No Arabic abstract
Dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies are considered the basic building blocks of the galaxy formation process in the LCDM (Lambda Cold Dark Matter) hierarchical cosmological model. These galaxies are believed to be the most dark matter (DM) dominated systems known, have the lowest stellar content, and are poor in gas. Many theories attempt to explain the formation of dSph galaxies resorting to the fact that these galaxies are mainly found orbiting large galaxies or invoking other mechanisms of interactions. Here we show the full set of simulation as an extension of our fiducial model, where we study the formation of classical dSph galaxies in isolation by dissolving star clusters within the DM halo of the dwarf galaxy. In our parameter survey we adopt cored and cusped DM halo profiles and consider different numbers of dissolving star clusters. We investigate the dependency of observable quantities with different masses and scale-lengths of the DM halo and different star formation efficiencies (SFE). We find that our proposed scenario explains many features of the classical dSph galaxies of the Milky Way, like their morphology and their dynamics. We see trends how the surface brightness and the scale-length of the luminous component vary with the parameters of our simulations. We also identify how irregularities in their shape, i.e. clumpiness and ellipticity vary in our simulations. In velocity space, we identify the parameters leading to flat velocity dispersions curves. We recognize kinematically cold substructures in velocity space, named fossil remnants and stemming from our unique initial conditions, which alter the expected results. These streaming motions are considered as a key feature for future observation with high resolution to validate our scenario.
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are regarded as the basic building blocks in the formation of larger galaxies and are believed to be the most dark matter dominated systems known in the Universe. There are several models that attempt to explain their formation and evolution, but they have problems to model the formation of isolated dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Here, we will explain a possible formation scenario in which star clusters form inside the dark matter halo of a dwarf spheroidal galaxy. Those star clusters suffer from low star formation efficiency and dissolve while orbiting inside the dark matter halo. Thereby, they build the faint luminous components that we observe in dwarf spheroidal galaxies. In this paper we study this model by adding different star formation histories to the simulations to compare the results with our previous work and observational data to show that we can explain the formation of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.
We provide manganese abundances (corrected for the effect of the hyperfine structure) for a large number of stars in the dwarf spheroidal galaxies Sculptor and Fornax, and for a smaller number in the Carina and Sextans dSph galaxies. Abundances had already been determined for a number of other elements in these galaxies, including alpha and iron-peak ones, which allowed us to build [Mn/Fe] and [Mn/alpha] versus [Fe/H] diagrams. The Mn abundances imply sub-solar [Mn/Fe] ratios for the stars in all four galaxies examined. In Sculptor, [Mn/Fe] stays roughly constant between [Fe/H]sim -1.8 and -1.4 and decreases at higher iron abundance. In Fornax, [Mn/Fe] does not vary in any significant way with [Fe/H]. The relation between [Mn/alpha] and [Fe/H] for the dSph galaxies is clearly systematically offset from that for the Milky Way, which reflects the different star formation histories of the respective galaxies. The [Mn/alpha] behavior can be interpreted as a result of the metal-dependent Mn yields of type II and type Ia supernovae. We also computed chemical evolution models for star formation histories matching those determined empirically for Sculptor, Fornax, and Carina, and for the Mn yields of SNe Ia, which were assumed to be either constant or variable with metallicity. The observed [Mn/Fe] versus [Fe/H] relation in Sculptor, Fornax, and Carina can be reproduced only by the chemical evolution models that include a metallicity-dependent Mn yield from the SNe Ia.
The existence of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) is still an open question. In fact, many BSS candidates have been observed in the Local Group dSphs, but it is unclear whether they are real BSSs or young stars. Shedding light on the nature of these BSS candidates is crucial, in order to understand the star formation history of dSphs. In this paper, we consider BSS candidates in Sculptor and Fornax. In Fornax there are strong hints that the BSS population is contaminated by young stars, whereas in Sculptor there is no clear evidence of recent star formation. We derive the radial and luminosity distribution of BSS candidates from wide field imaging data extending beyond the nominal tidal radius of these galaxies. The observations are compared with the radial distribution of BSSs expected from dynamical simulations. In Sculptor the radial distribution of BSS candidates is consistent with that of red horizontal branch (RHB) stars and is in agreement with theoretical expectations for BSSs generated via mass transfer in binaries. On the contrary, in Fornax the radial distribution of BSS candidates is more concentrated than that of all the considered stellar populations. This result supports the hypothesis that most of BSS candidates in Fornax are young stars and is consistent with previous studies.
Since 2015 there has been a great deal of interest in a supposed new class of galaxy called Ultra Diffuse Galaxies (UDGs). These are large systems with sizes $> 1.5$ kpc and have surface brightness values which are $mu > 25$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$. Because of their low-surface brightness they are proposed to be `failed Milky Way type galaxies given their similar size, but much lower stellar masses. As such, these systems are considered by some as a new type of galaxy, yet we show that they are a subset of a well-established and well studied population of low-surface brightness galaxies found mostly in dense areas of the universe - clusters of galaxies. We argue based on previous literature that the most likely method for forming these galaxies is through cluster processes such as `Galaxy Harassment, where through multiple high speed encounters an infalling galaxy is gradually removed of its mass, until it resembles a dwarf elliptical. Future studies of UDGs should consider the above and their more general connection to previously studied populations.
Two dwarf irregular galaxies DDO 187 and NGC 3738 exhibit a striking pattern of star formation: intense star formation is taking place in a large region occupying roughly half of the inner part of the optical galaxy. We use data on the HI distribution and kinematics and stellar images and colors to examine the properties of the environment in the high star formation rate (HSF) halves of the galaxies in comparison with the low star formation rate (LSF) halves. We find that the pressure and gas density are higher on the HSF sides by 30-70%. In addition we find in both galaxies that the HI velocity fields exhibit significant deviations from ordered rotation and there are large regions of high velocity dispersion and multiple velocity components in the gas beyond the inner regions of the galaxies. The conditions in the HSF regions are likely the result of large-scale external processes affecting the internal environment of the galaxies and enabling the current star formation there.