Jaehyon Rhee

Galaxy evolution explorer ultraviolet color-magnitude relations and evidence of recent star formation in early-type galaxies

We have used the Galaxy Evolution Explorer UV photometric data to construct a first near-UV (NUV) color-magnitude relation (CMR) for the galaxies preclassified as early-type by Sloan Digital Sky Survey studies. The NUV CMR is a powerful tool for tracking the recent star formation history in early-type galaxies, owing to its high sensitivity to the presence of young stellar populations. Our NUV CMR for UV-weak galaxies shows a well-defined slope and thus will be useful for interpreting the rest-frame NUV data of distant galaxies and studying their star formation history. Compared to optical CMRs, the NUV CMR shows a substantially larger scatter, which we interpret as evidence of recent star formation activities. Roughly 15% of the recent epoch (z < 0.13) bright [M(r) < -22] early-type galaxies show a sign of recent (1 Gyr) star formation at the 1%-2% level (lower limit) in mass compared to the total stellar mass. This implies that low-level residual star formation was common during the last few billion years even in bright early-type galaxies.

Discovery of HE 1523-0901: A Strongly r-Process Enhanced Metal-Poor Star with Detected Uranium

We present age estimates for the newly discovered, very r-process-enhanced metal-poor star HE 1523-0901 ([Fe/H] = -2.95) based on the radioactive decay of Th and U. The bright (V = 11.1) giant was found among a sample of bright metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. From an abundance analysis of a high-resolution (R = 75,000) VLT/UVES spectrum, we find HE 1523-0901 to be strongly overabundant in r-process elements ([r/Fe] = 1.8). The abundances of heavy neutron-capture elements (Z > 56) measured in HE 1523-0901 match the scaled solar r-process pattern extremely well. We detect the strongest optical U line at 3859.57 A. For the first time, we are able to employ several different chronometers, such as the U/Th, U/Ir, Th/Eu, and Th/Os ratios to measure the age of a star. The weighted average age of HE 1523-0901 is 13.2 Gyr. Several sources of uncertainties are assessed in detail.

A TWO MICRON ALL SKY SURVEY VIEW OF THE SAGITTARIUS DWARF GALAXY. II. SWOPE TELESCOPE SPECTROSCOPY OF M GIANT STARS IN THE DYNAMICALLY COLD SAGITTARIUS TIDAL STREAM

We have obtained moderate resolution (~6 km s-1) spectroscopy of several hundred M giant candidates selected from Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry. Radial velocities are presented for stars mainly in the southern Galactic hemisphere, and the primary targets have Galactic positions consistent with association to the tidal tail system of the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf galaxy. M giant stars selected from the apparent trailing debris arm of Sgr have velocities showing a clear trend with orbital longitude, as expected from models of the orbit and destruction of Sgr. A minimum 8 kpc width of the trailing stream about the Sgr orbital midplane is implied by verified radial velocity members. The coldness of this stream (σv ~ 10 km s-1) provides upper limits on the combined contributions of stream heating by a lumpy Galactic halo and the intrinsic dispersion of released stars, which is a function of the Sgr core mass. We find that the Sgr trailing arm is consistent with a Galactic halo that contains one dominant, LMC-like lump; however, some lumpier halos are not ruled out. An upper limit to the total mass-to-light ratio of the Sgr core is 21 in solar units. Evidence for other velocity structures is found among the more distant (>13 kpc) M giants. A second structure that roughly mimics expectations for wrapped, leading Sgr arm debris crosses the trailing arm in the southern hemisphere; however, this may also be an unrelated tidal feature. Among the bright, nearby (<13 kpc) M giants toward the south Galactic pole are a number with large velocities that identify them as halo stars; these too may trace halo substructure, perhaps part of the Sgr leading arm near the Sun. The positions and velocities of southern hemisphere M giants are compared with those of southern hemisphere globular clusters potentially stripped from the Sgr system. Support for association of the globular clusters Pal 2 and Pal 12 with Sgr debris is found, based on positional and radial velocity matches. Our discussion includes description of a masked-filtered cross-correlation methodology that achieves better than 1/20 of a resolution element velocities in moderate-resolution spectra. The improved velocity resolution achieved allows tighter constraints to be placed on the coldness of the Sgr stream than previously established.

