The Size-Mass Relation and Inside-Out Quenching of Massive Quiescent Galaxies at 2<z<3 with JWST PRIMER and MINERVA
Abstract
We investigate the morphology, size--mass relations, and spatially resolved star formation histories of 26 massive quiescent galaxies at cosmic noon (2 < z < 3) in the Ultra-Deep Survey field using deep JWST NIRCam imaging from the PRIMER and MINERVA surveys. Combining 16 broadband and medium-band filters with empirical point spread function matching, we perform single-Sérsic modeling and bulge--disk decompositions with pysersic across six filters (F115W to F444W), alongside Bayesian size--mass fitting with dynesty. In the rest-frame optical (F200W), the size--mass relation exhibits a steep slope of α= 0.59 ± 0.12 and effective radius of A = 0.83−0.07+0.08 kpc at M* = 5 × 1010 M⊙. In the rest-frame near-infrared (F356W), we derive α= 0.56 ± 0.13 and a more compact radius of A = 0.70−0.06+0.07 kpc. Galaxy sizes shrink by ≈ 22% from F115W to F444W, reflecting negative color gradients and centrally concentrated mass profiles. Two-thirds of the sample are bulge-dominated (B/T ≥ 0.5), whereas one-third are disk-dominated. Central bulges are ultra-compact (Re,Bulge ≈ 0.49 kpc) with negligible mass dependence, whereas outer disks extend to Re,Disk ≈ 1.4−−1.5 kpc. Resolved spectral energy distribution modeling with piXedfit demonstrates positive radial specific star formation rate gradients and inner regions that formed at least ≈ 0.7 Gyr earlier and quenched faster than their outskirts. These results confirm inside-out quenching, consistent with dissipative gas compaction assembling the dense core, active galactic nucleus feedback halting central star formation, and the compact bulge dynamically stabilizing the surviving disk against fragmentation.
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BibTeX
@misc{prasal2026sizemass,
title = {{The Size-Mass Relation and Inside-Out Quenching of Massive Quiescent Galaxies at $2<z<3$ with JWST PRIMER and MINERVA}},
author = {Vaidik Prasal and Yogesh Wadadekar and Pralay Biswas},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.40937},
eprint = {2610.40937},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.40937},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - The Size-Mass Relation and Inside-Out Quenching of Massive Quiescent Galaxies at 2<z<3 with JWST PRIMER and MINERVA
AU - Vaidik Prasal
AU - Yogesh Wadadekar
AU - Pralay Biswas
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.40937
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.40937
AB - We investigate the morphology, size--mass relations, and spatially resolved star formation histories of 26 massive quiescent galaxies at cosmic noon (2 < z < 3) in the Ultra-Deep Survey field using deep JWST NIRCam imaging from the PRIMER and MINERVA surveys. Combining 16 broadband and medium-band filters with empirical point spread function matching, we perform single-Sérsic modeling and bulge--disk decompositions with pysersic across six filters (F115W to F444W), alongside Bayesian size--mass fitting with dynesty. In the rest-frame optical (F200W), the size--mass relation exhibits a steep slope of α= 0.59 ± 0.12 and effective radius of A = 0.83_−0.07^+0.08 kpc at M_* = 5 × 10^10 M_⊙. In the rest-frame near-infrared (F356W), we derive α= 0.56 ± 0.13 and a more compact radius of A = 0.70_−0.06^+0.07 kpc. Galaxy sizes shrink by ≈ 22% from F115W to F444W, reflecting negative color gradients and centrally concentrated mass profiles. Two-thirds of the sample are bulge-dominated (B/T ≥ 0.5), whereas one-third are disk-dominated. Central bulges are ultra-compact (R_e,Bulge ≈ 0.49 kpc) with negligible mass dependence, whereas outer disks extend to R_e,Disk ≈ 1.4−−1.5 kpc. Resolved spectral energy distribution modeling with piXedfit demonstrates positive radial specific star formation rate gradients and inner regions that formed at least ≈ 0.7 Gyr earlier and quenched faster than their outskirts. These results confirm inside-out quenching, consistent with dissipative gas compaction assembling the dense core, active galactic nucleus feedback halting central star formation, and the compact bulge dynamically stabilizing the surviving disk against fragmentation.
ER -