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1.
Using three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of isolated dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs), we undertake an analysis of the chemical properties of their inner regions, identifying the respective roles played by Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and Type II supernovae (SNe II). The effect of inhomogeneous pollution from SNe Ia is shown to be prominent within two core radii, with the stars forming therein amounting to ∼20 per cent of the total. These stars are relatively iron-rich and α-element depleted compared to the stars forming in the rest of the galaxy. At odds with the projected stellar velocity dispersion radial profile, the actual three-dimensional one shows a depression in the central region, where the most metal-rich (i.e. [Fe/H]-rich) stars are partly segregated. This naturally results in two different stellar populations, with an anticorrelation between [Fe/H] and velocity dispersion, in the same sense as that observed in the Sculptor and Fornax dSphs. Because the most iron-rich stars in our model are also the most α depleted, a natural prediction and test of our model is that the same radial segregation effects should exist between [α/Fe] and velocity dispersion.  相似文献   

2.
We demonstrate that low-resolution Ca  ii triplet (CaT) spectroscopic estimates of the overall metallicity ([Fe/H]) of individual red giant branch (RGB) stars in two nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) agree to ±0.1–0.2 dex with detailed high-resolution spectroscopic determinations for the same stars over the range  −2.5 < [Fe/H] < −0.5  . For this study, we used a sample of 129 stars observed in low- and high-resolution modes with VLT/FLAMES in the Sculptor and Fornax dSphs. We also present the data-reduction steps we used in our low-resolution analysis and show that the typical accuracy of our velocity and CaT [Fe/H] measurement is ∼2 km s−1 and 0.1 dex, respectively. We conclude that CaT–[Fe/H] relations calibrated on globular clusters can be applied with confidence to RGB stars in composite stellar populations over the range  −2.5 < [Fe/H] < −0.5  .  相似文献   

3.
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. In contrast to the elliptical galaxies in the sample studied by González (and recently revisited by Trager) we find that the Fornax ellipticals follow the locus of galaxies of fixed age in Worthey's models and have metallicities varying from roughly solar to three times solar. The lenticular galaxies, however, exhibit a substantial spread to younger luminosity-weighted ages, indicating a more extended star formation history. We present measurements of the more sensitive indices: C4668 and HγA; these confirm and reinforce the conclusions that the elliptical galaxies are coeval and that only the lenticular galaxies show symptoms of late star formation. 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 young luminosity-weighted ages of the S0s in the Fornax cluster are consistent with the recent discovery that the fraction of S0 galaxies in intermediate-redshift clusters is a factor of 2–3 lower than found locally, and suggest that a fraction of the cluster spiral galaxy population has evolved to quiescence in the 5-Gyr interval from z  = 0.5 to the present. Two of the faintest lenticular galaxies in our sample have blue continua and strong Balmer-line absorption, suggesting starbursts ≲2 Gyr ago. These may be the low-redshift analogues of the starburst or post-starburst galaxies seen in clusters at z  = 0.3, similar to the Hδ-strong galaxies in the Coma cluster.  相似文献   

4.
We have obtained spectra for 103 published globular cluster candidates in the Sculptor group galaxies NGC 253 and 55. On the basis of radial velocities and digitized plate images, 14 globular clusters are identified in NGC 253 and one probable globular cluster is identified in NGC 55. The majority of the objects in the sample appear to be background galaxies. We have obtained and analysed COSMOS plate scans of NGC 253 and 55 and use these along with the spectroscopically identified clusters to define new samples of globular cluster candidates in the two galaxies which should have reduced contamination.  相似文献   

5.
We study star-formation-inducing mechanisms in galaxies through multiwavelength measurements of a sample of dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster described in Paper I. Our main goal is to test how star-formation-inducing mechanisms depend on several parameters of the galaxies, such as morphological type and hydrogen content. We derive the star formation rate and star formation histories of the galaxies, and check their dependence on other parameters.   Comparison of the sample galaxies with population synthesis models shows that these objects have significantly lower metallicity than the solar value. The colours can generally be explained as a combination of two different stellar populations: a young (3–20 Myr) metal-poor population which represents the stars currently forming presumably in a starburst, and an older (0.1–1 Gyr) population of previous stellar generations. There is evidence that the older stellar population was also formed in a starburst. This is consistent with the explanation that star formation in this type of objects takes place in short bursts followed by long quiescent periods.   No significant correlation is found between the star formation properties of the sample galaxies and their hydrogen content. Apparently, when star formation occurs in bursts, other parameters influence the star formation properties more significantly than the amount of atomic hydrogen. No correlation is found between the projected Virgocentric distance and the rate of star formation in the galaxies, suggesting that tidal interactions are not significant in triggering star formation in cluster dwarf galaxies.  相似文献   

