Galaxy groups in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: effects of environment on star formation

HECTOR J. MARTINEZ; ARIEL ZANDIVAREZ; MARIANO DOMINGUEZ; MANUEL MERCHÁN; DIEGO GARCÍA LAMBAS

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

Blackwell Synergy - Royal Astronomical Society

Lugar: Londres, Reino Unido; Año: 2002 vol. 333 p. 31 - 34

0035-8711

We estimate the fraction of star-forming galaxies in a catalogue of groups, constructed from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey by Merchán & Zandivarez. We use the η spectral type parameter of galaxies and subdivide the sample of galaxies in groups into four types depending on the values of the η parameter following Madgwick et al. We obtain a strong correlation between the relative fraction of galaxies with high star formation and the parent group virial mass. We find that even in the environment of groups with low virial mass M~1013Msolar the star formation of their member galaxies is significantly suppressed. The relation between the fraction of early-type galaxies and the group virial mass obeys a simple power law spanning over three orders of magnitude in virial mass. Our results show quantitatively the way that the presence of galaxies with high star formation rates is inhibited in massive galaxy systems.