We use a SDSS galaxy group catalogue to study the dependence of galaxy activity on stellar mass, halo mass, and group hierarchy (centrals vs. satellites). We split our galaxy sample in star-forming galaxies, galaxies with optical AGN activity and radio sources. We find a smooth transition in halo mass as the activity of central galaxies changes from star formation to optical AGN activity to radio emission. Star-forming centrals preferentially reside in haloes with M<10^{12} Msun, central galaxies with optical-AGN activity typically inhabit haloes with M \sim 10^{13} Msun, and centrals emitting in the radio mainly reside in haloes more massive than 10^{14} Msun. Although this seems to suggest that the environment (halo mass) determines the type of activity of its central galaxy, we find a similar trend with stellar mass: central star formers typically have stellar masses below 10^{10} Msun, while optical-AGN hosts and central radio sources have characteristic stellar masses of 10^{10.8} Msun and 10^{11.6} Msun, respectively. Since more massive haloes typically host more massive centrals, it is unclear whether the activity of a central galaxy is causally connected to its stellar mass or to its halo mass. In general, satellite galaxies have their activity suppressed wrt central galaxies of the same stellar mass. At fixed stellar mass, we find that the activity of satellite galaxies depends only weakly on halo mass. In fact, for satellite galaxies the dependence of galaxy activity on halo mass is more than four times weaker than the dependence on stellar mass. As we discuss, all these results are consistent with a picture in which low mass haloes accrete cold gas, while massive haloes have coronae of hot gas that promote radio activity of their central galaxies. [Abridged]
Using the high resolution cosmological N-body simulation MareNostrum Universe we study the orientation of shape and angular momentum of galaxy-size dark matter haloes around large voids. We find that haloes located on the shells of the largest cosmic voids have angular momenta that tend to be preferentially perpendicular to the direction that joins the centre of the halo and the centre of the void. This alignment has been found in spiral galaxies around voids using galaxy redshift surveys. We measure for the first time the strength of this alignment, showing how it falls off with increasing di…
High-resolution N-body simulations of hierarchical cosmologies have shown that the density and velocity dispersion profiles of dark-matter haloes display well-definite universal forms whose origin remains unknown. In the present paper, we calculate the internal structure of haloes expected to arise in any such cosmologies by simply taking into account that halo growth proceeds through an alternate sequence of discrete major mergers and long periods of gentle accretion. Major mergers cause the violent relaxation of the system subject to the boundary conditions imposed by accreting layers beginn…
Using high resolution cosmological N-body simulations, we investigate the survival of dark matter satellites falling into larger haloes. Satellites preserve their identity for some time after merging. We compute their loss of mass, energy and angular momentum as dynamical friction, tidal forces and collisions with other satellites dissolve them. We also analyse the evolution of their internal structure. Satellites with less than a few per cent the mass of the main halo may survive for several billion years, whereas larger satellites rapidly sink into the center of the main halo potential well …
We present new planetary nebulae (PNe) positions, radial velocities, and magnitudes for 6 early-type galaxies obtained with the Planetary Nebulae Spectrograph, their two-dimensional velocity and velocity dispersion fields. We extend this study to include an additional 10 early-type galaxies with PNe radial velocity measurements available from the literature, to obtain a broader description of the outer-halo kinematics in early-type galaxies. These data extend the information derived from stellar kinematics to typically up to ~8 Re. The combination of photometry, stellar and PNe kinematics show…
An overview is presented of the main properties of dark matter haloes, as we know them from observations, essentially from rotation curves around spiral and dwarf galaxies. Detailed rotation curves are now known for more than a thousand galaxies, revealing that they are not so flat in the outer parts, but rising for late-types, and falling for early-types. A well established result now is that most bright galaxies are not dominated by dark matter inside their optical disks. Only for dwarfs and LSB (Low Surface Brightness galaxies) dark matter plays a dominant role in the visible regions. The 3…
