Effects of Stellar Feedback on Stellar and Gas Kinematics of Star-forming Galaxies at 0.6 < z < 1.0

Recent zoom-in cosmological simulations have shown that stellar feedback can flatten the inner density profile of the dark matter halo in low-mass galaxies. A correlation between the stellar/gas velocity dispersion (σ_(star), σ_(gas)) and the specific star formation rate (sSFR) is predicted as an observational test of the role of stellar feedback in re-shaping the dark matter density profile. In this work we test the validity of this prediction by studying a sample of star-forming galaxies at 0.6 < z < 1.0 from the LEGA-C survey, which provides high signal-to-noise measurements of stellar and gas kinematics. We find that a weak but significant correlation between σ_(star) (and σ_(gas)) and sSFR indeed exists for galaxies in the lowest mass bin (M_* ~ 10¹⁰ M_⊙). This correlation, albeit with a ~35% scatter, holds for different tracers of star formation, and becomes stronger with redshift. This result generally agrees with the picture that at higher redshifts star formation rate was generally higher, and galaxies at M_* ≾ 10¹⁰ M_⊙ have not yet settled into a disk. As a consequence, they have shallower gravitational potentials more easily perturbed by stellar feedback. The observed correlation between σ_(star) (and σ_(gas)) and sSFR supports the scenario predicted by cosmological simulations, in which feedback-driven outflows cause fluctuations in the gravitation potential that flatten the density profiles of low-mass galaxies

Stellar Properties of z ~ 8 Galaxies in the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey

Measurements of stellar properties of galaxies when the universe was less than one billion years old yield some of the only observational constraints of the onset of star formation. We present here the inclusion of \textit{Spitzer}/IRAC imaging in the spectral energy distribution fitting of the seven highest-redshift galaxy candidates selected from the \emph{Hubble Space Telescope} imaging of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS). We find that for 6/8 \textit{HST}-selected $z\gtrsim8$ sources, the $z\gtrsim8$ solutions are still strongly preferred over $z\sim$1-2 solutions after the inclusion of \textit{Spitzer} fluxes, and two prefer a $z\sim 7$ solution, which we defer to a later analysis. We find a wide range of intrinsic stellar masses ($5\times10^6 M_{\odot}$ -- $4\times10^9$ $M_{\odot}$), star formation rates (0.2-14 $M_{\odot}\rm yr^{-1}$), and ages (30-600 Myr) among our sample. Of particular interest is Abell1763-1434, which shows evidence of an evolved stellar population at $z\sim8$, implying its first generation of star formation occurred just $< 100$ Myr after the Big Bang. SPT0615-JD, a spatially resolved $z\sim10$ candidate, remains at its high redshift, supported by deep \textit{Spitzer}/IRAC data, and also shows some evidence for an evolved stellar population. Even with the lensed, bright apparent magnitudes of these $z \gtrsim 8$ candidates (H = 26.1-27.8 AB mag), only the \textit{James Webb Space Telescope} will be able further confirm the presence of evolved stellar populations early in the universe.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 table

Possible evidence of the radio AGN quenching of neighbouring galaxies at z ∼ 1

Using 57 radio active galactic nuclei (RAGNs) at 0.55 ≤ z ≤ 1.3 drawn from five fields of the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large-Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey, we study the effect of injection of energy from outbursts of RAGN on their spectroscopically confirmed neighbouring galaxies (SNGs). We observe an elevated fraction of quenched neighbours (f_q) within 500 kpc projected radius of RAGN in the most dense local environments compared to those of non-RAGN control samples matched to the RAGN population in colour, stellar mass, and local environment at 2σ significance. Further analyses show that there are offsets at similar significance between f_qs of RAGN-SNGs and the appropriate control samples for galaxies specifically in cluster environments and those hosted by most massive cluster galaxies, which tentatively suggests that some negative feedback from the RAGN is occurring in these dense environments. In addition, we find that the median radio power of RAGN increases with increasing local overdensity, an effect which may lend itself to the quenching of neighbouring galaxies. Furthermore, we find that, in the highest local overdensities, the f_q of the sub-sample of lower stellar mass RAGN-SNGs is larger than that of the higher stellar mass RAGN-SNGs sub-sample, which indicates a more pronounced effect from RAGN on lower stellar mass galaxies. We propose a scenario in which RAGN residing within clusters might heat the intracluster medium (ICM) affecting both in situ star formation and any inflowing gas that remains in their neighbouring galaxies

The properties of radio and mid-infrared detected galaxies and the effect of environment on the co-evolution of AGN and star formation at z ∼ 1

In this study, we investigate 179 radio-infrared (IR) galaxies drawn from a sample of spectroscopically confirmed galaxies, which are detected in radio and mid-IR (MIR) in the redshift range of 0.55 ≤ z ≤ 1.30 in the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey. We constrain the active galactic nuclei (AGN) contribution to the total IR luminosity (f_(AGN)), and estimate the AGN luminosity (L_(AGN)) and the star formation rate (SFR). Based on the f_(AGN) and radio luminosity, radio–IR galaxies are split into galaxies that host either high- or low-f_(AGN) AGN (high-/low-f_(AGN)), and star-forming galaxies (SFGs) with little to no AGN activity. We study the properties of the three radio–IR sub-samples comparing to an underlying parent sample. In the comparison of radio luminosity of three sub-samples, no significant difference was found, which could be due to the combined contribution of radio emission from AGN and star formation. We find a positive relationship between L_(AGN) and specific SFR (sSFR) for both AGN sub-samples, strongly suggesting a co-evolution scenario of AGN and SF in these galaxies. A toy model is designed to demonstrate this co-evolution scenario, where we find that, in almost all cases, a rapid quenching time-scale is required, which we argue is a signature of AGN quenching. The environmental preference for intermediate/infall regions of clusters/groups remains across the co-evolution scenario, which suggests that galaxies might be in an orbital motion around the cluster/group during the scenario

The properties of radio and mid-infrared detected galaxies and the effect of environment on the co-evolution of AGN and star formation at z ∼ 1

In this study we investigate 179 radio-IR galaxies drawn from a sample of spectroscopically-confirmed galaxies that are detected in radio and mid-infrared (MIR) in the redshift range of $0.55 \leq z \leq 1.30$ in the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large Scale Environments (ORELSE) survey. We constrain the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) contribution in the total IR luminosity (f$_{\text{AGN}}$), and estimate the AGN luminosity (L$_{\text{AGN}}$) and the star formation rate (SFR) using the CIGALE Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting routine. Based on the f$_{\text{AGN}}$ and radio luminosity, radio-IR galaxies are split into: galaxies that host either high or low f$_{\text{AGN}}$ AGN (high-/low-f$_{\text{AGN}}$), and star forming galaxies with little to no AGN activity (SFGs). We study the colour, stellar mass, radio luminosity, L$_{\text{AGN}}$ and SFR properties of the three radio-IR sub-samples, comparing to a spec-IR sample drawn from spectroscopically-confirmed galaxies that are also detected in MIR. No significant difference between radio luminosity of these sub-samples was found, which could be due to the combined contribution of radio emission from AGN and star formation. We find a positive relationship between L$_{\text{AGN}}$and specific SFR (sSFR) for both AGN sub-samples, strongly suggesting a co-evolution scenario of AGN and SF in these galaxies. A toy model is designed to demonstrate this co-evolution scenario, where we find that, in almost all cases, a rapid quenching timescale is required, which we argue is a signature of AGN quenching. The environmental preference for intermediate/infall regions of clusters/groups remains across the co-evolution scenario, which suggests that galaxies might be in an orbital motion around the cluster/group during the scenario