arXiv subjects

L. Cortese

Publications and source records attributed to L. Cortese.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE). II. Constraining the quenching time in the stripped galaxy NGC 4330

The Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE) is a blind narrow-band H$α$+[NII] imaging survey carried out with MegaCam at the CFHT. During pilot observations we have observed NGC 4330, an intermediate mass, edge-on star forming spiral currently falling into the core of the Virgo cluster. New deep observations revealed a low surface brightness 10 kpc tail exhibiting a peculiar filamentary structure. The filaments are remarkably parallel one another and clearly indicate the direction of motion of the galaxy in the Virgo potential. Motivated by the detection of these features, indicating ongoing gas stripping, we collected literature photometry in 15 bands from the far-UV to the far-IR and deep optical long slit spectroscopy using the FORS2 instrument at the ESO Very Large Telescope. Using a newly developed Monte Carlo code that jointly fits spectroscopy and photometry, we reconstructed the star formation histories in apertures along the major axis of the galaxy. Our results have been validated against the output of CIGALE, a fitting code which has been previously used for similar studies. We found a clear outside-in gradient with radius of the time when the quenching event started: the outermost radii have been stripped 500 Myr ago, while the stripping has reached the inner 5 kpc from the center in the last 100 Myr. Regions at even smaller radii are currently still forming stars fueled by the presence of HI and H2 gas. When compared to statistical studies of the quenching timescales in the local Universe we find that ram pressure stripping of the cold gas is an effective mechanism to reduce the transformation times for galaxies falling into massive clusters. Future systematic studies of all the active galaxies observed by VESTIGE in the Virgo cluster will extend these results to a robust statistical framework.

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arXiv2018

A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE).I. Introduction to the Survey

The Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE) is a blind narrow-band Halpha+[NII] imaging survey carried out with MegaCam at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. The survey covers the whole Virgo cluster region from its core to one virial radius (104 deg^2). The sensitivity of the survey is of f(Halpha) ~ 4 x 10^-17 erg sec-1 cm^-2 (5 sigma detection limit) for point sources and Sigma (Halpha) ~ 2 x 10^-18 erg sec^-1 cm^-2 arcsec^-2 (1 sigma detection limit at 3 arcsec resolution) for extended sources, making VESTIGE the deepest and largest blind narrow-band survey of a nearby cluster. This paper presents the survey in all its technical aspects, including the survey design, the observing strategy, the achieved sensitivity in both the narrow-band Halpha+[NII] and in the broad-band r filter used for the stellar continuum subtraction, the data reduction, calibration, and products, as well as its status after the first observing semester. We briefly describe the Halpha properties of galaxies located in a 4x1 deg^2 strip in the core of the cluster north of M87, where several extended tails of ionised gas are detected. This paper also lists the main scientific motivations of VESTIGE, which include the study of the effects of the environment on galaxy evolution, the fate of the stripped gas in cluster objects, the star formation process in nearby galaxies of different type and stellar mass, the determination of the Halpha luminosity function and of the Halpha scaling relations down to ~ 10^6 Mo stellar mass objects, and the reconstruction of the dynamical structure of the Virgo cluster. This unique set of data will also be used to study the HII luminosity function in hundreds of galaxies, the diffuse Halpha+[NII] emission of the Milky Way at high Galactic latitude, and the properties of emission line galaxies at high redshift.

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arXiv2018

A multiwavelength survey of HI-excess galaxies with surprisingly inefficient star formation

We present the results of a multiwavelength survey of HI-excess galaxies, an intriguing population with large HI reservoirs associated with little current star formation. These galaxies have stellar masses $M_{\star} >10^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$, and were identified as outliers in the gas fraction vs. NUV$-r$ color and stellar mass surface density scaling relations based on the GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS). We obtained HI interferometry with the GMRT, Keck optical long-slit spectroscopy and deep optical imaging (where available) for four galaxies. Our analysis reveals multiple possible reasons for the HI excess in these systems. One galaxy, AGC 10111, shows an HI disk that is counter-rotating with respect to the stellar bulge, a clear indication of external origin of the gas. Another galaxy appears to host a Malin 1-type disk, where a large specific angular momentum has to be invoked to explain the extreme $M_{\rm HI}$/$M_{\star}$ ratio of 166$\%$. The other two galaxies have early-type morphology with very high gas fractions. The lack of merger signatures (unsettled gas, stellar shells and streams) in these systems suggests that these gas-rich disks have been built several Gyr-s ago, but it remains unclear how the gas reservoirs were assembled. Numerical simulations of large cosmological volumes are needed to gain insight into the formation of these rare and interesting systems.

