K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph Research Articles

Galaxy kinematics and mass estimates at z ∼ 1 from ionized gas and stars

ABSTRACT We compare ionized gas and stellar kinematics of 16 star-forming galaxies (log (M⋆/M⊙) = 9.7–11.2, SFR =6 − 86 M⊙ yr−1) at z ∼ 1 using near-infrared integral field spectroscopy (IFS) of Hα emission from the KMOS3D (the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph 3D) survey and optical slit spectroscopy of stellar absorption and gas emission from the LEGA-C (Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census) survey. Hα is dynamically colder than stars, with higher disc rotation velocities (by ∼45 per cent) and lower disc velocity dispersions (by a factor ∼2). This is similar to trends observed in the local Universe. We find higher rotational support for Hα relative to [O ii], potentially explaining systematic offsets in kinematic scaling relations found in the literature. Regarding dynamical mass measurements, for six galaxies with cumulative mass profiles from Jeans Anisotropic Multi-Gaussian Expansion (JAM) models the Hα dynamical mass models agree remarkably well out to ∼10 kpc for all but one galaxy (average $\Delta M_{\rm dyn}(R_{e,\rm F814W})\lt 0.1$ dex). Simpler dynamical mass estimates based on integrated stellar velocity dispersion are less accurate (standard deviation 0.24 dex). Differences in dynamical mass estimates are larger, for example, for galaxies with stronger misalignments of the Hα kinematic major axis and the photometric position angle, highlighting the added value of IFS observations for dynamics studies. The good agreement between the JAM and the dynamical models based on Hα kinematics at z ∼ 1 corroborates the validity of dynamical mass measurements from Hα IFS observations, which can be more easily obtained for higher redshift galaxies.

New eruptive variable(s) in the RAFGL 7009S H ii region

ABSTRACT Eruptions of young stellar objects (YSOs) are rare events, therefore a new outburst is always noteworthy. We present two new high-amplitude variable YSOs, J183421.85−055951.0 (#1) and J183421.39−055937.7 (#2), in the RAFGL 7009S star-forming region. We find them in the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey Galactic Plane Survey data base, and supplement these data with archived infrared and millimetre photometric and spectral images and data from the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera, the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array data bases. The outburst in #1 occurred in the period 2007–2011, during which the brightness increased by ∼2.7 mag in the K band and by ∼2.5 mag in the 3.6 μm band. The colour indices indicate a YSO in Class I/II evolutionary stage. After outburst, the K-band spectrum shows the CO band, Brγ, Mg i in absorption and H2 in emission – characteristics associated with a FU Orionis (FUors)-type eruptive variable. Object #1 is associated with an outflow detected in the near-infrared and millimetre ranges, mainly in the H2, SiO, HCO+, and HCN lines. Object #2 only shows high-amplitude variability in the K band (ΔK = 2.0 mag) while its colour indices before outburst indicate a YSO at an early evolutionary stage. There is no obvious outflow activity associated with this object. We classify #1 as a FUor-type eruptive variable based on the obtained data. The limited information on #2 makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions about the nature of its variability.

Multiple gas phases in supernova remnant IC 443: mapping shocked H2 with VLT/KMOS

ABSTRACT Supernovae and their remnants provide energetic feedback to the ambient interstellar medium (ISM), which is often distributed in multiple gas phases. Among them, warm molecular hydrogen (H2) often dominates the cooling of the shocked molecular ISM, which has been observed with the H2 emission lines at near-infrared wavelengths. Such studies, however, were either limited in narrow filter imaging or sparsely sampled mid-infrared spectroscopic observations with relatively poor angular resolutions. Here we present near-infrared (H and K bands) spectroscopic mosaic observations towards the A, B, C, and G regions of the supernova remnant (SNR) IC 443, with the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) onboard the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We detected 20 rotational–vibrational transitions of H2, one H line (Brγ), and two [Fe ii] lines, which dominate broad-band images at both H and K bands. The spatial distribution of H2 lines at all regions is clumpy on scales from ∼0.1 down to ∼0.008 pc. The fitted excitation temperature of H2 is between 1500 and 2500 K, indicating warm shocked gas in these regions. The multigas phase comparison shows stratified shock structures in all regions, which explains the coexistence of multiple types of shocks in the same regions. Lastly, we verify the candidates of young stellar objects previously identified in these regions with our spectroscopic data, and find none of them are associated with young stars. This sets challenges to the previously proposed scenario of triggered star formation by SNR shocks in IC 443.

