Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

M. Radovich

Publications and source records attributed to M. Radovich.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

AMICO galaxy clusters in KiDS-DR3: Cosmological constraints from angular power spectrum and correlation function

We study the tomographic clustering properties of the photometric cluster catalogue derived from the Third Data Release of the Kilo Degree Survey, focusing on the angular correlation function and its spherical harmonic counterpart, the angular power spectrum. We measure the angular correlation function and power spectrum from a sample of 5162 clusters, with an intrinsic richness $λ^*\geq 15$, in the photometric redshift range $z\in [0.1, 0.6]$, comparing our measurements with theoretical models, in the framework of the $Λ$-Cold Dark Matter cosmology. We perform a Monte Carlo Markov Chain analysis to constrain the cosmological parameters $Ω_{\mathrm{m}}$, $σ_8$ and the structure growth parameter $S_8\equivσ_8 \sqrt{Ω_{\mathrm{m}}/0.3}$. We adopt Gaussian priors on the parameters of the mass-richness relation, based on the posterior distributions derived from a previous joint analysis of cluster counts and weak lensing mass measurements carried out with the same catalogue. From the angular correlation function, we obtain $Ω_{\mathrm{m}}=0.32^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$, $σ_8=0.77^{+0.13}_{-0.09}$ and $S_8=0.80^{+0.08}_{-0.06}$, in agreement, within $1σ$, with 3D clustering result based on the same cluster sample and with existing complementary studies on other datasets. For the angular power spectrum, we derive statistically consistent results, in particular $Ω_{\mathrm{m}}=0.24^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$ and $S_8=0.93^{+0.11}_{-0.12}$, while the constraint on $σ_8$ alone is weaker with respect to the one provided by the angular correlation function, $σ_8=1.01^{+0.25}_{-0.17}$. Our results show that the 2D clustering from photometric cluster surveys can provide competitive cosmological constraints with respect to the full 3D clustering statistics, and can be successfully applied to ongoing and forthcoming spectro/photometric surveys.

astro-ph.CO↗

3D modeling of the molecular gas kinematics in optically-selected jellyfish galaxies

Cluster galaxies are subject to the ram pressure exerted by the intracluster medium, which can perturb or even strip away their gas while leaving the stars undisturbed. We model the distribution and kinematics of the stars and the molecular gas in four late-type cluster galaxies (JO201, JO204, JO206, and JW100), which show tails of atomic and ionized gas indicative of ongoing ram pressure stripping. We analyze MUSE@VLT data and CO data from ALMA searching for signatures of radial gas flows, ram pressure stripping, and other perturbations. We find that all galaxies, with the possible exception of JW100, host stellar bars. Signatures of ram pressure are found in JO201 and JO206, which also shows clear indications of ongoing stripping in the molecular disk outskirts. The stripping affects the whole molecular gas disk of JW100. The molecular gas kinematics in JO204 is instead dominated by rotation rather than ram pressure. We also find indications of enhanced turbulence of the molecular gas compared to field galaxies. Large-scale radial flows of molecular gas are present in JO204 and JW100, but more uncertain in JO201 and JO206. We show that our sample follows the molecular gas mass-size relation, confirming that it is essentially independent of environment even for the most extreme cases of stripping. Our findings are consistent with the molecular gas being affected by the ram pressure on different timescales and less severely than the atomic and ionized gas phases, likely because the molecular gas is denser and more gravitationally bound to the galaxy.

astro-ph.GA↗

Star forming brightest cluster galaxies at $z\sim0.4$ in KiDS. Further studies of cold gas and stellar properties

Brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) are among the most massive galaxies in the Universe. Their star formation (SF) history and stellar mass assembly are debated. Recent studies suggest the presence of an emerging population of intermediate-$z$ star forming and gas-rich BCGs, where the molecular gas reservoirs are impacted by strong environmental processing. We have selected three among the most star-forming $z\sim0.4$ BCGs in the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS), and observed them with the IRAM 30m telescope in the first three CO transitions. We found double-horn CO(1$\rightarrow$0) and CO(3$\rightarrow$2) emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG, yielding a large molecular gas reservoir with $M_{H_2}=(5.9\pm1.2)\times10^{10}~M_\odot$ and a high gas-to-stellar mass ratio $M_{H_2}/M_\star=(0.32^{+0.12}_{-0.10})$. We increase the limited sample of distant BCGs with detections in multiple CO transitions. The double-horn emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG implies a low gas concentration, while a modeling of the spectra yields an extended molecular gas reservoir, with a characteristic radius of $\sim$(5-7) kpc, which is reminiscent of a mature extended-disk phase observed in some local BCGs. For the other two BCGs we are able to set upper limits of $M_{H_2}/M_\star<0.07$ and $<0.23$, which are among the lowest for distant BCGs. We then combined our observations with available stellar, SF, and dust properties of the targeted BCGs, and compared them with $\sim100$ distant cluster galaxies, including additional intermediate-$z$ BCGs, with observations in CO from the literature. The molecular gas properties of star forming BCGs are heterogeneous. On one side, gas-rich BCGs show extended gas reservoirs, which sustain the significant SF activity, which is reminiscent of recent gas infall. Conversely, the existence of similarly star forming, but gas-poor, BCGs suggest that gas depletion precedes SF quenching.

