arXiv subjects

Evan N. Kirby

Publications and source records attributed to Evan N. Kirby.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

$r$-process Abundance Dispersion in the Globular Cluster M5 using Keck Archival Data

We studied $28$ RGB stars in the mildly metal-rich globular cluster M5 ([Fe/H] $= -1.29$) using archival high-resolution spectra from the Keck Observatory archive (KOA) to better understand the $r$-process in globular clusters. Previous studies (M15, M92, and NGC 2298) have shown $r$-process dispersion in varying amounts, hinting at the source of the $r$-process in those clusters. We extend these dispersion studies to the more metal-rich cluster M5 by studying the rare-earth peak, specifically the elements Ba, Nd, and Eu. We separately analyze the different stellar generations, as traced by the abundance of Na and O. Based on the Nd and Eu abundances, we report a tenuous detection of $r$-process dispersion that is dependent on the generation and element. Based on a log-likelihood dispersion study accounting for measurement errors, Nd has an intrinsic first generation abundance spread of $σ_{1G}(\text{Nd}) = 0.15_{-0.07}^{+0.10}$ and an $2σ$ upper limit on the second generation spread of $σ_{2G}(\text{Nd}) < 0.28$. The upper limits on the Eu intrinsic spread are $σ_{1G}(\text{Eu}) < 0.34$ and $σ_{2G}(\text{Eu}) < 0.16$. A potential dispersion implies the cluster gas was inhomogeneously polluted, either due to an event concurrent with the formation of the cluster or due to clouds of disparate composition that coalesced to form the cluster.

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arXiv2025

Estimating Fe and Mg Abundances in the Milky Way Dwarf Galaxies Using Subaru/HSC and DEIMOS

We investigate the chemical abundance distributions of the Fornax, Sculptor, Ursa Minor, and Draco dwarf galaxies using Subaru/HSC photometric data. The HSC dataset, which includes broadband g and i filters and the narrowband NB515 filter, offers sensitivity to iron and magnesium abundances as well as surface gravity, enabling the identification of giant stars and foreground dwarfs. For analysis, we selected a total of 6713 giant candidates using a Random Forest regressor trained on medium-resolution (R ~ 6000) Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopic data. Our analysis reveals the extent of radial metallicity gradients in the galaxies. Such trends, not detectable in earlier studies, are now captured owing to the substantially enlarged sample size and areal coverage provided by the HSC data. These results are also consistent with chemical abundance patterns previously observed in the central regions through spectroscopic studies. Furthermore, we infer that Fornax underwent extended star formation, whereas Sculptor formed both metal-poor and metal-rich stars over a shorter time. Ursa Minor and Draco appear to have experienced brief, intense star formation episodes leading to nearly extinguished star formation. This study underscores the critical role of the expanded HSC dataset in revealing chemical gradients that were previously inaccessible. Future work incorporating additional spectra of metal-poor stars and age-sensitive isochrone modeling will enable more accurate maps of chemical abundance distributions.

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arXiv2025

Discovery of a Weak CN Spectral Absorption Feature in Red Supergiant Stars in the Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33) Galaxies

Using Keck DEIMOS spectra of stars in the Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33) galaxies, selected from the large multi-band (near ultraviolet, visible light, and near infrared) Hubble Space Telescope surveys PHAT and PHATTER, respectively, we have identified a subset of stars that contain a previously unnoticed weak spectral absorption feature around 8000 Angstrom (0.8 micron). This absorption feature appears to be associated with the cyanogen (CN) molecule. Strong CN spectral absorption is a standard feature of carbon stars, which are thought to be intermediate mass (2-3 ~ M_sun) stars with C/O > 1 in the thermally-pulsating asymptotic giant branch phase of stellar evolution. However, the stars that are the focus of this paper are characterized by a weak version of this CN spectral absorption feature in a spectrum that is otherwise dominated by normal O-rich spectral absorption lines such as TiO and/or the Ca near infrared triplet. We have dubbed these stars "weak CN" stars. We present an automated method for identifying weak CN stars in M31 and M33, and examine their photometric properties in relation to model isochrones and stellar tracks. We find that weak CN stars tend to be fairly localized in color-magnitude space, and appear to be red supergiant stars with masses ranging from 5-10 M_sun, overall lifetimes of about 40-50 Myr, and currently in the core He burning phase of stellar evolution.

