COSMOS2020: The Galaxy Stellar Mass Function: the assembly and star formation cessation of galaxies at $0.2\lt z \leq 7.5$

TL;DR

This study constrains the galaxy stellar mass function from redshift 7.5 to 0.2 using COSMOS2020 data, revealing smooth evolution, galaxy quenching patterns, and an excess of massive, red, dust-obscured systems at high redshifts.

Contribution

It provides the most comprehensive analysis of the galaxy stellar mass function evolution over cosmic time, utilizing improved data and methods to identify new populations of massive galaxies.

Findings

SMF evolves smoothly since z=7.5

High-mass quiescent galaxies increase at lower redshifts

Excess of massive, red, dust-obscured galaxies at z=2.5-5.5

Abstract

How galaxies form, assemble, and cease their star-formation is a central question within the modern landscape of galaxy evolution studies. These processes are indelibly imprinted on the galaxy stellar mass function (SMF). We present constraints on the shape and evolution of the SMF, the quiescent galaxy fraction, and the cosmic stellar mass density across 90% of the history of the Universe from $z=7.5\rightarrow0.2$ via the COSMOS survey. Now with deeper and more homogeneous near-infrared coverage exploited by the COSMOS2020 catalog, we leverage the large 1.27 deg$^{2}$ effective area to improve sample statistics and understand cosmic variance particularly for rare, massive galaxies and push to higher redshifts with greater confidence and mass completeness than previous studies. We divide the total stellar mass function into star-forming and quiescent sub-samples through $NUVrJ$ color-color selection. Measurements are then fitted with Schechter functions to infer the intrinsic SMF, the evolution of its key parameters, and the cosmic stellar mass density out to $z=7.5$. We find a smooth, monotonic evolution in the galaxy SMF since $z=7.5$, in agreement with previous studies. The number density of star-forming systems seems to have undergone remarkably consistent growth spanning four decades in stellar mass from $z=7.5\rightarrow2$ whereupon high-mass systems become predominantly quiescent (i.e. downsizing). An excess of massive systems at $z\sim2.5-5.5$ with strikingly red colors, some newly identified, increase the observed number densities to the point where the SMF cannot be reconciled with a Schechter function. Systematics including cosmic variance and/or AGN contamination are unlikely to fully explain this excess, and so we speculate that there may be contributions from dust-obscured objects similar to those found in FIR surveys. (abridged)