Low-density Environments Research Articles

Physical and social enrichment influences the adaptability-related behaviors of black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii: An effect mediated by social behaviors, HPI axis and neurogenesis

Environmental enrichment is a promising method to increase fish ecological fitness in hatchery release and to improve fish welfare in the aquaculture industry. However, little is known about the effects of physical and social enrichment on fish behavioral development and the relevant regulatory mechanisms. To address this knowledge gap, a typical aquaculture fish, black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii, was exposed to contrasting environments (i.e., physically enriched environment vs. barren environment, and socially low-density environment vs. high-density environment) for six weeks. Subsequently, the adaptability-related behaviors and social interactions during the captive period were determined, and stress-related physiological parameters and neurogenesis-related gene markers were measured. In general, the fish from an enriched environment expressed significantly higher sheltering propensity and anti-predator ability while less risk-taking frequency than the fish from a barren environment. And meanwhile, the fish from a low-density environment presented significantly less risk-taking behavior and more anti-predator responses than high-density fish. A structurally barren environment significantly increased fish aggressive frequency and locomotor activity compared with an enriched environment, whereas the social environment did not affect fish social interactions. For physiological status, the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis and corticosteroid receptor system activities of barren fish were significantly higher than those of enriched fish, and meanwhile, the high-density fish also presented significantly higher physiological stress than low-density fish. For neurogenesis processes, an enriched environment did not affect fish brain cell proliferation but increased telencephalon neuronal differentiation ratio and immature neuron number. In contrast, a low-density environment significantly stimulated cell proliferating activity in telencephalon but did not affect brain neuronal differentiation activity. These novel results verified the conspicuous effects of physical and social environments on the adaptability-related behaviors in aquaculture fish, and finally, we proposed a novel regulatory pathway for fish behavioral plasticity, i.e., environmental stimuli - social interactions - HPI axis - corticosteroid receptor system - neurogenesis - adaptability-related behaviors. These results may lay the foundations for restoring fishery resources and for improving fish welfare, add novel knowledge to fish biology and environmental enrichment framework, and help deeply understand the mechanisms of environmental effects on marine animal behaviors.

Fermi-LAT detection of G118.4+37.0: a supernova remnant in the Galactic halo seen around the Calvera pulsar

ABSTRACT The discovery of a non-thermal radio ring of low surface brightness about one degree in diameter has been recently reported around the location in the sky of the Calvera pulsar, at a high Galactic latitude. The radio properties point to it likely being a new supernova remnant (SNR), G118.4+37.0. We report an analysis of almost 14 yr of observations of this region by the γ-ray Large Area Telescope onboard the Fermi satellite. We detect extended GeV emission consistent with the size and location of the radio source, which confirms the presence of relativistic particles. The spectrum of the high-energy emission is fully compatible with an origin in the same relativistic particles producing the radio emission. These features and its similarities to other isolated SNRs establish this source as the remnant of a supernova. A simple model of the non-thermal emission from radio to GeV energies resulting from leptonic emission from electrons produced by the SNR is presented. G118.4+37.0 and other similar isolated remnants could be part of a radio-dim SNR population evolving in low density environments showing hard GeV emission of leptonic origin. Future deeper surveys in radio and γ-rays could discover new members of the group.

Ultra-diffuse Galaxies as Extreme Star-forming Environments. II. Star Formation and Pressure Balance in H i-rich UDGs

In addition to occupying the extreme, diffuse tail of the dwarf galaxy population, ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are themselves a key laboratory in which to study star formation in extreme low-density environments. In the second paper of this series, we compare the spatially resolved star formation activity of 22 H i-selected UDGs and 21 “normal” dwarf galaxies within 120 Mpc to predictions within the pressure-regulated, feedback-modulated (PRFM) theory of star formation. To do so, we employ a joint spectral energy distribution fitting method that allows us to estimate star formation rate and stellar mass surface density from UV-optical imaging. We find that the PRFM framework extends successfully to the UDG regime—although the UDGs in our sample show unusually low star formation rate surface densities given their H i content, this low star formation efficiency can be naturally explained by the diffuse structure of the UDGs. In fact, when cast in the PRFM framework, the relationship between midplane pressure and star formation in the UDG sample is in good agreement not only with the “normal” dwarf reference sample, but also with measurements from more massive galaxies. Our results suggest that despite their low star formation efficiencies, the H i-rich UDGs need not be forming stars in an exotic manner. We also find that the UDGs are likely H2 poor compared even to the overall dwarf population.