We present measurements of the spatial clustering of ultraluminous infrared galaxies in two redshift intervals, 1.5<z<2.0 and 2<z<3. Both samples cluster strongly, with r_0=14.40+/-1.99 h^-1 Mpc for the 2<z<3 sample, and r_0=9.40+/-2.24 h^-1 Mpc for the 1.5<z<2.0 sample, making them among the most biased galaxies at these epochs. These clustering amplitudes are consistent with both populations residing in dark matter haloes with masses of ~6x10^13 solar masses. We infer that a minimum dark matter halo mass is an important factor for all forms of luminous, obscured activity in galaxies at z>1. …
The Milky Way contains several distinct old stellar components that provide a fossil record of its formation. We can understand their spatial distribution and kinematics in a hierarchical formation scenario by associating the proto-galactic fragments envisaged by Searle and Zinn (1978) with the rare peaks able to cool gas in the cold dark matter density field collapsing at redshift z>10. We use hierarchical structure formation simulations to explore the kinematics and spatial distribution of these early star-forming structures in galaxy haloes today. Most of the proto-galaxies rapidly merge, t…
We have used the hydrodynamical AMR code ENZO to investigate the dynamical evolution of the gas at the centre of dark matter haloes with virial velocities of ~ 20 - 30 kms and virial temperatures of ~ 13000-30000 K at z ~ 15 in a cosmological context. The virial temperature of the dark matter haloes is above the threshold where atomic cooling by hydrogen allows the gas to cool and collapse. We neglect cooling by molecular hydrogen and metals, as may be plausible if H_2 cooling is suppressed by a meta-galactic Lyman-Werner background or an internal source of Lyman-Werner photons, and metal enri…
Cosmological simulations suggest that dark matter haloes are not spherical, but typically moderately to strongly triaxial systems. We investigate methods to convert spherical potential-density pairs into axisymmetric ones, in which the basic characteristics of the density profile (such as the slope at small and large radii) are retained. We achieve this goal by replacing the spherical radius r by an oblate radius m in the expression of the gravitational potential. We extend and formalize the approach pioneered by Miyamoto & Nagai (1975) to be applicable to arbitrary potential-density pairs. Un…
We use N-body simulations to study the infall of dark matter haloes onto rich clusters of galaxies. After identification of all cluster progenitors in the simulations, we select those haloes which accrete directly onto the main cluster progenitor. We construct the mass function of these merging satellites, and calculate the main orbital parameters for the accreted lumps. The average circularity of the orbits is epsilon = 0.5, while either radial or almost circular orbits are equally avoided. More massive satellites move along slightly more eccentric orbits, with lower specific angular momentum…
We show that the hierarchical assembly of cold dark matter (CDM) haloes preserves the memory of the initial conditions. Using N-body cosmological simulations, we demonstrate that the present-day spatial distribution and kinematics of objects that formed within early (z > 10) protogalactic systems (old stars, satellite galaxies, globular clusters, massive black holes, etc.) depends mostly on the rarity of the peak of the primordial density field which they originally belonged to. Only for objects forming at lower redshifts the exact formation site within the progenitor halo (e.g. whether near t…
We construct a physically motivated analytical model for the quasar luminosity function, based on the joint star formation and feeding of massive black holes suggested by the observed correlation between the black hole mass and the stellar mass of the hosting spheroids. The parallel growth of massive black holes and host galaxies is assumed to be triggered by major mergers of haloes. The halo major merger rate is computed in the frame of the extended Press-Schechter model. The evolution of black holes on cosmological timescales is achieved by the integration of the governing set of differentia…
We present intermediate resolution near-IR long-slit spectroscopic data for the nearby radio galaxy Cygnus A (3C 405) (obtained with the NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck II telescope). The data reveal considerable complexity in the near-IR emission line kinematics, including line splittings of 200-350 km/s and a mixture of narrow (FWHM ~200 km/s) and broad (FWHM ~700 km/s) components to the emission lines. It is notable that the Pa alpha and H2 emission lines show markedly different kinematics, both on- and off-nucleus. Overall, the data provide evidence for the presence of a giant molecular c…
