Extremely isolated galaxies - I. Sample and simulation analysis

Abstract

We have selected a sample of extremely isolated galaxies (EIGs) from the local Universe (z < 0.024), using a simple isolation criterion: having no known neighbours closer than 300 km s-1(3 h-1 Mpc) in the three-dimensional redshift space (α, δ, z). The sample is unique both in its level of isolation and in the fact that it utilizes HI redshifts from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey.We analysed the EIG sample using cosmological simulations and found that it contains EIGs with normal mass haloes which have evolved gradually with little or no 'major events' (major mergers, or major mass-loss events) in the last 3 Gyr. The fraction of EIGs which deviate from this definition (false positives) is 5-10 per cent. For the general population of dark matter haloes, it was further found that the mass accretion (relative to the current halomass) is affected by the halo environment mainly through strong interactions with its neighbours. As long as a halo does not experience major events, its mass accretion history does not depend significantly on its environment. 'Major events' seem to be the main mechanism that creates low-mass subhaloes (Mhalo < 1010 h-1M⊙) that host galaxies (with Mg ≲ -14).