scholarly journals The star formation history of the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy

2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (4) ◽  
pp. 5862-5873 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Bettinelli ◽  
S L Hidalgo ◽  
S Cassisi ◽  
A Aparicio ◽  
G Piotto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present the star formation history (SFH) of the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy based on deep g, r photometry taken with Dark Energy Camera at the Blanco telescope, focusing our analysis on the central region of the galaxy extended up to ∼3 core radii. We have investigated how the SFH changes radially, subdividing the sampled area into four regions, and have detected a clear trend of star formation. All the SFHs show a single episode of star formation, with the innermost region presenting a longer period of star formation of ∼1.5 Gyr and for the outermost region the main period of star formation is confined to ∼0.5 Gyr. We observe a gradient in the mean age which is found to increase going towards the outer regions. These results suggest that Sculptor continued forming stars after the reionization epoch in its central part, while in the peripheral region, the majority of stars probably formed during the reionization epoch and soon after its end. From our analysis, Sculptor cannot be considered strictly as a fossil of the reionization epoch.

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S256) ◽  
pp. 281-286
Author(s):  
Carme Gallart ◽  
Ingrid Meschin ◽  
Antonio Aparicio ◽  
Peter B. Stetson ◽  
Sebastián L. Hidalgo

AbstractBased on the quantitative analysis of a set of wide-field color—magnitude diagrams reaching the old main sequence-turnoffs, we present new LMC star-formation histories, and their variation with galactocentric distance. Some coherent features are found, together with systematic variations of the star-formation history among the three fields analyzed. We find two main episodes of star formation in all three fields, from 1 to 4 and 7 to 13 Gyr ago, with relatively low star formation around ≃ 4–7 Gyr ago. The youngest age in each field gradually increases with galactocentric radius; in the innermost field, LMC 0514–6503, an additional star formation event younger than 1 Gyr is detected, with star formation declining, however, in the last ≃ 200 Myr. The population is found to be older on average toward the outer part of the galaxy, although star formation in all fields seems to have started around 13 Gyr ago.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (S309) ◽  
pp. 99-104
Author(s):  
R. M. González Delgado ◽  
R. Cid Fernandes ◽  
R. García-Benito ◽  
E. Pérez ◽  
A. L. de Amorim ◽  
...  

AbstractWe resolve spatially the star formation history of 300 nearby galaxies from the CALIFA integral field survey to investigate: a) the radial structure and gradients of the present stellar populations properties as a function of the Hubble type; and b) the role that plays the galaxy stellar mass and stellar mass surface density in governing the star formation history and metallicity enrichment of spheroids and the disks of galaxies. We apply the fossil record method based on spectral synthesis techniques to recover spatially and temporally resolved maps of stellar population properties of spheroids and spirals with galaxy mass from 109 to 7×1011 M⊙. The individual radial profiles of the stellar mass surface density (μ⋆), stellar extinction (AV), luminosity weighted ages (〈logage〉L), and mass weighted metallicity (〈log Z/Z⊙〉M) are stacked in seven bins of galaxy morphology (E, S0, Sa, Sb, Sbc, Sc and Sd). All these properties show negative gradients as a sight of the inside-out growth of massive galaxies. However, the gradients depend on the Hubble type in different ways. For the same galaxy mass, E and S0 galaxies show the largest inner gradients in μ⋆; and Andromeda-like galaxies (Sb with log M⋆ (M⊙) ∼ 11) show the largest inner age and metallicity gradients. In average, spiral galaxies have a stellar metallicity gradient ∼ −0.1 dex per half-light radius, in agreement with the value estimated for the ionized gas oxygen abundance gradient by CALIFA. A global (M⋆-driven) and local (μ⋆-driven) stellar metallicity relation are derived. We find that in disks, the stellar mass surface density regulates the stellar metallicity; in spheroids, the galaxy stellar mass dominates the physics of star formation and chemical enrichment.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S268) ◽  
pp. 483-488
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Smiljanic ◽  
L. Pasquini ◽  
P. Bonifacio ◽  
D. Galli ◽  
B. Barbuy ◽  
...  

