Evolution of Star-formation Properties of High-redshift Cluster Galaxies since $z = 2$

TL;DR

This study reveals that stellar mass primarily drives galaxy quenching up to redshift 2, while environment becomes a dominant factor at lower redshifts, especially for low-mass galaxies, based on extensive imaging data of high-redshift clusters.

Contribution

It demonstrates the relative roles of stellar mass and environment in galaxy quenching across redshifts up to 2, highlighting the evolving importance of environment for low-mass galaxies.

Findings

Stellar mass controls quenching up to z=2.

Environmental quenching is significant at z<1.

High-mass galaxies are mostly quenched by z>1.

Abstract

Using a stellar mass limited sample of $\sim 46,600$ galaxies ($M_* > 10^{9.1}\,M_{\odot}$) at $0.5 < z < 2$, we show that the tellar mass, rather than the environment, is the main parameter controlling quenching of star formation in galaxies with $M_* > 10^{10}\,M_{\odot}$ out to $z=2$. On the other hand, the environmental quenching becomes efficient at $z < 1$ regardless of galaxy mass, and it serves as a main star formation quenching mechanism for lower mass galaxies. Our result is based on deep optical and near-infrared imaging data over 2800 arcmin$^2$, enabling us to negate cosmic variance and identify 46 galaxy cluster candidates with $M \sim 10^{14}\,M_{\odot}$. From $M_* \sim 10^{9.5}$ to $10^{10.5}\,M_{\odot}$, the fraction of quiescent galaxies increases by a factor of $\sim 10$ over the entire redshift range, but the difference between cluster and field environment is negligible. Rapid evolution in the quiescent fraction is seen from $z=2$ to $z=1.3$ for massive galaxies suggesting a build-up of massive quiescent galaxies at $z > 1.3$. For galaxies with $M_* < 10^{10}\,M_{\odot}$ at $z < 1.0$, the quiescent fraction is found to be as much as a factor of 2 larger in clusters than in field, showing the importance of environmental quenching in low mass galaxies at low redshift. Most high mass galaxies are already quenched at $z > 1$, therefore environmental quenching does not play a significant role for them, although the environmental quenching efficiency is nearly identical between high and low mass galaxies.