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arXiv2018

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: gas content and interaction as the drivers of kinematic asymmetry

In order to determine the causes of kinematic asymmetry in the H$α$ gas in the SAMI Galaxy Survey sample, we investigate the comparative influences of environment and intrinsic properties of galaxies on perturbation. We use spatially resolved H$α$ velocity fields from the SAMI Galaxy Survey to quantify kinematic asymmetry ($\overline{v_{asym}}$) in nearby galaxies and environmental and stellar mass data from the GAMA survey. {We find that local environment, measured as distance to nearest neighbour, is inversely correlated with kinematic asymmetry for galaxies with $\mathrm{\log(M_*/M_\odot)}>10.0$, but there is no significant correlation for galaxies with $\mathrm{\log(M_*/M_\odot)}<10.0$. Moreover, low mass galaxies ($\mathrm{\log(M_*/M_\odot)}<9.0$) have greater kinematic asymmetry at all separations, suggesting a different physical source of asymmetry is important in low mass galaxies.} We propose that secular effects derived from gas fraction and gas mass may be the primary causes of asymmetry in low mass galaxies. High gas fraction is linked to high $\frac{σ_{m}}{V}$ (where $σ_m$ is H$α$ velocity dispersion and $V$ the rotation velocity), which is strongly correlated with $\overline{v_{asym}}$, and galaxies with $\log(M_*/M_\odot)<9.0$ have offset $\overline{\frac{σ_{m}}{V}}$ from the rest of the sample. Further, asymmetry as a fraction of dispersion decreases for galaxies with $\log(M_*/M_\odot)<9.0$. Gas mass and asymmetry are also inversely correlated in our sample. We propose that low gas masses in dwarf galaxies may lead to asymmetric distribution of gas clouds, leading to increased relative turbulence.

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arXiv2018

Abell 1367: a high fraction of late-type galaxies displaying HI morphological and kinematic perturbations

To investigate the effects the cluster environment has on Late-Type Galaxies (LTGs) we studied HI perturbation signatures for all Abell 1367 LTGs with HI detections. We used new VLA HI observations combined with AGES single dish blind survey data. Our study indicates that the asymmetry between the high-and low-velocity wings of the characteristic double-horn integrated HI spectrum as measured by the asymmetry parameter, Aflux, can be a useful diagnostic for ongoing and/or recent HI stripping. 26% of A1367 LTGs have an Aflux ratio, more asymmetrical than 3 times the 1σ spread in the Aflux ratio distribution of an undisturbed sample of isolated galaxies (2%) and samples from other denser environments (10% to 20%). Over half of the A 1367 LTGs, which are members of groups or pairs, have an Aflux ratio larger than twice the 1 σ spread found in the isolated sample. This suggests inter-group/pair interactions could be making a significant contribution to the LTGs displaying such Aflux ratios. The study also demonstrates that the definition of the HI offset from the optical centre of LTGs is resolution dependent, suggesting that unresolved AGES HI offsets that are significantly larger than the pointing uncertainties (> 2 σ) reflect interactions which have asymmetrically displaced significant masses of lower density HI, while having minimal impact on the location of the highest density HI in resolved maps. The distribution of Aflux from a comparable sample of Virgo galaxies provides a clear indication that the frequency of HI profile perturbations is lower than in A 1367.

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arXiv2017

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: The Low-Redshift Stellar Mass Tully-Fisher Relation

