The far-ultraviolet emission of early-type galaxies

We have assembled a UV-flux selected sample of 82 early-type galaxies and collected additional information at other wavelengths. These data confirm a large spread of the UV-V color in the range 2 to 5. The spread in UV-V is accompanied by a spread in B-V that is mainly attributed to the range of morphological types and luminosities. A large fraction of the objects have red colors, UV-V = 4 +-0.4, corresponding to a weak UV-upturn as observed with IUE. If the current interpretation for the UV emission from early-type galaxies is applicable to our sample, the PAGB (Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch) tracks are the most common evolution path for the low-mass stars responsible for the UV emission. A small number of very blue (UV-V < 1.4) objects have been found that can be reasonably interpreted as harbouring some low level of star formation. In contrast with a previous sample based on IUE observations, no correlation is found between the UV-V color and the Mg_2 spectral line index; possible explanations are reviewed. The potential of a more extended UV survey like GALEX is briefly presented.Comment: accepted for publication on Astronomy and Astrophysic

Triggered massive-star formation on the borders of Galactic HII regions. IV- Star formation at the periphery of Sh2-212

Aims: We wish to establish whether sequential star formation is taking place at the periphery of the Galactic HII region Sh2-212. Methods: We present CO millimetre observations of this region obtained at the IRAM 30-m telescope to investigate the distribution of associated molecular material. We also use deep JHK observations obtained at the CFHT to study the stellar content of the region, and radio observations obtained at the VLA to look for the presence of an ultra-compact (UC) HII region and for maser emission. Results: In the optical, Sh2-212 is spherically symmetric around its central exciting cluster. This HII region is located along a molecular filament. A thin, well-defined half ring of molecular material surrounds the brightest part of the HII region at the rear and is fragmented. The most massive fragment (~200 solar masses) contains a massive young stellar object displaying a near-IR excess; its spectral energy distribution indicates a high-mass (~14solar masses), high-temperature (~30000K), and high-luminosity (~17000 solar luminosities) source. This object ionizes a UC HII region. Conclusions: Sh2-212 is a good example of massive-star formation triggered via the collect and collapse process. The massive YSO observed at its periphery is a good candidate for a massive star formed in isolation.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures. To be published in A&

Constraints on the Lyman continuum radiation from galaxies: first results with FUSE on Mrk 54

We present Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer observations of the star-forming galaxy Mrk 54 at z = 0.0448. The Lyman continuum radiation is not detected above the HI absorption edge in our Galaxy. An upper limit is evaluated by comparison with the background measured in regions of the detector adjacent to the observed spectrum. A spectral window of 16 A, reasonably free of additional HI Lyman series line absorption is used. No correction is needed for molecular hydrogen absorption in our Galaxy but a foreground extinction of 0.29 mag is accounted for. An upper limit of 6.15 10^{-16} erg/cm^2/s/A is obtained for the flux at ~ 900 A in the rest frame of Mrk 54. By comparison with the number of ionizing photons derived from the H-alpha flux, this limit translates into an upper limit of f_esc < 0.062 for the fraction of Lyman continuum photons that escape the galaxy without being absorbed by interstellar material. This limit compares with the limits obtained in three other nearby galaxies and is compatible with the escape fractions predicted by models. The upper limits obtained in nearby galaxies contrasts with the detection of Lyman continuum flux in the composite spectrum of Lyman-break galaxies at z ~ 3.4. The difficulties and implications of a comparison are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&A include aa.cls v5.0

The ultraviolet extragalactic background light: dust extinction and the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate from z=0 to 0.6

We show that the accumulated light of galaxies in the ultraviolet can be evaluated from their luminosity density as a function of the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate and dust extinction properties. Constraints on the evolution rate are expected in future. Data available at the moment are consistent with an evolution rate at low z steeper than (1+z)^(3.5). A shallower rate remains possible if the luminosity-weighted dust extinction at 2000 A, as suggested by some data, is lower than about 1.2.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in MNRA

What Controls the Star Formation in Luminous Starburst Mergers ?

In order to understand what controls the star formation process in luminous starburst mergers (e.g., NGC 6240, Arp 220, and so on), we investigate observational properties of two samples of high-luminosity starburst galaxies mapped in CO($J$=1--0) independently using both the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (Scoville et al. 1991) and the IRAM interferometer (Downes & Solomon 1998). We find that the surface density of far-infrared luminosity, $\Sigma$(FIR), is proportional linearly to the H$_2$ surface mass density, $\Sigma$(H$_2$), for the two samples; $\Sigma$(FIR) $\propto \Sigma$(H$_2$)$^{1.01\pm0.06}$ with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. It is often considered that $\Sigma$(FIR) provides a good measure of the star formation rate per unit area, $\Sigma$(SFR). It is also known that molecular gas is dominated in circumnuclear regions in the luminous starburst mergers; i.e., $\Sigma$(gas) $\simeq \Sigma$(H$_2$). Therefore, the above relationship suggests a star formation law; $\Sigma$(SFR) $\propto \Sigma$(gas). We suggest that this star formation law favors the gravitational instability scenario rather than the cloud-cloud collision one.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures. The Astrophysical Journal (Letters), in pres

