Fraction Of Star-forming Galaxies Research Articles

The role of groups in galaxy evolution: compelling evidence of pre-processing out to the turnaround radius of clusters

ABSTRACT We present clear and direct evidence of the pre-processing effect of group galaxies falling into clusters in the local Universe (z ≲ 0.1). We start with a sample of 238 clusters, from which we select 153 with N200 ≥ 20. We considered 1641 groups within the turnaround radius (∼5 × R200) of these 153 clusters. There are 6654 individual cluster galaxies and 4133 group galaxies within this radius. We considered two control samples of galaxies, in isolated groups and in the field. The former comprises 2601 galaxies within 1606 isolated groups, and the latter has 4273 field objects. The fraction of star-forming galaxies in infalling groups has a distinct clustercentric behaviour in comparison to the remaining cluster galaxies. Even at 5 × R200 the group galaxies already show a reduced fraction of star-forming objects. At this radius, the results for the individual cluster galaxies are actually compatible with the field. That is strong evidence that the group environment is effective to quench the star formation prior to the cluster arrival. The group star-forming fraction remains roughly constant inwards, decreasing significantly only within the cluster R200 radius. We have also found that the pre-processing effect depends on the group mass (indicated by the number of members). The effect is larger for more massive groups. However, it is significant even for pairs and triplets. Finally, we find evidence that the time-scale required for morphological transformation is larger than the one for quenching.

Star Formation Enhancement in Barred Disk Galaxies in Interacting Galaxy Clusters

Abstract A recent study shows that bars can be induced via interaction of galaxy clusters, but it has been unclear if the bar formation by the interaction between clusters is related to the enhancement of star formation. We study galaxies in 105 galaxy clusters at 0.015 < z < 0.060 detected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, in order to examine whether the fraction of star-forming galaxies (f sf) in 16 interacting clusters is enhanced compared with that of the other non-interacting clusters and to investigate the possible connection between the f sf enhancement and the bar formation in interacting clusters. We find that f sf is moderately higher (∼20%) in interacting clusters than in non-interacting clusters and that the enhancement of star formation in interacting clusters occurs only in moderate-mass disk-dominated galaxies ( and the bulge-to-total light ratio is ≤0.5). We also find that the enhancement of f sf in moderate-mass disk-dominated galaxies in interacting clusters is mostly due to the increase of the number of barred galaxies. Our result suggests that the cluster–cluster interaction can simultaneously induce bars and star formation in disk galaxies.

Evolution of the Three-dimensional Shape of Passively Evolving and Star-forming Galaxies at z < 1

Abstract Using the HST/ACS I F814W-band data, we investigated the distribution of apparent axial ratios of ∼21,000 galaxies with M V < −20 at 0.2 < z < 1.0 in the COSMOS field as a function of stellar mass, specific star formation rate (sSFR), and redshift. We statistically estimated intrinsic 3D shapes of these galaxies by fitting the axial-ratio distribution with triaxial ellipsoid models characterized by face-on (middle-to-long) and edge-on (short-to-long) axial ratios B/A and C/A. We found that the transition from thin disk to thick spheroid occurs at ΔMS ∼ −1 dex, i.e., 10 times lower sSFR than that of the main sequence for galaxies with M star = 1010–1011 M ⊙ at 0.2 < z < 1.0. Furthermore, the intrinsic thickness (C/A) of passively evolving galaxies with M star = 1010–1011 M ⊙ significantly decreases with time from C/A ∼ 0.40–0.50 at z ∼ 0.8 to C/A ∼ 0.33–0.37 at z ∼ 0.4, while those galaxies with M star > 1011 M ⊙ have C/A ∼ 0.5 irrespective of redshift. On the other hand, star-forming galaxies on the main sequence with 109.5–1011 M ⊙ show no significant evolution in their shape at 0.2 < z < 1.0, but their thickness depends on stellar mass; more massive star-forming galaxies tend to have lower C/A (thinner shape) than low-mass ones. These results suggest that some fraction of star-forming galaxies with a thin disk, which started to appear around z ∼ 1, quench their star formation without violent morphological change, and these newly added quiescent galaxies with a relatively thin shape cause the significant evolution in the axial-ratio distribution of passively evolving galaxies with M star < 1011 M ⊙ at z < 1.

The XXL Survey

Exploiting a sample of galaxies drawn from the XXL-North multiwavelength survey, we present an analysis of the stellar population properties of galaxies at 0.1 ≤ z ≤ 0.5, by studying galaxy fractions and the star formation rate (SFR)–stellar mass (M⋆) relation. Furthermore, we exploit and compare two parametrisations of environment. When adopting a definition of “global” environment, we consider separately cluster virial (r ≤ 1r200) and outer (1r200 < r ≤ 3r200) members and field galaxies. We also distinguish between galaxies that belong or do not belong to superclusters, but never find systematic differences between the two subgroups. When considering the “local” environment, we take into account the projected number density of galaxies in a fixed aperture of 1 Mpc in the sky. We find that regardless of the environmental definition adopted, the fraction of blue or star-forming galaxies is the highest in the field or least dense regions and the lowest in the virial regions of clusters or highest densities. Furthermore, the fraction of star-forming galaxies is higher than the fraction of blue galaxies, regardless of the environment. This result is particularly evident in the virial cluster regions, most likely reflecting the different star formation histories of galaxies in different environments. Also the overall SFR–M⋆ relation does not seem to depend on the parametrisation adopted. Nonetheless, the two definitions of environment lead to different results as far as the fraction of galaxies in transition between the star-forming main sequence and the quenched regime is concerned. In fact, using the local environment the fraction of galaxies below the main sequence is similar at low and high densities, whereas in clusters (and especially within the virial radii) a population with reduced SFR with respect to the field is observed. Our results show that the two parametrisations adopted to describe the environment have different physical meanings, i.e. are intrinsically related to different physical processes acting on galaxy populations and are able to probe different physical scales.

A Mass-dependent Slope of the Galaxy Size–Mass Relation out to z ∼ 3: Further Evidence for a Direct Relation between Median Galaxy Size and Median Halo Mass

Abstract We reassess the galaxy size–mass relation out to z ∼ 3 using a new definition of size and a sample of >29,000 galaxies from the 3D-HST, CANDELS, and COSMOS-DASH surveys. Instead of the half-light radius r 50 we use r 80, the radius containing 80% of the stellar light. We find that the r 80–M * relation has the form of a broken power law, with a clear change of slope at a pivot mass M p. Below the pivot mass the relation is shallow ( ); above it, it is steep ( ). The pivot mass increases with redshift, from at z = 0.4 to at z = 1.7–3. We compare these relations to the relations derived from galaxy–galaxy lensing, clustering analyses, and abundance matching techniques. Remarkably, the pivot stellar masses of both relations are consistent with each other at all redshifts, and the slopes are very similar both above and below the pivot when assuming . The implied scaling factor to relate galaxy size to halo size is r 80/R vir = 0.047, independent of stellar mass and redshift. From redshift 0 to 1.5, the pivot mass also coincides with the mass where the fraction of star-forming galaxies is 50%, suggesting that the pivot mass reflects a transition from dissipational to dissipationless galaxy growth. Finally, our results imply that the scatter in the stellar-to-halo mass is relatively small for massive halos (∼0.2 dex for ).

The Three Hundred Project: The Influence of Environment on Simulated Galaxy Properties

Abstract The relationship between galaxy properties and environment is a widely discussed topic within astrophysics. Here, we use galaxy samples from hydrodynamical resimulations to examine this relationship. We use the overdensity (δ 1) within a sphere around a galaxy to evaluate its environment. Then, the relations between galaxy properties, such as specific star formation rate (sSFR), fraction of star-forming galaxies, g − r color, and δ 1 are examined within three galactic samples formed from galaxies within large clusters, those in the vicinity of large clusters, and those in the field. We find tight environmental correlations for these galaxy properties. In brief, galaxies in denser environments tend to be redder and are more likely to be quenched; this is consistent with observations. We find that although the sSFR decreases with δ 1, this is mainly because galaxies with higher stellar mass reside in an environment with higher overdensity. At fixed overdensity, a galaxy’s color is also independent of whether it lives within a cluster or within the field, but the relative fractions of the two samples varies dramatically with overdensity, and this drives an apparent evolution.

Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): The environmental dependence of the galaxy main sequence

Aims: We aim to investigate if the environment (characterised by the host dark matter halo mass) plays any role in shaping the galaxy star formation main sequence (MS). Methods: The Galaxy and Mass Assembly project (GAMA) combines a spectroscopic survey with photometric information in 21 bands from the far-ultraviolet (FUV) to the far-infrared (FIR). Stellar masses and dust-corrected star-formation rates (SFR) are derived from spectral energy distribution (SED) modelling using MAGPHYS. We use the GAMA galaxy group catalogue to examine the variation of the fraction of star-forming galaxies (SFG) and properties of the MS with respect to the environment. Results: We examine the environmental dependence for stellar mass selected samples without preselecting star-forming galaxies and study any dependence on the host halo mass separately for centrals and satellites out to z ∼ 0.3. We find the SFR distribution at fixed stellar mass can be described by the combination of two Gaussians (referred to as the star-forming Gaussian and the quiescent Gaussian). Using the observed bimodality to define SFG, we investigate how the fraction of SFG F(SFG) and properties of the MS change with environment. For centrals, the position of the MS is similar to the field but with a larger scatter. No significant dependence on halo mass is observed. For satellites, the position of the MS is almost always lower (by ∼0.2 dex) compared to the field and the width is almost always larger. F(SFG) is similar between centrals (in different halo mass bins) and field galaxies. However, for satellites F(SFG) decreases with increasing halo mass and this dependence is stronger towards lower redshift.

LoCuSS: pre-processing in galaxy groups falling into massive galaxy clusters at z = 0.2

Abstract We report direct evidence of pre-processing of the galaxies residing in galaxy groups falling into galaxy clusters drawn from the Local Cluster Substructure Survey (LoCuSS). 34 groups have been identified via their X-ray emission in the infall regions of 23 massive (〈M200〉 = 1015 M⊙) clusters at 0.15 < z < 0.3. Highly complete spectroscopic coverage combined with 24 μm imaging from Spitzer allows us to make a consistent and robust selection of cluster and group members including star-forming galaxies down to a stellar mass limit of M⋆ = 2 × 1010 M⊙. The fraction fSF of star-forming galaxies in infalling groups is lower and with a flatter trend with respect to clustercentric radius when compared to the rest of the cluster galaxy population. At R ≈ 1.3 r200, the fraction of star-forming galaxies in infalling groups is half that in the cluster galaxy population. This is direct evidence that star-formation quenching is effective in galaxies already prior to them settling in the cluster potential, and that groups are favourable locations for this process.

STAR FORMATION TRENDS IN THE UNRELAXED, POST-MERGER CLUSTER A2255

The effects of dense environments on normal field galaxies are still up for debate despite much study since Abell published his catalog of nearby clusters in 1958. There are changes in color, morphology, and star formation properties when galaxies fall into groups and clusters, but the specifics of how and where these modifications occur are not fully understood. To look for answers, we focused on star-forming galaxies in A2255, an unrelaxed cluster thought to have recently experienced a merger with another cluster or large group. We used Hα, MIPS 24 μm, and WISE 22 μm to estimate total star formation rates (SFRs) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometry to find stellar masses (M *) for galaxies out to ~5 r 200. We compared the star-forming cluster galaxies with the field SFR-mass distribution and found no enhancement or suppression of star formation in currently star-forming galaxies of high mass (log (M */M ☉) 10). This conclusion holds out to very large distances from the cluster center. However, the core (r proj < 3 Mpc) has a much lower fraction of star-forming galaxies than anywhere else in the cluster. These results indicate that for the mass range studied here, the majority of the star formation suppression occurs in the core on relatively short timescales, without any enhancement prior to entering the central region. If any significant enhancement or quenching of star formation occurs, it will be in galaxies of lower mass (log (M */M ☉) < 10).

Comparison of some properties of star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei between two BOSS galaxy samples from SDSS DR9

Using the LOWZ and CMASS samples of the ninth data release (DR9) from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), I investigate properties of star forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The CMASS sample seriously suffers from the radial selection effect, even within the redshift 0.44 ≤ z ≤ 0.6, which will likely lead to statistical conclusions in the CMASS sample being less robust. In the LOWZ sample, the fraction of star-forming galaxies is nearly constant from the least dense regime to the densest regime; the AGN fraction is also insensitive to the local environment. In addition, I note that in the LOWZ sample, the distributions of stellar mass and stellar velocity dispersion for star forming galaxies and AGNs are nearly the same.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON STAR FORMATION ACTIVITY ATz∼ 0.9 IN THE COSMOS FIELD

We investigated the fraction of [OII] emitters in galaxies at z~0.9 as a function of the local galaxy density in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) COSMOS 2 square degree field. [OII] emitters are selected by the narrow-band excess technique with the NB711-band imaging data taken with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope. We carefully selected 614 photo-z selected galaxies with M_U3500 < -19.31 at z=0.901-0.920, which includes 195 [OII] emitters, to directly compare results with our previous study at z~1.2. We found that the fraction is almost constant at 0.3 Mpc^-2 < Sigma_10th < 10 Mpc^-2. We also checked the fraction of galaxies with blue rest-frame colors of NUV-R < 2 in our photo-z selected sample, and found that the fraction of blue galaxies does not significantly depend on the local density. On the other hand, the semi-analytic model of galaxy formation predicted that the fraction of star-forming galaxies at z~0.9 decreases with increasing the projected galaxy density even if the effects of the projection and the photo-z error in our analysis were taken into account. The fraction of [OII] emitters decreases from ~60% at z~1.2 to ~30% at z~0.9 independent of the galaxy environment. The decrease of the [OII] emitter fraction could be explained mainly by the rapid decrease of the star formation activity in the universe from z~1.2 to z~0.9.

A MULTI-WAVELENGTH STUDY OF LOW-REDSHIFT CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES. II. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON GALAXY GROWTH

Galaxy clusters provide powerful laboratories for the study of galaxy evolution, particularly the origin of correlations of morphology and star formation rate (SFR) with density. We construct visible to MIR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of cluster galaxies and use them to measure stellar masses and SFRs in eight low redshift clusters, which we examine as a function of environment. A partial correlation analysis indicates that SFR depends strongly on R/R200 (>99.9% confidence) and is independent of projected local density at fixed radius. SFR also shows no residual dependence on stellar mass. We therefore conclude that interactions with the intra-cluster medium drive the evolution of SFRs in cluster galaxies. A merged sample of galaxies from the five most complete clusters shows <SFR>\propto(R/R200)^(1.3+/-0.7) for galaxies with R/R200<0.4. A decline in the fraction of SFGs toward the cluster center contributes most of this effect, but it is accompanied by a reduction in SFRs among star-forming galaxies (SFGs) near the cluster center. The increase in the fraction of SFGs toward larger R/R200 and the isolation of SFGs with reduced SFRs near the cluster center are consistent with ram pressure stripping as the mechanism to truncate star formation in galaxy clusters. We conclude that stripping drives the properties of SFGs over the range of radii we examine. We also find that galaxies near the cluster center are more massive than galaxies farther out in the cluster at ~3.5\sigma, which suggests that cluster galaxies experience dynamical relaxation during the course of their evolution.

