Hintze Centre for Astrophysical Surveys

Abstract:

We explore a sample of 1492 galaxies with measurements of the mean stellar population properties and the spin parameter proxy, λRe⁠, drawn from the SAMI Galaxy Survey. We fit a global [α/Fe]–σ relation, finding that [α/Fe]=(0.395±0.010)log10(σ)−(0.627±0.002)⁠. We observe an anti-correlation between the residuals Δ[α/Fe] and the inclination-corrected λeoRe⁠, which can be expressed as Δ[α/Fe]=(−0.057±0.008)λeoRe+(0.020±0.003)⁠. The anti-correlation appears to be driven by star-forming galaxies, with a gradient of Δ[α/Fe]∼(−0.121±0.015)λeoRe⁠, although a weak relationship persists for the subsample of galaxies for which star formation has been quenched. We take this to be confirmation that disc-dominated galaxies have an extended duration of star formation. At a reference velocity dispersion of 200 km s−1, we estimate an increase in half-mass formation time from ∼0.5 Gyr to ∼1.2 Gyr from low- to high-λeoRe galaxies. Slow rotators do not appear to fit these trends. Their residual α-enhancement is indistinguishable from other galaxies with λeoRe⪅0.4⁠, despite being both larger and more massive. This result shows that galaxies with λeoRe⪅0.4 experience a similar range of star formation histories, despite their different physical structure and angular momentum.

Abstract:

We present a complete structural analysis of the ellipticals (E), diffuse bulges (dB), compact bulges (cB), and discs (D) within a redshift range 0 < z < 1, and stellar mass log10(M∗/M⊙) ≥ 9.5 volume-limited sample drawn from the combined DEVILS and HST-COSMOS region. We use the profit code to profile over ∼35 000 galaxies for which visual classification into single or double component was pre-defined in Paper-I. Over this redshift range, we see a growth in the total stellar mass density (SMD) of a factor of 1.5. At all epochs we find that the dominant structure, contributing to the total SMD, is the disc, and holds a fairly constant share of ∼ 60 per cent of the total SMD from z = 0.8 to z = 0.2, dropping to ∼ 30 per cent at z = 0.0 (representing ∼ 33 per cent decline in the total disc SMD). Other classes (E, dB, and cB) show steady growth in their numbers and integrated stellar mass densities. By number, the most dramatic change across the full mass range is in the growth of diffuse bulges. In terms of total SMD, the biggest gain is an increase in massive elliptical systems, rising from 20 per cent at z = 0.8 to equal that of discs at z = 0.0 (30 per cent) representing an absolute mass growth of a factor of 2.5. Overall, we see a clear picture of the emergence and growth of all three classes of spheroids over the past 8 Gyr, and infer that in the later half of the Universe's timeline spheroid-forming processes and pathways (secular evolution, mass-accretion, and mergers) appear to dominate mass transformation over quiescent disc growth.