Gone after one orbit: How cluster environments quench galaxies

Marcel Lotz; Rhea-Silvia Remus; Klaus Dolag; Andrea Biviano; Andreas Burkert

doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2070

paper

Gone after one orbit: How cluster environments quench galaxies

arXiv:1810.02382 · doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2070

Abstract

The effect of galactic orbits on a galaxy's internal evolution within a galaxy cluster environment has been the focus of heated debate in recent years. To understand this connection, we use both the $(0.5$ Gpc) $^{3}$ and the Gpc $^{3}$ boxes from the cosmological hydrodynamical simulation set Magneticum Pathfinder. We investigate the velocity-anisotropy, phase space, and the orbital evolution of up to $\sim 5 \cdot 1 0^{5}$ resolved satellite galaxies within our sample of 6776 clusters with $M_{vir} > 1 0^{14} M_{⊙}$ at low redshift, which we also trace back in time. In agreement with observations, we find that star-forming satellite galaxies inside galaxy clusters are characterised by more radially dominated orbits, independent of cluster mass. Furthermore, the vast majority of star-forming satellite galaxies stop forming stars during their first passage. We find a strong dichotomy both in line-of-sight and radial phase space between star-forming and quiescent galaxies, in line with observations. The tracking of individual orbits shows that the star-formation of almost all satellite galaxies drops to zero within $1 Gyr$ after in-fall. Satellite galaxies that are able to remain star-forming longer are characterised by tangential orbits and high stellar mass. All this indicates that in galaxy clusters the dominant quenching mechanism is ram-pressure stripping.

arXiv comment22 pages, 16 figures, accepted by MNRAS

Gone after one orbit: How cluster environments quench galaxies

Abstract

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