We present results from a series of hydrodynamic simulations investigating ram pressure stripping of galactic haloes as the host galaxy falls radially into a cluster. We perform a parameter study comprising of variations in initial gas content, gas injection rate (via stellar mass loss processes), galaxy mass and amplitude of infall. From the simulation results we track variations in both physical quantities (e.g. gas mass) and directly observable quantities (e.g. X-ray luminosities). The luminosity of the galaxy's X-ray halo is found to compare favourably with the observationally determined c…
In hierarchical models, the time derivative of the halo mass function may be thought of as the difference of two terms - a creation term, which describes the increase in the number of haloes of mass m from mergers of less massive objects, and a destruction term, which describes the decrease in the number of m-haloes as these merge with other haloes, creating more massive haloes as a result. In models where haloes form from a spherical collapse, the distribution of halo creation times can be estimated from the same formalism which is used to estimate halo abundances: the constant-barrier excurs…
We address the origin of the `downsizing' of elliptical galaxies, according to which the stars in more massive galaxies formed earlier and over a shorter period than those in less massive galaxies. We show that this could be the natural result of a shutdown of star formation in dark matter haloes above a critical mass of 10^12MSun. This is demonstrated using a semianalytic simulation of galaxy formation within the standard hierarchical scenario of structure formation. The assumed threshold mass is motivated by the prediction of stable shock heating above this mass and the finding that such a s…
We present measurements of the spatial clustering of galaxies with stellar masses >10^11Msun, infrared luminosities >10^12 Lsun, and star formation rates >200Msun per year in two redshift intervals; 1.5<z<2.0 and 2<z<3. Both samples cluster very strongly, with spatial correlation lengths of r_0=14.40+/-1.99 h^-1Mpc for the 2<z<3 sample, and r_0=9.40+/-2.24 h^-1Mpc for the 1.5<z<2.0 sample. These clustering amplitudes are consistent with both populations residing in dark matter haloes with masses of ~6x10^13Msun, making them among the most biased galaxies at these epochs. We infer, from this an…
I present a scenario for the production of low mass, degenerate dwarfs of mass $>0.1 M_{\odot}$ via the mechanism of Lenzuni, Chernoff & Salpeter (1992). Such objects meet the mass limit requirements for halo dark matter from microlensing surveys while circumventing the chemical evolution constraints on normal white dwarf stars. I describe methods to observationally constrain this scenario and suggest that such objects may originate in small clusters formed from the thermal instability of shocked, heated gas in dark matter haloes, such as suggested by Fall & Rees (1985) for globular clusters.
We use a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation to study signatures of large-scale modulations in the star formation (SF) activity in galaxies. In order to do this we carefully define local and global estimators of the density around galaxies. The former are computed using a voronoi tessellation technique and the latter are parameterised by the normalised distance to haloes and voids, in terms of the virial and void radii, respectively. As a function of local density, galaxies show a strong modulation in their SF, a result that is in agreement with those from several authors. When taking subs…
Evidence is summarized that suggests that when a protogalaxy collapses, a fraction $f$ of its gas fails to heat to the virial temperature, where $f$ is large for haloes less massive than the value $M^*$ associated with $L^*$ galaxies. Stars and galaxies form only from the cool gas fraction. Hot gas is ejected from low-mass systems as in conventional semi-analytic models of galaxy formation. In high-mass systems it is retained but does not cool and form stars. Instead it builds up as a largely inert atmosphere, in which cooling is inhibited by an episodically active galactic nucleus. Cold gas f…
There is strong evidence that the mass in the Universe is dominated by dark matter, which exerts gravitational attraction but whose exact nature is unknown. In particular, all galaxies are believed to be embedded in massive haloes of dark matter. This view has recently been challenged by surprisingly low random stellar velocities in the outskirts of ordinary elliptical galaxies, which were interpreted as indicating a lack of dark matter (Mendez et al. 2001; Romanowsky et al. 2003). Here we show that the low velocities are in fact compatible with galaxy formation in dark-matter haloes. Using nu…
