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We present an analysis of the properties of the lowest Hα-luminosity galaxies (LHα≤ 4 × 1032 W; SFR < 0.02 M⊙ yr−1, with SFR denoting the star formation rate) in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly survey. These galaxies make up the rise above a Schechter function in the number density of systems seen at the faint end of the Hα luminosity function. Above our flux limit, we find that these galaxies are principally composed of intrinsically low stellar mass systems (median stellar mass = 2.5 × 108 M⊙) with only 5/90 having stellar masses M > 1010 M⊙. The low-SFR systems are found to exist predominantly in the lowest-density environments (median density ∼0.02 galaxy Mpc−2) with none in environments more dense than ∼1.5 galaxy Mpc−2. Their current specific SFRs (SSFRs; −8.5 < log [SSFR (yr −1)] < −12) are consistent with their having had a variety of star formation histories. The low-density environments of these galaxies demonstrate that such low-mass, star-forming systems can only remain as low mass and form stars if they reside sufficiently far from other galaxies to avoid being accreted, dispersed through tidal effects or having their gas reservoirs rendered ineffective through external processes more...

We present ALMA detections of the [CII] 158 micron emission line and the underlying far-infrared continuum of three quasars at 6.6~6 quasar hosts correlate with the quasar's bolometric luminosity. In one quasar, the [CII] line is significantly redshifted by ~1700 km/s with respect to the MgII broad emission line. Comparing to values in the literature, we find that, on average, the MgII is blueshifted by 480 km/s (with a standard deviation of 630 km/s) with respect to the host galaxy redshift, i.e. one of our quasars is an extreme outlier. Through modeling we can rule out a flat rotation curve for our brightest [CII] emitter. Finally, we find that the ratio of black hole mass to host galaxy (dynamical) mass is higher by a factor 3-4 (with significant scatter) than local relations., 16 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ more...

Studying quasars at the highest redshifts can constrain models of galaxy and black hole formation, and it also probes the intergalactic medium in the early universe. Optical surveys have to date discovered more than 60 quasars up to z~6.4, a limit set by the use of the z-band and CCD detectors. Only one z>6.4 quasar has been discovered, namely the z=7.08 quasar ULAS J1120+0641, using near-infrared imaging. Here we report the discovery of three new z>6.4 quasars in 332 square degrees of the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) survey, thus extending the number from 1 to 4. The newly discovered quasars have redshifts of z=6.60, 6.75, and 6.89. The absolute magnitudes are between -26.0 and -25.5, 0.6-1.1 mag fainter than ULAS J1120+0641. Near-infrared spectroscopy revealed the MgII emission line in all three objects. The quasars are powered by black holes with masses of ~(1-2)x10^9 M_sun. In our probed redshift range of 6.4410^9 M_sun) > 1.1x10^(-9) Mpc^(-3). The discovery of three quasars in our survey area is consistent with the z=6 quasar luminosity function when extrapolated to z~7. We do not find evidence for a steeper decline in the space density of quasars with increasing redshift from z=6 to z=7., 14 pages, 9 figures. Published in ApJ more...

This paper describes the first catalogue of photometrically derived stellar mass estimates for intermediate-redshift (z < 0.65; median z= 0.2) galaxies in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) spectroscopic redshift survey. These masses, as well as the full set of ancillary stellar population parameters, will be made public as part of GAMA data release 2. Although the GAMA database does include near-infrared (NIR) photometry, we show that the quality of our stellar population synthesis fits is significantly poorer when these NIR data are included. Further, for a large fraction of galaxies, the stellar population parameters inferred from the optical-plus-NIR photometry are formally inconsistent with those inferred from the optical data alone. This may indicate problems in our stellar population library, or NIR data issues, or both; these issues will be addressed for future versions of the catalogue. For now, we have chosen to base our stellar mass estimates on optical photometry only. In light of our decision to ignore the available NIR data, we examine how well stellar mass can be constrained based on optical data alone. We use generic properties of stellar population synthesis models to demonstrate that restframe colour alone is in principle a very good estimator of stellar mass-to-light ratio, M*/Li. Further, we use the observed relation between restframe (g−i) and M*/Li for real GAMA galaxies to argue that, modulo uncertainties in the stellar evolution models themselves, (g−i) colour can in practice be used to estimate M*/Li to an accuracy of ≲0.1 dex (1σ). This ‘empirically calibrated’ (g−i)–M*/Li relation offers a simple and transparent means for estimating galaxies’ stellar masses based on minimal data, and so provides a solid basis for other surveys to compare their results to z≲0.4 measurements from GAMA. more...

