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Paper: Post-Starburst Galaxies: Probing the Role of Mergers and AGN Activity in Quenching Star Formation
Volume: 477, Galaxy Mergers in an Evolving Universe
Page: 211
Authors: Trouille, L.; Tremonti, C. A.; Chen, Y.-M.; Crowley-Farenga, J.; Rice, W.; Loftus, P.
Abstract: We conduct a visual morphological classification of a sample of 2812 Sloan Digital Sky Survey post-starburst galaxies. We find a mass dependence in the fraction of post-starbursts exhibiting merger signatures; those with stellar masses above 1010.5 M are 1.7 times more likely to exhibit merger signatures than those with lower masses. We also find a higher likelihood of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in more massive post-starburst galaxies; of the post-starbursts that can be placed on the BPT optical emission line diagnostic, 91% (25%) with M* ≥ 1010.5M (M* < 1010.5M) host AGN. Post-starbursts that do harbor AGN activity appear to have experienced a significant time delay, more than a few 100 Myr, between the quenching of star formation and the onset of AGN activity. This suggests that AGN feedback in post-starburst galaxies plays more of a ‘maintenance’ role (preventing further episodes of star formation), rather than a direct quenching role.
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