S0 Galaxies Research Articles

Investigating the Correlations between Physical Parameters of Elliptical and Lenticular Galaxies

This study aims to investigate the features of stellar-gaseous kinematics and dynamics mass using scaling coefficient relationships (such as the Faber–Jackson relation (FJR)) of two samples of elliptical and lenticular galaxies. These two samples of 80 ellipticals and 97 lenticulars were selected from previous literature works. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences )SPSS( and Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) program were used to find out the associations of multiple factors under investigation such as main kinematic properties of the gaseous-stellar (effective radius Re, surface density within the effective radius (Ʃeff) , stellar mass in the blue band (Mstar (B)), gas mass ( Mgas), dynamic (Mdyn) and baryonic (Mbar), supermassive black holes masses (MBH) in the elliptical and S0 galaxies. We concluded that the experimental relations between (Log Mbar (B) - Log Mdyn (B), Log Mbar (B) - Log MBH) have a robust correlation of ~1, and the slope appears to be more linearly (Slope ≥1) for both types of galaxies (Ellipticals and Lenticulars). This paper also noted that the empirical convergences between Log Σeff (B) and Log Mdyn have a strong high regression relationship of ~1. The slope appears to be approximately linear ~1 in the lenticular galaxies, but there is no relationship between Log Σeff (B) and Log Mdyn in the elliptical galaxies. Due to the strong impact of dynamical rotation on elliptical galaxies, it is interestingly believed that they are objects under turbulence and originate from interactions and mergers with galaxies in a spiral shape.

Bar Presence in Local Galaxies: Dependence on Morphology in Field Galaxies

We analyzed the fractions of barred galaxies in the local Universe using a volume-limited sample of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3. We examined 116 field galaxies with redshifts between 0.0207 and 0.030, using r and z-band images. Overall, the bar fraction was 26% in the r-band and 19% in the z-band. For distinct morphological groups, barred spiral galaxies had fractions of 33% in the r-band and 22% in the z-band, while barred lenticular galaxies had 25% in the r-band and 12% in the z-band. We observed that the bar fraction in spiral galaxies increases for stellar masses log (M */M ⊙) > 10.5 and for galaxies with red colors (u − r) > 2.0. Additionally, most barred galaxies have a bulge-to-total ratio B/T ≤ 0.2. Our results indicate that the bar fraction is more dependent on internal morphology than on the galaxy environment.

Abundant Molecular Gas in the Central Region of Lenticular Galaxy PGC 39535

Lenticular galaxies (S0s) in the local Universe are generally absent of recent star formation and lack molecular gas. In this paper, we investigate one massive (M * ∼ 5 × 1010 M ⊙) star-forming S0, PGC 39535, with the Northern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA). Using optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at the Apache Point Observatory survey, we find star formation mainly concentrates in the central region of PGC 39535. The total star formation rate estimated using extinction-corrected Hα flux is 1.57 M ⊙ yr−1. The results of the NOEMA observation suggest that the molecular gas mainly concentrates in the central regions as a gaseous bar and a ring-like structure, and shows similar kinematics as the stellar and ionized gas components. The total molecular gas mass estimated from CO(1–0) is (5.42 ± 1.52) × 109 M ⊙. We find PGC 39535 lies on the star-forming main sequence but falls below the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation of spiral galaxies, suggesting that the star formation efficiency may be suppressed by the massive bulge. The existence of a second Gaussian component in the CO spectrum of the central region indicates possible gas flows. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that PGC 39535 resides in the center of a massive group and the derived star formation history indicates it may experience a series of gas-rich mergers over the past 2–7 Gyr.

