arXiv subjects

K. G. Noeske

Publications and source records attributed to K. G. Noeske.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2012

The Properties and Prevalence of Galactic Outflows at z = 1 in the Extended Groth Strip

We investigate galactic-scale outflowing winds in 72 star-forming galaxies at z~1 in the Extended Groth Strip. Galaxies were selected from the DEEP2 survey and follow-up LRIS spectroscopy was obtained covering SiII, CIV, FeII, MgII, and MgI lines in the rest-frame ultraviolet. Using GALEX, HST, and Spitzer imaging, we examine galaxies on a per-object basis in order to understand both the prevalence of galactic winds at z~1 and the star-forming and structural properties of objects experiencing outflows. Gas velocities, measured from the centroids of FeII interstellar absorption lines, span the interval [-217, +155] km/s. We find that ~40% (10%) of the sample exhibits blueshifted FeII lines at the 1-sigma (3-sigma) level. We also measure maximal outflow velocities using the profiles of the FeII and MgII lines, and show that MgII frequently traces higher velocity gas than FeII. Quantitative morphological parameters derived from the HST imaging suggest that mergers are not a prerequisite for driving outflows. More face-on galaxies also show stronger winds than highly-inclined systems, consistent with the canonical picture of winds emanating perpendicular to galactic disks. Using star-formation rates calculated from GALEX data, and areas estimated from HST imaging, we detect a ~3-sigma correlation between outflow velocity and star-formation rate surface density, but only a weak (~1-sigma) trend between outflow velocity and star-formation rate. Higher resolution data are needed in order to test the scaling relations between outflow velocity and both star-formation rate and star-formation rate surface density predicted by theory.

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arXiv2011

Star Formation Rates and Stellar Masses of H-alpha Selected Star-Forming Galaxies at z=0.84: A Quantification of the Downsizing

In this work we analyze the physical properties of a sample of 153 star forming galaxies at z~0.84, selected by their H-alpha flux with a NB filter. B-band luminosities of the objects are higher than those of local star forming galaxies. Most of the galaxies are located in the blue cloud, though some objects are detected in the green valley and in the red sequence. After the extinction correction is applied virtually all these red galaxies move to the blue sequence, unveiling their dusty nature. A check on the extinction law reveals that the typical extinction law for local starbursts is well suited for our sample but with E(B-V)_stars=0.55 E(B-V)_gas. We compare star formation rates (SFR) measured with different tracers (H-alpha, UV and IR) finding that they agree within a factor of three after extinction correction. We find a correlation between the ratios SFR_FUV/SFR_H-alpha, SFR_IR/SFR_H-alpha and the EW(H-alpha) (i.e. weighted age) which accounts for part of the scatter. We obtain stellar mass estimations fitting templates to multi-wavelength photometry. The typical stellar mass of a galaxy within our sample is ~10^10 Msun. The SFR is correlated with stellar mass and the specific star formation rate (sSFR) decreases with it, indicating that massive galaxies are less affected by star formation processes than less massive ones. This result is consistent with the downsizing scenario. To quantify this downsizing we estimated the quenching mass M_Q for our sample at z~0.84, finding that it declines from M_Q ~10^12 Msun to M_Q ~8x10^10 Msun at the local Universe.

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arXiv2007

Star Formation in AEGIS Field Galaxies since z=1.1 : The Dominance of Gradually Declining Star Formation, and the Main Sequence of Star-Forming Galaxies

