arXiv subjects

Vladimir Avila-Reese

Publications and source records attributed to Vladimir Avila-Reese.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Tracing luminous infrared galaxy populations through cluster evolution in a cosmological mock redshift survey

We present GARDENS-Wide, a new 100 square degree mock redshift survey of the dusty star-forming galaxy population based on the MultiDark-Planck 2 dark-matter halo simulation. The mock reproduces observed multiwavelength number counts at 500 $μ$m, 1.1, 1.4 and 2.0 mm. The large simulated area enables us to identify gravitationally bound systems, trace their assembly histories, and quantify the redshift evolution of their galaxy content and structural extent. We find strong evolution in the fractional contribution of galaxy populations within cluster progenitors. Star-forming galaxies account for ~35 per cent of members at low redshift, increasing to 60-65 per cent at $z\sim2$ and declining to ~20 per cent by $z\sim5$. LIRGs contribute ~20-40 per cent, peaking near $z\sim2$, while ULIRGs remain subdominant and HyLIRGs are rare. We measure proto-cluster radii as the maximum 3D comoving distance from the central halo to the most distant member halo. Proto-clusters contract significantly over cosmic time, from >20 comoving Mpc at high redshift to a few Mpc at $z\sim0$. ULIRGs become increasingly centrally concentrated at $z>1.5$ in rich proto-clusters. We provide observational predictions for the TolTEC Large-Scale Structure survey.

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arXiv2026

Empirical estimates of how massive galaxies can be in ΛCDM

Using Extreme Value Statistics applied to the observed galaxy stellar mass and the UV luminosity functions, we empirically estimate masses and luminosities of the most extreme galaxies in cosmological surveys, including the full sky. We incorporate uncertainties in stellar mass measurements (Eddington bias) and the scatter in the stellar-halo mass relation to derive empirical limits for galaxies residing in the most massive halos. The maximum observed $M_\ast$ strongly depends on survey area and redshift, ranging from $M_\ast \sim 7 \times 10^{12} M_\odot$ for full-sky surveys at $z\sim0$ to $M_\ast \sim 10^{10}M_\odot$ at $z\sim16$. Massive galaxies, particularly at high redshift, approach the theoretical maximum baryonic mass available in halos $M_\ast \sim 0.16 \times M_{\mathrm{vir}}$, consistent with previous claims. Accounting for measurement uncertainties significantly reduces the inferred maximum $M_\ast$ by up to $\sim1$ dex at $z\gtrsim10$, yielding stellar masses consistent with $M_\ast < 0.16$ at all redshifts. Assuming a perfect rank-order correspondence between the most massive halos and galaxies would guarantee this inequality at all redshifts. At 2 $\lesssim$ z $\lesssim$ 6, the most massive galaxies have stellar masses comparable to the total cold gas reservoir from cold and cooling flows, suggesting near-maximal star formation efficiencies, SFEs. At higher redshifts, halos are predicted to host galaxies undergoing starburst phases. When accounting for dust attenuation and adopting empirically inferred SFEs, we find good agreement between the model and the brightest observed UV galaxies at high redshifts. At lower redshifts, however, observed UV galaxies are too bright. Overall, our results indicate that current observations remain broadly consistent with $Λ$CDM once statistical and observational effects are properly accounted for.

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arXiv2025

Inferring the dark matter distribution of massive galaxy clusters from deep optical observations: insights from the TNG300 simulation

Extragalactic stars within galaxy clusters contribute to the intracluster light (ICL), which is thought to be a promising tracer of the underlying dark matter (DM) distribution. In this study, we employ the TNG300 simulation to investigate the prospect of recovering the dark matter distribution of galaxy clusters from deep, wide-field optical images. For this, we generate mock observations of 40 massive clusters ($M_{200}\gtrsim 10^{14.5}\,{\rm M}_\odot$) at $z=0.06$ for the $g'$ band of the Wendelstein Wide-Field Imager (WWFI), and isolate the emission from the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and the ICL by masking the satellite galaxies, following observational procedures. By comparing $Σ_{\rm BCG+ICL}$ profiles from these images against $Σ_{\rm DM}$ profiles for the central subhaloes, we find that $Σ_{\rm cen-DM}/Σ_{\rm BCG+ICL}$ exhibits a quasi-linear scaling relation in log space with the normalised distance $r/R_Δ$, for both $R_Δ=R_{200}$ and $R_{500}$. The scatter in the scaling is predominantly stochastic, showing a weak dependence on formation time and dynamical state. We recover the DM concentration and mass within $\approx 23$ and $\approx 15$ per cent of their true values (for $R_{200}$), respectively, and with $\approx 3$ per cent larger uncertainties for $R_{500}$. Alternatively, we find that the concentration can be estimated using the BCG+ICL fraction, the central's DM mass using the BCG+ICL flux, and the total DM mass using the bolometric flux. These results demonstrate the feasibility of deriving dark matter characteristics of galaxy clusters to be observed with facilities like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in the near future.