Merging galaxies in isolated environments

Context. It is now well known that certain massive galaxies undergo enormous enhancements in their star formation rate (SFR) when they undergo major mergers. These enhancements can be as high as 100 times the SFR of unperturbed galaxies of the same stellar mass. Previous works have found that the size of this boost in star formation (SF) is related to the morphology of and the proximity to the companion. The same trend has also been observed for the fraction of active galactic nuclei (AGN), where galaxies that are closer together tend to have higher AGN fractions. Aims. We aim to analyse the SF enhancement and AGN fraction evolution during the merger process by using a more timeline-like merger sequence. Additionally, we aim to determine the relation between the SF enhancement in mergers and the morphology of the galaxies involved. Methods. Taking advantage of the stellar masses (M*) and SFRs of the ∼600 nearby isolated mergers obtained in our previous study, we calculated the distance of each of our galaxies from the star-forming main sequence (MS; specific SFR (sSFR)/sSFRMS), which werefer to as the SF mode. We then analysed how the SF mode varies during the merger process as a function of morphology and M*. Additionally, we analysed the AGN content of our mergers, using multiple diagnostics based on emission line ratios and WISE colours. Results. We observed that, overall, merging galaxies show an SF mode that is governed by their morphology. Spirals typically show high SF mode values, while highly disturbed (HD) galaxies are generally even more enhanced (median values of +0.8 dex and +1.08 dex above the MS, respectively). In contrast, elliptical and lenticular galaxies show the lowest SF modes, as expected. However, even they show SF enhancement compared to their unperturbed counterparts. For example, their median SF mode is just within the 1-sigma scatter of the MS, and this can occur even before the galaxies have coalesced. We observed a trend for the SF mode to gradually increase with increasing merger stage. We did not find a clear dependency of the observed AGN fraction on the merger stage for the majority of our classification methods. Conclusions. We find mergers can significantly enhance SF in galaxies of all morphologies. For early-type galaxies, this could suggest that some gas was present prior to the merger, which may be triggered to form stars by the tidal interaction. As the SF enhancement continues throughout the merger process, this suggests that the enhancement may be a long-lived event, contrary to the short starbursts seen in some models.

Early-type galaxy speciation: elliptical (E) and ellicular (ES) galaxies in the Mbh–M*,sph diagram, and a merger-driven explanation for the origin of ES galaxies, antitruncated stellar discs in lenticular (S0) galaxies, and the Sérsicification of E galaxy light profiles

ABSTRACT In a recent series of papers, supermassive black holes were used to discern pathways in galaxy evolution. By considering the black holes’ coupling with their host galaxy’s bulge/spheroid, the progression of mass within each component has shed light on the chronological sequence of galaxy speciation. Offsets between the galaxy-morphology-dependent $M_{\rm bh}$–$M_{\rm \star ,sph}$ scaling relations trace a pattern of ‘punctuated equilibrium’ arising from merger-driven transitions between galaxy types, such as from spirals to dust-rich lenticulars and further to ‘ellicular’ and elliptical galaxies. This study delves deeper into the distinction between the ellicular galaxies – characterised by their intermediate-scale discs – and elliptical galaxies. Along the way, it is shown how some antitruncated large-scale discs in lenticular galaxies can arise from the coexistence of a steep intermediate-scale disc and a relatively shallow large-scale disc. This observation undermines application of the popular exponential-disc plus Sérsic-bulge model for lenticular galaxies and suggests some past bulge mass measurements have been overestimated. Furthermore, it is discussed how merger-driven disc-heating and blending likely leads to the spheroidalisation of discs and the conglomeration of multiple discs leads to the (high-n) Sérsicification of light profiles. The ellicular and elliptical galaxy distribution in the $M_{\rm bh}$–$M_{\rm \star ,sph}$ diagram is explored relative to major-merger-built lenticular galaxies and brightest cluster galaxies. The super-quadratic $M_{\rm bh}$–$M_{\rm \star }$ relations, presented herein, for merger-built systems should aid studies of massive black hole collisions and the gravitational wave background. Finally, connections to dwarf compact elliptical and ultracompact dwarf galaxies, with their 100–1000 times higher $M_{\rm bh}/M_{\rm \star ,sph}$ ratios, are presented.

