Atomic hydrogen scaling relations at $z \approx 0.35$
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The atomic hydrogen (HI) properties of star-forming galaxies in the local Universe are known to correlate with other galaxy properties via the ``HI scaling relations''. The redshift evolution of these relations serves as an important constraint on models of galaxy evolution. However, until recently, there were no estimates of the HI scaling relations at cosmological distances. Using data from a deep Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope HI 21 cm survey of the Extended Groth Strip, and the technique of spectral line stacking, we determine the scaling relation between the HI mass and the stellar mass for star-forming galaxies at $z\approx0.35$. We use this measurement, along with the main-sequence relation in galaxies, to infer the dependence of the HI depletion timescale of these galaxies on their stellar mass. We find that massive star-forming galaxies at $z\approx0.35$, with stellar mass $\rm M_* \gtrsim10^{9.5}\:M_{\odot}$, are HI-poor compared to local star-forming galaxies of a similar stellar mass. However, their characteristic HI depletion time is lower by a factor of $\approx 5$ than that of their local analogues, indicating a higher star-formation efficiency at intermediate redshifts (similar to that at $z \approx 1$). While our results are based on a relatively small cosmic volume and could thus be affected by cosmic variance, the short characteristic HI depletion timescales ($\lesssim 3$ Gyr) of massive star-forming galaxies at $z \approx 0.35$ indicate that they must have acquired a significant amount of neutral gas through accretion from the circumgalactic medium over the past four Gyr, to avoid quenching of their star-formation activity.Keywords:
Stellar mass
Cosmic variance
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Photometric redshift
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Cosmic time
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We measure the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function from z=1.3 to z=0.5 using the first 53,608 redshifts of the ongoing VIMOS Public Extragalactic Survey (VIPERS). We estimate the galaxy stellar mass function at several epochs discussing in detail the amount of cosmic variance affecting our estimate. We find that Poisson noise and cosmic variance of the galaxy mass function in the VIPERS survey are comparable with the statistical uncertainties of large surveys in the local universe. VIPERS data allow us to determine with unprecedented accuracy the high-mass tail of the galaxy stellar mass function, which includes a significant number of galaxies that are usually too rare to detect with any of the past spectroscopic surveys. At the epochs sampled by VIPERS, massive galaxies had already assembled most of their stellar mass. We apply a photometric classification in the (U-V) rest-frame colour to compute the mass function of blue and red galaxies, finding evidence for the evolution of their contribution to the total number density budget: the transition mass above which red galaxies dominate is found to be about 10^10.4 M_sun at z=0.55 and evolves proportionally to (1+z)^3. We are able to trace separately the evolution of the number density of blue and red galaxies with masses above 10^11.4 M_sun, in a mass range barely studied in previous work. We find that for such large masses, red galaxies show a milder evolution with redshift, when compared to objects at lower masses. At the same time, we detect a population of similarly massive blue galaxies, which are no longer detectable below z=0.7. These results show the improved statistical power of VIPERS data, and give initial promising indications of mass-dependent quenching of galaxies at z~1. [Abridged]
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Observations of fluctuations in the redshifted 21 cm radiation from neautral hydrogen (HI) are perceived to be an important future probe of the universe at high redshifts. Under the assumption that at redshifts z less than 6 (Post-Reionization Era), the HI traces the underlying dark matter with a possible bias, we investigate the possibility of using observations of redshifted 21 cm radiation to detect the bispectrum arising from non-linear gravitational clustering and from non-linear bias. We find that the expected signal is ~ 0.1 mJy at 325 MHz (z=3.4) for the small baselines at the GMRT, the strength being a few times larger at higher frequencies 610 MHz (z=1.3). Further, the magnitude of the signal from the bispectrum is predicted to be comparable to that from the power spectrum, allowing a detection of both in roughly the same integration time. The HI signal is found to be uncorrelated beyond frequency separations of 1.3 MHz whereas the continuum sources of continuum are expected to be correlated across much larger frequencies. This signature can in principle be used to distinguish the HI signal from the contamination. We also consider the possibility of using observations of the bispectrum to determine the linear and quadratic bias parameters of the HI at high redshifts, this having possible implications for theories of galaxy formation.
