Compact star forming galaxies as the progenitors of compact quiescent galaxies: Clustering result

Abstract

We present a measurement of the spatial clustering of massive compact galaxies at 1.2 ≤ z ≤ 3 in CANDELS/3D-HST fields. We obtain the correlation length for compact quiescent galaxies (cQGs) at z ∼ 1.6 of r₀ = 7.1_-2.6^+2.3 h^-1 Mpc and compact star forming galaxies (cSFGs) at z ∼ 2.5 of r₀ = 7.7_-2.9^+2.7 h^-1 Mpc assuming a power-law slope γ = 1.8 . The characteristic dark matter halo masses M_H of cQGs at z ∼ 1.6 and cSFGs at z ∼ 2.5 are ∼ 7.1 ×10¹²h^-1M_⊙ and ∼ 4.4 ×10¹²h^-1M_⊙ , respectively. Our clustering result suggests that cQGs at z ∼ 1.6 are possibly the progenitors of local luminous ETGs and the descendants of cSFGs and SMGs at z > 2. Thus an evolutionary connection involving SMGs, cSFGs, QSOs, cQGs and local luminous ETGs has been indicated by our clustering result.