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Register a new userGalactic chemical evolution in hierarchical formation models - I. Early-type galaxies in the local Universe
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We study the metallicities and abundance ratios of early-type galaxies in cosmological semi-analytic models (SAMs) within the hierarchical galaxy formation paradigm. To achieve this we implemented a detailed galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model and can now predict abundances of individual elements for the galaxies in the semi-analytic simulations. This is the first time a SAM with feedback from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) has included a chemical evolution prescription that relaxes the instantaneous recycling approximation. We find that the new models are able to reproduce the observed mass-metallicity (M*-[Z/H]) relation and, for the first time in a SAM, we reproduce the observed positive slope of the mass-abundance ratio (M*-[$alpha$/Fe]) relation. Our results indicate that in order to simultaneously match these observations of early-type galaxies, the use of both a very mildly top-heavy IMF (i.e., with a slope of x=1.15 as opposed to a standard x=1.3), and a lower fraction of binaries that explode as Type Ia supernovae appears to be required. We also examine the rate of supernova explosions in the simulated galaxies. In early-type (non-star forming) galaxies, our predictions are also consistent with the observed SNe rates. However, in star-forming galaxies, a higher fraction of SN Ia binaries than in our preferred model is required to match the data. If, however, we deviate from the classical model and introduce a population of SNe Ia with very short delay times, our models simultaneously produce a good match to the observed metallicities, abundance ratios and SN rates.
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We present new medium resolution kinematic data for a sample of 21 dwarf early-type galaxies (dEs) mainly in the Virgo cluster, obtained with the WHT and INT telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Spain). These data are used to study the origin of the dwarf elliptical galaxy population inhabiting clusters. We confirm that dEs are not dark matter dominated galaxies, at least up to the half-light radius. We also find that the observed galaxies in the outer parts of the cluster are mostly rotationally supported systems with disky morphological shapes. Rotationally supported dEs have rotation curves similar to those of star forming galaxies of similar luminosity and follow the Tully-Fisher relation. This is expected if dE galaxies are the descendant of low luminosity star forming systems which recently entered the cluster environment and lost their gas due to a ram pressure stripping event, quenching their star formation activity and transforming into quiescent systems, but conserving their angular momentum.
The molecular gas content of local early-type galaxies is constrained and discussed in relation to their evolution. First, as part of the Atlas3D survey, we present the first complete, large (260 objects), volume-limited single-dish survey of CO in normal local early-type galaxies. We find a surprisingly high detection rate of 22%, independent of luminosity and at best weakly dependent on environment. Second, the extent of the molecular gas is constrained with CO synthesis imaging, and a variety of morphologies is revealed. The kinematics of the molecular gas and stars are often misaligned, implying an external gas origin in over a third of the systems, although this behaviour is drastically diffferent between field and cluster environments. Third, many objects appear to be in the process of forming regular kpc-size decoupled disks, and a star formation sequence can be sketched by piecing together multi-wavelength information on the molecular gas, current star formation, and young stars. Last, early-type galaxies do not seem to systematically obey all our usual prejudices regarding star formation, following the standard Schmidt-Kennicutt law but not the far infrared-radio correlation. This may suggest a greater diversity in star formation processes than observed in disk galaxies. Using multiple molecular tracers, we are thus starting to probe the physical conditions of the cold gas in early-types.
Understanding the chemical evolution of young (high-mass) star-forming regions is a central topic in star formation research. Chemistry is employed as a unique tool 1) to investigate the underlying physical processes and 2) to characterize the evolution of the chemical composition. We observed a sample of 59 high-mass star-forming regions at different evolutionary stages varying from the early starless phase of infrared dark clouds to high-mass protostellar objects to hot molecular cores and, finally, ultra-compact HII regions at 1mm and 3mm with the IRAM 30m telescope. We determined their large-scale chemical abundances and found that the chemical composition evolves along with the evolutionary stages. On average, the molecular abundances increase with time. We modeled the chemical evolution, using a 1D physical model where density and temperature vary from stage to stage coupled with an advanced gas-grain chemical model and derived the best-fit chi^2 values of all relevant parameters. A satisfying overall agreement between observed and modeled column densities for most of the molecules was obtained. With the best-fit model we also derived a chemical age for each stage, which gives the timescales for the transformation between two consecutive stages. The best-fit chemical ages are ~10,000 years for the IRDC stage, ~60,000 years for the HMPO stage, ~40,000 years for the HMC stage, and ~10,000 years for the UCHII stage. The total chemical timescale for the entire evolutionary sequence of the high-mass star formation process is on the order of 10^5 years, which is consistent with theoretical estimates. Furthermore, based on the approach of a multiple-line survey of unresolved data, we were able to constrain an intuitive and reasonable physical and chemical model. The results of this study can be used as chemical templates for the different evolutionary stages in high-mass star formation.
We have determined the O/H and N/O of a sample of 122751 SFGs from the DR7 of the SDSS. For all these galaxies we have also determined their morphology and their SFH using the code STARLIGHT. The comparison of the chemical abundance with the SFH allows us to describe the chemical evolution in the nearby universe (z < 0.25) in a manner which is consistent with the formation of their stellar populations and morphologies. A 45% of the SFGs in our sample show an excess of abundance in nitrogen relative to their metallicity. We also find this excess to be accompanied by a deficiency of oxygen, which suggests that this could be the result of effective starburst winds. However, we find no difference in the mode of star formation of the nitrogen rich and nitrogen poor SFGs. Our analysis suggests they all form their stars through a succession of bursts of star formation extended over a few Gyr period. What produces the chemical differences between these galaxies seems therefore to be the intensity of the bursts: the galaxies with an excess of nitrogen are those that are presently experiencing more intense bursts, or have experienced more intense bursts in their past. We also find evidence relating the chemical evolution process to the formation of the galaxies: the galaxies with an excess of nitrogen are more massive, have more massive bulges and earlier morphologies than those showing no excess. As a possible explanation we propose that the lost of metals consistent with starburst winds took place during the formation of the galaxies, when their potential wells were still building up, and consequently were weaker than today, making starburst winds more efficient and independent of the final mass of the galaxies. In good agreement with this interpretation, we also find evidence consistent with downsizing, according to which the more massive SFGs formed before the less massive ones.
I present a new Galactic chemical evolution model motivated by and grounded in the hierarchical theory of galaxy formation, as expressed by a halo merger history of the Galaxy. This model accurately reproduces the metallicity distribution function (MDF) for Population II stars residing today in the Galactic halo. The observed MDF and the apparent absence of true Population III stars from the halo strongly imply that there is some critical metallicity, Z_crit <~ 10^-4 Z_sun, below which low-mass star formation is inhibited, and perhaps impossible. The observed constraints from the halo MDF, relative metal abundances from Galactic halo stars, and the ionizing photon budget needed to reionize the IGM together imply a stellar IMF that is peaked in the range of massive stars that experience core-collapse supernovae, with mean mass <M> = 8 - 42 Msun. This mass range is similar to the masses predicted by models of primordial star formation that account for formation feedback. The model also implies that metal-poor halo stars below [Fe/H] <~ -3 had only 1 - 10 metal-free stars as their supernova precursors, such that the relative abundances in these halo stars exhibit IMF-weighted averages over the intrinsic yields of the first supernovae. This paper is the first part of a long term project to connect the high-redshift in situ indicators of early star formation with the low-z, old remnants of the first stars.
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