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arXiv 1102.1423astro-ph.CO
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COSMOS场中射电辐射揭示的z~3以来成星星系的恒定特征质量

A constant characteristic mass for star forming galaxies since z~3 revealed by radio emission in the COSMOS field

Alexander Karim, Eva Schinnerer, the VLA-COSMOS, COSMOS collaborations

摘要:

我们提出了我们的1.4 GHz的图像叠加分析的质量选择的星系在宇宙领域的结果。从由此产生的中值射电连续通量密度,我们已经确定了星系的平均恒星形成率(SFR)的演化作为恒星质量的函数,不受尘埃的影响,但也源混淆由于1.5”角分辨率实现的VLA。我们发现特定的SFR(SSFR)和恒星质量之间的幂律关系的恒星形成星系到z=3。虽然较高质量的系统在任何时期都表现出较低的SSFR,但至少在z~1.5范围内,高质量星系没有明显的差异,更快的演化是显而易见的,在那里我们的结论是最稳健的。利用恒星形成系统的测量质量函数,贡献最多的同向SFR密度的星系的特征恒星质量似乎没有演变。因此,这些发现挑战了“缩小”的情况下,恒星的形成已逐渐转向较低的质量系统与宇宙时间。我们的分析构成了迄今为止最好的测定宇宙恒星形成历史(CSFH),因为z=3,并产生间接的证据,全球分子气体的质量密度随时间迅速下降。

英文摘要:

We present results of our 1.4 GHz image stacking analysis of mass-selected galaxies in the COSMOS field. From the resulting median radio continuum flux density we have determined the evolution of the average star formation rate (SFR) of galaxies as a function of stellar mass, unbiased from effects of dust but also source confusion due to the 1.5" angular resolution achieved by the VLA. We find a power-law relation between specific SFR (SSFR) and stellar mass for star forming galaxies out to z=3. While higher mass systems exhibit lower SSFRs at any epoch, no differential, more rapid evolution of high mass galaxies is evident at least out to z~1.5 where our conclusions are most robust. Utilizing measured mass functions of star forming systems, the characteristic stellar mass for galaxies contributing most to the comoving SFR density appears not to evolve. These findings hence challenge 'downsizing' scenarios in which star formation has gradually shifted towards lower mass systems with cosmic time. Our analysis constitutes the to-date best determination of the cosmic star formation history (CSFH) since z=3 and yields indirect evidence for a rapid decline of the global mass density of molecular gas with time.

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