The size evolution of galaxies since z~3: combining SDSS, GEMS and FIRES

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dc.creatorTrujillo, Ignacio
dc.creatorSchreiber, Natascha M. Forster
dc.creatorRudnick, Gregory
dc.creatorBarden, Marco
dc.creatorFranx, Marijn
dc.creatorRix, Hans-Walter
dc.creatorCaldwell, J. A. R.
dc.creatorMcIntosh, Daniel H.
dc.creatorToft, Sune
dc.creatorHaussler, Boris
dc.creatorZirm, Andrew
dc.creatorvan Dokkum, Pieter G.
dc.creatorLabbe, Ivo
dc.creatorMoorwood, Alan
dc.creatorRottgering, Huub
dc.creatorvan der Wel, Arjen
dc.creatorvan der Werf, Paul
dc.creatorvan Starkenburg, Lottie
dc.date2005-04-09
dc.date2006-06-01
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T11:42:24Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T11:42:24Z
dc.descriptionWe present the evolution of the luminosity-size and stellar mass-size relations of luminous (L_V>3.4x10^10h_70^-2L_sun) and of massive (M_*>3x10^10h_70^-2M_sun) galaxies in the last ~11 Gyr. We use very deep near-infrared images of the Hubble Deep Field-South and the MS1054-03 field in the J_s, H and K_s bands from FIRES to retrieve the sizes in the optical rest-frame for galaxies with z>1. We combine our results with those from GEMS at 0.2<z<1 and SDSS at z~0.1 to achieve a comprehensive picture of the optical rest-frame size evolution from z=0 to z=3. Galaxies are differentiated according to their light concentration using the Sersic index n. For less concentrated objects, the galaxies at a given luminosity were typically ~3+-0.5 (+-2 sigma) times smaller at z~2.5 than those we see today. The stellar mass-size relation has evolved less: the mean size at a given stellar mass was \~2+-0.5 times smaller at z~2.5, evolving proportional to (1+z)^{-0.40+-0.06}. Simple scaling relations between dark matter halos and baryons in a hierarchical cosmogony predict a stronger (although consistent within the error bars) than observed evolution of the stellar mass-size relation. The observed luminosity-size evolution out to z~2.5 matches well recent infall model predictions for Milky-Way type objects. For low-n galaxies, the evolution of the stellar mass-size relation would follow naturally if the individual galaxies grow inside-out. For highly concentrated objects, the situation is as follows: at a given luminosity, these galaxies were ~2.7+-1.1 times smaller at z~2.5 (or put differently, were typically ~2.2+-0.7 mag brighter at a given size than they are today), and at a given stellar mass the size has evolved proportional to (1+z)^{-0.45+-0.10}.
dc.descriptionAccepted for publication in ApJ. The new version includes several improvements: much accurate size estimations and a better completeness and robustness analysis. Tables of data are included. 29 pages and 14 figures (one low resolution)
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0504225
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0504225
dc.identifierAstrophys.J.650:18-41,2006
dc.identifierdoi:10.1086/506464
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/200876
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleThe size evolution of galaxies since z~3: combining SDSS, GEMS and FIRES
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