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H. Dominguez-Sanchez

Publications and source records attributed to H. Dominguez-Sanchez.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

J-PLUS: The stellar mass function of quiescent and star-forming galaxies at 0.05 <= z <= 0.2

Aims. We derive the stellar mass function (SMF) of quiescent and star-forming galaxies at z <= 0.2 using 12-band optical photometry from the third data release (DR3) of the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS) over 3,284 deg^2. Methods. We select approximately 890,000 galaxies with r <= 20 mag and photometric redshifts in the range 0.05 <= z <= 0.20. Stellar masses and star formation rates were derived through spectral energy distribution fitting with CIGALE, confronted with spectroscopic samples. Galaxies are classified as star-forming or quiescent based on their specific star formation rate (sSFR), adopting log(sSFR [yr^-1]) = -10.2. We compute SMFs for both populations using the 1/Vmax method, apply completeness corrections, and fit Schechter functions. Results. The SMFs from J-PLUS DR3 are well described by Schechter functions and agree with previous photometric and spectroscopic studies. The characteristic mass for quiescent galaxies, log(M*/Msun) = 10.80, is 0.4 dex larger than that of star-forming galaxies. The faint-end slope is steeper for star-forming galaxies (alpha = -1.2) than for quiescent ones (alpha = -0.7). The quiescent fraction rises by 40 percent per dex in stellar mass, reaching fQ > 0.95 at log(M*/Msun) > 11. Comparisons with the GAEA semi-analytic model reveal an excess of star-forming galaxies at intermediate masses. Conclusions. J-PLUS DR3 stellar mass functions and quiescent fractions are consistent with the literature and provide robust constraints for galaxy formation models. Quiescent galaxies represent 45 percent of number density above log(M*) > 9, but 75 percent of stellar mass density. The use of 12 optical bands, including 7 narrow filters, improves redshift precision by 20 percent, enabling more accurate SED fitting and galaxy classification.

astro-ph.GA

$M_*/L$ gradients driven by IMF variation: Large impact on dynamical stellar mass estimates

Within a galaxy the stellar mass-to-light ratio $Υ_*$ is not constant. Spatially resolved kinematics of nearby early-type galaxies suggest that allowing for a variable initial mass function (IMF) returns significantly larger $Υ_*$ gradients than if the IMF is held fixed. If $Υ_*$ is greater in the central regions, then ignoring the IMF-driven gradient can overestimate $M_*^{\rm dyn}$ by as much as a factor of two for the most massive galaxies, though stellar population estimates $M_*^{\rm SP}$ are also affected. Large $Υ_*$-gradients have four main consequences: First, $M_*^{\rm dyn}$ cannot be estimated independently of stellar population synthesis models. Second, if there is a lower limit to $Υ_*$ and gradients are unknown, then requiring $M_*^{\rm dyn}=M_*^{\rm SP}$ constrains them. Third, if gradients are stronger in more massive galaxies, then $M_*^{\rm dyn}$ and $M_*^{\rm SP}$ can be brought into agreement, not by shifting $M_*^{\rm SP}$ upwards by invoking constant bottom-heavy IMFs, as advocated by a number of recent studies, but by revising $M_*^{\rm dyn}$ estimates in the literature downwards. Fourth, accounting for $Υ_*$ gradients changes the high-mass slope of the stellar mass function $ϕ(M_*^{\rm dyn})$, and reduces the associated stellar mass density. These conclusions potentially impact estimates of the need for feedback and adiabatic contraction, so our results highlight the importance of measuring $Υ_*$ gradients in larger samples.

astro-ph.GA

Stellar mass functions and implications for a variable IMF

Spatially resolved kinematics of nearby galaxies has shown that the ratio of dynamical- to stellar population-based estimates of the mass of a galaxy ($M_*^{\rm JAM}/M_*$) correlates with $σ_e$, if $M_*$ is estimated using the same IMF for all galaxies and the stellar M/L ratio within each galaxy is constant. This correlation may indicate that, in fact, the IMF is more dwarf-rich for galaxies with large $σ$. We use this correlation to estimate a dynamical or IMF-corrected stellar mass, $M_*^{\rm α_{JAM}}$, from $M_{*}$ and $σ_e$ for a sample of $6 \times 10^5$ SDSS galaxies for which spatially resolved kinematics is not available. We also compute the `virial' mass estimate $k(n,R)\,R_e\,σ_R^2/G$, where $n$ is the Sersic index, in the SDSS and ATLAS$^{\rm 3D}$ samples. We show that an $n$-dependent correction must be applied to the $k(n,R)$ values provided by Prugniel & Simien (1997). Our analysis also shows that the shape of the velocity dispersion profile in the ATLAS$^{\rm 3D}$ sample varies weakly with $n$: $(σ_R/σ_e) = (R/R_e)^{-γ(n)}$. The resulting stellar mass functions, based on $M_*^{\rm α_{JAM}}$ and the recalibrated virial mass, are in good agreement. If the $M_*^{\rm α_{JAM}}/M_* - σ_e$ correlation is indeed due to the IMF, and stellar M/L gradients can be ignored, then our $ϕ(M_*^{\rm α_{JAM}})$ is an estimate of the stellar mass function in which $σ_e$-dependent variations in the IMF across the population have been accounted for. Using a Fundamental Plane based observational proxy for $σ_e$ produces comparable results. By demonstrating that cheaper proxies are sufficiently accurate, our analysis should enable a more reliable census of the mass in stars for large galaxy samples, at a fraction of the cost. Our results are provided in tabular form.

astro-ph.GA

The Herschel PEP/HerMES Luminosity Function. I: Probing the Evolution of PACS selected Galaxies to z~4

We exploit the deep and extended far infrared data sets (at 70, 100 and 160 um) of the Herschel GTO PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) Survey, in combination with the HERschel Multi tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) data at 250, 350 and 500 um, to derive the evolution of the restframe 35 um, 60 um, 90 um, and total infrared (IR) luminosity functions (LFs) up to z~4. We detect very strong luminosity evolution for the total IR LF combined with a density evolution. In agreement with previous findings, the IR luminosity density increases steeply to z~1, then flattens between z~1 and z~3 to decrease at z greater than 3. Galaxies with different SEDs, masses and sSFRs evolve in very different ways and this large and deep statistical sample is the first one allowing us to separately study the different evolutionary behaviours of the individual IR populations contributing to the IR luminosity density. Galaxies occupying the well established SFR/stellar mass main sequence (MS) are found to dominate both the total IR LF and luminosity density at all redshifts, with the contribution from off MS sources (0.6 dex above MS) being nearly constant (~20% of the total IR luminosity density) and showing no significant signs of increase with increasing z over the whole 0.8<z<2.2 range. Sources with mass in the 10< log(M/Msun) <11 range are found to dominate the total IR LF, with more massive galaxies prevailing at the bright end of the high-z LF. A two-fold evolutionary scheme for IR galaxies is envisaged: on the one hand, a starburst-dominated phase in which the SMBH grows and is obscured by dust, is followed by an AGN dominated phase, then evolving toward a local elliptical. On the other hand, moderately starforming galaxies containing a low-luminosity AGN have various properties suggesting they are good candidates for systems in a transition phase preceding the formation of steady spiral galaxies.

astro-ph.CO

PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) - A Herschel Key Program

Deep far-infrared photometric surveys studying galaxy evolution and the nature of the cosmic infrared background are a key strength of the Herschel mission. We describe the scientific motivation for the PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) guaranteed time key program and its role in the complement of Herschel surveys, and the field selection which includes popular multiwavelength fields such as GOODS, COSMOS, Lockman Hole, ECDFS, EGS. We provide an account of the observing strategies and data reduction methods used. An overview of first science results illustrates the potential of PEP in providing calorimetric star formation rates for high redshift galaxy populations, thus testing and superseeding previous extrapolations from other wavelengths, and enabling a wide range of galaxy evolution studies.

