The origins of post-starburst galaxies at z <0.05
| Autor: | Y. Zheng, Kate Rowlands, Noelia Jimenez, Natalia Lahén, Jairo Méndez-Abreu, W. Lucas, C. J. Walcher, Peter H. Johansson, M. M. Pawlik, L. Taj Aldeen, Vivienne Wild |
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| Přispěvatelé: | Department of Physics, European Research Council, University of St Andrews. School of Physics and Astronomy |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
Higher education structure [Galaxies] Library science FOS: Physical sciences galaxies: starburst interactions [Galaxies] Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics 01 natural sciences SIMILAR-TO 1 Hubble space telescope 0103 physical sciences galaxies: interactions STELLAR POPULATION GRADIENTS QB Astronomy Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics 010303 astronomy & astrophysics QC Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics QB STAR-FORMATION HISTORIES Physics BUTCHER-OEMLER CLUSTERS 010308 nuclear & particles physics business.industry European research Astronomy and Astrophysics DAS HUBBLE-SPACE-TELESCOPE evolution [Galaxies] 115 Astronomy Space science Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies INTERMEDIATE-REDSHIFT CLUSTERS Scholarship starburst [Galaxies] QC Physics Space and Planetary Science Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) galaxies: stellar content SMOOTHED PARTICLE HYDRODYNAMICS galaxies: structure DIGITAL SKY SURVEY Christian ministry stellar content [Galaxies] Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics DELTA-STRONG GALAXIES business galaxies: evolution |
| Popis: | Post-starburst galaxies can be identified via the presence of prominent Hydrogen Balmer absorption lines in their spectra. We present a comprehensive study of the origin of strong Balmer lines in a volume-limited sample of 189 galaxies with $0.019.5$ and projected axis ratio $b/a>0.32$. We explore their structural properties, environments, emission lines and star formation histories, and compare them to control samples of star-forming and quiescent galaxies, and simulated galaxy mergers. Excluding contaminants, in which the strong Balmer lines are most likely caused by dust-star geometry, we find evidence for three different pathways through the post-starburst phase, with most events occurring in intermediate-density environments: (1) a significant disruptive event, such as a gas-rich major merger, causing a starburst and growth of a spheroidal component, followed by quenching of the star formation (70% of post-starburst galaxies at $9.510.5$); (2) at $9.510.5$, cyclic evolution of quiescent galaxies which gradually move towards the high-mass end of the red sequence through weak starbursts, possibly as a result of a merger with a smaller gas-rich companion (40%). Our analysis suggests that AGN are `on' for $50%$ of the duration of the post-starburst phase, meaning that traditional samples of post-starburst galaxies with strict emission line cuts will be at least $50%$ incomplete due to the exclusion of narrow-line AGN. Comment: Accepted by MNRAS; 19 figures, 39 pages |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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