Bibcode
Mármol-Queraltó, E.; Cardiel, N.; Sánchez-Blázquez, P.; Trager, S. C.; Peletier, R. F.; Kuntschner, H.; Silva, D. R.; Cenarro, A. J.; Vazdekis, A.; Gorgas, J.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 705, Issue 2, pp. L199-L203 (2009).
Advertised on:
11
2009
Citations
28
Refereed citations
24
Description
The study of stellar populations in early-type galaxies in different
environments is a powerful tool for constraining their star formation
histories. This study has been traditionally restricted to the optical
range, where dwarfs around the turn-off and stars at the base of the red
giant branch dominate the integrated light at all ages. The
near-infrared spectral range is especially interesting since in the
presence of an intermediate-age population, asymptotic giant branch
stars are the main contributors. In this Letter, we measure the
near-infrared indices Na I and D CO for a sample of 12
early-type galaxies in low-density environments and compare them with
the Fornax galaxy sample presented by Silva et al.. The analysis of
these indices in combination with Lick/IDS indices in the optical range
reveals that (1) the Na I index is a metallicity indicator as good as
C4668 in the optical range, and (2) D CO is a tracer of
intermediate-age stellar populations. We find that low-mass galaxies in
low-density environments show higher Na I and D CO than those
located in the Fornax cluster, which points toward a late stage of star
formation for the galaxies in less dense environments, in agreement with
results from other studies using independent methods.
Related projects
Traces of Galaxy Formation: Stellar populations, Dynamics and Morphology
We are a large, diverse, and very active research group aiming to provide a comprehensive picture for the formation of galaxies in the Universe. Rooted in detailed stellar population analysis, we are constantly exploring and developing new tools and ideas to understand how galaxies came to be what we now observe.
Ignacio
Martín Navarro