4,415 research outputs found
Effects of the galactic winds on the stellar metallicity distribution of dwarf spheroidal galaxies
To study the effects of galactic winds on the stellar metallicity
distributions and on the evolution of Draco and Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal
galaxies, we compared the predictions of several chemical evolution models,
adopting different prescriptions for the galactic winds, with the
photometrically-derived stellar metallicity distributions of both galaxies. The
chemical evolution models for Draco and Ursa Minor, which are able to reproduce
several observational features of these two galaxies, such as the several
abundance ratios, take up-to-date nucleosynthesis into account for
intermediate-mass stars and supernovae of both types, as well as the effect of
these objects on the energetics of the systems. For both galaxies, the model
that best fits the data contains an intense continuous galactic wind, occurring
at a rate proportional to the star formation rate. Models with a wind rate
assumed to be proportional only to the supernova rate also reproduce the
observed SMD, but do not match the gas mass, whereas the models with no
galactic winds fail to reproduce the observed SMDs. In the case of Ursa Minor,
the same model as in previous works reproduces the observed distribution very
well with no need to modify the main parameters of the model. The model for
Draco, on the other hand, is slightly modified. The observed SMD requires a
model with a lower supernova type Ia thermalization efficiency (
= 0.5 instead of = 1.0) in order to delay the galactic wind,
whereas all the other parameters are kept the same. The model results, compared
to observations, strongly suggest that intense and continuous galactic winds
play a very important role in the evolution of local dSphs.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Asttronomy &
Astrophysic
The chemical evolution of Manganese in different stellar systems
Aims. To model the chemical evolution of manganese relative to iron in three
different stellar systems: the solar neighbourhood, the Galactic bulge and the
Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy, and compare our results with the recent
and homogeneous observational data. Methods. We adopt three chemical evolution
models well able to reproduce the main properties of the solar vicinity, the
galactic Bulge and the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal. Then, we compare different
stellar yields in order to identify the best set to match the observational
data in these systems. Results. We compute the evolution of manganese in the
three systems and we find that in order to reproduce simultaneously the [Mn/Fe]
versus [Fe/H] in the Galactic bulge, the solar neighbourhood and Sagittarius,
the type Ia SN Mn yield must be metallicity-dependent. Conclusions. We conclude
that the different histories of star formation in the three systems are not
enough to reproduce the different behaviour of the [Mn/Fe] ratio, unlike the
situation for [alpha/Fe]; rather, it is necessary to invoke
metallicity-dependent type Ia SN Mn yields, as originally suggested by
McWilliam, Rich & Smecker-Hane in 2003.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, submitted to A&
The mass loss process in dwarf galaxies from 3D hydrodynamical simulations: the role of dark matter and starbursts
Theoretical CDM cosmological models predict a much larger number of
low mass dark matter haloes than has been observed in the Local Group of
galaxies. One possible explanation is the increased difficulty of detecting
these haloes if most of the visible matter is lost at early evolutionary phases
through galactic winds. In this work we study the current models of triggering
galactic winds in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSph) from supernovae, and study,
based on 3D hydrodynamic numerical simulations, the correlation of the mass
loss rates and important physical parameters as the dark matter halo mass and
its radial profile, and the star formation rate. We find that the existence of
winds is ubiquitous, independent on the gravitational potential. Our
simulations revealed that the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability (RTI) may play a
major role on pushing matter out of these systems, even for very massive
haloes. The instability is responsible for 5 - 40% of the mass loss during the
early evolution of the galaxy, being less relevant at Myrs. There is
no significant difference in the mass loss rates obtained for the different
dark matter profiles studied (NFW and logarithmic). We have also found a
correlation between the mass loss rate and both the halo mass and the rate of
supernovae, as already reported in previous works. Besides, the epoch in which
most of the baryon galactic matter is removed from the galaxy varies depending
on the SN rate and gravitational potential. The later, combined to the
importance of the RTI in each model, may change our understanding about the
chemical evolution of dwarf galaxies, as well as in the heavy element
contamination of the intergalactic medium at high redshifts.Comment: MNRAS, accepte
Chemical evolution of the bulge of M31: predictions about abundance ratios
We aim at reproducing the chemical evolution of the bulge of M31 by means of
a detailed chemical evolution model, including radial gas flows coming from the