Near-infrared spectroscopy of embedded protostars in the massive metal-poor star-forming region NGC 346

ABSTRACT We present medium-resolution (R ∼ 4000) YJ-, H-, and K-band spectroscopy of candidate young stellar objects (YSOs) in NGC 346, the most active star-formation region in the metal-poor (Z = 1/5 Z⊙) Small Magellanic Cloud. The spectra were obtained with the KMOS (K-Band Multi-Object Spectrograph) integral field instrument on the Very Large Telescope. From our initial sample of 18 candidate high-mass YSOs previously identified from mid-IR photometry and radiative transfer model fits to their spectral energy distributions, approximately half were resolved into multiple components by our integral-field data. In total, we detect 30 continuum sources and extract reliable spectra for 12 of these objects. The spectra show various features including hydrogen recombination lines, and lines from H2, He i, and [Fe ii], which are indicative of accretion, discs, and outflowing material in massive YSOs. We spectroscopically confirm the youthful nature of nine YSO candidates, and identify two others as OB stars. All of the confirmed YSOs have Br γ in emission, but no emission is seen from the CO bandhead, despite other disc tracers present in the spectra. He i 1.083 $\mu$m emission is also detected at appreciably higher rates than for the Galaxy.

Using our newest VLT-KMOS HII galaxies and other cosmic tracers to test the Lambda cold dark matter tension

ABSTRACT We place novel constraints on the cosmokinetic parameters by using a joint analysis of the newest Very Large Telescope (VLT)-K-band Multi Object Spectrograph (KMOS) HII galaxies (HIIG) with the Type Ia Supernovae (SNIa) Pantheon sample. We combine the latter data sets in order to reconstruct, in a model-independent way, the Hubble diagram to as high redshifts as possible. Using a Gaussian process, we derive the basic cosmokinetic parameters and compare them with those of Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM). In the case of SNIa, we find that the extracted values of the cosmokinetic parameters are in agreement with the predictions of ΛCDM model. Combining SNIa with high-redshift tracers of the Hubble relation, namely HIIG data, we obtain consistent results with those based on ΛCDM as far as the present values of the cosmokinetic parameters are concerned, but find significant deviations in the evolution of the cosmokinetic parameters with respect to the expectations of the concordance ΛCDM model.

The KMOS galaxy evolution survey (KGES): the angular momentum of star-forming galaxies over the last ≈10 Gyr

ABSTRACT We present the KMOS Galaxy Evolution Survey (KGES), a K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) study of the H α and [N ii] emission from 288 K-band-selected galaxies at 1.2 ≲ z ≲ 1.8, with stellar masses in the range $\log _{10}(M_{*}/\rm {M}_{\odot })\approx 9$ – 11.5. In this paper, we describe the survey design, present the sample, and discuss the key properties of the KGES galaxies. We combine KGES with appropriately matched samples at lower redshifts from the KMOS Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS) and the SAMI Galaxy Survey. Accounting for the effects of sample selection, data quality, and analysis techniques between surveys, we examine the kinematic characteristics and angular momentum content of star-forming galaxies at z ≈ 1.5, ≈1, and ≈0. We find that stellar mass, rather than redshift, most strongly correlates with the disc fraction amongst star-forming galaxies at z ≲ 1.5, observing only a modest increase in the prevalence of discs between z ≈ 1.5 and z ≈ 0.04 at fixed stellar mass. Furthermore, typical star-forming galaxies follow the same median relation between specific angular momentum and stellar mass, regardless of their redshift, with the normalization of the relation depending more strongly on how disc-like a galaxy’s kinematics are. This suggests that massive star-forming discs form in a very similar manner across the ≈10 Gyr encompassed by our study and that the inferred link between the angular momentum of galaxies and their haloes does not change significantly across the stellar mass and redshift ranges probed in this work.