astro-ph.CO

The dust content of high-z submillimeter galaxies revealed by Herschel

We use deep observations taken with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS), on board the Herschel satellite as part of the PACS evolutionary probe (PEP) guaranteed project along with submm ground-based observations to measure the dust mass of a sample of high-z submillimeter galaxies (SMGs). We investigate their dust content relative to their stellar and gas masses, and compare them with local star-forming galaxies. High-z SMGs are dust rich, i.e. they have higher dust-to-stellar mass ratios compared to local spiral galaxies (by a factor of 30) and also compared to local ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs, by a factor of 6). This indicates that the large masses of gas typically hosted in SMGs have already been highly enriched with metals and dust. Indeed, for those SMGs whose gas mass is measured, we infer dust-to-gas ratios similar or higher than local spirals and ULIRGs. However, similarly to other strongly star-forming galaxies in the local Universe and at high-z, SMGs are characterized by gas metalicities lower (by a factor of a few) than local spirals, as inferred from their optical nebular lines, which are generally ascribed to infall of metal-poor gas. This is in contrast with the large dust content inferred from the far-IR and submm data. In short, the metalicity inferred from the dust mass is much higher (by more than an order of magnitude) than that inferred from the optical nebular lines. We discuss the possible explanations of this discrepancy and the possible implications for the investigation of the metalicity evolution at high-z.

astro-ph.CO

Star formation in AGN hosts in GOODS-N

Sensitive Herschel far-infrared observations can break degeneracies that were inherent to previous studies of star formation in high-z AGN hosts. Combining PACS 100 and 160um observations of the GOODS-N field with 2Msec Chandra data, we detect ~20% of X-ray AGN individually at >3sig. The host far-infrared luminosity of AGN with L2-10~10^43erg/s increases with redshift by an order of magnitude from z=0 to z~1. In contrast, there is little dependence of far-infrared luminosity on AGN luminosity, for L2-10<~10^44erg/s AGN at z>~1. We do not find a dependence of far-infrared luminosity on X-ray obscuring column, for our sample which is dominated by L2-10<10^44erg/s AGN. In conjunction with properties of local and luminous high-z AGN, we interpret these results as reflecting the interplay between two paths of AGN/host coevolution. A correlation of AGN luminosity and host star formation is traced locally over a wide range of luminosities and also extends to luminous high z AGN. This correlation reflects an evolutionary connection, likely via merging. For lower AGN luminosities, star formation is similar to that in non-active massive galaxies and shows little dependence on AGN luminosity. The level of this secular, non-merger driven star formation increasingly dominates over the correlation at increasing redshift.

astro-ph.CO

PEP: first Herschel probe of dusty galaxy evolution up to z~3

We exploit the deepest existing far-infrared (FIR) data obtained so far by Herschel at 100 and 160 um in the GOODS-N, as part of the PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) survey, to derive for the first time the evolution of the rest-frame 60-um, 90-um, and total IR luminosity functions (LFs) of galaxies and AGNs from z=0 to unprecedented high redshifts (z~2-3). The PEP LFs were computed using the 1/Vmax method. The FIR sources were classified by means of a detailed broad- band SED-fitting analysis and spectral characterisation. Based on the best-fit model results, k-correction and total IR (8-1000 um) luminosity were obtained for each source. LFs (monochromatic and total) were then derived for various IR populations separately in different redshift bins and compared to backward evolution model predictions. We detect strong evolution in the LF to at least z~2. Objects with SEDs similar to local spiral galaxies are the major contributors to the star formation density (SFD) at z< 0.3, then, as redshift increases, moderate SF galaxies - most likely containing a low-luminosity AGN - start dominating up to z ~= 1.5. At >1.5 the SFD is dominated by the contributions of starburst galaxies. In agreement with previous findings, the comoving IR LD derived from our data evolves approximately as (1 + z)^(3.8+/-0.3) up to z~1, there being some evidence of flattening up to z~2.

astro-ph.CO

The first Herschel view of the mass-SFR link in high-z galaxies

We exploit deep observations of the GOODS-N field taken with PACS, on board of Herschel, as part of the PEP guaranteed time, to study the link between star formation and stellar mass in galaxies to z~2. Starting from a stellar mass-selected sample of ~4500 galaxies with mag[4.5mu]<23 (AB), we identify ~350 objects with a PACS detection at 100 or 160mu and ~1500 with only Spitzer 24 mu counterpart. Stellar masses and total IR luminosities (LIR) are estimated by fitting the SEDs. Consistently with other Herschel results, we find that LIR based only on 24 mu data is overestimated by a median factor ~1.8 at z~2, whereas it is underestimated (with our approach) up to a factor ~1.6 at 0.5 10^(11) (M_sun) galaxies from z=0 to z=2, and seems to flatten at z>1.5 in this mass range. Moreover, the most massive galaxies have the lowest SSFR at any z, implying that they have formed their stars earlier and more rapidly than their low mass counterparts.

astro-ph.CO