Effects of superstructure environment on galaxy groups

TL;DR

This study investigates how large-scale superstructure environments influence galaxy groups, revealing that groups in superstructures have higher stellar mass, velocity dispersions, and older stellar populations, supporting early formation in these regions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that galaxy groups in superstructures exhibit distinct properties such as increased stellar mass and older stellar populations, providing evidence for assembly bias effects.

Findings

Groups in superstructures have 40% higher velocity dispersions.

Stellar mass content in groups is 1.3 times higher in superstructures.

Galaxies in superstructure groups are systematically older.

Abstract

We analyse properties of galaxy groups and their dependence on the large scale environment as defined by superstructures. We find that group galaxy cross correlations depend only on group properties regardless the groups reside in superstructures. This indicates that the total galaxy density profile around groups is independent of the global environment. At a given global luminosity, a proxy to group total mass, groups have a larger stellar mass content by a factor 1.3, a relative excess independent of the group luminosity. Groups in superstructures have 40 per cent higher velocity dispersions and systematically larger minimal enclosing radii. We also find that the stellar population of galaxies in groups in superstructures is systematically older as infered from the galaxy spectra Dn4000 parameter. Although the galaxy number density profile of groups is independent of environment, the star formation rate and stellar mass profile of the groups residing in superstructures differs from groups elsewhere. For groups residing in superstructures, the combination of a larger stellar mass content and star formation rate produces a larger time scale for star formation regardless the distance to the group center. Our results provide evidence that groups in superstructures formed earlier than elsewhere, as expected in the assembly bias scenario.