262 research outputs found
Synthetic spectra of H Balmer and HeI absorption lines. II: Evolutionary synthesis models for starburst and post-starburst galaxies
We present evolutionary stellar population synthesis models to predict the
spectrum of a single-metallicity stellar population, with a spectral sampling
of 0.3 A in five spectral regions between 3700 and 5000 A. The models, which
are optimized for galaxies with active star formation, synthesize the profiles
of the hydrogen Balmer series (Hb, Hg, Hd, H8, H9, H10, H11, H12 and H13) and
the neutral helium absorption lines (HeI 4922, HeI 4471, HeI 4388, HeI 4144,
HeI 4121, HeI 4026, HeI 4009 and HeI 3819) for a burst with an age ranging from
1 to 1000 Myr, and different assumptions about the stellar initial mass
function. Continuous star formation models lasting for 1 Gyr are also
presented. The input stellar library includes NLTE absorption profiles for
stars hotter than 25000 K and LTE profiles for lower temperatures. The
temperature and gravity coverage is 4000 K <Teff< 50000 K and 0.0< log g$< 5.0,
respectively.
The models can be used to date starburst and post-starburst galaxies until 1
Gyr. They have been tested on data for clusters in the LMC, the super-star
cluster B in the starburst galaxy NGC 1569, the nucleus of the dwarf elliptical
NGC 205 and a luminous "E+A" galaxy. The full data set is available for
retrieval at http://www.iaa.es/ae/e2.html and at
http://www.stsci.edu/science/starburst/, or on request from the authors at
[email protected]: To be published in ApJS. 48 pages and 20 figure
The frequency of nuclear star-formation in Seyfert 2 galaxies
We investigate the detectability of starburst signatures in the nuclear
spectrum of Seyfert 2 galaxies by constructing spectral models in the
wavelength range 3500-4100A, combining the spectrum of a bulge population (of
age ~10Gyr) with that of younger stellar populations, spanning ages from ~3 Myr
to 1 Gyr. We also construct models combining the bulge template with a
power-law (PL) continuum, which is observed in some Seyfert 2's in polarized
light, contributing with typically 10-40% of the flux at 4020A. We conclude
that such continuum cannot be distinguished from that of a very young stellar
population (age < 10 Myr), contributing with less than ~0.02% of the mass of
the bulge. The models are compared with nuclear spectra - corresponding to a
radius of 200-300 pc at the galaxy - of 20 Seyfert 2 galaxies, in which we
specifically look for the signatures above of young to intermediate age stellar
populations. We find them in ten galaxies, thus 50% of the sample. But only in
six cases (30% of the sample) they can be attributed to young stars (age < 500
Myr): Mrk 1210, ESO 362-G8, NGC 5135, NGC 5643, NGC 7130 and NGC 7582. In the
remaining four cases, the signatures are due to intermediate age stars (~1
Gyr). We find a tendency for the young stars to be found more frequently among
the late type Seyfert's. This tendency is supported by a comparison between the
equivalent widths (W) of absorption lines of the nuclear spectra of the Seyfert
2's with those of normal galaxies of the same Hubble type.Comment: 18 figures, revised version published in ApJ, December 2000, vol.
544, p. 74
Keck Absorption-Line Spectroscopy of Galactic Winds in Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies
In this paper, we present moderately-high resolution (~65 km/s) spectroscopy,
acquired with ESI on Keck II, of 11 ultraluminous infrared galaxies at z < 0.3
from the IRAS 1 Jy sample. The targets were chosen as good candidates to host
galaxy-scale outflows, and most have infrared luminosities dominated by star
formation. We use a chi-squared minimization to fit one- to three-component
profiles to the NaI D interstellar absorption doublet in each object. Assuming
that gas blueshifted by more than 70 km/s relative to the systemic velocity of
the host is outflowing, we detect outflows in 73% of these objects. We adopt a
simple model of a mass-conserving free wind to infer mass outflow rates in the
range (dM/dt)_tot(H) = 13-133 M_sun/yr for galaxies hosting a wind. These
values of (dM/dt)_tot, normalized to the corresponding global star formation
rates inferred from infrared luminosities, are in the range eta = (dM/dt)_tot /
SFR = 0.1-0.7. This is on average a factor of only 10 less than eta from recent
measurements of nearby dwarfs, edge-on spirals, and lower-luminosity infrared
galaxies. Within our sample, we conclude that eta has no dependence on the mass
of the host (parameterized by host galaxy kinematics and absolute R- and
K'-band magnitudes). We also attempt to estimate the average escape fraction
= Sum(dM/dt_esc^i) / Sum(dM/dt_tot^i) and ``ejection efficiency''
= Sum(dM/dt_esc^i) / Sum(SFR^i) for our sample, which we find to be
\~0.4-0.5 and ~0.1, respectively. The complex absorption-line properties of Mrk
231, an ultraluminous infrared galaxy which is optically classified as a
Seyfert 1, are discussed separately in an appendix.Comment: 34 pages, 12 .ps figures, 10 tables; accepted for publication in ApJ,
10 May 2002, v570 n
Ultraviolet-Optical observations of the Seyfert 2 Galaxies NGC 7130, NGC 5135 and IC 3639: Implications for the Starburst-AGN Connection
We present and discuss HST (WFPC2 and FOC) images and UV GHRS spectra plus
ground-based near UV through to near IR spectra of three Seyfert 2 nuclei (NGC
7130, NGC 5135 and IC 3639). These galaxies, together to Mrk 477, were selected
from a bigger sample that comprises the 20 brightest Seyfert 2 nuclei, with the
goal to study the origin of the UV-optical-near IR featureless continuum in
Seyfert 2 nuclei. These four galaxies have bolometric luminosities, as computed
with the four IRAS bands, of 10^11 Lsol. They are close enough to be resolved
with HST the nuclear zone. This makes these Seyfert 2 galaxies benchmarks to
study the Starburst-AGN connection in more distant galaxies.
The data provide direct evidence of the existence of a central nuclear
starburst that dominates the UV light, and that seem to be responsible for the
origin of the so called featureless continuum. These starbursts are dusty and
compact. They have sizes (from less than 100 pc to a few hundred pc) much
smaller and closer to the nucleus than that seen in the prototype Seyfert 2
galaxy NGC 1068. The bolometric luminosity of these starbursts is similar to
the estimated bolometric luminosities of their obscured Seyfert 1 nuclei, and
thus they contribute in the same amount to the overall energetics of these
galaxies.Comment: to be published in ApJ 505, September issue. The figures are in a tar
files at: http://www.iaa.es/~rosa/Seyfert
Ages and Metallicities of Star Clusters and Surrounding Fields in the Outer Disk of the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present Washington system C,T_1 CMDs of 13 star clusters and their
surrounding fields which lie in the outer parts of the LMC disk. Ages are
determined by means of the magnitude difference between the giant branch clump
and the turnoff, while metallicities are derived from the location of the giant
and subgiant branches as compared to fiducial star clusters. We find that in
most cases the stellar population of each star cluster is quite similar to that
of the field where it is embedded. Three particular fields present remarkable
properties: (i) The so far unique cluster ESO121-SC03 at ~9 Gyr has a
surrounding field which shares the same properties. (ii) The field surrounding
the far eastern intermediate age cluster OHSC37 is noteworthy in the sense that
we do not detect any evidence of LMC stars. (iii) The fields of SL388 and SL509
present CMDs with a secondary clump ~0.45 mag fainter than the dominant
intermediate age clump, suggesting a stellar population component located
behind the LMC disk at a distance comparable to that of the SMC. The mean
metallicity derived for the intermediate age outer disk clusters is
=-0.7 and for their surrounding fields =-0.6. These values are
significantly lower than found by Olszewski et al. (1991, AJ, 101, 515) for a
sample of clusters of similar age, but are in good agreement with several
recent studies. A few clusters stand out in the age--metallicity relation in
the sense that they are intermediate age clusters at relatively low metallicity
([Fe/H]~-1).Comment: LaTeX, to be published in July, 1998 Astronomical Journa
Near-Infrared Adaptive Optics Imaging of the Central Regions of Nearby Sc Galaxies. II. NGC 247 and NGC 2403
J, H, and K' images obtained with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope adaptive
optics system are used to investigate the star-forming histories of the central
regions of the Sc galaxies NGC 247 and NGC 2403. The brightest resolved red
stars within 15 arcsec of the nucleus of each galaxy are red supergiants,
indicating that the central few hundred parsecs of these galaxies experienced
star formation within the last ~ 0.1 Gyr. However, when averaged over Gyr time
scales, the star-forming histories of the inner disks of these galaxies have
been remarkably similar, as expected if the long-term evolution of disks is
defined by local characteristics such as mass density. It is demonstrated that
NGC 247 and NGC 2403, like M33, harbour nuclear star clusters with stellar
contents that differ from the surrounding central light concentrations. The
nucleus of NGC 2403 is significantly bluer than that of the other two galaxies
and the K-band surface brightnesses near the centers of NGC 247 and NGC 2403
are 1 -- 2 mag per square arcsec lower than in M33. Finally, it is noted that
young or intermediate-age nuclear star clusters are a common occurence in
nearby spirals, indicating that nuclear star formation in these objects is
either continuous or episodic on time scales of 0.1 - 1 Gyr.Comment: 27 pages of text and 14 figures; to appear in the Astronomical
Journa
Estudio de cúmulos estelares de la Nube Menor de Magallanes: fotometría de Washington de 14 cúmulos de edad intermedia
We present CCD photometry in the Washington system C and T1 bands of 14 star clusters of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We determine ages and metallicities using theoretical isochrones, the δT1 parameter and the Red Giant Standard method. Excepting IC 1708, all the observed clusters are aged between 1 and 6.3 Gyr, while their metallicities ([Fe/H]) range between -0.7 and -1.4. Two important cluster formation episodes in the SMC, dated at ∼ 2 Gyr and ∼ 5 Gyr ago, were detected. During approximately the first 4 Gyr in the SMC lifetime, the cluster formation rate turned out to be constant. A detailed version of this work can be seen in Piatti et al. (2011, MNRAS, 417, 1559).Presentamos fotometría CCD en las bandas C y T1 del sistema de Washington de 14 cúmulos estelares de la Nube Menor de Magallanes (NmM). Usando isócronas teóricas, el parámetro δT1 y el método de las Ramas Gigantes Estándar, determinamos edades y metalicidades. Excepto IC 1708, todos los cú- mulos observados tienen edades entre 1000 y 6300 millones de años y valores de [Fe/H] entre -0.7 y -1.4. Constatamos dos importantes episodios de formación de cúmulos en la NmM ocurridos hace ∼ 2 mil y ∼ 5 mil millones de años. Durante los primeros 4 mil millones de años desde que se formaron los cúmulos, la tasa de formación de los mismos se mantuvo constante. Una versión detallada de este trabajo puede verse en Piatti et al. (2011, MNRAS, 417, 1559).Fil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Claria Olmedo, Juan Jose. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; ArgentinaFil: Bica, E.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Geisler, D.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Ahumada, Andrea Veronica. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; ArgentinaFil: Girardi, L.. Observatorio di Padova; Itali