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arXiv2025

Photometric analysis of the intracluster light in the TNG300 simulation and wide-field observations

We present a robust, apples-to-apples comparison between the photometric properties of the intracluster light (ICL) in the TNG300 magnetohydrodynamic cosmological simulation and those in Wendelstein Wide Field Imager (WWFI) observations. This is accomplished by generating synthetic $g'$-band images of 40 massive ($\log\left(M_{\rm 200, crit}/{\rm M}_{\odot}\right) > 14.5$) TNG300 clusters at $z \approx 0.06$, closely mimicking WWFI observations, and then performing identical photometric calculations on the synthetic and real images. Importantly, we apply the same observationally motivated satellite-masking procedure to both data-sets, which effectively removes any possible biases introduced by the halo finder. We first analyze the light distribution of the `smooth' stellar component of each cluster, composed of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) plus the ICL, and find that it tends to be about twice as extended in TNG300 than in observations, while also being approximately 1 $g'$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$ brighter. We then quantify $f_{\rm ICL}$, the ICL fraction relative to the BCG+ICL, by considering several ICL definitions: (i) the light dimmer than a surface brightness cut at 27 $g'$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, (ii) the excess light over a de Vaucouleurs profile, (iii) the light beyond twice the half-light radius ($2 r_{\rm half}$), and (iv) the light beyond a fixed circular aperture of 30, 50, or 100 kpc. For most definitions, the median $f_{\rm ICL}$ is consistent between simulation and observations. However, the observations exhibit larger scatter in $f_{\rm ICL}$, which we attribute primarily to observational uncertainties in the total BCG+ICL luminosity rather than `true' cluster-to-cluster variation in the real Universe. We also find that most methods yield median $f_{\rm ICL}$ values near 0.3, which is consistent with a BCG/ICL transition radius around $2 r_{\rm half}$.

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arXiv2025

On matching galaxy number densities to reconstruct galaxy evolutionary tracks

The cumulative number density matching approach equates number densities between adjacent redshifts to derive empirical galaxy evolution tracks from the observed galaxy stellar mass function. However, it is well known that this approach overlooks scatter in mass assembly histories and merger effects, with previous studies relying on model-based corrections, either from hydrodynamical cosmological simulations or adjustments to the evolution of cumulative number density with redshift. Here, we revisit this approach, showing that dark matter halo assembly histories imply evolving number densities that are far from constant. These exhibit an average slope of $d \log n_\text{vir} /dz \sim 0.2$ dex for progenitors at $z=0$, leading to evolutionary tracks where galaxies are $\sim2-3$ times smaller in mass at $z\sim2$ and an order of magnitude smaller by $z\sim7$ compared to the number density matching approach. We show that evolving halo number densities provide realistic evolutionary tracks without relying on model-based corrections. Accounting for random errors in stellar mass measurements is also crucial for robust track derivation. We also discuss a generalization that incorporates a galaxy's star formation activity. When additionally considering the scatter around the $M_\ast-M_\text{vir}$ relation ($\sim0.15$ dex), our evolving halo cumulative number density approach shows that some observed stellar masses, $M_{\text{obs},\ast}$, can exceed the universal baryon fraction $f_\text{bar}\sim0.16$. For instance, at $z=5$, around $2\%$ of progenitor galaxies of haloes with $M_\text{vir} \sim 3\times 10^{12}\,M_\odot$ have $M_{\text{obs},\ast}>f_\text{bar} \; M_\text{vir}$, suggesting a potential ``early galaxy formation problem''. However, when deconvolving mass from random errors this tension is reduced with significant confidence at the $\sim5-6σ$ level.

