3D-HST+CANDELS: The evolution of the galaxy size-mass distribution since z = 3

Journal Article · Tue Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/28· OSTI ID:22356699

Van der Wel, A.; Rix, H. -W.; Chang, Yu-Yen ^[1]; Franx, M.; Fumagalli, M. ^[2]; Van Dokkum, P. G.; Momcheva, I. G. ^[3]; Skelton, R. E. ^[4]; Whitaker, K. E. ^[5]; Brammer, G. B.; Ferguson, H. C.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Behroozi, P. ^[6]; Bell, E. F. ^[7]; Wuyts, S. ^[8]; Holden, B. P.; Barro, G. ^[9]; McGrath, E. J. ^[10]; Häussler, B. ^[11]; others, and

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1. Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
2. Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, NL-2300 AA Leiden (Netherlands)
3. Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States)
4. South African Astronomical Observatory, P.O. Box 9, Observatory 7935 (South Africa)
5. Astrophysics Science Division, Goddard Space Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
6. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
7. Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
8. Max-Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse, D-85748 Garching (Germany)
9. University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)
10. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Colby College, Waterville, ME 0490 (United States)
11. Physics Department, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom)

Spectroscopic+photometric redshifts, stellar mass estimates, and rest-frame colors from the 3D-HST survey are combined with structural parameter measurements from CANDELS imaging to determine the galaxy size-mass distribution over the redshift range 0 < z < 3. Separating early- and late-type galaxies on the basis of star-formation activity, we confirm that early-type galaxies are on average smaller than late-type galaxies at all redshifts, and we find a significantly different rate of average size evolution at fixed galaxy mass, with fast evolution for the early-type population, R {sub eff}∝(1 + z){sup –1.48}, and moderate evolution for the late-type population, R {sub eff}∝(1 + z){sup –0.75}. The large sample size and dynamic range in both galaxy mass and redshift, in combination with the high fidelity of our measurements due to the extensive use of spectroscopic data, not only fortify previous results but also enable us to probe beyond simple average galaxy size measurements. At all redshifts the slope of the size-mass relation is shallow, R{sub eff}∝M{sub ∗}{sup 0.22}, for late-type galaxies with stellar mass >3 × 10{sup 9} M {sub ☉}, and steep, R{sub eff}∝M{sub ∗}{sup 0.75}, for early-type galaxies with stellar mass >2 × 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉}. The intrinsic scatter is ≲0.2 dex for all galaxy types and redshifts. For late-type galaxies, the logarithmic size distribution is not symmetric but is skewed toward small sizes: at all redshifts and masses, a tail of small late-type galaxies exists that overlaps in size with the early-type galaxy population. The number density of massive (∼10{sup 11} M {sub ☉}), compact (R {sub eff} < 2 kpc) early-type galaxies increases from z = 3 to z = 1.5-2 and then strongly decreases at later cosmic times.

• OSTI ID: 22356699
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 788, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
DENSITY
EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
MASS
MASS DISTRIBUTION
PHOTOMETRY
RED SHIFT
SPECTROSCOPY
STARS
SYMMETRY