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Multiple mechanisms quench passive spiral galaxies

Fraser-McKelvie, Amelia; Brown, Michael J. I.; Pimbblet, Kevin; Dolley, Tim; Bonne, Nicolas J.

Authors

Amelia Fraser-McKelvie

Michael J. I. Brown

Kevin Pimbblet

Tim Dolley

Nicolas J. Bonne



Abstract

We examine the properties of a sample of 35 nearby passive spiral galaxies in order to determine their dominant quenching mechanism(s). All five low-mass (M⋆ < 1 × 1010 M⊙) passive spiral galaxies are located in the rich Virgo cluster. This is in contrast to low-mass spiral galaxies with star formation, which inhabit a range of environments. We postulate that cluster-scale gas stripping and heating mechanisms operating only in rich clusters are required to quench low-mass passive spirals, and ram-pressure stripping and strangulation are obvious candidates. For higher mass passive spirals, while trends are present, the story is less clear. The passive spiral bar fraction is high: 74 ± 15 per cent, compared with 36 ± 5 per cent for a mass, redshift and T-type matched comparison sample of star-forming spiral galaxies. The high mass passive spirals occur mostly, but not exclusively, in groups, and can be central or satellite galaxies. The passive spiral group fraction of 74 ± 15 per cent is similar to that of the comparison sample of star-forming galaxies at 61 ± 7 per cent. We find evidence for both quenching via internal structure and environment in our passive spiral sample, though some galaxies have evidence of neither. From this, we conclude no one mechanism is responsible for quenching star formation in passive spiral galaxies – rather, a mixture of mechanisms is required to produce the passive spiral distribution we see today.

Citation

Fraser-McKelvie, A., Brown, M. J. I., Pimbblet, K., Dolley, T., & Bonne, N. J. (2018). Multiple mechanisms quench passive spiral galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 474(2), 1909-1921. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx2823

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 27, 2017
Online Publication Date Oct 31, 2017
Publication Date Feb 21, 2018
Deposit Date Mar 19, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 474
Issue 2
Pages 1909-1921
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx2823
Keywords galaxies: evolution, galaxies: general, galaxies: spiral, galaxies: stellar content
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/913128
Publisher URL https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/474/2/1909/4582902
Additional Information This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices if the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2017 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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