arXiv subjects

R. Flores-Freitas

Publications and source records attributed to R. Flores-Freitas.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The assembly of bulge-dominated galaxies: two evolutionary channels traced through morphology, kinematics, and environment with a hybrid classification pipeline

We investigate the physical origin of the bimodality in bulge-dominated galaxies, originally identified by Sampaio et al. (2025), by combining non-parametric morphological metrics, structural scaling relations, stellar kinematics, and environmental trends across a wide redshift range ($0.2 < z < 2.4$). Using the MEGG-based hybrid classification pipeline applied to CANDELS imaging, we examine the distributions of morphological metrics for two families of bulge-dominated galaxies: G1, with high specific star formation rate (sSFR) distributions, similar to discs, and G2 with lower sSFR. We find that G1 galaxies occupy an intermediate position between discs and G2 spheroids in morphological metrics, and this behaviour persists up to $z = 1.4$. Fitting the Kormendy relation separately for each family, we find a persistent offset in the zero-point across all redshifts: G2 galaxies are systematically brighter in mean effective surface brightness at fixed effective radius, likely indicating higher central stellar densities. This offset is present in both observed and rest-frame magnitudes, and we argue that it reflects a genuine difference in assembly history. A cross-match with MUSE observations reveals that G1 galaxies have higher projected angular momentum than G2 galaxies, with G1 galaxies overlapping with the disc population, while G2 galaxies are more dispersion-dominated. The redshift evolution of morphological fractions shows that, at high stellar masses, the G2 fraction grows, while discs follow the opposite trend. In parallel, G1 remains a stable, lower-mass population consistent with secular bulge growth. Finally, within galaxy clusters, G1 galaxies are preferentially found at larger cluster-centric radii, suggesting that high-density environments amplify the bimodality by accelerating quenching.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Black holes in the low-mass galaxy regime: imprint of AGN feedback on the circumgalactic medium of central dwarf galaxies

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) have been observed in dwarf galaxies, yet the impact of black hole feedback in these low-mass systems remains unclear. To uncover the potential effects of AGN in the low-mass galaxy regime, we study the properties and demographics of active dwarf galaxies at $z=0$, using the IllustrisTNG simulations. We use data from the TNG50-1 simulation, selecting central galaxies with stellar masses in the range $8 \leq \log(M_\ast/{\rm M_\odot}) \leq 9.5$, and selecting AGN based on their Eddington ratio ($λ_{\rm Edd}$). We analyzed the properties and environment of AGN host galaxies and compared them with inactive control galaxies. The AGN fractions found in the simulation depend strongly on the threshold for $λ_{\rm Edd}$ in the AGN selection, ranging from $\sim$ 1\% ($λ_{\rm Edd} \geq 0.05$) to $\sim$ 24\% ($λ_{\rm Edd} \geq 0.01$). In comparison with non-AGN galaxies of similar stellar and halo mass, dwarf AGN hosts are deficient in neutral gas, having $\sim$ 3.9 times less neutral mass, in qualitative agreement with observations. The dearth in neutral gas is stronger beyond two stellar half-mass radii ($r \gtrsim 3$ kpc), and AGN hosts have more extended gas components than non-AGN galaxies, with a gas half-mass radius, on average, $\gtrsim$ 10 kpc larger. AGN hosts are also slightly less star-forming, but have no differences in local environment. We found that AGN can significantly decrease the neutral gas component of dwarf galaxies, a direct effect of the high-accretion feedback mode employed in IllustrisTNG. However, it is important to test our findings with observations to unveil the complete role of AGN in dwarf galaxies. In TNG50, dwarf AGN fractions are an order of magnitude larger than those observed, motivating a detailed investigation to precisely quantify the mismatch between simulations and observations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The Puzzling Origin of Massive Compact Galaxies in MaNGA

We characterized the kinematics, morphology, and stellar population (SP) properties of a sample of massive compact quiescent galaxies (MCGs, $10 \lesssim \log M_\star$/$M_\odot \lesssim 11$ and $r_{\rm e} \sim 1-3 $kpc) in the MaNGA Survey, with the goal of constraining their formation, assembly history and assessing their relation with non-compact quiescent galaxies. We compared their properties with those of a control sample of median-sized quiescent galaxies ($r_{\rm e} \sim 4-8 $kpc) with similar effective velocity dispersions. MCGs have elevated rotational support, as evidenced by a strong anti-correlation between the Gauss-Hermite moment $h_3$ and $V/σ$. In contrast, 30$\%$ of control sample galaxies (CSGs) are slow rotators, and fast-rotating CSGs generally show a weak $h_3-V/σ$ anti-correlation. MCGs and CSGs have similar ages, but MCGs are more metal-rich and $α$-enhanced. Both MCGs and CSGs have shallow negative metallicity gradients and flat [$α$/Fe] gradients. On average, MCGs and CSGs have flat age gradients, but CSGs have a significantly larger dispersion of gradient values. The kinematics and SP properties of MCGs suggest that they experienced highly-dissipative gas-rich events, such as mergers, followed by an intense, short, and centrally concentrated burst of star formation, between 4 to 10 Gyr ago ($z\sim0.4-2$), and had a quiet accretion history since then. This sequence of events might be analogous to, although less extreme than, the compaction events which formed compact quiescent galaxies at $z \sim 2$. The small sizes of MCGs, and the high efficiency and short duration of their last star formation episode suggest that they are descendants of compact post-starburst galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