MIGHTEE-H i : environmental effects of cosmic filaments on extragalactic H i detections in the COSMOS and XMM-LSS fields
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Cosmic filaments have been recognized as influencing galaxy evolution, but their connection to galactic cold gas reservoirs is elusive, particularly at low redshifts. We investigate the influence of filaments on neutral hydrogen (H i) detections in galaxies at $0.02\lt z\lt 0.09$, using the MeerKAT International GHz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration survey in the COSMOS and XMM-LSS fields. We measure the fraction of optical galaxies from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument survey detected in H i emission as a function of stellar mass, morphology, local density, and the distance to the nearest filament. We find that galaxies closer to filaments have higher stellar masses, higher local densities, and a larger early-type fraction, all of which affect the H i detection. After controlling for these dependencies, filaments have measurable effects on H i detection. Late-type galaxies in low-local density environments show reduced H i detection fractions close to filaments across all stellar mass ranges, suggesting potential gas depletion through ram pressure stripping and cosmic web detachment. Massive early-type galaxies show an enhanced H i detection fraction in filaments compared to the voids, suggesting possible gas replenishment through filamentary accretion or gas-rich mergers. Our results suggest that cosmic filaments influence galactic H i gas reservoirs through various competing processes, whose relative importance varies with stellar mass and local density.
Institutions: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of the Western Cape, University of Bristol, Ghent University, University of Cape Town, Royal Observatory, Inter-university Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, University of Hertfordshire, Queen's University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,046
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Ohio State University, California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Neurosciences Research Foundation, University of Portsmouth, UK Research and Innovation, National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Nottingham, University of Sussex, University of Edinburgh, National Research Foundation, University of Pretoria, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Canada Research Chairs, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, University of the Western Cape, Universiteit Stellenbosch, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, University of Cape Town, Vlaamse regering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Office of Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Center for High Performance Computing, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Division of Astronomical Sciences, High Energy Physics, Integrated Electronics Engineering Center, Binghamton University, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Awards: G1008690155, G1039895795, G1044631029, G1079818582, G1143651532, G122673668, G1286236842, G1313983767, G1451874870, Atomic gas in galaxies: a critical test for state-of-the-art cosmological simulations of galaxy formation, G1632040200, G1677143136, G1800429324, G1813527838, G1863003419, G2252586205, G238502877, Astrophysics at Oxford 2022 -2025, G2520038448, G2638771445, G272672434, G3083819904, G3204085874, G3310305206, G3318483614, G3435725083, G3636172902, G3685081974, G3753230853, G387521742, G4061288673, G419881185, G42916606, G4392917094, G4501827968, G498139845, G5076365615, G5287069595, The Radio Sky as a Test of Galaxy Formation Models, G5697459966, G5789749164, G5826275554, G6027067497, G6253208238, Astrophysics at Oxford 2019-2022, G6652958823, G6876926712, Management and Operations of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, G7354628648, G7406122311, G7431231035, G7509877125, G759921648, G7861570460, G8140570188, G823181903, G8292014801, G969889393, G988696487
OpenAlex ID: W7221362030