The Differential Size Growth of Field and Cluster Galaxies at z=2.1 Using the ZFOURGE Survey

Abstract

There is ongoing debate regarding the extent that environment affects galaxy size growth beyond z>1. To investigate the differences in star-forming and quiescent galaxy properties as a function of environment at z=2.1, we create a mass-complete sample of 59 cluster galaxies Spitler et al. (2012) and 478 field galaxies with log(M)>9 using photometric redshifts from the ZFOURGE survey. We compare the mass-size relation of field and cluster galaxies using measured galaxy semi-major axis half-light radii ($r_{1/2,maj}$) from CANDELS HST/F160W imaging. We find consistent mass normalized (log(M)=10.7) sizes for quiescent field galaxies ($r_{1/2,maj}=1.81\pm 0.29$ kpc) and quiescent cluster galaxies ($r_{1/2,maj}=2.17\pm 0.63$ kpc). The mass normalized size of star-forming cluster galaxies ($r_{1/2,maj}=4.00\pm 0.26$ kpc ) is 12% larger (KS test $2.1\sigma$) than star-forming field galaxies ($r_{1/2,maj}=3.57\pm 0.10$ kpc). From the mass-color relation we find that quiescent field galaxies with 9.7<log(M)<10.4 are slightly redder (KS test $3.6\sigma$) than quiescent cluster galaxies, while cluster and field quiescent galaxies with log(M)>10.4 have consistent colors. We find that star-forming cluster galaxies are on average 20% redder than star-forming field galaxies at all masses. Furthermore, we stack galaxy images to measure average radial color profiles as a function of mass. Negative color gradients are only present for massive star-forming field and cluster galaxies with log(M)>10.4, the remaining galaxy masses and types have flat profiles. Our results suggest given the observed differences in size and color of star-forming field and cluster galaxies, that the environment has begun to influence/accelerate their evolution. However, the lack of differences between field and cluster quiescent galaxies indicates that the environment has not begun to significantly influence their evolution at z~2.

11 pages, 8 figures, accepted by ApJ. Information on ZFOURGE can be found at http://zfourge.tamu.edu

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• X-shooter Spectroscopy and HST Imaging of 15 Ultra Massive Quiescent Galaxies at $z\gtrsim 2$
• Cluster and field elliptical galaxies at z~1.3. The marginal role of the environment and the relevance of the galaxy central regions
• The Mass-Metallicity Relation at $z\sim 0.8$: Redshift Evolution and Parameter Dependency
• What boost galaxy mergers in two massive galaxy protoclusters at z = 2.24
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• The galaxy mass-size relation in CARLA clusters and proto-clusters at 1.4 < z < 2.8: larger cluster galaxy sizes
• Environmental impacts on the rest-frame UV size and morphology ofstar-forming galaxies at $z\sim 2$
• Denser Environments Cultivate Larger Galaxies: A Comprehensive Study beyond the Local Universe with 3 Million Hyper Suprime-Cam Galaxies
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• A machine learning approach to infer the accreted stellar mass fractions of central galaxies in the TNG100 simulation
• The physical properties of massive green valley galaxies as a function of environments at $0.5<z<2.5$ in 3D-\textit{HST}/CANDELS fields
• Colour gradients in cluster ellipticals at z~1.4: the hidden content of the galaxy central regions
• SG1120-1202: Mass-Quenching as Tracked by UV Emission in the Group Environment at z=0.37
• Late growth of early-type galaxies in low-z massive clusters