Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey
In order to assess whether the environment has a significant effect on galaxy sizes, we compare the mass–size relations of cluster and field galaxies in the 0.4<z<0.8 red-shift range from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) using Hubble Space Telescope images. We analyse two mass-selected...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
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Oxford University Press
2015
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42051/ |
| _version_ | 1848796406698999808 |
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| author | Kelkar, K. Aragón-Salamanca, A. Gray, M.E. Maltby, D. Vulcani, B. De Lucia, G. Poggianti, B.M. Zaritsky, D. |
| author_facet | Kelkar, K. Aragón-Salamanca, A. Gray, M.E. Maltby, D. Vulcani, B. De Lucia, G. Poggianti, B.M. Zaritsky, D. |
| author_sort | Kelkar, K. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In order to assess whether the environment has a significant effect on galaxy sizes, we compare the mass–size relations of cluster and field galaxies in the 0.4<z<0.8 red-shift range from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) using Hubble Space Telescope images. We analyse two mass-selected samples, one defined using photometric redshifts(10.2≤logM∗/M≤12.0), and a smaller more robust subsample using spectroscopic red-shifts (10.6≤logM∗/M≤11.8). We find no significant difference in the size distributions of cluster and field galaxies of a given morphology. Similarly, we find no significant difference in the size distributions of cluster and field galaxies of similar rest-frame B−V colours. We rule out average size differences larger than 10–20 per cent in both cases. Consistent conclusions are found with the spectroscopic and photometric samples. These results have important consequences for the physical process(es) responsible for the size evolution of galaxies, and in particular the effect of the environment. The remarkable growth in galaxy size observed from z∼2.5 has been reported to depend on the environment at higher redshifts (z>1), with early-type/passive galaxies in higher density environments growing earlier. Such dependence disappears at lower redshifts. Therefore, if the reported difference at higher-z is real, the growth of field galaxies has caught up with that of cluster galaxies by z∼1. Any putative mechanism responsible for galaxy growth has to account for the existence of environmental differences at high redshift and their absence (or weakening) at lower redshifts. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:47:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-42051 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:47:29Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-420512024-08-15T15:16:52Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42051/ Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey Kelkar, K. Aragón-Salamanca, A. Gray, M.E. Maltby, D. Vulcani, B. De Lucia, G. Poggianti, B.M. Zaritsky, D. In order to assess whether the environment has a significant effect on galaxy sizes, we compare the mass–size relations of cluster and field galaxies in the 0.4<z<0.8 red-shift range from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS) using Hubble Space Telescope images. We analyse two mass-selected samples, one defined using photometric redshifts(10.2≤logM∗/M≤12.0), and a smaller more robust subsample using spectroscopic red-shifts (10.6≤logM∗/M≤11.8). We find no significant difference in the size distributions of cluster and field galaxies of a given morphology. Similarly, we find no significant difference in the size distributions of cluster and field galaxies of similar rest-frame B−V colours. We rule out average size differences larger than 10–20 per cent in both cases. Consistent conclusions are found with the spectroscopic and photometric samples. These results have important consequences for the physical process(es) responsible for the size evolution of galaxies, and in particular the effect of the environment. The remarkable growth in galaxy size observed from z∼2.5 has been reported to depend on the environment at higher redshifts (z>1), with early-type/passive galaxies in higher density environments growing earlier. Such dependence disappears at lower redshifts. Therefore, if the reported difference at higher-z is real, the growth of field galaxies has caught up with that of cluster galaxies by z∼1. Any putative mechanism responsible for galaxy growth has to account for the existence of environmental differences at high redshift and their absence (or weakening) at lower redshifts. Oxford University Press 2015-06-01 Article PeerReviewed Kelkar, K., Aragón-Salamanca, A., Gray, M.E., Maltby, D., Vulcani, B., De Lucia, G., Poggianti, B.M. and Zaritsky, D. (2015) Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 450 (2). pp. 1246-1255. ISSN 0035-8711 galaxies: clusters: general – galaxies: elliptical and lenticular cD – galaxies: evolution – galaxies: fundamental parameters – galaxies: spiral – galaxies: statistics. https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/mnras/stv670 doi:10.1093/mnras/stv670 doi:10.1093/mnras/stv670 |
| spellingShingle | galaxies: clusters: general – galaxies: elliptical and lenticular cD – galaxies: evolution – galaxies: fundamental parameters – galaxies: spiral – galaxies: statistics. Kelkar, K. Aragón-Salamanca, A. Gray, M.E. Maltby, D. Vulcani, B. De Lucia, G. Poggianti, B.M. Zaritsky, D. Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title | Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title_full | Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title_fullStr | Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title_short | Galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey |
| title_sort | galaxy sizes as a function of environment at intermediate redshift from the eso distant cluster survey |
| topic | galaxies: clusters: general – galaxies: elliptical and lenticular cD – galaxies: evolution – galaxies: fundamental parameters – galaxies: spiral – galaxies: statistics. |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42051/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42051/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/42051/ |