Constraining the population of isolated massive stars within the Central Molecular Zone

Context. Many galaxies host pronounced circumnuclear starbursts, fuelled by infalling gas. Such activity is expected to drive the secular evolution of the nucleus and generate super winds which enrich the interstellar and intergalactic medium. Moreover, given the intense radiation fields and extreme gas and cosmic ray densities present within such regions, one might question whether star formation proceeds in a different manner to that occurring in more quiescent regions of the galactic disc, potentially leading to a dependence of the stellar initial mass function on the local environment. Aims. To address the physics of circumnuclear starbursts, we are driven to observe the centre of our own Galaxy, which is the only example where individual stars may be resolved. Previous studies have revealed a rich population of very massive stars, found in three young massive clusters as well as being distributed, in apparent isolation, throughout the inner ∼500 pc of the Galaxy. In this paper we investigate the size and composition of the latter cohort in order to constrain its origin and role in the lifecycle of the Galactic Centre. Methods. To accomplish this, we utilised the Very Large Telescope + K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph to obtain homogeneous, high signal-to-noise ratio observations of known and candidate massive stars suitable for spectral classification and quantitative analysis. Results. We identified 17 new isolated massive stars and reclassified a further 19 known examples, leading to a total of at least 83 within the Galactic Centre. Due to the selection criteria employed, these were strongly biased towards stars with powerful stellar winds and/or extensive circumstellar envelopes; as such, we suspect the resultant census to be incomplete. No further stellar clusters, or their tidally stripped remnants, were identified, although an apparent overdensity of very young and massive stars is found to be coincident with the Sgr B1 star forming region. Conclusions. Despite the limitations of the current dataset, the size of the cohort of outlying massive stars within the Galactic Centre is directly comparable to that of the known clusters and, assuming a comparable mass function, is expected to exceed this number. Combining both cluster and isolated populations yields ≳320 spectroscopically classified stars within the Galactic Centre that are sufficiently massive that they might be anticipated to undergo core collapse within the next ∼20 Myr. Given this is almost certainly a substantial underestimate of the true number, the population of massive stars associated with the Galactic Centre appears unprecedented within the Milky Way, and it appears unavoidable that they play a substantial role in the energetics and evolution of this region.

Flat rotation curves of z ∼ 1 star-forming galaxies

ABSTRACT We investigate the shape of the rotation curves (RCs) of z ∼ 1 star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and compare them with local SFGs. For this purpose, we have used 344 galaxies from the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) for Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS). This sample covers the redshift range 0.57 ≤ z ≤ 1.04, the effective radii 0.69 ≤ Re [kpc] ≤ 7.76, and the stellar masses 8.7 ≤ log (M* [M⊙]) ≤ 11.32. Using 3DBAROLO, we extract the H α kinematic maps and corresponding RCs. The main advantage of 3DBAROLO is that it incorporates the beam smearing in the 3D observational space, which provide us with the intrinsic rotation velocity even in the low spatial resolution data. We have corrected the RCs for pressure support, which seems to be a more dominant effect than beam smearing in high-z galaxies. Only a combination of the three techniques (3D-kinematic modelling + 3D-beam smearing correction + pressure gradient correction) yields the intrinsic RC of an individual galaxy. Further, we present the co-added and binned RCs constructed out of 256 high-quality objects. We do not see any change in the shape of RCs with respect to the local SFGs. Moreover, we notice a significant evolution in the stellar-disc length (RD) of the galaxies as a function of their circular velocity. Therefore, we conclude that the stellar disc of SFGs evolves over cosmic time (from z ∼ 1) while the total mass stays constant (within ∼20 kpc).

The Evolution of Gas-Phase Metallicity and Resolved Abundances in Star-forming Galaxies at z ≈ 0.6 – 1.8

Abstract We present an analysis of the chemical abundance properties of ≈650 star-forming galaxies at z ≈ 0.6 – 1.8. Using integral-field observations from the K - band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS), we quantify the [N ii]/Hα emission-line ratio, a proxy for the gas-phase Oxygen abundance within the interstellar medium. We define the stellar mass – metallicity relation at z ≈ 0.6 – 1.0 and z ≈ 1.2 – 1.8 and analyse the correlation between the scatter in the relation and fundamental galaxy properties (e.g. Hα star-formation rate, Hα specific star-formation rate, rotation dominance, stellar continuum half-light radius and Hubble-type morphology). We find that for a given stellar mass, more highly star-forming, larger and irregular galaxies have lower gas-phase metallicities, which may be attributable to their lower surface mass densities and the higher gas fractions of irregular systems. We measure the radial dependence of gas-phase metallicity in the galaxies, establishing a median, beam smearing-corrected, metallicity gradient of ΔZ/ΔR= 0.002 ± 0.004 dex kpc−1, indicating on average there is no significant dependence on radius. The metallicity gradient of a galaxy is independent of its rest-frame optical morphology, whilst correlating with its stellar mass and specific star-formation rate, in agreement with an inside-out model of galaxy evolution, as well as its rotation dominance. We quantify the evolution of metallicity gradients, comparing the distribution of ΔZ/ΔR in our sample with numerical simulations and observations at z ≈ 0 – 3. Galaxies in our sample exhibit flatter metallicity gradients than local star-forming galaxies, in agreement with numerical models in which stellar feedback plays a crucial role redistributing metals.