Thin-shell Solution of Chameleon Mechanism in Brans-Dicke Scalar-Tensor Model

We investigated the chameleon screening mechanism in Brans-Dicke scalar-tensor theory. We preserved the fundamental premise of the typical chameleon mechanism, which is that the field is huge in high-density environments but essentially free in low-density environments like the solar system. We discovered thin-shell solutions for a static and spherical symmetric body and demonstrated the model’s applicability to local data.

The environment of AGN dwarf galaxies at z ∼ 0.7 from the VIPERS survey

ABSTRACT Dwarf galaxies are ideal laboratories to study the relationship between the environment and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity. However, the type of environments in which dwarf galaxies hosting AGN reside is still unclear and limited to low-redshift studies (${z\lt 0.5}$). We use the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS) to investigate, for the first time, their environments at $0.5\lt {z}\lt 0.9$. We select a sample of 12 942 low-mass ($\rm {log}(\mathit{ M}_\mathrm{*}/M_{\odot })\le 10$) galaxies and use the emission-line diagnostic diagram to identify AGN. We characterize their local environments as the galaxy density contrast, δ, derived from the fifth nearest neighbour method. Our work demonstrates that AGN and non-AGN dwarf galaxies reside in similar environments at intermediate redshift suggesting that the environment is not an important factor in triggering AGN activity already since ${z=0.9}$. Dwarf galaxies show a strong preference for low-density environments, independently of whether they host an AGN or not. Their properties do not change when moving to denser environments, suggesting that dwarf galaxies are not gas-enriched due to environmental effects. Moreover, AGN presence does not alter host properties supporting the scenario that AGN feedback does not impact the star formation of the host. Lastly, AGNs are found to host overmassive black holes. This is the first study of dwarf galaxies hosting AGNs at ${z\gt 0.5}$. The next generation of deep surveys will reveal whether or not such lack of environmental trends is common also for faint higher redshift dwarf galaxy populations.

Cool interstellar medium as an evolutionary tracer in ALMA-observed local dusty early-type galaxies

ABSTRACT The content and distribution of cool interstellar medium (<30 K) can indicate the evolutionary mechanisms that transform late-type to early-type galaxies (ETGs). To investigate this, ALMA observations of 12CO[2-1] line emission were obtained for five dusty ETGs from a complete sample in low-density environments. Four of the ETGs have massive (∼109 M⊙), extended molecular gas reservoirs with effective radii ∼3–5 kpc. This work provides a kinematic and structural analysis of these observations, to explore possible evolutionary mechanisms. Axisymmetric or bisymmetric kinematic models were fitted to observations of molecular gas discs, to quantify the dominant structures present and highlight additional structures or asymmetries. Integral field unit observations of these ETGs were also examined where available. Two of the ETGs, GAMA64646 and 622305, appear to have undergone tidal disturbance leading to molecular gas discs and/or star-forming inner rings. GAMA272990 may have undergone a merger, leading to an elliptical galaxy with an embedded star-forming molecular gas disc. GAMA622429 has probably undergone a minor merger, indicated by asymmetry in molecular gas distribution and disturbance in optical images. The remaining ETG, GAMA177186, was affected by source confusion from an offset source which could be a high-mass dust- and gas-rich object at high redshift. Overall, it appears that a high proportion of dusty ETGs in low-density environments have massive, extended molecular gas reservoirs, and have undergone some kind of interaction as part of their recent evolution. Secular evolution can then (re-)transform the ETGs from star-forming to passive galaxies.

New ASKAP radio supernova remnants and candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud

ABSTRACT We present a new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) sample of 14 radio supernova remnants (SNR) candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This new sample is a significant increase to the known number of older, larger, and low surface brightness LMC SNRs. We employ a multifrequency search for each object and found possible traces of optical and occasionally X-ray emission in several of these 14 SNR candidates. One of these 14 SNR candidates (MCSNR J0522 – 6543) has multifrequency properties that strongly indicate a bona fide SNR. We also investigate a sample of 20 previously suggested LMC SNR candidates and confirm the SNR nature of MCSNR J0506 – 6815. We detect lower surface brightness SNR candidates which were likely formed by a combination of shock waves and strong stellar winds from massive progenitors (and possibly surrounding OB stars). Some of our new SNR candidates are also found in lower density environments in which SNe type Ia explode inside a previously excavated interstellar medium.

