Anatomy of galactic star formation history: roles of different modes of gas accretion, feedback, and recycling

Abstract

ABSTRACT We investigate how the diverse star formation histories observed across galaxy masses emerged using models that evolve under gas accretion from host haloes. They also include ejection of interstellar matter by supernova feedback, recycling of ejected matter and preventive feedback that partially hinders gas accretion. We consider three schemes of gas accretion: the fiducial scheme that includes the accretion of cold gas in low-mass haloes and high-redshift massive haloes as hinted by cosmological simulations; the flat scheme in which high-mass cold accretion is removed; and finally, the shock-heating scheme that assumes radiative cooling of the shock-heated halo gas. The fiducial scheme reproduces dramatic diminishment in star formation rate (SFR) after its peak as observed for the present halo mass $M_{\rm vir}\gt 10^{12.5}\, {\rm M}_\odot$ , while other two schemes show reduced or negligible quenching. This scheme reproduces the high-mass slope in the SFR versus stellar mass relation decreasing towards recent epochs, whereas other two schemes show opposite trend that contradicts observation. Success in the fiducial scheme originates in the existence of high-mass cold-mode accretion, which retards transition to the slow hot-mode accretion, thereby inducing a larger drop in SFR. Aided by gas recycling, which creates monotonically increasing SFR in low-mass haloes, this scheme can reproduce the downsizing galaxy formation. Several issues remain, suggesting non-negligible roles of missing physics. Feedback from active galactic nuclei could mitigate upturn of SFR in low-redshift massive haloes, whereas galaxy mergers could remedy early inefficient star formation.