The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey - II. The star formation efficiency of massive galaxies
David SchiminovichBarbara CatinellaGuinevere KauffmannSilvia FabelloJing WangCameron HummelsJenna LemoniasSeán MoranR. WuRiccardo GiovanelliMartha P. HaynesTimothy M. HeckmanAntara Basu‐ZychMichael R. BlantonJ. BrinchmannTamás BudaváriThiago S. GonçalvesBenjamin D. JohnsonRobert C. KennicuttBarry F. MadoreChristopher MartinR. Michael RichL. J. TacconiDavid A. ThilkerVivienne WildTed K. Wyder
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Abstract:
We use measurements of the HI content, stellar mass and star formation rates in ~190 massive galaxies with stellar masses greater than 10^10 Msun, obtained from the Galex Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS) described in Paper I (Catinella et al. 2010) to explore the global scaling relations associated with the bin-averaged ratio of the star formation rate over the HI mass, which we call the HI-based star formation efficiency (SFE). Unlike the mean specific star formation rate, which decreases with stellar mass and stellar mass surface density, the star formation efficiency remains relatively constant across the sample with a value close to SFE = 10^-9.5 yr^-1 (or an equivalent gas consumption timescale of ~3 Gyr). Specifically, we find little variation in SFE with stellar mass, stellar mass surface density, NUV-r color and concentration. We interpret these results as an indication that external processes or feedback mechanisms that control the gas supply are important for regulating star formation in massive galaxies. An investigation into the detailed distribution of SFEs reveals that approximately 5% of the sample shows high efficiencies with SFE > 10^-9 yr^-1, and we suggest that this is very likely due to a deficiency of cold gas rather than an excess star formation rate. Conversely, we also find a similar fraction of galaxies that appear to be gas-rich for their given specific star-formation rate, although these galaxies show both a higher than average gas fraction and lower than average specific star formation rate. Both of these populations are plausible candidates for "transition" galaxies, showing potential for a change (either decrease or increase) in their specific star formation rate in the near future. We also find that 36+/-5% of the total HI mass density and 47+/-5% of the total SFR density is found in galaxies with stellar mass greater than 10^10 Msun. [abridged]Keywords:
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Aims. Our goal is to estimate the star formation main sequence (SFMS) and the star formation rate density (SFRD) at z ≤ 0.017 ( d ≲ 75 Mpc) using the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS) first data release, that probes 897.4 deg 2 with twelve optical bands. Methods. We extract the H α emission flux of 805 local galaxies from the J-PLUS filter J 0660, being the continuum level estimated with the other eleven J-PLUS bands, and the dust attenuation and nitrogen contamination corrected with empirical relations. Stellar masses ( M ⋆ ), H α luminosities ( L H α ), and star formation rates (SFRs) were estimated by accounting for parameters covariances. Our sample comprises 689 blue galaxies and 67 red galaxies, classified in the ( u − g ) vs. ( g − z ) color–color diagram, plus 49 AGN. Results. The SFMS is explored at log M ⋆ ≳ 8 and it is clearly defined by the blue galaxies, with the red galaxies located below them. The SFMS is described as log SFR = 0.83log M ⋆ − 8.44. We find a good agreement with previous estimations of the SFMS, especially those based on integral field spectroscopy. The H α luminosity function of the AGN-free sample is well described by a Schechter function with log L H α ∗ = 41.34, log ϕ * = −2.43, and α = −1.25. Our measurements provide a lower characteristic luminosity than several previous studies in the literature. Conclusions. The derived star formation rate density at d ≲ 75 Mpc is log ρ SFR = −2.10 ± 0.11, with red galaxies accounting for 15% of the SFRD. Our value is lower than previous estimations at similar redshift, and provides a local reference for evolutionary studies regarding the star formation history of the Universe.
