The dust mass function from z ∼0 to z ∼2.5. Issue 4 (4th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pozzi, F; Calura, F; Zamorani, G; Delvecchio, I; Gruppioni, C; Santini, P
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 491:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 5073
• Page End: 5082
• Publication Date: 2019-10-04
• Subjects: ISM: evolution -- galaxies: ISM -- galaxies: statistics; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz2724
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We derive for the first time the dust mass function (DMF) in a wide redshift range, from z ∼ 0.2 up to z ∼ 2.5. In order to trace the dust emission, we start from a far-IR (160- μ m) Herschel selected catalogue in the COSMOS field. We estimate the dust masses by fitting the far-IR data (λrest $\, \, \buildrel\gt \over \sim \, \, $ 50 μ m) with a modified black body function and we present a detailed analysis to take into account the incompleteness in dust masses from a far-IR perspective. By parametrizing the observed DMF with a Schechter function in the redshift range 0.1 < z ≤ 0.25, where we are able to sample faint dust masses, we measure a steep slope (α ∼1.48), as found by the majority of works in the Local Universe. We detect a strong dust mass evolution, with $M_{\rm d}^{\star }$ at z ∼ 2.5 almost 1 dex larger than in the local Universe, combined with a decrease in their number density. Integrating our DMFs, we estimate the dust mass density (DMD), finding a broad peak at z ∼ 1, with a decrease by a factor of ∼ 3 towards z ∼ 0 and z ∼ 2.5. In general, the trend found for the DMD mostly agrees with the derivation of Driver et al., another DMD determination based also on far-IR detections, and with other measures based on indirect tracers.