survey. We detect the four main structures of the supercluster at high significance, resolving substructure within and between the clusters. We find that the distribution of dark matter is well traced by the cluster galaxies, with the brightest cluster galaxies marking out the strongest peaks in the dark matter distribution. We also find a significant extension of the dark matter distribution of Abell 901a in the direction of an infalling X-ray group Abell 901alpha. We present mass, mass-to-light and mass-to-stellar mass ratio measurements of the structures and substructures that we detect. We find no evidence for variation of the mass-to-light and mass-to-stellar mass ratio between the different clusters. We compare our space-based lensing analysis with an earlier ground-based lensing analysis of the supercluster to demonstrate the importance of space-based imaging for future weak lensing dark matter 'observations'.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The Importance of Satellite Quenching for the Build-Up of the Red Sequence of Present Day Galaxies

In the current paradigm, red sequence galaxies are believed to have formed as blue disk galaxies that subsequently had their star formation quenched. Since red-sequence galaxies typically have an early-type morphology, the transition from the blue to the red sequence also involves a morphological transformation. In this paper we study the impact of transformation mechanisms that operate only on satellite galaxies, such as strangulation, ram-pressure stripping and galaxy harassment. Using a large galaxy group catalogue constructed from the SDSS, we compare the colors and concentrations of satellites galaxies to those of central galaxies of the same stellar mass, adopting the hypothesis that the latter are the progenitors of the former. On average, satellites are redder and more concentrated than central galaxies of the same stellar mass. Central-satellite pairs that are matched in both stellar mass and color, however, show no average concentration difference, indicating that the transformation mechanisms affect color more than morphology. The color and concentration differences of matched central-satellite pairs are completely independent of the halo mass of the satellite galaxy, indicating that satellite-specific transformation mechanisms are equally efficient in haloes of all masses. This strongly favors strangulation as the main quenching mechanism for satellite galaxies. Finally, we determine the relative importance of satellite quenching for the build-up of the red sequence. We find that roughly 70 percent of red sequence satellite galaxies with a stellar mass of 10^9 Msun had their star formation quenched as satellites. This drops rapidly to zero with increasing stellar mass, indicating that a significant fraction of red satellites were already quenched before they became a satellite.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Ongoing Assembly of Massive Galaxies by Major Merging in Large Groups and Clusters from the SDSS

We investigate the incidence of major mergers creating >10e11 Msun galaxies in present-day groups and clusters more massive than 2.5e13 Msun. We identify 38 pairs of massive galaxies with mutual tidal interaction signatures selected from >5000 galaxies with >5e10 Msun that reside in 845 such groups. We fit the images of each galaxy pair as the line-of-sight projection of symmetric models and identify mergers by the presence of residual asymmetries around each progenitor, such as off-center isophotes, broad tidal tails, and dynamical friction wakes. At the resolution and sensitivity of the SDSS, such mergers are found in 16% of high-mass, galaxy-galaxy pairs with magnitude differences of <1.5 and <30 kpc projected separations. We find that 90% of these mergers have nearly equal-mass progenitors with red-sequence colors and centrally-concentrated morphologies, the hallmarks of dissipationless merger simulations. Mergers at group centers are more common than between 2 satellites, but both are morphologically indistinguishable and we tentatively conclude that the latter are likely located at the dynamical centers of recently accreted subhalos. The frequency of central and satellite merging diminishes with group mass consistent with dynamical friction expectations. Based on reasonable assumptions, the centers of these massive halos are growing in stellar mass by 1-9% per Gyr, on average. Compared to all LRG-LRG mergers, we find a 2-9 times higher rate for their merging when restricted to these dense environments. Our results imply that the massive end of the galaxy population continues to evolve hierarchically at a measurable level, and that the centers of massive groups are the preferred environment for merger-driven galaxy assembly. (abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

An Explanation for the Observed Weak Size Evolution of Disk Galaxies

Surveys of distant galaxies with the Hubble Space Telescope and from the ground have shown that there is only mild evolution in the relationship between radial size and stellar mass for galactic disks from z~1 to the present day. Using a sample of nearby disk-dominated galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and high redshift data from the GEMS (Galaxy Evolution from Morphology and SEDs) survey, we investigate whether this result is consistent with theoretical expectations within the hierarchical paradigm of structure formation. The relationship between virial radius and mass for dark matter halos in the LCDM model evolves by about a factor of two over this interval. However, N-body simulations have shown that halos of a given mass have less centrally concentrated mass profiles at high redshift. When we compute the expected disk size-stellar mass distribution, accounting for this evolution in the internal structure of dark matter halos and the adiabatic contraction of the dark matter by the self-gravity of the collapsing baryons, we find that the predicted evolution in the mean size at fixed stellar mass since z~1 is about 15-20 percent, in good agreement with the observational constraints from GEMS. At redshift z~2, the model predicts that disks at fixed stellar mass were on average only 60% as large as they are today. Similarly, we predict that the rotation velocity at a given stellar mass (essentially the zero-point of the Tully-Fisher relation) is only about 10 percent larger at z~1 (20 percent at z~2) than at the present day.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