Escape fraction of ionizing photons from galaxies at z=0--6

The escape fraction of ionizing photons from galaxies is a crucial quantity controlling the cosmic ionizing background radiation and the reionization. Various estimates of this parameter can be obtained in the redshift range, z=0--6, either from direct observations or from the observed ionizing background intensities. We compare them homogeneously in terms of the observed flux density ratio of ionizing ($\sim900$ \AA rest-frame) to non-ionizing ultraviolet ($\sim1500$ \AA rest-frame) corrected for the intergalactic absorption. The escape fraction is found to increase by an order of magnitude, from a value less than 0.01 at z\la1 to about 0.1 at z\ga4

Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxies from the PSS-II --- II. Optical Properties

We describe the optical properties of a sample of 101 gas-rich field dwarf galaxies found on PSS-II (Second Palomar Sky Survey) plates, most newly discovered as part of a survey to investigate the clustering properties of dwarf galaxies relative to giants. These galaxies have low surface brightnesses and are relatively distant, with recession velocities ranging up to 10,000 km/s. They have bluer V-I colors (median value of 0.75) than either actively star-forming giant galaxies or low metallicity globular clusters, implying that these dwarfs have both low metallicities and little past star formation. These galaxies are also extremely gas rich, with a median HI mass to V luminosity ratio of approximately 2 in solar units. We divide the sample into two groups: true dwarfs with diameters (at 25 I mag arcsec^-2) less than 7.5 kpc and Magellanic dwarfs with diameters greater than that value. The true dwarfs have greater HI mass to V luminosity ratios and slightly bluer V-I colors than the Magellanic dwarfs. Overall, the optical properties of our sample of dwarf galaxies point towards their being quiescent objects that have undergone little star formation over the age of the universe. They are not faded objects, but instead may be going through one of their first periods of weak star formation.Comment: 27 pages, to appear in 20 May 1997 ApJ, paper also available at http://www.astro.nwu.edu/astro/pildis/dwarfphot.html and http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/dwarf.htm

Far-Ultraviolet Radiation from Elliptical Galaxies

Far-ultraviolet radiation is a ubiquitous, if unanticipated, phenomenon in elliptical galaxies and early-type spiral bulges. It is the most variable photometric feature associated with old stellar populations. Recent observational and theoretical evidence shows that it is produced mainly by low-mass, small-envelope, helium-burning stars in extreme horizontal branch and subsequent phases of evolution. These are probably descendents of the dominant, metal rich population of the galaxies. Their lifetime UV outputs are remarkably sensitive to their physical properties and hence to the age and the helium and metal abundances of their parents. UV spectra are therefore exceptionally promising diagnostics of old stellar populations, although their calibration requires a much improved understanding of giant branch mass loss, helium enrichment, and atmospheric diffusion.Comment: 46 pages; includes LaTeX text file, 9 PS figures, 1 JPG figure, 2 style files. Full resolution figures and PS version available at http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~rwo/araa99/. Article to appear in Annual Reviews of Astronomy & Astrophysics, 199

The Distribution of High Redshift Galaxy Colors: Line of Sight Variations in Neutral Hydrogen Absorption

We model, via Monte Carlo simulations, the distribution of observed U-B, B-V, V-I galaxy colors in the range 1.75<z<5 caused by variations in the line-of-sight opacity due to neutral hydrogen (HI). We also include HI internal to the source galaxies. Even without internal HI absorption, comparison of the distribution of simulated colors to the analytic approximations of Madau (1995) and Madau et al (1996) reveals systematically different mean colors and scatter. Differences arise in part because we use more realistic distributions of column densities and Doppler parameters. However, there are also mathematical problems of applying mean and standard deviation opacities, and such application yields unphysical results. These problems are corrected using our Monte Carlo approach. Including HI absorption internal to the galaxies generaly diminishes the scatter in the observed colors at a given redshift, but for redshifts of interest this diminution only occurs in the colors using the bluest band-pass. Internal column densities < 10^17 cm^2 do not effect the observed colors, while column densities > 10^18 cm^2 yield a limiting distribution of high redshift galaxy colors. As one application of our analysis, we consider the sample completeness as a function of redshift for a single spectral energy distribution (SED) given the multi-color selection boundaries for the Hubble Deep Field proposed by Madau et al (1996). We argue that the only correct procedure for estimating the z>3 galaxy luminosity function from color-selected samples is to measure the (observed) distribution of redshifts and intrinsic SED types, and then consider the variation in color for each SED and redshift. A similar argument applies to the estimation of the luminosity function of color-selected, high redshift QSOs.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ; 25 pages text, 14 embedded figure