On the Fraction of Barred Spiral Galaxies

TL;DR

This study analyzes how the fraction of barred spiral galaxies varies with stellar mass and star formation history, revealing dependencies that clarify previous conflicting results on bar evolution.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of barred galaxy fractions as functions of stellar mass and central concentration, clarifying their relation to galaxy evolution.

Findings

Bar fraction strongly depends on stellar mass and star formation history.

Bar fractions are sensitive to central concentration below a certain mass.

Results help resolve discrepancies in previous studies on bar evolution.

Abstract

We investigate the stellar masses of strongly barred spiral galaxies. Our analysis is based on a sample of ~14000 visually-classified nearby galaxies given in Nair & Abraham 2010(a). The fraction of barred spiral galaxies is found to be a strong function of stellar mass and star formation history, with a minimum near the characteristic mass at which bimodality is seen in the stellar populations of galaxies. We also find bar fractions are very sensitive to the central concentration of galaxies below the transition mass but not above it. This suggests that whatever process is causing the creation of the red and blue sequences is either influencing, or being influenced by, structural changes which manifest themselves in the absence of bars. As a consequence of strong bar fractions being sensitive to the mass range probed, our analysis helps resolve discrepant results on the reported evolution of bar fractions with redshift.