LOFAR discovery of rare large FR I jets in the low-luminosity radio galaxy NGC 5322

ABSTRACT The discovery of faint Fanaroff–Riley type I (FR I) radio jets in the elliptical galaxy NGC 5322 is reported here using the 144-MHz image from Data Release 2 of the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS). The jets have an angular extent of ∼40 arcmin or a projected physical extent of ∼360 kpc. The faint jets remain well collimated and disappear in the intergalactic medium, without any detected hotspots or radio lobes. The relatively brighter jets, previously detected only up to the ∼21 kpc extent at higher frequencies, are within the optical extent of the galaxy. The jets become faint abruptly outside, where detection is made only in the LOFAR image. The total radio luminosity of the galaxy at 144 MHz is estimated to be (3.7 ± 0.4) × 1022 W Hz−1. The 144-MHz radio luminosity of the faint jets outside the optical extent is estimated to be (7.1 ± 2.0) × 1021 W Hz−1. The size of the jets is exceptionally large for the galaxy’s low radio luminosity, when compared with other radio galaxies. It makes NGC 5322 a rare radio galaxy, previously not detected in other radio surveys. A combined effect of stellar core depletion and low-density environment around the jets, which results in a weak entrainment of the material surrounding the jets, could be responsible for its large size despite a low radio luminosity.

Shaping physical properties of galaxy subtypes in the VIPERS survey: Environment matters

Aims. This study aims to explore the relation between the physical properties of different galaxy sub-classes, from red passive to blue star-forming, and their environment. Our work is based on the analysis of 31 631 galaxies from the VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS), observed at 0.5 < z < 0.9. The unprecedented volume of VIPERS and the wealth of auxiliary derived data allow us to associate sub-classes of the main galaxy populations with their possibly different evolutionary paths. This is the first time such a study is performed with such statistical precision. Methods. We use the results of an unsupervised clustering algorithm to distinguish 11 subclasses of VIPERS galaxies, based on the multi-dimensional feature space, defined by rest-frame UV to NIR colours. We investigate the relationship between the properties of these sub-classes of galaxies and their local environment, defined as the galaxy density contrast, δ, derived from the fifth nearest neighbour technique. Results. We confirm that the galaxy population-density relation is already in place at z ∼ 0.9, with the blue galaxy fraction decreasing with density, compensated by an increase in the red fraction. We demonstrate how the properties of red, green, and blue galaxy subclasses are altered as they assemble into denser regions, and we attempt to interpret this in the context of their evolution. On average, red galaxies in the high-density environment are larger by 28% than those in low-density environments. In particular, we find one group of galaxies, sub-class C3, whose increase of size with time can be explained mainly as the result of mergers; for other red subclasses, mergers would not seem to play the major role (subclass C2) or would play a negligible role (sub-class C1). The properties of the green galaxies (sub-classes C4–6) depend on whether their stellar mass is above or below a transition mass, log(Mstar/M⊙)=10.6. Low-mass green (9.5 ≲ log(Mstar/M⊙)≲10.6) galaxies appear to have grown through secular processes, while in high-mass (10.6 ≲ log(Mstar/M⊙)≲11.5) green galaxies, mass assembly appears to be dominated by mergers. When it comes to blue galaxies, the trend of decreasing fraction with denser environments seen for the group as a whole (sub-classes C7–11) is found to be driven mostly by one (the most numerous) group of galaxies; sub-class C10. These are compact low-mass galaxies with high, specific star formation rates, which are preferentially found in low-density environments. However, the remaining blue galaxies (sub-classes C7–9) are larger and appear in denser environments than galaxies within C10.

THE BONDI-HOYLE ACCRETION TAIL OF POINT SOURCES TRAVELLING HYPERSONICALLY THROUGH A DENSE ENVIRONMENT

We present a model for the “Bondi-Hoyle tail” left behind by the hypersonic passage of a compact, massive object through a dense, radiative environment. We derive simple equations for the flow velocity and the mass along the tail, and obtain numerical and approximate analytical solutions for the steady state problem. We then study a time-dependent problem in which the source first travels within a dense cloud, and then emerges into a low density environment. This flow results in the production of a trail of dense gas joining the source at the point in which it emerged from the dense cloud. This trail has a linear velocity vs. position profile.

