Robust galaxy image decompositions with differential evolution optimization and the problem of classical bulges in and beyond the nearby Universe

ABSTRACT Deconstructing galaxies through two-dimensional decompositions has been shown to be a powerful technique to derive the physical properties of stellar structures in galaxies. However, most studies employ fitting algorithms that are prone to be trapped in local minima, or involve subjective choices. Furthermore, when applied on samples beyond the nearby Universe, results on the fraction of classical bulges in disc galaxies do not agree with studies on nearby galaxies. The latter studies point to a small fraction of classical bulges, possibly challenging our merger-driven picture of galaxy formation. Therefore, understanding the discrepancy between observations in and beyond the nearby Universe is of paramount importance. In this paper, I use a sample of 16 nearby galaxies drawn from the TIMER project, which previously have been shown to not host classical bulges, and perform decompositions applying different methodologies and employing the original images as well as artificially redshifted images. I show that the Differential Evolution algorithm is able to provide accurate measurements of structural properties with little subjective intervention, correctly indicating the presence of nuclear discs (not classical bulges). However, I also show that when the physical spatial resolution is not adequate, a systematic overestimation of the photometric bulge Sérsic index leads to the false conclusion of the presence of classical bulges. I discuss how this may be the root cause of the discrepancy mentioned above, and point out how this issue may be a problem even with data from facilities such as Euclid, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).