COMPACT E+A GALAXIES AS A PROGENITOR OF MASSIVE COMPACT QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT 0.2 < z < 0.8

Journal Article · Thu Nov 10 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/831/2/146· OSTI ID:22667233

Zahid, H. Jabran; Hochmuth, Nicholas Baeza; Geller, Margaret J.; Chilingarian, Igor V.; Sohn, Jubee ^[1]; Damjanov, Ivana ^[2]; Salmi, Fadia; Hwang, Ho Seong ^[3]

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1. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics-60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
2. Harvard College Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics-60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
3. School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study-85 Hoegiro, Dongdaemun-Gu, 02455 Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

We search the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Baryon Oscillation Sky Survey to identify ∼5500 massive compact quiescent galaxy candidates at 0.2 < z < 0.8. We robustly classify a subsample of 438 E+A galaxies based on their spectral properties and make this catalog publicly available. We examine sizes, stellar population ages, and kinematics of galaxies in the sample and show that the physical properties of compact E+A galaxies suggest that they are a progenitor of massive compact quiescent galaxies. Thus, two classes of objects—compact E+A and compact quiescent galaxies—may be linked by a common formation scenario. The typical stellar population age of compact E+A galaxies is <1 Gyr. The existence of compact E+A galaxies with young stellar populations at 0.2 < z < 0.8 means that some compact quiescent galaxies first appear at intermediate redshifts. We derive a lower limit for the number density of compact E+A galaxies. Assuming passive evolution, we convert this number density into an appearance rate of new compact quiescent galaxies at 0.2 < z < 0.8. The lower limit number density of compact quiescent galaxies that may appear at z < 0.8 is comparable to the lower limit of the total number density of compact quiescent galaxies at these intermediate redshifts. Thus, a substantial fraction of the z < 0.8 massive compact quiescent galaxy population may descend from compact E+A galaxies at intermediate redshifts.

• OSTI ID: 22667233
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 831; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
COMPACTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DENSITY
EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
OSCILLATIONS
RED SHIFT