Bibcode
Balcells, M.; Merrifield, Michael R.; Milvang-Jensen, Bo; Aragón-Salamanca, Alfonso; Bamford, Steven P.; Rodríguez del Pino, B.
Bibliographical reference
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 438, Issue 2, p.1038-1050
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2
2014
Citations
20
Refereed citations
19
Description
We use integral field spectroscopy of 13 disc galaxies in the cluster
AC114 at z ˜ 0.31 in an attempt to disentangle the physical
processes responsible for the transformation of spiral galaxies in
clusters. Our sample is selected to display a dominant young stellar
population, as indicated by strong Hδ absorption lines in their
integrated spectra. Most of our galaxies lack the [O II]λ3727
emission line, and hence ongoing star formation. They therefore possess
`k+a' spectra, indicative of a recent truncation of star formation,
possibly preceded by a starburst. Discy `k+a' galaxies are a promising
candidate for the intermediate stage of the transformation from
star-forming spiral galaxies to passive S0s. Our observations allow us
to study the spatial distributions and the kinematics of the different
stellar populations within the galaxies. We used three different
indicators to evaluate the presence of a young population: the
equivalent width of Hδ, the luminosity-weighted fraction of A
stars, and the fraction of the galaxy light attributable to simple
stellar populations with ages between 0.5 and 1.5 Gyr. We find a mixture
of behaviours, but are able to show that in most of the galaxies the
last episode of star formation occurred in an extended disc, similar to
preceding generations of stars, though somewhat more centrally
concentrated. We thus exclude nuclear starbursts and violent
gravitational interactions as causes of the star formation truncation.
Gentler mechanisms, such as ram-pressure stripping or weak galaxy-galaxy
interactions, appear to be responsible for ending star formation in
these intermediate-redshift cluster disc galaxies.
Related projects
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.
Ignacio
Martín Navarro