Fully cosmological virtual massive galaxies at z = 0: kinematical, morphological and stellar population characterization

Vazdekis, A.; Quilis, Vicent; Ricciardelli, Elena; Navarro-González, Javier
Bibliographical reference

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 436, Issue 4, p.3507-3524

Advertised on:
12
2013
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
39
Refereed citations
38
Description
We present the results of a numerical adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamical and N-body simulation in a Λ cold dark matter cosmology. We focus on the analysis of the main properties of massive galaxies (M* > 1011 M⊙) at z = 0. For all the massive virtual galaxies, we carry out a careful study of their one-dimensional density, luminosity, velocity dispersion and stellar population profiles. In order to best compare with observational data, the method to estimate the velocity dispersion is calibrated by using an approach similar to that performed in the observations, based on the stellar populations of the simulated galaxies. With these ingredients, we discuss the different properties of massive galaxies in our sample according to their morphological types, accretion histories and dynamical properties. We find that the galaxy merging history is the leading actor in shaping the massive galaxies that we see nowadays. Indeed, galaxies having experienced a turbulent life are the most massive in the sample and show the steepest metallicity gradients. Beside the importance of merging, only a small fraction of the final stellar mass has been formed ex situ (10-50 per cent), while the majority of the stars formed within the galaxy. These accreted stars are significantly older and less metallic than the stars formed in situ and tend to occupy the most external regions of the galaxies.
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Traces of Galaxy Formation: Stellar populations, Dynamics and Morphology
We are a large, diverse, and very active research group aiming to provide a comprehensive picture for the formation of galaxies in the Universe. Rooted in detailed stellar population analysis, we are constantly exploring and developing new tools and ideas to understand how galaxies came to be what we now observe.
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