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arXiv2025

The stellar mass composition of galaxy clusters and dependencies on dark matter halo properties

We analyze 700 clusters from the TNG300 hydrodynamical simulation ($M_{200}\geq5\times10^{13} \,M_{\odot}$ at (z=0)) to examine the radial stellar mass distribution of their central objects, consisting of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and the intracluster light (ICL). The BCG+ICL mass fraction weakly anticorrelates with $M_{200}$, but strongly correlates with the concentration, $c_{200}$, the assembly redshift, $z_{50}$, and the mass gap between the most massive and the fourth more massive member, $ΔM_{\rm \ast, 4th}$. We explore different aperture radii to nominally separate the ICL from the BCG and calculate ICL fractions. For $r_{\rm{ap}}=2r_{\rm half}$, where $r_{\rm half}$ is the radius containing half the BCG+ICL mass, the ICL fraction is nearly independent of $M_{200}$, $c_{200}$, and $z_{50}$ with values $M_{\ast,\rm ICL}/(M_{\ast,\rm ICL}+M_{\ast,\rm BCG})= 0.33\pm0.03$. Including the stellar mass of the satellites, the fraction $M_{\ast,\rm ICL}/(M_{\ast,\rm ICL}+M_{\ast,\rm BCG}+M_{\rm \ast,sat})$ weakly anticorrelates with $M_{200}$ and strongly correlates with $c_{200}$, $z_{50}$, and $ΔM_{\rm \ast, 4th}$, suggesting that in more concentrated/earlier assembled/more relaxed clusters more stellar mass is lost from the satellites (by tidal stripping, and mergers) in favour of the ICL and BCG. Indeed, we find that ex-situ stars dominate both in the BCG and ICL masses, with mergers contributing more to the BCG, while tidal stripping contributes more to the ICL. We find that the difference between the projected and 3D ICL fractions are only a few per cent and suggest using $2r_{\rm half}$ to separate the ICL from the BCG in observed clusters.

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arXiv2024

Star-forming and Quiescent Central Galaxies Cluster Similarly: Implications for the Galaxy-Halo Connection

We measure the clustering of low-redshift SDSS galaxies as a function of stellar mass ($10.0<\log(M_*/M_\odot)<11.5$) and specific star formation rate (sSFR) and compare the results to models of the galaxy--halo connection. We find that the auto-correlation functions of central galaxies exhibit little dependence on sSFR, with the well-known stronger clustering of quiescent galaxies mainly attributable to satellites. Because halo assembly history is known to affect distinct halo clustering, this result implies that there is little net correlation between halo assembly history and central galaxy sSFR. However, cross-correlations with satellites are stronger for quiescent centrals than star-forming centrals, consistent with quiescent centrals having more satellites in their haloes at fixed $M_*$, as found in SDSS group catalogues. We model the galaxy--halo connection in an $N$-body simulation by assigning sSFRs to central galaxies in three different ways. Two of the models depend on halo assembly history (being based on halo accretion rate or concentration), while the third is independent of halo assembly history (being based on peak halo circular velocity, $V_\text{peak}$, a proxy for halo mass). All three models replicate the observed auto-correlations of central galaxies, while only the $V_\text{peak}$ model reproduces the observed cross-correlations with satellites. This further suggests that the effects of halo assembly history may not be easily seen in auto-correlations of centrals and implies that a more complete understanding of central galaxy clustering may require more than auto-correlations of centrals alone. Additionally, the good agreement with the $V_\text{peak}$ model supports the idea that quiescent galaxies reside in more massive haloes than star-forming galaxies at fixed $M_*$.

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arXiv2024

SDSS-IV MaNGA: Stellar rotational support in disk galaxies vs. central surface density and stellar population age

