Near-infrared mass-to-light ratios in galaxies - stellar mass and star formation in the heart of the Whirlpool

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166224· OSTI ID:7222499

Greenhouse, M A

The observed stellar population in the solar neighborhood is used to derive a relationship between the local stellar mass density and the visual and near-IR brightness, which is then extended to a wide range of galaxies. This technique is applied to near-IR (J, H, and K) images of the central 2.3 kpc (50 arcsec) of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51, NGC 5194). It is estimated that the current high rate of star formation can last no more than about another 10-million years, and that, if a large fraction of the stars in the nucleus of M51 was created in periods of enhanced formation, the duty cycle for such events is about 5 percent. 56 references.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Infrared Observatory, Laramie (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7222499
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 327
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GALAXY NUCLEI
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
STAR EVOLUTION
COSMIC GASES
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
MASS
PHOTOMETRY
RED GIANT STARS
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
CONFIGURATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUIDS
GASES
GIANT STARS
INFRARED RADIATION
RADIATIONS
STARS
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies