The FMOS-COSMOS survey of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1.6. II. The mass-metallicity relation and the dependence on star formation rate and dust extinction
- Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
- Division of Particle and Astrophysical Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8602 (Japan)
- Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), Todai Institutes for Advanced Study, the University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, 277-8583 (Japan)
- Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611 (Australia)
- CEA-Saclay, Service d'Astrophysique, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
- INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy)
- Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università di Padova, vicolo dell Osservatorio 3, I-35122 Padova (Italy)
- The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8302 (Japan)
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Subaru Telescope, 650 North Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)
- National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)
- Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli-strasse 27, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)
- Vienna University, Department of Astrophysics, Tuerkenschanzstrasse 17, 1180 Vienna (Austria)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, 13388, Marseille (France)
We investigate the relationships between stellar mass, gas-phase oxygen abundance (metallicity), star formation rate (SFR), and dust content of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1.6 using Subaru/FMOS spectroscopy in the COSMOS field. The mass-metallicity (MZ) relation at z ∼ 1.6 is steeper than the relation observed in the local universe. The steeper MZ relation at z ∼ 1.6 is mainly due to evolution in the stellar mass where the MZ relation begins to turnover and flatten. This turnover mass is 1.2 dex larger at z ∼ 1.6. The most massive galaxies at z ∼ 1.6 (∼10{sup 11} M {sub ☉}) are enriched to the level observed in massive galaxies in the local universe. The MZ relation we measure at z ∼ 1.6 supports the suggestion of an empirical upper metallicity limit that does not significantly evolve with redshift. We find an anti-correlation between metallicity and SFR for galaxies at a fixed stellar mass at z ∼ 1.6, which is similar to trends observed in the local universe. We do not find a relation between stellar mass, metallicity, and SFR that is independent of redshift; rather, our data suggest that there is redshift evolution in this relation. We examine the relation between stellar mass, metallicity, and dust extinction, and find that at a fixed stellar mass, dustier galaxies tend to be more metal rich. From examination of the stellar masses, metallicities, SFRs, and dust extinctions, we conclude that stellar mass is most closely related to dust extinction.
- OSTI ID:
- 22365177
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 792, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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