arXiv subjects

Michele Moresco

Publications and source records attributed to Michele Moresco.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Measuring the expansion history of the Universe with cosmic chronometers

As revealed by Hubble in 1928, our Universe is expanding. This discovery was fundamental to widening our horizons and our conception of space, and since then determining the rate at which our Universe is expanding has become one of the crucial measurements in cosmology. At the beginning of this century, these measurements revealed the unexpected behavior that this expansion is accelerating and allowed us to have a first glimpse of the dark components that constitute $\sim$95\% of our Universe. Cosmic chronometers represent a novel technique to obtain a cosmology-independent determination of the expansion of the Universe, based on the differential age dating of a population of very massive and passively evolving galaxies. Currently, with this new cosmological probe it is possible to constrain the Hubble parameter with an accuracy of around 5\% at $z\sim0.5$ up to 10-20\% at $z\sim2$. In this Chapter, the cosmic chronometers approach is presented, describing the method and how an optimal sample can be selected; it is then discussed how the most recent measurements of the expansion history of the Universe have been obtained with this approach, as well as the cosmological constraints that can be derived. Particular attention will be given to the systematics involved in this approach and the treatment to properly take them into account. We conclude by presenting forecasts that show how future spectroscopic surveys will significantly boost the accuracy of this method and open the possibility to a percent determination of the Hubble constant, making cosmic chronometers a powerful independent tool to derive information on the expansion history of the Universe.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Globular clusters as cosmic clocks: new cosmological hints from their integrated light

We explore the reliability and robustness in measuring the age, metallicity and mass of a sample of old Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) from their integrated light, setting the stage for using GCs as cosmic clocks at high redshift. We analyse 77 GCs from the WAGGS project, first by measuring Lick indices and spectroscopic breaks with PyLick, then performing full-spectral-fitting (FSF) with BAGPIPES. The analysis of Lick indices offers an estimate of the GCs' age and [Z/H], generally aligning with literature values, but highlights a subset of old GCs for which we estimate younger ages. This discrepancy is attributed to the presence of blue horizontal branches (HB), which are not accounted for in the stellar population models. With FSF we measure the GCs' ages, [Z/H], and masses, also testing the cosmological prior's impact on ages. Compared to isochrone fitting estimates, ages are best recovered when the cosmological prior is removed, with a 20% increase in GCs' ages compatible with literature values (within $\pm$1.5 Gyr). The derived [Z/H] and mass agree with the reference values, regardless of HB morphology or fit setting, with average discrepancies across the entire sample of $Δ$[Z/H]=-0.02$\pm$0.24 dex and $Δlog(M/M_{\odot})=0.04\pm 0.28$ dex. Ages are best recovered for metal-rich GCs ([Z/H]$\geq$-0.4) showing a red HB (HBR>0), with 70% of the results compatible with literature values. Using a Gaussian Mixture Model, we identify a tail of 24 old GCs with age=13.4$\pm$1.1 Gyr. Being a natural lower limit to the age of the Universe, we use this value to constrain $H_0$, obtaining $H_0 = 70.5^{+7.7}_{-6.3}$ km/s/Mpc (stat+syst) when a flat $Λ$CDM with $Ω_m =0.30 \pm 0.02$ is assumed. Validating the study of GCs based on integrated light lays the foundation to extend this type of study to high-z, where lensed GCs have begun to appear, thanks to JWST. (abridged)

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Cosmology and Astrophysics with Standard Sirens and Galaxy Catalogs in View of Future Gravitational Wave Observations

With the growing number of gravitational-wave detections and the advent of large galaxy redshift surveys, a new era in cosmology is unfolding. This study explores the synergies between gravitational waves and galaxy surveys to jointly constrain cosmological and gravitational-wave population parameters. We introduce CHIMERA, a novel code for gravitational-wave cosmology combining information from the population properties of compact binary mergers and galaxy catalogs. We study constraints for scenarios representative of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O4 and O5 observing runs, assuming to have a complete catalog of potential host galaxies with either spectroscopic or photometric redshift measurements. We find that a percent-level measurement of $H_0$ could be achieved with the best 100 binary black holes in O5 using a spectroscopic galaxy catalog. In this case, the intrinsic correlation that exists between $H_0$ and the binary black hole population mass scales is broken. Instead, by using a photometric catalog the accuracy is degraded up to a factor of $\sim\! 9$, leaving a significant correlation between $H_0$ and the mass scales that must be carefully modeled to avoid bias. Interestingly, we find that using spectroscopic redshift measurements in the O4 configuration yields a better constraint on $H_0$ compared to the O5 configuration with photometric measurements. In view of the wealth of gravitational-wave data that will be available in the future, we argue the importance of obtaining spectroscopic galaxy catalogs to maximize the scientific return of gravitational-wave cosmology.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

An analytical late-Universe approach to the weaving of modern cosmology

Combining cosmological probes has consolidated the standard cosmological model with percent precision, but some tensions have recently emerged when certain parameters are estimated from the local or primordial Universe. The origin of this behaviour is still under debate, however, it is crucial to study as many probes as possible to cross-check the results with independent methods and provide additional pieces of information to the cosmological puzzle. In this work, by combining several late-Universe probes (0$<z<$10), namely, Type Ia SuperNovae, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, Cosmic Chronometers and Gamma-Ray Bursts, we aim to derive cosmological constraints independently of local or early-Universe anchors. To test the standard cosmological model and its various extensions, considering an evolving Dark Energy Equation of State and the curvature as a free parameter, we analyse each probe individually and all their possible permutations. Assuming a flat $Λ$CDM model, the full combination of probes provides $H_0=67.2^{+3.4}_{-3.2}$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ and $Ω_m=0.325\pm0.015$ (68$\%$ C.L.). Considering a flat $w$CDM model, we measure $w_0=-0.91^{+0.07}_{-0.08}$ (68$\%$ C.L.), while by relaxing the flatness assumption ($Λ$CDM model, 95$\%$ C.L.) we obtain $Ω_k=0.125^{+0.167}_{-0.165}$. Finally, we analytically characterize the degeneracy directions and the relative orientation of the probes' contours. By calculating the Figure-of-Merit, we quantify the synergies among independent methods, estimate the constraining power of each probe and identify which provides the best contribution to the inference process. Pending the new cosmological surveys, this study confirms the exigency for new emerging probes in the landscape of modern cosmology.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Addressing the Hubble tension with cosmic chronometers

Twenty years after the discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, a new finding is now challenging our understanding of the cosmos. Recent studies have shown that the Hubble constant, the speed of expansion measured today, provides values in significant tension when measured from the Cosmic Microwave Background in the primordial Universe or from Cepheids and Supernovae Type Ia in the local Universe. Whether this tension is hinting towards new physics or some issue in the measurements, is still under debate; but it is clearly calling for new independent cosmological probes to provide additional pieces of evidence to solve this puzzle. This chapter introduces the method of cosmic chronometers, a new emerging cosmological probe that can provide cosmology-independent estimates of the Universe's expansion history. This method is based on the fact that the expansion rate of the Universe can be directly derived from measuring how much the Universe has changed in age between two different redshifts, i.e. by estimating the slope of the age--redshift relation. First, the main ingredients of the method will be discussed, presenting the main equations involved and how to estimate from the observables the needed quantities. After, it will be presented how to reliably select a sample of tracers to map the age evolution of the Universe coherently. Next, different methods to robustly measure the differential age of a population, the fundamental quantity involved in the method, will be reviewed. Finally, the main measurements obtained will be presented, providing forecasts for future surveys and discussing how these data can provide useful feedback to address the Hubble tension.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Revisiting oldest stars as cosmological probes: new constraints on the Hubble constant