GEMS: Galaxy fitting catalogues and testing parametric galaxy fitting codes

In the context of measuring structure and morphology of intermediate redshift galaxies with recent HST/ACS surveys, we tune, test, and compare two widely used fitting codes (GALFIT and GIM2D) for fitting single-component Sersic models to the light profiles of both simulated and real galaxy data. We find that fitting accuracy depends sensitively on galaxy profile shape. Exponential disks are well fit with Sersic models and have small measurement errors, whereas fits to de Vaucouleurs profiles show larger uncertainties owing to the large amount of light at large radii. We find that both codes provide reliable fits and little systematic error, when the effective surface brightness is above that of the sky. Moreover, both codes return errors that significantly underestimate the true fitting uncertainties, which are best estimated with simulations. We find that GIM2D suffers significant systematic errors for spheroids with close companions owing to the difficulty of effectively masking out neighboring galaxy light; there appears to be no work around to this important systematic in GIM2D's current implementation. While this crowding error affects only a small fraction of galaxies in GEMS, it must be accounted for in the analysis of deeper cosmological images or of more crowded fields with GIM2D. In contrast, GALFIT results are robust to the presence of neighbors because it can simultaneously fit the profiles of multiple companions thereby deblending their effect on the fit to the galaxy of interest. We find GALFIT's robustness to nearby companions and factor of >~20 faster runtime speed are important advantages over GIM2D for analyzing large HST/ACS datasets. Finally we include our final catalog of fit results for all 41,495 objects detected in GEMS.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Survey of Nearby Nuclei with STIS (SUNNS):Emission-Line Nuclei at Hubble Space Telescope Resolution

We present results from a program of optical spectroscopy for 23 nearby galaxy emission-line nuclei. This investigation takes advantage of the spatial resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope to study the structure and energetics of the central 10 - 20 pc, and the resulting data have value for quantifying central black hole masses, star formation histories, and nebular properties. This paper provides a description of the experimental design, and new findings from the study of emission lines. The sample targets span a range of nebular spectroscopic class, from HII to Seyfert nuclei. The line ratios indicative of nebular ionization show only modest variations over order-of-magnitude differences in radius, and demonstrate in a systematic way that geometrical dilution of the radiation field from a central source cannot be assumed as a primary driver of ionization structure. Comparisons between large- and small-aperture measurements for the HII/LINER transition objects provide a new test that challenges conventional wisdom concerning the composite nature of these systems. We also list a number of other quantitative results that are of interest for understanding galaxy nuclei, including (1) the spatial distribution/degree of concentration of H-alpha emission as a function of nebular type; (2) the radial variation in electron density as a function of nebular type; and (3) quantitative broad H-alpha estimates obtained at a second epoch for these low-luminosity nuclei. The resulting measurements provide a new basis for comparing the nuclei of other galaxies with that of the Milky Way. We find that the Galactic Center is representative across a wide span of properties as a low-luminosity emission-line nucleus.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

A weak lensing estimate from GEMS of the virial to stellar mass ratio in massive galaxies to z~0.8

We present constraints on the evolution of the virial to stellar mass ratio of galaxies with high stellar masses in the redshift range 0.2 10.5, where the majority show an early-type morphology, we find that the virial mass to stellar mass ratio is given by M_vir/M_star = 53^{+13}_{-16}. Assuming a baryon fraction from the concordance cosmology, this corresponds to a stellar fraction of baryons in massive galaxies of Omega_b^*/Ω_b = 0.10 +/- 0.03. Analysing the galaxy sample in different redshift slices, we find little or no evolution in the virial to stellar mass ratio, and place an upper limit of ~2.5 on the growth of massive galaxies through the conversion of gas into stars from z=0.8 to the present day.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The size evolution of galaxies since z~3: combining SDSS, GEMS and FIRES

We present the evolution of the luminosity-size and stellar mass-size relations of luminous (L_V>3.4x10^10h_70^-2L_sun) and of massive (M_*>3x10^10h_70^-2M_sun) galaxies in the last ~11 Gyr. We use very deep near-infrared images of the Hubble Deep Field-South and the MS1054-03 field in the J_s, H and K_s bands from FIRES to retrieve the sizes in the optical rest-frame for galaxies with z>1. We combine our results with those from GEMS at 0.2<z<1 and SDSS at z~0.1 to achieve a comprehensive picture of the optical rest-frame size evolution from z=0 to z=3. Galaxies are differentiated according to their light concentration using the Sersic index n. For less concentrated objects, the galaxies at a given luminosity were typically ~3+-0.5 (+-2 sigma) times smaller at z~2.5 than those we see today. The stellar mass-size relation has evolved less: the mean size at a given stellar mass was \~2+-0.5 times smaller at z~2.5, evolving proportional to (1+z)^{-0.40+-0.06}. Simple scaling relations between dark matter halos and baryons in a hierarchical cosmogony predict a stronger (although consistent within the error bars) than observed evolution of the stellar mass-size relation. The observed luminosity-size evolution out to z~2.5 matches well recent infall model predictions for Milky-Way type objects. For low-n galaxies, the evolution of the stellar mass-size relation would follow naturally if the individual galaxies grow inside-out. For highly concentrated objects, the situation is as follows: at a given luminosity, these galaxies were ~2.7+-1.1 times smaller at z~2.5 (or put differently, were typically ~2.2+-0.7 mag brighter at a given size than they are today), and at a given stellar mass the size has evolved proportional to (1+z)^{-0.45+-0.10}.

astro-ph↗