Luminosity Function Constraints on the Evolution of Massive Red Galaxies Since z~0.9

TL;DR

This study uses luminosity function measurements from SDSS and new spectroscopy to show that massive red galaxies have experienced minimal growth since z~0.9, primarily evolving passively with little new star formation.

Contribution

It provides the largest spectroscopic sample of massive red galaxies at z~0.9 and demonstrates their limited growth compared to less massive counterparts, highlighting their early assembly.

Findings

Massive red galaxies grew less than 50% since z=0.9.

L* red galaxies show significant evolution and assembly at z<1.

3L* red galaxies have evolved mainly through passive stellar aging.

Abstract

We measure the evolution of the luminous red galaxy (LRG) luminosity function in the redshift range 0.1<z<0.9 using samples of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey as well as new spectroscopy of high-redshift massive red galaxies. Our high-redshift sample of galaxies is largest spectroscopic sample of massive red galaxies at z~0.9 collected to date and covers 7 square deg, minimizing the impact of large scale structure on our results. We find that the LRG population has evolved little beyond the passive fading of its stellar populations since z~0.9. Based on our luminosity function measurements and assuming a non-evolving Salpeter stellar initial mass function, we find that the most massive (L>3L*) red galaxies have grown by less than 50% (at 99% confidence), since z=0.9, in stark contrast to the factor of 2-4 growth observed in the L* red galaxy population over the same epoch. We also investigate the evolution of the average LRG spectrum since z~0.9 and find the high-redshift composite to be well-described as a passively evolving example of the composite galaxy observed at low-redshift. From spectral fits to the composite spectra, we find at most 5% of the stellar mass in massive red galaxies may have formed within 1Gyr of z=0.9. While L* red galaxies are clearly assembled at z<1, 3L* galaxies appear to be largely in place and evolve little beyond the passive evolution of their stellar populations over the last half of cosmic history.