Hintze Centre for Astrophysical Surveys

Abstract:

Following the pilot study of Kuntschner et al., we have investigated the properties of a volume-and magnitude-limited (cz > 10 000 km s-1, bJ > 16) sample of early-type galaxies that were carefully selected from the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO) two-degree field galaxy redshift survey (2dFGRS) to have no more than one and five companions within 1 and 2 Mpc, respectively. We used images from the Digital Sky Survey (DSS) to confirm the E/SO morphologies. We augmented this sample with field galaxies from Colbert et al. selected as having no neighbour within 1 Mpc and ±1000 km s-1. We present spectroscopic observations of 22 galaxies from the combined sample, from which central velocity dispersions and the Lick stellar population indices were measured. After carefully correcting the spectra for nebular emission, we derived luminosity-weighted ages, metallicities and α-element abundance ratios. We compare these isolated galaxies with samples of early-type galaxies in the Virgo and Coma clusters, and also with the previous sample of galaxies in low-density regions of Kuntschner et al. We find that galaxies in low-density environments are younger and have a greater spread of ages compared to cluster galaxies. They also show a wider range of metallicities at a given velocity dispersion than cluster galaxies, which display only supersolar metallicities. On average cluster, as well as, isolated galaxies show non-solar abundance ratios in α elements, suggesting that, independent of galactic environment, star formation occurred on short time-scales. However, the abundance ratios for our low-density environment sample galaxies do not scale with the stellar velocity dispersion as observed in clusters. In fact we detect a large spread at a given velocity dispersion even reaching solar abundance ratios. The metallicity of isolated early-type galaxies is found to correlate weakly with σ. We reason that early-type galaxies in low-density environments experienced merging-induced star formation episodes over a longer and more recent period of time compared to a cluster environment, and speculate that a considerable fraction of their stars formed out of low-metallicity halo gaseous material during the slow growth of a stellar disc between merging events. © 2006 RAS.

Abstract:

The Faulkes Telescope Project is the educational arm of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT). It currently has two 2-metre robotic telescopes, located at Haleakala on Maui (FT North) and Siding Spring in Australia (FT South). It is planned to increase this to six 2-metre telescopes in the future, complemented by a network of 30-40 smaller (0.4 - 1 metre) telescopes providing 24 hour coverage of both northern and southern hemispheres. We are undertaking a monitoring project of 10 low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) using FT North to study the optical continuum behaviour of X-ray transients in quiescence. The introduction of FT South in September 2006 allows us to extend this monitoring to include 17 southern hemisphere LMXBs. With new instrumentation, we also intend to expand this monitoring to include both infrared wavelengths and spectroscopy.

Abstract:

We present two-degree field spectroscopic observations of a sample of 96 A-type stars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3 (SDSS DR3). Our aim is to identify blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars in order to measure the kinematic properties of the tidal tails of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We confine our attention to the 44 classifiable stars with spectra of signal-to-noise ratio > 15 Å-1. Classification produces a sample of 29 BHB stars at distances of 5-47 kpc from the Sun. We split our sample into three bins based on their distance. We find 10 of the 12 stars at 14-25 kpc appear to have coherent, smoothly varying radial velocities which are plausibly associated with old debris in the Sagittarius tidal stream. Further observations along the orbit and at greater distances are required to trace the full extent of this structure on the sky. Three of our BHB stars in the direction of the globular cluster Palomar (Pal) 5 appear to be in an overdensity but are in the foreground of Pal 5. More observations are required around this overdensity to establish any relation to Pal 5 and/or the Sgr stream. We emphasize observations of BHB stars have unlimited potential for providing accurate velocity and distance information in old distant halo streams and globular clusters alike. The next-generation multi-object spectrographs provide an excellent opportunity to accurately trace the full extent of such structures. © 2006 RAS.

Abstract:

We seek to understand whether the stellar populations of galactic bulges show evidence of secular evolution triggered by the presence of the disc. For this purpose, we re-analyse the sample of Proctor and Sansom, deriving stellar population ages and element abundances from absorption-line indices as functions of central velocity dispersion and Hubble type. We obtain consistent constraints on ages from the three Balmer-line indices Hβ, Hγ and Hδ, based on stellar population models that take the abundance ratio effects on these indices into account. Emission-line contamination turns out to be a critical aspect, which favours the use of the higher order Balmer-line indices. Our derived ages are consistent with those of Proctor and Sansom based on a completely different method. In agreement with other studies in the literature, we find that bulges have relatively low luminosity weighted ages, the lowest age derived being 1.3 Gyr. Hence, bulges are not generally old, but actually rejuvenated systems. We discuss evidence that this might be true also for the bulge of the Milky Way. The data reveal clear correlations of all three parameters luminosity weighted age, total metallicity and α/Fe ratio with central velocity dispersion. The smallest bulges are the youngest with the lowest α/Fe ratios owing to late Fe enrichment from Type Ia supernovae. Using models combining recent minor star formation with a base old population, we show that the smallest bulges must have experienced significant star formation events involving 10-30 per cent of their total mass in the past 1-2 Gyr. No significant correlations of the stellar population parameters with Hubble type are found. We show that the above relationships with σ coincide perfectly with those of early-type galaxies. In other words, bulges are typically younger, metal poorer and less α/Fe enhanced than early-type galaxies because of their smaller masses. At a given velocity dispersion, bulges and elliptical galaxies are indistinguishable as far as their stellar populations are concerned. These results favour an inside-out formation scenario and indicate that the discs in spiral galaxies of Hubble types Sbc and earlier cannot have a significant influence on the evolution of the stellar populations in the bulge component. The phenomenon of pseudo-bulge formation must be restricted to spirals of types later than Sbc. © 2005 RAS.

Abstract:

We present absorption line strength maps of 48 representative elliptical and lenticular galaxies obtained as part of a survey of nearby galaxies using our custom-built integral-field spectrograph, SAURON, operating on the William Herschel Telescope. Using high-quality spectra, spatially binned to a constant signal-to-noise ratio, we measure four key age, metallicity and abundance ratio sensitive indices from the LickIDS system over a two-dimensional field extending up to approximately one effective radius. A discussion of calibrations and offsets is given, along with a description of error estimation and nebular emission correction. We modify the classical Fe5270 index to define a new index, , which maximizes the useable spatial coverage of SAURON. Maps of Hβ, Fe5015, Mg b and are presented for each galaxy. We use the maps to compute average line strengths integrated over circular apertures of one-eighth effective radius, and compare the resulting relations of index versus velocity dispersion with previous long-slit work. The metal line strength maps show generally negative gradients with increasing radius roughly consistent with the morphology of the light profiles. Remarkable deviations from this general trend exist, particularly the Mg b isoindex contours appear to be flatter than the isophotes of the surface brightness for about 40 per cent of our galaxies without significant dust features. Generally, these galaxies exhibit significant rotation. We infer from this that the fast-rotating component features a higher metallicity andor an increased MgFe ratio as compared to the galaxy as a whole. The Hβ maps are typically flat or show a mild positive outwards radial gradient, while a few galaxies show strong central peaks andor elevated overall Hβ strength likely connected to recent star formation activity. For the most prominent post-starburst galaxies, even the metal line strength maps show a reversed gradient. © 2006 RAS.