Stellar Dynamical Models for 797 z 0.8 Galaxies from LEGA-C

Journal
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
van Houdt, Josha
•
VAN DER WEL, ARJEN
•
Bezanson, Rachel
•
Franx, Marijn
•
d'Eugenio, Francesco
•
Barisic, Ivana
•
Bell, Eric F.
•
•
de Graaff, Anna
•
Maseda, Michael V.
•
Pacifici, Camilla
•
van de Sande, Jesse
•
Sobral, David
•
Straatman, Caroline
•
Wu, Po-Feng
DOI
Abstract
We present spatially resolved stellar kinematics for 797 z = 0.6-1 galaxies selected from the LEGA-C survey and construct axisymmetric Jeans models to quantify their dynamical mass and degree of rotational support. The survey is K s -band selected, irrespective of color or morphological type, and allows for a first assessment of the stellar dynamical structure of the general L* galaxy population at large look-back time. Using light profiles from Hubble Space Telescope imaging as a tracer, our approach corrects for observational effects (seeing convolution and slit geometry), and uses well-informed priors on inclination, anisotropy, and a non-luminous mass component. Tabulated data include total mass estimates in a series of spherical apertures (1, 5, and 10 kpc; 1 × and 2 × R e), as well as rotational velocities, velocity dispersions, and anisotropy. We show that almost all star-forming galaxies and ~50% of quiescent galaxies are rotation dominated, with deprojected V/σ ~ 1-2. Revealing the complexity in galaxy evolution, we find that the most massive star-forming galaxies are among the most rotation dominated, and the most massive quiescent galaxies among the least rotation-dominated galaxies. These measurements set a new benchmark for studying galaxy evolution, using stellar dynamical structure for galaxies at large look-back time. Together with the additional information on stellar population properties from the LEGA-C spectra, the dynamical mass and V/σ measurements presented here create new avenues for studying galaxy evolution at large look-back time.
Volume
923
Issue
1
Start page
11
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0004-637X
Ads BibCode
2021ApJ...923...11V
Rights
open.access
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