Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys

Amanda J Moffett; Steven Phillipps; Aaron S G Robotham; Simon P Driver; Malcolm N Bremer; Luca Cortese; O Ivy Wong; Sarah Brough; Michael J I Brown; Julia J Bryant; Christopher J Conselice; Scott M Croom; Koshy George; Greg Goldstein; Michael Goodwin; Benne W Holwerda; Andrew M Hopkins; Iraklis S Konstantopoulos; Jon S Lawrence; Nuria P F Lorente; Anne M Medling; Matt S Owers; Kevin A Pimbblet; Samuel N Richards; Sarah M Sweet; Jesse Van De Sande

doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2237

Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys

Amanda J Moffett, Steven Phillipps, Aaron S G Robotham, Simon P Driver, Malcolm N Bremer, Luca Cortese, O Ivy Wong, Sarah Brough, Michael J I Brown, Julia J Bryant, Christopher J Conselice, Scott M Croom, Koshy George, Greg Goldstein, Michael Goodwin, Benne W Holwerda, Andrew M Hopkins, Iraklis S Konstantopoulos, Jon S Lawrence, Nuria P F LorenteAnne M Medling, Matt S Owers, Kevin A Pimbblet, Samuel N Richards, Sarah M Sweet, Jesse Van De Sande

School of Physics and Astronomy

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Abstract

The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has morphologically identified a class of “Little Blue Spheroid” (LBS) galaxies whose relationship to other classes of galaxies we now examine in detail. Considering a sample of 868 LBSs, we find that such galaxies display similar but not identical colours, specific star formation rates, stellar population ages, mass-to-light ratios, and metallicities to Sd-Irr galaxies. We also find that LBSs typically occupy environments of even lower density than those of Sd-Irr galaxies, where ∼65% of LBS galaxies live in isolation. Using deep, high-resolution imaging from VST KiDS and the new Bayesian, two-dimensional galaxy profile modeling code PROFIT, we further examine the detailed structure of LBSs and find that their Sérsic indices, sizes, and axial ratios are compatible with those of low-mass elliptical galaxies. We then examine SAMI Galaxy survey integral field emission line kinematics for a subset of 62 LBSs and find that the majority (42) of these galaxies display ordered rotation with the remainder displaying disturbed/non-ordered dynamics. Finally, we consider potential evolutionary scenarios for a population with this unusual combination of properties, concluding that LBSs are likely formed by a mixture of merger and accretion processes still recently active in low-redshift dwarf populations. We also infer that if LBS-like galaxies were subjected to quenching in a rich environment, they would plausibly resemble cluster dwarf ellipticals.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2830–2843
Number of pages	14
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	489
Issue number	2
Early online date	12 Aug 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2237
Publication status	Published - Oct 2019

Keywords

Surveys
Galaxies: dwarf
Galaxies: structure
Galaxies: fundamental paramaters

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10.1093/mnras/stz2237

Moffett_2019_MNRAS_Star-forming_AAM
Copyright © 2019 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2237
Accepted author manuscript, 3.78 MB

Cite this

Moffett, A. J., Phillipps, S., Robotham, A. S. G., Driver, S. P., Bremer, M. N., Cortese, L., Wong, O. I., Brough, S., Brown, M. J. I., Bryant, J. J., Conselice, C. J., Croom, S. M., George, K., Goldstein, G., Goodwin, M., Holwerda, B. W., Hopkins, A. M., Konstantopoulos, I. S., Lawrence, J. S., ... Van De Sande, J. (2019). Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 489(2), 2830–2843. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2237

@article{65d3d3355e3b4f2f8bca361051b6c4e0,

title = "Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys",

abstract = "The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has morphologically identified a class of “Little Blue Spheroid” (LBS) galaxies whose relationship to other classes of galaxies we now examine in detail. Considering a sample of 868 LBSs, we find that such galaxies display similar but not identical colours, specific star formation rates, stellar population ages, mass-to-light ratios, and metallicities to Sd-Irr galaxies. We also find that LBSs typically occupy environments of even lower density than those of Sd-Irr galaxies, where ∼65% of LBS galaxies live in isolation. Using deep, high-resolution imaging from VST KiDS and the new Bayesian, two-dimensional galaxy profile modeling code PROFIT, we further examine the detailed structure of LBSs and find that their S{\'e}rsic indices, sizes, and axial ratios are compatible with those of low-mass elliptical galaxies. We then examine SAMI Galaxy survey integral field emission line kinematics for a subset of 62 LBSs and find that the majority (42) of these galaxies display ordered rotation with the remainder displaying disturbed/non-ordered dynamics. Finally, we consider potential evolutionary scenarios for a population with this unusual combination of properties, concluding that LBSs are likely formed by a mixture of merger and accretion processes still recently active in low-redshift dwarf populations. We also infer that if LBS-like galaxies were subjected to quenching in a rich environment, they would plausibly resemble cluster dwarf ellipticals.",

keywords = "Surveys, Galaxies: dwarf, Galaxies: structure, Galaxies: fundamental paramaters",

