The number density and mass density of star-forming and quiescent galaxies at 0.4 < z < 2.2

TL;DR

This study analyzes the evolution of star-forming and quiescent galaxies from redshift 0.4 to 2.2, revealing significant growth in massive quiescent galaxies mainly due to galaxy transformation processes.

Contribution

It provides a robust two-color criterion for galaxy classification across a broad redshift range and extends previous density evolution studies to z=2.2.

Findings

Mass density of massive quiescent galaxies increases tenfold since z=2.

Star-forming galaxy density remains flat or decreases over time.

Less massive quiescent galaxies are continuously formed from star-forming galaxies.

Abstract

We study the build-up of the bimodal galaxy population using the NEWFIRM Medium-Band Survey, which provides excellent redshifts and well-sampled spectral energy distributions of ~27,000 galaxies with K<22.8 at 0.4 < z < 2.2. We first show that star-forming galaxies and quiescent galaxies can be robustly separated with a two-color criterion over this entire redshift range. We then study the evolution of the number density and mass density of quiescent and star-forming galaxies, extending the results of the COMBO-17, DEEP2, and other surveys to z=2.2. The mass density of quiescent galaxies with M > 3 10^11 solar masses increases by a factor of ~10 from z=2 to the present day, whereas the mass density in star-forming galaxies is flat or decreases over the same time period. Modest mass growth by a factor of 2 of individual quiescent galaxies can explain roughly half of the strong density evolution at M>10^11 solar masses, due to the steepness of the exponential tail of the mass function. The rest of the density evolution of massive, quiescent galaxies is likely due to transformation (e.g. quenching) of the massive star-forming population, a conclusion which is consistent with the density evolution we observe for the star-forming galaxies themselves, which is flat or decreasing with cosmic time. Modest mass growth does not explain the evolution of less massive quiescent galaxies (~10^10.5 solar masses), which show a similarly steep increase in their number densities. The less massive quiescent galaxies are therefore continuously formed by transforming galaxies from the star-forming population