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VELOCITY DISPERSIONS AND STELLAR POPULATIONS OF THE MOST COMPACT AND MASSIVE EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES AT REDSHIFT {approx}1

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
;  [1]; ; ;  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]; ; ; ;  [6]
  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2055 (United States)
  2. Departamento de Astrofisica, Facultad de CC. Fisicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid (Spain)
  3. Centro de Estudios de Fisica del Cosmos de Aragon, Plaza San Juan 1, Planta 2, 44001 Teruel (Spain)
  4. Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
  5. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)
  6. Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)
We present Gran-Telescopio-Canarias/OSIRIS optical spectra of four of the most compact and massive early-type galaxies (ETGs) in the Groth Strip Survey at redshift z {approx} 1, with effective radii R{sub e} = 0.5-2.4 kpc and photometric stellar masses M{sub *} = (1.2-4) x 10{sup 11} M{sub sun}. We find that these galaxies have velocity dispersions {sigma} = 156-236 km s{sup -1}. The spectra are well fitted by single stellar population models with approximately 1 Gyr of age and solar metallicity. We find that (1) the dynamical masses of these galaxies are systematically smaller by a factor of {approx}6 than the published stellar masses using BRIJK photometry, and (2) when estimating stellar masses as 0.7x M{sub dyn}, a combination of passive luminosity fading with mass/size growth due to minor mergers can plausibly evolve our objects to match the properties of the local population of ETGs.
OSTI ID:
21562436
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 738; ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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