AbstractThe single stable isotope of beryllium is a pure product of cosmic-ray spallation in the ISM. Assuming that the cosmic-rays are globally transported across the Galaxy, the beryllium production should be a widespread process and its abundance should be roughly homogeneous in the early-Galaxy at a given time. Thus, it could be useful as a tracer of time. In an investigation of the use of Be as a cosmochronometer and of its evolution in the Galaxy, we found evidence that in a log(Be/H) vs. [α/Fe] diagram the halo stars separate into two components. One is consistent with predictions of evolutionary models while the other is chemically indistinguishable from the thick-disk stars. This is interpreted as a difference in the star formation history of the two components and suggests that the local halo is not a single uniform population where a clear age-metallicity relation can be defined. We also found evidence that the star formation rate was lower in the outer regions of the thick disk, pointing towards an inside-out formation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S298) ◽  
pp. 83-85
Author(s):  
Kefeng Tan ◽  
Gang Zhao

AbstractIt is now generally believed that the Galaxy was formed through hierarchical merging, which means that different components of the Galaxy may have experienced different chemical evolution histories. Since alpha elements are mainly produced by core collapse supernovae, they are closely associated with the star formation history of the Galaxy. In this regard, Galactic components with different alpha elemental abundance patterns may show different behaviors in beryllium abundances since the production of beryllium is correlated with the cosmic rays and thus the supernovae. A recent study by Nissen & Schuster (2010) has revealed the existence of two distinct halo populations in the solar neighborhood based on the alpha elemental abundances and kinematics of 94 dwarf stars. We determined beryllium abundances for some of these stars and find systematic differences in beryllium abundances between these two halo populations. Our results consolidate the conclusion of two distinct halo populations in the solar neighborhood. Our results also show that beryllium abundance is a very good indicator of star formation rate, and could be used to trace the substructures of the Galactic halo.


1996 ◽  
Vol 171 ◽  
pp. 37-45
Author(s):  
Roger L. Davies

There is a growing body of evidence indicating young ages, 8 ± 3 Gyrs, for elliptical galaxies and significant age gradients with a younger population residing at the centre. The data appear to be consistent with a scenario where elliptical galaxies are assembled hierarchically with low luminosity galaxies forming first. Late star formation, associated with the last merging event and usually involving only a small fraction of the galaxy mass, could then account for the low age estimates of some luminous galaxies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S343) ◽  
pp. 512-513
Author(s):  
Maryam Torki ◽  
Atefeh Javadi ◽  
Jacco Th. van Loon ◽  
Hossein Safari

AbstractThe determination of the star formation history is a key goal for understanding galaxies. In this regard, nearby galaxies in the Local Group offer us a complete suite of galactic environment that is perfect for studying the connection between stellar populations and galaxy evolution. In this paper, we present the star formation history of M31 using long period variable stars that are prime targets for studying the galaxy formation and evolution because of their evolutionary phase. In this method, at first, we convert the near-infrared K-band magnitude of evolved stars to mass and age and from this we reconstruct the star formation and evolution of the galaxy.


1984 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 107-114
Author(s):  
K. C. Freeman

Why are the kinematics and dynamics of the Magellanic Clouds worth studying ? Some of the reasons are: 1.The Clouds are the closest examples of Magellanic systems. These asymmetric systems give some interesting dynamical problems. Because the Clouds are so close, a unique amount of information can be obtained on the kinematics of objects of all ages. This should be very helpful for understanding the dynamics.2.The Clouds and the Galaxy are interacting. This produces complex kinematics of the gas in and between the Clouds, and also the Magellanic Stream. Again, very detailed information can be derived. We would like to know enough about the gas dynamics of interacting galaxies, to be able to explain the kinematics produced by this interaction.3.The interaction will affect the star formation and chemical evolution in the Clouds. As new results are obtained on the star formation history and the chemical evolution, it is important to follow in parallel the dynamical history of the system, to see if the dynamics, star formation and chemical evolution can be tied together.


1999 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
pp. 121-128
Author(s):  
M. Bellazzini ◽  
F. R. Ferraro ◽  
R. Buonanno

The main characteristics of a wide photometric survey of the Sgr dwarf spheroidal galaxy are briefly presented. V and I photometry has been obtained for ~90000 stars toward Sgr and for ~9000 stars in a region devoid of Sgr stars (for decontamination purposes).The full potential of this large database is far from being completely explored. Here we present only preliminary results from the analysis of statistically decontaminated Color Magnitude Diagrams, trying to set a scheme of the Star Formation History of the Sgr Galaxy. A scenario is proposed in which star formation in Sgr began very early and lasted for several Gyr, with progressive chemical enrichment of the Inter-Stellar Medium (ISM). Nearly 8 Gyr ago the star formation rate abruptly decreased, perhaps in coincidence with the event that led to the gas depletion of the galaxy. A very small rate of star formation continued until relatively recent times (~ 1 Gyr ago).


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