M. Cesetti

Structure and dynamics of galaxies with a low surface-brightness disc – II. Stellar populations of bulges

We present the radial profiles of the Hβ, Mg and Fe line-strength indices for a sample of eight spiral galaxies with a low-surface-brightness stellar disc and a bulge. The correlations between the central values of the line-strength indices and velocity dispersion are consistent with those known for early-type galaxies and bulges of high-surface-brightness galaxies. The age, metallicity and α/Fe enhancement of the stellar populations in the bulge-dominated region are obtained using stellar population models with variable element abundance ratios. Almost all the sample bulges are characterized by a young stellar population, ongoing star formation and a solar α/Fe enhancement. Their metallicity spans from high to subsolar values. No significant gradient in age and α/Fe enhancement is measured, whereas a negative metallicity gradient is found only in a few cases. These properties suggest that a pure dissipative collapse cannot explain the formation of all the sample bulges and that other phenomena, such as mergers or acquisition events, need to be invoked. Such a picture is also supported by the lack of a correlation between the central value and the gradient of the metallicity in bulges with very low metallicity. The stellar populations of the bulges hosted by low-surface-brightness discs share many properties with those of high-surface-brightness galaxies. Therefore, they are likely to have common formation scenarios and evolution histories. A strong interplay between bulges and discs is ruled out by the fact that, in spite of being hosted by discs with extremely different properties, the bulges of low- and high-surface-brightness discs are remarkably similar.

The Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) spectral library: - Spectral diagnostics for cool stars

The near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range offers some unique spectral features, and it is less prone to the extinction than the optical one. Recently, the first flux calibrated NIR library of cool stars from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) have become available, and it has not been fully exploited yet. We want to develop spectroscopic diagnostics for stellar physical parameters based on features in the wavelength range 1-5 micron. In this work we test the technique in the I and K bands. The study of the Y, J, H, and L bands will be presented in the following paper. An objective method for semi-empirical definition of spectral features sensitive to various physical parameters is applied to the spectra. It is based on sensitivity map--i.e., derivative of the flux in the spectra with respect to the stellar parameters at a fixed wavelength. New optimized indices are defined and their equivalent widths (EWs) are measured. A number of sensitive features to the effective temperature and surface gravity are re-identified or newly identified clearly showing the reliability of the sensitivity map analysis. The sensitivity map allows to identify the best bandpass limits for the line and nearby continuum. It reliably predicts the trends of spectral features with respect to a given physical parameter but not their absolute strengths. Line blends are easy to recognize when blended features have different behavior with respect to some physical stellar parameter. The use of sensitivity map is therefore complementary to the use of indices. We give the EWs of the new indices measured for the IRTF star sample. This new and homogeneous set of EWs will be useful for stellar population synthesis models and can be used to get element-by-element abundances for unresolved stellar population studies in galaxies.

Early-type galaxies in the near-infrared: 1.5-2.4 μm spectroscopy ,

Context. Near-infrared (hereafter NIR) data may provide complementary information to the traditional optical population synthesis analysis of unresolved stellar populations because the spectral energy distribution of the galaxies in the 1–2.5 μm range is dominated by different types of stars than at optical wavelengths. Furthermore, NIR data are less affected by dust absorption and hence could constrain the stellar populations in dust-obscured galaxies. Aims. We attempt to develop observational constraints on the stellar populations of unresolved stellar systems in the NIR. Methods. To achieve this goal, we require benchmark NIR spectra of “simple” early-type galaxies, to test and calibrate the outputs of population synthesis models. We obtained low-resolution (R ∼ 1000) long-slit spectra between 1.5 and 2.4 μm for 14 nearby earlytype galaxies using SofI at the ESO 3.5-m New Technology Telescope and higher resolution (R ∼ 3000) long-slit spectra, centered on Mgi at ∼1.51 μm for a heterogeneous sample of 5 nearby galaxies observed with ISAAC at Antu, one of the 8.2-m ESO Very Large Telescope. Results. We defined spectral indices corresponding to CO, Nai ,C ai and Mgi absorption lines and measured their strengths in the galaxies spectrum. We defined a new global NIR metallicity index, suitable for abundance measurements in low-resolution spectra. Finally, we created an average-combined NIR spectrum of an early-type galaxy, from a homogeneous subset of our data set. Conclusions. The NIR galaxy spectra are similar to each other and some of the line index strengths correlate with both the iron abundance [Fe/H] and optical metal line indices of the galaxies. The data suggest that the NIR metal features, in combination with a hydrogen absorption feature, may break the age-metallicity degeneracy in a similar way the Mg and Fe features in the rest-frame optical wavelength range.

