Article

Evidence for strong evolution in galaxy environmental quenching efficiency between z = 1.6 and z = 0.9

Julie Nantais1Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Fernandez Concha 700, Las Condes 7591538, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, ChileAdam Muzzin2Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, United KingdomR. F. J. van der Burg3Laboratoire AIM-Paris-Saclay, CEA/DSM-CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, Irfu/Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceGillian Wilson4Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California-Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USAC. Lidman5Australian Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 2915, North Ryde NSW 1670, AustraliaRyan Foltz4Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California-Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USAAndrew DeGroot4Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California-Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USAAllison Noble6Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H4, CanadaMichael C. Cooper7Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 4129 Frederick Reines Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USAR. Demarco8Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Región del Biobío, Chile

2016en

ABI

Abstract

Abstract We analyse the evolution of environmental quenching efficiency, the fraction of quenched cluster galaxies that would be star-forming if they were in the field, as a function of redshift in 14 spectroscopically confirmed galaxy clusters with 0.87 &lt; $z$ &lt; 1.63 from the Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-Sequence Cluster Survey (SpARCS). The clusters are the richest in the survey at each redshift. Passive fractions rise from $42_{-13}^{+10}$% at $z$ ∼ 1.6 to $80_{-9}^{+12}$% at $z$ ∼ 1.3 and $88_{-3}^{+4}$% at $z$ &lt; 1.1, outpacing the change in passive fraction in the field. Environmental quenching efficiency rises dramatically from $16_{-19}^{+15}$% at $z$ ∼ 1.6 to $62_{-15}^{+21}$% at $z$ ∼ 1.3 and $73_{-7}^{+8}$% at $z$ ≲ 1.1. This work is the first to show direct observational evidence for a rapid increase in the strength of environmental quenching in galaxy clusters at $z$ ∼ 1.5, where simulations show cluster-mass halos undergo non-linear collapse and virialisation.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slw224

Citations and references

Cited by 20 references

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