1,130 research outputs found
Confidence limits of evolutionary synthesis models III. On time-integrated quantities
Evolutionary synthesis models are a fundamental tool to interpret the
properties of observed stellar systems. In order to achieve a meaningful
comparison between models and real data, it is necessary to calibrate the
models themselves, i.e. to evaluate the dispersion due to the discreteness of
star formation as well as the possible model errors. In this paper we show that
linear interpolations in the log M - log t_k plane, that are customary in the
evaluation of isochrones in evolutionary synthesis codes, produce unphysical
results. We also show that some of the methods used in the calculation of
time-integrated quantities (kinetic energy, and total ejected masses of
different elements) may produce unrealistic results. We propose alternative
solutions to solve both problems. Moreover, we have quantified the expected
dispersion of these quantities due to stochastic effects in stellar
populations. As a particular result, we show that the dispersion in the 14N/12C
ratio increases with time.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted by A&
Using Lyman-alpha to detect galaxies that leak Lyman continuum
We propose to infer ionising continuum leaking properties of galaxies by
looking at their Lyman-alpha line profiles. We carry out Lyman-alpha radiation
transfer calculations in two models of HII regions which are porous to ionising
continuum escape: 1) the so-called "density bounded" media, in which massive
stars produce enough ionising photons to keep the surrounding interstellar
medium transparent to the ionising continuum, i.e almost totally ionised, and
2) "riddled ionisation-bounded" media, surrounded by neutral interstellar
medium, but with holes, i.e. with a covering factor lower than unity. The
Lyman-alpha spectra emergent from these configurations have distinctive
features: 1) a "classical" asymmetric redshifted profile in the first case, but
with a small shift of the maximum of the profile compare to the systemic
redshift (Vpeak < 150 km/s); 2) a main peak at the systemic redshift in the
second case (Vpeak = 0 km/s), with, as a consequence, a non-zero Lyman-alpha
flux bluewards the systemic redshift. Assuming that in a galaxy leaking
ionising photons, the Lyman-alpha component emerging from the leaking star
cluster(s) dominates the total Lyman-alpha spectrum, the Lyman-alpha shape may
be used as a pre-selection tool to detect Lyman continuum (LyC) leaking
galaxies, in objects with well determined systemic redshift, and high spectral
resolution Lyman-alpha spectra (R >= 4000). The examination of a sample of 10
local starbursts with high resolution HST-COS Lyman-alpha spectra and known in
the literature as LyC leakers or leaking candidates, corroborates our
predictions. Observations of Lyman-alpha profiles at high resolution should
show definite signatures revealing the escape of Lyman continuum photons from
star-forming galaxies.Comment: A&A in pres
On emission-line spectra obtained from evolutionary synthesis models I. Dispersion in the ionising flux and Lowest Luminosity Limits
(abriged) Stellar clusters with the same general physical properties (e.g.,
total mass, age, and star-formation mode) may have very different stellar mass
spectra due to the incomplete sampling of the underlying mass function; such
differences are especially relevant in the high-mass tail due to the smaller
absolute number of massive stars. The dispersion in the number of massive stars
also produces a dispersion in the properties of the corresponding ionising
spectra. In this paper, we lay the bases for the future analysis of this effect
by evaluating the dispersion in the ionising fluxes of synthetic spectra. As an
important consequence, we found that the intensities of synthetic fluxes at
different ionisation edges are strongly correlated, a fact suggesting that no
additional dispersion will result from the inclusion of sampling effects in the
analysis of diagnostic diagrams; this is true for HII regions on all scales.
Additionally, we find convincing suggestions that the He II lines are strongly
affected by sampling, and so cannot be used to constrain the evolutionary
status of stellar clusters. We also establish the range of applicability of
synthesis models set by the Lowest Luminosity Limit for the ionising flux, that
is the lowest limit in cluster mass for which synthesis models can be applied
to predict ionising spectra. This limit marks the boundary between the
situations in which the ionising flux is better modeled with a single star as
opposed to a star cluster; this boundary depends on the metallicity and age,
ranging from 10^3 to more than 10^6 Mo. As a consequence, synthesis models
should not be used to try to account for the properties of clusters with
smaller masses.Comment: Replaced with accepted versio
Insights on star formation histories and physical properties of Herschel-detected galaxies
We test the impact of using variable star forming histories (SFHs) and the
use of the IR luminosity (LIR) as a constrain on the physical parameters of
high redshift dusty star-forming galaxies. We explore in particular the stellar
properties of galaxies in relation with their location on the SFR-M* diagram.
We perform SED fitting of the UV-NIR and FIR emissions of a large sample of
GOODS-Herschel galaxies, for which rich multi-wavelength observations are
available. We test different SFHs and imposing energy conservation in the SED
fitting process, to face issues like the age-extinction degeneracy and produce
SEDs consistent with observations. Our models work well for the majority of the
sample, with the notable exception of the high LIR end, for which we have
indications that our simple energy conservation approach cannot hold true. We
find trends in the SFHs fitting our sources depending on stellar mass M* and z.