Despite the tremendous advance of observational cosmology, the value of the Hubble constant ($H_0$) is still controversial (the so called ``Hubble tension'') because of the inconsistency between local/late-time measurements and those derived from the cosmic microwave background. As the age of the Universe is very sensitive to $H_0$, we explored whether the present-day oldest stars could place independent constraints on the Hubble constant. To this purpose, we selected from the literature the oldest objects (globular clusters, stars, white dwarfs, ultra-faint and dwarf spheroidal galaxies) with accurate age estimates. Adopting a conservative prior on their formation redshifts ($11 \leq z_{\rm f} \leq 30$) and assuming $Ω_{\rm M} = 0.3 \pm 0.02$, we developed a method based on Bayesian statistics to estimate the Hubble constant. We selected the oldest objects ($>13.3$ Gyr) and estimated $H_0$ both for each of them individually and for the average ages of homogeneous subsamples. Statistical and systematic uncertainties were properly taken into account. The constraints based on individual ages indicate that $H_0<70.6$ km/s/Mpc when selecting the most accurate estimates. If the ages are averaged and analyzed independently for each subsample, the most stringent constraints imply $H_0<73.0$ with a probability of 90.3% and errors around 2.5 km/s/Mpc. We also constructed an ``accuracy matrix'' to assess how the constraints on $H_0$ become more stringent with further improvements in the accuracy of stellar ages and $Ω_{\rm M}$. The results show the high potential of the oldest stars as independent and competitive cosmological probes not only limited to the Hubble constant.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Cosmic Chronometers with Photometry: a new path to $H(z)$

We present a proof-of-principle determination of the Hubble parameter $H(z)$ from photometric data, obtaining a determination at an effective redshift of $z=0.75$ ($0.65<z<0.85$) of $H(0.75) =105.0\pm 7.9(stat)\pm 7.3(sys)$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$, with 7.5\% statistical and 7\% systematic (10\% with statistical and systematics combined in quadrature) accuracy. This is obtained in a cosmology model-independent fashion, but assuming a linear age-redshift relation in the relevant redshift range, as such, it can be used to constrain arbitrary cosmologies as long as $H(z)$ can be considered slowly varying over redshift. In particular, we have applied a neural network, trained on a well-studied spectroscopic sample of 140 objects, to the {\tt COSMOS2015} survey to construct a set of 19 thousand near-passively evolving galaxies and build an age-redshift relation. The Hubble parameter is given by the derivative of the red envelope of the age-redshift relation. This is the first time the Hubble parameter is determined from photometry at $\lesssim 10$\% accuracy. Accurate $H(z)$ determinations could help shed light on the Hubble tension; this study shows that photometry, with a reduction of only a factor of two in the uncertainty, could provide a new perspective on the tension.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

New Observational $H(z)$ Data from Full-Spectrum Fitting of Cosmic Chronometers in the LEGA-C Survey

In this work, we perform a full-spectrum fitting of 350 massive and passive galaxies selected as cosmic chronometers from the LEGA-C ESO public survey to derive their stellar ages, metallicities, and star-formation histories. We extensively test our results by assessing their dependence on the possible contribution of dust, calibration of noise and signal, and the use of photometric data in addition to spectral information; we as well identify indicators of the correct convergence of the results, including the shape of the posterior distributions, the analysis of specific spectral features, and the correct reproduction of the observed spectrum. We derive a clear age-redshift trend compatible with the aging in a standard cosmological model, showing a clear downsizing pattern, with more massive galaxies being formed at higher redshift ($z_f\sim2.5$) with respect to lower massive ones ($z_f\sim2$). From these data, we measure the differential aging of this population of cosmic chronometers to derive a new measurement of the Hubble parameter, obtaining $H(z=0.8) = 113.1 \pm 15.1 (\mathrm{stat.}) ^{+29.1}_{-11.3} (\mathrm{syst.})\ \mathrm{ km\ s^{-1}\ Mpc^{-1}}$. This analysis allows us for the first time to compare the differential ages of cosmic chronometers measured on the same sample with two completely different methods, the full-spectrum fit (this work) and the analysis of Lick indices, known to correlate with the age and metallicity of the stellar populations \citep{Borghi2022a}. Albeit an understood offset in the absolute ages, the differential ages have proven to be extremely compatible between the two methods, despite the very different data, assumptions, and models considered, demonstrating the robustness of the method.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

Unveiling the Universe with Emerging Cosmological Probes

The detection of the accelerated expansion of the Universe has been one of the major breakthroughs in modern cosmology. Several cosmological probes (CMB, SNe Ia, BAO) have been studied in depth to better understand the nature of the mechanism driving this acceleration, and they are being currently pushed to their limits, obtaining remarkable constraints that allowed us to shape the standard cosmological model. In parallel to that, however, the percent precision achieved has recently revealed apparent tensions between measurements obtained from different methods. These are either indicating some unaccounted systematic effects, or are pointing toward new physics. Following the development of CMB, SNe, and BAO cosmology, it is critical to extend our selection of cosmological probes. Novel probes can be exploited to validate results, control or mitigate systematic effects, and, most importantly, to increase the accuracy and robustness of our results. This review is meant to provide a state-of-art benchmark of the latest advances in emerging beyond-standard cosmological probes. We present how several different methods can become a key resource for observational cosmology. In particular, we review cosmic chronometers, quasars, gamma-ray bursts, standard sirens, lensing time-delay with galaxies and clusters, cosmic voids, neutral hydrogen intensity mapping, surface brightness fluctuations, stellar ages of the oldest objects, secular redshift drift, and clustering of standard candles. The review describes the method, systematics, and results of each probe in a homogeneous way, giving the reader a clear picture of the available innovative methods that have been introduced in recent years and how to apply them. The review also discusses the potential synergies and complementarities between the various probes, exploring how they will contribute to the future of modern cosmology.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

Gravitational-wave cosmology with dark sirens: state of the art and perspectives for 3G detectors

A joint fit of the mass and redshift distributions of the population of Binary Black Holes detected with Gravitational-Wave observations can be used to obtain constraints on the Hubble parameter and on deviations from General Relativity in the propagation of Gravitational Waves. We first present applications of this technique to the latest catalog of Gravitational-Wave events, focusing on the comparison of different parametrizations for the source-frame mass distribution of Black Hole Binaries. We find that models with more than one feature are favourite by the data, as suggested by population studies, even when varying the cosmology. Then, we discuss perspectives for the use of this technique with third generation Gravitational-Wave detectors, exploiting the recently developed Fisher information matrix Python code GWFAST.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Rubin-Euclid Derived Data Products: Initial Recommendations

This report is the result of a joint discussion between the Rubin and Euclid scientific communities. The work presented in this report was focused on designing and recommending an initial set of Derived Data products (DDPs) that could realize the science goals enabled by joint processing. All interested Rubin and Euclid data rights holders were invited to contribute via an online discussion forum and a series of virtual meetings. Strong interest in enhancing science with joint DDPs emerged from across a wide range of astrophysical domains: Solar System, the Galaxy, the Local Volume, from the nearby to the primaeval Universe, and cosmology.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2022

Toward a Better Understanding of Cosmic Chronometers: A new measurement of H(z) at z~0.7

We analyze the stellar ages obtained from a combination of Lick indices in Borghi et al. for 140 massive and passive galaxies selected in the LEGA-C survey at $0.6<z<0.9$. From their median age--redshift relation, we derive a new direct measurement of $H(z)$ without any cosmological model assumption using the cosmic chronometer approach. We thoroughly study the main systematics involved in this analysis: the choice of the Lick indices combination, the binning method, the assumed stellar population model, and the adopted star formation history; these effects are included in the total error budget. We obtain $H(z=0.75)= 98.8\pm33.6~\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}}$. In parallel, we also propose a simple framework based on a cosmological model to describe the age--redshift relations in the context of galaxy downsizing. This allows us to derive constraints on the Hubble constant $H_0$ and the typical galaxy formation time. This new $H(z)$ measurement, whose accuracy is currently limited by the scarcity of the sample analyzed, paves the road for the joint study of the stellar populations of individual passive galaxies and the expansion history of the Universe in light of future spectroscopic surveys.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

Toward a Better Understanding of Cosmic Chronometers: Stellar Population Properties of Passive Galaxies at Intermediate Redshift