The Kinematics of Massive Quiescent Galaxies at 1.4 < z < 2.1: Dark Matter Fractions, IMF Variation, and the Relation to Local Early-type Galaxies*

Abstract We study the dynamical properties of massive quiescent galaxies at 1.4 < z < 2.1 using deep Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/F160W imaging and a combination of literature stellar velocity dispersion measurements and new near-infrared spectra obtained using the K-band Multi Object Spectrograph (KMOS) on the ESO Very Large Telescope. We use these data to show that the typical dynamical-to-stellar mass ratio has increased by ∼0.2 dex from z = 2 to the present day, and we investigate this evolution in the context of possible changes in the stellar initial mass function (IMF) and/or fraction of dark matter contained within the galaxy effective radius, f DM[<r e]. Comparing our high-redshift sample to their likely descendants at low redshift, we find that f DM[<r e] has increased by a factor of more than 4 since z ≈ 1.8, from f DM[<r e] = 6.6% ± 1.0% to ∼24%. The observed increase appears robust to changes in the methods used to estimate dynamical masses or match progenitors and descendants. We quantify possible variation of the stellar IMF through the offset parameter α, defined as the ratio of dynamical mass in stars to the stellar mass estimated using a Chabrier IMF. We demonstrate that the correlation between stellar velocity dispersion and α reported among quiescent galaxies at low redshift is already in place at z = 2, and we argue that subsequent evolution through (mostly minor) merging should act to preserve this relation while contributing significantly to galaxies’ overall growth in size and stellar mass.

K-CLASH: Strangulation and ram pressure stripping in galaxy cluster members at 0.3 < z < 0.6

ABSTRACT Galaxy clusters have long been theorized to quench the star formation of their members. This study uses integral-field unit observations from the K-band MultiObject Spectrograph (KMOS) – Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) survey (K-CLASH) to search for evidence of quenching in massive galaxy clusters at redshifts 0.3 < z < 0.6. We first construct mass-matched samples of exclusively star-forming cluster and field galaxies, then investigate the spatial extent of their H α emission and study their interstellar medium conditions using emission line ratios. The average ratio of H α half-light radius to optical half-light radius ($r_{\mathrm{e}, {\rm {H}\,\alpha }}/r_{\mathrm{e}, R_{\mathrm{c} } }$) for all galaxies is 1.14 ± 0.06, showing that star formation is taking place throughout stellar discs at these redshifts. However, on average, cluster galaxies have a smaller $r_{\mathrm{e}, {\rm {H}\alpha }}/r_{\mathrm{e}, R_{\mathrm{c} } }$ ratio than field galaxies: 〈$r_{\mathrm{e}, {\rm {H}\alpha }}/r_{\mathrm{e}, R_{\mathrm{c} } }$〉 = 0.96 ± 0.09 compared to 1.22 ± 0.08 (smaller at a 98 per cent credibility level). These values are uncorrected for the wavelength difference between H α emission and Rc-band stellar light but implementing such a correction only reinforces our results. We also show that whilst the cluster and field samples follow indistinguishable mass–metallicity (MZ) relations, the residuals around the MZ relation of cluster members correlate with cluster-centric distance; galaxies residing closer to the cluster centre tend to have enhanced metallicities (significant at the 2.6σ level). Finally, in contrast to previous studies, we find no significant differences in electron number density between the cluster and field galaxies. We use simple chemical evolution models to conclude that the effects of disc strangulation and ram-pressure stripping can quantitatively explain our observations.