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We investigate the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function (SMF) and stellar mass density from redshift z=0.2 to z=1.5 of a $K_{AB}$ 22.5) samples, respectively. The SMF is measured with ~760,000 galaxies down to $K_s$=22 and over an effective area of ~22.4 deg$^2$, the latter of which drastically reduces the statistical uncertainties (i.e. Poissonian error & cosmic variance). We point out the importance of a careful control of the photometric calibration, whose impact becomes quickly dominant when statistical uncertainties are reduced, which will be a major issue for future generation of cosmological surveys with, e.g. EUCLID or LSST. By exploring the rest-frame (NUV-r) vs (r-$K_s$) color-color diagram separating star-forming and quiescent galaxies, (1) we find that the density of very massive log($M_*/ M_{\odot}$) > 11.5 galaxies is largely dominated by quiescent galaxies and increases by a factor 2 from z~1 to z~0.2, which allows for additional mass assembly via dry mergers, (2) we confirm a scenario where star formation activity is impeded above a stellar mass log($M^*_{SF} / M_{\odot}$) = 10.64$\pm$0.01, a value that is found to be very stable at 0.2 < z < 1.5, (3) we discuss the existence of a main quenching channel that is followed by massive star-forming galaxies, and finally (4) we characterise another quenching mechanism required to explain the clear excess of low-mass quiescent galaxies observed at low redshift.
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We measure the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function from z=1.3 to z=0.5 using the first 53,608 redshifts of the ongoing VIMOS Public Extragalactic Survey (VIPERS). We estimate the galaxy stellar mass function at several epochs discussing in detail the amount of cosmic variance affecting our estimate. We find that Poisson noise and cosmic variance of the galaxy mass function in the VIPERS survey are comparable with the statistical uncertainties of large surveys in the local universe. VIPERS data allow us to determine with unprecedented accuracy the high-mass tail of the galaxy stellar mass function, which includes a significant number of galaxies that are usually too rare to detect with any of the past spectroscopic surveys. At the epochs sampled by VIPERS, massive galaxies had already assembled most of their stellar mass. We apply a photometric classification in the (U-V) rest-frame colour to compute the mass function of blue and red galaxies, finding evidence for the evolution of their contribution to the total number density budget: the transition mass above which red galaxies dominate is found to be about 10^10.4 M_sun at z=0.55 and evolves proportionally to (1+z)^3. We are able to trace separately the evolution of the number density of blue and red galaxies with masses above 10^11.4 M_sun, in a mass range barely studied in previous work. We find that for such large masses, red galaxies show a milder evolution with redshift, when compared to objects at lower masses. At the same time, we detect a population of similarly massive blue galaxies, which are no longer detectable below z=0.7. These results show the improved statistical power of VIPERS data, and give initial promising indications of mass-dependent quenching of galaxies at z~1. [Abridged]
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ABSTRACT We test for galactic conformity at to a projected distance of 5 Mpc using spectroscopic redshifts from the PRism MUlti-object Survey (PRIMUS). Our sample consists of ∼60,000 galaxies in five separate fields covering a total of ∼5.5 square degrees, which allows us to account for cosmic variance. We identify star-forming and quiescent “isolated primary” (i.e., central) galaxies using isolation criteria and cuts in specific star formation rate. We match the redshift and stellar mass distributions of these samples to control for correlations between quiescent fraction and redshift and stellar mass. We detect a significant (>3 σ ) one-halo conformity signal, or an excess of star-forming neighbors around star-forming central galaxies, of ∼5% on scales of 0–1 Mpc and a 2.5 σ two-halo signal of ∼1% on scales of 1–3 Mpc. These signals are weaker than those detected in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and are consistent with galactic conformity being the result of large-scale tidal fields and reflecting assembly bias. We also measure the star-forming fraction of central galaxies at fixed stellar mass as a function of large-scale environment and find that central galaxies are more likely to be quenched in overdense environments, independent of stellar mass. However, we find that environment does not affect the star formation efficiency of central galaxies, as long as they are forming stars. We test for redshift and stellar mass dependence of the conformity signal within our sample and show that large volumes and multiple fields are required at intermediate redshift to adequately account for cosmic variance.
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Comparing the observed peculiar velocities of the Local Group and of nearby Abell clusters of galaxies with those predicted using linear perturbation theory and the 3-D reconstruction algorithm of Branchini \& Plionis (1995) the value of $\beta$ can be estimated. I show that the anisotropy that causes the LG motion does not only extend to very large depths ($\sim 160 \; h^{-1}$ Mpc) but it is also very coherent, which suggests that the value of $\beta \approx 0.21 \pm 0.015$, obtained from the LG velocity, should not be significantly affected by cosmic variance. Comparing the Abell cluster and QDOT galaxy dipoles in real space their relative biasing factor are estimated to be $b_{cI}\approx 3.5\pm0.5$. Finally, using a suitable set of available cluster peculiar velocities I obtain a somewhat lower value of $\beta\approx 0.15 - 0.17$ but with a large uncertainty ($\gtrsim 0.1$) when weighted by the large observational errors.
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