The globular clusters and star formation history of the isolated, quiescent ultra-diffuse galaxy DGSAT I

ABSTRACT We investigate the isolated, quiescent ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) DGSAT I and its globular cluster (GC) system using two orbits of Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging in the F606W and F814W filters. This is the first study of GCs around a UDG in a low-density environment. DGSAT I was previously found to host an irregular blue low surface brightness clump, which we confirm as very likely belonging to the galaxy rather than being a chance projection, and represents a recent episode of star formation (∼500 Myr) that challenges some UDG formation scenarios. We select GC candidates based on colours and magnitudes, and construct a self-consistent model of the GC radial surface density profile along with the background. We find a half-number radius of RGC = 2.7 ± 0.1 kpc (more compact than the diffuse starlight) and a total of 12 ± 2 GCs. The total mass fraction in GCs is relatively high, supporting an overmassive dark matter halo as also implied by the high velocity dispersion previously measured. The GCs extend to higher luminosities than expected, and have colours that are unusually similar to their host galaxy colour, with a very narrow spread, all of which suggest an early, intense burst of cluster formation. The nature and origin of this galaxy remain puzzling, but the most likely scenario is a ‘failed galaxy’ that formed relatively few stars for its halo mass, and could be related to cluster UDGs whose size and quiescence pre-date their infall.

Collimation of the kiloparsec-scale radio jets in NGC 2663

ABSTRACT We present the discovery of highly collimated radio jets spanning a total of 355 kpc around the nearby elliptical galaxy NGC 2663, and the possible first detection of recollimation on kiloparsec scales. The small distance to the galaxy (∼28.5 Mpc) allows us to resolve portions of the jets to examine their structure. We combine multiwavelength data: radio observations by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), and X-ray data from Chandra, Swift, and SRG/eROSITA. We present intensity, rotation measure, polarization, spectral index, and X-ray environment maps. Regions of the southern jet show simultaneous narrowing and brightening, which can be interpreted as a signature of the recollimation of the jet by external, environmental pressure, though it is also consistent with intermittent active galactic nuclei or complex internal jet structure. X-ray data suggest that the environment is extremely poor; if the jet is indeed recollimating, the large recollimation scale (40 kpc) is consistent with a slow jet in a low-density environment.

Incoherent Thomson scattering: future implementation and measurement capabilities on the PANDORA experiment

The PANDORA (Plasmas for Astrophysics Nuclear Decays Observation and Radiation for Archaeometry) experiment aims to study the β-decay process inside a dense plasma mimicking stellar conditions. An electron cyclotron resonance plasma trap will be built at INFN-LNS in Catania, Italy, for the generation of the desired conditions in the laboratory. This type of non-equilibrium dense plasma (reaching densities of up to 1013 cm−3) is expected to generate electron energy distribution functions with electron energies ranging from tens of eV up to tens of keV. In this work, we describe aspects of a planned implementation of an incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic for the study of electron properties in the plasma trap of PANDORA. The performance of this high-sensitivity diagnostic, known as THETIS, has been previously validated in measurements across a range of low-density magnetized plasma environments and it is expected to provide access to electron energy information in PANDORA in the range of temperatures from 1 to 103 eV. This article will establish the potential of such a diagnostic for future characterization of the electron properties in the PANDORA experiment.

A 90° Twisted Quarter-Sectored Compact and Circularly Polarized DR-Rectenna for RF Energy Harvesting Applications

Radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting is the most adopted technique for replacing conventional batteries. However, the available RF energy in the surrounding atmosphere is low and unstable, so the antenna with high gain and polarization-insensitive characteristics is desired to collect a massive amount of power from the low-density environment. A 90° twisted quarter sectored circularly polarized and high gain dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) operating within the 5.8 GHz Wi-Fi band, is investigated first time of its kind in this letter. A circular-shaped aperture coupled feeding approach is investigated for energizing the proposed antenna. A metallic strip is placed on the right face of the optimized DRA for creating circular polarization characteristics. The optimized antenna (0.67 λ×0.67 λ×0.029 λ) offers a gain value of 7.02 dBc at 5.8 GHz frequency. A shunt-diode rectifier circuit is implemented for rectification purposes. The power conversion efficiency achieved at the operating frequency is 72.5% for an input power level of 5.75 dBm.

