The size distribution of galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Authors

Shen, Shiyin; Mo, H. J.; White, Simon D. M.; Blanton, Michael R.; Kauffmann, Guinevere; Voges, Wolfgang; Brinkmann, J.; Csabai, Istvan

Abstract

We use a complete sample of about 140000 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to study the size distribution of galaxies and its dependence on their luminosity, stellar mass and morphological type. The large SDSS data base provides statistics of unprecedented accuracy. For each type of galaxy, the size distribution at given luminosity (or stellar mass) is well described by a log-normal function, characterized by its median and dispersion \(\sigma_{\rm lnR}\). For late-type galaxies, there is a characteristic luminosity at \(M_{r,0} \sim -20.5\) (assuming h= 0.7) corresponding to a stellar mass \(M_0 \sim 10^{10.6} M_{\rm solar}\). Galaxies more massive than \(M_0\) have and \(\sigma_{\rm lnR} \sim 0.3\), while less massive galaxies have and \(\sigma_{\rm lnR} \sim 0.5\). For early-type galaxies, the relation is significantly steeper, , but the \(\sigma_{\rm lnR}\)-M relation is similar to that of bright late-type galaxies. Faint red galaxies have sizes quite independent of their luminosities. We use simple theoretical models to interpret these results. The observed relation for late-type galaxies can be explained if the fraction of baryons that form stars is as predicted by the standard feedback model. Fitting the observed \(\sigma_{\rm lnR}\)-M relation requires in addition that the bulge/disc mass ratio be larger in haloes of lower angular momentum and that the bulge material transfers part of its angular momentum to the disc. This can be achieved if bulge formation occurs so as to maintain a marginally stable disc. For early-type galaxies, the observed \(\sigma_{\rm lnR}\)-M relation is inconsistent with formation through single major mergers of present-day discs. It is consistent with formation through repeated mergers, if the progenitors have properties similar to those of faint ellipticals or Lyman break galaxies and merge from relatively strongly bound orbits.

Publication

Monthly Notice of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 343, Issue 3, pp. 978-994.

Pubdate

August 2003

DOI

10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06740.x

Bibcode

2003MNRAS.343..978S

Keywords

galaxies: formation; galaxies: fundamental parameters; galaxies: statistics; galaxies: structure; Astrophysics

Figures

Shen et al. (2003), Fig. 1

The distribution of galaxies with respect to some basic SDSS photometric quantities and the redshift. All histograms are normalized to unity.

Source: sources/shen_et_al_2003/fig_1.py

Shen et al. (2003), Fig. 1 reproduced using SDSS DR2 data. No selection except that mentioned at the beginning of Section 2.3, and an additional check that a Petrosian radius was found. Returns 142,316 objects instead of the 168,958 objects quoted in the paper.