We investigate how the stellar rotational support changes as a function of spatially resolved stellar population age ($\rm D_n4000$) and relative central stellar surface density ($ΔΣ_1$) for MaNGA isolated/central disk galaxies. We find that the galaxy rotational support $λ_{R_\mathrm{e}}$ varies smoothly as a function of $ΔΣ_1$ and $\rm D_n4000$. $\rm D_n4000$ vs. $ΔΣ_1$ follows a "J-shape", with $λ_{R_\mathrm{e}}$ contributing to the scatters. In this "J-shaped" pattern rotational support increases with central $\rm D_n4000$ when $ΔΣ_1$ is low but decreases with $ΔΣ_1$ when $ΔΣ_1$ is high. Restricting attention to low-$ΔΣ_1$ (i.e, large-radius) galaxies, we suggest that the trend of increasing rotational support with $\rm D_n4000$ for these objects is produced by a mix of two different processes, a primary trend characterized by growth in $λ_{R_\mathrm{e}}$ along with mass through gas accretion, on top of which disturbance episodes are overlaid, which reduce rotational support and trigger increased star formation. An additional finding is that star forming galaxies with low $ΔΣ_1$ have relatively larger radii than galaxies with higher $ΔΣ_1$ at fixed stellar mass. Assuming that these relative radii rankings are preserved while galaxies are star forming then implies clear evolutionary paths in central $\rm D_n4000$ vs. $ΔΣ_1$. The paper closes with comments on the implications that these paths have for the evolution of pseudo-bulges vs. classical-bulges. The utility of using $\rm D_n4000$-$ΔΣ_1$ to study $λ_{R_\mathrm{e}}$ reinforces the notion that galaxy kinematics correlate both with structure and with stellar-population state, and indicates the importance of a multi-dimensional description for understanding bulge and galaxy evolution.

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arXiv2024

A mock redshift catalogue of the dusty star-forming galaxy population with intrinsic clustering and lensing for deep millimetre surveys

We present a new cosmologically motivated mock redshift survey of the Dusty Star-Forming Galaxy population. Our mock survey is based on the Bolshoi-Planck dark-matter halo simulation and covers an area of 5.3 sq. degree. Using a semi-empirical approach, we generate a light cone and populate the dark-matter haloes with galaxies. Infrared properties are assigned to the galaxies based on theoretical and empirical relations from the literature. Additionally, background galaxies are gravitationally lensed by dark-matter haloes along the line-of-sight assuming a point-mass model approximation. We characterize the mock survey by measuring the star formation rate density, integrated number counts, redshift distribution, and infrared luminosity function. When compared with single-dish and interferometric observations, the predictions from our mock survey closely follow the compiled results from the literature. We have also directed this study towards characterizing one of the extragalactic legacy surveys to be observed with the TolTEC camera at the Large Millimeter Telescope: the 0.8 sq. degree Ultra Deep Survey, with expected depths of 0.025, 0.018 and 0.012 mJy beam$^{-1}$ at 1.1, 1.4 and 2.0 mm. Exploiting the clustering information in our mock survey, we investigate its impact on the effect of flux boosting by the fainter population of dusty galaxies, finding that clustering can increase the median boosting by 0.5 per cent at 1.1 mm, 0.8 per cent at 1.4 mm and, 2.0 per cent at 2.0 mm, and with higher dispersion.

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arXiv2024

Non-Monotonic Relations of Galaxy Star Formation, Radius, and Structure at Fixed Stellar Mass

We investigate the relation between galaxy structure and star formation rate (SFR) in a sample of $\sim2.9\times10^{4}$ central galaxies with $z<0.0674$ and axial ratios $b/a>0.5$. The star-forming main sequence (SFMS) shows a bend around the stellar mass of $M_\ast\leq{}M_c=2\times10^{10}{}M_{\odot}$. At $M_\ast\leq{}M_c$ the SFMS follows a power-law $\text{SFR}\propto{}M_\ast^{0.85}$, while at higher masses it flattens. $M_c$ corresponds to a dark matter halo mass of $M_\text{vir}\sim{}10^{11.8}M_{\odot}$ where virial shocks occurs. Some galaxy structure (e.g., half-light radius, $R_e$) exhibits a non-monotonic dependence across the SFMS at a fixed $M_\ast$. We find $\text{SFR}\propto{R_e^{-0.28}}$ at fixed $M_\ast$, consistent with the global Kennicutt-Schmidt (KS) law. This finding suggests that galaxy sizes contribute to the scatter of the SFMS. However, at $M_\ast>M_c$ the relationship between SFR and $R_e$ diminishes. Low-mass galaxies above the mean of the SFMS have smaller radii, exhibit compact and centrally concentrated profiles resembling green valley (GV) and quiescent galaxies at the same mass, and have higher $M_{\text{H}_2}/M_\text{HI}$. Conversely, those below the SFMS exhibit larger radii, lower densities, have no GV or quiescent counterparts at their mass and have lower $M_{\text{H}_2}/M_\text{HI}$. The above data suggest two pathways for quenching low-mass galaxies, $M_\ast\leq{}M_c$: a fast one that changes the morphology on the SFMS and a slow one that does not. Above $M_c$, galaxies below the SFMS resemble GV and quiescent galaxies structurally, implying that they undergo a structural transformation already within the SFMS. For these massive galaxies, CG are strongly bimodal, with SFMS galaxies exhibiting negative color gradients, suggesting most star formation occurs in their outskirts, maintaining them within the SFMS.

