The Merger-Driven Formation of Classical Low Surface Brightness Galaxies in Romulus25

TL;DR

This study uses the Romulus25 simulation to show that classical low surface brightness galaxies predominantly form through specific merger processes, resulting in diffuse, metal-poor, and slowly star-forming galaxies that are part of the broader galaxy population.

Contribution

It reveals the merger-driven formation mechanism of classical LSB galaxies and characterizes their properties compared to high surface brightness galaxies.

Findings

LSB galaxies account for ~60% of central galaxies in the simulation.

Major mergers with co-rotating or high angular momentum satellites lead to LSB formation.

LSB galaxies have nearly constant star formation rates and are generally older and bluer than HSB galaxies.

Abstract

We use the Romulus25 cosmological simulation volume to study a large sample of late-type gas-rich galaxies with low central surface brightnesses known as classical low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies and compare them to a mass-matched sample of high surface brightness (HSB) galaxies. We find that classical LSB galaxies make up a substantial fraction of the galaxy population, accounting for ~60% of all central galaxies with 8$\leq$log$_\mathrm{10}$(M$_\star$/M$_\odot$)$\leq$10. In Romulus25, classical LSB galaxies are predominantly formed through major mergers in which the secondary galaxy is co-rotating and aligned with the primary galaxy's gas disk and/or has above average orbital angular momentum at infall. The merger product is a high spin galaxy in which star formation is spread out and inefficient, allowing the galaxy to build up a large supply of relatively unenriched gas. The star formation rates of LSB galaxies are nearly constant over time, leading to stellar populations that are, on average, slightly older and therefore optically redder than those of similar HSB galaxies. However, because LSB galaxies are diffuse and metal-poor, they have very little internal reddening, causing them to appear bluer than HSB galaxies. We also find that, when compared to the bulges of HSB galaxies, the bulges of LSB galaxies are similar in mass, but are lower surface brightness, redder, and more diffuse on average. Despite these differences, classical LSB galaxies are part of the continuum of the galaxy population in Romulus25, constituting one of many evolutionary paths.