NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0084
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0084 |
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PI: Warrick Couch, Swinburne University of Technology, wcouch@swin.edu.au
Address: Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Mail number 31, PO Box 218, Hawthorne, Victoria, 3122, Australia
CoI: Michael Pracy, Swinburne University of Technology
CoI: Alan Dressler, Carnegie Institution of Washington (Carnegie Obs.)
CoI: Bianca Poggianti, University of Padova, Italy
CoI: Tiziano Valentinuzzi, University of Padova
CoI: Daniela Bettoni, University of Padova
CoI: Michele Cappellari, University of Oxford
Title: Dynamical masses of superdense massive galaxies in the local universe
Abstract:
Massive quiescent galaxies at z>1 have been found to have, on average, small
physical radii, and hence to be "superdense". Similarly massive and compact
galaxies have been found to be rare in the general field at low redshift,
suggesting that such massive galaxies have evolved strongly in size. We have
found a significant fraction of superdense galaxies in the WINGS sample of
X-ray selected clusters at z=0.04-0.07. These are the probable low-z
counterparts of the superdense galaxies at high-z and resemble them in
stellar mass, radii, and stellar mass density. We propose to observe a
representative sample of 15 superdense WINGS galaxies with the GMOS-S IFU to
measure their stellar velocity and velocity dispersion fields, obtain
accurate dynamical masses, identify eventual rotating disks and study the
stellar population gradients, in order to unravel the origin and evolution of
such superdense galaxies.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011B-0084 |
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