6.
We present wide-field     multiband ( BVI ) CCD photometry (down to     of the very low surface brightness dwarf spheroidal galaxy Sextans. In the derived colour–magnitude diagrams we find evidence suggesting the presence of multiple stellar populations in this dwarf spheroidal. In particular, we discover (i) a blue horizontal branch tail that appears to lie on a brighter sequence with respect to the prominent red horizontal branch and the RR Lyrae stars, very similar to what was found by Majewski et al. for the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal, (ii) hints of a bimodal distribution in colour of the red giant branch stars, (iii) a double red giant branch bump. All of these features suggest that (at least) two components are present in the old stellar population of this galaxy: the main one with     and a minor component around     . The similarity to the Sculptor case may indicate that multiple star formation episodes are also common in the most nearby dwarf spheroidals that ceased their star formation activity at very early epochs.  相似文献   

7.
We present spatially resolved intermediate-resolution spectroscopy of a sample of 12 E+A galaxies in the   z = 0.32  rich galaxy cluster AC 114, obtained with the FLAMES multi-integral field unit system on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory. Previous integrated spectroscopy of all these galaxies by Couch & Sharples had shown them to have strong Balmer line absorption and an absence of [O  ii ]λ3727 emission – the defining characteristics of the 'E+A' spectral signature, indicative of an abrupt halt to a recent episode of quite vigorous star formation. We have used our spectral data to determine the radial variation in the strength of Hδ absorption in these galaxies and hence map out the distribution of this recently formed stellar population. Such information provides important clues as to what physical event might have been responsible for this quite dramatic change in star formation activity in the recent past of these galaxies. We find a diversity of behaviour amongst these galaxies in terms of the radial variation in Hδ absorption: four galaxies show little Hδ absorption across their entire extent; it would appear they were misidentified as E+A galaxies in the earlier integrated spectroscopic studies. The remainder show strong Hδ absorption, with a gradient that is either negative (Hδ equivalent width decreasing with radius), flat or positive . By comparison with numerical simulations we suggest that the first of these different types of radial behaviour provides evidence for a merger/interaction origin, whereas the latter two types of behaviour are more consistent with the truncation of star formation in normal disc galaxies with the Hδ gradient becoming increasingly positive with time after truncation. It would seem therefore that more than one physical mechanism is responsible for E+A formation in the same environment.  相似文献   

8.
Increasing evidence suggests that the Galactic halo is lumpy on kpc scales as a result of the accretion of at least a dozen small galaxies [Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC/SMC), Sgr, Fornax, etc.]. Faint stars in such lumpy structures can significantly microlense a background star with an optical depth of 10−7–10−6, which is comparable to the observed value to the LMC. The observed microlensing events towards the LMC can be explained by a tidal debris tail from the progenitor of the Magellanic Clouds and Magellanic Stream. The LMC stars can either lense stars in the debris tail a few kpc behind the LMC, or be lensed by stars in the part of the debris tail in front of the LMC. The models are consistent with an elementary particle dominated Galactic halo without massive compact halo objects (MACHOs). They also differ from Sahu's LMC-self-lensing model by predicting a higher optical depth and event rate and lower concentration of events to the LMC centre.  相似文献   

9.
We present BVI photometry of 190 galaxies in the central 4 ×3 deg2 region of the Fornax cluster observed with the Michigan Curtis Schmidt Telescope. Results from the Fornax Cluster Spectroscopic Survey (FCSS) and the Flair-II Fornax Surveys have been used to confirm the membership status of galaxies in the Fornax Cluster Catalogue (FCC). In our catalogue of 213 member galaxies, 92 (43 per cent) have confirmed radial velocities.
In this paper, we investigate the surface brightness–magnitude relation for Fornax cluster galaxies. Particular attention is given to the sample of cluster dwarfs and the newly discovered ultracompact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) from the FCSS. We examine the reliability of the surface brightness–magnitude relation as a method for determining cluster membership and find that at surface brightnesses fainter than 22 mag arcsec−2, it fails in its ability to distinguish between cluster members and barely resolved background galaxies. Cluster members exhibit a strong surface brightness–magnitude relation. Both elliptical (E) galaxies and dwarf elliptical (dE) galaxies increase in surface brightness as luminosity decreases. The UCDs lie off the locus of the relation.
  B − V   and   V − I   colours are determined for a sample of 113 cluster galaxies and the colour–magnitude relation is explored for each morphological type. The UCDs lie off the locus of the colour–magnitude relation. Their mean   V − I   colours (∼1.09) are similar to those of globular clusters associated with NGC 1399. The location of the UCDs on both surface brightness and colour–magnitude plots supports the 'galaxy threshing' model for infalling nucleated dwarf elliptical (dE, N) galaxies.  相似文献   

10.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a galaxy in possession of a good quantity of gas must want to form stars. It is the details of how and why that baffle us all. The simplest theories either would have this process a carefully self-regulated affair, or one that goes completely out of control and is capable of wrecking the galaxy which hosts it. Of course the majority of galaxies seem to amble along somewhere between these two extremes, and the mean properties tend to favour a quiescent self-regulated evolutionary scenario. But there area variety of observations which require us to invoke transitory ‘bursts’ of star-formation at one time or another in most galaxy types. Several nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies have clearly determined star-formation histories with apparent periods of zero star formation followed by periods of fairly active star formation. If we are able to understand what separated these bursts we would understand several important phenomena in galaxy evolution. Were these galaxies able to clear out their gas reservoir in a burst of star formation? How did this gas return? or did it? Have these galaxies receieved gas from the IGM instead? Could stars from these types of galaxy contribute significantly to the halo population in our Galaxy? To answer these questions we need to combine accurate stellar photometry and Colour-Magnitude Diagram interpretation with detailed metal abundances to combine a star-formation rate versus time with a range of element abundances with time. Different elements trace different evolutionary process (e.g., relative contributions of type I and II supernovae). We often aren't even sure of the abundance spread in these galaxies. We have collected detailed high resolution UVES spectra of four nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies (Sculptor, Fornax, Leo I &; Carina) to begin to answer these questions. This is a precursor study to a more complete study with FLAMES. We presented at this meeting the initial results for the Sculptor and Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxies which have been previously had single element (low resolution) calcium abundance studies (Tolstoy et al., 2001). See Figures 1 and 2.  相似文献   

11.
A comprehensive study of the measurement of star formation histories from colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) is presented, with an emphasis on a variety of subtle issues involved in the generation of model CMDs and maximum likelihood solution. Among these are the need for a complete sampling of the synthetic CMD, the use of proper statistics for dealing with Poisson-distributed data (and a demonstration of why χ 2 must not be used), measuring full uncertainties in all reported parameters, quantifying the goodness-of-fit, and questions of binning the CMD and incorporating outside information. Several example star formation history measurements are given. Two examples involve synthetic data, in which the input and recovered parameters can be compared to locate possible flaws in the methodology (none were apparent) and measure the accuracy with which ages, metallicities and star formation rates can be recovered. Solutions of the histories of seven Galactic dwarf spheroidal companions (Carina, Draco, Leo I, Leo II, Sagittarius, Sculptor and Ursa Minor) illustrate the ability to measure star formation histories given a variety of conditions – numbers of stars, complexity of star formation history and amount of foreground contamination. Significant measurements of ancient >8 Gyr star formation are made in all seven galaxies. Sculptor, Draco and Ursa Minor appear entirely ancient, while the other systems show varying amounts of younger stars.  相似文献   

12.
We have observed the largest optical spectra sample of 97 blue compact galaxies. Stellar population properties of 74 star-forming BCGs of them were derived by comparing the equivalent widths of strong absorption features and continuum colors, using a method of empirical population synthesis based on star cluster sample. The results indicate that blue compact galaxies are typically age-composite stellar system, the continuum flux fractions at 5870Å due to old stellar components and young stellar components are both important for most of the galaxies. The stellar populations of blue compact galaxies present a variety of characteristics, and the contribution from different age and metallicity components is different. The star formation episodes are usually short, some galaxies maybe undergoing their first global episode of star formation, while for the most sample galaxies, older stars contribute to at most half the optical emission. Our results suggest that BCGs are old galaxies, in which star formation occurs in short intense burst separated by long quiescent phases.  相似文献   

