Galaxy and mass assembly (GAMA): A deeper view of the mass, metallicity and SFR relationships

M. A. Lara-López*, A. M. Hopkins, A. R. López-Sánchez, S. Brough, M. L.P. Gunawardhana, M. Colless, A. S.G. Robotham, A. E. Bauer, J. Bland-Hawthorn, M. Cluver, S. Driver, C. Foster, L. S. Kelvin, J. Liske, J. Loveday, M. S. Owers, T. J. Ponman, R. G. Sharp, O. Steele, E. N. TaylorD. Thomas

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    87 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A full appreciation of the role played by gasmetallicity (Z), star formation rate (SFR) and stellar mass (M*) is fundamental to understanding how galaxies form and evolve. The connections between these three parameters at different redshifts significantly affect galaxy evolution, and thus provide important constraints for galaxy evolution models. Using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-Data Release 7 (SDSS-DR7) and the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) surveys, we study the relationships and dependences between SFR, Z and M*, as well as the Fundamental Plane for star-forming galaxies. We combine both surveys using volumelimited samples up to a redshift of z ≈ 0.36. The GAMA and SDSS surveys complement each other when analysing the relationships between SFR, M* and Z. We present evidence for SFR and metallicity evolution to z ∼ 0.2. We study the dependences between SFR, M*, Z and specific SFR (SSFR) on theM*-Z, M*-SFR, M*-SSFR, Z-SFR and Z-SSFR relations, finding strong correlations between all. Based on those dependences, we propose a simple model that allows usto explain the different behaviour observed between low- and high-mass galaxies. Finally, our analysis allows us to confirm the existence of a Fundamental Plane, for which M* = f(Z, SFR) in star-forming galaxies.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)451-470
    Number of pages20
    JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
    Volume434
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2013

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