astro-ph.GA↗

INSPIRE: INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics III. Second data release (DR2): testing the systematics on the stellar velocity dispersion

This is the second data release (DR2) of the INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics (INSPIRE) project, comprising 21 new systems with observations completed before March 2022. For each system, we release four one-dimensional (1D) spectra to the ESO Science Archive, one spectrum for each arm of the X-Shooter spectrograph. In this paper, we focus on the line-of-sight velocity distribution, measuring integrated stellar velocity dispersions from the spectra, and assessing their robustness and the associated uncertainties. For each of the 21 new systems, we systematically investigated the effect of the parameters and set-ups of the full spectral fitting on the stellar velocity dispersion ($σ$) measurements. In particular, we tested how $σ$ changes when several parameters of the fit as well as the resolution and spectral coverage of the input spectra are varied. We found that the effect that causes the largest systematic uncertainties on $σ$ is the wavelength range used for the fit, especially for spectra with a lower signal-to-noise ratio (S/N $\leq$ 30). When using blue wavelengths (UVB arm) one generally underestimates the velocity dispersion (by $\sim$15 km/s). The values obtained from the near-IR (NIR) arm present a larger scatter because the quality of the spectra is lower. We finally compared our results with those in literature, finding a very good agreement overall. Joining results obtained in DR1 with those presented here, INSPIRE contains 40 ultra-compact massive galaxies, corresponding to 75% of the whole survey. By plotting these systems in a stellar mass-velocity dispersion diagram, we identify at least four highly reliable relic candidates among the new systems. Their velocity dispersion is larger than that of normal-sized galaxies of similar stellar mass.

astro-ph.GA↗

Ultraviolet imaging observations of three jellyfish galaxies: Star formation suppression in the centre and ongoing star formation in stripped tails

Spiral galaxies undergo strong ram-pressure effects when they fall into the galaxy cluster potential. As a consequence, their gas is stripped to form extended tails within which star formation can happen, giving them the typical jellyfish appearance. The ultraviolet imaging observations of jellyfish galaxies provide an opportunity to understand ongoing star formation in the stripped tails. We report the ultraviolet observations of the jellyfish galaxies JW39, JO60, JO194 and compare with observations in optical continuum and $\mathrm{H}α$. We detect knots of star formation in the disk and tails of the galaxies and find that their UV and H$α$ flux are well correlated. The optical emission line ratio maps of these galaxies are used to identify for every region the emission mechanism, due to either star formation, LINER or a mix of the two phenomena. The star-forming regions in the emission line maps match very well with the regions having significant UV flux. The central regions of two galaxies (JW39, JO194) show a reduction in UV flux which coincides with composite or LINER regions in the emission line maps. The galaxies studied here demonstrate significant star formation in the stripped tails, suppressed star formation in the central regions and present a possible case of accelerated quenching happening in jellyfish galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

Star forming and gas rich brightest cluster galaxies at $z\sim0.4$ in the Kilo-Degree Survey

Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) are typically massive ellipticals at the centers of clusters. They are believed to experience strong environmental processing, and their mass assembly and star formation history are still debated. We have selected three star forming BCGs in the equatorial field of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) at intermediate redshifts. We have observed them with the IRAM-30m telescope in the first three CO transitions. We remarkably detected all BCGs at high signal-to-noise ratio ${\rm S/N}\simeq(3.8-10.2)$, for a total of 7 detected lines out of 8, corresponding to a success rate of $88\%$. This allows us to double the number of distant BCGs with clear detections in at least two CO lines. We have then combined our observations with available stellar, star formation, and dust properties of the BCGs, and we have compared them with a sample of $\sim100$ distant cluster galaxies with observations in CO. Our analysis yields large molecular gas reservoirs $M_{H_2}\simeq(0.5-1.4)\times10^{11}~M_\odot$, excitation ratios $r_{31}= L^{\prime}_{\rm CO(3\rightarrow2)}/L^{\prime}_{\rm CO(1\rightarrow0)}\simeq(0.1-0.3)$, long depletion times $τ_{\rm dep}\simeq(2-4)$~Gyr, and high $M_{H_2}/M_{\rm dust}\simeq(170-300)$. The excitation ratio $r_{31}$ of intermediate-$z$ BCGs appears to be well correlated with the star formation rate and efficiency, which suggests that excited gas is found only in highly star forming and cool-core BCGs. By performing color-magnitude plots and a red sequence modeling we find that recent bursts of star formation are needed to explain the fact that the BCGs are measurably bluer than photometrically selected cluster members. We suggest that a substantial amount of the molecular gas has been accreted by the KiDS BCGs, but still not efficiently converted into stars.

astro-ph.GA↗

Locations and Morphologies of Jellyfish Galaxies in A2744 and A370

We present a study of the orbits, environments and morphologies of 13 ram-pressure stripped galaxies in the massive, intermediate redshift (z$\sim0.3-0.4$) galaxy clusters A2744 and A370, using MUSE integral-field spectroscopy and HST imaging from the Frontier Fields Program. We compare different measures of the locations and morphologies of the stripped sample with a sample of 6 poststarburst galaxies identified within the same clusters, as well as the general cluster population. We calculate the phase space locations of all cluster galaxies and carry out a substructure analysis, finding that the ram-pressure stripped galaxies in A370 are not associated with any substructures, but are likely isolated infalling galaxies. In contrast, the ram-pressure stripped galaxies in A2744 are strictly located within a high-velocity substructure, moving through a region of dense X-ray emitting gas. We conclude that their ram-pressure interactions are likely to be the direct result of the merger between two components of the cluster. Finally, we study the morphologies of the stripped and poststarburst galaxies, using numerical measures to quantify the level of visual disturbances. We explore any morphological deviations of these galaxies from the cluster population, particularly the weaker cases which have been confirmed via the presence of ionised gas tails to be undergoing ram-pressure stripping, but are not strongly visually disturbed in the broad-band data. We find that the stripped sample galaxies are generally divergent from the general cluster sample, with poststarburst galaxies being intermediary in morphology between stripped galaxies and red passive cluster members.

astro-ph.GA↗

A structure function analysis of VST-COSMOS AGN

We present our sixth work in a series dedicated to variability studies of active galactic nuclei (AGN) based on the survey of the COSMOS field by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST). Its 54 r-band visits over 3.3 yr and single-visit depth of 24.6 r-band mag make this dataset a valuable scaled-down version that can help forecast the performance of the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). This work is centered on the analysis of the structure function (SF) of VST-COSMOS AGN, investigating possible differences in its shape and slope related to how the AGN were selected, and explores possible connections between the ensemble variability of AGN and black-hole mass, accretion rate, bolometric luminosity, redshift, and obscuration of the source. Given its features, our dataset opens up the exploration of samples ~2 mag fainter than most of the literature to date. We identify several samples of AGN - 677 in total - obtained by a variety of selection techniques which partly overlap. Our analysis compares results for the various samples. We split each sample in two based on the median of the physical property of interest, and analyze differences in the shape and slope of the SF, and possible causes. While the shape of the SF does not change with depth, it is highly affected by the type of AGN (unobscured/obscured) included in the sample. Where a linear region can be identified, we find that the variability amplitude anticorrelates with accretion rate and bolometric luminosity, consistent with previous literature on the topic, while no dependence on black-hole mass emerges from this study. With its longer baseline and denser and more regular sampling, the LSST will allow an improved characterization of the SF and its dependencies on the mentioned physical properties over much larger AGN samples.

astro-ph.GA↗

AMICO galaxy clusters in KiDS-DR3: Constraints on cosmological parameters and on the normalisation of the mass-richness relation from clustering