13.
This paper investigates the possibility that ultra-compact dwarf (UCD) galaxies in the Fornax cluster are formed by the threshing of nucleated, early-type dwarf galaxies (hereafter dwarf galaxies).
Similar to the results of Côté et al. for the Virgo cluster, we show that the Fornax cluster observations are consistent with a single population in which all dwarfs are nucleated, with a ratio of nuclear to total magnitude that varies slowly with magnitude. Importantly, the magnitude distribution of the UCD population is similar to that of the dwarf nuclei in the Fornax cluster.
The joint population of UCDs and the dwarfs from which they may originate is modelled and shown to be consistent with a Navarro, Frenk & White (NFW) profile with a characteristic radius of 5 kpc. Furthermore, a steady-state dynamical model reproduces the known mass profile of Fornax. However, there are a number of peculiarities in the velocity dispersion data that remain unexplained.
The simplest possible threshing model is tested, in which dwarf galaxies move on orbits in a static cluster potential and are threshed if they pass within a radius at which the tidal force from the cluster exceeds the internal gravity at the core of their dark matter halo. This fails to reproduce the observed fraction of UCDs at radii greater than 30 kpc from the core of Fornax.  相似文献   

14.
We have obtained spectroscopic redshifts of colour-selected point sources in four wide area VLT-FLAMES (Very Large Telescope-Fibre Large Array Multi Element Spectrograph) fields around the Fornax cluster giant elliptical galaxy NGC 1399, identifying as cluster members 27 previously unknown faint     compact stellar systems (CSS), and improving redshift accuracy for 23 previously catalogued CSS.
By amalgamating our results with CSS from previous 2dF observations and excluding CSS dynamically associated with prominent (non-dwarf) galaxies surrounding NGC 1399, we have isolated 80 'unbound' systems that are either part of NGC  1399's globular cluster (GC) system or intracluster GCs. For these unbound systems, we find (i) they are mostly located off the main stellar locus in colour–colour space; (ii) their projected distribution about NGC  1399 is anisotropic, following the Fornax cluster galaxy distribution, and there is weak evidence for group rotation about NGC  1399; (iii) their completeness-adjusted radial surface density profile has a slope similar to that of NGC  1399's inner GC system; (iv) their mean heliocentric recessional velocity is between that of NGC  1399's inner GCs and that of the surrounding dwarf galaxies, but their velocity dispersion is significantly lower; (v) bright CSS  ( M V < −11)  are slightly redder than the fainter systems, suggesting they have higher metallicity; (vi) CSS show no significant trend in   g '− i '  colour index with radial distance from NGC  1399.  相似文献   

15.
We present subarcsecond-resolution, ground-based, near-infrared images of the central regions of a sample of 12 barred galaxies with circumnuclear star formation activity, which is organized in ring-like regions typically 1 kpc in diameter. We also present Hubble Space Telescope near-infrared images of 10 of our sample galaxies, and compare them with our ground-based data. Although our sample galaxies were selected for the presence of circumnuclear star formation activity, our broad-band near-infrared images are heterogeneous, showing a substantial amount of small-scale structure in some galaxies, and practically none in others. We argue that, where it exists, this structure is caused by young stars, which also cause the characteristic bumps or changes in slope in the radial profiles of ellipticity, major axis position angle, surface brightness and colour at the radius of the circumnuclear ring in most of our sample galaxies. In seven out of 10 HST images, star formation in the nuclear ring is clearly visible as a large number of small emitting regions, organized into spiral arm fragments, which are accompanied by dust lanes. Near-infrared colour index maps show much more clearly the location of dust lanes and, in certain cases, regions of star formation than single broad-band images. Circumnuclear spiral structure thus outlined appears to be common in barred spiral galaxies with circumnuclear star formation.  相似文献   

16.
We studied and compared the radial profiles of globular clusters and of the stellar bulge component in three galaxies of the Fornax cluster observed with the WFPC2 of the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ). The stars are more concentrated toward the galactic centres than globular clusters, in agreement with what has already been observed in many other galaxies: if the observed difference is the result of evolution of the globular cluster systems starting from initial profiles similar to those of the halo–bulge stellar components, a relevant fraction of their initial mass (74, 47 and 52 per cent for NGC 1379, 1399 and 1404, respectively) should have disappeared in the inner regions. This mass has probably contributed to the nuclear field population, local dynamics and high-energy phenomena in the primeval life of the galaxy. An indication in favour of the evolutionary interpretation of the difference between the globular cluster system and stellar bulge radial profiles is given by the positive correlation we found between the value of the mass lost from the globular cluster system and the central galactic black hole mass in the set of seven galaxies for which these data are available.  相似文献   

