Bibcode
López-Corredoira, Martín
Bibliographical reference
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 139, Issue 2, pp. 540-544 (2010).
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2
2010
Citations
6
Refereed citations
6
Description
In order to know the formation epoch of the oldest elliptical galaxies
as a function of mass and observed redshift, a statistical analysis of
333 extremely red objects (EROs) classified as old galaxies (OGs) at 0.8
<= z <= 2.3 is carried out. Once we get MV and (B - V)
at rest for each galaxy, we calculate the average variation of this
intrinsic color with redshift and derive the average age through a
synthesis model (the code for the calculation of the age has been made
publicly available). The average gradient of the (B - V) color at rest
of EROs/OGs is 0.07-0.10 Gyr-1 for a fixed luminosity. The
stars in these extremely red elliptical galaxies were formed when the
universe was ~ 2 Gyr old on average. We have not found a significant
enough dependence on the observed redshift and stellar mass:
({dt_formation}/{dt_observed}= -0.46± 0.32), ({dt_formation}/{d
log _{10}M_*}=-0.81± 0.98) Gyr. This fits a scenario in which the
stellar formation of the objects that we denominate as EROs-OGs is more
intense at higher redshifts, at which the stellar populations of the
most massive galaxies form earlier than or at the same time as less
massive galaxies.
Related projects
Morphology and dynamics of the Milky Way
This project consists of two parts, each differentiated but both complementary: morphology and dynamics. Detailed study of the morphology of the Milky Way pretends to provide a data base for the stellar distribution in the most remote and heavily obscured regions of our Galaxy, through the development of semiempirical models based on the
Martín
López Corredoira