Star formation and figure rotation in the early-type galaxy NGC2974
We present Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) far (FUV) and near (NUV)
ultraviolet imaging of the nearby early-type galaxy NGC2974, along with
complementary ground-based optical imaging. In the ultraviolet, the galaxy
reveals a central spheroid-like component and a newly discovered complete outer
ring of radius 6.2kpc, with suggestions of another partial ring at an even
larger radius. Blue FUV-NUV and UV-optical colours are observed in the centre
of the galaxy and from the outer ring outward, suggesting young stellar
populations (< 1Gyr) and recent star formation in both locations. This is
supported by a simple stellar population model which assumes two bursts of star
formation, allowing us to constrain the age, mass fraction and surface mass
density of the young component pixel by pixel. Overall, the mass fraction of
the young component appears to be just under 1per cent (lower limit,
uncorrected for dust extinction). The additional presence of a nuclear and an
inner ring (radii 1.4 and 2.9kpc, respectively), as traced by [OIII] emission,
suggests ring formation through resonances. All three rings are consistent with
a single pattern speed of km/s/kpc, typical of S0 galaxies and only
marginally slower than expected for a fast bar if traced by a small observed
surface brightness plateau. This thus suggests that star formation and
morphological evolution in NGC2974 at the present epoch are primarily driven by
a rotating asymmetry (probably a large-scale bar), despite the standard
classification of NGC2974 as an E4 elliptical.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, Changed content, Accepted for publication in
MNRA
Kinematics of the Galactic Globular Cluster System: New Radial Velocities for Clusters in the Direction of the Inner Galaxy
HIRES on the Keck I telescope has been used to measure the first radial
velocities for stars belonging to eleven, heavily-reddened globular clusters in
the direction of the inner Galaxy. The question of kinematic substructuring
among the Galactic globular cluster system is investigated using an updated
catalog of globular cluster distances, metallicities and velocities. It is
found that the population of metal-rich globular clusters shows significant
rotation at all Galactocentric radii. For the metal-rich clusters within 4 kpc
of the Galactic center, the measured rotation velocity and line-of-sight
velocity dispersion are similar to those of bulge field stars. We investigate
claims that the metal-rich clusters are associated with the central Galactic
bar by comparing the kinematics of the innermost clusters to that of the atomic
hydrogen in the inner Galaxy. The longitude-velocity diagram of both metal-rich
and metal-poor clusters bears a remarkable similarity to that of the gas,
including the same non-circular motions which have traditionally been
interpreted as evidence for a Galactic bar, or, alternatively, a
non-axisymmetric bulge. However, uncertainties in the existing
three-dimensional Galactocentric positions for most of the clusters do not yet
allow an unambiguous discrimination between the competing scenarios of
membership in a rigidly rotating bar, or in a bulge which is an oblate
isotropic rotator. We conclude that the majority of metal-rich clusters within
the central 4 kpc of the Galaxy are probably associated with the bulge/bar, and
not the thick disk. (ABRIDGED)Comment: 18 pages, including 7 of 13 postscript figures. Figures 1-6 available
at http://astro.caltech.edu/~pc. Accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
High resolution infrared spectra of bulge globular clusters: Liller~1 and NGC 6553
Using the NIRSPEC spectrograph at Keck II, we have obtained echelle spectra
covering the range 1.5-1.8um for 2 of the brightest giants in Liller 1 and NGC
6553, old metal rich globular clusters in the Galactic bulge. We use spectrum
synthesis for the abundance analysis, and find [Fe/H]=-0.3 +/- 0.2 and
[O/H]=+0.3 +/- 0.2 dex. The composition of the clusters is similar to that of
field stars in the bulge and is consistent with a sceanrio in which the
clusters formed early, with rapid enrichment. We have dificulty achieveing a
good fit to the spectrum of NGC 6553 using either the low or the high values
recently reported in the literature, unless unusually large, or no
alpha-element enhancements are adopted, respectively.Comment: To appear in the Astronomical Journal, March 200
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