Comparing IMF-sensitive indices of intermediate-mass quiescent galaxies in various environments

Eftekhari, E.; Mosleh, M.; Vazdekis, A.; Tavasoli, S.
Bibliographical reference

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 486, Issue 3, p.3788-3804

Advertised on:
7
2019
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
2
Citations
4
Refereed citations
4
Description
Using samples drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we study for the first time the relation between large-scale environments (clusters, groups, and voids) and the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We perform an observational approach based on the comparison of IMF-sensitive indices of quiescent galaxies with similar mass in varying environments. These galaxies are selected within a narrow redshift interval (0.020 < z < 0.055) and spanning a range in velocity dispersion from 100 to 200 km s-1. The results of this paper are based upon analysis of composite spectra created by stacking the spectra of galaxies, binned by their velocity dispersion and redshift. The trends of spectral indices as measured from the stacked spectra, with respect to velocity dispersion, are compared in different environments. We find a lack of dependence of the IMF on the environment for intermediate-mass galaxy regime. We verify this finding by providing a more quantitative measurement of the IMF variations among galactic environments using MILES stellar population models with a precision of ΔΓb ˜ 0.2.
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Traces of Galaxy Formation: Stellar populations, Dynamics and Morphology
We are a large, diverse, and very active research group aiming to provide a comprehensive picture for the formation of galaxies in the Universe. Rooted in detailed stellar population analysis, we are constantly exploring and developing new tools and ideas to understand how galaxies came to be what we now observe.
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