The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties

Ted K. Wyder; D. Christopher Martin; David Schiminovich; Mark Seibert; Tamás Budavári; Marie A. Treyer; Tom A. Barlow; Karl Forster; Peter G. Friedman; Patrick Morrissey; Susan G. Neff; Todd Small; Luciana Bianchi; José Donas; Timothy M. Heckman; Young Wook Lee; Barry F. Madore; Bruno Milliard; R. Michael Rich; Alex S. Szalay; Barry Y. Welsh; Sukyoung K. Yi

doi:10.1086/521402

The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties

Ted K. Wyder, D. Christopher Martin, David Schiminovich, Mark Seibert, Tamás Budavári, Marie A. Treyer, Tom A. Barlow, Karl Forster, Peter G. Friedman, Patrick Morrissey, Susan G. Neff, Todd Small, Luciana Bianchi, José Donas, Timothy M. Heckman, Young Wook Lee, Barry F. Madore, Bruno Milliard, R. Michael Rich, Alex S. SzalayBarry Y. Welsh, Sukyoung K. Yi

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

322 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have analyzed the bivariate distribution of galaxies as a function of ultraviolet-optical colors and absolute magnitudes in the local universe. The sample consists of galaxies with redshifts and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main galaxy sample matched with detections in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands in the Medium Imaging Survey being carried out by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. In the (NUV - r)_0.1 versus M_r,0.1 galaxy color-magnitude diagram, the galaxies separate into two well-defined blue and red sequences. The (NUV - r)_0.1 color distribution at each M_r,0.1 is not well fit by the sum of two Gaussians due to an excess of galaxies in between the two sequences. The peaks of both sequences become redder with increasing luminosity, with a distinct blue peak visible up to M_r,0.1-23. The _r0.1-band luminosity functions vary systematically with color, with the faint-end slope and characteristic luminosity gradually increasing with color. After correcting for attenuation due to dust, we find that approximately one-quarter of the color variation along the blue sequence is due to dust, with the remainder due to star formation history and metallicity. Finally, we present the distribution of galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate and stellar mass. The specific star formation rates imply that galaxies along the blue sequence progress from low-mass galaxies with star formation rates that increase somewhat with time to more massive galaxies with a more or less constant star formation rate. Above a stellar mass of ∼10^10.5 M_⊙, galaxies with low ratios of current to past averaged star formation rate begin to dominate.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	293-314
Number of pages	22
Journal	Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series
Volume	173
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/521402
Publication status	Published - 2007 Dec

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/521402

Cite this

Wyder, T. K., Martin, D. C., Schiminovich, D., Seibert, M., Budavári, T., Treyer, M. A., Barlow, T. A., Forster, K., Friedman, P. G., Morrissey, P., Neff, S. G., Small, T., Bianchi, L., Donas, J., Heckman, T. M., Lee, Y. W., Madore, B. F., Milliard, B., Rich, R. M., ... Yi, S. K. (2007). The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties. Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, 173(2), 293-314. https://doi.org/10.1086/521402

@article{c112a991e4ba41c49f6e5767193a0b0f,

title = "The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties",

abstract = "We have analyzed the bivariate distribution of galaxies as a function of ultraviolet-optical colors and absolute magnitudes in the local universe. The sample consists of galaxies with redshifts and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main galaxy sample matched with detections in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands in the Medium Imaging Survey being carried out by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. In the (NUV - r)0.1 versus Mr,0.1 galaxy color-magnitude diagram, the galaxies separate into two well-defined blue and red sequences. The (NUV - r)0.1 color distribution at each Mr,0.1 is not well fit by the sum of two Gaussians due to an excess of galaxies in between the two sequences. The peaks of both sequences become redder with increasing luminosity, with a distinct blue peak visible up to Mr,0.1-23. The r0.1-band luminosity functions vary systematically with color, with the faint-end slope and characteristic luminosity gradually increasing with color. After correcting for attenuation due to dust, we find that approximately one-quarter of the color variation along the blue sequence is due to dust, with the remainder due to star formation history and metallicity. Finally, we present the distribution of galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate and stellar mass. The specific star formation rates imply that galaxies along the blue sequence progress from low-mass galaxies with star formation rates that increase somewhat with time to more massive galaxies with a more or less constant star formation rate. Above a stellar mass of ∼1010.5 M⊙, galaxies with low ratios of current to past averaged star formation rate begin to dominate.",