We take advantage of the publicly available LEGA-C spectroscopic survey to measure the stellar population properties of 140 individual massive and passive galaxies at $z\sim0.7$. We develop and publicly release PyLick, a flexible python code to measure UV to near-IR spectral indices. With PyLick we study the H/K ratio as a new diagnostic based on the pseudo-Lick CaII H and K indices, and find that a cut in ${\rm H/K}<1.1$ can be used jointly with other criteria to select (or verify the purity of) samples of passive galaxies. By combining photometric and spectroscopic criteria, we select a reliable sample of passively evolving galaxies. We constrain single-burst stellar ages, metallicities $\mathrm{[Z/H]}$, and $\mathrm{[α/Fe]}$ with an optimized set of Lick indices, exploring in detail the robustness of our measurement against different combinations. Even without imposing cosmological priors, the derived ages follow a clear trend compatible with the expected cosmological aging of the Universe. We observe no significant redshift evolution for the metal abundance with respect to the values derived at $z=0$, with median $\mathrm{[Z/H]}=0.08\pm0.18$ and $\mathrm{[α/Fe]}=0.13\pm0.11$. Finally, we find positive correlations between $\log\mathrm{age}$, $\mathrm{[Z/H]}$, $\mathrm{[α/Fe]}$ and the stellar velocity dispersion, with slopes of ($0.48\pm0.14$), ($0.26\pm0.17$), and ($0.23\pm0.11$), respectively; the small scatter of $<0.2$ dex points to rather homogeneous and short star formation histories. Overall, these results confirm and extend low-redshift findings of a mass-downsizing evolution. This work further strengthens the possibility of selecting pure samples of passive galaxies to be exploited reliably as cosmic chronometers to place independent cosmological constraints.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

C$^3$-Cluster Clustering Cosmology I. New constraints on the cosmic growth rate at z~0.3 from redshift-space clustering anisotropies

Redshift-space distortions in the clustering of galaxy clusters provide a novel probe to test the gravity theory on cosmological scales. The aim of this work is to derive new constraints on the linear growth rate of cosmic structures from the redshift-space two-point correlation function of galaxy clusters. We construct a large spectroscopic catalogue of optically-selected clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The selected sample consists of $43,743$ clusters in the redshift range $0.1<z<0.42$, with masses estimated from weak-lensing calibrated scaling relations. We measure the transverse and radial wedges of the two-point correlation function of the selected clusters. Modelling the redshift-space clustering anisotropies, we provide the first constraints on the linear growth rate from cluster clustering. The cluster masses are used to set a prior on the linear bias of the sample. This represents the main advantage in using galaxy clusters as cosmic probes, instead of galaxies. Assuming a standard cosmological model consistent with the latest cosmic microwave background constraints, we do not find any evidence of deviations from General Relativity. Specifically, we get the value of the growth rate times the matter power spectrum normalisation parameter $fσ_{8}=0.44\pm0.05$, at an effective redshift $z=0.275$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Eppur è piatto? The cosmic chronometer take on spatial curvature and cosmic concordance

The question of whether Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature and polarization data from Planck favor a spatially closed Universe with curvature parameter $Ω_K<0$ has been the subject of recent intense discussions. Attempts to break the geometrical degeneracy combining Planck data with external datasets such as Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) measurements all point towards a spatially flat Universe, at the cost of significant tensions with Planck, which make the resulting dataset combination problematic. Settling this issue requires identifying a dataset which can break the geometrical degeneracy while not incurring in these tensions. We argue that cosmic chronometers (CC), measurements of the expansion rate $H(z)$ from the relative ages of massive early-type passively evolving galaxies, are the dataset we are after. Furthermore, CC come with the additional advantage of being virtually free of cosmological model assumptions. Combining Planck 2018 CMB temperature and polarization data with the latest CC measurements, we break the geometrical degeneracy and find $Ω_K=-0.0054 \pm 0.0055$, consistent with a spatially flat Universe and competitive with the Planck+BAO constraint. Our results are stable against minimal parameter space extensions and CC systematics, and we find no substantial tension between Planck and CC data within a non-flat Universe, making the resulting combination reliable. Our results allow us to assert with confidence that the Universe is spatially flat to the ${\cal O}(10^{-2})$ level, a finding which might possibly settle the ongoing spatial curvature debate, and lends even more support to the already very successful inflationary paradigm.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

C$^3$-Cluster Clustering Cosmology II. First detection of the BAO peak in the three-point correlation function of galaxy clusters