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Chemical Abundances of Stars in the Halo (CASH) project. I. The lithium-, s-, and r-enhanced metal-poor giant HKII 17435-00532

We present an abundance analysis of three newly discovered stars from the Hamburg/ESO survey for which HET observations have been obtained as part of the CASH project. Light elemental abundances of all three stars agree with those of other metal-poor stars. This means that they likely formed from well-mixed gas. Upper limits on the heavier neutron-capture abundances have not eliminated the possibility that these stars are r-process enhanced. However, the measured barium abundances are rather low.

Metal Abundances and Kinematics of Bright Metal-poor Giants Selected from the LSE Survey: Implications for the Metal-weak Thick Disk

We report medium-resolution (1–2 A) spectroscopy and broadband (UBV) photometry for a sample of 39 bright stars (the majority of which are likely to be giants) selected as metal-deficient candidates from an objective-prism survey concentrating on Galactic latitudes below |b| = 30°, the Luminous Stars Extension (LSE) survey of Drilling & Bergeron. Although the primary purpose of the LSE survey was to select OB stars (hence the concentration on low latitudes), the small number of bright metal-deficient giant candidates noted during this survey provide interesting information on the metal-weak thick disk (MWTD) population. Metal abundance estimates are obtained from several different techniques and calibrations, including some that make use of the available photometry and spectroscopy and others that use only the spectroscopy; these methods produce abundance estimates that are consistent with one another and should be secure. All of the targets in our study have available high-quality proper motions from the Hipparcos or Tycho II catalogs, or both, that we combine with radial velocities from our spectroscopy to obtain full space motions for the entire sample. The rotational (V) velocities of the LSE giants indicate the presence of a rapidly rotating population, even at quite low metallicity. We consider the distribution of orbital eccentricity of the LSE giants as a function of [Fe/H] and conclude that the local fraction (i.e., within 1 kpc from the Sun) of metal-poor stars that might be associated with the MWTD is on the order of 30%–40% at abundances below [Fe/H] = -1.0. Contrary to recent analyses of previous (much larger) samples of nonkinematically selected metal-poor stars (assembled primarily from prism surveys that concentrated on latitudes above |b| = 30°), we find that this relatively high fraction of local metal-poor stars associated with the MWTD may extend to metallicities below [Fe/H] = -1.6, much lower than had been considered before. We identify a subsample of 11 LSE stars that are very likely to be members of the MWTD, based on their derived kinematics; the lowest metallicity among these stars is [Fe/H] = -2.35. Implications of these results for the origin of the MWTD and for the formation of the Galaxy are considered.

GALEX Ultraviolet Photometry of Globular Clusters in M31: Three-Year Results and a Catalog

We present ultraviolet (UV) photometry of M31 globular clusters (GCs) found in 23 Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) images covering the entirety of M31. We detect 485 and 273 GCs (and GC candidates) in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV), respectively. The UV properties of GCs have been analyzed using various combinations of UV–optical and optical–optical colors. Comparing M31 data with those of Galactic GCs in the UV with the aid of population models, we find that the age ranges of old GCs in M31 and the Galactic halo are similar. Three metal-rich ([Fe/H] > − 1) GCs in M31 produce significant FUV flux making their FUV–V colors unusually blue for their metallicities. These are thought to be analogs of the two peculiar Galactic GCs, NGC 6388 and NGC 6441, with extended blue HB stars. Based on the models incorporating helium enriched subpopulations in addition to the majority of the population that have a normal helium abundance, we suggest that even small fraction of super-helium-rich subpopulations in GCs can reproduce the observed UV bright metal-rich GCs. Young clusters in M31 show distinct UV and optical properties from GCs in Milky Way. Population models indicate that their typical age is less than ~2 Gyr and is consistent with the age derived from the most recent high-quality spectroscopic observations. A large fraction of young GCs have the kinematics of the thin, rapidly rotating disk component. Most GCs with bulge kinematics show old ages. The existence of young GCs on the outskirts of M31 disk suggests the occurrence of a significant recent star formation in the thin-disk of M31. We detect 12 (10) intermediate-age GC candidates in NUV (FUV) identified by previous spectroscopic observations. On the basis of comparing our UV photometry to population models, we suggest that some of spectroscopically identified intermediate-age GCs may not be truly intermediate in age, but rather older GCs that possess developed HB stars which contribute to enhanced UV flux as well as Balmer lines.