author = "Wyder, {Ted K.} and Martin, {D. Christopher} and David Schiminovich and Mark Seibert and Tam{\'a}s Budav{\'a}ri and Treyer, {Marie A.} and Barlow, {Tom A.} and Karl Forster and Friedman, {Peter G.} and Patrick Morrissey and Neff, {Susan G.} and Todd Small and Luciana Bianchi and Jos{\'e} Donas and Heckman, {Timothy M.} and Lee, {Young Wook} and Madore, {Barry F.} and Bruno Milliard and Rich, {R. Michael} and Szalay, {Alex S.} and Welsh, {Barry Y.} and Yi, {Sukyoung K.}",

year = "2007",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1086/521402",

language = "English",

volume = "173",

pages = "293--314",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series",

issn = "0067-0049",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

Wyder, TK, Martin, DC, Schiminovich, D, Seibert, M, Budavári, T, Treyer, MA, Barlow, TA, Forster, K, Friedman, PG, Morrissey, P, Neff, SG, Small, T, Bianchi, L, Donas, J, Heckman, TM, Lee, YW, Madore, BF, Milliard, B, Rich, RM, Szalay, AS, Welsh, BY & Yi, SK 2007, 'The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties', Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series, vol. 173, no. 2, pp. 293-314. https://doi.org/10.1086/521402

TY - JOUR

T1 - The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties

AU - Wyder, Ted K.

AU - Martin, D. Christopher

AU - Schiminovich, David

AU - Seibert, Mark

AU - Budavári, Tamás

AU - Treyer, Marie A.

AU - Barlow, Tom A.

AU - Forster, Karl

AU - Friedman, Peter G.

AU - Morrissey, Patrick

AU - Neff, Susan G.

AU - Small, Todd

AU - Bianchi, Luciana

AU - Donas, José

AU - Heckman, Timothy M.

AU - Lee, Young Wook

AU - Madore, Barry F.

AU - Milliard, Bruno

AU - Rich, R. Michael

AU - Szalay, Alex S.

AU - Welsh, Barry Y.

AU - Yi, Sukyoung K.

PY - 2007/12

Y1 - 2007/12

N2 - We have analyzed the bivariate distribution of galaxies as a function of ultraviolet-optical colors and absolute magnitudes in the local universe. The sample consists of galaxies with redshifts and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main galaxy sample matched with detections in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands in the Medium Imaging Survey being carried out by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. In the (NUV - r)0.1 versus Mr,0.1 galaxy color-magnitude diagram, the galaxies separate into two well-defined blue and red sequences. The (NUV - r)0.1 color distribution at each Mr,0.1 is not well fit by the sum of two Gaussians due to an excess of galaxies in between the two sequences. The peaks of both sequences become redder with increasing luminosity, with a distinct blue peak visible up to Mr,0.1-23. The r0.1-band luminosity functions vary systematically with color, with the faint-end slope and characteristic luminosity gradually increasing with color. After correcting for attenuation due to dust, we find that approximately one-quarter of the color variation along the blue sequence is due to dust, with the remainder due to star formation history and metallicity. Finally, we present the distribution of galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate and stellar mass. The specific star formation rates imply that galaxies along the blue sequence progress from low-mass galaxies with star formation rates that increase somewhat with time to more massive galaxies with a more or less constant star formation rate. Above a stellar mass of ∼1010.5 M⊙, galaxies with low ratios of current to past averaged star formation rate begin to dominate.

AB - We have analyzed the bivariate distribution of galaxies as a function of ultraviolet-optical colors and absolute magnitudes in the local universe. The sample consists of galaxies with redshifts and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main galaxy sample matched with detections in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands in the Medium Imaging Survey being carried out by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. In the (NUV - r)0.1 versus Mr,0.1 galaxy color-magnitude diagram, the galaxies separate into two well-defined blue and red sequences. The (NUV - r)0.1 color distribution at each Mr,0.1 is not well fit by the sum of two Gaussians due to an excess of galaxies in between the two sequences. The peaks of both sequences become redder with increasing luminosity, with a distinct blue peak visible up to Mr,0.1-23. The r0.1-band luminosity functions vary systematically with color, with the faint-end slope and characteristic luminosity gradually increasing with color. After correcting for attenuation due to dust, we find that approximately one-quarter of the color variation along the blue sequence is due to dust, with the remainder due to star formation history and metallicity. Finally, we present the distribution of galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate and stellar mass. The specific star formation rates imply that galaxies along the blue sequence progress from low-mass galaxies with star formation rates that increase somewhat with time to more massive galaxies with a more or less constant star formation rate. Above a stellar mass of ∼1010.5 M⊙, galaxies with low ratios of current to past averaged star formation rate begin to dominate.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39449131898&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=39449131898&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/521402

DO - 10.1086/521402

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:39449131898

SN - 0067-0049

VL - 173

SP - 293

EP - 314

JO - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

JF - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

IS - 2

ER -

The UV-optical galaxy color-magnitude diagram. I. Basic properties

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this