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arXiv · 2003.09357

Intermediate-mass Early-type Disk Galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. II. Near-Infrared Spectra and Evidence for Differences in Evolution

T. J. Davidge
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Abstract

We discuss near-infrared (NIR) slit spectra of six early-type disk galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. While the depth of the CO(2,0) band is consistent with the centers of these galaxies having solar or slightly sub-solar luminosity-weighted metallicities, galaxy-to-galaxy variations in the depth of the NaI 2.21um doublet are found, with NaI2.21um lines in three galaxies (NGC 4491, NGC 4584, and NGC 4620) that are deeper than those predicted for a solar chemical mixture and a solar-neighborhood mass function. Considering the depth of the NaD lines found by Davidge (2018a), the deep NaI2.21um lines are tentatively attributed to a bottom-heavy mass function. This is counter to observed trends between mass function slope and velocity dispersion. Two of the three galaxies with deep NaI2.21um (NGC 4584 and NGC 4620) have Sersic exponents that are consistent with a classical bulge. As for NGC 4491, its central NIR spectrum contains prominent emission lines. The relative strengths of Brgamma and H_2S(1), the presence of [FeII] emission, and the mid-infrared spectral-energy distribution are all consistent with intense recent star formation near the center of that galaxy. Wavelengths that contain the Ballick-Ramsey C_2 band at 1.76um are matched by moderately metal-poor E-MILES model spectra with an age of 2 Gyr. It is concluded that these galaxies have evolved in a cluster environment for at least several Gyr.

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T. J. Davidge. 2020-03-20. Intermediate-mass Early-type Disk Galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. II. Near-Infrared Spectra and Evidence for Differences in Evolution. https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.09357

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