We analyze star formation (SF) as a function of stellar mass (M*) and redshift z in the All Wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS). For 2905 field galaxies, complete to 10^10(10^10.8) Msun at z<0.7(1), with Keck spectroscopic redshifts out to z=1.1, we compile SF rates (SFR) from emission lines, GALEX, and Spitzer MIPS 24 micron photometry, optical-NIR M* measurements, and HST morphologies. Galaxies with reliable signs of SF form a distinct "main sequence (MS)", with a limited range of SFR at a given M* and z (1 sigma < +-0.3 dex), and log(SFR) approximately proportional to log(M*). The range of log(SFR) remains constant to z>1, while the MS as a whole moves to higher SFR as z increases. The range of SFR along the MS constrains the amplitude of episodic variations of SF, and the effect of mergers on SFR. Typical galaxies spend ~67(95)% of their lifetime since z=1 within a factor of <~ 2(4) of their average SFR at a given M* and z. The dominant mode of the evolution of SF since z~1 is apparently a gradual decline of the average SFR in most individual galaxies, not a decreasing frequency of starburst episodes, or a decreasing factor by which SFR are enhanced in starbursts. LIRGs at z~1 seem to mostly reflect the high SFR typical for massive galaxies at that epoch. The smooth MS may reflect that the same set of few physical processes governs star formation prior to additional quenching processes. A gradual process like gas exhaustion may play a dominant role.

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arXiv2007

Star formation in AEGIS field galaxies since z=1.1 . Staged galaxy formation, and a model of mass-dependent gas exhaustion

We analyze star formation (SF) as a function of stellar mass (M_*) and redshift z in the All Wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS), for star-forming field galaxies with M_* >~ 10^10 M_sun out to z=1.1. The data indicate that the high specific SF rates (SFR) of many less massive galaxies do not represent late, irregular or recurrent, starbursts in evolved galaxies. They rather seem to reflect the onset (initial burst) of the dominant SF episode of galaxies, after which SF gradually declines on Gyr timescales to z=0 and forms the bulk of a galaxy's M_*. With decreasing mass, this onset of major SF shifts to decreasing z for an increasing fraction of galaxies (staged galaxy formation). This process may be an important component of the ``downsizing'' phenomenon. We find that the predominantly gradual decline of SFR (Noeske et al. 2007, this volume) can be reproduced by exponential SF histories (tau models), if less massive galaxies have systematically longer e-folding times tau, and a later onset of SF (z_f). Our model can provide a first parametrization of SFR as a function of M_* and z, and quantify mass-dependences of tau and z_f, from direct observations of M_* and SFR up to z>1. The observed evolution of SF in galaxies can plausibly reflect the dominance of gradual gas exhaustion. The data are also consistent with the history of cosmological accretion onto Dark Matter halos.

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arXiv2006

AEGIS: Extinction and Star Formation Tracers from Line Emission

Strong nebular emission lines are a sensitive probe of star formation and extinction in galaxies, and the [O II] line detects star forming populations out to z>1. However, star formation rates from emission lines depend on calibration of extinction and the [O II]/H-alpha line ratio, and separating star formation from AGN emission. We use calibrated line luminosities from the DEEP2 survey and Palomar K magnitudes to show that the behavior of emission line ratios depends on galaxy magnitude and color. For galaxies on the blue side of the color bimodality, the vast majority show emission signatures of star formation, and there are strong correlations of extinction and [O II]/H-alpha with restframe H magnitude. The conversion of [O II] to extinction-corrected H-alpha and thus to star formation rate has a significant slope with M_H, 0.23 dex/mag. Red galaxies with emission lines have a much higher scatter in their line ratios, and more than half show AGN signatures. We use 24 micron fluxes from Spitzer/MIPS to demonstrate the differing populations probed by nebular emission and by mid-IR luminosity. Although extinction is correlated with luminosity, 98% of IR-luminous galaxies at z~1 are still detected in the [O II] line. Mid-IR detected galaxies are mostly bright and intermediate color, while fainter, bluer galaxies with high [O II] luminosity are rarely detected at 24 microns.

