AGEL: Is the Conflict Real? Investigating Galaxy Evolution Models using Strong Lensing at 0.3 < z < 0.9

Abstract

Observed evolution of the total mass distribution with redshift is crucial to testing galaxy evolution theories. To measure the total mass distribution, strong gravitational lenses complement the resolved dynamical observations currently limited to $z\lesssim 0.5$. Here we present the lens models for a pilot sample of seven galaxy-scale lenses from the ASTRO3D Galaxy Evolution with Lenses (AGEL) survey. The AGEL lenses, modeled using HST/WFC3-F140W images with Gravitational Lens Efficient Explorer (GLEE) software, have deflector redshifts between $0.3<z_{\mathrm{defl}}<0.9$. Assuming a power-law density profile with slope $\gamma$, we measure the total density profile for the deflector galaxies via lens modeling. We also measure the stellar velocity dispersions (${\sigma }_{\mathrm{obs}}$) for four lenses and obtain ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{obs}}$ from SDSS-BOSS for the remaining lenses to test our lens models by comparing observed and model-predicted velocity dispersions. For the seven AGEL lenses, we measure an average density profile slope of $-1.95\pm 0.09$ and a $\gamma$--$z$ relation that does not evolve with redshift at $z<1$. Although our result is consistent with some observations and simulations, it differs from other studies at $z<1$ that suggest the $\gamma$--$z$ relation evolves with redshift. The apparent conflicts among observations and simulations may be due to a combination of 1) systematics in the lensing and dynamical modeling; 2) challenges in comparing observations with simulations; and 3) assuming a simple power-law for the total mass distribution. By providing more lenses at $z_{\mathrm{defl}}>0.5$, the AGEL survey will provide stronger constraints on whether the mass profiles evolve with redshift as predicted by current theoretical models.

Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal (ApJ) 24 Pages, 8 Figures, 3 Tables

References in corpus (23)

• Array Programming with NumPy
• The Astropy Project: Sustaining and Growing a Community-oriented Open-source Project and the Latest Major Release (v5.0) of the Core Package
• Overview of the SDSS-IV MaNGA Survey: Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory
• The SAURON project -- X. The orbital anisotropy of elliptical and lenticular galaxies: revisiting the (V/sigma,epsilon) diagram with integral-field stellar kinematics
• The Structure & Dynamics of Massive Early-type Galaxies: On Homology, Isothermality and Isotropy inside one Effective Radius
• Galaxy growth in the concordance $\Lambda$CDM cosmology
• Kinematic properties of early-type galaxy haloes using planetary nebulae
• lenstronomy II: A gravitational lensing software ecosystem
• The Halos of Satellite Galaxies: the Companion of the Massive Elliptical Lens SL2S J08544-0121
• The SAGES Legacy Unifying Globulars and GalaxieS Survey (SLUGGS): Sample definition, methods, and initial results
• The CFHTLS Strong Lensing Legacy Survey: I. Survey overview and T0002 release sample
• The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Revisiting Galaxy Classification Through High-Order Stellar Kinematics
• Parametric Strong Gravitational Lensing Analysis of Abell 1689
• The SL2S Galaxy-scale Lens Sample. II. Cosmic evolution of dark and luminous mass in early-type galaxies
• The shape of the dark matter halo in the early-type galaxy NGC 2974
• The BOSS Emission-Line Lens Survey. IV. : Smooth Lens Models for the BELLS GALLERY Sample
• Over-constrained Gravitational Lens Models and the Hubble Constant
• The mass distribution of RX J1347-1145 from strong lensing
• Systematic trends in total-mass profiles from dynamical models of early-type galaxies
• MAGAZ3NE: High Stellar Velocity Dispersions for Ultra-Massive Quiescent Galaxies at $z\gtrsim 3$
• Early-type galaxy density profiles from IllustrisTNG: II. Evolutionary trend of the total density profile
• Total mass density slopes of early-type galaxies using Jeans dynamical modelling at redshifts $0.29<z<0.55$
• Simulation-guided galaxy evolution inference: A case study with strong lensing galaxies