Compact star forming galaxies as the progenitors of compact quiescent galaxies: clustering result

TL;DR

This study measures the clustering of massive compact galaxies at high redshift, suggesting an evolutionary link from star-forming to quiescent galaxies and their connection to local early-type galaxies.

Contribution

It provides the first clustering measurements for cQGs and cSFGs at these redshifts, supporting their evolutionary connection and progenitor status for local luminous ETGs.

Findings

cQGs at z~1.6 have a correlation length of ~7.1 h^{-1} Mpc

cSFGs at z~2.5 have a correlation length of ~7.7 h^{-1} Mpc

Dark matter halo masses are ~7.1x10^{12} and ~4.4x10^{12} h^{-1} M_ ext{sun} for cQGs and cSFGs respectively

Abstract

We present a measurement of the spatial clustering of massive compact galaxies at $1.2\le z \le 3$ in CANDELS/3D-HST fields. We obtain the correlation length for compact quiescent galaxies (cQGs) at $z\sim1.6$ of $r_{0}=7.1_{-2.6}^{+2.3}\ h^{-1}Mpc$ and compact star forming galaxies (cSFGs) at $z\sim2.5$ of $r_{0}=7.7_{-2.9}^{+2.7}\ h^{-1}Mpc$ assuming a power-law slope $\gamma =1.8$. The characteristic dark matter halo masses $M_H$ of cQGs at $z\sim1.6$ and cSFGs at $z\sim2.5$ are $\sim7.1\times 10^{12}\ h^{-1} M_\odot$ and $\sim4.4\times10^{12}\ h^{-1} M_\odot$, respectively. Our clustering result suggests that cQGs at $z\sim1.6$ are possibly the progenitors of local luminous ETGs and the descendants of cSFGs and SMGs at $z>2$. Thus an evolutionary connection involving SMGs, cSFGs, QSOs, cQGs and local luminous ETGs has been indicated by our clustering result.