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F. Palacios

Publications and source records attributed to F. Palacios.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Small and Complex II: Characterizing the Disk and Stellar Envelope of Edge-on $z \sim 0$ Massive Compact Galaxies

We present multi-component photometric decompositions of $r$-band Hyper Suprime-Cam images for a sample of 75 edge-on massive compact galaxies (MCGs) at $z < 0.1$, selected as $+2\sigma$ outliers in the stellar mass-velocity dispersion relation and $-2\sigma$ outliers in the velocity dispersion-size relation. MCGs are composed of compact bulges and disks embedded within stellar envelopes of unclear physical nature. Comparing MCGs to a mass- and redshift-matched control sample of non-compact edge-on S0 galaxies with a similar three-component structure, we find that the smaller sizes of MCGs are not driven by a single component. MCGs host more compact bulges and envelopes ($R_\mathrm{e,bulge} \sim 0.3$ versus $0.5$kpc; $R_\mathrm{e,env} \sim 4.4$ versus $5.7$kpc), as well as shorter and thicker disks ($h_R \sim 1.1$ versus $1.7$kpc; $h_R/z_0 \sim 3.9$ versus $5.3$). The sizes of the structural components are coupled, suggesting their formation processes are linked. Median bulge- and disk-to-total flux fractions are similar in both samples, with $B/T \sim 0.3$ and $D/T \sim 0.4$. Envelope ellipticities span $\epsilon_\mathrm{env} \sim 0$-$0.7$, with MCGs exhibiting rounder envelopes. Low- and high-ellipticity envelopes are broadly consistent with stellar halos and thick disks, respectively. However, the nature of intermediate ellipticity envelopes remains ambiguous from photometry alone. The coupling between component sizes, together with the survival of a substantial disk component, argues against dry minor mergers as the dominant envelope-building mechanism. A comparison with 8 relic galaxies reveals that MCGs and relics share similar bulge-disk-envelope structures and follow the same component size-mass relations, consistent with belonging to a common structural family.

astro-ph.GA

Small and Complex I: The Three Component Structure of $z \sim 0$ Massive Compact Quiescent Galaxies

We investigate the morphology and structural properties of 246 massive compact quiescent galaxies (MCGs; $\log M_{\star} \sim 10$-$11$, $\sigma_{\mathrm{e}} \sim 150$-$350\,$km\,s$^{-1}$, $R_{\mathrm{e}} \sim 0.7$-$2.5\,$kpc) at $z \sim 0$, selected as outliers in the stellar mass-velocity dispersion and velocity dispersion-size relations, using $g$-, $r$-, and $i$-band Hyper Suprime-Cam images. We compare them to a control sample of average-sized quiescent galaxies (CSGs) matched in stellar mass, star formation rate, redshift, and $g-i$ color. Both samples are dominated by S0 galaxies, comprising $93\%$ of MCGs and $71\%$ of CSGs, while ellipticals account for $4\%$ and $11\%$, respectively. The fraction of interacting or morphologically disturbed systems is low in both samples ($13\%$ for MCGs and $16\%$ for CSGs). Multi-component decompositions of the $g$- and $r$-band images show that $75\%$ of MCGs require a three-component model (bulge, disk, and envelope), while $21\%$ are best fit by two components and $4\%$ by a single S\'ersic profile. Two-component MCGs are preferentially low-inclination systems, suggesting that the three-component fraction represents a lower limit. In contrast, only $7\%$ of CSGs exhibit a comparable three-component structure. Bars are present in $29\%$ of CSGs but are absent in MCGs. For three-component systems, MCGs and CSGs have similar bulge ($R_\mathrm{e}=0.39$ vs.\ $0.45$\,kpc) and envelope ($R_\mathrm{e}=6.4$ vs.\ $5.8$\,kpc) sizes, while MCG disks are significantly more compact ($R_\mathrm{e}=1.9$ vs.\ $3.3$\,kpc). The envelope component shows a broad ellipticity distribution ($\epsilon_\mathrm{Envelope} \sim 0.0$-$0.6$), which we interpret as corresponding to either a stellar halo or a thick disk.

astro-ph.GA