Schwarzschild modelling of barred s0 galaxy NGC 4371

ABSTRACT We apply the barred Schwarzschild method developed by Tahmasebzadeh et al. (2022) to a barred S0 galaxy, NGC 4371, observed by IFU instruments from the TIMER and ATLAS3D projects. We construct the gravitational potential by combining a fixed black hole mass, a spherical dark matter halo, and stellar mass distribution deprojected from 3.6 μm S$^4$G image considering an axisymmetric disc and a triaxial bar. We independently modelled kinematic data from TIMER and ATLAS3D. Both models fit the data remarkably well. We find a consistent bar pattern speed from the two sets of models with $\Omega _{\rm p} = 23.6 \pm 2.8 \, \mathrm{km \, s^{-1} \, kpc^{-1} }$ and $\Omega _{\rm p} = 22.4 \pm 3.5 \, \mathrm{km \, s^{-1} \, kpc^{-1} }$, respectively. The dimensionless bar rotation parameter is determined to be $\mathcal {R} \equiv R_{\rm cor}/R_{\rm bar}=1.88 \pm 0.37$, indicating a likely slow bar in NGC 4371. Additionally, our model predicts a high amount of dark matter within the bar region ($M_{\rm DM}/ M_{\rm total}$$\sim 0.51 \pm 0.06$), which, aligned with the predictions of cosmological simulations, indicates that fast bars are generally found in baryon-dominated discs. Based on the best-fitting model, we further decompose the galaxy into multiple 3D orbital structures, including a BP/X bar, a classical bulge, a nuclear disc, and a main disc. The BP/X bar is not perfectly included in the input 3D density model, but BP/X-supporting orbits are picked through the fitting to the kinematic data. This is the first time a real barred galaxy has been modelled utilizing the Schwarzschild method including a 3D bar.

Environmental effects as a key factor in shaping star-forming S0 galaxies

The origins of lenticular galaxies (S0s) can be classified into two main categories: ``minor mergers" in low-density environments (LDEs) and ``faded spirals" in high-density environments (HDEs). The transitional phase in the evolution of S0s, namely, star-forming lenticular galaxies (SFS0s), can serve as an important probe for analyzing the complex processes involved in the transformation between different galaxy types and the quenching of star formation (SF). We attempt to find the impact of different environments on the global properties and spatially resolved quantities of SFS0s. We selected 71 SFS0s from the SDSS-IV MaNGA Survey, comprising 23 SFS0s in HDEs (SFS0s$\_$HE) and 48 SFS0s in LDEs (SFS0s$\_$LE). We examined the effects of the environment, by studying the global properties, concentration index, and radial profiles of the derived quantities. The varied environments of SFS0s do not lead to any significant difference in global properties (e.g., S$ e $rsic index). By calculating $CI_ alpha /cont $, we observe that different environments may cause varying concentrations of SF. Specifically, SFS0s$\_$LE, affected by external gas mergers or inflow, exhibit a more centrally concentrated SF (i.e., larger alpha /cont $). This trend is further supported by $CI_ SFR alpha $, which only considers the gas disk of the galaxy. This observation is aligned with the observed shrinking of gas disks in galaxies affected by ram-pressure stripping in HDEs. Furthermore, their $ SFR $ or resolved sSFR are comparable. On average, SFS0s$\_$LE display significantly higher values for both quantities. Finally, the observed n 4000$ and gas-phase metallicity gradient correspond well to their assumed origins. However, we did not find a significantly lower gas-phase metallicity in SFS0s$\_$LE. We suggest that different environments (i.e., origins) do not have a significant impact on the global properties of SFS0s, but they do indeed affect the distribution of SF. Considering the size of our sample and the unique nature of the galaxy, additional atomic and molecular gas data may provide further details to improve our understanding of these systems.

