The UV-Optical Galaxy Color-Magnitude Diagram. III. Constraints on Evolution from the Blue to the Red Sequence

By D. C. Martin, T. Wyder, David Schiminovich, T. Barlow, K. Forster, P. Friedman, P. Morrissey, S. Neff, M. Seibert, T. Small and 10 more. 2007

189 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We introduce a new quantity, the mass flux density of galaxies evolving from the blue sequence to the red sequence. We propose a simple technique for constraining this mass flux using the volume-corrected number density in the extinction-corrected UV-optical color-magnitude distribution, the stellar age indexes HδA and Dn(4000) , and a simple prescription for spectral evolution using a quenched star formation history. We exploit the excellent separation of red and blue sequences in the NUV − r band Hess function. The final value we measure, ρ̇T = 0.033 M☉ yr−1 Mpc−3, is strictly speaking an upper limit due to the possible contributions of bursting, composite, and extincted galaxies. However, it compares favorably with estimates of the average mass flux that we make based on the red luminosity function evolution derived from the DEEP2 and COMBO-17 surveys, ρ̇R = +0.034 M☉ yr−1 Mpc−3. We find that the blue sequence mass has remained roughly constant since z = 1 (ρ̇B ≃ 0.01 M☉ yr−1 Mpc−3), but the average on-going star formation of ρ̇SF ≃ 0.037 M☉ yr−1 Mpc−3 over 0 < z < 1 is balanced by mass flux off the blue sequence. We explore the nature of the galaxies in the transition zone with particular attention to the frequency and impact of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The AGN fraction peaks in the transition zone. We find circumstantial, albeit weak evidence that the quench rates are higher in higher luminosity AGNs.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Instrumentation

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/22b2d4674072d3856fe4c8e01f6f48b6129a0e48

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. D. M. Alexander
2. C. Conroy
3. T. Heckman
4. P. Hopkins
5. L. Hernquist
6. R. Dav'e
7. M. Blanton
8. John Moustakas

In Instrumentation

1. C. Conroy
2. D. M. Alexander
3. T. Heckman
4. M. Blanton
5. P. Hopkins
6. R. Dav'e
7. John Moustakas
8. L. Hernquist

Citations in the corpus

• The green valley is a red herring: Galaxy Zoo reveals two evolutionary pathways towards quenching of star formation in early-and late-type galaxies (2014, methodology): “In this paper, we use UV–optical colours from Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) photometry (see e.g. Martin et al. 2007) to investigate the rate at which galaxies are decreasing their sSFR (i.e. how rapidly they change colour), and whether this correlates with morphology.”
• The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey I: gas fraction scaling relations of massive galaxies and first data release (2009, background): “…has led to a diverse set of possible mechanisms to explain this characteristic mass scale where galaxies transition from young to old (Kereš et al. 2005; Dekel & Birnboim 2006; Hopkins et al. 2008), with nearly all operating via quenching or regulation of the gas supply (e.g., Martin et al. 2007).”
• Post-starburst galaxies: more than just an interesting curiosity (2008, methodology): “We can compare our low-redshift PSB mass flux to that calculated by Martin et al. (2007) for galaxies in the green valley.”
• Characterizing the Fast Radio Burst Host Galaxy Population and its Connection to Transients in the Local and Extragalactic Universe (2021, background): “The host galaxies of the FRBs appear to lie on the luminous side of the absolute magnitude distribution, mainly near the “blue cloud” and “green valley” region, where galaxies are expected to be transitioning between star-forming and quiescent systems (Martin et al. 2007).”
• PRIMUS: CONSTRAINTS ON STAR FORMATION QUENCHING AND GALAXY MERGING, AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE STELLAR MASS FUNCTION FROM z = 0–1 (2013, background): “In particular, it is not known why the stellar mass growth by in situ star formation balances—almost perfectly—the stellar mass growth of the quiescent galaxy population due to quenching (see, e.g., Arnouts et al. 2007; Martin et al. 2007; Peng et al. 2010).”
• Cosmic X-ray surveys of distant active galaxies (2015, background): “…in addition to galaxies transiting from the blue cloud to the red sequence due to the (potentially rapid) shut down of star formation in the host galaxy (e.g., Faber et al 2007; Martin et al 2007; Hasinger 2008; Schawinski et al 2009, 2014; Cimatti et al 2013; Goulding et al 2014; Pan et al 2014).”