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Title: Clues on the history of early-type galaxies from SDSS spectra and GALEX photometry

Journal Article · · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5];  [6];  [7]; ORCiD logo [4];  [4]; ORCiD logo [4];  [2];  [2];  [8]
  1. INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, Italy, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, R. do Matão 1226, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Departamento de Física, CFM, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, PO Box 476, 88040-900 Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
  2. Departamento de Física, CFM, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, PO Box 476, 88040-900 Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
  3. Departamento de Física, CFM, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, PO Box 476, 88040-900 Florianopolis, SC, Brazil, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK
  4. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, R. do Matão 1226, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  5. Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán 58089, México
  6. Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC-CNRS, UMR7095, F-75014,Paris, France
  7. NAT - Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul/Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, Rua Galvão Bueno, 868, 01506-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
  8. NAT - Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul/Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, Rua Galvão Bueno, 868, 01506-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais/MCT, Av. dos Astronautas 1758, 12227-010 São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil

ABSTRACT Stellar population studies of early-type galaxies (ETGs) based on their optical stellar continuum suggest that these are quiescent systems. However, emission lines and ultraviolet photometry reveal a diverse population. We use a new version of the starlight spectral synthesis code and state-of-the-art stellar population models to simultaneously fit Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra and Galaxy Evolution Explorer photometry for a sample of 3453 galaxies at z < 0.1 with near ultraviolet (NUV) − r > 5 that are classified as elliptical by Galaxy Zoo. We reproduce far ultraviolet (FUV) magnitudes for 80 per cent of UV upturn galaxies selected using criteria from the literature, suggesting that additional stellar population ingredients such as binaries and extreme horizontal branch stars may have a limited contribution to the UV upturn. The addition of ultraviolet data leads to a broadening of the distributions of mean stellar ages, metallicities, and attenuation. Stellar populations younger than $$1\,$$ Gyr are required to reproduce the ultraviolet emission in 17 per cent of our sample. These systems represent 43 per cent of the sample at 5 < NUV − r < 5.5 and span the same stellar mass range as other ETGs in our sample. ETGs with young stellar components have larger H α equivalent widths (WH α) and larger dust attenuation. Emission line ratios and WH α indicate that the ionizing source in these systems is a mixture of young and old stellar populations. Their young stellar populations are metal-poor, especially for high-mass galaxies, indicating recent star formation associated with rejuvenation events triggered by external processes, such as minor mergers.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1647479
Journal Information:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 497 Journal Issue: 3; ISSN 0035-8711
Publisher:
Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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