Observational Evidence for the Co-evolution of Galaxy Mergers, Quasars, and the Blue/Red Galaxy Transition

Details Observational Evidence for the Co-evolution of Galaxy Mergers, Quasars, and the Blue/Red Galaxy Transition Observational Evidence for the Co-evolution of Galaxy Mergers, Quasars, and the Blue/Red Galaxy Transition

2006-01-27

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0601621v2

Astrophys.J.659:976-996,2007

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

24 pages, 17 figures. Accepted to ApJ. Substantially revised and expanded to match published version

Scientific paper

10.1086/512091

We compile a number of observations to estimate the time-averaged rate of formation or buildup of red sequence galaxies, as a function of mass and redshift. Comparing this with the mass functions of mergers and quasar hosts, and independently comparing their clustering properties as a function of redshift, we find that these populations trace the same mass distribution, with similar evolution, at redshifts 0~10^11 M_solar at z<~0.3) where 'dry' mergers appear to dominate. This supports a necessary prediction of theories where mergers between gas-rich galaxies produce ellipticals with an associated phase of quasar activity, after which the remnant becomes red. These populations trace a similar characteristic transition mass, possibly reflecting the mass above which the elliptical population is mostly (>~50%) assembled at a given redshift, which increases with redshift over the observed range in a manner consistent with suggestions that cosmic downsizing may apply to red galaxy assembly as well as star formation. These mass distributions as a function of redshift do not uniformly trace the all/red/blue galaxy population, ruling out models in which quasar activity is generically associated with star formation or is long lived in 'old' systems.

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