Understanding stellar populations in thin and thick discs of edge-on galaxies with MUSE – I. The case of the reignited S0 galaxy ESO 544-27

ABSTRACT Edge-on galaxies act as the best laboratories to understand the origin of thin and thick discs in galaxies. Measurement of spatially resolved stellar population properties in such galaxies, particularly age, metallicity, and [α/Fe], are crucial to understanding the formation and evolution of disc galaxies. Such measurements are made possible from stellar population model fits to deep integral field spectroscopic (IFU) observations of resolved galaxies. We utilize archival MUSE IFU observations of the edge-on galaxy ESO 544-27 to uncover the formation history of its thin and thick discs through its stellar populations. We find the thin disc of the galaxy is dominated by an old (>9 Gyr) low [α/Fe] metal-rich stellar population. Its outer thick disc is dominated by an old (>9 Gyr) high [α/Fe] metal-rich component that should have formed with higher star formation efficiency than the Milky Way thick disc. We thus find [α/Fe] dichotomy in ESO 544-27 with its thin and thick discs dominated by low and high [α/Fe] stellar populations, respectively. However, we also find a metal-rich younger (<2 Gyr old) stellar population in ESO 544-27. The galaxy was nearly quenched until its star formation was reignited recently first in the outer and inner thick disc (∼1 Gyr ago) and then in the thin disc (∼600 Myr ago). We thus find that both the low [α/Fe] thin and high [α/Fe] thick discs of ESO 544-27 are inhabited primarily by similarly old metal-rich stellar populations, a contrast to that of other galaxies with known thin and thick disc stellar population properties.

Spectral study of starforming rings in S0 galaxies of Dorado group – NGC 1533 and NGC 1543

Abstract We have fulfilled a detailed long-slit spectroscopic analysis for two SB0 galaxies – NGC 1533 and NGC 1543, – belonging to the Dorado group. Our spectral data reveal asymmetric decoupled kinematics of the stars and ionised gas in these barred lenticular galaxies that give evidences for external origin of the gas in the rings. We have calculated the star formation rates in the rings by using the ultraviolet fluxes of the rings corrected for the foreground and intrinsic absorption; and we have estimated parameters of the stellar populations in the inner parts of the galaxies confirming that they are old – except the nucleus of NGC 1543, which demonstrates signatures of re-juvenation less than 5 Gyr ago.

Repainting the colour–mass diagrams by unearthing the green mountain: dust-rich S0 galaxies in the colour–(galaxy stellar mass) diagram, and the colour–(black hole mass) relations for dust-poor versus dust-rich galaxies

ABSTRACT Lenticular galaxies are notoriously misclassified as elliptical galaxies and, as such, a (disc inclination)-dependent correction for dust is often not applied to the magnitudes of dusty lenticular galaxies. This results in overly red galaxy colours, impacting their distribution in the colour–magnitude diagram. It is revealed how this has led to an underpopulation of the ‘green valley’ by hiding a ‘green mountain’ of massive dust-rich lenticular galaxies – known to be built from gas-rich major mergers – within the ‘red sequence’ of colour–(stellar mass) diagrams. Correcting for dust, a ‘green mountain’ appears at M*,gal ∼ 1011 M⊙, along with signs of an extension to lower masses producing a ‘green range’ or ‘green ridge’ on the green side of the ‘red sequence’ and ‘blue cloud.’ The ‘red sequence’ is shown to be comprised of two components: a red plateau defined by elliptical galaxies with a near-constant colour and by lower-mass dust-poor lenticular galaxies, which are mostly a primordial population but may include faded/transformed spiral galaxies. The presence of the quasi-triangular-shaped galaxy evolution sequence, previously called the ‘Triangal’, is revealed in the galaxy colour–(stellar mass) diagram. It tracks the speciation of galaxies and their associated migration through the diagram. The connection of the ‘Triangal’ to previous galaxy morphology sequences (Fork, Trident, and Comb) is also shown herein. Finally, the colour–(black hole mass) diagram is revisited, revealing how the dust correction generates a blue–green sequence for the spiral and dust-rich lenticular galaxies that is offset from a green–red sequence defined by the dust-poor lenticular and elliptical galaxies.

