Uncertainties of Synthetic Integrated Colors as Age Indicators

Abstract

We investigate the uncertainties in the synthetic integrated colors of simple stellar populations. Three types of uncertainties are from the stellar models, the population synthesis techniques, and from the spectral libraries. Despite some skepticism, synthetic colors appear to be reliable age indicators when used for select age ranges. Rest-frame optical colors are good age indicators at ages 2 -- 7Gyr. At ages sufficiently large to produce hot HB stars, the UV-to-optical colors provide an alternative means for measuring ages. This UV technique may break the age-metallicity degeneracy because it separates old populations from young ones even in the lack of metallicity information. One can use such techniques on extragalactic globular clusters and perhaps even for high redshift galaxies that are passively evolving to study galaxy evolution history.