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arXiv · 0804.4516

Luminosity Function Constraints on the Evolution of Massive Red Galaxies Since z~0.9

Richard J. Cool·Daniel J. Eisenstein·Xiaohui Fan·Masataka Fukugita·Linhua Jiang·Claudia Maraston·Avery Meiksin·Donald P. Schneider·David A. Wake
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Abstract

We measure the evolution of the luminous red galaxy (LRG) luminosity function in the redshift range 0.1 3L*) red galaxies have grown by less than 50% (at 99% confidence), since z=0.9, in stark contrast to the factor of 2-4 growth observed in the L* red galaxy population over the same epoch. We also investigate the evolution of the average LRG spectrum since z~0.9 and find the high-redshift composite to be well-described as a passively evolving example of the composite galaxy observed at low-redshift. From spectral fits to the composite spectra, we find at most 5% of the stellar mass in massive red galaxies may have formed within 1Gyr of z=0.9. While L* red galaxies are clearly assembled at z<1, 3L* galaxies appear to be largely in place and evolve little beyond the passive evolution of their stellar populations over the last half of cosmic history.

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Richard J. Cool, Daniel J. Eisenstein, Xiaohui Fan, Masataka Fukugita, Linhua Jiang, Claudia Maraston, Avery Meiksin, Donald P. Schneider, David A. Wake. 2008-04-29. Luminosity Function Constraints on the Evolution of Massive Red Galaxies Since z~0.9. https://doi.org/10.1086/589642

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