The rise and fall of bars in disc galaxies from z = 1 to z = 0

Context. Stellar bars are non-axisymmetric structures found in over 30 per cent of massive disc galaxies in the local Universe. The environment could play a significant role in determining whether or not a spiral galaxy is likely to develop a bar. Aims. We investigate the influence of the environment on the evolution of barred and unbarred disc galaxies with a mass of larger than 1010 M⊙ from z = 1 down to z = 0, employing the TNG50 magnetic-hydrodynamical simulation. Methods. We determined the fraction of barred galaxies that conserve their bar and the fraction of those that lost it by z = 0. We also estimate the fraction of unbarred galaxies at z = 1 that develop a bar at later times. We study the merger histories and the distance of close companions for each category to understand the role of the environment in the evolution of these galaxies. Results. We find that 49 per cent of z = 1 disc galaxies undergo a morphological transformation, transitioning into either a lenticular or spheroidal galaxy, while the other 51 per cent retain the large disc shape. The morphological alteration is mostly influenced by the environment. Lenticular and spheroidal galaxies tend to exist in denser environments and have more frequent mergers compared to disc galaxies. We find that bars are stable after they have formed, as over half of the barred galaxies (60.2 per cent) retain the bar structure and have experienced fewer mergers compared to those galaxies that lose their bars (5.6 per cent). These latter galaxies start with weaker and shorter bars at z = 1, are influenced by tidal interactions, and are frequently observed in more populated areas. Additionally, our study reveals that less than 20 per cent of unbarred galaxies will never develop a bar and exhibit the quietest merger history. Unbarred galaxies that undergo bar formation after z = 1 more frequently experience a merger event. Furthermore, tidal interactions with a close companion may account for bar formation in at least one-third of these instances. Conclusions. Our findings highlight that stable bars are prevalent in disc galaxies. Bar evolution may nonetheless be affected by the environment. Interactions with nearby companions or tidal forces caused by mergers have the capacity to disrupt the disc. This perturbance may materialise as the dissolution of the bar, the formation of a bar, or, in its most severe form, the complete destruction of the disc, resulting in morphological transformation. Bars that are weak and short at z = 1 and undergo major or minor mergers may eventually dissolve, whereas unbarred galaxies that enter crowded environments or experience a merger may develop a bar.

Star formation histories of dwarf lenticular galaxies

ABSTRACT Star formation histories (SFHs) are essential for understanding galaxy formation and evolution. We present the mean SFHs of 148 dwarf lenticular galaxies (dS0s) derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra. These SFHs reveal two distinct periods of active star formation. The first period, concluding approximately 6 Gyr ago, witnessed the formation of predominantly old, metal-poor (Z = 0.0004) stars, accounting for approximately 60 per cent of the stellar mass and 30 per cent of the luminosity. The scarcity of extremely metal-poor (Z = 0.0001) stars suggests pre-enrichment during the reionization era. Star formation gradually waned during this initial phase. In contrast, the second period, ending around 1 Gyr ago, exhibited a peak in the middle of the period, contributing to the formation of moderately old stellar populations with intermediate metallicity. The SFHs of dS0 galaxies show a clear dependence on stellar mass, with more massive dS0s forming stars earlier. However, we find no significant correlation with morphological properties such as outer spiral arms and nucleation. The SFHs of dS0 galaxies share many similarities with those of dwarf elliptical galaxies, suggesting a common origin, mostly not primordial.

