A Catalogue and Analysis of Local Galaxy Ages and Metallicities

We have assembled a catalogue of relative ages, metallicities and abundance ratios for about 150 local galaxies in field, group and cluster environments. The galaxies span morphological types from cD and ellipticals, to late type spirals. Ages and metallicities were estimated from high quality published spectral line indices using Worthey & Ottaviani (1997) single stellar population evolutionary models. The identification of galaxy age as a fourth parameter in the fundamental plane (Forbes et al. 1998) is confirmed by our larger sample of ages. We investigate trends between age and metallicity, and with other physical parameters of the galaxies, such as ellipticity, luminosity, and kinematic anisotropy. We demonstrate the existence of a galaxy age-metallicity relation similar to that seen for local galactic disk stars, whereby young galaxies have high metallicity, while old galaxies span a large range in metallicities. We also investigate the influence of environment and morphology on the galaxy age and metallicity, especially the predictions made by semi-analytic hierarchical clustering models (HCM). We confirm that non-cluster ellipticals are indeed younger on average than cluster ellipticals as predicted by the HCM models. However we also find a trend for the more luminous galaxies to have a higher [Mg/Fe] ratio than the lower luminosity galaxies, which is opposite to the expectation from HCM models.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, 16 figures, 4 tables, submitted to MNRA

Mass, spin, and ultralight boson constraints from the intermediate-mass black hole in the tidal disruption event 3XMM J215022.4–055108

We simultaneously and successfully fit the multiepoch X-ray spectra of the tidal disruption event (TDE) 3XMM J215022.4-055108 using a modified version of our relativistic slim disk model that now accounts for angular momentum losses from radiation. We explore the effects of different disk properties and of uncertainties in the spectral hardening factor fc and redshift z on the estimation of the black hole mass M• and spin a•. Across all choices of theoretical priors, we constrain M• to less than 2.2 × 104 Me at 1σ confidence. Assuming that the TDE host is a star cluster associated with the adjacent, brighter, barred lenticular galaxy at z = 0.055, we constrain M• and a• to be 1.75-+0.050.45 ´ 104 Me and 0.8-+0.020.12, respectively, at 1σ confidence. The high, but sub-extremal, spin suggests that, if this intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) has grown significantly since formation, it has acquired its last e-fold in mass in a way incompatible with both the “standard” and “chaotic” limits of gas accretion. Ours is the first clear IMBH with a spin measurement. As such, this object represents a novel laboratory for astroparticle physics; its M• and a• place tight limits on the existence of ultralight bosons, ruling out those with masses from ∼10-15 to 10-16 eV. © 2021. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.Immediate accessThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

A Library of Synthetic X-Ray Spectra for Fitting Tidal Disruption Events

We present a tabulated version of our slim-disk model for fitting tidal disruption events (TDEs). We create a synthetic X-ray spectral library by ray-tracing stationary general relativistic slim disks and including gravitational redshift, Doppler, and lensing effects self-consistently. We introduce the library to reduce computational expense and increase access for fitting future events. Fitting requires interpolation between the library spectra; the interpolation error in the synthetic flux is generally <10% (it can rise to 40% when the disk is nearly edge-on). We fit the X-ray spectra of the TDEs ASASSN-14li and ASASSN-15oi, successfully reproducing our earlier constraints on black hole mass M • and spin a • from full on-the-fly ray-tracing. We use the library to fit mock observational data to explore the degeneracies among parameters, finding that (1) spectra from a hotter thermal disk and edge-on inclination angle offer tighter constraints on M • and a •; (2) the constraining power of spectra on M • and a • increases as a power law with the number of X-ray counts, and the index of the power law is higher for hotter thermal disk spectra; (3) multiepoch X-ray spectra partially break the degeneracy between M • and a •; (4) the time-dependent level of X-ray absorption can be constrained from spectral fitting. The tabulated model and slim-disk model are available at https://doi.org/10.25739/hfhz-xn60. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

From star-forming spirals to passive spheroids: integral field spectroscopy of E+A galaxies

We present three-dimensional spectroscopy of 11 E+A galaxies at z= 0.06–0.12. These galaxies were selected for their strong Hδ absorption but weak (or non-existent) [O II] λ3727 and Hα emission. This selection suggests that a recent burst of star formation was triggered but subsequently abruptly ended. We probe the spatial and spectral properties of both the young (≲1 Gyr) and old (≳few Gyr) stellar populations. Using the Hδ equivalent widths we estimate that the burst masses must have been at least 10 per cent by mass (Mburst≳ 1010 M⊙), which is also consistent with the star formation history inferred from the broad-band spectral energy distributions. On average the A stars cover ∼33 per cent of the galaxy image, extending over 2–15 kpc2, indicating that the characteristic E+A signature is a property of the galaxy as a whole and not due to a heterogeneous mixture of populations. In approximately half of the sample, we find that the A stars, nebular emission and continuum emission are not co-located, suggesting that the newest stars are forming in a different place than those that formed ≲1 Gyr ago, and that recent star formation has occurred in regions distinct from the oldest stellar populations. At least 10 of the galaxies (91 per cent) have dynamics that class them as ‘fast rotators’ with magnitudes, v/σ, λR and bulge-to-total (B/T) ratio comparable to local, representative ellipticals and S0s. We also find a correlation between the spatial extent of the A stars and the dynamical state of the galaxy such that the fastest rotators tend to have the most compact A star populations, providing new constraints on models that aim to explain the transformation of later type galaxies into early types. Finally, we show that there are no obvious differences between the line extents and kinematics of E+A galaxies detected in the radio (active galactic nucleus, AGN) compared to non-radio sources, suggesting that AGN feedback does not play a dramatic role in defining their properties, and/or that its effects are short

After the Fall: Resolving the Molecular Gas in Post-starburst Galaxies

Post-starburst (PSB), or "E + A,"galaxies represent a rapid transitional phase between major, gas-rich mergers and gas-poor, quiescent, early-type galaxies. Surprisingly, many PSBs have been shown to host a significant interstellar medium (ISM), despite theoretical predictions that the majority of the star-forming gas should be expelled in active galactic nuclei- or starburst-driven outflows. To date, the resolved properties of this surviving ISM have remained unknown. We present high-resolution ALMA continuum and CO(2-1) observations in six gas- and dust-rich PSBs, revealing for the first time the spatial and kinematic structure of their ISM on sub-kpc scales. We find extremely compact molecular reservoirs, with dust and gas surface densities rivaling those found in (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies. We observe spatial and kinematic disturbances in all sources, with some also displaying disk-like kinematics. Estimates of the internal turbulent pressure in the gas exceed those of normal star-forming disks by at least 2 orders of magnitude, and rival the turbulent gas found in local interacting galaxies, such as the Antennae. Though the source of this high turbulent pressure remains uncertain, we suggest that the high incidence of tidal disruption events in PSBs could play a role. The star formation in these PSBs' turbulent central molecular reservoirs is suppressed, forming stars only 10% as efficiently as starburst galaxies with similar gas surface densities. "The fall"of star formation in these galaxies was not precipitated by complete gas expulsion or redistribution. Rather, this high-resolution view of PSBs' ISM indicates that star formation in their remaining compact gas reservoirs is suppressed by significant turbulent heating. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]