We use deep Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/High Resolution Channel observations of a field within M32 (F1) and an M31 background field (F2) to determine the star formation history (SFH) of M32 from its resolved stellar population. We find that 2-5 Gyr old stars contribute ~40% ± 17% of M32's mass, while ~55% ± 21% of M32's mass comes from stars older than 5 Gyr. The SFH additionally indicates the presence of young (<2 Gyr old), metal-poor ([M/H] ~ –0.7) stars, suggesting that blue straggler stars contribute ~2% of the mass at F1; the remaining ~3% of the mass is in young metal-rich stars. The inferred SFH of the M31 background field F2 reveals that the majority of its stars are old, with ~95% of its mass already acquired 5-14 Gyr ago. It is composed of two dominant populations; ~30% ± 7.5% of its mass is in a 5-8 Gyr old population, and ~65% ± 9% of the mass is in an 8-14 Gyr old population. Our results suggest that the inner disk and spheroid populations of M31 are indistinguishable from those of the outer disk and spheroid. Assuming the mean age of M31's disk at F2 (~1 disk scale length) to be ~5-9 Gyr, our results agree with an inside-out disk formation scenario for M31's disk.
Advertised on
References
It may interest you
-
The Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) on board the Euclid space mission has obtained near-infrared (NIR) spectra of millions of objects, including hundreds of ultracool dwarfs (UCDs). Euclid observations retrieve images and slitless spectra simultaneously. This observing mode marks a new era in the discovery of new objects, such as L- and T-type dwarfs, which can be found from direct identification through the H2O and CH4 absorption bands. NISP spectral resolution (R ∼ 450) is enough to classify the objects by the spectral type using known standard templates. Q1 provided moreAdvertised on -
Only a handful of observations truly constrain the nature of dark matter, which is why dozens of different physical models are still viable. Several of the most popular alternatives predict that dark matter halos slowly “thermalize” over time, gradually changing shape and expanding until they form a central region of nearly constant density -- a core. This transformation would not occur if the dark matter particles were completely collision-less, as assumed in the standard model. Therefore, the presence or absence of such a core provides a powerful way to distinguish between the standardAdvertised on -
Low-mass X-ray binaries are systems in which a star transfers matter onto a compact object—either a black hole or a neutron star—producing energetic outbursts. During these events, their optical spectra provide a way to study extreme processes of accretion and matter ejection. While some spectroscopic features have been analysed in detail (e.g., revealing disc expansion and the presence of optical winds), the appearance of broad absorptions in the optical regime has traditionally been neglected. In this work, we present the first systematic study of these broad absorptions. We carry out theAdvertised on