Trends also emerge in the characteristic timescales of the SED models depending
on the location on the SFR-M* diagram. We show that whilst using the same
available observational data, we can produce galaxies less star-forming than
usually inferred, if we allow declining SFHs, while properly reproducing their
observables. These sources can be post-starbursts undergoing quenching, and
their SFRs are potentially overestimated if inferred from their LIR. Fitting
without the IR constrain leads to a strong preference for declining SFHs, while
its inclusion increases the preference of rising SFHs, more so at high z, in
tentative agreement with the cosmic star formation history. Keeping in mind
that the sample is biased towards high LIR, the evolution shaped by our model
appears as both bursty (initially) and steady-lasting (later on). The global
SFH of the sample follows the cosmic SFH with a small scatter, and is
compatible with the "downsizing" scenario of galaxy evolution.Comment: 28 pages, 26 figures, one appendix, Accepted for publication in
Astronomy & Astrophysic
New constraints on dust emission and UV attenuation of z=6.5-7.5 galaxies from millimeter observations
We have targeted two recently discovered Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) to
search for dust continuum and [CII] 158 micron line emission. The strongly
lensed z~6.8 LBG A1703-zD1 behind the galaxy cluster Abell 1703, and the
spectroscopically confirmed z=7.508 LBG z8-GND-5296 in the GOODS-N field have
been observed with the Plateau de Bure interferometer (PdBI) at 1.2mm. These
observations have been combined with those of three z>6.5 Lya emitters (named
HCM6A, Himiko, and IOK-1), for which deep measurements were recently obtained
with the PdBI and ALMA. [CII] is undetected in both galaxies, providing a deep
upper limit for Abell1703-zD1, comparable to recent ALMA non-detections. Dust
continuum emission from Abell1703-zD1 and z8-GND-5296 is not detected with an
rms of 0.12 and 0.16 mJy/beam. From these non-detections we derive upper limits
on their IR luminosity and star formation rate, dust mass, and UV attenuation.
Thanks to strong gravitational lensing the limit for Abell1703-zD1 is probing
the sub-LIRG regime ( Lsun) and very low dust
masses ( Msun). We find that all five galaxies are
compatible with the Calzetti IRX- relation, their UV attenuation is
compatible with several indirect estimates from other methods (the UV slope,
extrapolation of the attenuation measured from the IR/UV ratio at lower
redshift, and SED fits), and the dust-to-stellar mass ratio is not incompatible
with that of galaxies from z=0 to 3. For their stellar mass the high-z galaxies
studied here have an attenuation below the one expected from the mean relation
of low redshift (z<1.5) galaxies. More and deeper (sub)-mm data are clearly
needed to directly determine the UV attenuation and dust content of the
dominant population of high-z star-forming galaxies and to establish more
firmly their dependence on stellar mass, redshift, and other properties.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. Minor revisions. Accepted for publication in A&
The Massive Stellar Content in the Starburst NGC3049: A Test for Hot-Star Mode
We have obtained high-spatial resolution ultraviolet and optical STIS
spectroscopy and imaging of the metal-rich nuclear starburst in NGC3049. The
stellar continuum and the absorption line spectrum in the ultraviolet are used
to constrain the massive stellar population. The strong, blueshifted stellar
lines of CIV and SiIV detected in the UV spectra indicate a metal-rich,
compact, massive (1E6 Msol) cluster of age 3--4 Myr emitting the UV-optical
continuum. We find strong evidence against a depletion of massive stars in this
metal-rich cluster. The derived age and the upper mass-limit cut-off of the
initial mass function are also consistent with the detection of Wolf-Rayet (WR)
features at optical wavelengths. As a second independentconstraint on the
massive stellar content, the nebular emission-line spectrum is modeled with
photoionization codes using stellar spectra from evolutionary synthesis models.
However, the nebular lines are badly reproduced by 3--4 Myr instantaneous
bursts, as required by the UV line spectrum, when unblanketed WR and/or Kurucz
stellar atmospheres are used. The corresponding number of photons above 24 and
54 eV in the synthetic models is too high in comparison with values suggested
by the observed line ratios. Since the ionizing spectrum in this regime is
dominated by emission from WR stars, this discrepancy between observations and
models is most likely the result of incorrect assumptions about the WR stars.
Thus we conclude that the nebular spectrum of high-metallicity starbursts is
poorly reproduced by models for WR dominated populations. However, the new
model set of Smith et al. (2002) with blanketed WR and O atmospheres and
adjusted WR temperatures predicts a softer far-UV radiation field, providing a
better match to the data.Comment: To be published in ApJ, Dec. issue 17 figures, 3 in gif forma
Emission-line Helium Abundances in Highly Obscured Nebulae
This paper outlines a way to determine the ICF using only infrared data. We
identify four line pairs, [NeIII] 36\micron/[NeII] 12.8\micron,
[NeIII]~15.6\micron /[NeII] 12.8\micron, [ArIII] 9\micron/[ArII]
6.9\micron, and [ArIII] 21\micron/[ArII] 6.9\micron, that are sensitive
to the He ICF. This happens because the ions cover a wide range of ionization,
the line pairs are not sensitive to electron temperature, they have similar
critical densities, and are formed within the He/H region of the
nebula. We compute a very wide range of photoionization models appropriate for
galactic HII regions. The models cover a wide range of densities, ionization
parameters, stellar temperatures, and use continua from four very different
stellar atmospheres.
The results show that each line pair has a critical intensity ratio above
which the He ICF is always small. Below these values the ICF depends very
strongly on details of the models for three of the ratios, and so other
information would be needed to determine the helium abundance. The [Ar III]
9\micron/[ArII] 6.9\micron ratio can indicate the ICF directly due to the
near exact match in the critical densities of the two lines. Finally, continua
predicted by the latest generation of stellar atmospheres are sufficiently hard
that they routinely produce significantly negative ICFs.Comment: Accepted by PASP. Scheduled for the October 1999 issue. 11 pages, 5
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