SOME PROPERTIES OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN THE VOLUME-LIMITED MAIN GALAXY SAMPLES OF SDSS DR8

Using two volume-limited Main galaxy samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 8 above and below the value of M* r , we have explored some properties of AGNs. In the luminous volume-limited sample, 9.5% is composite galaxies (C) and 5.0% AGNs, while in the faint volume-limited sample, these fractions are 7.2% and 2.9%, respectively. The C and AGN fractions increase with luminosity. We also note that the fraction of star-forming galaxies decreases with luminosity, but the fraction of low signal-to-noise star-forming galaxies slightly increases with luminosity. In two volume-limited samples, the fraction of star-forming galaxies decreases with density, while the AGN fraction is nearly insensitive to the local environment. If composite galaxies (C) are classified as AGNs, then the fraction of AGNs in the luminous volume-limited sample declines with increasing local density. When focusing on some properties of AGN host galaxies, we find that galaxies hosting AGNs are preferentially more massive and have high concentration indices. In the faint volume-limited sample, AGN host galaxies preferentially have low star formation rates (SFRs) and specific SFRs (SSFRs). However, in the luminous volume-limited sample, AGN host galaxies preferentially have moderate SFRs and SSFRs.

Evolution of the most massive galaxies to z= 0.6 - I. A new method for physical parameter estimation

We use principal component analysis (PCA) to estimate stellar masses, mean stellar ages, star formation histories (SFHs), dust extinctions and stellar velocity dispersions for ~290,000 galaxies with stellar masses greater than $10^{11}Msun and redshifts in the range 0.4<z<0.7 from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We find the fraction of galaxies with active star formation first declines with increasing stellar mass, but then flattens above a stellar mass of 10^{11.5}Msun at z~0.6. This is in striking contrast to z~0.1, where the fraction of galaxies with active star formation declines monotonically with stellar mass. At stellar masses of 10^{12}Msun, therefore, the evolution in the fraction of star-forming galaxies from z~0.6 to the present-day reaches a factor of ~10. When we stack the spectra of the most massive, star-forming galaxies at z~0.6, we find that half of their [OIII] emission is produced by AGNs. The black holes in these galaxies are accreting on average at ~0.01 the Eddington rate. To obtain these results, we use the stellar population synthesis models of Bruzual & Charlot (2003) to generate a library of model spectra with a broad range of SFHs, metallicities, dust extinctions and stellar velocity dispersions. The PCA is run on this library to identify its principal components over the rest-frame wavelength range 3700-5500A. We demonstrate that linear combinations of these components can recover information equivalent to traditional spectral indices such as the 4000A break strength and HdA, with greatly improved S/N. This method is able to recover physical parameters such as stellar mass-to-light ratio, mean stellar age, velocity dispersion and dust extinction from the relatively low S/N BOSS spectra. We examine the sensitivity of our stellar mass estimates to the input parameters in our model library and the different stellar population synthesis models.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE GALAXIES ATz∼ 2: REST-FRAME OPTICAL MORPHOLOGIES WITH WFC3

We use the high angular resolution in the near-infrared of the WFC3 on HST to determine YHVz color-color selection criteria to identify and characterize 1.5<z<3.5 galaxies in the HUDF09 and ERS (GOODS-South) fields. The WFC3 NIR images reveal galaxies at these redshifts that were undetected in the rest-frame UV HUDF/GOODS images, as well as true centers and regular disks in galaxies classified as highly irregular in rest-frame UV light. Across the 1.5<z<2.15 redshift range, regular disks are unveiled in the WFC3 images of ~25% of both intermediate and high mass galaxies, i.e., above 10^10 Msun. Meanwhile, galaxies maintaining diffuse and/or irregular morphologies in the rest-frame optical light---i.e., not yet dynamically settled---at these epochs are almost entirely restricted to masses below 10^11 Msun. In contrast at 2.25 < z < 3.5 these diffuse and/or irregular structures overwhelmingly dominate the morphological mix in both the intermediate and high mass regimes, while no regular disks, and only a small fraction (25%) of smooth spheroids, are evident above 10^11 Msun. Strikingly, by 1.5 < z < 2.25 roughly 2 out of every 3 galaxies at the highest masses are spheroids. In our small sample, the fraction of star-forming galaxies at these mass scales decreases concurrently from ~60% to ~5%. If confirmed, this indicates that z~2 is the epoch of both the morphological transformation and quenching of star-formation which assemble the first substantial population of massive ellipticals.

