TY - JOUR
T1 - Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA)
T2 - The merging potential of brightest group galaxies
AU - Banks, K.
AU - Brough, S.
AU - Holwerda, B. W.
AU - Hopkins, A. M.
AU - López-Sánchez, Á. R.
AU - Phillipps, S.
AU - Pimbblet, K. A.
AU - Robotham, A. S. G.
PY - 2021/11/1
Y1 - 2021/11/1
N2 - Using a volume-limited sample of 550 groups from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly Galaxy Group Catalogue spanning the halo mass range 12.8 < log[Mh/M⊙] < 14.2, we investigate the merging potential of central Brightest Group Galaxies (BGGs). We use spectroscopically confirmed close-companion galaxies as an indication of the potential stellar mass buildup of low-redshift BGGs, z ≤ 0.2. We identify 17 close-companion galaxies with projected separations rp < 30 kpc, relative velocities Δv ≤ 300 km s-1, and stellar mass ratios MBGG/MCC ≤ 4 relative to the BGG. These close-companion galaxies yield a total pair fraction of 0.03 ± 0.01. Overall, we find that BGGs in our sample have the potential to grow in stellar mass due to mergers by 2.2 ± 1.5% Gyr-1. This is lower than the stellar mass growth predicted by current galaxy evolution models.
AB - Using a volume-limited sample of 550 groups from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly Galaxy Group Catalogue spanning the halo mass range 12.8 < log[Mh/M⊙] < 14.2, we investigate the merging potential of central Brightest Group Galaxies (BGGs). We use spectroscopically confirmed close-companion galaxies as an indication of the potential stellar mass buildup of low-redshift BGGs, z ≤ 0.2. We identify 17 close-companion galaxies with projected separations rp < 30 kpc, relative velocities Δv ≤ 300 km s-1, and stellar mass ratios MBGG/MCC ≤ 4 relative to the BGG. These close-companion galaxies yield a total pair fraction of 0.03 ± 0.01. Overall, we find that BGGs in our sample have the potential to grow in stellar mass due to mergers by 2.2 ± 1.5% Gyr-1. This is lower than the stellar mass growth predicted by current galaxy evolution models.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119329177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/ac1c0a
DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/ac1c0a
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85119329177
SN - 0004-637X
VL - 921
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
IS - 1
M1 - 47
ER -