Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes?
The quenched fraction of satellite galaxies is aligned with the orientation of the halo’s central galaxy, such that on average, satellites form stars at a lower rate along the major axis of the central. This effect, called anisotropic satellite galaxy quenching (ASGQ), has been found in observationa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acd3e9 |
| _version_ | 1797696333388185600 |
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| author | Juliana S. M. Karp Johannes U. Lange Risa H. Wechsler |
| author_facet | Juliana S. M. Karp Johannes U. Lange Risa H. Wechsler |
| author_sort | Juliana S. M. Karp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The quenched fraction of satellite galaxies is aligned with the orientation of the halo’s central galaxy, such that on average, satellites form stars at a lower rate along the major axis of the central. This effect, called anisotropic satellite galaxy quenching (ASGQ), has been found in observational data and cosmological simulations. Analyzing the IllustrisTNG simulation, Martín-Navarro et al. recently argued that ASGQ is caused by anisotropic energetic feedback and constitutes “compelling observational evidence for the role of black holes in regulating galaxy evolution.” In this Letter, we study the causes of ASGQ in state-of-the-art galaxy formation simulations to evaluate this claim. We show that cosmological simulations predict that on average, satellite galaxies along the major axis of the dark matter halo tend to have been accreted at earlier cosmic times and are hosted by subhalos of larger peak halo masses. As a result, a modulation of the quenched fraction with respect to the major axis of the central galaxy is a natural prediction of hierarchical structure formation. We show that ASGQ is predicted by the UniverseMachine galaxy formation model, a model without anisotropic feedback. Furthermore, we demonstrate that even in the IllustrisTNG simulation, anisotropic satellite accretion properties are the main cause of ASGQ. Ultimately, we argue that ASGQ is not a reliable indicator of supermassive black hole feedback in galaxy formation simulations and, thus, should not be interpreted as such in observational data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:24:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43fb5bcd26354d2c94a819638e80790d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:24:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-43fb5bcd26354d2c94a819638e80790d2023-09-03T13:41:57ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052023-01-019491L1310.3847/2041-8213/acd3e9Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes?Juliana S. M. Karp0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1728-8042Johannes U. Lange1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2450-1366Risa H. Wechsler2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2229-011XKavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University , CA 94305, USA ; juliana.karp@yale.edu; Department of Astronomy, Yale University , New Haven, CT 06511, USAKavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University , CA 94305, USA ; juliana.karp@yale.edu; Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California , Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; Department of Physics, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Leinweber Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAKavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University , CA 94305, USA ; juliana.karp@yale.edu; Department of Physics, Stanford University , CA 94305, USA; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Menlo Park, CA 94025, USAThe quenched fraction of satellite galaxies is aligned with the orientation of the halo’s central galaxy, such that on average, satellites form stars at a lower rate along the major axis of the central. This effect, called anisotropic satellite galaxy quenching (ASGQ), has been found in observational data and cosmological simulations. Analyzing the IllustrisTNG simulation, Martín-Navarro et al. recently argued that ASGQ is caused by anisotropic energetic feedback and constitutes “compelling observational evidence for the role of black holes in regulating galaxy evolution.” In this Letter, we study the causes of ASGQ in state-of-the-art galaxy formation simulations to evaluate this claim. We show that cosmological simulations predict that on average, satellite galaxies along the major axis of the dark matter halo tend to have been accreted at earlier cosmic times and are hosted by subhalos of larger peak halo masses. As a result, a modulation of the quenched fraction with respect to the major axis of the central galaxy is a natural prediction of hierarchical structure formation. We show that ASGQ is predicted by the UniverseMachine galaxy formation model, a model without anisotropic feedback. Furthermore, we demonstrate that even in the IllustrisTNG simulation, anisotropic satellite accretion properties are the main cause of ASGQ. Ultimately, we argue that ASGQ is not a reliable indicator of supermassive black hole feedback in galaxy formation simulations and, thus, should not be interpreted as such in observational data.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acd3e9Galaxy formationSupermassive black holesGalaxy dark matter halosGalaxy quenching |
| spellingShingle | Juliana S. M. Karp Johannes U. Lange Risa H. Wechsler Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? The Astrophysical Journal Letters Galaxy formation Supermassive black holes Galaxy dark matter halos Galaxy quenching |
| title | Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? |
| title_full | Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? |
| title_fullStr | Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? |
| title_short | Anisotropic Satellite Galaxy Quenching: A Unique Signature of Energetic Feedback by Supermassive Black Holes? |
| title_sort | anisotropic satellite galaxy quenching a unique signature of energetic feedback by supermassive black holes |
| topic | Galaxy formation Supermassive black holes Galaxy dark matter halos Galaxy quenching |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acd3e9 |
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