The environmental dependence of the fractions of red star‐forming and blue passive galaxies

AbstractUsing two volume‐limited Main galaxy samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6 (SDSS DR6) with the luminosity –20.0 ≤ Mr ≤ –18.5 and –22.40 ≤ Mr ≤–20.16, we have explored the environmental dependence of the fractions of red star‐forming and blue passive galaxies. It is found that the fractions of red star‐forming and blue passive galax‐ies decline mildly with increasing local density in the luminous volume‐limited sample, but in the faint volume‐limited sample these fractions rise slightly with increasing local density except that the fraction of red star‐forming decreases with density in the densest regime. Only according to statistical results of this study, it is difficult to reach the conclusion: there is an environmental dependence for color beyond that for star formation activities or for star formation activities beyond that for color. In this condition, we preferentially believe that star formation activities and color possiblely have equally strong environmental dependence. In the faint volume‐limited sample, we observe that the fraction of star‐forming galaxies‐the density relation has a “critical density” at the projected local density PLD ≈ 1 h–2 Mpc–2: below this density the fraction of star‐forming galaxies is high and nearly constant, while above this density this fraction drops rapidly. Thus, it is possible that in the densest regime of the faint volume‐limited sample, there is an environmental dependence for star formation activities beyond that for color, which leads to the fraction of red star‐forming decreasing with density in the densest regime of the faint volume‐limited sample (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The dependence of star formation activity on environment and stellar mass at z∼ 1 from the HiZELS-Hα survey★

(Abridged) This paper presents an environment and stellar mass study of a large sample of star-forming (SF) galaxies at z=0.84 from the HiZELS survey, over 1.3 deg^2 in the COSMOS and UKIDSS UDS fields. By taking advantage of a truly panoramic coverage, from the field to a rich cluster, it is shown that both mass and environment play crucial roles in determining the properties of SF galaxies. The median specific SFR declines with mass in all environments, and the fraction of galaxies forming stars declines from ~40%, for M~10^10M_sun to effectively zero at M>10^11.5M_sun, confirming that mass-downsizing is generally in place by z~1. The fraction of SF galaxies also falls as a function of local environmental density from ~40% in the field to approaching zero at rich group/cluster densities. When SF does occur in high density regions, it is merger-dominated and, if only non-merging SF galaxies are considered, then the environment and mass trends are even stronger and largely independent, as in the local Universe. The median SFR of SF galaxies is found to increase with density up to intermediate (group or cluster outskirts) densities; this is clearly seen as a change in the faint-end slope of the H-alpha LF from steep (-1.9), in poor fields, to shallow (-1.1) in groups and clusters. Interestingly, the relation between median SFR and environment is only found for low to moderate-mass galaxies (below ~10^10.6M_sun), and is not seen for massive SF galaxies. Overall, these observations provide a detailed view over a sufficiently large range of mass and environment to reconcile previous observational claims: mass is the primary predictor of SF activity at z~1, but the environment, while enhancing the median SFR of (lower-mass) SF galaxies, is ultimately responsible for suppressing SF activity in all galaxies above surface densities of 10-30 Mpc^-2 (groups and clusters).

