The evolution of post-starburst galaxies from z=2 to 0.5
Abstract
We present the evolution in the number density and stellar mass functions of photometrically selected post-starburst galaxies in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey, with redshifts of 0.5 < z < 2 and stellar masses log (M/M⊙) >10. We find that this transitionary species of galaxy is rare at all redshifts, contributing ∼5 per cent of the total population at z ∼ 2, to <1 per cent by z ∼ 0.5. By comparing the mass functions of quiescent galaxies to post-starburst galaxies at three cosmic epochs, we show that rapid quenching of star formation can account for 100 per cent of quiescent galaxy formation, if the post-starburst spectral features are visible for ∼250 Myr. The flattening of the low-mass end of the quiescent galaxy stellar mass function seen at z ∼ 1 can be entirely explained by the addition of rapidly quenched galaxies. Only if a significant fraction of post-starburst galaxies have features that are visible for longer than 250 Myr, or they acquire new gas and return to the star-forming sequence, can there be significant growth of the red sequence from a slower quenching route. The shape of the mass function of these transitory post-starburst galaxies resembles that of quiescent galaxies at z ∼ 2, with a preferred stellar mass of log (M/M⊙) ∼10.6, but evolves steadily to resemble that of star-forming galaxies at z < 1. This leads us to propose a dual origin for post-starburst galaxies: (1) at z ≳ 2 they are exclusively massive galaxies that have formed the bulk of their stars during a rapid assembly period, followed by complete quenching of further star formation; (2) at z ≲ 1 they are caused by the rapid quenching of gas-rich star-forming galaxies, independent of stellar mass, possibly due to environment and/or gas-rich major mergers.
Citation
Wild , V , Almaini , O , Dunlop , J , Simpson , C , Rowlands , K , Bowler , R , Maltby , D & McLure , R 2016 , ' The evolution of post-starburst galaxies from z=2 to 0.5 ' , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , vol. 463 , no. 1 , pp. 832-844 . https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw1996
Publication
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0035-8711Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright 2016 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw1996
Description
V. W. and K. R. acknowledge support of the European Research Council via the award of a starting grant (SEDMorph; P.I. V. Wild).Collections
Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
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