Galaxy Quenching from Cosmic Web Detachment. (arXiv:1607.07881v2 [astro-ph.GA] UPDATED)
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Aragon_Calvo_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Miguel A. Aragon-Calvo</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Neyrinck_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Mark C. Neyrinck</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Silk_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Joseph Silk</a>
We propose the Cosmic Web Detachment (CWD) model, a framework to interpret
the star-formation history of galaxies in a cosmological context. The CWD model
unifies several starvation mechanisms known to disrupt or stop star formation
into one single physical framework. Galaxies begin accreting star-forming gas
at early times via a network of primordial filaments, simply related to the
pattern of density fluctuations in the initial conditions. But when streams
cross on intergalactic scales, this pattern is disrupted, and the galaxy
textit{detaches} from its primordial filaments, ending the accretion of cold
gas. We argue that CWD encompasses known external processes halting star
formation, such as harassment, strangulation and starvation. On top of these
external processes, internal feedback processes such as AGN contribute to stop
in star formation as well.
We introduce a simple formalism to identify CWD events and quenched galaxies
in dark-matter $N$-body simulations. With it we reproduce and explain, in the
context of CWD, several observations including downsizing, the cosmic star
formation rate history, the galaxy mass-color diagram and the dependence of the
fraction of red galaxies with mass and local density.
We propose the Cosmic Web Detachment (CWD) model, a framework to interpret
the star-formation history of galaxies in a cosmological context. The CWD model
unifies several starvation mechanisms known to disrupt or stop star formation
into one single physical framework. Galaxies begin accreting star-forming gas
at early times via a network of primordial filaments, simply related to the
pattern of density fluctuations in the initial conditions. But when streams
cross on intergalactic scales, this pattern is disrupted, and the galaxy
textit{detaches} from its primordial filaments, ending the accretion of cold
gas. We argue that CWD encompasses known external processes halting star
formation, such as harassment, strangulation and starvation. On top of these
external processes, internal feedback processes such as AGN contribute to stop
in star formation as well.
We introduce a simple formalism to identify CWD events and quenched galaxies
in dark-matter $N$-body simulations. With it we reproduce and explain, in the
context of CWD, several observations including downsizing, the cosmic star
formation rate history, the galaxy mass-color diagram and the dependence of the
fraction of red galaxies with mass and local density.
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