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1.
We present kinematics and stellar population properties of 17 dwarf early-type galaxies in the luminosity range -14 ≥ M B ≥ -19. Our sample fills the gap between the intensively studied giant elliptical and Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies. The dwarf ellipticals of the present sample have constant velocity dispersion profiles within their effective radii and do not show significant rotation, hence are clearly anisotropic. The dwarf lenticulars, instead, rotate faster and are, at least partially, supported by rotation. From optical Lick absorption indices, we derive metallicities and element abundances. Combining our sample with literature data of the Local Group dwarf spheroidals and giant ellipticals, we find a surprisingly tight linear correlation between metallicity and luminosity over a wide range: -8 ≥ M B ≥ -22. The α/Fe ratios of our dwarf ellipticals are significantly lower than the ones of giant elliptical galaxies, which is in agreement with spectroscopy of individual stars in Local Group dwarf spheroidals. Our results suggest the existence of a clear kinematic and stellar population dichotomy between dwarf and giant elliptical galaxies. This result is important for theories of galaxy formation, because it implies that present-day dwarf ellipticals are not the fossiled building blocks of giant ellipticals. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

2.
We studied the scatter across clusters of the color of the red sequence in are presentative and large sample of clusters (more than 200) detected on the Early Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (EDR-SDSS) in the redshift range 0.06<z<0.34. We found an extreme degree of homogeneity in the color of the red sequence (the intrinsic scatter is about 0.02 to 0.03 mag)suggesting that either galaxies on the red sequence formed a long time ago (z>2) or else their star formation is universally delayed with preservation of a small spread in age formation. The latter possibility is ruled out by the mere existence of galaxies at high redshift. While the old age of ellipticals was already been claimed for a small heterogeneous collection of clusters, most of which are rich ones, we found that it holds for a ten to one hundred larger sample, representative of all clusters and groups detected on the EDR-SDSS. Hence, we claim the possible universality of the color of the galaxies on the red sequence. Furthermore, the sample includes a large number of very poor clusters (also called groups), not studied in previous works, for which the hierarchical and monolithic scenarios of elliptical formation predict different colors for the brightest ellipticals. The observed red sequence color does not depend on cluster/group richness at a level of 0.02 mag, while a 0.23 mag effect is expected according to the hierarchical prediction. Therefore, the stellar population of red sequence galaxies is similar in clusters and groups, in spite of different halo histories. Finally, since the observed rest-frame color of the red sequence does not depend on environment and redshift, it can be used as a distance indicator, with an error σz=0.018, a few times better than the precision achieved by other photometric redshift estimates and twice better than the precision of the Fundamental Plane for a single galaxy at the median redshift of the EDR-SDSS. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

3.
Near-infrared spectra for a sample of 31 elliptical galaxies in the Coma cluster are obtained. The galaxies are selected to be ellipticals (no lenticulars), with a large spatial distribution, covering both the core and outskirts of the cluster (i.e. corresponding to regions with large density contrasts). COsp (2.3-μm) absorption indices, measuring the contribution from intermediate-age red giant and supergiant stars to the near-infrared light of the ellipticals, are then estimated.
It is found that the strength of COsp features in elliptical galaxies increases from the core ( r <02) to the outskirts ( r >02) of the Coma cluster. Using the Mg2 strengths, it is shown that the observed effect is not caused by metallicity and is mostly caused by the presence of a younger population (giant and supergiant stars) in ellipticals in the outskirts (low-density region) of the cluster.
Using the COsp features, the origin of the scatter on the near-infrared Fundamental Plane (the relation between the effective diameter, effective surface brightness and velocity dispersion) of elliptical galaxies is studied. Correcting this relation for contributions from the red giant and supergiant stars, the rms scatter reduces from 0.077 to 0.073 dex. Although measurable, the contribution from these intermediate-age stars to the scatter on the near-infrared Fundamental Plane of ellipticals is only marginal.
A relation is found between the COsp and V − K colours of ellipticals, corresponding to a slope of 0.036±0.016, significantly shallower than that from the Mg2–( V − K ) relation. This is studied using stellar synthesis models.  相似文献   

4.
We used a sample of 20 poor groups of galaxies to study the low mass tail of the relationships among the X-ray temperature T, the X-ray luminosity Lx and the optical velocity dispersion σ. We obtained redshifts for the fainter members of these groups. We find that X-ray bright groups have more members and higher velocity dispersions on average. Using the fainter group members and MonteCarlo tests, we define the number of group members required to calculate a robust velocity dispersion. There is a tendency to underestimate the group velocity dispersion for samples of fewer than∼ 10 members that introduces systematic errors in the slope of the relationships among Lx, T, and σ. A comparison with the data of Ponman and Mahdavi shows that our improved velocity dispersions provide better constraints on the relationship between the kinematics of the hot gas and galaxies in these common environments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

5.
Gradients of absorption line indices are studied and mean stellar metallicities are estimated for 46 elliptical galaxies. The mean stellar metallicities range from 〈 [Fe/H] 〉 ≃ =0.8 to +0.2 and ellipticals with smaller central velocity dispersions tend to have lower 〈 [Fe/H] 〉 thus the mass-metallicity relation holds not only for the galaxy center but also for the whole part of the galaxy. There is an evidence that the magnesium is enhanced systematically in all ellipticals by 0.2 dex with respect to the iron. Giant elliptical galaxies show lack of metal-poor stars (the G-dwarf problem). Metal-poor globular clusters of ellipticals formed well in advance of the formation of metal-rich ones which formed simultaneously with the bulk of stars of mother galaxies under the influence of galaxy chemical enrichment. The bimodal [Fe/H] distribution of globular clusters does not necessarily mean that elliptical galaxies formed by the mergers of disc galaxies. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

6.
Using high signal-to-noise ratio VLT/FORS2 long-slit spectroscopy, we have studied the properties of the central stellar populations and dynamics of a sample of S0 galaxies in the Fornax cluster. The central absorption-line indices in these galaxies correlate well with the central velocity dispersions (σ0) in accordance with what previous studies found for elliptical galaxies. However, contrary to what it is usually assumed for cluster ellipticals, the observed correlations seem to be driven by systematic age and α-element abundance variations, and not changes in overall metallicity. We also found that the observed scatter in the index–σ0 relations can be partially explained by the rotationally supported nature of these systems. Indeed, even tighter correlations exist between the line indices and the maximum circular velocity of the galaxies. This study suggests that the dynamical mass is the physical property driving these correlations, and for S0 galaxies such masses have to be estimated assuming a large degree of rotational support. The observed trends imply that the most massive S0s have the shortest star formation time-scales and the oldest stellar populations.  相似文献   

7.
We explore the evolution of the early-type galaxy population in the rich cluster Abell 2390 at z=0.23. For this purpose, we have obtained spectroscopic data of 51 elliptical and lenticular galaxies with MOSCA at the 3.5 m telescope on Calar Alto Observatory. As our investigation spans both a broad range in luminosity (–22.3≤MB≤–:19.3)and a wide field of view (10′×10′), the environmental dependence of different formation scenarios can be analysed in detail as a function of radius from the cluster center. In this paper, we present first results on the Faber-Jackson relation and, for a subsample of 14 galaxies with morphological and structural parameters from HST, we also investigate the evolution of the Kormendy relation and the Fundamental Plane. We find a mild luminosity evolution of the early-type galaxies in Abell 2390: our objects are on average brighter by m B∼0.4 mag. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

8.
We present near-infrared K -band imaging and spectroscopy of a sample of galaxy mergers, which we use to derive light profile indices, absolute magnitudes and central velocity dispersions. We find that the light distributions of mergers more nearly resemble those of ellipticals than those of bulges, but that the mergers lie well away from the Fundamental Plane defined by the ellipticals. We interpret this as being due to enhancement of the K -band surface brightness of the mergers by a significant population of supergiant stars, and independent evidence for such a population is inferred from measurements of the depth of the 2.3-μm CO absorption feature.  相似文献   