The Circumstellar Environments of Double-peaked, Calcium-strong Transients 2021gno and 2021inl

We present panchromatic observations and modeling of calcium-strong supernovae (SNe) 2021gno in the star-forming host-galaxy NGC 4165 and 2021inl in the outskirts of elliptical galaxy NGC 4923, both monitored through the Young Supernova Experiment transient survey. The light curves of both, SNe show two peaks, the former peak being derived from shock cooling emission (SCE) and/or shock interaction with circumstellar material (CSM). The primary peak in SN 2021gno is coincident with luminous, rapidly decaying X-ray emission (L x = 5 × 1041 erg s−1) detected by Swift-XRT at δ t = 1 day after explosion, this observation being the second-ever detection of X-rays from a calcium-strong transient. We interpret the X-ray emission in the context of shock interaction with CSM that extends to r < 3 × 1014 cm. Based on X-ray modeling, we calculate a CSM mass M CSM = (0.3−1.6) × 10−3 M ⊙ and density n = (1−4) × 1010 cm−3. Radio nondetections indicate a low-density environment at larger radii (r > 1016 cm) and mass-loss rate of M ⊙ yr−1. SCE modeling of both primary light-curve peaks indicates an extended-progenitor envelope mass M e = 0.02−0.05 M ⊙ and radius R e = 30−230 R ⊙. The explosion properties suggest progenitor systems containing either a low-mass massive star or a white dwarf (WD), the former being unlikely given the lack of local star formation. Furthermore, the environments of both SNe are consistent with low-mass hybrid He/C/O WD + C/O WD mergers.

Implementing a new recovery scheme for primitive variables in the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic code Spritz

General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations represent a fundamental tool to probe various underlying mechanisms at play during binary neutron star (BNS) and neutron star (NS) - black hole (BH) mergers. Contemporary flux-conservative GRMHD codes numerically evolve a set of conservative equations based on `conserved' variables which then need to be converted back into the fundamental (`primitive') variables. The corresponding conservative-to-primitive variable recovery procedure, based on root-finding algorithms, constitutes one of the core elements of such GRMHD codes. Recently, a new robust, accurate and efficient recovery scheme called RePrimAnd was introduced, which has demonstrated the ability to always converge to a unique solution. The scheme provides fine-grained error policies to handle invalid states caused by evolution errors, and also provides analytical bounds for the error of all primitive variables. In this work, we describe the technical aspects of implementing the RePrimAnd scheme into the GRMHD code Spritz. To check our implementation as well as to assess the various features of the scheme, we perform a number of GRMHD tests in three dimensions. Our tests, which include critical cases such as a NS collapse to a BH as well as the early evolution (~50 ms) of a Fishbone-Moncrief BH-accrection disk system, show that RePrimAnd is able to support magnetized, low density environments with magnetic-to-fluid pressure ratios as high as 10^4, in situations where the previously used recovery scheme fails.

Impact of environmental complexity and stocking density on affective states of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Environmental condition, such as environmental complexity or stocking density, can directly or indirectly influence animal emotion and ultimately, affective state. Affective states of animals can be assessed through judgement bias tests, evaluating responses to ambiguous situations. In this study, we aimed to determine whether environmental complexity and stocking density impacted rainbow trout affective state. Rainbow trout (n = 108) were housed in recirculating aquaculture systems under commercial conditions while trained at tank-level to discriminate between a positively reinforced chamber (feed) in one location and a negative chamber (positive punishment; chase by net for 1s) in the opposing location. Fish from successful tanks (two out of five tanks) were then housed in treatment tanks of either high- or low- environmental complexity at either high (165 fish/m3) or low (69 fish/m3) stocking density. Trained fish were tested for latencies to approach three intermediate, ambiguous chambers. Fish housed in high-density tanks were faster to enter all chambers than those housed in low-density tanks (8.5s vs. 15.2s; P = 0.001), with faster entries into the positive (7.4s vs. 15.2s; P = 0.02) and near-negative chambers (10.2s vs. 17.4s; P = 0.006), suggesting that these fish were more optimistic to receive a feed reward. Tank complexity did not affect test outcomes. No differences between treatments were observed between body weight, length, and plasma cortisol. Overall, rainbow trout are capable of discriminating between cues during a judgement bias test and fish housed in high-density environments respond more optimistically in ambiguous situations compared to fish in low-density environments.

