10,810 research outputs found
Evolution of field spiral galaxies up to redshifts z=1
We have gained VLT/FORS spectra and HST/ACS images of a sample of 220 distant
field spiral galaxies. Spatially resolved rotation curves were extracted and
fitted with synthetic velocity fields that take into account all geometric and
observational effects, like blurring due to the slit width and seeing
influence. The maximum rotation velocity Vmax could be determined for 124
galaxies that cover the redshift range 0.1<z<1.0. The luminosity-rotation
velocity distribution of this sample is offset from the Tully-Fisher relation
(TFR) of local low-mass spirals, whereas the distant high-mass spirals are
compatible with the local TFR. We show that the slope of the local and the
intermediate-z TFR would be in compliance if its scatter decreased by more than
a factor of 3 between z~0.5 and z~0. On the other hand, the distant
low-luminosity disks have much lower stellar M/L ratios than their local
counterparts, while high-luminosity disks barely evolved in M/L over the
covered redshift range. This could be the manifestation of the "downsizing"
effect, i.e. the succesive shift of the peak of star formation from high-mass
to low-mass galaxies towards lower redshifts. This trend might be canceled out
in the TF diagram due to the simultaneous evolution of multiple parameters. We
also estimate the ratios between stellar and total masses, finding that these
remained constant since z=1, as would be expected in the context of
hierarchically growing structure. (Abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, ApJ, accepte
Cluster induced quenching of galaxies in the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 traced by enhanced metallicities inside half R200
(Abridged) We explore the massive cluster XMMXCSJ2215.9-1738 at z~1.5 with
KMOS spectroscopy of Halpha and [NII] covering a region that corresponds to
about one virial radius. Using published spectroscopic redshifts of 108
galaxies in and around the cluster we computed the location of galaxies in the
projected velocity vs. position phase-space to separate our cluster sample into
a virialized region of objects accreted longer ago (roughly inside half R200)
and a region of infalling galaxies. We measured oxygen abundances for ten
cluster galaxies with detected [NII] lines in the individual galaxy spectra and
compared the MZR of the galaxies inside half R200 with the infalling galaxies
and a field sample at similar redshifts. We find that the oxygen abundances of
individual z~1.5 star-forming cluster galaxies inside half R200 are comparable,
at the respective stellar mass, to the higher local SDSS metallicity values. We
find that the [NII]/Halpha line ratios inside half R200 are higher by 0.2 dex
and that the resultant metallicities of the galaxies in the inner part of the
cluster are higher by about 0.1 dex, at a given mass, than the metallicities of
infalling galaxies and of field galaxies at z~1.5. The enhanced metallicities
of cluster galaxies at z~1.5 inside half R200 indicate that the density of the
ICM in this massive cluster becomes high enough toward the cluster center such
that the ram pressure exceeds the restoring pressure of the hot gas reservoir
of cluster galaxies. This can remove the gas reservoir initiating quenching;
although the galaxies continue to form stars, albeit at slightly lower rates,
using the available cold gas in the disk which is not stripped.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Two-Dimensional Electrons in a Strong Magnetic Field with Disorder: Divergence of the Localization Length
Electrons on a square lattice with half a flux quantum per plaquette are
considered. An effective description for the current loops is given by a
two-dimensional Dirac theory with random mass. It is shown that the
conductivity and the localization length can be calculated from a product of
Dirac Green's functions with the {\it same} frequency. This implies that the
delocalization of electrons in a magnetic field is due to a critical point in a
phase with a spontaneously broken discrete symmetry. The estimation of the
localization length is performed for a generalized model with fermion
levels using a --expansion and the Schwarz inequality. An argument for the
existence of two Hall transition points is given in terms of percolation
theory.Comment: 10 pages, RevTeX, no figure
Early-type Galaxies in the Cluster Abell 2390 at z=0.23
To examine the evolution of the early-type galaxy population in the rich
cluster Abell 2390 at z=0.23 we have gained spectroscopic data of 51 elliptical
and lenticular galaxies with MOSCA at the 3.5 m telescope on Calar Alto
Observatory. This investigation spans both a broad range in luminosity
(-19.3>M_B>-22.3) and uses a wide field of view of 10'x10', therefore the
environmental dependence of different formation scenarios can be analysed in
detail as a function of radius from the cluster centre. Here we present results
on the surface brightness modelling of galaxies where morphological and
structural information is available in the F814W filter aboard the Hubble Space
Telescope (HST) and investigate for this subsample the evolution of the
Fundamental Plane.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in "Carnegie Observatories Astrophysics
Series, Vol. 3: Clusters of Galaxies: Probes of Cosmological Structure and
Galaxy Evolution", ed. J. S. Mulchaey, A. Dressler, and A. Oemler (Pasadena:
Carnegie Observatories,
http://www.ociw.edu/ociw/symposia/series/symposium3/proceedings.html
The evolution of the color gradients of early-type cluster galaxies
We investigate the origin of color gradients in cluster early-type galaxies
to probe whether pure age or pure metallicity gradients can explain the
observed data in local and distant (z approx 0.4) samples. We measure the
surface brightness profiles of the 20 brightest early-type galaxies of
CL0949+44 (hereafter CL0949) at redshift z=0.35-0.38 from HST WF2 frames taken
in the filters F555W, F675W, F814W. We determine the color profiles (V-R)(r),
(V-I)(r), and (R-I)(r) as a function of the radial distance r in arcsec, and
fit logarithmic gradients in the range -0.2 to 0.1 mag per decade. These values
are similar to what is found locally for the colors (U-B), (U-V), (B-V) which
approximately match the (V-R), (V-I), (R-I) at redshift approx 0.4. We analyse
the results with up to date stellar population models. We find that passive
evolution of metallicity gradients (approx 0.2 dex per radial decade) provides
a consistent explanation of the local and distant galaxies' data. Invoking pure
age gradients (with fixed metallicity) to explain local color gradients
produces too steep gradients at redshifts z approx 0.4. Pure age gradients are
consistent with the data only if large present day ages (>=15 Gyr) are assumed
for the galaxy centers.Comment: 23 pages, 19 figures, Accepted for publication in A&
Internal kinematics of isolated modelled disk galaxies
We present a systematic investigation of rotation curves (RCs) of fully
hydrodynamically simulated galaxies, including cooling, star formation with
associated feedback and galactic winds. Applying two commonly used fitting
formulae to characterize the RCs, we investigate systematic effects on the
shape of RCs both by observational constraints and internal properties of the
galaxies. We mainly focus on effects that occur in measurements of intermediate
and high redshift galaxies. We find that RC parameters are affected by the
observational setup, like slit misalignment or the spatial resolution and also
depend on the evolution of a galaxy. Therefore, a direct comparison of
quantities derived from measured RCs with predictions of semi-analytic models
is difficult. The virial velocity V_c, which is usually calculated and used by
semi-analytic models can differ significantly from fit parameters like V_max or
V_opt inferred from RCs. We find that V_c is usually lower than typical
characteristic velocities derived from RCs. V_max alone is in general not a
robust estimator for the virial mass.Comment: 9 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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