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arXiv2006

AEGIS: Galaxy Spectral Energy Distributions from the X-Ray to Radio

The All-wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS) team presents broad-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs), from X-ray to radio wavelengths, for 71 galaxies spanning the redshift range 0.55-1.16 ( ~0.7). Galaxies with secure redshifts were selected from a small (22 arcminute-square) sub-section of the Keck/DEIMOS galaxy redshift survey in the Extended Groth Strip field that has also been targeted for deep panchromatic imaging by Chandra (X-ray), GALEX (ultraviolet), Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (optical), Hubble Space Telescope (optical/near infrared), Palomar Observatory (near infrared), Spitzer (mid/far infrared), and the Very Large Array (radio.) The absolute magnitude of the typical galaxy in our sample is M_B=-19.82. The ultraviolet to mid-infrared portion of their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are found to be bracketed by two stellar-only model SEDs: an early burst followed by passive evolution and a constant star-formation rate since early times; this suggests that few of these galaxies are undergoing major starbursts. Approximately half the galaxies show a mid- to far-infrared excess relative to the model SEDs, consistent with thermal emission from interstellar dust. Two objects have power-law SEDs, indicating that they are dominated by active galactic nuclei; both are detected in X-rays. The galaxies are grouped by rest-frame color,quantitative optical morphology, and [OII] emission line strength (possible indicator of star formation). On average, the panchromatic SEDs of the galaxies, from the ultraviolet to the infrared, follow expected trends: redder SEDs are associated with red U-B, early-type morphology, and low [OII] emission, and vice versa for blue SEDs.

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arXiv2006

AEGIS: Host Galaxy Morphologies of X-ray and Infrared-selected AGN at 0.2 < z < 1.2

We visually and quantitatively determine the host galaxy morphologies of 94 intermediate redshift (0.2 < z < 1.2) active galactic nuclei (AGN), selected using Chandra X-ray and Spitzer mid-infrared data in the Extended Groth Strip. Using recently developed morphology measures, the second-order moment of the brightest 20% of a galaxy's flux (M_{20}) and the Gini coefficient, we find that X-ray-selected AGN mostly reside in E/S0/Sa galaxies (53^{+11}_{-10}%), while IR-selected AGN show no clear preference for host morphology. X-ray-selected AGN hosts are members of close pairs more often than the field population by a factor of 3.3+/-1.4, but most of these pair members appear to be undisturbed early-type galaxies and do not tend to show direct evidence of gravitational perturbations or interactions. Thus, the activation mechanism for AGN activity remains unknown, even for pair members.

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arXiv2006

New southern blue compact dwarf galaxies in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey

Aiming to find new extremely metal-deficient star-forming galaxies we extracted from the Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) 100K Data Release 14 emission-line galaxies with relatively strong [OIII] 4363 emission. Spectroscopic and photometric studies of this sample and, in addition, of 7 Tololo and 2 UM galaxies were performed on the basis of observations with the ESO 3.6m telescope. All sample galaxies qualify with respect to their photometric and spectroscopic properties as blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies. Additionally, they show a good overlap with a comparison sample of 100 well-studied emission-line galaxies on the 12+log(O/H) vs. log(Ne/O), log(Ar/O) and log(Fe/O) planes. From the analysis of the 2dFGRS subsample we report the discovery of two new extremely metal-deficient BCDs with an oxygen abundance 12+log(O/H) < 7.6 and of another seven galaxies with 12+log(O/H) < 7.8. Furthermore, we confirm previous oxygen abundance determinations for the BCDs Tol 1304-353, Tol 2146-391, UM 559 and UM 570 to be 12+log(O/H) < 7.8.

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arXiv2006

The DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey: The Galaxy Luminosity Function to z ~ 1

The evolution of the B-band galaxy luminosity function is measured using a sample of more than 11,000 galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts from the DEEP2 Redshift Survey. The rest-frame M_B versus U-B color-magnitude diagram of DEEP2 galaxies shows that the color-magnitude bi-modality seen in galaxies locally is still present at redshifts z > 1. Dividing the sample at the trough of this color bimodality into predominantly red and blue galaxies, we find that the luminosity function of each galaxy color type evolves differently. Blue counts tend to shift to brighter magnitudes at constant number density, while the red counts remain largely constant at a fixed absolute magnitude. Using Schechter functions with fixed faint-end slopes we find that M*_B for blue galaxies brightens by ~ 1.3 magnitudes per unit redshift, with no significant evolution in number density. For red galaxies M*_B brightens somewhat less with redshift, while the formal value of phi* declines. When the population of blue galaxies is subdivided into two halves using the rest-frame color as the criterion, the measured evolution of both blue subpopulations is very similar.