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arXiv2023

The growth of brightest cluster galaxies in the TNG300 simulation:dissecting the contributions from mergers and in situ star formation

We investigate the formation of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in the TNG300 cosmological simulation of the IllustrisTNG project. Our cluster sample consists of 700 haloes with $M_{200} \geq 5 \times 10^{13} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ at $z=0$, along with their progenitors at earlier epochs. This includes 280 systems with $M_{200} \geq 10^{14} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ at $z=0$, as well as three haloes with $M_{200} \geq 10^{15} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$. We find that the stellar masses and star formation rates of our simulated BCGs are in good agreement with observations at $z \lesssim 0.4$, and that they have experienced, on average, $\sim$2 ($\sim$3) major mergers since $z=1$ ($z=2$). Separating the BCG from the intracluster light (ICL) by means of a fixed 30 kpc aperture, we find that the fraction of stellar mass contributed by ex situ (i.e. accreted) stars at $z=0$ is approximately 70, 80, and 90 per cent for the BCG, BCG+ICL, and ICL, respectively. Tracking our simulated BCGs back in time using the merger trees, we find that they became dominated by ex situ stars at $z \sim $1-2, and that half of the stars that are part of the BCG at $z=0$ formed early ($z \sim 3$) in other galaxies, but `assembled' onto the BCG until later times ($z \approx 0.8$ for the whole sample, $z \approx 0.5$ for BCGs in $M_{200} \geq 5 \times 10^{14} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ haloes). Finally, we show that the stellar mass profiles of BCGs are often dominated by ex situ stars at all radii, with stars from major mergers being found closer to the centre, while stars that were tidally stripped from other galaxies dominate the outer regions.

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arXiv2022

The Seventeenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys: Complete Release of MaNGA, MaStar and APOGEE-2 Data

This paper documents the seventeenth data release (DR17) from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys; the fifth and final release from the fourth phase (SDSS-IV). DR17 contains the complete release of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey, which reached its goal of surveying over 10,000 nearby galaxies. The complete release of the MaNGA Stellar Library (MaStar) accompanies this data, providing observations of almost 30,000 stars through the MaNGA instrument during bright time. DR17 also contains the complete release of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2) survey which publicly releases infra-red spectra of over 650,000 stars. The main sample from the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS), as well as the sub-survey Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) data were fully released in DR16. New single-fiber optical spectroscopy released in DR17 is from the SPectroscipic IDentification of ERosita Survey (SPIDERS) sub-survey and the eBOSS-RM program. Along with the primary data sets, DR17 includes 25 new or updated Value Added Catalogs (VACs). This paper concludes the release of SDSS-IV survey data. SDSS continues into its fifth phase with observations already underway for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Local Volume Mapper (LVM) and Black Hole Mapper (BHM) surveys.

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arXiv2021

The galaxy HI-(sub)halo connection and the HI spatial clustering of local galaxies

