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Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the environments of high- and low-excitation radio galaxies

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posted on 2023-06-09, 13:35 authored by J H Y Ching, S M Croom, E M Sadler, A S G Robotham, S Brough, I K Baldry, J Bland-Hawthorn, M Colless, S P Driver, B W Holwerda, A M Hopkins, M J Jarvis, H M Johnston, L S Kelvin, J Liske, Jonathan LovedayJonathan Loveday, P Norberg, M B Pracy, O Steele, D Thomas, L Wang
We study the environments of low- and high-excitation radio galaxies (LERGs and HERGs, respectively) in the redshift range 0.01 < z < 0.4, using a sample of 399 radio galaxies and environmental measurements from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey. In our analysis we use the fifth nearest neighbour density (S5) and the GAMA galaxy groups catalogue (G3Cv6) and construct control samples of galaxies matched in stellar mass and colour to the radio-detected sample. We find that LERGs and HERGs exist in different environments and that this difference is dependent on radio luminosity. High-luminosity LERGs (LNVSS ? 1024 W Hz-1) lie in much denser environments than a matched radio-quiet control sample (about three times as dense, as measured by S5), and are more likely to be members of galaxy groups ( 82+5-7 per cent of LERGs are in GAMA groups, compared to 58+3-3 per cent of the control sample.). In contrast, the environments of the HERGs and lower luminosity LERGs are indistinguishable from that of a matched control sample. Our results imply that high-luminosity LERGs lie in more massive haloes than non-radio galaxies of similar stellar mass and colour, in agreement with earlier studies. When we control for the preference of LERGs to be found in groups, both high- and low-luminosity LERGs are found in higher-mass haloes (~0.2 dex; at least 97 per cent significant) than the non-radio control sample.

Funding

University of Sussex Astronomy Consolidated Grant 2017-2020; G2050; STFC-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL; ST/P000525/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

ISSN

0035-8711

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Issue

4

Volume

469

Page range

4584-4599

Department affiliated with

  • Physics and Astronomy Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-05-30

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2018-05-30

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-05-30

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