Abstract
Integrated broad-band colors and metallic lines cannot discriminate clearly between the effects of age and Z in old stellar populations. Such data are more sensitive to Z than to age. The Hβ feature provides a way to break this degeneracy. New measurements indicate that the mean stellar ages of typical E galaxy nuclei are fairly young, ranging from 2 to ∼12 Gyr. The outer parts of E galaxies are both older and more metal-poor than nuclei, consistent with the formation of E galaxies via mergers and starbursts. Age effects contribute strongly to the classic color-line strength sequence of E galaxies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bessell, M.S., Brett, J.M., Scholz, M. and Wood, P.R., 1989, A. & A. Suppl. 77, 1.
Bessell, M.S., Brett, J.M., Scholz, M. and Wood, P.R., 1991, A. & A. Suppl. 89, 335.
Chariot, S. and Silk, J., 1994, Ap. J. 432, 453.
Dorman, B., O’Connell, R.W. and Rood, R.T., 1994, Ap. J., submitted.
Faber, S.M., 1972, A. & A. 20, 361.
Faber, S.M., 1973, Ap. J. 179, 731.
Fagotto, F., Bressan, A., Bertelli, G. and Chiosi, C., 1994a, A. & A. Suppl. 104, 365.
Fagotto, F., Bressan, A., Bertelli, G. and Chiosi, C., 1994b, A. & A. Suppl. 105, 39.
Ferraro, F.R., Fusi Pecci, F., Cacciari, C., Corsi, C., Buonanno, R., Fahlman, G.G. and Richer, H.B., 1993, A. J. 106, 2324.
Gonzalez, J.J., 1993, Ph.D. Thesis, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Gorgas, J., Faber, S.M., Burstein, D., Gonzalez, J.J., Courteau, S. and Prosser, C., 1993, Ap. J. Suppl. 86, 153.
Green, E.M., Demarque, P. and King, C.R., 1987, The Revised Yale Isochrones and Luminosity Functions, New Haven: Yale University Observatory.
Horch, E., Demarque, P. and Pinsonneault, M., 1992, Ap. J. 388, L53.
Kurucz, R.L., 1992, private communication.
Lee, Y.-W., 1994, Ap. J. 430, L113.
O’Connell, R.W., 1976, Ap. J. 236, 430.
O’Connell, R.W., 1980, Ap. J. 236, 430.
Peletier, R.F., 1993, Ph.D. Thesis, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
Pickles, A.J., 1985, Ap. J. 296, 340.
Rose, J.A. (1994) A. J. 107, 206.
Schweizer, F., 1983, Internal Kinematics and Dynamics of Galaxies, I.A.U, Symp. 100, ed. E. Athanassoula, Reidel, p.319.
Schweizer, F., Seitzer, P., Faber, S.M., Burstein, D., Dalle Ore, C.M. and Gonzalez, J.J., 1990, Ap. J. 364, L33.
Sigurdsson, S., Davies, M.B. and Bolte, M., 1994, Ap. J. 431, L115.
Spinrad, H. and Taylor, B.J., 1971, Ap. J. Suppl. 22, 445.
Tinsley, B.M., 1980, Ap. J. 241, 41.
Trager, S.C., Faber, S.M., Worthey, G., Gonzalez, J.J. and Burstein, D., 1994, in preparation.
VandenBerg, D.A., 1985, Ap. J. Suppl. 58, 711.
VandenBerg, D.A. and BeU, R.A., 1985, Ap. J. Suppl. 58, 561.
VandenBerg, D.A. and Laskarides, P.G., 1987, Ap. J. Suppl. 64, 103.
Whipple, F.L., 1935, Harv. Coll. Obs. Cire. 404, 1.
Worthey, G., Faber, S.M. and Gonzalez, J.J., 1992, Ap. J. 398, 69.
Worthey, G., Faber, S.M., Gonzalez, J.J. and Burstein, D., 1994, Ap. J. Suppl. 94, 687.
Worthey, G., 1994, Ap. J. Suppl., in press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Faber, S.M., Trager, S.C., Gonzalez, J.J., Worthey, G. (1995). The Stellar Ages of Elliptical Galaxies. In: van der Kruit, P.C., Gilmore, G. (eds) Stellar Populations. International Astronomical Union / Union Astronomique Internationale, vol 164. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0125-7_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0125-7_23
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-3538-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0125-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive