亚毫米星系的演化序列：从弥散盘到大质量致密椭圆星系？
The evolutionary sequence of sub-mm galaxies: from diffuse discs to massive compact ellipticals?
摘要：
在z > 1时观测到的致密大质量星系群，无论是在观测上还是在模拟中，都被假设为富含气体的盘状星系的合并残留物。为了探索这样的场景，我们分析了12个富含气体和活跃的恒星形成亚毫米星系（SMG）的样本，在1.8 < z < 3。我们提出了一个结构和尺寸测量分析，所有这些对象使用非常深的ACS和NICMOS成像在GOODS北场。我们的分析揭示了形态和大小的异质混合。我们发现，四个星系（33% \pm 17%）显示出明显的合并或相互作用的迹象，我们归类为早期合并。剩下的星系被分为两类：其中五个（42% \pm 18%）是弥散和规则的盘状物体，而三个（25% \pm 14%）是非常紧凑的球状系统。我们认为，这三个类别可以容纳到一个演化序列，显示从孤立的，富含气体的磁盘与典型的大小为2-3千秒差距，到紧凑的（< 1千秒差距）星系通过激烈的主要合并事件，与理论模型所描绘的场景兼容。我们的研究结果，一些SMG已经密集和紧凑的想法，SMG是紧凑的，大质量星系的前体，在稍低的红移提供了强有力的支持。
英文摘要：
The population of compact massive galaxies observed at z > 1 are hypothesised, both observationally and in simulations, to be merger remnants of gas-rich disc galaxies. To probe such a scenario we analyse a sample of 12 gas-rich and active star forming sub-mm galaxies (SMGs) at 1.8 < z < 3. We present a structural and size measurement analysis for all of these objects using very deep ACS and NICMOS imaging in the GOODS-North field. Our analysis reveals a heterogeneous mix of morphologies and sizes. We find that four galaxies (33% \pm 17%) show clear signs of mergers or interactions, which we classify as early-stage mergers. The remaining galaxies are divided into two categories: five of them (42% \pm 18%) are diffuse and regular disc-like objects, while three (25% \pm 14%) are very compact, spheroidal systems. We argue that these three categories can be accommodated into an evolutionary sequence, showing the transformation from isolated, gas-rich discs with typical sizes of 2-3 kpc, into compact (< 1 kpc) galaxies through violent major merger events, compatible with the scenario depicted by theoretical models. Our findings that some SMGs are already dense and compact provides strong support to the idea that SMGs are the precursors of the compact, massive galaxies found at slightly lower redshift.
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