Evolution of galaxy attenuation curves driven by evolving dust mass and grain size distributions
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866916924883992576 |
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| author | Matsumoto, Kosei Sommovigo, Laura Gebek, Andrea Nagamine, Kentaro Nersesian, Angelos Baes, Maarten De Looze, Ilse van der Wel, Arjen Somerville, Rachel Romano, Leonard E. C. Cochrane, Rachel K. |
| author_facet | Matsumoto, Kosei Sommovigo, Laura Gebek, Andrea Nagamine, Kentaro Nersesian, Angelos Baes, Maarten De Looze, Ilse van der Wel, Arjen Somerville, Rachel Romano, Leonard E. C. Cochrane, Rachel K. |
| contents | We investigate the impacts of the evolution of dust mass and grain size distribution within a Milky Way-like (MW-like) galaxy simulation on global attenuation curves, focusing on the optical-UV slope and the 2175 $AA$ bump. We discuss the contributions of star-dust geometry, scattering, and dust properties. Post-processing dust radiative transfer was performed using SKIRT based on the MW-like galaxy simulation. The simulation was carried out with GADGET4-OSAKA, which models the evolution of grain size distributions.
For lower inclination angles (closer to face-on), the attenuation curve flattens over time up to t=1 Gyr, then becomes progressively steeper. This steeper slope arises from the interplay between scattering and the dust disk becoming more extended over time (changes in star-dust geometry). At higher inclination, scattering is suppressed, and the attenuation curves slightly steepen over time due to small-grain formation and the bias of observed UV light toward older stars. The bump strengthens on a timescale of ~250 Myr due to the formation of small carbonaceous grains. The bump strength is affected not only by the abundance of small grains but also by star-dust geometry. At higher $A_V$ or higher inclination, the bump weakens. These results may help interpret flatter attenuation curves and weaker bumps in high-redshift galaxies. Variations in star-dust geometry alter the amount of scattered photons escaping the galaxy, driving the anti-correlation between the slope and $A_V$. Scatter in this relation arises from differences in dust optical depth along and perpendicular to the line of sight, reflecting inclination and star-dust geometry. Additional contributions come from variations in grain size distribution and the fraction of obscured young stars. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_21157 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Evolution of galaxy attenuation curves driven by evolving dust mass and grain size distributions Matsumoto, Kosei Sommovigo, Laura Gebek, Andrea Nagamine, Kentaro Nersesian, Angelos Baes, Maarten De Looze, Ilse van der Wel, Arjen Somerville, Rachel Romano, Leonard E. C. Cochrane, Rachel K. Astrophysics of Galaxies We investigate the impacts of the evolution of dust mass and grain size distribution within a Milky Way-like (MW-like) galaxy simulation on global attenuation curves, focusing on the optical-UV slope and the 2175 $AA$ bump. We discuss the contributions of star-dust geometry, scattering, and dust properties. Post-processing dust radiative transfer was performed using SKIRT based on the MW-like galaxy simulation. The simulation was carried out with GADGET4-OSAKA, which models the evolution of grain size distributions. For lower inclination angles (closer to face-on), the attenuation curve flattens over time up to t=1 Gyr, then becomes progressively steeper. This steeper slope arises from the interplay between scattering and the dust disk becoming more extended over time (changes in star-dust geometry). At higher inclination, scattering is suppressed, and the attenuation curves slightly steepen over time due to small-grain formation and the bias of observed UV light toward older stars. The bump strengthens on a timescale of ~250 Myr due to the formation of small carbonaceous grains. The bump strength is affected not only by the abundance of small grains but also by star-dust geometry. At higher $A_V$ or higher inclination, the bump weakens. These results may help interpret flatter attenuation curves and weaker bumps in high-redshift galaxies. Variations in star-dust geometry alter the amount of scattered photons escaping the galaxy, driving the anti-correlation between the slope and $A_V$. Scatter in this relation arises from differences in dust optical depth along and perpendicular to the line of sight, reflecting inclination and star-dust geometry. Additional contributions come from variations in grain size distribution and the fraction of obscured young stars. |
| title | Evolution of galaxy attenuation curves driven by evolving dust mass and grain size distributions |
| topic | Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.21157 |