sSFR Profiles Research Articles

Massive Quiescent Disk Galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 1 in CANDELS: Color Gradients and Likely Origin

A rare population of massive disk-dominated quiescent galaxies has recently drawn much attention, which intrudes the red sequence (RS) population without destroying the underlying stellar disks. In this study, we have carefully identified 48 RS, disk-dominated galaxies with M * > 1010 M ⊙ between redshift 0.5 and 1.0 in all five CANDELS fields. These galaxies are well fitted by a two-component bulge plus disk model, and have the bulge-to-total ratio B/T < 0.4 in the both F814W and F160W bands. The fitting results indicate that these galaxies generally have extended stellar disks (∼3 kpc on average) and tiny bulge components (∼0.5 kpc on average). To understand their possible origins, we have also selected two control samples of 156 green valley (GV) and 309 blue cloud (BC) disk-dominated galaxies according to the same selection criteria. We study the UVI(U − V versus V − I) color gradients of these galaxies to infer their specific star formation rate (sSFR) gradients out to the maximum acceptable radii. We show that on average the disks in disk-dominated RS galaxies are fully quenched at all radii, whereas both the BC and GV disks are not fully quenched at any radii. We find that all the BC, GV, and RS disk galaxies generally have nearly flat sSFR profiles. We propose a potential formation mechanism, acknowledging that various other mechanisms (e.g., central compaction and active galactic nucleus feedback) might contribute, where massive quiescent disk-dominated galaxies are predominantly formed via a process of secular disk fading.

The miniJPAS Survey: The radial distribution of star formation rates in faint X-ray active galactic nuclei

We study the impact of black hole nuclear activity on both the global and radial star formation rate (SFR) profiles in X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the field of miniJPAS, the precursor of the much wider J-PAS project. Our sample includes 32 AGN with z &lt; 0.3 detected via the XMM-Newton and Chandra surveys. For comparison, we assembled a control sample of 71 star-forming (SF) galaxies with similar magnitudes, sizes, and redshifts. To derive the global properties of both the AGN and the control SF sample, we used CIGALE to fit the spectral energy distributions derived from the 56 narrowband and 4 broadband filters from miniJPAS. We find that AGN tend to reside in more massive galaxies than their SF counterparts. After matching samples based on stellar mass and comparing their SFRs and specific SFRs (sSFRs), no significant differences appear. This suggests that the presence of AGN does not strongly influence overall star formation. However, when we used miniJPAS as an integral field unit (IFU) to dissect galaxies along their position angle, a different picture emerges. We find that AGN tend to be more centrally concentrated in mass with respect to SF galaxies. Moreover, we find a suppression of the sSFR up to 1Re and then an enhancement beyond 1Re, strongly contrasting with the decreasing radial profile of sSFRs in SF galaxies. This could point to an inside-out quenching of AGN host galaxies. Additionally, we examined how the radial profiles of the sSFRs in AGN and SF galaxies depend on galaxy morphology, by dividing our sample into disk-dominated (DD), pseudo-bulge (PB), and bulge-dominated (BD) systems. In DD systems, AGN exhibit a flat sSFR profile in the central regions and enhanced star formation beyond 1Re, contrasting with SF galaxies. In PB systems, SF galaxies show a decreasing sSFR profile, while AGN hosts exhibit an inside-out quenching scenario. In BD systems, both populations demonstrate consistent flat sSFR profiles. These findings suggest that the reason we do not see differences on a global scale is because star formation is suppressed in the central regions and enhanced in the outer regions of AGN host galaxies. While limited in terms of sample size, this work highlights the potential of the upcoming J-PAS as a wide-field low-resolution IFU for thousands of nearby galaxies and AGN.