Three-dimensional Analysis of the Minispiral at the Galactic Center: Orbital Parameters, Periods, and the Mass of the Black Hole

Abstract In this paper we simultaneously fit the orbits and line-of-sight velocities of the ionized gas around the supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), at the center of the Milky Way. The data we use are taken with the K-band Multi Object Spectrograph (KMOS), presented in Feldmeier-Krause et al., and cover the central ∼2 pc of the Milky Way. From the brightest gas emission line in the K-band, the Brγ line, we derive the spatial distribution and line-of-sight velocities of the gas in the minispiral. Using the flux distribution and the line-of-sight velocity information, we perform a fit to the three main gas streamers in the minispiral, the Northern Arm, Eastern Arm, and Western Arc, using a Bayesian modeling method, and are able to reconstruct the three-dimensional orbits of these gas streamers. With the best-fit orbital parameters and the measured line-of-sight velocities, we constrain the mass of Sgr A*. The orbit of the Eastern Arm is the one that is best constrained using our data. It gives a best-fit orbital period of yr and results in an enclosed mass of

K-CLASH: spatially resolving star-forming galaxies in field and cluster environments at z ≈ 0.2–0.6

ABSTRACT We present the KMOS-CLASH (K-CLASH) survey, a K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) survey, of the spatially resolved gas properties and kinematics of 191 (pre-dominantly blue) H α-detected galaxies at 0.2 ≲ z ≲ 0.6 in field and cluster environments. K-CLASH targets galaxies in four Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) fields in the KMOS IZ-band, over 7 arcmin radius (≈2–3 Mpc) fields of view. K-CLASH aims to study the transition of star-forming galaxies from turbulent, highly star-forming disc-like and peculiar systems at z ≈ 1–3, to the comparatively quiescent, ordered late-type galaxies at z ≈ 0, and to examine the role of clusters in the build-up of the red sequence since z ≈ 1. In this paper, we describe the K-CLASH survey, present the sample, and provide an overview of the K-CLASH galaxy properties. We demonstrate that our sample comprises star-forming galaxies typical of their stellar masses and epochs, residing both in field and cluster environments. We conclude K-CLASH provides an ideal sample to bridge the gap between existing large integral-field spectroscopy surveys at higher and lower redshifts. We find that star-forming K-CLASH cluster galaxies at intermediate redshifts have systematically lower stellar masses than their star-forming counterparts in the field, hinting at possible ‘downsizing’ scenarios of galaxy growth in clusters at these epochs. We measure no difference between the star formation rates of H α-detected, star-forming galaxies in either environment after accounting for stellar mass, suggesting that cluster quenching occurs very rapidly during the epochs probed by K-CLASH, or that star-forming K-CLASH galaxies in clusters have only recently arrived there, with insufficient time elapsed for quenching to have occurred.

Extended Hα over compact far-infrared continuum in dusty submillimeter galaxies

By using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and near-infrared (NIR) integral field spectrographs, including both Spectrograph for INtegral Field Observations in the Near Infrared and K-band Multi Object Spectrograph on the Very Large Telescope, we investigate the two-dimensional distributions of Hα and rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) continuum in six submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) at z ∼ 2. At a similar spatial resolution (∼0.″5 FWHM; ∼4.5 kpc at z = 2), we find that the half-light radius of Hα is significantly larger than that of the FIR continuum in half of the sample, and on average Hα is a median factor of 2.0 ± 0.4 larger. Having explored various ways to correct for the attenuation, we find that the attenuation-corrected Hα-based star-formation rates (SFRs) are systematically lower than the infrared (IR)-based SFRs by at least a median factor of 3 ± 1, which cannot be explained by the difference in half-light radius alone. In addition, we find that in 40% of cases the total V-band attenuation (AV) derived from energy balance modeling of the full ultraviolet (UV)-to-FIR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) is significantly higher than what is derived from SED modeling using only the UV-to-NIR part of the SEDs, and the discrepancy appears to increase with increasing total infrared luminosity. Finally, in considering all of our findings along with the studies in the literature, we postulate that the dust distributions in SMGs, and possibly also in less IR luminous z ∼ 2 massive star-forming galaxies, can be decomposed into the following three main components: the diffuse dust heated by older stellar populations, the more obscured and extended young star-forming H II regions, and the heavily obscured central regions that have a low filling factor but dominate the infrared luminosity in which the majority of attenuation cannot be probed via UV-to-NIR emissions.

