Disc asymmetry characterisation in JWST-observed galaxies at 1 < z < 4

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Ganapathy, Ananya, Petersen, Michael S., Yaaqib, Rashid, Filion, Carrie
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Ganapathy, Ananya
Petersen, Michael S.
Yaaqib, Rashid
Filion, Carrie
author_facet Ganapathy, Ananya
Petersen, Michael S.
Yaaqib, Rashid
Filion, Carrie
contents We present a novel technique using Fourier series and Laguerre polynomials to represent morphological features of disc galaxies. To demonstrate the utility of this technique, we study the evolution of disc asymmetry in a sample of disc galaxies drawn from the Extended Groth Strip and imaged by the JWST Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey as well as archival HST observations. We measure disc asymmetry as the amplitude of the of the m = 1 Fourier harmonic for galaxies within redshift ranges of 1 < z < 4 relative to the amplitude of m = 0 harmonic. We show that when viewed in shorter rest frame wavelengths, disc galaxies have a higher asymmetry as the flux is dominated by star forming regions. We find generally low asymmetry at rest frame infrared wavelengths, where our metric tracks asymmetry in morphological features such as bars and spiral arms. We show that higher mass galaxies have lower asymmetry and vice versa. Higher asymmetry in lower mass galaxies comes from lower mass galaxies (typically) having higher star formation rates. We measure the relation between disc galaxy asymmetry and redshift and find no conclusive relationship between them. We demonstrate the utility of the Fourier-Laguerre technique for recovering physically informative asymmetry measurements as compared to rotational asymmetry measurements. We also release the software pipeline and quantitative analysis for each galaxy.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_11972
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Disc asymmetry characterisation in JWST-observed galaxies at 1 < z < 4
Ganapathy, Ananya
Petersen, Michael S.
Yaaqib, Rashid
Filion, Carrie
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We present a novel technique using Fourier series and Laguerre polynomials to represent morphological features of disc galaxies. To demonstrate the utility of this technique, we study the evolution of disc asymmetry in a sample of disc galaxies drawn from the Extended Groth Strip and imaged by the JWST Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey as well as archival HST observations. We measure disc asymmetry as the amplitude of the of the m = 1 Fourier harmonic for galaxies within redshift ranges of 1 < z < 4 relative to the amplitude of m = 0 harmonic. We show that when viewed in shorter rest frame wavelengths, disc galaxies have a higher asymmetry as the flux is dominated by star forming regions. We find generally low asymmetry at rest frame infrared wavelengths, where our metric tracks asymmetry in morphological features such as bars and spiral arms. We show that higher mass galaxies have lower asymmetry and vice versa. Higher asymmetry in lower mass galaxies comes from lower mass galaxies (typically) having higher star formation rates. We measure the relation between disc galaxy asymmetry and redshift and find no conclusive relationship between them. We demonstrate the utility of the Fourier-Laguerre technique for recovering physically informative asymmetry measurements as compared to rotational asymmetry measurements. We also release the software pipeline and quantitative analysis for each galaxy.
title Disc asymmetry characterisation in JWST-observed galaxies at 1 < z < 4
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.11972