The age gradients of galaxies in EAGLE: outside-in quenching as the origin of young bulges in cluster galaxies

ABSTRACT Many disc galaxies in clusters have been found with bulges of similar age or younger than their surrounding discs, at odds with field galaxies of similar morphology and their expected inside-out formation. We use the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) simulations to test potential origins for this difference in field and cluster galaxies. We find, in agreement with observations, that on average disc-dominated field galaxies in the simulations have older inner regions, while similar galaxies in groups and clusters have similarly aged or younger inner regions. This environmental difference is a result of outside-in quenching of the cluster galaxies. Prior to group/cluster infall, galaxies of a given present-day mass and morphology exhibit a similar evolution in their specific star formation rate (sSFR) profiles. Post-infall, the outer sSFRs of group and cluster galaxies significantly decrease due to interstellar medium stripping, while the central sSFR remains similar to field galaxies. Field disc galaxies instead generally retain radially increasing sSFR profiles. Thus, field galaxies continue to develop negative age gradients (younger discs), while cluster galaxies instead develop positive age gradients (younger bulges).

The impact of quenching on galaxy profiles in the simba simulation

ABSTRACT We study specific star formation rate (sSFR) and gas profiles of star-forming (SF) and green valley (GV) galaxies in the simba cosmological hydrodynamic simulation. SF galaxy half-light radii (Rhalf) at z = 0 and their evolution (∝(1 + z)−0.78) agree with observations. Passive galaxy Rhalf agree with observations at high redshift, but by z = 0 are too large, owing to numerical heating. We compare simbaz = 0 sSFR radial profiles for SF and GV galaxies to observations. simba shows strong central depressions in star formation rate (SFR), sSFR, and gas fraction in GV galaxies and massive SF systems, qualitatively as observed, owing to black hole X-ray feedback, which pushes central gas outwards. Turning off X-ray feedback leads to centrally peaked sSFR profiles as in other simulations. In conflict with observations, simba yields GV galaxies with strongly dropping sSFR profiles beyond ≳Rhalf, regardless of active galactic nucleus feedback. The central depression owes to lowering molecular gas content; the drop in the outskirts owes to reduced star formation efficiency. simba’s satellites have higher central sSFR and lower outskirts sSFR than centrals, in qualitative agreement with observations. At z = 2, simba does not show central depressions in massive SF galaxies, suggesting simba’s X-ray feedback should be more active at high-z. High-resolution tests indicate central sSFR suppression is not sensitive to numerical resolution. Reproducing the central sSFR depression in z = 0 GV galaxies represents a unique success of simba. The remaining discrepancies highlight the importance of SFR and gas profiles in constraining quenching mechanisms.

Two growing modes and the morphology–quiescence relation in isolated galaxies

Quiescence in galaxies correlates strongly with the central density/morphology of the stellar distribution. We investigate two possible explanations for this morphology-quiescence relation: 1) the central density results from a dissipative core-building event ("compaction") that feeds an AGN that quenches the galaxy and 2) the central density results from inside-out growth by galaxy-wide star formation that is quenched by processes unrelated to the central density. We aim to distinguish these two scenarios using the MaNGA survey to determine profiles of stellar age, specific star formation rate (sSFR) and gas phase metallicity (O/H) as a function of stellar mass surface density within 1 kpc (Sigma_1kpc) and total stellar mass (M*). We find that gradients in age, sSFR and O/H depend on the galaxy's position on the Sigma_1kpc-M* diagram, suggesting at least two evolutionary pathways. The first pathway consists of galaxies with low Sigma_1kpc for their M* whose centres are old, metal-rich and suppressed in sSFR compared to their outskirts, consistent with the inside-out growth scenario. The second pathway, consistent with a compaction-like core-building scenario, consists of galaxies with higher Sigma_1kpc for their M*, whose centres are younger, enhanced in sSFR and metal-deficient compared to their outskirts. Moreover, the WISE-selected AGN fraction peaks in the same area of the Sigma_1kpc-M* diagram as the core-building pathway. The sSFR profiles of the quiescent population suggest that galaxies on the compaction-like path quench uniformly, while those on the inside-out growing path quench their centres first. Our results imply that both pathways contribute to the morphology-quiescence relation.

