The Clustering of Extremely Red Objects

Abstract

We measure the clustering of Extremely Red Objects (EROs) in ~8 deg^2 of the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey Boötes field in order to establish robust links between ERO z~1.2 and local galaxy z<0.1 populations. Three different color selection criteria from the literature are analyzed to assess the consequences of using different criteria for selecting EROs. Specifically, our samples are (R-K_s)>5.0 (28,724 galaxies), (I-K_s)>4.0 (22,451 galaxies) and (I-[3.6])>5.0 (64,370 galaxies). Magnitude-limited samples show the correlation length (r_0) to increase for more luminous EROs, implying a correlation with stellar mass. We can separate star-forming and passive ERO populations using the (K_s-[24]) and ([3.6]-[24]) colors to K_s=18.4 and [3.6]=17.5, respectively. Star-forming and passive EROs in magnitude limited samples have different clustering properties and host dark halo masses, and cannot be simply understood as a single population. Based on the clustering, we find that bright passive EROs are the likely progenitors of >4L^* elliptical galaxies. Bright EROs with ongoing star formation were found to occupy denser environments than star-forming galaxies in the local Universe, making these the likely progenitors of >L^* local ellipticals. This suggests that the progenitors of massive >4L^* local ellipticals had stopped forming stars by z>1.2, but that the progenitors of less massive ellipticals (down to L^*) can still show significant star formation at this epoch.

19 pages, 16 figures, 4 tables, Accepted to ApJ 27th November 2012

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