We investigate the Tully-Fisher Relation (TFR) for a morphologically and kine- matically diverse sample of galaxies from the SAMI Galaxy Survey using 2 dimensional spatially resolved Halpha velocity maps and find a well defined relation across the stellar mass range of 8.0 < log(M*) < 11.5. We use an adaptation of kinemetry to parametrise the kinematic Halpha asymmetry of all galaxies in the sample, and find a correlation between scatter (i.e. residuals off the TFR) and asymmetry. This effect is pronounced at low stellar mass, corresponding to the inverse relationship between stellar mass and kinematic asymmetry found in previous work. For galaxies with log(M*) < 9.5, 25 +/- 3% are scattered below the root mean square (RMS) of the TFR, whereas for galaxies with log(M*) > 9.5 the fraction is 10 +/- 1% We use 'simulated slits' to directly compare our results with those from long slit spectroscopy and find that aligning slits with the photometric, rather than the kinematic, position angle, increases global scatter below the TFR. Further, kinematic asymmetry is correlated with misalignment between the photometric and kinematic position angles. This work demonstrates the value of 2D spatially resolved kinematics for accurate TFR studies; integral field spectroscopy reduces the underestimation of rotation velocity that can occur from slit positioning off the kinematic axis.

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arXiv2017

The KMOS Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS): the origin of disk turbulence in z~0.9 star-forming galaxies

We analyse the velocity dispersion properties of 472 z~0.9 star-forming galaxies observed as part of the KMOS Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS). The majority of this sample is rotationally dominated (83 +/- 5% with v_C/sigma_0 > 1) but also dynamically hot and highly turbulent. After correcting for beam smearing effects, the median intrinsic velocity dispersion for the final sample is sigma_0 = 43.2 +/- 0.8 km/s with a rotational velocity to dispersion ratio of v_C/sigma_0 = 2.6 +/- 0.1. To explore the relationship between velocity dispersion, stellar mass, star formation rate and redshift we combine KROSS with data from the SAMI survey (z~0.05) and an intermediate redshift MUSE sample (z~0.5). While there is, at most, a weak trend between velocity dispersion and stellar mass, at fixed mass there is a strong increase with redshift. At all redshifts, galaxies appear to follow the same weak trend of increasing velocity dispersion with star formation rate. Our results are consistent with an evolution of galaxy dynamics driven by disks that are more gas rich, and increasingly gravitationally unstable, as a function of increasing redshift. Finally, we test two analytic models that predict turbulence is driven by either gravitational instabilities or stellar feedback. Both provide an adequate description of the data, and further observations are required to rule out either model.

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arXiv2017

Tidal origin of NGC 1427A in the Fornax cluster

We present new HI observations from the Australia Telescope Compact Array and deep optical imaging from OmegaCam on the VLT Survey Telescope of NGC 1427A, an arrow-shaped dwarf irregular galaxy located in the Fornax cluster. The data reveal a star-less HI tail that contains ~10% of the atomic gas of NGC 1427A as well as extended stellar emission that shed new light on the recent history of this galaxy. Rather than being the result of ram pressure induced star-formation, as previously suggested in the literature, the disturbed optical appearance of NGC 1427A has tidal origins. The galaxy itself likely consists of two individual objects in an advanced stage of merging. The HI tail may be made of gas expelled to large radii during the same tidal interaction. It is possible that some of this gas is subject to ram pressure, which would be considered a secondary effect and imply a northwest trajectory of NGC 1427A within the Fornax cluster.

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arXiv2017

Self-consistent bulge/disk/halo galaxy dynamical modeling using integral field kinematics

We introduce a method for modeling disk galaxies designed to take full advantage of data from integral field spectroscopy (IFS). The method fits equilibrium models to simultaneously reproduce the surface brightness, rotation and velocity dispersion profiles of a galaxy. The models are fully self-consistent 6D distribution functions for a galaxy with a Sersic-profile stellar bulge, exponential disk and parametric dark matter halo, generated by an updated version of GalactICS. By creating realistic flux-weighted maps of the kinematic moments (flux, mean velocity and dispersion), we simultaneously fit photometric and spectroscopic data using both maximum-likelihood and Bayesian (MCMC) techniques. We apply the method to a GAMA spiral galaxy (G79635) with kinematics from the SAMI Galaxy Survey and deep $g$- and $r$-band photometry from the VST-KiDS survey, comparing parameter constraints with those from traditional 2D bulge-disk decomposition. Our method returns broadly consistent results for shared parameters, while constraining the mass-to-light ratios of stellar components and reproducing the HI-inferred circular velocity well beyond the limits of the SAMI data. While the method is tailored for fitting integral field kinematic data, it can use other dynamical constraints like central fibre dispersions and \HI circular velocities, and is well-suited for modelling galaxies with a combination of deep imaging and HI and/or optical spectra (resolved or otherwise). Our implementation (MagRite) is computationally efficient and can generate well-resolved models and kinematic maps in under a minute on modern processors.