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arXiv2025

A Spectroscopic Survey of Metal-Poor OB Stars in Local Dwarf Galaxy NGC 3109

As JWST uncovers increasingly strong evidence that metal-poor, massive stars in early galaxies dominated reionization, observational constraints on the properties of such stars are more relevant than ever before. However, spectra of individual O- and B-type stars are rare at the relevant metallicities ($\lesssim 0.2$ $Z_\odot$), leaving models of stellar evolution and ionizing flux poorly constrained by data in this regime. We present new medium-resolution ($R\sim 4000)$ Keck/DEIMOS optical spectra of 17 OB stars in the local low-metallicity ($0.12$ $Z_\odot$) dwarf galaxy NGC 3109. We assign spectral types to the stars and present new criteria for selecting O stars using optical and NUV photometry from Hubble Space Telescope imaging. We fit the spectra and photometry with grids of stellar atmosphere models to measure stellar temperatures, surface gravities, luminosities, radii, and masses. We find evidence of strong mass loss via radiation-driven stellar winds in two O stars, one of which is the hottest, youngest, and most massive star confirmed in the host galaxy to date. Though its spectrum does not meet conventional Wolf-Rayet spectral classification criteria, this metal-poor O If star produces strong He II 4686 emission and its evolutionary status is ambiguous. This work nearly doubles the number of OB stars with measured parameters in NGC 3109, including ten stars with no previously reported parameters, four with no published spectroscopy, and four binary candidates. This large sample of OB stellar parameters provides a new observational testbed to constrain the stellar astrophysics that drove cosmic reionization and influenced the evolution of the earliest galaxies.

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arXiv2025

An analytical galactic chemical evolution model with gas inflow and a terminal wind

We present a new analytical galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model with gas inflow, internally caused outflow, and extra gas loss after a period of time. The latter mimics the ram pressure stripping of a dwarf satellite galaxy near the pericenter of its orbit around a host galaxy. The new model is called Inflow with Ram Pressure Stripping (IRPS). We fit the $α$-element ([$α$/H]) distributions of the Draco, Sculptor, Fornax, Leo II, Leo I, and And XVIII dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We compared the best fits of IRPS with four other GCE models. The IRPS fits half of the galaxies in our set better than the Leaky Box, Pre-enriched, Accretion, and Ram Pressure Stripping models. Unlike previous models, none of the IRPS model parameters -- not even the effective yield -- correlates with galaxy properties, like luminosity. One of the IRPS parameters is the $α$-abundance at which stripping began. That parameter can override the effective yield in determining the galaxy's mean $α$-abundance.

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arXiv2025

Neutron-capture Element Abundances of 491 Stars in Milky Way Dwarf Satellite Galaxies from Medium-Resolution Spectra

The chemical compositions of evolved stars in Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) provide insight into the galaxy's past star formation and nucleosynthesis. Neutron-capture element abundances are especially interesting. In particular, s-process elements can provide a third chemical clock for resolving star formation histories in addition to core collapse and Type Ia supernovae. Likewise, the primary sites of the r-process are still areas of extensive research. Until now, the number of stars with neutron-capture element abundances in dSphs has been limited by the need for stars bright enough for high-resolution spectroscopy. We present abundance measurements of the neutron-capture elements Sr, Y, Ba, and Eu with errors < 0.4 dex - as well as new measurements of Mg - in 491 stars in Sculptor, Fornax, Draco, Sextans, and Ursa Minor. The large number of stars in our sample is possible because we used medium-resolution spectra from the DEIMOS spectrograph, assembling the largest homogeneous set of neutron-capture abundances in dwarf spheroidal galaxies to date. By utilizing the abundances of both s- and r-process elements, we find evidence of an s-process contribution at early times in Sculptor from our measurements of [Ba/Fe]. This is a potential signature of s-process nucleosynthesis in fast-rotating massive stars. By comparing our measurements of [Eu/Fe] with [Mg/Fe], we show the need for an r-process source that has a short delay time to enrich stars in the dSphs. Thus, neutron star mergers are likely not the sole source of r-process material in dSphs.

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arXiv2025

The structure of the stellar halo of the Andromeda galaxy explored with the NB515 for Subaru/HSC. I.: New Insights on the stellar halo up to 120 kpc

We analyse the M31 halo and its substructure within a projected radius of 120 kpc using a combination of Subaru/HSC $\textit{NB515}$ and CFHT/MegaCam $\textit{g}$- \& $\textit{i}$-bands. We succeed in separating M31's halo stars from foreground contamination with $\sim$ 90 \% accuracy by using the surface gravity sensitive $\textit{NB515}$ filter. Based on the selected M31 halo stars, we discover three new substructures, which associate with the Giant Southern Stream (GSS) based on their photometric metallicity estimates. We also produce the distance and photometric metallicity estimates for the known substructures. While these quantities for the GSS are reproduced in our study, we find that the North-Western stream shows a steeper distance gradient than found in an earlier study, suggesting that it is likely to have formed in an orbit closer to the Milky Way. For two streams in the eastern halo (Stream C and D), we identify distance gradients that had not been resolved. Finally, we investigate the global halo photometric metallicity distribution and surface brightness profile using the $\textit{NB515}$-selected halo stars. We find that the surface brightness of the metal-poor and metal-rich halo populations, and the all population can be fitted to a power-law profile with an index of $α=-1.65\pm0.02$, $-2.82\pm0.01$, and $-2.44\pm0.01$, respectively. In contrast to the relative smoothness of the halo profile, its photometric metallicity distribution appears to be spatially non-uniform with nonmonotonic trends with radius, suggesting that the halo population had insufficient time to dynamically homogenize the accreted populations.

