Galaxy formation and evolution

Abstract:

During the early stages of galaxy evolution, a significant fraction of galaxies undergo a transitional phase between the “blue nugget” systems, which arise from the compaction of large, active star-forming disks, and the “red nuggets,” which are red and passive compact galaxies. These objects are typically only observable with space telescopes, and detailed studies of their size, mass, and stellar population parameters have been conducted on relatively small samples. Strong gravitational lensing can offer a new opportunity to study them in detail, even with ground-based observations. In this study, we present the first six bona fide samples of strongly lensed post-blue nugget (pBN) galaxies, which were discovered in the Kilo Degree Survey. By using the lensing-magnified luminosity from optical and near-infrared bands, we have derived robust structural and stellar population properties of the multiple images of the background sources. The pBN galaxies have very small sizes of R eff < 1.3 kpc, high mass density inside 1 kpc of log(Σ1/M⊙kpc−2)>9.3 , and low specific star formation rates of log(sSFRGyr-1)≲0 , The size–mass and Σ1–mass relations of this sample are consistent with those of the red nuggets, while their sSFR is close to the lower end of compact star-forming blue nugget systems at the same redshift, suggesting a clear evolutionary link between them.

Abstract:

We study how bar strength and bar kinematics affect star formation in different regions of the bar by creating radial profiles of EW[Hα] and Dn4000 using data from Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA). Bars in galaxies are classified as strong or weak using Galaxy Zoo DESI, and they are classified as fast and slow bars using the Tremaine–Weinberg method on stellar kinematic data from the MaNGA survey. In agreement with previous studies, we find that strong bars in star-forming (SF) galaxies have enhanced star formation in their center and beyond the bar-end region, while star formation is suppressed in the arms of the bar. This is not found for weakly barred galaxies, which have very similar radial profiles to unbarred galaxies. In addition, we find that slow bars in SF galaxies have significantly higher star formation along the bar than fast bars. However, the global star formation rate is not significantly different between galaxies with fast and slow bars. This suggests that the kinematics of the bar do not affect star formation globally, but changes where star formation occurs in the galaxy. Thus, we find that a bar will influence its host the most if it is both strong and slow.