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arXiv2017

ALMA shows that gas reservoirs of star-forming disks over the past 3 billion years are not predominantly molecular

Cold hydrogen gas is the raw fuel for star formation in galaxies, and its partition into atomic and molecular phases is a key quantity for galaxy evolution. In this Letter, we combine Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and Arecibo single-dish observations to estimate the molecular-to-atomic hydrogen mass ratio for massive star-forming galaxies at $z\sim$ 0.2 extracted from the HIGHz survey, i.e., some of the most massive gas-rich systems currently known. We show that the balance between atomic and molecular hydrogen in these galaxies is similar to that of local main-sequence disks, implying that atomic hydrogen has been dominating the cold gas mass budget of star-forming galaxies for at least the past three billion years. In addition, despite harboring gas reservoirs that are more typical of objects at the cosmic noon, HIGHz galaxies host regular rotating disks with low gas velocity dispersions suggesting that high total gas fractions do not necessarily drive high turbulence in the interstellar medium.

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arXiv2017

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: the intrinsic shape of kinematically selected galaxies

Using the stellar kinematic maps and ancillary imaging data from the Sydney AAO Multi Integral field (SAMI) Galaxy Survey, the intrinsic shape of kinematically-selected samples of galaxies is inferred. We implement an efficient and optimised algorithm to fit the intrinsic shape of galaxies using an established method to simultaneously invert the distributions of apparent ellipticities and kinematic misalignments. The algorithm output compares favourably with previous studies of the intrinsic shape of galaxies based on imaging alone and our re-analysis of the ATLAS3D data. Our results indicate that most galaxies are oblate axisymmetric. We show empirically that the intrinsic shape of galaxies varies as a function of their rotational support as measured by the "spin" parameter proxy Lambda_Re. In particular, low spin systems have a higher occurrence of triaxiality, while high spin systems are more intrinsically flattened and axisymmetric. The intrinsic shape of galaxies is linked to their formation and merger histories. Galaxies with high spin values have intrinsic shapes consistent with dissipational minor mergers, while the intrinsic shape of low-spin systems is consistent with dissipationless multi-merger assembly histories. This range in assembly histories inferred from intrinsic shapes is broadly consistent with expectations from cosmological simulations.

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arXiv2017

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: understanding observations of large-scale outflows at low redshift with EAGLE simulations

This work presents a study of galactic outflows driven by stellar feedback. We extract main sequence disc galaxies with stellar mass $10^9\le$ M$_{\star}/$M$_{\odot} \le 5.7\times10^{10}$ at redshift $z=0$ from the highest resolution cosmological simulation of the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) set. Synthetic gas rotation velocity and velocity dispersion ($σ$) maps are created and compared to observations of disc galaxies obtained with the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI), where $σ$-values greater than $150$ km s$^{-1}$ are most naturally explained by bipolar outflows powered by starburst activity. We find that the extension of the simulated edge-on (pixelated) velocity dispersion probability distribution depends on stellar mass and star formation rate surface density ($Σ_{\rm SFR}$), with low-M$_{\star}/$low-$Σ_{\rm SFR}$ galaxies showing a narrow peak at low $σ$ ($\sim30$ km s$^{-1}$) and more active, high-M$_{\star}/$high-$Σ_{\rm SFR}$ galaxies reaching $σ>150$ km s$^{-1}$. Although supernova-driven galactic winds in the EAGLE simulations may not entrain enough gas with T $<10^5$ K compared to observed galaxies, we find that gas temperature is a good proxy for the presence of outflows. There is a direct correlation between the thermal state of the gas and its state of motion as described by the $σ$-distribution. The following equivalence relations hold in EAGLE: $i)$ low-$σ$ peak $\,\Leftrightarrow\,$ disc of the galaxy $\,\Leftrightarrow\,$ gas with T $<10^5$ K; $ii)$ high-$σ$ tail $\,\Leftrightarrow\,$ galactic winds $\,\Leftrightarrow\,$ gas with T $\ge 10^5$ K.

