Herschel-ATLAS/GAMA: spatial clustering of low-redshift sub-mm galaxies

TL;DR

This study measures the clustering of low-redshift sub-mm galaxies detected by Herschel-ATLAS, revealing their spatial distribution and relation to optical galaxies, with implications for understanding galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed clustering analysis of low-redshift sub-mm galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts, linking sub-mm and optical galaxy populations.

Findings

Clustering length r_0 ~ 5 Mpc for sub-mm galaxies

Spatial clustering similar to blue, star-forming galaxies

Identification of a structure at z = 0.164

Abstract

We have measured the clustering properties of low-redshift (z < 0.3) sub-mm galaxies detected at 250 micron in the Herschel-ATLAS Science Demonstration Phase (SDP) field. We selected a sample for which we have high-quality spectroscopic redshifts, obtained from reliably matching the 250-micron sources to a complete (for r < 19.4) sample of galaxies from the GAMA database. Both the angular and spatial clustering strength are measured for all z < 0.3 sources as well as for five redshift slices with thickness delta z=0.05 in the range 0.05 < z < 0.3. Our measured spatial clustering length r_0 is comparable to that of optically-selected, moderately star-forming (blue) galaxies: we find values around 5 Mpc. One of the redshift bins contains an interesting structure, at z = 0.164.