The Mass Assembly History for Galaxies with MaNGA

How galaxies assemble masses through their own star formation or interaction with the external environment is still an important topic in the field of galaxy formation and evolution. We use Value Added Catalogs with galaxy features that are spatially and temporally resolved from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 17 to investigate the mass growth histories of early-type galaxies (ETGs) and late-type galaxies (LTGs). We find that the mass growth of ETGs is earlier than that of LTGs for massive galaxies (M * > 1010 M ⊙), while low-mass (M * ≤ 1010 M ⊙) ETGs have statistically similar mass assembly histories as low-mass LTGs. The stellar metallicity of all massive galaxies shows a negative gradient and basically does not change with time. However, in low-mass galaxies, the stellar metallicity gradient of elliptical galaxies is negative, and the stellar metallicity gradient of lenticular and spiral galaxies evolves from positive to negative. ETGs are not all in a high-density environment, but exhibit mass dependence. As the tidal strength increases, the star formation rate of low-mass ETGs rapidly decreases. These results support a picture where massive galaxies exhibit inside-out quenching mode, while low-mass galaxies show outside-in quenching mode. Environmental effects play an important role in regulating the mass assembly histories of low-mass ETGs.

Star formation in outer rings of S0 galaxies

Aims. Though S0 galaxies are usually thought to be “red and dead”, they often present weak star formation organized in ring structures in their outer disks. We try to clarify the nature of this phenomenon and its difference from star formation in spiral galaxies. The nearby luminous S0 galaxy NGC 1211 is studied here. Methods. By applying Fabry-Perot scanning interferometry at the Russian 6m telescope, we measured the gas rotation in the outer ring of the galaxy. We studied the pattern and properties of the brightest star formation regions with the tunable filter Mapper of Narrow Galaxy Lines (MaNGaL) at the 2.5 m telescope of the Caucasian Mountain Observatory of the SAI MSU. Results. The gas excitation is strongly inhomogeneous along the ring: in the eastern part, HII-type excitation dominates, while the western part of the ring is partly excited by shocks, as revealed by the emission-line diagnostic diagram. The gas metallicity of the emission clumps in the outer ring also has a broad distribution. The star formation rate is currently falling and is in general too weak for the galaxy gas content. We conclude that the gas in the ring has been accreted recently, about 300 Myr ago, probably from an inclined direction, and that the accretion event has provoked a brief, ineffective starburst.

Radio Jet Feedback on the Inner Disk of Virgo Spiral Galaxy Messier 58

Spitzer spectral maps reveal a disk of highly luminous, warm (>150 K) H2 in the center of the massive spiral galaxy Messier 58, which hosts a radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN). The inner 2.6 kpc of the galaxy appears to be overrun by shocks from the radio jet cocoon. Gemini NIRI imaging of the H2 1–0 S(1) emission line, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array CO 2–1, and Hubble Space Telescope multiband imagery indicate that much of the molecular gas is shocked in situ, corresponding to lanes of dusty molecular gas that spiral toward the galactic nucleus. The CO 2–1 and ionized gas kinematics are highly disturbed, with velocity dispersion up to 300 km s−1. Dissipation of the associated kinetic energy and turbulence, likely injected into the interstellar medium by radio-jet-driven outflows, may power the observed molecular and ionized gas emission from the inner disk. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fraction and composition in the inner disk appear to be normal, in spite of the jet and AGN activity. The PAH ratios are consistent with excitation by the interstellar radiation field from old stars in the bulge, with no contribution from star formation. The phenomenon of jet-shocked H2 may substantially reduce star formation and help to regulate the stellar mass of the inner disk and supermassive black hole in this otherwise normal spiral galaxy. Similarly strong H2 emission is found at the centers of several nearby spiral and lenticular galaxies with massive bulges and radio-loud AGNs.

