Curvature in the color-magnitude relation but not in color-sigma: Major dry mergers at M* > 2 x 10^11 Msun?

TL;DR

This study investigates the curvature in the color-magnitude relation of early-type galaxies, finding evidence that major dry mergers significantly influence galaxy assembly above a stellar mass of 2x10^11 Msun, while color-sigma relations remain unaffected.

Contribution

It provides new insights into galaxy merger histories, highlighting the role of major dry mergers in shaping the properties of massive galaxies beyond previous models.

Findings

Color-magnitude relation curves at high and low luminosities.

Color-sigma relation remains a single power law.

Major dry mergers dominate galaxy assembly above 2x10^11 Msun.

Abstract

The color-magnitude relation of early-type galaxies differs slightly but significantly from a pure power-law, curving downwards at low and upwards at large luminosities (Mr>-20.5 and Mr<-22.5). This remains true of the color-size relation, and is even more apparent with stellar mass (M* < 3x10^10 Msun and M* > 2x10^11 Msun). The upwards curvature at the massive end does not appear to be due to stellar population effects. In contrast, the color-sigma relation is well-described by a single power law. Since major dry mergers change neither the colors nor sigma, but they do change masses and sizes, the clear features observed in the scaling relations with M*, but not with sigma > 150 km/s, suggest that M* > 2x10^11 Msun is the scale above which major dry mergers dominate the assembly history. We discuss three models of the merger histories since z ~ 1 which are compatible with our measurements. In all three models, dry mergers are responsible for the flattening of the color-M* relation at M* > 3x10^10 Msun - wet mergers only matter at smaller masses. At M* > 2 x 10^11 Msun, the merger histories in one model are dominated by major rather than minor dry mergers, as suggested by the axis ratio and color gradient trends. In another, although both major and minor mergers occur at the high mass end, the minor mergers contribute primarily to the formation of the ICL, rather than to the mass growth of the central massive galaxy. A final model assumes that the reddest objects were assembled by a mix of major and minor dry mergers.