author = "Moffett, {Amanda J} and Steven Phillipps and Robotham, {Aaron S G} and Driver, {Simon P} and Bremer, {Malcolm N} and Luca Cortese and Wong, {O Ivy} and Sarah Brough and Brown, {Michael J I} and Bryant, {Julia J} and Conselice, {Christopher J} and Croom, {Scott M} and Koshy George and Greg Goldstein and Michael Goodwin and Holwerda, {Benne W} and Hopkins, {Andrew M} and Konstantopoulos, {Iraklis S} and Lawrence, {Jon S} and Lorente, {Nuria P F} and Medling, {Anne M} and Owers, {Matt S} and Pimbblet, {Kevin A} and Richards, {Samuel N} and Sweet, {Sarah M} and {Van De Sande}, Jesse",

year = "2019",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stz2237",

language = "English",

volume = "489",

pages = "2830–2843",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "2",

}

Moffett, AJ, Phillipps, S, Robotham, ASG, Driver, SP, Bremer, MN, Cortese, L, Wong, OI, Brough, S, Brown, MJI, Bryant, JJ, Conselice, CJ, Croom, SM, George, K, Goldstein, G, Goodwin, M, Holwerda, BW, Hopkins, AM, Konstantopoulos, IS, Lawrence, JS, Lorente, NPF, Medling, AM, Owers, MS, Pimbblet, KA, Richards, SN, Sweet, SM & Van De Sande, J 2019, 'Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 489, no. 2, pp. 2830–2843. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2237

TY - JOUR

T1 - Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys

AU - Moffett, Amanda J

AU - Phillipps, Steven

AU - Robotham, Aaron S G

AU - Driver, Simon P

AU - Bremer, Malcolm N

AU - Cortese, Luca

AU - Wong, O Ivy

AU - Brough, Sarah

AU - Brown, Michael J I

AU - Bryant, Julia J

AU - Conselice, Christopher J

AU - Croom, Scott M

AU - George, Koshy

AU - Goldstein, Greg

AU - Goodwin, Michael

AU - Holwerda, Benne W

AU - Hopkins, Andrew M

AU - Konstantopoulos, Iraklis S

AU - Lawrence, Jon S

AU - Lorente, Nuria P F

AU - Medling, Anne M

AU - Owers, Matt S

AU - Pimbblet, Kevin A

AU - Richards, Samuel N

AU - Sweet, Sarah M

AU - Van De Sande, Jesse

PY - 2019/10

Y1 - 2019/10

N2 - The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has morphologically identified a class of “Little Blue Spheroid” (LBS) galaxies whose relationship to other classes of galaxies we now examine in detail. Considering a sample of 868 LBSs, we find that such galaxies display similar but not identical colours, specific star formation rates, stellar population ages, mass-to-light ratios, and metallicities to Sd-Irr galaxies. We also find that LBSs typically occupy environments of even lower density than those of Sd-Irr galaxies, where ∼65% of LBS galaxies live in isolation. Using deep, high-resolution imaging from VST KiDS and the new Bayesian, two-dimensional galaxy profile modeling code PROFIT, we further examine the detailed structure of LBSs and find that their Sérsic indices, sizes, and axial ratios are compatible with those of low-mass elliptical galaxies. We then examine SAMI Galaxy survey integral field emission line kinematics for a subset of 62 LBSs and find that the majority (42) of these galaxies display ordered rotation with the remainder displaying disturbed/non-ordered dynamics. Finally, we consider potential evolutionary scenarios for a population with this unusual combination of properties, concluding that LBSs are likely formed by a mixture of merger and accretion processes still recently active in low-redshift dwarf populations. We also infer that if LBS-like galaxies were subjected to quenching in a rich environment, they would plausibly resemble cluster dwarf ellipticals.

AB - The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has morphologically identified a class of “Little Blue Spheroid” (LBS) galaxies whose relationship to other classes of galaxies we now examine in detail. Considering a sample of 868 LBSs, we find that such galaxies display similar but not identical colours, specific star formation rates, stellar population ages, mass-to-light ratios, and metallicities to Sd-Irr galaxies. We also find that LBSs typically occupy environments of even lower density than those of Sd-Irr galaxies, where ∼65% of LBS galaxies live in isolation. Using deep, high-resolution imaging from VST KiDS and the new Bayesian, two-dimensional galaxy profile modeling code PROFIT, we further examine the detailed structure of LBSs and find that their Sérsic indices, sizes, and axial ratios are compatible with those of low-mass elliptical galaxies. We then examine SAMI Galaxy survey integral field emission line kinematics for a subset of 62 LBSs and find that the majority (42) of these galaxies display ordered rotation with the remainder displaying disturbed/non-ordered dynamics. Finally, we consider potential evolutionary scenarios for a population with this unusual combination of properties, concluding that LBSs are likely formed by a mixture of merger and accretion processes still recently active in low-redshift dwarf populations. We also infer that if LBS-like galaxies were subjected to quenching in a rich environment, they would plausibly resemble cluster dwarf ellipticals.

KW - Surveys

KW - Galaxies: dwarf

KW - Galaxies: structure

KW - Galaxies: fundamental paramaters

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stz2237

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stz2237

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 489

SP - 2830

EP - 2843

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 2

ER -

Star-forming, rotating spheroidal galaxies in the GAMA and SAMI Surveys

Abstract

Keywords

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