The nature of the red disc-like galaxies at high redshift: dust attenuation and intrinsically red stellar populations

We investigate which conditions of dust attenuation and stellar populations allow models of dusty, continuously star-forming, bulge-less disc galaxies at 0.8 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 3.2 to meet the different colour selection criteria of high-z 'red' galaxies (e.g. RC-K > 5.3, I-C-K > 4, J-K > 2.3). As a main novelty, we use stellar population models that include the thermally pulsating asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) phase of stellar evolution. The star formation rate of the models declines exponentially as a function of time, the e-folding time being longer than 3 Gyr. In addition, we use calculations of radiative transfer of the stellar and scattered radiation through different dusty interstellar media in order to explore the wide parameter space of dust attenuation. We find that synthetic discs can exhibit red optical/near-infrared colours because of reddening by dust, but only if they have been forming stars for at least similar to 1 Gyr. Extremely few models barely exhibit R-C-K > 5.3, if the inclination i = 90 degrees and if the opacity 2 x tau(v) greater than or similar to 6. Hence, R-C-K-selected galaxies at 1 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 2 most probably are either systems with an old, passively evolving bulge or starbursts. Synthetic discs at 1 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 2 exhibit 4 < I-c-K < 4.8, if they are seen edge on (i.e. at i similar to 90 degrees) and if 2 x tau v greater than or similar to 0.5. This explains the large fraction of observed, edge-on disc-like galaxies with K-S < 19.5 and F814W-KS greater than or similar to 4. Finally, models with 2 less than or similar to z less than or similar to 3.2 exhibit 2.3 < J-K < 3, with no bias towards i similar to 90 degrees and for a large range in opacity (e.g. 2 x tau(v) > 1 for i - 70). In conclusion, red disc-like galaxies at 0.8 less than or similar to z 3.2 may not necessarily be dustier than nearby disc galaxies (with 0.5 less than or similar to 2 x tau(v) less than or similar to 2) and/or much older than similar to 1 Gyr. This result is due both to a realistic description of dust attenuation and to the emission contribution by TP-AGB stars, with ages of 0.2 to 1-2 Gyr and intrinsically red colours.