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arXiv2006

Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies up to z~1 in the HST Ultra Deep Field: I. Small galaxies, or blue centers of massive disks?

We analyze 26 Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies (LCBGs) in the HST/ACS Ultra Deep Field (UDF) at z ~ 0.2-1.3, to determine whether these are truly small galaxies, or rather bright central starbursts within existing or forming large disk galaxies. Surface brightness profiles from UDF images reach fainter than rest-frame 26.5 B mag/arcsec^2 even for compact objects at z~1. Most LCBGs show a smaller, brighter component that is likely star-forming, and an extended, roughly exponential component with colors suggesting stellar ages >~ 100 Myr to few Gyr. Scale lengths of the extended components are mostly >~ 2 kpc, >1.5-2 times smaller than those of nearby large disk galaxies like the Milky Way. Larger, very low surface brightness disks can be excluded down to faint rest-frame surface brightnesses (>~ 26 B mag/arcsec^2). However, 1 or 2 of the LCBGs are large, disk-like galaxies that meet LCBG selection criteria due to a bright central nucleus, possibly a forming bulge. These results indicate that >~ 90% of high-z LCBGs are small galaxies that will evolve into small disk galaxies, and low mass spheroidal or irregular galaxies in the local Universe, assuming passive evolution and no significant disk growth. The data do not reveal signs of disk formation around small, HII-galaxy-like LCBGs, and do not suggest a simple inside-out growth scenario for larger LCBGs with a disk-like morphology. Irregular blue emission in distant LCBGs is relatively extended, suggesting that nebular emission lines from star-forming regions sample a major fraction of an LCBG's velocity field.

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arXiv2004

New insights to the photometric structure of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies from deep Near-Infrared studies: II. The sample of northern BCDs

This paper is part of a series of publications which present a systematic study of Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) Galaxies in the Near Infrared (NIR). Compared to the visible light, NIR data allow a better separation of the starburst emission from the light distribution of the old stellar low-surface brightness (LSB) host galaxy. We analyze deep NIR broad band images of a sample of 11 BCDs, observed with the Calar Alto 3.6m telescope. This work enlarges the samples presented in preceding papers of this study (Noeske et al. 2003, Cairos et al. 2003) by BCDs of the most common morphological type, displaying a regular elliptical LSB host galaxy. The data presented here allow the detection and quantitative study of the extended stellar LSB host galaxy in all sample BCDs. The NIR surface brightness profiles (SBPs) of the LSB host galaxies agree at large galactocentric radii with those from optical studies, showing also an exponential intensity decrease and compatible scale lengths. Similar to Noeske et al. (2003), we find centrally flattening exponential (type V) SBPs of the host galaxy for several BCDs. Such SBPs remain mostly undetected in optical bands, due to the comparatively stronger starburst emission at these wavelengths. We apply a modified exponential distribution to decompose and quantitatively analyze SBPs of LSB hosts with a type V intensity distribution. We present the results of the surface photometry and the decomposition of SBPs, and discuss individual objects with respect to morphological details of their star-forming regions.