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arXiv2017

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Kinematics of Dusty Early-Type Galaxies

Recently, large samples of visually classified early-type galaxies (ETGs) containing dust have been identified using space-based infrared observations with the Herschel Space Telescope. The presence of large quantities of dust in massive ETGs is peculiar as X-ray halos of these galaxies are expected to destroy dust in 10 Myr (or less). This has sparked a debate regarding the origin of the dust: is it internally produced by asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, or is it accreted externally through mergers? We examine the 2D stellar and ionised gas kinematics of dusty ETGs using IFS observations from the SAMI galaxy survey, and integrated star-formation rates, stellar masses, and dust masses from the GAMA survey. Only 8% (4/49) of visually-classified ETGs are kinematically consistent with being dispersion-supported systems. These "dispersion-dominated galaxies" exhibit discrepancies between stellar and ionised gas kinematics, either offsets in the kinematic position angle or large differences in the rotational velocity, and are outliers in star-formation rate at a fixed dust mass compared to normal star-forming galaxies. These properties are suggestive of recent merger activity. The remaining 90% of dusty ETGs have low velocity dispersions and/or large circular velocities, typical of "rotation-dominated galaxies". These results, along with the general evidence of published works on X-ray emission in ETGs, suggest that they are unlikely to host hot, X-ray gas consistent with their low stellar mass when compared to dispersion-dominated galaxies. This means dust will be long lived and thus these galaxies do not require external scenarios for the origin of their dust content.

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arXiv2017

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: The cluster redshift survey, target selection and cluster properties

We describe the selection of galaxies targeted in eight low redshift clusters (APMCC0917, A168, A4038, EDCC442, A3880, A2399, A119 and A85; $0.029 < z < 0.058$) as part of the Sydney-AAO Multi-Object integral field Spectrograph Galaxy Survey (SAMI-GS). We have conducted a redshift survey of these clusters using the AAOmega multi-object spectrograph on the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope. The redshift survey is used to determine cluster membership and to characterise the dynamical properties of the clusters. In combination with existing data, the survey resulted in 21,257 reliable redshift measurements and 2899 confirmed cluster member galaxies. Our redshift catalogue has a high spectroscopic completeness ($\sim 94\%$) for $r_{\rm petro} \leq 19.4$ and clustercentric distances $R< 2\rm{R}_{200}$. We use the confirmed cluster member positions and redshifts to determine cluster velocity dispersion, $\rm{R}_{200}$, virial and caustic masses, as well as cluster structure. The clusters have virial masses $14.25 \leq {\rm log }({\rm M}_{200}/\rm{M}_{\odot}) \leq 15.19$. The cluster sample exhibits a range of dynamical states, from relatively relaxed-appearing systems, to clusters with strong indications of merger-related substructure. Aperture- and PSF-matched photometry are derived from SDSS and VST/ATLAS imaging and used to estimate stellar masses. These estimates, in combination with the redshifts, are used to define the input target catalogue for the cluster portion of the SAMI-GS. The primary SAMI-GS cluster targets have $R< \rm{R}_{200}$, velocities $|v_{\rm pec}| < 3.5σ_{200}$ and stellar masses $9.5 \leq {\rm log(M}^*_{approx}/\rm{M}_{\odot}) \leq 12$. Finally, we give an update on the SAMI-GS progress for the cluster regions.

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arXiv2017

Deriving a multivariate CO-to-H$_2$ conversion function using the [CII]/CO(1-0) ratio and its application to molecular gas scaling relations

We present Herschel PACS observations of the [CII] 158 micron emission line in a sample of 24 intermediate mass (9<logM$_\ast$/M$_\odot$<10) and low metallicity (0.4< Z/Z$_\odot$<1.0) galaxies from the xCOLD GASS survey. Combining them with IRAM CO(1-0) measurements, we establish scaling relations between integrated and molecular region [CII]/CO(1-0) luminosity ratios as a function of integrated galaxy properties. A Bayesian analysis reveals that only two parameters, metallicity and offset from the star formation main sequence, $Δ$MS, are needed to quantify variations in the luminosity ratio; metallicity describes the total dust content available to shield CO from UV radiation, while $Δ$MS describes the strength of this radiation field. We connect the [CII]/CO luminosity ratio to the CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor and find a multivariate conversion function $α_{CO}$, which can be used up to z~2.5. This function depends primarily on metallicity, with a second order dependence on $Δ$MS. We apply this to the full xCOLD GASS and PHIBSS1 surveys and investigate molecular gas scaling relations. We find a flattening of the relation between gas mass fraction and stellar mass at logM$_\ast$/M$_\odot$<10. While the molecular gas depletion time varies with sSFR, it is mostly independent of mass, indicating that the low L$_{CO}$/SFR ratios long observed in low mass galaxies are entirely due to photodissociation of CO, and not to an enhanced star formation efficiency.

