Speaker
Description
Understanding the processes which shut down star formation in galaxies, commonly
known as galaxy quenching, is a central question in astrophysics. In this
project, I investigate how a galaxy’s location and motion within its group
environment influence its star-forming activity, using data from the Deep
Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS).
Focusing on satellite galaxies, I explore two key environmental
metrics: projected radial distance from the group centre (scaled by R100)
and the galaxy’s velocity offset (∆V ) relative to the group’s systemic velocity. These parameters act as proxies for infall time and interaction his-
tory within the group. I compare these dynamical indicators with galaxy
star formation classifications, either passive or star-forming, derived using
the stellar mass–SFR plane.
My results show a clear trend. Galaxies at smaller R/R100 and lower
∆V are more likely to be quenched, consistent with environmental quench-
ing mechanisms acting over time. In contrast, galaxies at larger radii and
with high velocity offsets tend to be star-forming, suggesting they are
recent in-fallers not yet affected by the dense group environment. These
findings support the scenario that group preprocessing and environmental effects such as ram-pressure stripping and starvation play a significant
role in galaxy evolution.
This work contributes to our understanding of how galaxies transition from star-forming to passive in dense environments, using the rich
spectroscopic and group catalog data from DEVILS
