Tightly coupled morpho-kinematic evolution for massive star-forming and quiescent galaxies across 7Gyr of cosmic time

Graaff, A.D. and Bezanson, R. and Franx, M. and van der Wel, A. and Bell, E.F. and D’Eugenio, F. and Holden, B. and Maseda, M.V. and Muzzin, A. and Pacifici, C. and Sande, J.V.D. and Sobral, D. and Straatman, C.M.S. and Wu, P.-F. (2020) Tightly coupled morpho-kinematic evolution for massive star-forming and quiescent galaxies across 7Gyr of cosmic time. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 903 (2): L30. ISSN 2041-8205

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Abstract

We use the Fundamental Plane (FP) to measure the redshift evolution of the dynamical mass-to-light ratio (Mdyn/L) and the dynamical-to-stellar mass ratio (Mdyn/M*). Although conventionally used to study the properties of early-type galaxies, we here obtain stellar kinematic measurements from the Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census span a wide (LEGA-C range ) in Survey star formation for a sample activity. of ∼ In 1400 line massive with previous (log(M studies, * M) > we 10.5 find ) galaxies a strong at evolution 0.6 < z in < M 1.0dynthat /Lg with redshift. In contrast, we find only a weak dependence of the mean value of Mdyn/M* on the specific star formation rate, and a redshift evolution that likely is explained by systematics. Therefore, we demonstrate that star-forming and quiescent galaxies lie on the same, stable mass FP across 0 < z < 1, and that the decrease in Mdyn/Lg toward high redshift can be attributed entirely to evolution of the stellar populations. Moreover, we show that the growth of galaxies in size and mass is constrained to occur within the mass FP. Our results imply either minimal structural evolution in massive galaxies since z ∼ 1, or a tight coupling in the evolution of their morphological and dynamical properties, and establish the mass FP as a tool for studying galaxy evolution with low impact from progenitor bias.