The external origin of the polar gaseous disk of the S0 galaxy IC 5181

Context. Galaxies accrete material from the environment through acquisition and merging events. These processes contribute to galaxy assembly and leave their fingerprints on the galactic morphology, internal kinematics of gas and stars, and stellar populations. Aims. We study the nearby S0 galaxy IC 5181 to address the origin of the ionized gas component that orbits the galaxy on polar orbits. Methods. We measure the surface brightness distribution of the stars and ionized gas of IC 5181 from broadband and narrow-band imaging. The structural parameters of the galaxy are obtained with a photometric decomposition assuming a Sersic and exponential profile for the bulge and disk, respectively. We measure the ionized-gas and stellar kinematics and the line strengths of the Lick indices of the stellar component along both the major and minor axis. The age, metallicity, and [α/Fe] enhancement of the stellar populations are derived using single stellar population models with variable element abundance ratios. The ionized-gas metallicity is obtained from the equivalent width of the emission lines. Results. The galaxy IC 5181 is a morphologically undisturbed S0 galaxy with a classical bulge made by old stars with super solar metallicity and overabundance. Stellar age and metallicity decrease in the disk region. The galaxy hosts a geometrically and kinematically decoupled component of ionized gas. It is elongated along the galaxy minor axis and in orthogonal rotation with respect to the galaxy disk. Conclusions. We interpret the kinematical decoupling as suggesting that there is a component of gas, which is not related to the stars and having an external origin. The gas was accreted by IC 5181 on polar orbits from the surrounding environment.

Waste processing: new near infrared technologies for material identification and selection

The awareness of environmental issues on a global scale increases the opportunities for waste handling companies. Recovery is set to become all the more important in areas such as waste selection, minerals processing, electronic scrap, metal and plastic recycling, refuse and the food industry. Effective recycling relies on effective sorting. Sorting is a fundamental step of the waste disposal/recovery process. The big players in the sorting market are pushing for the development of new technologies to cope with literally any type of waste. The purpose of this tutorial is to gain an understanding of waste management, frameworks, strategies, and components that are current and emerging in the field. A particular focus is given to spectroscopic techniques that pertains the material selection process with a greater emphasis placed on the NIR technology for material identification. Three different studies that make use of NIR technology are shown, they are an example of some of the possible applications and the excellent results that can be achieved with this technique.

Stellar populations of bulges in galaxies with a low surface-brightness disc

The radial profiles of the H β , Mg, and Fe line-strength indices are presented for a sample of eight spiral galaxies with a low surface-brightness stellar disc and a bulge. The correlations between the central values of the line-strength indices and velocity dispersion are consistent to those known for early-type galaxies and bulges of high surface-brightness galaxies. The age, metallicity, and α/Fe enhancement of the stellar populations in the bulge-dominated region are obtained using stellar population models with variable element abundance ratios. Almost all the sample bulges are characterized by a young stellar population, on-going star formation, and a solar α/Fe enhancement. Their metallicity spans from high to sub-solar values. No significant gradient in age and α/Fe enhancement is measured, whereas only in a few cases a negative metallicity gradient is found. These properties suggest that a pure dissipative collapse is not able to explain formation of all the sample bulges and that other phenomena, like mergers or acquisition events, need to be invoked. Such a picture is also supported by the lack of a correlation between the central value and gradient of the metallicity in bulges with very low metallicity. The stellar populations of the bulges hosted by low surface-brightness discs share many properties with those of high surface-brightness galaxies. Therefore, they are likely to have common formation scenarios and evolution histories. A strong interplay between bulges and discs is ruled out by the fact that in spite of being hosted by discs with extremely different properties, the bulges of low and high surface-brightness discs are remarkably similar.