We investigate the properties of satellite galaxies that surround isolated hosts within the redshift range 0.01 < z < 0.15, using data taken as part of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly survey. Making use of isolation and satellite criteria that take into account stellar mass estimates, we find 3514 isolated galaxies of which 1426 host a total of 2998 satellites. Separating the red and blue populations of satellites and hosts, using colour-mass diagrams, we investigate the radial distribution of satellite galaxies and determine how the red fraction of satellites varies as a function of satellite mass, host mass and the projected distance from their host. Comparing the red fraction of satellites to a control sample of small neighbours at greater projected radii, we show that the increase in red fraction is primarily a function of host mass. The satellite red fraction is about 0.2 higher than the control sample for hosts with 11.0 < log M_* < 11.5, while the red fractions show no difference for hosts with 10.0 < log M_* < 10.5. For the satellites of more massive hosts the red fraction also increases as a function of decreasing projected distance. Our results suggest that the likely main mechanism for the quenching of star formation in satellites hosted by isolated galaxies is strangulation., 15 pages, 8 figures, accepted by MNRAS more...

This paper describes the first catalogue of photometrically-derived stellar mass estimates for intermediate-redshift (z < 0.65) galaxies in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) spectroscopic redshift survey. These masses, as well as the full set of ancillary stellar population parameters, will be made public as part of GAMA data release 2. Although the GAMA database does include NIR photometry, we show that the quality of our stellar population synthesis fits is significantly poorer when these NIR data are included. Further, for a large fraction of galaxies, the stellar population parameters inferred from the optical-plus-NIR photometry are formally inconsistent with those inferred from the optical data alone. This may indicate problems in our stellar population library, or NIR data issues, or both; these issues will be addressed for future versions of the catalogue. For now, we have chosen to base our stellar mass estimates on optical photometry only. In light of our decision to ignore the available NIR data, we examine how well stellar mass can be constrained based on optical data alone. We use generic properties of stellar population synthesis models to demonstrate that restframe colour alone is in principle a very good estimator of stellar mass-to-light ratio, M*/Li. Further, we use the observed relation between restframe (g-i) and M*/Li for real GAMA galaxies to argue that, modulo uncertainties in the stellar evolution models themselves, (g-i) colour can in practice be used to estimate M*/Li to an accuracy of < ~0.1 dex. This 'empirically calibrated' (g-i)-M*/Li relation offers a simple and transparent means for estimating galaxies' stellar masses based on minimal data, and so provides a solid basis for other surveys to compare their results to z < ~0.4 measurements from GAMA., Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 35 pages; 21 figures including 6 in 2 appendices -- v2. corrected three extremely embarrassing typos in coauthors' names as they appeared in the arXiv metadata; manuscript text is unchanged more...

We present an analysis of the properties of the lowest Halpha-luminosity galaxies (L_Halpha10^10 Msun. The low SFR systems are found to exist predominantly in the lowest density environments (median density ~0.02 galaxy Mpc^-2 with none in environments more dense than ~1.5 galaxy Mpc^-2). Their current specific star formation rates (SSFR; -8.5 < log(SSFR[yr^-1]), Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in MNRAS more...