Effects of environment on sSFR profiles of late-type galaxies in the CALIFA survey

Aims. We explore the effects of environment on star formation in late-type galaxies by studying the dependence of the radial profiles of specific star formation rate (sSFR) on environment and the stellar mass, using a sample of 275 late-type galaxies drawn from the CALIFA survey. Methods. We consider three different discrete environments: field galaxies, galaxies in pairs, and galaxies in groups, with stellar masses 9 ≤ log(M⋆/M⊙) ≤ 12, and compare their sSFR profiles across the environments. Results. Our results suggest that the stellar mass is the main factor determining the sSFR profiles of late-type galaxies; the influence of AGNs and bars are secondary. We find that the relative size of the bulge plays a key role in depressing star formation towards the center of late-type galaxies. The group environment determines clear differences in the sSFR profiles of galaxies. We find evidence of an outside-in action upon galaxies with stellar masses 9 ≤ log(M⋆/M⊙) ≤ 10 in groups. We find a much stronger suppression of star formation in the inner regions of massive galaxies in groups, which may be an indication of a different merger history.

On the Transition of the Galaxy Quenching Mode at 0.5 &lt; z &lt; 1 in CANDELS

Abstract We investigate the galaxy quenching process at intermediate redshift using a sample of ∼4400 galaxies with M * &gt; 109 M ⊙ between redshift 0.5 and 1.0 in all five CANDELS fields. We divide this sample, using the integrated specific star formation rate (sSFR), into four subgroups: star-forming galaxies (SFGs) above and below the ridge of the star-forming main sequence (SFMS), transition galaxies and quiescent galaxies. We study their UVI (U − V versus V − I) color gradients to infer their sSFR gradients out to twice effective radii. We show that on average both star-forming and transition galaxies at all masses are not fully quenched at any radii, whereas quiescent galaxies are fully quenched at all radii. We find that at low masses (M * = 109–1010 M ⊙) SFGs both above and below the SFMS ridge generally have flat sSFR profiles, whereas the transition galaxies at the same masses generally have sSFRs that are more suppressed in their outskirts. In contrast, at high masses (M * &gt; 1010.5 M ⊙), SFGs above and below the SFMS ridge and transition galaxies generally have varying degrees of more centrally suppressed sSFRs relative to their outskirts. These findings indicate that at z ∼ 0.5–1.0 the main galaxy quenching mode depends on its already formed stellar mass, exhibiting a transition from “the outside-in” at M * ≤ 1010 M ⊙ to “the inside-out” at M * &gt; 1010.5 M ⊙. In other words, our findings support that internal processes dominate the quenching of massive galaxies, whereas external processes dominate the quenching of low-mass galaxies.

Dust Attenuation, Bulge Formation, and Inside-out Quenching of Star Formation in Star-forming Main Sequence Galaxies at z ∼ 2*

Abstract We derive 2D dust attenuation maps at ∼1 kpc resolution from the UV continuum for 10 galaxies on the z ∼ 2 star-forming main sequence (SFMS). Comparison with IR data shows that 9 out of 10 galaxies do not require further obscuration in addition to the UV-based correction, though our sample does not include the most heavily obscured, massive galaxies. The individual rest-frame V-band dust attenuation (A V) radial profiles scatter around an average profile that gently decreases from ∼1.8 mag in the center down to ∼0.6 mag at ∼3–4 half-mass radii. We use these maps to correct UV- and Hα-based star formation rates (SFRs), which agree with each other. At masses , the dust-corrected specific SFR (sSFR) profiles are on average radially constant at a mass-doubling timescale of ∼300 Myr, pointing at a synchronous growth of bulge and disk components. At masses , the sSFR profiles are typically centrally suppressed by a factor of ∼10 relative to the galaxy outskirts. With total central obscuration disfavored, this indicates that at least a fraction of massive z ∼ 2 SFMS galaxies have started their inside-out star formation quenching that will move them to the quenched sequence. In combination with other observations, galaxies above and below the ridge of the SFMS relation have, respectively, centrally enhanced and centrally suppressed sSFRs relative to their outskirts, supporting a picture where bulges are built owing to gas “compaction” that leads to a high central SFR as galaxies move toward the upper envelope of the SFMS.

