A two-phase model of galaxy formation: II. The size-mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies

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Main Authors: Chen, Yangyao, Mo, Houjun, Wang, Huiyuan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Chen, Yangyao
Mo, Houjun
Wang, Huiyuan
author_facet Chen, Yangyao
Mo, Houjun
Wang, Huiyuan
contents In Paper-I we developed a two-phase model to connect dynamically hot galaxies (such as ellipticals and bulges) with the formation of self-gravitating gas clouds (SGCs) associated with the fast assembly of dark matter halos. Here we explore the implications of the model for the size-stellar mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies. Star-forming sub-clouds resulting from the fragmentation of the turbulent SGC inherit its spatial structure and dynamical hotness, producing a `homologous' relation, $r_{\rm f}\approx\, 100 r_{\rm bulge}$, between the size of a dynamically hot galaxy ($r_{\rm bulge}$) and that of its host halo assembled in the fast regime ($r_{\rm f}$), independent of redshift and halo mass. This relation is preserved by the `dry' expansion driven by dynamical heating when a galaxy becomes gas-poor due to inefficient cooling, and is frozen due to the stop of bulge growth during the slow assembly regime of the halo. The size-stellar mass relation is thus a simple combination of the galaxy-halo homology and the non-linear stellar mass-halo mass relation. Using a set of halo assembly histories we reproduce all properties in the observed size-mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies, including the flattening in the low-mass end and the upturn in the massive end. The prediction matches observational data currently available to $z \approx 4$, and can be tested in the future at higher $z$. Our results indicate that the sizes of dynamically hot galaxies are produced by the dissipation and collapse of gas in halos to establish SGCs in which stars form.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2311_11713
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A two-phase model of galaxy formation: II. The size-mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies
Chen, Yangyao
Mo, Houjun
Wang, Huiyuan
Astrophysics of Galaxies
In Paper-I we developed a two-phase model to connect dynamically hot galaxies (such as ellipticals and bulges) with the formation of self-gravitating gas clouds (SGCs) associated with the fast assembly of dark matter halos. Here we explore the implications of the model for the size-stellar mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies. Star-forming sub-clouds resulting from the fragmentation of the turbulent SGC inherit its spatial structure and dynamical hotness, producing a `homologous' relation, $r_{\rm f}\approx\, 100 r_{\rm bulge}$, between the size of a dynamically hot galaxy ($r_{\rm bulge}$) and that of its host halo assembled in the fast regime ($r_{\rm f}$), independent of redshift and halo mass. This relation is preserved by the `dry' expansion driven by dynamical heating when a galaxy becomes gas-poor due to inefficient cooling, and is frozen due to the stop of bulge growth during the slow assembly regime of the halo. The size-stellar mass relation is thus a simple combination of the galaxy-halo homology and the non-linear stellar mass-halo mass relation. Using a set of halo assembly histories we reproduce all properties in the observed size-mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies, including the flattening in the low-mass end and the upturn in the massive end. The prediction matches observational data currently available to $z \approx 4$, and can be tested in the future at higher $z$. Our results indicate that the sizes of dynamically hot galaxies are produced by the dissipation and collapse of gas in halos to establish SGCs in which stars form.
title A two-phase model of galaxy formation: II. The size-mass relation of dynamically hot galaxies
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.11713