The Halos and Environments of Nearby Galaxies (HERON) survey

The shapes of galaxies, their outer regions in particular, are important guideposts to their formation and evolution. In this work, we report on the discovery of strongly box-shaped morphologies of the otherwise well-studied elliptical and lenticular galaxies NGC 720 and NGC 2768 from deep imaging. The boxiness is strongly manifested in the parameter shape A4/a of −0.04 in both objects, and significant center shifts of the isophotes of ∼2–4 kpc are also seen. One reason for such asymmetries commonly stated in the literature is a merger origin, although the number of such cases is still sparse, and the exact properties of the individual boxy objects are highly diverse. Indeed, for NGC 2768, we identify a progenitor candidate (dubbed “Pelops”) in the residual images, which appears to be a dwarf satellite that is currently merging with NGC 2768. At its absolute magnitude of Mr of −12.2 mag, the corresponding Sersic radius of 2.4 kpc is more extended than those of typical dwarf galaxies from the literature. However, systematically larger radii are known to occur in systems that are in tidal disruption. This finding is bolstered by the presence of a tentative tidal stream feature on archival GALEX data. Finally, further structures in the fascinating host galaxy include rich dust lanes and a vestigial X-shaped bulge component.

Massive red spiral galaxies in SDSS-IV MaNGA survey

ABSTRACT Massive red spiral galaxies (MRSGs) are supposed to be the possible progenitors of lenticular galaxies (S0s). We select a large sample of MRSGs ($M_*\gt 10^{10.5}\rm {\rm M}_{\odot }$) from Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) DR17 using the g − r colour versus stellar mass diagram, along with control samples of blue spirals and S0s. Our main results are as follows: (1) After comparing the Sérsic index, concentration parameter, asymmetry parameter distribution, size–mass relation, and Σ1 (stellar mass surface density within the central 1 kpc)−mass relation, we find MRSGs are similar to S0s and have more compact and symmetric structures than blue spirals. MRSGs also resemble S0s in Dn4000, metallicity, Mgb/$\rm \left\langle Fe \right\rangle$, and V/σ radial profile. (2) By using MaNGA 2D spectra data, we separate the spatial regions into inner (R < 0.8Re) and outer (0.8 < R < 1.5Re) regions, and detect residual star formation in the outer regions of MRSGs. (3) When we select a sub-sample of MRSGs with NUV − r > 5, we find that they are completely star formation quenched in both inner and outer regions. Compared to optically selected MRSGs, NUV − r selected MRSGs appear to be more concentrated and have more massive dark matter haloes. The similarities between S0s and MRSGs suggest the possible evolutionary trend between MRSGs and S0s.

The local Universe in the era of large surveys – III. Radial activity profiles of S0 galaxies

ABSTRACT Spatially resolved MaNGA’s optical spectra of 1072 present-day lenticular (S0) galaxies, dimensionally reduced from a principal component analysis (PCA), are used to determine their radial activity structure shaped by any possible nebular ionization source. Activity profiles within $1.5\,$Re are examined in tandem with the mass, age, ellipticity, and kinematics of the stars, as well as environmental density. Among the results of this comparison, we find that the sign of the radial activity gradient of S0s is tightly related to their PCA classification, BPT designation, and star formation status. PCA-passive lenticulars often show low-level, flat activity profiles, although there is also a significant number of systems with positive gradients, while their less common active counterparts generally have negative gradients, usually associated with high SSFRs and, sometimes, moderate Seyfert emission. A fraction of the latter also shows radial activity profiles with positive gradients, which become more abundant with increasing stellar mass regardless of environmental density. Our analysis also reveals that the subset of active S0s with negative gradients experiences at all galactocentric radii a systematic reduction in its median activity level with stellar mass, consistent with expectations for main-sequence galaxies. In contrast, passive S0s with positive gradients show the opposite behaviour. Furthermore, systems whose activity is dominated by star formation are structurally rounder than the rest of S0s, while those classified as Seyfert exhibit higher rotational support. The possibility that negative and positive activity gradients in S0s may result from rejuvenation by two distinct types of minor mergers is raised.