We analysed the clustering of a photometric sample of galaxy clusters selected from the Third Data Release of the Kilo-Degree Survey, focusing on the redshift-space two-point correlation function (2PCF). We compared our measurements to theoretical predictions of the standard $Λ$ cold dark matter ($Λ$CDM) cosmological model. We measured the 2PCF of the sample in the cluster centric radial range $r\in[5,80]$ $h^{-1}$Mpc, considering 4934 galaxy clusters with richness $λ^*\geq15$ in the redshift range $z\in[0.1,0.6]$. A Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis has been performed to constrain the cosmological parameters $Ω_{\rm m}$, $σ_8$, and $S_8 \equiv σ_8(Ω_{\rm m}/0.3)^{0.5}$, assuming Gaussian priors on the mass-richness relation given by the posteriors obtained from a joint analysis of cluster counts and weak lensing. In addition, we constrained the normalisation of the mass-richness relation, $α$, with fixed cosmological parameters. We obtained $Ω_{\rm m}=0.28^{+0.05}_{-0.04}$, $σ_8=0.82^{+0.14}_{-0.12}$, and $S_8=0.80^{+0.08}_{-0.08}$. The constraint on $S_8$ is consistent within 1$σ$ with the results from WMAP and Planck. Furthermore, by fixing the cosmological parameters to those provided by Planck, we obtained $α=0.12^{+0.06}_{-0.06}$, which is fully consistent with the result obtained from the joint analysis of cluster counts and weak lensing performed for this sample.

astro-ph.CO↗

High-quality strong lens candidates in the final Kilo Degree survey footprint

We present 97 new high-quality strong lensing candidates found in the final $\sim 350\,\rm deg^2$, that completed the full $\sim 1350\,\rm deg^2$ area of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS). Together with our previous findings, the final list of high-quality candidates from KiDS sums up to 268 systems. The new sample is assembled using a new Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifier applied to $r$-band (best seeing) and $g,~r,~i$ color-composited images separately. This optimizes the complementarity of the morphology and color information on the identification of strong lensing candidates. We apply the new classifiers to a sample of luminous red galaxies (LRGs) and a sample of bright galaxies (BGs) and select candidates that received a high probability to be a lens from the CNN ($P_{\rm CNN}$). In particular, setting $P_{\rm CNN}>0.8$ for the LRGs, the $1$-band CNN predicts 1213 candidates, while the $3$-band classifier yields 1299 candidates, with only $\sim$30\% overlap. For the BGs, in order to minimize the false positives, we adopt a more conservative threshold, $P_{\rm CNN} >0.9$, for both CNN classifiers. This results in 3740 newly selected objects. The candidates from the two samples are visually inspected by 7 co-authors to finally select 97 "high-quality" lens candidates which received mean scores larger than 6 (on a scale from 0 to 10). We finally discuss the effect of the seeing on the accuracy of CNN classification and possible avenues to increase the efficiency of multi-band classifiers, in preparation of next-generation surveys from ground and space.

astro-ph.GA↗

AMICO galaxy clusters in KiDS-DR3: cosmological constraints from counts and stacked weak-lensing

We present a cosmological analysis of abundances and stacked weak-lensing profiles of galaxy clusters, exploiting the AMICO KiDS-DR3 catalogue. The sample consists of 3652 galaxy clusters with intrinsic richness $λ^*\geq20$, over an effective area of 377 deg$^2$, in the redshift range $z\in[0.1,\,0.6]$. We quantified the purity and completeness of the sample through simulations. The statistical analysis has been performed by simultaneously modelling the comoving number density of galaxy clusters and the scaling relation between the intrinsic richnesses and the cluster masses, assessed through a stacked weak-lensing profile modelling. The fluctuations of the matter background density, caused by super-survey modes, have been taken into account in the likelihood. Assuming a flat $Λ$CDM model, we constrained $Ω_{\rm m}$, $σ_8$, $S_8 \equiv σ_8(Ω_{\rm m}/0.3)^{0.5}$, and the parameters of the mass-richness scaling relation. We obtained $Ω_{\rm m}=0.24^{+0.03}_{-0.04}$, $σ_8=0.86^{+0.07}_{-0.07}$, $S_8=0.78^{+0.04}_{-0.04}$. The constraint on $S_8$ is consistent within 1$σ$ with the results from WMAP and Planck. Furthermore, we got constraints on the cluster mass scaling relation in agreement with those obtained from a previous weak-lensing only analysis.

astro-ph.CO↗

Observing ram pressure at work in intermediate redshift clusters with MUSE: the case of Abell 2744and Abell 370