9.
We have performed TreeSPH simulations of galaxy formation in a standard ΛCDM cosmology, including effects of star formation, energetic stellar feedback processes and a meta-galactic UV field, and obtain a mix of disk, lenticular and elliptical galaxies. The disk galaxies are deficient in angular momentum by only about a factor of two compared to observed disk galaxies. The stellar disks have approximately exponential surface density profiles, and those of the bulges range from exponential to r 1/4, as observed. The bulge-to-disk ratios of the disk galaxies are consistent with observations and likewise are their integrated B-V colours, which have been calculated using stellar population synthesis techniques. Furthermore, we can match the observed I-band Tully-Fisher (TF) relation, provided that the mass-to-light ratio of disk galaxies is (M/L I) ≃ 0.6–0.7. The ellipticals and lenticulars have approximately r 1/4 stellar surface density profiles, are dominated by non-disklike kinematics and flattened due to non-isotropic stellar velocity distributions, again consistent with observations. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

10.
We have measured central line strengths for a complete sample of early-type galaxies in the Fornax Cluster comprising 11 elliptical and 11 lenticular galaxies, more luminous than M B=–17. We find that the centres of Fornax ellipticals follow the locus of galaxies of fixed age in Worthey's models and have metallicities varying roughly from half to 2.5 times solar. The centres of (relatively low luminosity) lenticular galaxies, however, exhibit a substantial spread to younger luminosity-weighted ages indicating amore extended star formation history. Our conclusions are based on two age/metallicity diagnostic diagrams in the Lick/IDS system comprising established indices such as [MgFe]and Hβ as well as new and more sensitive indices, such as Fe3and H . The inferred difference in the age distribution between lenticular and elliptical galaxies is a robust conclusion as the models generate consistent relative ages using different age and metallicity indicators even though the absolute ages remain uncertain. The absolute age uncertainty is caused mainly by the effects of non-solar abundance ratios, which are not accounted for in the stellar population models. We find that Es are generally overabundant in magnesium and the most luminous galaxies show stronger overabundances. The luminosity-weighted stellar populations of young S0s are consistent with solar abundance ratios or a weak Mg under abundance. Two of the faintest lenticular galaxies in our sample have blue continua and extremely strong Balmer-line absorptions suggesting starbursts <2 Gyr ago. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

11.
We suggest that elliptical galaxies, as stellar systems in a stage of quasi-equilibrium, may have a specific entropy. We use the Sérsic law to describe the light profile. The specific entropy (the Boltzmann–Gibbs definition) is then calculated assuming that the galaxy behaves as a spherical, isotropic, one-component system. We predict a relation between the three parameters of the Sérsic law linked to the specific entropy, defining a surface in the parameter space, an ‘entropic plane’. We have analysed a sample of simulated merging elliptical galaxies (virtual) and a sample of galaxies belonging to the Coma Cluster (real). Both virtual and realgalaxies are: 1) located in their own ‘entropic plane‘ and 2) in this plane, they are located on a straight line, indicating constant entropy: another physical property A careful examination of the value of the specific entropy indicates a very small increase in the specific entropy with the generation after merging (virtual sample). Although one cannot distinguish between various generations for real galaxies, the distribution of specific entropy in this sample is very similar to that in the virtual sample. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

12.
We have obtained Hα fluxes and luminosities for a sample of 95 galaxies from observations of 31 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) in the northern hemisphere. This sample is the largest Hα selected catalogue of galaxies having Hα calibrated fluxes so far. The results obtained from a preliminary analysis of a subsample of66 galaxies show that the Hα luminosity of the galaxies is correlated with velocity dispersion and compactness of groups. These correlations would point towards a scenario in which the brightest Hα galaxies reside in compact groups having higher probability of galaxy interaction, i.e. lower values of velocity dispersion. Moreover, such relations seem to depend on the environment in which HCGs themselves are embedded. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

