Quiescent galaxies in a virialized cluster at redshift 2: evidence for accelerated size growth

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  • E. Noordeh
  • R. E. A. Canning
  • J. P. Willis
  • S. W. Allen
  • A. Mantz
  • S. A. Stanford
  • Brammer, Gabriel

We present an analysis of the galaxy population in XLSSC 122, an X-ray-selected, virialized cluster at redshift z = 1.98. We utilize Hubble Space Telescope (HST)Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) photometry to characterize the activity and morphology of spectroscopically confirmed cluster members. The quiescent fraction is found to be 88(-20)(+4) percent within 0.5r(500), significantly enhanced over the field value of 20(-2)(+2) percent at z similar to 2. We find an excess of 'bulge-like' quiescent cluster members with Sersic index n > 2 relative to the field. These galaxies are found to be larger than their field counterparts at 99.6 percent confidence, being on average 63(-24)(+31) percent larger at a fixed mass of M-* = 5 x 10(10) M-circle dot . This suggests that these cluster member galaxies have experienced an accelerated size evolution relative to the field at z > 2. We discuss minor mergers as a possible mechanism underlying this disproportionate size growth.

Original languageEnglish
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume507
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)5272-5280
Number of pages9
ISSN0035-8711
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021

    Research areas

  • galaxies: clusters: general, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: fundamental parameters, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: stellar content, galaxies: structure, SIMILAR-TO 1, COLOR-MAGNITUDE RELATION, STAR-FORMATION, STELLAR-MASS, SPIRAL GALAXIES, DISK GALAXIES, EVOLUTION, FIELD, MERGERS, TRANSFORMATION

ID: 281983872