Ram pressure stripping has been proven to be effective in shaping galaxy properties in dense environments at low redshift. The availability of MUSE observations of a sample of distant (z$\sim 0.3-0.5$) clusters has allowed to search for galaxies subject to this phenomenon at significant lookback times. In this paper we describe how we discovered and characterized 13 ram-pressure stripped galaxies in the central regions of two intermediate redshift (z$\sim$0.3-0.4) clusters, A2744 and A370, using the MUSE spectrograph. Emission line properties as well as stellar features have been analyzed to infer the presence of this gas--only stripping mechanism, that produces spectacular ionized gas tails (H$_α$ and even more astonishing [OII](3727,3729) departing from the main galaxy body. The inner regions of these two clusters reveal the predominance of such galaxies among blue star-forming cluster members, suggesting that ram-pressure stripping was even more effective at intermediate redshift than in today's Universe. Interestingly, the resolved [OII]/H$_α$ line ratio in the stripped tails is exceptionally high compared to that in the disks of these galaxies, (which is comparable to that in normal low-z galaxies), suggesting lower gas densities and/or an interaction with the hot surrounding ICM.

astro-ph.GA↗

INSPIRE: INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics II. First Data Release (DR1)

The INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics is an on-going project targeting 52 ultra-compact massive galaxies at 0.1 2) through a short and intense star formation burst, that evolved passively and undisturbed until the present-day. Relics provide a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms of star formation at high-z. In this paper, we present the first INSPIRE Data Release, comprising 19 systems with observations completed in 2020. We use the methods already presented in the INSPIRE Pilot, but revisiting the 1D spectral extraction. For these 19 systems, we obtain an estimate of the stellar velocity dispersion, fitting separately the two UVB and VIS XSH arms at their original resolution. We estimate [Mg/Fe] abundances via line-index strength and mass-weighted integrated stellar ages and metallicities with full spectral fitting on the combined spectrum. Ages are generally old, in agreement with the photometric ones, and metallicities are almost always super-solar, confirming the mass-metallicity relation. The [Mg/Fe] ratio is also larger than solar for the great majority of the galaxies, as expected. We find that 10 objects have formed more than 75% of their stellar mass (M*) within 3 Gyr from the Big Bang and classify them as relics. Among these, we identify 4 galaxies which had already fully assembled their M* by that time. They are therefore `extreme relics' of the ancient Universe. The INSPIRE DR1 catalogue of 10 known relics to-date augment by a factor of 3.3 the total number of confirmed relics, also enlarging the redshift window. It is therefore the largest publicly available collection. Thanks to the larger number of systems, we can also better quantify the existence of a 'degree of relicness', already hinted at the Pilot Paper.

astro-ph.GA↗

Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS): Consistent multi-wavelength photometry for the DEVILS regions (COSMOS, XMMLSS & ECDFS)

The Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS) is an ongoing high-completeness, deep spectroscopic survey of $\sim$60,000 galaxies to Y$<$21.2 mag, over $\sim$6 deg2 in three well-studied deep extragalactic fields: D10 (COSMOS), D02 (XMM-LSS) and D03 (ECDFS). Numerous DEVILS projects all require consistent, uniformly-derived and state-of-the-art photometric data with which to measure galaxy properties. Existing photometric catalogues in these regions either use varied photometric measurement techniques for different facilities/wavelengths leading to inconsistencies, older imaging data and/or rely on source detection and photometry techniques with known problems. Here we use the ProFound image analysis package and state-of-the-art imaging datasets (including Subaru-HSC, VST-VOICE, VISTA-VIDEO and UltraVISTA-DR4) to derive matched-source photometry in 22 bands from the FUV to 500μm. This photometry is found to be consistent, or better, in colour-analysis to previous approaches using fixed-size apertures (which are specifically tuned to derive colours), but produces superior total source photometry, essential for the derivation of stellar masses, star-formation rates, star-formation histories, etc. Our photometric catalogue is described in detail and, after internal DEVILS team projects, will be publicly released for use by the broader scientific community.

astro-ph.GA↗

GASP XXXIV: Unfolding the thermal side of ram pressure stripping in the jellyfish galaxy JO201