13.
Using results from structural analysis of a sample of nearly 1000 local galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we estimate how the mass in central black holes is distributed amongst elliptical galaxies, classical bulges and pseudo-bulges, and investigate the relation between their stellar masses and central stellar velocity dispersion σ. Assuming a single relation between elliptical galaxy/bulge mass, M Bulge, and central black hole mass, M BH, we find that  55+8−4  per cent of the mass in black holes in the local universe is in the centres of elliptical galaxies,  41+4−2  per cent in classical bulges and  4+0.9−0.4  per cent in pseudo-bulges. We find that ellipticals, classical bulges and pseudo-bulges follow different relations between their stellar masses and σ, and the most significant offset occurs for pseudo-bulges in barred galaxies. This structural dissimilarity leads to discrepant black hole masses if single   M BH– M Bulge  and   M BH–σ  relations are used. Adopting relations from the literature, we find that the   M BH–σ  relation yields an estimate of the total mass density in black holes that is roughly 55 per cent larger than if the   M BH– M Bulge  relation is used.  相似文献   

14.
The present paper aims to investigate the modelling of real galaxies—at least as a zeroth order approximation—in such a way that rotation can be effective in determinating their intrinsic shape. The connection between the presence of isotropy in the pressure (or equivalently in the peculiar velocity) and observed gradients of metal content in most galaxies is briefly discussed, next solid-body rotating EC polytropes are proposed as acceptable models and the limits of this approach are considered. Appropriate estimates of both the theoretical ratio of some characteristic projected rotational velocity to some characteristic projected peculiar velocity,V/, and the apparent ellipticity,ê *, are calculated for the whole range of axis orientations, then the behaviour ofV/ vsê * is compared with observations. We find that real galaxies seem to display according to two distinct sequences; a main fraction of bright ellipticals may be reproduced by both axisymmetric configurations with all degrees of central condensation and triaxial configurations with lower degree of central condensation, while the remaining bright ellipticals, SA and SB bulges and ellipticals fainter thanM B =–20.8 are seen to be fitted by axisymmetric configurations with lower degree of central condensation only. Some implications of such results are also reported and discussed. Finally, using qualitative considerations we show that solid-body rotating EC polytropes may lead to a naive model of galactic evolution, which enables both to reconcile observed gradients of metal content with the trend exibited byV/ vsê *, and to simulate—at least as a zeroth order approximation—the morphological sequence of real galaxies.  相似文献   

15.
The Hubble Space Telescope /Advanced Camera for Surveys ( HST /ACS) Coma Cluster Treasury Survey is a deep two-passband imaging survey of the nearest very rich cluster of galaxies, covering a range of galaxy density environments. The imaging is complemented by a recent wide field redshift survey of the cluster conducted with Hectospec on the 6.5-m Monolithic Mirror Telescope (MMT). Among the many scientific applications for these data is the search for compact galaxies. In this paper, we present the discovery of seven compact (but quite luminous) stellar systems, ranging from M32-like galaxies down to ultra-compact dwarfs (UCDs)/dwarf to globular transition objects (DGTOs).
We find that all seven compact galaxies require a two-component fit to their light profile and have measured velocity dispersions that exceed those expected for typical early-type galaxies at their luminosity. From our structural parameter analysis, we conclude that three of the samples should be classified as compact ellipticals or M32-like galaxies, and the remaining four being less extreme systems. The three compact ellipticals are all found to have old luminosity weighted ages (≳12 Gyr), intermediate metallicities  (−0.6 < [Fe/H] < −0.1)  and high [Mg/Fe] (≳0.25).
Our findings support a tidal stripping scenario as the formation mode of compact galaxies covering the luminosity range studied here. We speculate that at least two early-type morphologies may serve as the progenitor of compact galaxies in clusters.  相似文献   

16.
Line-of-sight velocity distributions of low-luminosity elliptical galaxies   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  
The shape of the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) is measured for a sample of 14 elliptical galaxies, predominantly low-luminosity ellipticals. The sample is dominated by galaxies in the Virgo cluster but also contains ellipticals in nearby groups and low-density environments. The parametrization of the LOSVD given by Gerhard and van der Marel & Franx is adopted, which measures the asymmetrical and symmetrical deviations of the LOSVD from a Gaussian by the amplitudes h 3 and h 4 of the Gauss–Hermite series. Rotation, velocity dispersion, h 3 and h 4 are determined as a function of radius for both major and minor axes. Non-Gaussian LOSVDs are found for all galaxies along the major axes. Deviations from a Gaussian LOSVD along the minor axis are of much lower amplitude if present at all. Central decreases in velocity dispersion are found for three galaxies. Two galaxies have kinematically decoupled cores: NGC 4458 and the well-known case of NGC 3608.  相似文献   