Star formation and AGN activity in SDSS cluster galaxies

We investigate the recent and current star formation activity of galaxies as function of distance from the cluster center in a sample of 521 SDSS clusters at z<0.1. We show that when the BCGs are excluded from the galaxy sample, there is no evidence for mass segregation in the clusters, so that differences in cluster and field populations cannot simply be attributed to different mass functions. We find a marked star formation-radius relation in that almost all galaxies in the cluster core are quiescent, i.e. have terminated star formation a few Gyr ago. This star formation-radius relation is most pronounced for low-mass galaxies and is very weak or absent beyond the virial radius. The typical star formation rate of non-quiescent galaxies declines by approximately a factor of two towards the cluster center. However, the fraction of galaxies with young stellar populations indicating a recently completed starburst or a truncation of star formation does not vary significantly with radius. The fraction of star-forming galaxies which host a powerful optical AGN is also independent of clustercentric radius, indicating that the link between star formation and AGN in these galaxies operates independent of environment. The fraction of red galaxies which host a weak optical AGN decreases, however, towards the cluster center, with a similar timescale as the decline of star forming galaxies. Our results favor a scenario in which star formation is quenched slowly, on timescales similar to the cluster crossing time, and rule out significant contributions from more violent processes at least beyond cluster radii >0.1 R_200.

OBSCURED STAR FORMATION IN INTERMEDIATE-DENSITY ENVIRONMENTS: ASPITZERSTUDY OF THE ABELL 901/902 SUPERCLUSTER

We explore the amount of obscured star-formation as a function of environment in the A901/902 supercluster at z=0.165 in conjunction with a field sample drawn from the A901 and CDFS fields, imaged with HST as part of the STAGES and GEMS surveys. We combine the COMBO-17 near-UV/optical SED with Spitzer 24um photometry to estimate both the unobscured and obscured star formation in galaxies with Mstar>10^{10}Msun. We find that the star formation activity in massive galaxies is suppressed in dense environments, in agreement with previous studies. Yet, nearly 40% of the star-forming galaxies have red optical colors at intermediate and high densities. These red systems are not starbursting; they have star formation rates per unit stellar mass similar to or lower than blue star-forming galaxies. More than half of the red star-forming galaxies have low IR-to-UV luminosity ratios, relatively high Sersic indices and they are equally abundant at all densities. They might be gradually quenching their star-formation, possibly but not necessarily under the influence of gas-removing environmental processes. The other >40% of the red star-forming galaxies have high IR-to-UV luminosity ratios, indicative of high dust obscuration. They have relatively high specific star formation rates and are more abundant at intermediate densities. Our results indicate that while there is an overall suppression in the star-forming galaxy fraction with density, the small amount of star formation surviving the cluster environment is to a large extent obscured, suggesting that environmental interactions trigger a phase of obscured star formation, before complete quenching.

Star formation in galaxies along the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster filaments

We investigate the variation of current star formation in galaxies as a function of distance along three supercluster filaments, each joining pairs of rich clusters, in the Pisces-Cetus supercluster, which is part of the two-degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS). We find that even though there is a steady decline in the rate of star formation, as well as in the fraction of star-forming galaxies, as one approaches the core of a cluster at an extremity of such a filament, there is an increased activity of star formation in a narrow distance range between 3 and 4 h−170 Mpc, which is 1.5–2 times the virial radius of the clusters involved. This peak in star formation is seen to be entirely due to the dwarf galaxies (−20 < MB≤−17.5). The position of the peak does not seem to depend on the velocity dispersion of the nearest cluster, undermining the importance of the gravitational effect of the clusters involved. We find that this enhancement in star formation occurs at the same place for galaxies which belong to groups within these filaments, while group members elsewhere in the 2dFGRS do not show this effect. We conclude that the most likely mechanism for this enhanced star formation is galaxy–galaxy harassment, in the crowded infalling region of rich clusters at the extremities of filaments, which induces a burst of star formation in galaxies, before they have been stripped of their gas in the denser cores of clusters. The effects of strangulation in the cores of clusters, as well as excess star formation in the infalling regions along the filaments, are more pronounced in dwarfs since they more vulnerable to the effects of strangulation and harassment than giant galaxies.