The stellar mass assembly of galaxies from z=0 to z=4. Analysis of a sample selected in the rest-frame near-infrared with Spitzer

Abstract

Using a sample of ~28,000 sources selected at 3.6-4.5 microns with Spitzer observations of the HDF-N, the CDF-S, and the Lockman Hole (surveyed area: ~664 arcmin^2), we study the evolution of the stellar mass content of the Universe at 0<z<4. We calculate stellar masses and photometric redshifts, based on ~2,000 templates built with stellar and dust emission models fitting the UV-to-MIR SEDs of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts. We estimate stellar mass functions for different redshift intervals. We find that 50% of the local stellar mass density was assembled at 0<z<1 (average SFR:0.048 M_sun/yr/Mpc^3), and at least another 40% at 1<z<4 (average SFR: 0.074 M_sun/yr/Mpc^3). Our results confirm and quantify the ``downsizing'' scenario of galaxy formation. The most massive galaxies (M>10^12.0 M_sun) assembled the bulk of their stellar content rapidly (in 1-2 Gyr) beyond z~3 in very intense star formation events (producing high specific SFRs). Galaxies with 10^11.5<M/M_sun<10^12.0 assembled half of their stellar mass before z~1.5, and more than 90% of their mass was already in place at z~0.6. Galaxies with M<10^11.5 M_sun evolved more slowly (presenting smaller specific SFRs), assembling half of their stellar mass below z~1. About 40% of the local stellar mass density of 10^9.0<M/M_sun<10^11.0 galaxies was assembled below z~0.4, most probably through accretion of small satellites producing little star formation. The cosmic stellar mass density at z>2.5 is dominated by optically faint (R>25) red galaxies (Distant Red Galaxies or BzK sources) which account for ~30% of the global population of galaxies, but contribute at least 60% to the cosmic stellar mass density. Bluer galaxies (e.g., Lyman Break Galaxies) are more numerous but less massive, contributing less than 50% to the global stellar mass density at high redshift.

Published in ApJ. 38 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, 2 appendices. Some changes to match the final published version

References in corpus (12)

• The Gemini Deep Deep Survey: III. The abundance of massive galaxies 3-6 billion years after the Big Bang
• Multiwavelength study of massive galaxies at z~2. II. Widespread Compton thick AGN and the concurrent growth of black holes and bulges
• A Spectroscopic Survey of Redshift 1.4<z<3.0 Galaxies in the Goods-North Field: Survey Description, Catalogs, and Properties
• WFCAM, Spitzer-IRAC and SCUBA observations of the massive star forming region DR21/W75: I. The collimated molecular jets
• The dependence of Star Formation on Galaxy Stellar Mass
• Spitzer Mid-to-Far-Infrared Flux Densities of Distant Galaxies
• The Star Formation Epoch of the Most Massive Early-Type Galaxies
• Evidence for a Long-Standing Top-Heavy IMF in the Central Parsec of the Galaxy
• The Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC): Deep Near-Infrared Imaging and the Selection of Distant Galaxies
• The rest-frame optical luminosity functions of galaxies at 2<z<3.5
• A comparison among LBGs, DRGs and BzK galaxies: their contribution to the stellar mass density in the GOODS-MUSIC sample
• The Gemini Deep Deep Survey: VIII. When Did Early-type Galaxies Form?

Cited by in corpus (19)

• Mass, Metal, and Energy Feedback in Cosmological Simulations
• A synthesis model for AGN evolution: supermassive black holes growth and feedback modes
• Spitzer's Contribution to the AGN Population
• The star-formation history of K-selected galaxies
• Mid-IR Luminosities and UV/Optical Star Formation Rates at z<1.4
• The evolution of the specific star formation rate of massive galaxies to z ~ 1.8 in the E-CDFS
• MOIRCS Deep Survey IV: Evolution of Galaxy Stellar Mass Function Back to z ~ 3
• A catalog of mid-infrared sources in the Extended Groth Strip
• The Halpha-based Star Formation Rate Density of the Universe at z=0.84
• The evolution of early and late type galaxies in the COSMOS up to z~1.2
• Exploring the evolutionary paths of the most massive galaxies since z~2
• Obscuring Active Galactic Nuclei with Nuclear Starburst Disks
• The Host Galaxies and Black Holes of Typical z~0.5-1.4 AGN
• Cosmic Evolution of Stellar Disk Truncations: From z~1 to the Local Universe
• The UV luminosity function and star formation rate of the Coma cluster
• Supermassive black holes, star formation and downsizing of elliptical galaxies
• On the nature of the extragalactic number counts in the K-band
• BH Accretion in Low-Mass Galaxies Since z~1
• Characterization of AGN and their hosts in the Extended Groth Strip: a multiwavelength analysis