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arXiv2004

Pox 186: an ultracompact galaxy with dominant ionized gas emission

We present a ground-based optical spectroscopic and HST U, V, I photometric study of the blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy Pox 186. It is found that the emission of the low-surface brightness (LSB) component in Pox 186 at radii < 3'' (< 270 pc in linear scale) is mainly gaseous in origin. We detect Halpha emission out to radii as large as 6''. At radii > 3'' the light of the LSB component is contaminated by the emission of background galaxies complicating the study of the outermost regions. The surface brightness distribution in the LSB component can be approximated by an exponential law with a scale length alpha < 120 pc. This places Pox 186 among the most compact dwarf galaxies known. The derived alpha is likely to be an upper limit to the scale length of the LSB component because of the strong contribution of the gaseous emission. The oxygen abundance in the bright HII region derived from the 4.5m Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) and 3.6m ESO telescope spectra are 12+log(O/H)= 7.76+/-0.02 and 7.74+/-0.01 (~ Zsun/15), respectively, in accordance with previous determinations. The helium mass fractions found in this region are Y=0.248+/-0.009 (MMT) and Y=0.248+/-0.004 (3.6m) suggesting a high primordial helium abundance.

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arXiv2004

Discovery of the high--ionization emission line [Ne V] 3426 in the blue compact dwarf galaxy Tol 1214-277

The discovery of the high-ionization [Ne V] 3426A emission line in the spectrum of the blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy Tol 1214-277 is reported. The detection of this line implies the presence of intense ionizing X-ray emission with a luminosity in the range 10^39-10^40 erg/s. Such a high X-ray luminosity cannot be reproduced by models of massive stellar populations. Other mechanisms, such as fast shocks or accretion of gas in high-mass X-ray binaries need to be invoked to account for the high intensity of the [Ne V] 3426A emission line.

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arXiv2003

New insights to the photometric structure of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies from deep Near-Infrared studies I. Observations, surface photometry and decomposition of surface brightness profiles

(shortened) We analyze deep Near Infrared (NIR) broad band images for a sample of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies (BCDs), allowing for the quantitative study of their extended stellar low-surface brightness (LSB) host galaxies. NIR surface brightness profiles (SBPs) of the LSB hosts agree at large galactocentric radii with those from optical studies. At small to intermediate radii, however, the NIR data reveal for more than half of our sample a significant flattening of the exponential SBP of the LSB host. Such SBPs ("type V" SBPs, Binggeli & Cameron 1991) have rarely been detected in LSB hosts of BCDs at optical wavelengths, where the relative flux contribution of the starburst is stronger than in the NIR and can hide such central intensity depressions of the LSB host. The structural properties, frequency and physical origin of type V LSB SBPs in BCDs and other dwarf galaxies have not yet been systematically studied. Nevertheless, their occurrence in a significant fraction of BCDs would impose important new constraints to the radial distribution of their stellar mass, and to the photometric fading of BCDs after the termination of star-forming activity. Both a modified exponential (Papaderos et al. 1996a) and the Sersic law give satisfactory empirical descriptions for type V SBPs. However, we argue that the practical applicability of Sersic fits to LSB SBPs of BCDs is limited by, e.g., the extreme sensitivity of the solutions to small SBP uncertainties. Most stellar LSB host galaxies in the sample show optical-NIR colors indicative of evolved stellar populations with subsolar metallicity. Unsharp-masked NIR images and optical-NIR maps reveal numerous morphological details, and cases of non-uniform dust absorption on spatial scales up to ~1 kpc.

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arXiv2002

New insights into the photometric structure of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies from a deep Near-Infrared study

We present deep Near-Infrared (NIR) imaging of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies (BCDs), allowing for the first time to derive and systematize the NIR structural properties of their stellar low-surface brightness (LSB) host galaxies. Compared to optical data, NIR images, being less contamined by the extended stellar and ionized gas emission from the starburst, permit to study the LSB host galaxy closer to its center. We find that radial surface brightness profiles (SBPs) of the LSB hosts show at large radii a mostly exponential intensity distribution, in agreement with previous optical studies. At small to intermediate radii, however, the NIR data reveal an inwards flattening with respect to the outer exponential slope ("type V SBPs", Binggeli & Cameron 1991) in the LSB component of more than one half of the sample BCDs. This result may constitute an important observational constraint to the dynamics and evolution of BCDs. We apply a modified exponential fitting function (Papaderos et al. 1996a) to parametrize and systematically study type V profiles in BCDs. A Sersic law is found to be less suitable for studying the LSB component of BCDs, since it yields very uncertain solutions.

