Tests of Chemical Enrichment Scenarios in Ellipticals Using Continuum Colors and Spectroscopy

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dc.creatorSchombert, J.
dc.creatorRakos, K.
dc.date2008-10-22
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T10:12:29Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T10:12:29Z
dc.descriptionWe combine spectroscopic metallicity values with integrated narrowband continuum colors to explore the internal metallicity distribution in early-type galaxies. The different techniques for determining metallicity (indices versus colors) allows for an estimate of the contribution from metal-poor stars in a predominantly metal-rich population which, in turn, places constraints on the shape and width of a galaxy's metallicity distribution function (MDF). The color-spectroscopic data is compared to the closed box, infall and inhomogeneous chemical evolution models. The G-dwarf problem, a deficiency in metal-poor stars as compared to closed box models, is evident in the dataset and indicates this deficiency is common to all early-type galaxies. However, even simple infall models predict galaxy colors which are too blue compared to the observations. A simple analytic model is proposed which matches the elliptical data and recent HST observations of M31 (Worthey et al 2005) and NGC 5128 (Harris & Harris 2000) by reducing the number of metal-poor stars in a systematic fashion. While without physical justification, the shape of these models are similar to predictions of inhomogeneous enrichment scenarios.
dc.description21 pages, 6 figures, accepted in AJ
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/0810.4102
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0810.4102
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/172198
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleTests of Chemical Enrichment Scenarios in Ellipticals Using Continuum Colors and Spectroscopy
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