Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Exploring the complexity of quenching processes across time, environment, and mass through recently quenched galaxies
Abstract
Recently quenched galaxies (RQGs) provide insights into galaxy quenching. We present a photometric and spectroscopic analysis of RQGs using the first Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Using rest-frame UVJ colours, we classify star-forming (SFGs), quiescent (QGs), and recently quenched galaxies at 0.2<z<3.0, separating RQGs into fast- and slow-quenching types (fRQGs and sRQGs) following model evolutionary tracks. The relative fractions of RQGs and their quenching efficiencies both decrease with cosmic time. At early epochs, fast quenching is more efficient in massive galaxies, whereas it becomes efficient only at low masses at later epochs. Slow quenching becomes more efficient at z<1.5, progressing from high to intermediate masses with cosmic time. Most RQGs at z<0.5 reside in low-density environments, while they also exist in high-density environments at z>0.5, suggesting earlier quenching in dense regions. RQGs show intermediate properties between SFGs and QGs in stellar mass, star-formation rate, specific star-formation rate, Sersic index, and radius. Most RQGs exhibit regular morphologies, excluding merger as a primary mechanism. We find that fRQGs retain disc-like morphologies, whereas sRQGs are more concentrated, suggesting different stages of morphological transformation. Our analysis suggests that multiple mechanisms drive quenching. Stacked spectra of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts confirm old, passive populations in QGs, while sRQG spectrum shows weak Ha emission, indicating residual star-formation activity or AGN contribution. The recently-quenched nature of RQGs is confirmed by strong Balmer absorption lines in stack DESI spectra. The stacked Euclid QG spectrum agrees with previous templates and stellar population models older than 5Gyr at z<1. These results demonstrate Euclid's potential for studying galaxy quenching, to be further enhanced by future releases.[Abrg.]
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BibTeX
@misc{collaboration2026euclid,
title = {{Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Exploring the complexity of quenching processes across time, environment, and mass through recently quenched galaxies}},
author = {Euclid Collaboration and Z. Mao and L. Pozzetti and A. Enia and S. Quai and W. G. Hartley and M. Bolzonella and F. Gentile and G. De Lucia and M. Moresco and N. Borghi and C. Saulder and C. Nipoti and M. Talia and P. Corcho-Caballero and L. Gabarra and Abdurro'uf and L. Wang and L. Bisigello and E. Daddi and M. Siudek and C. D'Eugenio and G. Zamorani and F. Calura and H. Fu and R. Ragusa and F. Shankar and M. Hirschmann and O. Cucciati and T. Kodama and S. Belli and L. Spinoglio and J. R. Weaver and B. Altieri and S. Andreon and N. Auricchio and C. Baccigalupi and M. Baldi and A. Balestra and S. Bardelli and P. Battaglia and A. Biviano and E. Branchini and M. Brescia and S. Camera and G. Cañas-Herrera and V. Capobianco and C. Carbone and J. Carretero and S. Casas and F. J. Castander and M. Castellano and G. Castignani and S. Cavuoti and K. C. Chambers and A. Cimatti and C. Colodro-Conde and G. Congedo and L. Conversi and Y. Copin},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.08999},
eprint = {2610.08999},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.08999},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Exploring the complexity of quenching processes across time, environment, and mass through recently quenched galaxies
AU - Euclid Collaboration
AU - Z. Mao
AU - L. Pozzetti
AU - A. Enia
AU - S. Quai
AU - W. G. Hartley
AU - M. Bolzonella
AU - F. Gentile
AU - G. De Lucia
AU - M. Moresco
AU - N. Borghi
AU - C. Saulder
AU - C. Nipoti
AU - M. Talia
AU - P. Corcho-Caballero
AU - L. Gabarra
AU - Abdurro'uf
AU - L. Wang
AU - L. Bisigello
AU - E. Daddi
AU - M. Siudek
AU - C. D'Eugenio
AU - G. Zamorani
AU - F. Calura
AU - H. Fu
AU - R. Ragusa
AU - F. Shankar
AU - M. Hirschmann
AU - O. Cucciati
AU - T. Kodama
AU - S. Belli
AU - L. Spinoglio
AU - J. R. Weaver
AU - B. Altieri
AU - S. Andreon
AU - N. Auricchio
AU - C. Baccigalupi
AU - M. Baldi
AU - A. Balestra
AU - S. Bardelli
AU - P. Battaglia
AU - A. Biviano
AU - E. Branchini
AU - M. Brescia
AU - S. Camera
AU - G. Cañas-Herrera
AU - V. Capobianco
AU - C. Carbone
AU - J. Carretero
AU - S. Casas
AU - F. J. Castander
AU - M. Castellano
AU - G. Castignani
AU - S. Cavuoti
AU - K. C. Chambers
AU - A. Cimatti
AU - C. Colodro-Conde
AU - G. Congedo
AU - L. Conversi
AU - Y. Copin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.08999
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.08999
AB - Recently quenched galaxies (RQGs) provide insights into galaxy quenching. We present a photometric and spectroscopic analysis of RQGs using the first Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Using rest-frame UVJ colours, we classify star-forming (SFGs), quiescent (QGs), and recently quenched galaxies at 0.2<z<3.0, separating RQGs into fast- and slow-quenching types (fRQGs and sRQGs) following model evolutionary tracks. The relative fractions of RQGs and their quenching efficiencies both decrease with cosmic time. At early epochs, fast quenching is more efficient in massive galaxies, whereas it becomes efficient only at low masses at later epochs. Slow quenching becomes more efficient at z<1.5, progressing from high to intermediate masses with cosmic time. Most RQGs at z<0.5 reside in low-density environments, while they also exist in high-density environments at z>0.5, suggesting earlier quenching in dense regions. RQGs show intermediate properties between SFGs and QGs in stellar mass, star-formation rate, specific star-formation rate, Sersic index, and radius. Most RQGs exhibit regular morphologies, excluding merger as a primary mechanism. We find that fRQGs retain disc-like morphologies, whereas sRQGs are more concentrated, suggesting different stages of morphological transformation. Our analysis suggests that multiple mechanisms drive quenching. Stacked spectra of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts confirm old, passive populations in QGs, while sRQG spectrum shows weak Ha emission, indicating residual star-formation activity or AGN contribution. The recently-quenched nature of RQGs is confirmed by strong Balmer absorption lines in stack DESI spectra. The stacked Euclid QG spectrum agrees with previous templates and stellar population models older than 5Gyr at z<1. These results demonstrate Euclid's potential for studying galaxy quenching, to be further enhanced by future releases.[Abrg.]
ER -