Kinematics of disk galaxies in (proto-)clusters at z = 1.5

Aims. While many aspects of the impact of dense environments on late-type galaxies at redshifts below unity have been scrutinized in the past few decades, observational studies of the interplay between environment and disk galaxy evolution at z > 1 are still scarce. We observed star-forming galaxies at z ≈ 1.5 selected from the HyperSuprimeCam Subaru Strategic Program. The galaxies are part of two significant overdensities of [O II] emitters identified via narrowband imaging and photometric redshifts from grizy photometry. Methods. We used the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) to carry out Hα integral field spectroscopy of 46 galaxies in total. Ionized gas maps, star formation rates, and velocity fields were derived from the Hα emission line. We quantified morphological and kinematical asymmetries in order to look for potential gravitational (e.g., galaxy-galaxy) or hydrodynamical (e.g., ram-pressure) interactions. Results. Hα emission was detected in 36 of our targets. Of these galaxies, 34 are members of two (proto-)clusters at z = 1.47, confirming our selection strategy to be highly efficient. By fitting model velocity fields to the observed ones, we determined the intrinsic maximum rotation velocity Vmax of 14 galaxies. Utilizing the luminosity–velocity (Tully–Fisher) relation, we find that these galaxies are more luminous than their local counterparts of similar mass by up to ∼4 mag in the rest-frame B-band. In contrast to field galaxies at z < 1, the offsets of the z ≈ 1.5 (proto-)cluster galaxies from the local Tully–Fisher relation are not correlated with their star formation rates but with the ratio between Vmax and gas velocity dispersion σg. This probably reflects that fewer disks have settled to purely rotational kinematics and high Vmax/σg ratios, as is observed in the field at similar redshifts. Tests with degraded low-redshift cluster galaxy data show that we cannot identify purely hydrodynamical interactions with the imaging currently at hand. Due to relatively low galaxy velocity dispersions (σv < 400 km s−1) of the (proto-)clusters, gravitational interactions are likely more efficient, resulting in higher kinematical asymmetries than in present-days clusters.

The KMOS3D Survey: Data Release and Final Survey Paper*

Abstract We present the completed KMOS3D survey, an integral field spectroscopic survey of 739 galaxies at 0.6 < z < 2.7 using the K-band Multi Object Spectrograph (KMOS) at the Very Large Telescope. The KMOS3D survey provides a population-wide census of kinematics, star formation, outflows, and nebular gas conditions both on and off the star-forming galaxy main sequence through the spatially resolved and integrated properties of Hα, [N ii], and [S ii] emission lines. We detect Hα emission for 91% of galaxies on the main sequence of star formation and 79% overall. The depth of the survey has allowed us to detect galaxies with star formation rates below 1 M ⊙ yr−1, as well as to resolve 81% of detected galaxies with ≥3 resolution elements along the kinematic major axis. The detection fraction of Hα is a strong function of both color and offset from the main sequence, with the detected and nondetected samples exhibiting different spectral energy distribution shapes. Comparison of Hα and UV+IR star formation rates reveal that dust attenuation corrections may be underestimated by 0.5 dex at the highest masses ( ). We confirm our first year results of a high rotation-dominated fraction (monotonic velocity gradient and v rot/ ) of 77% for the full KMOS3D sample. The rotation-dominated fraction is a function of both stellar mass and redshift, with the strongest evolution measured over the redshift range of the survey for galaxies with . With this paper, we include a final data release of all 739 observed objects (http://www.mpe.mpg.de/ir/KMOS3D).

Unravelling the origin of the counter-rotating core in IC 1459 with KMOS and MUSE

ABSTRACTThe massive early-type galaxy IC 1459 is a slowly rotating galaxy that exhibits a rapidly counter-rotating kinematically decoupled core (KDC, RKDC ≈ 5 arcsec ≈ 0.1Re). To investigate the origin of its KDC, we coupled large data mosaics from the near-infrared and optical integral field unit instruments K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) and Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE), respectively. We studied IC 1459’s stellar populations and, for the first time for a KDC, the spatially resolved initial mass function (IMF). We used full-spectral-fitting to fit the stellar populations and IMF simultaneously, and an alternative spectral-fitting method that does not assume a star formation history (SFH; although does not constrain the IMF) for comparison. When no SFH is assumed, we derived a negative metallicity gradient for IC 1459 that could be driven by a distinct metal-poor population in the outer regions of the galaxy, and a radially constant old stellar age. We found a radially constant bottom-heavy IMF out to ${\sim }\frac {1}{3}R_{\rm e}$. The radially flat IMF and age extend beyond the counter-rotating core. We detected high-velocity dispersion along the galaxy’s major axis. Our results potentially add weight to findings from orbital modelling of other KDCs that the core is not a distinct population of stars but in fact two smooth co-spatial counter-rotating populations. No clear picture of formation explains the observational results of IC 1459, but we propose it could have included a gas-rich intense period of star formation at early times, perhaps with counter-rotating accreting cold streams, followed by dry and gas-rich mergers through to the present day.