17.
We determine the mass profile of a synthetic cluster built from the combination of 59 nearby clusters observed in the ESO Nearby Abell Cluster Survey (ENACS). We use ellipticals and S0s as tracers of the cluster potential, and solve the Jeans equation assuming isotropic orbits. Such an assumption is justified by the analysis of the shape of the velocity distribution of ellipticals and S0s. We find that the cluster mass profile is consistent with the Navarro, Frenk and White(NFW) model. We use this cluster mass profile to search for equilibrium solutions for the other cluster galaxy populations: very bright ellipticals (M R ≤–22+5 log h),early-type spirals (Sa-Sb), and late-type spirals and irregulars (Sbc-Ir), together with emission-line galaxies. We find equilibrium solutions for both the early- and the late-spirals, but not for the very bright ellipticals. The dynamics of very bright ellipticals is probably affected by dissipative processes which invalidate the use of the collisionless Jeans equation. The equilibrium solution found for the early-spirals implies them to move on nearly-isotropic orbits. Late-spirals are instead found to be on mildly radial orbits, with the radial anisotropy increasing outwards. We discuss the implications of these results for the evolutionary histories of the different populations of cluster galaxies. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

18.
I review the origin of UV-radiation in galaxies of different morphological types. UV-excess in spectra of massive elliptical galaxies which have predominantly old stellar populations is traditionally explained by the contribution of low-mass stars at very late, poorly known stages of evolution—by so called ‘AGB-manqué’ stars or by the population of extended horizontal branch. However recent results from the GALEX survey of a large sample of nearby ellipticals have also demonstrated probable traces of recent star formation in a third of all ellipticals observed. In spiral galaxies extended UV-disks have been discovered by the GALEX; they are certainly illuminated by the current star formation, but what has provoked star formation in the areas of very low gas density, beyond the distribution of older stars, is a puzzle yet. The UV-spectra of starburst galaxies or starforming galactic nuclei are characterized by weak emission lines, if any, quite dissimilar to their optical spectra.  相似文献   

19.
We investigate numerically the chemodynamical evolution of major disc–disc galaxy mergers in order to explore the origin of the mass-dependent chemical, photometric and spectroscopic properties observed in elliptical galaxies. We investigate especially the dependence of the fundamental properties on merger progenitor disc mass (M d). Three main results are obtained in this study:– More massive (luminous) ellipticals formed by galaxy mergers between more massive spirals have higher metallicity (Z) and thus show redder colours; the typical metallicity ranges from ∼ 1.0 solar abundance (Z∼ 0.02) for ellipticals formed by mergers with M d = 1010 M ⊙to ∼ 2.0 solar (Z∼ 0.04) for those with M d= 1012 M ⊙.– Both the Mg2 line index in the central part of ellipticals (R ≤ 0.1 R e) and the radial gradient of Mg2 (δ Mg2 / δ log R) are more likely to be larger for massive ellipticals. δ Mg2 / δ log R correlates reasonably well with the central Mg2 in ellipticals. For most of the present merger models, ellipticals show a positive radial gradient of the Hβ line index. – Both M/L B and M/L K (where M, L B, and L K are the total stellar mass of galaxy mergers, the B-band and the K-band luminosities, respectively) depend on galactic mass in such a way that more massive ellipticals have larger M/L B and smaller M/L K. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

20.
It is more appropriate to study the dynamics and evolution of compact groups using a sample of isolated compact groups in the nearby vicinity of which there are no accordant redshift galaxies. To look for isolated compact groups we inspected the environment of 78 Shakhbazian compact groups, with known redshifts. We found that 26 of nearby groups with V < 40000 km s−1 are isolated compact groups in the vicinity of which up to a projected distance of 1 Mpc there are no accordant redshift galaxies. For four of them, the redshift of only two members are known, so their being groups is not certain. In the vicinities of eleven distant groups (V > 40000 km s−1) no accordant redshift galaxies are detected as well. The reason for this may be the faintness of galaxies there. These groups may possibly be isolated.  相似文献   

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