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ABSTRACT We study the effects of the local environment and stellar mass on galaxy properties using a mass complete sample of quiescent and star-forming systems in the COSMOS field at . We show that at the median star formation rate (SFR) and specific SFR (sSFR) of all galaxies depend on the environment, but they become independent of the environment at z ≳ 1. However, we find that only for star-forming galaxies, the median SFR and sSFR are similar in different environments regardless of redshift and stellar mass. We find that the quiescent fraction depends on the environment at z ≲ 1 and on stellar mass out to z ∼ 3. We show that at z ≲ 1 galaxies become quiescent faster in denser environments and that the overall environmental quenching efficiency increases with cosmic time. Environmental and mass quenching processes depend on each other. At z ≲ 1 denser environments more efficiently quench galaxies with higher masses (log( ) ≳ 10.7), possibly due to a higher merger rate of massive galaxies in denser environments. We also show that mass quenching is more efficient in denser regions. We show that the overall mass quenching efficiency ( ) for more massive galaxies (log( ) ≳ 10.2) rises with cosmic time until z ∼ 1 and then flattens out. However, for less massive galaxies, the rise in continues to the present time. Our results suggest that environmental quenching is only relevant at z ≲ 1 and is likely a fast process, whereas mass quenching is the dominant mechanism at z ≳ 1 with a possible stellar feedback physics.
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To help understand the effects of galaxy interactions on star formation, we analyze Spitzer infrared and GALEX ultraviolet images of the interacting galaxy pair Arp 82 (NGC 2535/6), and compare to a numerical simulation of the interaction. We investigate the UV and IR properties of several star forming regions (clumps). Using the FUV/NUV colors of the clumps we constrain the ages. The 8 micron and 24 micron luminosities are used to estimate the far-infrared luminosities and the star formation rates of the clumps. We investigate possible gradients in the UV and IR colors. See Smith et al. (2006a,b) for global results on our entire interacting sample.
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Using the sample from the Redshift One LDSS-3 Emission line Survey (ROLES), we probe the dependence of star formation rate (SFR) and specific star formation rate (sSFR) as a function of stellar mass M* and environment as defined by local galaxy density, in the Chandra Deep Field South field. Our spectroscopic sample consists of 312 galaxies with KAB < 24, corresponding to stellar mass log(M*/M⊙) > 8.5, and with [O ii] derived SFR > 0.3 M⊙ yr−1, at 0.889 ≤z≤ 1.149. The results have been compared directly with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 sample at 0.032 ≤z≤ 0.05. For star-forming galaxies, we confirm that there is little correlation between SFR and density at z∼ 0. However, for the lowest mass galaxies in our z∼ 1 sample, those with log(M*/M⊙) < 10, we find that both the median SFR and sSFR increase significantly with increasing local density. The 'downsizing' trend for low-mass galaxies to be quenched progressively later in time appears to be more pronounced in moderately overdense environments. Overall we find that the evolution of star formation in galaxies is most strongly driven by their stellar mass, with local galaxy density playing a role that becomes increasingly important for lower mass galaxies.
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Studies discerning whether there is a significant correlation between UHECR arrival directions and optical AGN are hampered by the lack of a uniformly selected and complete all-sky optical AGN catalog. To remedy this, we are preparing such a catalog based on the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS), a spectroscopic sample of $\sim 44,500$ galaxies complete to a K magnitude of 11.75 over 91% of the sky. We have analyzed the available optical spectra of these 2MRS galaxies ($\sim 80$% of the galaxies), in order to identify the AGN amongst them with uniform criteria. We present a first-stage release of the AGN catalog for the southern sky, based on spectra from the 6dF Galaxy survey and CTIO telescope. Providing a comparably uniform and complete catalog for the northern sky is more challenging because the spectra for the northern galaxies were taken with different instruments.
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We present a compilation of measurements of the stellar mass density as a function of redshift. Using this stellar mass history we obtain a star formation history and compare it to the instantaneous star formation history. For z < 0.7 there is good agreement between the two star formation histories. At higher redshifts the instantaneous indicators suggest star formation rates larger than that implied by the evolution of the stellar mass density. This discrepancy peaks at z= 3 where instantaneous indicators suggest a star formation rate around 0.6 dex higher than those of the best fit to the stellar mass history. We discuss a variety of explanations for this inconsistency, such as inaccurate dust extinction corrections, incorrect measurements of stellar masses and a possible evolution of the stellar initial mass function.
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