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arXiv2017

The HIX galaxy survey I: Study of the most gas rich galaxies from HIPASS

We present the HI eXtreme (HIX) galaxy survey targeting some of the most HI rich galaxies in the southern hemisphere. The 13 HIX galaxies have been selected to host the most massive HI discs at a given stellar luminosity. We compare these galaxies to a control sample of average galaxies detected in the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS, Barnes et al. 2001). As the control sample is matched in stellar luminosity, we find that the stellar properties of HIX galaxies are similar to the control sample. Furthermore, the specific star formation rate and optical morphology do not differ between HIX and control galaxies. We find, however, the HIX galaxies to be less efficient in forming stars. For the most HI massive galaxy in our sample (ESO075-G006, $\rm log\ M_{HI}\ [M_{\odot}] = 10.8$) the kinematic properties are the reason for inefficient star formation and HI excess. Examining the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) HI imaging and Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) optical spectra of ESO075-G006 reveals an undisturbed galaxy without evidence for recent major, violent accretion events. A tilted-ring fit to the HI disc together with the gas-phase oxygen abundance distribution supports the scenario that gas has been constantly accreted onto ESO07-G006 but the high specific angular momentum makes ESO075-G006 very inefficient in forming stars. Thus a massive HI disc has been built up.

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arXiv2016

The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Asymmetry in Gas Kinematics and its links to Stellar Mass and Star Formation

We study the properties of kinematically disturbed galaxies in the SAMI Galaxy Survey using a quantitative criterion, based on kinemetry (Krajnovic et al.). The approach, similar to the application of kinemetry by Shapiro et al. uses ionised gas kinematics, probed by Hα emission. By this method 23+/-7% of our 360-galaxy sub-sample of the SAMI Galaxy Survey are kinematically asymmetric. Visual classifications agree with our kinemetric results for 90% of asymmetric and 95% of normal galaxies. We find stellar mass and kinematic asymmetry are inversely correlated and that kinematic asymmetry is both more frequent and stronger in low-mass galaxies. This builds on previous studies that found high fractions of kinematic asymmetry in low mass galaxies using a variety of different methods. Concentration of star forma- tion and kinematic disturbance are found to be correlated, confirming results found in previous work. This effect is stronger for high mass galaxies (log(M*) > 10) and indicates that kinematic disturbance is linked to centrally concentrated star formation. Comparison of the inner (within 0.5Re) and outer Hα equivalent widths of asymmetric and normal galaxies shows a small but significant increase in inner equivalent width for asymmetric galaxies.

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arXiv2016

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): The absence of stellar mass segregation in galaxy groups and consistent predictions from GALFORM and EAGLE simulations

We investigate the contentious issue of the presence, or lack thereof, of satellites mass segregation in galaxy groups using the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, the GALFORM semi-analytic and the EAGLE cosmological hydrodynamical simulation catalogues of galaxy groups. We select groups with halo mass $12 \leqslant \log(M_{\text{halo}}/h^{-1}M_\odot) <14.5$ and redshift $z \leqslant 0.32$ and probe the radial distribution of stellar mass out to twice the group virial radius. All the samples are carefully constructed to be complete in stellar mass at each redshift range and efforts are made to regularise the analysis for all the data. Our study shows negligible mass segregation in galaxy group environments with absolute gradients of $\lesssim0.08$ dex and also shows a lack of any redshift evolution. Moreover, we find that our results at least for the GAMA data are robust to different halo mass and group centre estimates. Furthermore, the EAGLE data allows us to probe much fainter luminosities ($r$-band magnitude of 22) as well as investigate the three-dimensional spatial distribution with intrinsic halo properties, beyond what the current observational data can offer. In both cases we find that the fainter EAGLE data show a very mild spatial mass segregation at $z \leqslant 0.22$, which is again not apparent at higher redshift. Interestingly, our results are in contrast to some earlier findings using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We investigate the source of the disagreement and suggest that subtle differences between the group finding algorithms could be the root cause.

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