Third-order statistics of the cosmic density field provides a powerful cosmological probe containing synergistic information to the more commonly explored second-order statistics. Here, we exploit a spectroscopic catalog of 72,563 clusters of galaxies extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, providing the first detection of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) peak in the three-point correlation function (3PCF) of galaxy clusters. We measure and analyze both the connected and the reduced 3PCF of SDSS clusters from intermediate ($r\sim10$ Mpc/h) up to large ($r\sim140$ Mpc/h) scales, exploring a variety of different configurations. From the analysis of reduced 3PCF at intermediate scales, in combination with the analysis of the two-point correlation function, we constrain both the cluster linear and non-linear bias parameters, $b_1=2.75\pm0.03$ and $b_2=1.2\pm0.5$. We analyze the measurements of the 3PCF at larger scales, comparing them with theoretical models. The data show clear evidence of the BAO peak in different configurations, which appears more visible in the reduced 3PCF rather than in the connected one. From the comparison between theoretical models considering or not the BAO peak, we obtain a quantitative estimate of this evidence, with a $Δχ^2$ between 2 and 75, depending on the considered configuration. Finally, we set up a generic framework to estimate the expected signal-to-noise ratio of the BAO peak in the 3PCF exploring different possible definitions, that can be used to forecast the most favorable configurations to be explored also in different future surveys, and applied it to the case of the Euclid mission.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Setting the Stage for Cosmic Chronometers. II. Impact of Stellar Population Synthesis Models Systematics and Full Covariance Matrix

The evolution of differential ages of passive galaxies at different redshifts (cosmic chronometers) has been proved to be a method potentially able to constrain the Hubble parameter in a cosmology-independent way, but the systematic uncertainties must be carefully evaluated. In this paper, we compute the contribution to the full covariance matrix of systematic uncertainties due to the choice of initial mass function, stellar library, and metallicity, exploring a variety of stellar population synthesis models. Through simulations in the redshift range 0<z<1.5 we find that the choice of the stellar population synthesis model dominates the total error budget on $H(z)$, with contributions at a level of ~4.5%, discarding the most discordant model. The contribution due to the choice of initial mass function is <0.5%, while that due to the stellar library is ~6.6% on average. We also assess the impact of an uncertainty in the stellar metallicity determination, finding that an error of ~10% (5%) on the stellar metallicity propagates to a 9% (4%) error on $H(z)$. These results are used to provide the combined contribution of these systematic effects on the error budget. For current $H(z)$ measurements, where the uncertainties due to metallicity and star formation history were already included, we show that, using the more modern stellar libraries, the additional systematic uncertainty is between 5.4% (at z=0.2) and 2.3% (at z=1.5). To reach the goal of keeping the systematic error budget below the 1% level we discuss the efforts needed to obtain higher resolution and signal-to-noise spectra and improvements in the modeling of stellar population synthesis.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Spatially resolved signature of quenching in star-forming galaxies

Understanding when, how and where star formation ceased (quenching) within galaxies is still a critical subject in galaxy evolution studies. Taking advantage of the new methodology developed by Quai et al. (2018) to select recently quenched galaxies, we explored the spatial information provided by IFU data to get critical insights on this process. In particular, we analyse 10 SDSS-IV MaNGA galaxies that show regions with low [O III]/Hα compatible with a recent quenching of the star formation. We compare the properties of these 10 galaxies with those of a control sample of 8 MaNGA galaxies with ongoing star formation in the same stellar mass, redshift and gas-phase metallicity range. The quenching regions found are located between 0.5 and 1.1 effective radii from the centre. This result is supported by the analysis of the average radial profile of the ionisation parameter, which reaches a minimum at the same radii, while the one of the star-forming sample shows an almost flat trend. These quenching regions occupy a total area between 15\% and 45\% of our galaxies. Moreover, the average radial profile of the star formation rate surface density of our sample is lower and flatter than that of the control sample, at any radii, suggesting a systematic suppression of the star formation in the inner part of our galaxies. Finally, the radial profile of gas-phase metallicity of the two samples have a similar slope and normalisation. Our results cannot be ascribed to a difference in the intrinsic properties of the analysed galaxies, suggesting a quenching scenario more complicated than a simple inside-out quenching.

astro-ph.GA↗