KROSS–SAMI: a direct IFS comparison of the Tully–Fisher relation across 8 Gyr sincez ≈ 1

We construct Tully-Fisher relations (TFRs), from large samples of galaxies with spatially-resolved H$\alpha$ emission maps from the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) Redshift One Spectroscopic Survey (KROSS) at $z\approx1$. We compare these to data from the Sydney-Australian-Astronomical-Observatory Multi-object Integral-Field Spectrograph (SAMI) Galaxy Survey at $z\approx0$. We stringently match the data quality of the latter to the former, and apply identical analysis methods and sub-sample selection criteria to both to conduct a direct comparison of the absolute $K$-band magnitude and stellar mass TFRs at $z\approx1$ and $z\approx0$. We find that matching the quality of the SAMI data to that of KROSS results in TFRs that differ significantly in slope, zero-point and (sometimes) scatter in comparison to the corresponding original SAMI relations. These differences are in every case as large or larger than the differences between the KROSS $z\approx1$ and matched SAMI $z\approx0$ relations. Accounting for these differences, we compare the TFRs at $z\approx1$ and $z\approx0$. For disk-like, star-forming galaxies we find no significant difference in the TFR zero-points between the two epochs. This suggests the growth of stellar mass and dark matter in these types of galaxies is intimately linked over this $\approx8$ Gyr period.

The KMOS Cluster Survey (KCS). III. Fundamental Plane of Cluster Galaxies at z ≃ 1.80 in JKCS 041*

Abstract We present data for 16 galaxies in the overdensity JKCS 041 at as part of the K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) Cluster Survey (KCS). With 20 hr integrations, we have obtained deep absorption-line spectra from which we derived velocity dispersions for seven quiescent galaxies. We combined photometric parameters derived from Hubble Space Telescope images with the dispersions to construct a fundamental plane (FP) for quiescent galaxies in JKCS 041. From the zero-point evolution of the FP, we derived a formation redshift for the galaxies of , corresponding to a mean age of 1.4 ± 0.2 Gyr. We tested the effect of structural and velocity dispersion evolution on our FP zero-point and found a negligible contribution when using dynamical mass-normalized parameters ( ) but a significant contribution from stellar-mass-normalized parameters ( ). From the relative velocities of the galaxies, we probed the 3D structure of these 16 confirmed members of JKCS 041 and found that a group of galaxies in the southwest of the overdensity had systematically higher velocities. We derived ages for the galaxies in the different groups from the FP. We found that the east-extending group had typically older galaxies ( Gyr) than those in the southwest group (0.3 ± 0.2 Gyr). Although based on small numbers, the overdensity dynamics, morphology, and age results could indicate that JKCS 041 is in formation and may comprise two merging groups of galaxies. This result could link large-scale structure to ages of galaxies for the first time at this redshift.

The KMOS Cluster Survey (KCS). I. The Fundamental Plane and the Formation Ages of Cluster Galaxies at Redshift 1.4 < Z < 1.6*

Abstract We present the analysis of the fundamental plane (FP) for a sample of 19 massive red-sequence galaxies ( ) in three known overdensities at from the K-band Multi-object Spectrograph (KMOS) Cluster Survey, a guaranteed-time program with spectroscopy from the KMOS at the VLT and imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope. As expected, we find that the FP zero-point in B band evolves with redshift, from the value 0.443 of Coma to −0.10 ± 0.09, −0.19 ± 0.05, and −0.29 ± 0.12 for our clusters at z = 1.39, z = 1.46, and z = 1.61, respectively. For the most massive galaxies ( ) in our sample, we translate the FP zero-point evolution into a mass-to-light-ratio M/L evolution, finding , , to , respectively. We assess the potential contribution of the galaxy structural and stellar velocity dispersion evolution to the evolution of the FP zero-point and find it to be ∼6%–35% of the FP zero-point evolution. The rate of M/L evolution is consistent with galaxies evolving passively. Using single stellar population models, we find an average age of Gyr for the galaxies in our massive and virialized cluster at z = 1.39, Gyr in a massive but not virialized cluster at z = 1.46, and Gyr in a protocluster at z = 1.61. After accounting for the difference in the age of the universe between redshifts, the ages of the galaxies in the three overdensities are consistent within the errors, with possibly a weak suggestion that galaxies in the most evolved structure are older.