The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey is the first to observe more than 100,000 redshifts. This allows precise measurements of many of the key statistics of galaxy clustering, in particular redshift-space distortions and the large-scale power spectrum. This paper presents the current 2dFGRS results in these areas. Redshift-space distortions are detected with a high degree of significance, confirming the detailed Kaiser distortion from large-scale infall velocities, and measuring the distortion parameter beta equiv Omega_m^{0.6}/b = 0.43 +- 0.07. The power spectrum is measured to < 10% accuracy for k > 0.02 h Mpc^{-1}, and is well fitted by a CDM model with Omega_m h = 0.20 +- 0.03 and a baryon fraction of 0.15 +- 0.07. A joint analysis with CMB data requires Omega_m = 0.29 +- 0.05, assuming scalar fluctuations, but no priors on other parameters. Two methods are used to determine the large-scale bias parameter: an internal bispectrum analysis yields b = 1.04 +- 0.11, in very good agreement with the b = 1.10 +- 0.08 obtained from a joint 2dFGRS+CMB analysis, again assuming scalar fluctuations. These figures refer to galaxies of approximate luminosity 2L^*; luminosity dependence of clustering is detected at high significance, and is well described by b/b^* = 0.85 + 0.15(L/L^*)., 20 Pages. To appear in "A New Era in Cosmology" (ASP Conference Proceedings), eds T. Shanks and N. Metcalfe. Replaced with minor corrections to match revised 2dFGRS bias paper more...

The algorithm ZTRACE of Monaco & Efstathiou (1999) is applied to the IRAS PSCz catalogue to reconstruct the initial conditions of our local Universe with a resolution down to ~5 Mpc/h. The 1-point PDF of the reconstructed initial conditions is consistent with the assumptions that (i) IRAS galaxies trace mass on scales of ~5 Mpc/h, and (ii) the statistics of primordial density fluctuations is Gaussian. We use simulated PSCz catalogues, constructed from N-body simulations with Gaussian initial conditions, to show that local non-linear bias can cause the recovered initial PDF (assuming no bias) to be non-Gaussian. However, for plausible bias models, the distortions of the recovered PDF would be difficult to detect using the volume finely sampled by the PSCz catalogue. So, for Gaussian initial conditions, a range of bias models remain compatible with our PSCz reconstruction results., 13 pages, figures included (needs mn.sty), in press on MNRAS more...

The Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) is an optical wide-field imaging survey carried out with the VLT Survey Telescope and the OmegaCAM camera. KiDS will image 1500 square degrees in four filters (ugri), and together with its near-infrared counterpart VIKING will produce deep photometry in nine bands. Designed for weak lensing shape and photometric redshift measurements, the core science driver of the survey is mapping the large-scale matter distribution in the Universe back to a redshift of ~0.5. Secondary science cases are manifold, covering topics such as galaxy evolution, Milky Way structure, and the detection of high-redshift clusters and quasars. KiDS is an ESO Public Survey and dedicated to serving the astronomical community with high-quality data products derived from the survey data, as well as with calibration data. Public data releases will be made on a yearly basis, the first two of which are presented here. For a total of 148 survey tiles (~160 sq.deg.) astrometrically and photometrically calibrated, coadded ugri images have been released, accompanied by weight maps, masks, source lists, and a multi-band source catalog. A dedicated pipeline and data management system based on the Astro-WISE software system, combined with newly developed masking and source classification software, is used for the data production of the data products described here. The achieved data quality and early science projects based on the data products in the first two data releases are reviewed in order to validate the survey data. Early scientific results include the detection of nine high-z QSOs, fifteen candidate strong gravitational lenses, high-quality photometric redshifts and galaxy structural parameters for hundreds of thousands of galaxies. (Abridged), Comment: 26 pages, 26 figures, 2 appendices; two new figures, several textual clarifications, updated references; accepted for publication in A&A more...

The algorithm ZTRACE of Monaco & Efstathiou is applied to the IRAS PSCz catalogue to reconstruct the initial conditions of our local Universe with a resolution down to similar to5 h(-1) Mpc. The one-point probability distribution function (PDF) of the reconstructed initial conditions is consistent with the assumptions that: (i) IRAS galaxies trace mass on scales of similar to5 h(-1) Mpc and (ii) the statistics of the primordial density fluctuations are Gaussian. We use simulated PSCz catalogues, constructed from N-body simulations with Gaussian initial conditions, to show that local non-linear bias can cause the recovered initial PDF (assuming no bias) to be non-Gaussian. However, for plausible bias models, the distortions of the recovered PDF would be difficult to detect using the volume finely sampled by the PSCz catalogue. So, for Gaussian initial conditions, a range of bias models remain compatible with our PSCz reconstruction results. more...