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HST-WFC3 Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Quenched Galaxies at zeta approx 1.5 from the WISP Survey: Stellar Populations PropertiesWe combine Hubble Space Telescope (HST) G102 and G141 near-IR (NIR) grism spectroscopy with HST/WFC3- UVIS, HST/WFC3-IR, and Spitzer/IRAC [3.6 microns] photometry to assemble a sample of massive (log(Mstar/M solar mass) at approx 11.0) and quenched (specific star formation rate < 0.01 G/yr(exp −1) galaxies at zeta approx 1.5. Our sample of 41 galaxies is the largest with G102+G141 NIR spectroscopy for quenched sources at these redshifts. In contrast to the local universe, zeta approx 1.5 quenched galaxies in the high-mass range have a wide range of stellar population properties. We find that their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are well fitted with exponentially decreasing star formation histories and short star formation timescales (τau less than or equal to 100 M/yr). Quenched galaxies also show a wide distribution in ages, between 1 and 4 G/yr. In the (u − r)0-versus-mass space quenched galaxies have a large spread in rest-frame color at a given mass. Most quenched galaxies populate the zeta appro. 1.5 red sequence (RS), but an important fraction of them (32%) have substantially bluer colors. Although with a large spread, we find that the quenched galaxies on the RS have older median ages (3.1 G/yr) than the quenched galaxies off the RS (1.5 G/yr). We also show that a rejuvenated SED cannot reproduce the observed stacked spectra of (the bluer) quenched galaxies off the RS. We derive the upper limit on the fraction of massive galaxies on the RS at zeta approx 1.5 to be <43%.We speculate that the young quenched galaxies off the RS are in a transition phase between vigorous star formation at zeta > 2 and the zeta approx 1.5 RS. According to their estimated ages, the time required for quenched galaxies off the RS to join their counterparts on the z approx. 1.5 RS is of the order of approx. 1G/yr.
Document ID
20140010304
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
doi:10.1088/0004-637X/778/2/126
Authors
Bedregal, A. G. (Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Scarlata, C. (Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Henry, A. L. (California Univ. Santa Barbara, CA, United States)
Atek, H. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rafelski, M. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Teplitz, H. I. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Dominguez, A. (California Univ. Riverside, CA, United States)
Siana, B. (California Univ. Riverside, CA, United States)
Colbert, J. W. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Malkan, M. (California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Ross, N. R. (California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Martin, C. L. (California Univ. Santa Barbara, CA, United States)
Dressler, A. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Bridge, C. (California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Hathi, N. P. (Carnegie Institution for Science Pasadena, CA, United States)
Masters, D. (California Univ. Riverside, CA, United States)
McCarthy, P. J. (Carnegie Institution for Science Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rutkowski, M. J. (Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Date Acquired
July 29, 2014
Publication Date
December 1, 2013
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: IOP
Volume: 778
Issue: 2
Subject Category
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN14570
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH06CC03B
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-26555
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
HST WFC#
Near-Infrared
Spectroscopy

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