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Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): the red fraction and radial distribution of satellite galaxies

Prescott, Matthew ; Baldry, I. K. ; James, P. A. ; Bamford, S. P. ; Bland-Hawthorn, J. ; Brough, S. ; Brown, M. J. I. ; Cameron, E. ; Conselice, C. J. ; Croom, S. M. ; Driver, S. P. ; Frenk, C. S. ; Gunawardhana, M. ; Hill, D. T. ; Hopkins, A. M. ; Jones, D. H. ; Kelvin, L. S. ; Kuijken, K. ; Liske, J. ; Loveday, J. ; Nichol, R. C. ; Norberg, P. ; Parkinson, H. R. ; Peacock, J. A. ; Phillipps, S. ; Pimbblet, K. A. ; Popescu, C. C. ; Robotham, A. S. G. ; Sharp, R. G. ; Sutherland, W. J. ; Taylor, E. N. ; Tuffs, R. J. ; van Kampen, E. ; Wijesinghe, D.

In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2011, vol. 417, no. 2, p. 1374-1386

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    Title
    • Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): the red fraction and radial distribution of satellite galaxies
    Author
    • Prescott, Matthew. Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead CH41 1LD
    • Baldry, I. K.. Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead CH41 1LD
    • James, P. A.. Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead CH41 1LD
    • Bamford, S. P.. Centre for Astronomy and Particle Theory, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
    • Bland-Hawthorn, J.. Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
    • Brough, S.. Australian Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
    • Brown, M. J. I.. School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
    • Cameron, E.. Department of Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zürich), 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
    • Conselice, C. J.. Centre for Astronomy and Particle Theory, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
    • Croom, S. M.. Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
    • Driver, S. P.. School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS
    • Frenk, C. S.. Institute for Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE
    • Gunawardhana, M.. Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
    • Hill, D. T.. School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS
    • Hopkins, A. M.. Australian Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
    • Jones, D. H.. School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
    • Kelvin, L. S.. School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS
    • Kuijken, K.. Leiden University, PO Box 9500, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
    • Liske, J.. European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
    • Loveday, J.. Astronomy Centre, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH
    • Nichol, R. C.. Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), University of Portsmouth, Dennis Sciama Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO1 3FX
    • Norberg, P.. Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ
    • Parkinson, H. R.. Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ
    • Peacock, J. A.. Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ
    • Phillipps, S.. Astrophysics Group, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL
    • Pimbblet, K. A.. School of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
    • Popescu, C. C.. Jeremiah Horrocks Institute, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE
    • Robotham, A. S. G.. School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS
    • Sharp, R. G.. Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611, Australia
    • Sutherland, W. J.. Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary University London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
    • Taylor, E. N.. Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
    • Tuffs, R. J.. Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (MPIK), Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
    • van Kampen, E.. European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
    • Wijesinghe, D.. Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:303710
    Summary
    We investigate the properties of satellite galaxies that surround isolated hosts within the redshift range 0.01 < z < 0.15, using data taken as part of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly survey. Making use of isolation and satellite criteria that take into account stellar mass estimates, we find 3514 isolated galaxies of which 1426 host a total of 2998 satellites. Separating the red and blue populations of satellites and hosts, using colour-mass diagrams, we investigate the radial distribution of satellite galaxies and determine how the red fraction of satellites varies as a function of satellite mass, host mass and the projected distance from their host. Comparing the red fraction of satellites to a control sample of small neighbours at greater projected radii, we show that the increase in red fraction is primarily a function of host mass. The satellite red fraction is about 0.2 higher than the control sample for hosts with , while the red fractions show no difference for hosts with . For the satellites of more massive hosts, the red fraction also increases as a function of decreasing projected distance. Our results suggest that the likely main mechanism for the quenching of star formation in satellites hosted by isolated galaxies is strangulation