Evidence for a high-zISW signal from supervoids in the distribution of eBOSS quasars

ABSTRACTThe late-time integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) imprint of $R\gtrsim 100~h^{-1}\, \mathrm{Mpc}$ superstructures is sourced by evolving large-scale potentials due to a dominant dark energy component in the ΛCDM model. The aspect that makes the ISW effect distinctly interesting is the repeated observation of stronger-than-expected imprints from supervoids at z ≲ 0.9. Here we analyse the un-probed key redshift range 0.8 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 2.2 where the ISW signal is expected to fade in ΛCDM, due to a weakening dark energy component, and eventually become consistent with zero in the matter dominated epoch. On the contrary, alternative cosmological models, proposed to explain the excess low-z ISW signals, predicted a sign-change in the ISW effect at z ≈ 1.5 due to the possible growth of large-scale potentials that is absent in the standard model. To discriminate, we estimated the high-z ΛCDM ISW signal using the Millennium XXL mock catalogue, and compared it to our measurements from about 800 supervoids identified in the eBOSS DR16 quasar catalogue. At 0.8 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 1.2, we found an excess ISW signal with AISW ≈ 3.6 ± 2.1 amplitude. The signal is then consistent with the ΛCDM expectation (AISW = 1) at 1.2 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 1.5 where the standard and alternative models predict similar amplitudes. Most interestingly, we also observed an opposite-sign ISW signal at 1.5 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 2.2 that is in 2.7σ tension with the ΛCDM prediction. Taken at face value, these recurring hints for ISW anomalies suggest an alternative growth rate of structure in low-density environments at $\sim 100~h^{-1}\, \mathrm{Mpc}$ scales.

Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): The Weak Environmental Dependence of Quasar Activity at 0.1 &lt; z &lt; 0.35

Abstract Understanding the connection between nuclear activity and galaxy environment remains critical in constraining models of galaxy evolution. By exploiting the extensive cataloged data from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey, we identify a representative sample of 205 quasars at 0.1 &lt; z &lt; 0.35 and establish a comparison sample of galaxies, closely matched to the quasar sample in terms of both stellar mass and redshift. On scales &lt;1 Mpc, the galaxy number counts and group membership of quasars appear entirely consistent with those of the matched galaxy sample. Despite this, we find that quasars are ∼1.5 times more likely to be classified as the group center, indicating a potential link between quasar activity and cold gas flows or galaxy interactions associated with rich group environments. On scales of ∼a few Mpc, the clustering strengths of both samples are statistically consistent, and beyond 10 Mpc, we find no evidence that quasars trace large-scale structures any more than the galaxy control sample. Both populations are found to prefer intermediate-density sheets and filaments to either very high-density environments or very low-density environments. This weak dependence of quasar activity on galaxy environment supports a paradigm in which quasars represent a phase in the lifetime of all massive galaxies and in which secular processes and a group-centric location are the dominant triggers of quasars at low redshift.

Quenching of Massive Disk Galaxies in the IllustrisTNG Simulation

Abstract A rare population of massive disk galaxies have been found to invade the red sequence dominated by early-type galaxies. The formation and origins of these red/quenched massive disk galaxies have recently gained great interest. The quenching mechanisms that are usually proposed, such as bar quenching and environment quenching, do not seem to be suitable for those bulgeless quenched disks in a low-density environment. In this paper, we use the TNG300 simulation to investigate the formation of massive quenched central disk galaxies. It is found that these galaxies contain less gas than their star-forming counterparts and harbor giant super massive black holes (SMBHs; above 108 M ⊙). By tracing their formation history, we found that quenched disk galaxies formed early and preserved disk morphology for cosmological timescales. They have experienced less than one major merger on average, and mini-mergers (mass ratio &lt;1/10) have mainly contributed to the growth of their SMBHs. In the IllustrisTNG simulation, the black hole feedback mode switches from thermal to kinetic feedback when the black hole mass is more massive than ∼108 M ⊙, which is more efficient to eject gas outside of the galaxy and to suppress further cooling of the hot gaseous halo. We conclude that the dominant quenching mechanism in massive red/quenched disk galaxies is kinetic active galactic nuclei feedback.