The dramatic impact of the large-scale structure on galaxy stellar and HI size evolution
Nushkia Chamba
Mapping stars and gas in nearby galaxies is fundamental for understanding their growth and environment. However, many studies do not account for the faint outskirts of these galaxies. We demonstrate this issue by discussing the concept of size and ‘stellar edges’, defined as the outermost location where in situ star formation significantly drops in galaxies. We compare this definition with the gaseous distribution in galaxies, traced using the hydrogen 21-cm line (HI).
By combining deep imaging from the VLT Survey Telescope and MeerKAT, we show that the stellar and HI distribution of galaxies in the Fornax Cluster are up to fifty percent more truncated compared to isolated galaxies, demonstrating the dramatic impact of the large-scale structure on size and mass evolution. Our results highlight the importance of coordinating efforts with the SKA, Rubin-LSST and Euclid for characterizing the mass assembly of galaxies.
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