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arXiv2002

The blue compact dwarf galaxy I Zw 18: a comparative study of its low-surface-brightness component

(abridged): Using HST and ground-based optical and NIR imaging data, we investigate whether the blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy I Zw 18 possesses an extended low-surface-brightness (LSB) old stellar population underlying its star-forming (SF) regions. We show that the exponential intensity decrease observed in the filamentary LSB envelope of the BCD out to 18 arcsec (1.3 kpc at a distance of 15 Mpc) is not due to an evolved stellar disc, but rather due to extended ionized gas emission. Broad-band images reveal, after subtraction of nebular line emission, a compact stellar LSB component extending slightly beyond the SF regions. This stellar host, being blue over a radius range of 5 exponential scale lengths and showing little colour contrast to the SF component, differs strikingly from the red LSB host of standard BCDs. This fact, in connection with the blue colors of component I Zw 18 C, suggests that most of the stellar mass in I Zw 18 has formed within the last 0.5 Gyr. Furthermore, we show that the exponential intensity fall-off in the filamentary ionized envelope of I Zw 18 is not particular to this system but a common property of the ionized halo of many SF dwarf galaxies on galactocentric distances of several kpc. In the absence of an appreciable underlying stellar background, extended ionized gas emission dominates in the periphery of I Zw 18, mimicking an exponential stellar disc on optical surface brightness profiles.

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arXiv2001

Optical & NIR photometry of the interacting Dwarf Galaxies II Zw 70/II Zw 71

We obtained deep optical and NIR images of the pair of blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies II Zw 70 and II Zw 71 in order to study the effects of interaction on the structural properties of their stellar low-surface-brightness (LSB) component. We find that within their Holmberg radius the interacting BCDs under study do not differ significantly in terms of the central surface brightness and exponential scale length of their LSB hosts from typical iE/nE systems. In the faint outskirts (26.2 < mu_B [mag arcsec^-2^] < 28.5) of both systems, however, the present data reveal conspicuous morphological distortions, most notably an extended feature protruding as far as ~9 kpc from the starburst region of II Zw 70 in the direction of II Zw 71. The relatively blue colors of this stellar extension, together with its apparent spatial coincidence with the massive HI streamer connecting the dwarf galaxies, are consistent with the hypothesis that it originates from recent star formation within the gaseous halo of II Zw 70, rather than from stellar matter torn out of the LSB host of the BCD during the interaction.The results presented here support the view that important signatures of the dynamical response and secular evolution of the stellar LSB component in interacting dwarf galaxies can be found in their very faint outskirts.

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arXiv2001

Faint companions in the close environment of star-forming dwarf galaxies: possible overlooked starburst triggers?

Using the NASA Extragalactic Database, we have searched the close environment of 98 star-forming dwarf galaxies (SFDGs) from field- and low density environments for companion galaxies. Most of the found companions are dwarf galaxies, previously disregarded in environmental studies of SFDGs. Using a subsample at low redshifts, cz < 2000 km/s, i.e. less biased against dwarf companions, we find that 30% of the SFDGs have close companions within a projected linear separation s_p < 100 kpc and a redshift difference of (Delta cz) < 500 km/s. This fraction must be considered a lower limit, given the incompleteness of the available data sets and the non-negligible frequency of HI clouds in the vicinity of SFDGs, so that the majority of SFDGs should not be considered isolated. The redshift differences between companion candidates and sample SFDGs are typically smaller than ~250 km/s and concentrated towards lower values. This is similarly observed for dwarf satellites of spiral galaxies and suggests a physical association between the companion candidates and the sample SFDGs. SFDGs with a close companion do not show significant differences in their H(beta) equivalent widths and B-V colours as compared to isolated ones. However, the available data do not allow to rule out close dwarf companions as an influencing factor for star formation activity.

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