skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: NLTE Stellar Population Synthesis of Globular Clusters Using Synthetic Integrated Light Spectra. II. Expanded Photometry and Sensitivity of Near-IR Spectral Features to Cluster Age and Metallicity

Journal Article · · The Astronomical Journal (Online)

We present an expanded investigation of the library of globular cluster (GC) synthetic integrated light (IL) spectra of Young and Short, focusing on the impact of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) modeling effects on cluster parameters derived from photometric colors and sensitivity of near-IR spectral features to cluster age and metallicity. Johnson–Cousins–Bessel UBVIJK photometric colors are produced for 910 synthetic IL spectra with two degrees of α enhancement, in both NLTE and local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). These color values are used to investigate the GC age–metallicity degeneracy and compare NLTE and LTE derived [M/H] values for NGC 104, NGC 5139, and NGC 6205. For a given age, derived [M/H] values are shown to increase by up to 0.05 dex when modeled in NLTE. A total of 86 spectral lines in the range λ = 12000–22000 Å, representing 14 different atomic species, were identified as sensitive to either cluster age or metallicity, 12 of which were identified as sensitive to both. Equivalent widths of the lines are measured in NLTE and LTE spectra, with NLTE effects changing the widths by up to {sub −0.15}{sup +0.25} Å depending on the atomic species.

OSTI ID:
22897252
Journal Information:
The Astronomical Journal (Online), Vol. 157, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English