We extend the local stellar galaxy-(sub)halo connection to the atomic hydrogen (HI) component by seeding semi-empirically galaxies into a large N-body dark matter (DM) simulation. The main input to construct the mock galaxy catalogue are: our constrained stellar mass-to-(sub)halo circular velocity ($M_{\ast}$-$V_{\rm DM}$) relation, assuming a scatter independent of any galaxy property, and the empirical $M_{\rm HI}$ conditional probability distributions given $M_{\ast}$ for central and satellite galaxies. We find that the $\langle\log M_{\rm HI}\rangle-\log M_{\rm DM}$ relation is not a monotonic increasing function. It increases with mass up to $M_{\rm DM}\sim 10^{12}$ $M_{\odot}$, attaining a maximum of $\langle\log(M_{\rm HI}/M_{\odot})\rangle \sim 9.2$, and at higher (sub)halo masses, $\langle\log(M_{\rm HI})\rangle$ decreases slightly with $M_{\rm DM}$. The scatter around it is also large and mass dependent. The bivariate $M_{\rm HI}$ and $M_{\rm DM}$ distribution is broad and bimodal, specially at $M_{\rm DM}\gtrsim 10^{12}$ $M_\odot$, which is inherited from the input $M_{\rm HI}$ conditional distributions. We also report the total (central+satellites) HI gas mass within halos, $\langle M^{\rm tot}_{\rm HI}(M_{\rm DM})\rangle$, as a function of $M_{\rm DM}$. The mean $M^{\rm tot}_{\rm HI}-M_{\rm DM}$ relation is an increasing monotonic function. The galaxy spatial clustering increases weakly as the $M_{\rm HI}$ threshold increases. Our HI mock galaxies cluster more in comparison to the blind HI ALFALFA (Arecibo Fast Legacy ALFA) survey but we show that it is mainly due to the selection effects. We discuss the implications of our results in the light of predictions from semi-analytical models and hydrodynamics simulations of galaxy evolution.

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arXiv2021

The HI and stellar mass bivariate distribution of centrals and satellites for all, late- and early-type local galaxies

We characterize the conditional distributions of the HI gas-to-stellar mass ratio, $R_{HI}\equiv M_{HI}/M_{\ast}$, given the stellar mass, $M_{\ast}$, of local galaxies from $M_{\ast}\sim 10^7$ to $10^{12}$ $M_{\odot}$ separated into centrals and satellites as well as into late- and early-type galaxies (LTGs and ETGs, respectively). To do so, we use (1) the homogeneous "eXtended GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey", xGASS (Catinella et al. 2018), by re-estimating their upper limits and taking into account them in our statistical analysis; and (2) the results from a large compilation of HI data reported in Calette et al. (2018). We use the $R_{HI}$ conditional distributions combined with the Galaxy Stellar Mass Function to infer the bivariate $M_{HI}$ and $M_{\ast}$ distribution of all galaxies as well of the late/early-type and central/satellite subsamples and their combinations. Satellites are on average less HI gas-rich than centrals at low and intermediate masses, with differences being larger for ETGs than LTGs; at $M_{\ast}>3-5\times 10^{10}$ $M_{\odot}$ the differences are negligible. The differences in the HI gas content are much larger between LTGs and ETGs than between centrals and satellites. Our empirical HI Mass Function is strongly dominated by central galaxies at all masses. The empirically constrained bivariate $M_{HI}$ and $M_{\ast}$ distributions presented here can be used to compare and constrain theoretical predictions as well as to generate galaxy mock catalogues.

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arXiv2021

HI-MaNGA: Tracing the physics of the neutral and ionized ISM with the second data release

We present the second data release for the HI-MaNGA programme of HI follow-up observations for the SDSS-IV MaNGA survey. This release contains measurements for 3669 unique galaxies, combining 2108 Green Bank Telescope observations with an updated crossmatch of the MaNGA sample with the ALFALFA survey. We combine these data with MaNGA spectroscopic measurements to examine relationships between HI-to-stellar mass ratio (M_HI/M_*) and average ISM/star formation properties probed by optical emission lines. M_HI/M_* is very weakly correlated with the equivalent width of Halpha, implying a loose connection between the instantaneous star formation rate and the HI reservoir, although the link between M_HI/M_* and star formation strengthens when averaged even over only moderate timescales (~30 Myrs). Galaxies with elevated HI depletion times have enhanced [OI]/Halpha and depressed Halpha surface brightness, consistent with more HI residing in a diffuse and/or shock heated phase which is less capable of condensing into molecular clouds. Of all optical lines, M_HI/M_* correlates most strongly with oxygen equivalent width, EW(O), which is likely a result of the existing correlation between M_HI/M_* and gas-phase metallicity. Residuals in the M_HI/M_*-EW(O) relation are again correlated with [OI]/Halpha and Halpha surface brightness, suggesting they are also driven by variations in the fraction of diffuse and/or shock-heated gas. We recover the strong anti-correlation between M_HI/M_* and gas-phase metallicity seen in previous studies. We also find a relationship between M_HI/M_* and [OI]/Halpha, suggesting that higher fractions of diffuse and/or shock-heated gas are more prevalent in gas-rich galaxies.

