Back to Search Start Over

The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey. The Assembly History of the Stellar Mass in Galaxies: from the Young to the Old Universe

The VIMOS VLT Deep Survey. The Assembly History of the Stellar Mass in Galaxies: from the Young to the Old Universe

Authors :
Pozzetti, L.
Bolzonella, M.
Lamareille, F.
Zamorani, G.
Franzetti, P.
Fèvre, O. Le
Iovino, A.
Temporin, S.
Ilbert, O.
Arnouts, S.
Charlot, S.
Brinchmann, J.
Zucca, E.
Tresse, L.
Scodeggio, M.
Guzzo, L.
Bottini, D.
Garilli, B.
Brun, V. Le
Maccagni, D.
Picat, J. P.
Scaramella, R.
Vettolani, G.
Zanichelli, A.
Adami, C.
Bardelli, S.
Cappi, A.
Ciliegi, P.
Contini, T.
Foucaud, S.
Gavignaud, I.
McCracken, H. J.
Marano, B.
Marinoni, C.
Mazure, A.
Meneux, B.
Merighi, R.
Paltani, S.
Pellò, R.
Pollo, A.
Radovich, M.
Bondi, M.
Bongiorno, A.
Cucciati, O.
de la Torre, S.
Gregorini, L.
Mellier, Y.
Merluzzi, P.
Vergani, D.
Walcher, C. J.
Pozzetti, L.
Bolzonella, M.
Lamareille, F.
Zamorani, G.
Franzetti, P.
Fèvre, O. Le
Iovino, A.
Temporin, S.
Ilbert, O.
Arnouts, S.
Charlot, S.
Brinchmann, J.
Zucca, E.
Tresse, L.
Scodeggio, M.
Guzzo, L.
Bottini, D.
Garilli, B.
Brun, V. Le
Maccagni, D.
Picat, J. P.
Scaramella, R.
Vettolani, G.
Zanichelli, A.
Adami, C.
Bardelli, S.
Cappi, A.
Ciliegi, P.
Contini, T.
Foucaud, S.
Gavignaud, I.
McCracken, H. J.
Marano, B.
Marinoni, C.
Mazure, A.
Meneux, B.
Merighi, R.
Paltani, S.
Pellò, R.
Pollo, A.
Radovich, M.
Bondi, M.
Bongiorno, A.
Cucciati, O.
de la Torre, S.
Gregorini, L.
Mellier, Y.
Merluzzi, P.
Vergani, D.
Walcher, C. J.
Publication Year :
2007

Abstract

We present a detailed analysis of the Galaxy Stellar Mass Function of galaxies up to z=2.5 as obtained from the VVDS. We estimate the stellar mass from broad-band photometry using 2 different assumptions on the galaxy star formation history and show that the addition of secondary bursts to a continuous star formation history produces systematically higher (up to 40%) stellar masses. At low redshift (z=0.2) we find a substantial population of low-mass galaxies (<10^9 Msun) composed by faint blue galaxies (M_I-M_K=0.3). In general the stellar mass function evolves slowly up to z=0.9 and more significantly above this redshift. Conversely, a massive tail is present up to z=2.5 and have extremely red colours (M_I-M_K=0.7-0.8). We find a decline with redshift of the overall number density of galaxies for all masses (59+-5% for M>10^8 Msun at z=1), and a mild mass-dependent average evolution (`mass-downsizing'). In particular our data are consistent with mild/negligible (<30%) evolution up to z=0.7 for massive galaxies (>6x10^10 Msun). For less massive systems the no-evolution scenario is excluded. A large fraction (>=50%) of massive galaxies have been already assembled and converted most of their gas into stars at z=1, ruling out the `dry mergers' as the major mechanism of their assembly history below z=1. This fraction decreases to 33% at z=2. Low-mass systems have decreased continuously in number and mass density (by a factor up to 4) from the present age to z=2, consistently with a prolonged mass assembly also at z<1.<br />Comment: 20 pages with 12 encapsulated figures. Version accepted by A&A

Details

Database :
OAIster
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.on1176372353
Document Type :
Electronic Resource
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1051.0004-6361:20077609