What Stops Star Formation in Isolated Dwarf Galaxies in the Most Underdense Cosmic Regions?

The shallow potential wells of low-mass galaxies, commonly known as dwarf galaxies, make them highly susceptible to environmental effects, often leading to the complete cessation of star formation. But is quenching solely driven by external forces in harsh environments, or can dwarf galaxies also self-quench through mechanisms like strong stellar winds or supernova feedback, independent of external influences? In this contribution, I present our latest findings on a sample of isolated and quenched dwarf galaxies in the sparse environments of the cosmic web, including voids and filaments. With no neighbors within a 1 Mpc radius, these galaxies reside in environments where traditional quenching mechanisms—such as ram pressure stripping and tidal interactions—are negligible. Intriguingly, some of these galaxies ceased forming stars 7 to 8 Gyr ago, exhibiting star formation histories akin to dwarf galaxies in the dense cores of massive clusters like Virgo and Fornax. The existence of such galaxies in vastly different environments challenges conventional quenching paradigms and highlights the need to explore alternative mechanisms, including internal feedback processes and distinct formation pathways. Understanding these processes alongside environmental effects is crucial for developing a more complete picture of star formation cessation in dwarf galaxies.

Fecha: 25/03/2025 – 12:30
Conferenciante: Dr. Bahar Bidaran
Filiación: Dpto. Física Teórica y del Cosmos Universidad de Granada, Spain