Hiss, a new tool for H i stacking: application to NIBLES spectra. Issue 4 (5th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Healy, J; Blyth, S-L; Elson, E; van Driel, W; Butcher, Z; Schneider, S; Lehnert, M D; Minchin, R
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 487:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 4901
• Page End: 4938
• Publication Date: 2019-06-05
• Subjects: methods: data analysis -- methods: statistical -- galaxies: evolution -- galaxies: general -- radio lines: galaxies; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz1555
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

Abstract: H i stacking has proven to be a highly effective tool to statistically analyse average H i properties for samples of galaxies which may or may not be directly detected. With the plethora of H i data expected from the various upcoming H i surveys with the SKA Precursor and Pathfinder telescopes, it will be helpful to standardize the way in which stacking analyses are conducted. In this work we present a new python -based package, hiss, designed to stack H i (emission and absorption) spectra in a consistent and reliable manner. As an example, we use hiss to study the H i content in various galaxy sub-samples from the NIBLES survey of SDSS galaxies which were selected to represent their entire range in total stellar mass without a prior colour selection. This allowed us to compare the galaxy colour to average H i content in both detected and non-detected galaxies. Our sample, with a stellar mass range of $10^8 \lt {{ M}}_\star \, (\text{M}_\odot) \lt 10^{12}$, has enabled us to probe the H i -to-stellar mass gas fraction relationship more than half an order of magnitude lower than in previous stacking studies.