Metal abundance range in the Ursa Minor dwarf galaxy
Journal Article
·
· Astrophys. J.; (United States)
A small sample of red giants in the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy has been observed with the multichannel scanner and the digital spectrograph of the Hale 5 m telescope. These observations confirm the large width of the giant branch in the color-magnitude diagram and indicate that it is caused by a range in metal abundance of approx.1 dex (i.e., -2.55< or approx. =(Fe/H)< or approx. =-1.36, according to Cohen's scale for globular clusters). Ursa Minor and the Draco dwarf spheroidal appear to have very similar ranges in metal abundance. These observations and those of the other dwarf spheroidal galaxies are compared with the models of the chemical evolution of elliptical galaxies that include mass loss. The models are consistent with the dispersions in metal abundance that are found in the dwarf spheroidals, but now with the lack of detectable dispersions in globular clusters that are comparable in mass to Ursa Minor and Draco (e.g., M92). Some explanations for this difference between the galaxies and the clusters are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Yale University Observatory
- OSTI ID:
- 5577619
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 251:1; ISSN ASJOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Ursa Minor dwarf galaxy: Still an old stellar system
Metal abundance range in the Draco dwarf galaxy
Photometric analyses of abundances in dwarf spheroidal galaxies and globular clusters
Journal Article
·
Thu Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1985
· Astron. J.; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5240173
Metal abundance range in the Draco dwarf galaxy
Journal Article
·
Tue Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1978
· Astrophys. J.; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:6311177
Photometric analyses of abundances in dwarf spheroidal galaxies and globular clusters
Thesis/Dissertation
·
Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987
·
OSTI ID:6785402