SDSS IV MaNGA – sSFR profiles and the slow quenching of discs in green valley galaxies

We study radial profiles in H$\alpha$ equivalent width and specific star formation rate (sSFR) derived from spatially-resolved SDSS-IV MaNGA spectroscopy to gain insight on the physical mechanisms that suppress star formation and determine a galaxy's location in the SFR-$\rm M_\star$ diagram. Even within the star-forming `main sequence', the measured sSFR decreases with stellar mass, both in an integrated and spatially-resolved sense. Flat sSFR radial profiles are observed for $\rm log(M_\star/ M_\odot) < 10.5$, while star-forming galaxies of higher mass show a significant decrease in sSFR in the central regions, a likely consequence of both larger bulges and an inside-out growth history. Our primary focus is the green valley, constituted by galaxies lying below the star formation main sequence, but not fully passive. In the green valley we find sSFR profiles that are suppressed with respect to star-forming galaxies of the same mass at all galactocentric distances out to 2 effective radii. The responsible quenching mechanism therefore appears to affect the entire galaxy, not simply an expanding central region. The majority of green valley galaxies of $\rm log(M_\star/ M_\odot) > 10.0$ are classified spectroscopically as central low-ionisation emission-line regions (cLIERs). Despite displaying a higher central stellar mass concentration, the sSFR suppression observed in cLIER galaxies is not simply due to the larger mass of the bulge. Drawing a comparison sample of star forming galaxies with the same $\rm M_\star$ and $\rm \Sigma_{1~kpc}$ (the mass surface density within 1 kpc), we show that a high $\rm \Sigma_{1~kpc}$ is not a sufficient condition for determining central quiescence.

UVI colour gradients of 0.4 &lt; z &lt; 1.4 star-forming main-sequence galaxies in CANDELS: dust extinction and star formation profiles

This paper uses radial colour profiles to infer the distributions of dust, gas and star formation in z=0.4-1.4 star-forming main sequence galaxies. We start with the standard UVJ-based method to estimate dust extinction and specific star formation rate (sSFR). By replacing J with I band, a new calibration method suitable for use with ACS+WFC3 data is created (i.e. UVI diagram). Using a multi-wavelength multi-aperture photometry catalogue based on CANDELS, UVI colour profiles of 1328 galaxies are stacked in stellar mass and redshift bins. The resulting colour gradients, covering a radial range of 0.2--2.0 effective radii, increase strongly with galaxy mass and with global $A_V$. Colour gradient directions are nearly parallel to the Calzetti extinction vector, indicating that dust plays a more important role than stellar population variations. With our calibration, the resulting $A_V$ profiles fall much more slowly than stellar mass profiles over the measured radial range. sSFR gradients are nearly flat without central quenching signatures, except for $M_*>10^{10.5} M_{\odot}$, where central declines of 20--25 per cent are observed. Both sets of profiles agree well with previous radial sSFR and (continuum) $A_V$ measurements. They are also consistent with the sSFR profiles and, if assuming a radially constant gas-to-dust ratio, gas profiles in recent hydrodynamic models. We finally discuss the striking findings that SFR scales with stellar mass density in the inner parts of galaxies, and that dust content is high in the outer parts despite low stellar-mass surface densities there.

Specific Star Formation Rate Profiles in Nearby Spiral Galaxies: Quantifying the Inside‐Out Formation of Disks

We present specific star formation rate (sSFR) radial profiles for a sample of 161 relatively face-on spiral galaxies from the GALEX Atlas of Nearby Galaxies. The sSFR profiles are derived from GALEX and 2MASS (FUV - K) color profiles after a proper SFR calibration of the UV luminosity and K-band mass-to-light ratio are adopted. The (FUV - K) profiles were first corrected for foreground Galactic extinction and later for internal extinction using the ratio of the total-infrared (TIR) to FUV emission. For those objects where TIR-to-FUV ratio radial profiles were not available, the (FUV - NUV) color profiles were used as a measure of the UV slope. The sSFR radial gradients derived from these profiles allow us to quantify the inside-out scenario for the growth of spiral disks for the first time in the local universe. We find a large dispersion in the slope of the sSFR profiles with a slightly positive mean value, which implies a moderate inside-out disk formation. There is also a strong dependency of the value of this slope on the luminosity and size of the disks, with large systems showing a uniform, slightly positive slope in almost all cases and low-luminosity small disks showing a large dispersion with both positive and negative large values. While a majority of the galaxies can be interpreted as forming stars gradually either from inside out or from outside in, a few disks require episodes of enhanced recent growth with scale lengths of the SFR (or gas infall) being significantly larger at present than in the past. We do not find any clear dependence of the sSFR gradient on the environment (local galaxy density or presence of close neighbors).