Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2001-05-09
Astronomy & Astrophysics 373 (2001) 494
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
17 pages, 14 figures, accepted for Astronomy & Astrophysics
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20010656
Bottom-up hierarchical formation of dark matter haloes is not as monotonic as implicitly assumed in the Press-Schechter formalism: matter can be ejected into tidal tails, shells or low density `atmospheres'. The implications that the possible truncation of star formation in these tidal `debris' may have for observational galaxy statistics are examined here using the ArFus N-body plus semi-analytical galaxy modelling software. Upper and lower bounds on stellar losses implied by a given set of N-body simulation output data can be investigated by choice of the merging/identity criterion of haloes between successive N-body simulation output times. A median merging/identity criterion is defined and used to deduce an upper estimate of possible star formation and stellar population losses. A largest successor merging/identity criterion is defined to deduce an estimate which minimises stellar losses. In the N-body simulations studied, the debris losses are short range in length and temporary; maximum loss is around 16%. The induced losses for star formation and luminosity functions are strongest (losses of 10%-30%) for low luminosity galaxies and at intermediate redshifts (1 < z < 3). This upper bound on likely losses is smaller than present observational uncertainties. Hence, Press-Schechter based galaxy formation models are approximately valid despite ignoring loss of debris, provided that dwarf galaxy statistics are not under study.
Bouchet Freddy
Devriendt Julien
Guiderdoni Bruno
Mamon Gary A.
Ninin Stephane
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