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arXiv2021

Size, shade or shape? The contribution of galaxies of different types to the star-formation history of the Universe from SDSS-IV MaNGA

By fitting stellar populations to SDSS-IV MaNGA survey observations of ~7000 suitably-weighted individual galaxies, we reconstruct the star-formation history of the Universe, which we find to be in reasonable agreement with previous studies. Dividing the galaxies by their present-day stellar mass, we demonstrate the downsizing phenomenon, whereby the more massive galaxies hosted the most star-formation at earlier times. Further dividing the galaxy sample by colour and morphology, we find that a galaxy's present-day colour tells us more about its historical contribution to the cosmic star formation history than its current morphology. We show that downsizing effects are greatest among galaxies currently in the blue cloud, but that the level of downsizing in galaxies of different morphologies depends quite sensitively on the morphological classification used, due largely to the difficulty in classifying the smaller low-mass galaxies from their ground-based images. Nevertheless, we find agreement that among galaxies with stellar masses $M_{\star}>6\times10^{9}\,M_{\odot}$, downsizing is most significant in spirals. However, there are complicating factors. For example, for more massive galaxies, we find that colour and morphology are predictors of the past star formation over a longer timescale than in less massive systems. Presumably this effect is reflecting the longer period of evolution required to alter these larger galaxies' physical properties, but shows that conclusions based on any single property don't tell the full story.

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arXiv2020

SDSS-IV MaNGA: When is morphology imprinted on galaxies?

It remains an open question as to how long ago the morphology that we see in a present-day galaxy was typically imprinted. Studies of galaxy populations at different redshifts reveal that the balance of morphologies has changed over time, but such snapshots cannot uncover the typical timescales over which individual galaxies undergo morphological transformation, nor which are the progenitors of today's galaxies of different types. However, these studies also show a strong link between morphology and star-formation rate over a large range in redshift, which offers an alternative probe of morphological transformation. We therefore derive the evolution in star-formation rate and stellar mass of a sample of 4342 galaxies in the SDSS-IV MaNGA survey through a stellar population "fossil record" approach, and show that the average evolution of the population shows good agreement with known behaviour from previous studies. Although the correlation between a galaxy's contemporaneous morphology and star-formation rate is strong over a large range of lookback times, we find that a galaxy's present-day morphology only correlates with its relatively recent (~2 Gyr) star-formation history. We therefore find strong evidence that morphological transitions to galaxies' current appearance occurred on timescales as short as a few billion years.

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arXiv2020

The star-forming main sequence and the contribution of dust-obscured star formation since $z\sim4$ from the FUV+IR luminosity functions

An analytical approach is proposed to study the evolution of the star-forming galaxy (SFG) main sequence (MS) and the fraction of dust-obscured SF up to $z\sim4$. Far-ultraviolet (FUV) and infrared (IR) star formation rates, SFRs, are described as conditional probability functions of $M_{\ast}$. We convolve them with the galaxy stellar mass function (GSMF) of SFGs to derive the FUV and IR LFs. The 2 SF modes formalism is used to describe starburst galaxies. By fitting observed FUV and IR LFs, the parametrization of SFR$_{\rm FUV}-M_{\ast}$ and SFR$_{\rm IR}-M_{\ast}$ are constrained. Our derived SFR$_{\rm FUV+IR}-M_{\ast}$ reproduces the evolution of the MS as compared to other observational inferences. At any redshift, we find that the sSFR$_{\rm FUV+IR}-M_{\ast}$ relation for MS SFGs approaches to a power law at the high-mass end. At lower masses, it bends and eventually the slope sign changes from negative to positive at very low masses. At $z\sim0$, this change of sign is at $M_{\ast}\sim5\times10^{8}{\rm M}_{\odot}$ close to dust-obscured SF regime, $M_{\ast}\sim6\times10^{8}{\rm M}_{\odot}$. The slope sign change is related to the knee of the FUV LF. Our derived dust-obscured fractions agree with previous determinations at $0\leq z\leq2.5$. Dust-obscured fractions depend strongly on mass with almost no dependence with redshift at $z\gtrsim1.2$. At $z\lesssim0.75$ high-mass galaxies become more "transparent" compared to their high redshift counterparts. On the opposite, low- and intermediate-mass galaxies have become more obscured by dust. The joint evolution of the GSMF and the FUV and IR LFs is a promising approach to study mass growth and dust formation/destruction mechanisms.

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