Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift
We investigate the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function at high redshift (z ≥ 5) using a pair of large cosmological hydrodynamical simulations: MassiveBlack and Massive Black-II. By combining these simulations, we can study the properties of galaxies with stellar masses greater than 108M⊙ h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
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| _version_ | 1797069104919609344 |
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| author | Wilkins, S Di Matteo, T Croft, R Khandai, N Feng, Y Bunker, A Coulton, W |
| author_facet | Wilkins, S Di Matteo, T Croft, R Khandai, N Feng, Y Bunker, A Coulton, W |
| author_sort | Wilkins, S |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | We investigate the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function at high redshift (z ≥ 5) using a pair of large cosmological hydrodynamical simulations: MassiveBlack and Massive Black-II. By combining these simulations, we can study the properties of galaxies with stellar masses greater than 108M⊙ h-1 and (comoving) number densities of log10(φ [Mpc-3 dex-1 h3]) > -8. Observational determinations of the galaxy stellar mass function at very high redshift typically assume a relation between the observed ultraviolet (UV) luminosity and stellar massto- light ratio which is applied to high-redshift samples in order to estimate stellar masses. This relation can also be measured from the simulations. We do this, finding two significant differences with the usual observational assumption: it evolves strongly with redshift and has a different shape. Using this relation to make a consistent comparison between galaxy stellar mass functions, we find that at z=6 and above the simulation predictions are in good agreement with observed data over the whole mass range. Without using the correct UV luminosity and stellar mass-to-light ratio, the discrepancy would be up to two orders of magnitude for large galaxies (>1010M⊙ h-1). At z = 5, however, the stellar mass function for low-mass galaxies (<109M⊙ h-1) is overpredicted by factors of a few, consistent with the behaviour of the UV luminosity function, and perhaps a sign that feedback in the simulation is not efficient enough for these galaxies. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:19:35Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:5490c65a-52d0-4ef6-909f-6ad8cc46c1ff |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:19:35Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:5490c65a-52d0-4ef6-909f-6ad8cc46c1ff2022-03-26T16:38:41ZConfronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshiftJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:5490c65a-52d0-4ef6-909f-6ad8cc46c1ffEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2013Wilkins, SDi Matteo, TCroft, RKhandai, NFeng, YBunker, ACoulton, WWe investigate the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function at high redshift (z ≥ 5) using a pair of large cosmological hydrodynamical simulations: MassiveBlack and Massive Black-II. By combining these simulations, we can study the properties of galaxies with stellar masses greater than 108M⊙ h-1 and (comoving) number densities of log10(φ [Mpc-3 dex-1 h3]) > -8. Observational determinations of the galaxy stellar mass function at very high redshift typically assume a relation between the observed ultraviolet (UV) luminosity and stellar massto- light ratio which is applied to high-redshift samples in order to estimate stellar masses. This relation can also be measured from the simulations. We do this, finding two significant differences with the usual observational assumption: it evolves strongly with redshift and has a different shape. Using this relation to make a consistent comparison between galaxy stellar mass functions, we find that at z=6 and above the simulation predictions are in good agreement with observed data over the whole mass range. Without using the correct UV luminosity and stellar mass-to-light ratio, the discrepancy would be up to two orders of magnitude for large galaxies (>1010M⊙ h-1). At z = 5, however, the stellar mass function for low-mass galaxies (<109M⊙ h-1) is overpredicted by factors of a few, consistent with the behaviour of the UV luminosity function, and perhaps a sign that feedback in the simulation is not efficient enough for these galaxies. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
| spellingShingle | Wilkins, S Di Matteo, T Croft, R Khandai, N Feng, Y Bunker, A Coulton, W Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title | Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title_full | Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title_fullStr | Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title_full_unstemmed | Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title_short | Confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
| title_sort | confronting predictions of the galaxy stellar mass function with observations at high redshift |
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