disk. We study the impact of the initial mass function, the star formation rate
and the time scale for bulge formation on the metallicity distribution function
of stars. We compute several models of chemical evolution using the metallicity
distribution of dwarf stars as an observational constraint for the bulge of
M31. Then, by means of the model which best reproduces the metallicity
distribution function, we predict the [X/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] relations for several
chemical elements (O, Mg, Si, Ca, C, N). Our best model for the bulge of M31 is
obtained by means of a robust statistical method and assumes a Salpeter initial
mass function, a Schmidt-Kennicutt law for star formation with an exponent
k=1.5, an efficiency of star formation of , and an
infall timescale of Gyr. Our results suggest that the bulge
of M31 formed very quickly by means of an intense star formation rate and an
initial mass function flatter than in the solar vicinity but similar to that
inferred for the Milky Way bulge. The [/Fe] ratios in the stars of the
bulge of M31 should be high for most of the [Fe/H] range, as is observed in the
Milky Way bulge. These predictions await future data to be proven.Comment: Accepted for publication by MNRA
Obstructive sleep apnea and vascular disease
There is emerging evidence linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to vascular disease, including hypertension. This relationship may be independent of co-morbidity, such as obesity. Even apparently healthy OSA patients have evidence of subtle functional vascular abnormalities that are known to occur in patients with hypertension and atherosclerosis. Untreated OSA may possibly contribute to the initiation and/or progression of pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in hypertension, heart failure, cardiac ischemia and stroke. This brief commentary will examine the evidence and mechanisms linking OSA to vascular disease
Detailed Chemical Evolution of Carina and Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies
In order to verify the effects of the most recent data on the evolution of
Carina and Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies (dSph) and to set tight
constraints on the main parameters of chemical evolution models, we study in
detail the chemical evolution of these galaxies through comparisons between the
new data and the predictions of a model, already tested to reproduce the main
observational constraints in dSphs. Several abundance ratios, such as
[/Fe], [Ba/Fe] and [Eu/Fe], and the metallicity distribution of stars
are compared to the predictions of our models adopting the observationally
derived star formation histories in these galaxies. These new comparisons
confirm our previously suggested scenario for the evolution of these galaxies,
and allow us to better fix the star formation and wind parameters. In
particular, for Carina the comparisons indicate that the best efficiency of
star formation is , that the best wind efficiency
parameter is = 5 (the wind rate is five times stronger than the star
formation rate), and that the star formation history, which produces the best
fit to the observed metallicity distribution of stars is characterized by
several episodes of activity. In the case of Sagittarius our results suggest
that and , again in agreement with our previous work.
Finally, we show new predictions for [N/Fe] and [C/Fe] ratios for the two
galaxies suggesting a scenario for Sagittarius very similar to the one of the
solar vicinity in the Milky Way, except for a slight decrease of [N/Fe] ratio
at high metallicities due to the galactic wind. For Carina we predict a larger
[N/Fe] ratio at low metallicities, reflecting the lower star formation
efficiency of this galaxy relative to Sagittarius and the Milky Way.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Asttronomy &
Astrophysic
The ionization mechanism of NGC 185: how to fake a Seyfert galaxy?
NGC 185 is a dwarf spheroidal satellite of the Andromeda galaxy. From
mid-1990s onwards it was revealed that dwarf spheroidals often display a varied
and in some cases complex star formation history. In an optical survey of
bright nearby galaxies, NGC 185 was classified as a Seyfert galaxy based on its
emission line ratios. However, although the emission lines in this object
formally place it in the category of Seyferts, it is probable that this galaxy
does not contain a genuine active nucleus. NGC 185 was not detected in radio
surveys either in 6 or 20 cm, or X-ray observations, which means that the
Seyfert-like line ratios may be produced by stellar processes. In this work, we
try to identify the possible ionization mechanisms for this galaxy. We
discussed the possibility of the line emissions being produced by planetary
nebulae (PNe), using deep spectroscopy observations obtained with GMOS-N, at
Gemini. Although the fluxes of the PNe are high enough to explain the
integrated spectrum, the line ratios are very far from the values for the
Seyfert classification. We then proposed that a mixture of supernova remnants
and PNe could be the source of the ionization, and we show that a composition
of these two objects do mimic Seyfert-like line ratios. We used chemical
evolution models to predict the supernova rates and to support the idea that
these supernova remnants should be present in the galaxy.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
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