The Look-back Time Evolution of Far-Ultraviolet Flux from the Brightest Cluster Elliptical Galaxies at z < 0.2

We present the GALEX UV photometry of the elliptical galaxies in Abell clusters at moderate redshifts (z < 0.2) for the study of the look-back time evolution of the UV upturn phenomenon. The brightest elliptical galaxies (Mr . −22) in 12 remote clusters are compared with the nearby giant elliptical galaxies of comparable optical luminosity in the Fornax and Virgo clusters. The sample galaxies presented here appear to be quiescent without signs of massive star formation or strong nuclear activity, and show smooth, extended profiles in their UV images indicating that the far-UV (FUV) light is mostly produced by hot stars in the underlying old stellar population. Compared to their counterparts in nearby clusters, the FUV flux of cluster giant elliptical galaxies at moderate redshifts fades rapidly with ∼ 2 Gyrs of look-back time, and the observed pace in FUV − V color evolution agrees reasonably well with the prediction from the population synthesis models where the dominant FUV source is hot horizontal-branch stars and their progeny. A similar amount of color spread (∼ 1 mag) in FUV − V exists among the brightest cluster elliptical galaxies at z ∼ 0.1, as observed among the nearby giant elliptical galaxies of comparable optical luminosity. Subject headings: galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD — galaxies: evolution — galaxies: stellar content — ultraviolet: galaxies

The Look-back Time Evolution of Far-Ultraviolet Flux from Elliptical Galaxies: The Fornax Cluster and A2670

In order to investigate the origin of the far-UV (FUV) flux from the early-type galaxies, the Galaxy Evolution Explorer is collecting the UV data for the elliptical-rich clusters at moderate redshifts (z < 0.2) where the dominant FUV source is predicted to be hot horizontal-branch (HB) stars and their post-HB progeny. Here we present our first result for the early-type galaxies in A2670 at z = 0.076. Compared to NGC 1399, a nearby giant elliptical galaxy in the Fornax Cluster, it appears that the rest-frame FUV - V color of the giant elliptical galaxies gets redder by ~0.7 mag at the distance of A2670 (z = 0.076; look-back time ≈ 1.0 Gyr). Although a detailed comparison with the models is postponed until more cluster data are accumulated, it is interesting to note that this value is consistent with the variation predicted by the population synthesis models where the mean temperature of HB stars declines rapidly with increasing look-back time.

ULTRAVIOLET PROPERTIES OF GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTERS WITH GALEX. I. THE COLOR-MAGNITUDE DIAGRAMS

We present GALEX data for 44 Galactic globular clusters obtained during 3 GALEX observing cycles between 2004 and 2008. This is the largest homogeneous data set on the UV photometric properties of Galactic globular clusters ever collected. The sample selection and photometric analysis are discussed, and color-magnitude diagrams are presented. The blue and intermediate-blue horizontal branch is the dominant feature of the UV color-magnitude diagrams of old Galactic globular clusters. Our sample is large enough to display the remarkable variety of horizontal branch shapes found in old stellar populations. Other stellar types that are obviously detected are blue stragglers and post core-He burning stars. The main features of UV color-magnitude diagrams of Galactic globular clusters are briefly discussed. We establish the locus of post-core He burning stars in the UV color-magnitude diagram and present a catalog of candidate AGB-manqué, post early-AGB, and post-AGB stars within our cluster sample.We present ultraviolet (UV) integrated colors of 44 Galactic globular clusters (GGCs) observed with the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) in both FUV and NUV bands. We find for the first time that GCs associated with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy have (FUV-V) colors systematically redder than GGCs with the same metallicity. M31 GCs show almost the same UV colors as GGCs, while M87 are systematically bluer. We speculate about the presence of an interesting trend, suggesting that the UV color of GCs may be correlated with the mass of the host galaxy, in the sense that more massive galaxies possess bluer clusters.

GALEX Observations of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: A Comparison

We have matched 358,046 objects in 143 deg2 of overlap between the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This Letter provides matching statistics at Medium Imaging Survey and All-sky Imaging Survey depths for SDSS-classified stars and galaxies as well as spectroscopic star, galaxy, and QSO subsamples. Distributions of magnitudes, redshifts, and colors are provided. Near-ultraviolet (NUV)-based color-color diagrams reveal (1) the segregation of main-sequence, horizontal-branch, subdwarf, white dwarf, M dwarf, and M dwarf-white dwarf binary stellar populations, (2) a bimodal distribution of galaxies, and (3) the higher signal quality of the GALEX NUV compared to the SDSS u band.