Statistical study of a large and cleaned sample of ultraluminous and hyperluminous X-ray sources

Context. Ultraluminous and hyperluminous X-ray (ULX and HLX) sources could constitute interesting laboratories to further improve our understanding of the supermassive black hole growth through super-Eddington accretion episodes and successive mergers of lighter holes. ULXs are thought to be powered by super-Eddington accretion onto stellar-mass compact objects, while HLXs are of an unknown nature, but they could be good candidates for accreting intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs). However, a significant portion of the sample of ULX and HLX candidates derived from catalogue searches are in fact background active galactic nuclei (AGN). Aims. Here we build samples of ULXs and HLXs from the three largest X-ray catalogues available, compiled from XMM-Newton, Swift-XRT, and Chandra detections, and the GLADE catalogue containing 1.7 million galaxies at D < 1000 Mpc. We aim to characterise the frequency, environment, hardness, and variability of ULXs and HLXs to better assess their differences and understand their populations. Methods. After a thorough classification of these X-ray sources, we were able to remove ∼42% of sources with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 3 which were shown to be contaminants, to obtain the cleanest sample of ULXs and HLXs to date. From a sample of 1342 ULXs and 191 HLXs detected with a S/N > 3σ, we study the occupation fraction, hardness, variability, radial distribution, and preferred environment of the sources. We built their Malmquist-corrected X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) and compared them with previous studies. Thanks to the unprecedented size of the sample, we were able to statistically compare ULXs and HLXs and assess the differences in their nature. The interpretation of HLXs as IMBHs is investigated. Results. A significant break is seen in the XLF at ∼1040 erg s−1. With our ULX sample, containing ≲2% of contaminants, we are able to confirm that ULXs are located preferentially in spiral galaxies and galaxies with higher star formation rates. While X-ray binaries (XRBs), ULXs, and most HLXs share common hardness and variability distributions, a fraction of HLXs appear significantly softer. Unlike ULXs, HLXs seem to reside equally in spiral as well as lenticular and elliptical galaxies. We note that 35% of the HLX candidates have an optical counterpart, and we estimate the mass of 120 of them to be in the range of 2 × 103 − 105 M⊙. Most of the HLX population is found to be consistent with an accreting massive black hole in a dwarf galaxy satellite of the primary host. This diverse nature needs to be confirmed with deeper optical and infrared observations, as well as upcoming X-ray facilities.

Specific star formation rates in the Mbh-M*,sph diagram and the evolutionary pathways of galaxies across the sSFR-M* diagram

ABSTRACT It has been suggested that the bulge-to-total stellar mass ratio or feedback from black holes (BHs), traced by the BH-to-(total stellar) mass ratio, might establish a galaxy’s specific star formation rate (sSFR). We reveal that a galaxy’s morphology – reflecting its formation history, particularly accretions and mergers – is a far better determinant of the sSFR. Consequently, we suggest that galaxy formation models which regulate the sSFR primarily through BH feedback prescriptions or bulge-regulated disc fragmentation consider acquisitions and mergers which establish the galaxy morphology. We additionally make several new observations regarding current (z ∼ 0) star-formation rates. (i) Galaxies with little to no star formation have bulges with an extensive range of stellar masses; bulge mass does not dictate presence/absence on the ‘star-forming main sequence’. (ii) The (wet merger)-built, dust-rich S0 galaxies are the ‘green valley’ bridging population between elliptical galaxies on the ‘red sequence’ and spiral galaxies on the blue star-forming main sequence. (iii) The dust-poor S0 galaxies are not on the star-forming main sequence nor in the ‘green valley’. Instead, they wait in the field for gas accretion and/or minor mergers to transform them into spiral galaxies. Mid-infrared sample selection can miss these (primordial) low dust-content and low stellar-luminosity S0 galaxies. Finally, the appearance of the quasi-triangular-shaped galaxy-assembly sequence, previously dubbed the `Triangal', which tracks the morphological evolution of galaxies, is revealed in the sSFR-(stellar mass) diagram.