17.
Our knowledge about the dynamics, the chemical abundances and the evolutionary histories of the more luminous dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies is constantly growing. However, very little is known about the enrichment of the ultra‐faint systems recently discovered in large numbers in large sky surveys. Current low‐resolution spectroscopy and photometric data indicate that these galaxies are highly dark matter dominated and predominantly metal poor. On the other hand, recent high‐resolution abundance analyses indicate that some dwarf galaxies experienced highly inhomogeneous chemical enrichment, where star formation proceeds locally on small scales. In this article, I will review the kinematic and chemical abundance information of the Milky Way satellite dSphs that is presently available from low‐ and high resolution spectroscopy. Moreover, some of the most peculiar element and inhomogeneous enrichment patterns will be discussed and related to the question of to what extent the faintest dSph candidates could have contributed to the Galactic halo, compared to more luminous systems (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)  相似文献   

18.
An excellent candidate for a young elliptical, or 'protoelliptical' galaxy is NGC 1700. Here we present new B -, V - and I -band imaging using the Keck telescope, and reanalyse existing V - and I -band images from the Hubble Space Telescope . After subtracting a model of the galaxy from the Keck images, NGC 1700 reveals two symmetric tidal tail-like structures. If this interpretation is correct, it suggests a past merger event involving two spiral galaxies. These tails are largely responsible for the 'boxiness' of the galaxy isophotes observed at a radius of ∼13 kpc.
We also show that the B − I colour distribution of the globular cluster system is bimodal. The mean colour of the blue population is consistent with that of old Galactic globular clusters. Relative to this old, metal-poor population, we find that the red population is younger and more metal-rich. This young population has an age and metallicity similar to that inferred for the central stars, suggesting that both populations are associated with an episode of star formation triggered by the merger that may have formed the galaxy. We find that, although they have large errors, the majority of the age estimates of NGC 1700 are reasonably consistent and we adopt a 'best estimate' for the age of 3.0±1.0 Gyr. This relatively low age places NGC 1700 within the age range where there is a notable lack of obvious candidates for protoellipticals. The total globular cluster specific frequency is rather low for a typical elliptical, even after taking into account the fading of the galaxy over the next 10 Gyr. We speculate that NGC 1700 will eventually form a relatively 'globular cluster poor' elliptical galaxy.  相似文献   

19.
From high signal-to-noise ratio GMOS-N and AAOmega spectra, we have measured line-strength indices in the Lick/IDS system for several luminous and spatially dispersed compact stellar systems (CSSs) located in the Virgo and Fornax galaxy clusters. We estimate their [α/Fe] ratios, ages and metallicities using a simple (single-burst) stellar population model. We confirm that the Virgo core region luminous CSSs (     ) contain ancient stellar populations with subsolar total metallicities, suggesting that they comprise the bright tail of M87's GC distribution. The two Virgo intracluster globular clusters have ages and metallicities consistent with the cluster core CSSs. Two Fornax luminous CSSs also have ancient stellar populations but are at the upper end of the Virgo CSS metallicity range, while the third (UCD3) appears to be relatively young, metal-rich and with a core + halo radial profile. Our results suggest that Fornax may contain an extra population of luminous CSSs formed more recently than the ancient GC-like systems found in both clusters.  相似文献   

20.
The Fornax cluster galaxies NGC 1399 and NGC 1404 are ideal for studying the effects of a cluster environment on globular cluster systems. Here we present new optical imaging of these two galaxies from both the Hubble Space Telescope 's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.5-m telescope. The combination of both data sets provides a unique insight on the spatial and colour distribution of globular clusters. From B − I colours, we find that both galaxies have a broad globular cluster metallicity distribution that is inconsistent with a single population. Two Gaussians provide a reasonable representation of the metallicity distribution in each galaxy. The metal-rich subpopulation is more centrally concentrated than the metal-poor one. We show that the radial metallicity gradient can be explained by the changing relative mix of the two globular cluster subpopulations. We derive globular cluster surface density profiles, and find that they are flatter (i.e., more extended) than the underlying starlight. The total number of globular clusters and specific frequency are calculated to be N =5700±500, SN =11.5±1.0 for NGC 1399, and N =725±145, SN =2.0±0.5 for NGC 1404. Our results are compared with the expectations of globular cluster formation scenarios.  相似文献   

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