X-ray studies of jellyfish galaxies play a crucial role in understanding the interactions between the interstellar medium (ISM) and the intracluster medium (ICM). In this paper, we focused on the jellyfish galaxy JO201. By combining archival Chandra observations, MUSE H$α$ cubes, and maps of the emission fraction of the diffuse ionised gas, we investigated both its high energy spectral properties and the spatial correlation between its X-ray and optical emissions. The X-ray emission of JO201 is provided by both the Compton thick AGN (L$_{\text{X}}^{0.5-10 \text{keV}}$=2.7$\cdot$10$^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$, not corrected for intrinsic absorption) and an extended component (L$_{\text{X}}^{0.5-10 \, \text{keV}}\approx$1.9-4.5$\cdot$10$^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$) produced by a warm plasma (kT$\approx$1 keV), whose luminosity is higher than expected from the observed star formation (L$_{\text{X}}\sim$3.8$\cdot10^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$). The spectral analysis showed that the X-ray emission is consistent with the thermal cooling of hot plasma. These properties are similar to the ones found in other jellyfish galaxies showing extended X-ray emission. A point-to-point analysis revealed that this X-ray emission closely follows the ISM distribution, whereas CLOUDY simulations proved that the ionisation triggered by this warm plasma would be able to reproduce the [OI]/H$α$ excess observed in JO201. We conclude that the galactic X-ray emitting plasma is originated on the surface of the ISM as a result of the ICM-ISM interplay. This process would entail the cooling and accretion of the ICM onto the galaxy, which could additionally fuel the star formation, and the emergence of [OI]/H$α$ excess in the optical spectrum.

astro-ph.GA↗

The Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton: Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation. I. Programme overview

The Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton - Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation (CHEX-MATE) is a three mega-second Multi-Year Heritage Programme to obtain X-ray observations of a minimally-biased, signal-to-noise limited sample of 118 galaxy clusters detected by Planck through the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect. The programme, described in detail in this paper, aims to study the ultimate products of structure formation in time and mass. It is composed of a census of the most recent objects to have formed (Tier-1: 0.05 < z < 0.2; 2 x 10e14 M_sun < M_500 < 9 x 10e14 M_sun), together with a sample of the highest-mass objects in the Universe (Tier-2: z < 0.6; M_500 > 7.25 x 10e14 M_sun). The programme will yield an accurate vision of the statistical properties of the underlying population, measure how the gas properties are shaped by collapse into the dark matter halo, uncover the provenance of non-gravitational heating, and resolve the major uncertainties in mass determination that limit the use of clusters for cosmological parameter estimation. We will acquire X-ray exposures of uniform depth, designed to obtain individual mass measurements accurate to 15-20% under the hydrostatic assumption. We present the project motivations, describe the programme definition, and detail the ongoing multi-wavelength observational (lensing, SZ, radio) and theoretical effort that is being deployed in support of the project.

astro-ph.CO↗

INSPIRE: INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics -- I. Survey presentation and pilot program

Massive ETGs are thought to form through a two-phase process. At early times, an intense and fast starburst forms blue and disk-dominated galaxies. After quenching, the remaining structures become red, compact and massive, i.e., 'red nuggets'. Then, a time-extended second phase which is dominated by mergers, causes structural evolution and size growth. Given the stochastic nature of mergers, a small fraction of red nuggets survives, without any interaction, massive and compact until today: relic galaxies. Since this fraction depends on the processes dominating the size growth, counting relics at low-z is a valuable way to disentangle between different galaxy evolution models. In this paper, we introduce the INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics (INSPIRE) Project, that aims at spectroscopically confirming and fully characterizing a large number of relics at 0.1 80 % of their stellar mass within a short (0.5 - 1.0 Gyrs) initial star formation episode occurred only ~1 Gyr after the Big Bang. The third galaxy has a more extended star formation history and a lower velocity dispersion. Thus we confirm two out of three candidates as relics.

astro-ph.GA↗

Discovery of two Einstein crosses from massive post--blue nugget galaxies at z>1 in KiDS

We report the discovery of two Einstein Crosses (ECs) in the footprint of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS): KIDS J232940-340922 and KIDS J122456+005048. Using integral field spectroscopy from MUSE@VLT, we confirm their gravitational-lens nature. In both cases, the four spectra of the source clearly show a prominence of absorption features, hence revealing an evolved stellar population with little star formation. The lensing model of the two systems, assuming a singular isothermal ellipsoid (SIE) with external shear, shows that: 1) the two crosses, located at redshift $z=0.38$ and 0.24, have Einstein radius $R_{\rm E}=5.2$ kpc and 5.4 kpc, respectively; 2) their projected dark matter fractions inside the half effective radius are 0.60 and 0.56 (Chabrier IMF); 3) the sources are ultra-compact galaxies, $R_{\rm e}\sim0.9$ kpc (at redshift $z_{\rm s}=1.59$) and $R_{\rm e}\sim0.5$ kpc ($z_{\rm s}=1.10$), respectively. These results are unaffected by the underlying mass density assumption. Due to size, blue color and absorption-dominated spectra, corroborated by low specific star-formation rates derived from optical-NIR spectral energy distribution fitting, we argue that the two lensed sources in these ECs are blue nuggets migrating toward their quenching phase.

astro-ph.GA↗