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An evolving and mass-dependent σsSFR–M ⋆ relation for galaxies
- Source :
- The astrophysical journal, 2019, Vol.879(1), pp.11 [Peer Reviewed Journal], ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Astrophysical Journal (0004-637X), 879(1), 11
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Institute of Physics, 2019.
-
Abstract
- The scatter (${\rm\sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$) of the specific star formation rates (sSFRs) of galaxies is a measure of the diversity in their star formation histories (SFHs) at a given mass. In this paper we employ the EAGLE simulations to study the dependence of the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$ of galaxies on stellar mass (${\rm M_{\star}}$) through the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$-${\rm M_{\star}}$ relation in $ {\rm z \sim 0-4}$. We find that the relation evolves with time, with the dispersion depending on both stellar mass and redshift. The models point to an evolving U-shape form for the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$-${\rm M_{\star}}$ relation with the scatter being minimal at a characteristic mass $M^{\star}$ of ${\rm 10^{9.5}}$ ${\rm M_{\odot}}$ and increasing both at lower and higher masses. This implication is that the diversity of SFHs increases towards both at the low- and high-mass ends. We find that active galactic nuclei feedback is important for increasing the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$ for high mass objects. On the other hand, we suggest that SNe feedback increases the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$ of galaxies at the low-mass end. We also find that excluding galaxies that have experienced recent mergers does not significantly affect the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$-${\rm M_{\star}}$ relation. Furthermore, we employ the combination of the EAGLE simulations with the radiative transfer code SKIRT to evaluate the effect of SFR/stellar mass diagnostics in the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$-${\rm M_{\star}}$ relation and find that the ${\rm SFR/M_{\star}}$ methodologies (e.g. SED fitting, UV+IR, UV+IRX-$\beta$) widely used in the literature to obtain intrinsic properties of galaxies have a large effect on the derived shape and normalization of the ${\rm \sigma_{\text{sSFR}}}$-${\rm M_{\star}}$ relation.
- Subjects :
- ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
Active galactic nucleus
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Stellar mass
Star (game theory)
Astrophysics
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
01 natural sciences
STAR-FORMATION-RATE
surveys
0103 physical sciences
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Physics
theory [cosmology]
Star formation
MAJOR MERGER RATE
Sigma
Astronomy and Astrophysics
M-ASTERISK RELATION
BLACK-HOLE GROWTH
Redshift
Galaxy
FORMATION RATES
Physics and Astronomy
DUST RADIATIVE-TRANSFER
Space and Planetary Science
DARK-MATTER HALOES
High mass
EAGLE SIMULATIONS
star formation [galaxies]
STELLAR MASS
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 0004637X and 15384357
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The astrophysical journal, 2019, Vol.879(1), pp.11 [Peer Reviewed Journal], ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, Astrophysical Journal (0004-637X), 879(1), 11
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b3019bcc99d2782efe178486ce12d6af