Reconciling Mass Functions with the Star-Forming Main Sequence Via Mergers

Abstract

We combine star formation along the `main sequence', quiescence, and clustering and merging to produce an empirical model for the evolution of individual galaxies. Main sequence star formation alone would significantly steepen the stellar mass function towards low redshift, in sharp conflict with observation. However, a combination of star formation and merging produces a consistent result for correct choice of the merger rate function. As a result, we are motivated to propose a model in which hierarchical merging is disconnected from environmentally-independent star formation. This model can be tested via correlation functions and would produce new constraints on clustering and merging.

MNRAS, in press

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• On the SFR-M${}_{\ast }$ main sequence archetypal star-formation history and analytical models
• Glimpsing the Imprint of Local Environment on the Galaxy Stellar Mass Function
• Spatial distribution of stellar mass and star formation activity at 0.2<z<1.2 across and along the Main Sequence
• Thermal Regulation and the Star-Forming Main Sequence
• Constraints on the Evolution of the Galaxy Stellar Mass Function II: Quenching Timescale of Galaxies and its Implication for their Star Formation Rate