A transition mass in the local Tully–Fisher relation. Issue 1 (10th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simons, Raymond C.; Kassin, Susan A.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Heckman, Timothy M.; Lee, Janice C.; Lotz, Jennifer M.; Peth, Michael; Tchernyshyov, Kirill
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 452:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 986
• Page End: 997
• Publication Date: 2015-07-10
• Subjects: galaxies: evolution -- galaxies: formation -- galaxies: fundamental parameters -- galaxies: kinematics and dynamics; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stv1298
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

Abstract : We study the stellar mass Tully–Fisher relation (TFR; stellar mass versus rotation velocity) for a morphologically blind selection of emission line galaxies in the field at redshifts 0.1 < z < 0.375. Kinematics (σg, V rot ) are measured from emission lines in Keck/DEIMOS spectra and quantitative morphology is measured from V - and I -band Hubble images. We find a transition stellar mass in the TFR, log M * /M⊙ = 9.5. Above this mass, nearly all galaxies are rotation dominated, on average more morphologically disc-like according to quantitative morphology, and lie on a relatively tight TFR. Below this mass, the TFR has significant scatter to low rotation velocity and galaxies can either be rotation-dominated discs on the TFR or asymmetric or compact galaxies which scatter off. We refer to this transition mass as the 'mass of disc formation', M df because above it all star-forming galaxies form discs (except for a small number of major mergers and highly star-forming systems), whereas below it a galaxy may or may not form a disc.