We present near-infrared spectra for a sample of galaxies with ambiguous optical emission line ratios. These galaxies fall between starbursts and Seyferts in the usual optical diagnostic diagrams. We find a similar result with the near-infrared emission line ratios, which suggests that the galaxies are composite, containing both a starburst and AGN component. Furthermore, CO absorption, produced in late-type stars, is detected within the sample, although at a weaker level than is typical for starburst galaxies. We conclude that the CO feature is being diluted by a contribution from an AGN, the…
We simulate the buildup of galaxies by spherical gas accretion through dark matter haloes, subject to the development of virial shocks. We find that a uniform cosmological accretion turns into a rapidly varying disc buildup rate. The generic sequence of events (Shocked-Accretion Massive Burst & Shutdown: SAMBA) consists of four distinct phases: a) continuous cold accretion while the halo is below a threshold mass Msh~10^12Mo, b) tentative quenching of gas supply for ~2Gyr, starting once the halo is ~Msh and growing a rapidly expanding shock, c) a massive burst due to the big crunch of ~10^11Mo…
Gravitational lenses on galaxy scales are plausibly modelled as having ellipsoidal symmetry and a universal dark matter density profile, with a Sersic profile to describe the distribution of baryonic matter. Predicting all lensing effects requires knowledge of the total lens potential: in this work we give analytic forms for that of the above hybrid model. Emphasising that complex lens potentials can be constructed from simpler components in linear combination, we provide a recipe for attaining elliptical symmetry in either projected mass or lens potential. We also provide analytic formulae fo…
We have observed the cluster RX J0152.7-1357 (z$\sim$0.83) at 24$μ$m with the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS). We detected twenty-two sources associated with spectroscopically confirmed cluster members, while ten more have photometric redshifts compatible with membership. Two of the 32 likely cluster members contain obvious active nuclei while the others are associated with dusty star formation. The median IR-determined star formation rate among the remaining galaxies is estimated at 22 M$_\odot$$ $yr$^{-1}$, significantly higher than in previous estimates from optical data. Mo…
With the prime aim of better probing and understanding the intimate link between star formation activity and the presence of bars, a representative sample of 32 non-interacting late-type galaxies with well-determined bar properties has been selected. We show that all the galaxies displaying the highest current star forming activity have both strong and long bars. Conversely not all strong and long bars are intensively creating stars. Except for two cases, strong bars are in fact long as well. Numerical simulations allow to understand these observational facts as well as the connection between …
Aims: We investigate the build-up of stellar mass through star formation in field galaxies, galaxy groups, and clusters in order to better understand the physical processes regulating star formation in different haloes. Methods: In order to do so we relate ongoing star formation activity to the stellar mass by studying the integrated specific star formation rate (SSFR), defined as the star-formation rate per unit stellar mass, as a function of integrated stellar mass for samples of field galaxies, groups of galaxies, and galaxy clusters at 0.18 < z < 0.85. The star formation rate (SFR) is deri…
We present optical spectra of 45 intermediate mass Herbig Ae/Be stars. Together with the multi-epoch spectroscopic and photometric data compiled for a large sample of these stars and ages estimated for individual stars by using pre-main sequence evolutionary tracks, we have studied the evolution of emission line activity in them. We find that, on average, the H_alpha emission line strength decreases with increasing stellar age in HAeBe stars, indicating that the accretion activity gradually declines during the PMS phase. This would hint at a relatively long-lived (a few Myr) process being resp…
Ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) may originate from the decay of massive relic particles in the dark halo of the Galaxy, or they may be produced by supermassive black holes in the nuclei of nearby galaxies. The anisotropy in the arrival directions is studied in four dark halo models (cusped, isothermal, triaxial and tilted) and in four galaxy samples (galaxies intrinsically brighter than Centaurus A within 50 and 100 Mpc, and brighter than M32 within 50 and 100 Mpc). In decaying dark matter models, the amplitude of the anisotropy is controlled by the size of the Galactic halo, while the …