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arXiv2024

Eridanus III and DELVE 1: Carbon-rich Primordial Star Clusters or the Smallest Dwarf Galaxies?

We present spectroscopy of the ultra-faint Milky Way satellites Eridanus III (Eri III) and DELVE 1. We identify eight member stars in each satellite and place non-constraining upper limits on their velocity and metallicity dispersions. The brightest star in each object is very metal-poor, at [Fe/H] = -3.1 for Eri III and [Fe/H] = -2.8 for DELVE 1. Both of these stars exhibit large overabundances of carbon and very low abundances of the neutron-capture elements Ba and Sr, and we classify them as CEMP-no stars. Because their metallicities are well below those of the Milky Way globular cluster population, and because no CEMP-no stars have been identified in globular clusters, these chemical abundances could suggest that Eri III and DELVE 1 are dwarf galaxies. On the other hand, the two systems have half-light radii of 8 pc and 6 pc, respectively, which is more compact than any known ultra-faint dwarfs. We conclude that Eri III and DELVE 1 are either the smallest dwarf galaxies yet discovered, or they are representatives of a new class of star clusters that underwent chemical evolution distinct from that of ordinary globular clusters. In the latter scenario, such objects are likely the most primordial star clusters surviving today. These possibilities can be distinguished by future measurements of carbon and/or iron abundances for larger samples of stars or improved stellar kinematics for the two systems.

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arXiv2024

Kinematics and metallicity of the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Andromeda XVIII

Andromeda XVIII is an isolated dwarf galaxy 579 kpc away from the nearest large galaxy, M31. It is a candidate "backsplash galaxy" that might have been affected by a close passage to M31. We present new Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopy of Andromeda XVIII to assess the likelihood that it is a backsplash galaxy. We estimated the velocities, metallicities ([Fe/H]), and $α$-enhancements ([$α$/Fe]) for 56 probable members. Based on the abundances of 38 stars with low errors ($δ[Fe/H] < 0.3$), parameters for the simplest chemical evolution models were estimated using the maximum likelihood coupled with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. The metallicity distribution is inconsistent with these models, due to a sharp metal-rich cutoff. We estimated Andromeda XVIII's mean heliocentric velocity, rotation velocity, position angle of the rotation axis, and velocity dispersion using the maximum likelihood coupled with an MCMC. There is no evidence for bulk rotation, though subpopulations might be rotating. The mean heliocentric velocity is -337.2 km s$^{-1}$, such that the line-of-sight velocity relative to M31 is lower than the escape velocity from M31. Together, the metallicity distribution and the mean velocity are consistent with a sudden interruption of star formation. For possible causes of this quenching, we considered gas loss due to ram pressure stripping during a close passage by M31 or due to a past major merger. However, we cannot rule out internal feedback (i.e., a terminal wind).

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arXiv2024

KBSS-InCLOSE I: Design and First Results from the Inner CGM of QSO Line Of Sight Emitting Galaxies at z~2-3

We present the design and first results of the Inner Circumgalactic Medium (CGM) of QSO Line of Sight Emitting galaxies at $z\sim 2-3$, KBSS-InCLOSE. The survey will connect galaxy properties (e.g., stellar mass $M_*$, interstellar medium ISM metallicity) with the physical conditions of the inner CGM (e.g., kinematics, metallicity) to directly observe the galaxy-scale baryon cycle. We obtain deep Keck/KCWI optical IFU pointings of Keck Baryonic Structure Survey (KBSS) QSOs to discover new star-forming galaxies at small projected distances $b\lesssim12"$ (98 kpc, $\overline{z}=2.3$), then obtain follow-up Keck/MOSFIRE NIR spectra to confirm their redshifts. We leverage KBSS images and Keck/HIRES QSO spectra to model stellar populations and inner CGM absorption. In this paper, we analyze two QSO fields and discover more than 15 new galaxies with KCWI, then use MOSFIRE for two galaxies Q2343-G1 ($z=2.43$; G1) and Q2233-N1 ($z=3.15$; N1), which are both associated with Damped Lyman Alpha absorbers. We find that G1 has typical $M_*$,UV/optical emission properties. N1 has lower $M_*$ with very strong nebular emission. We jointly analyze neutral phase CGM and ionized ISM in N/O (for the first time at this $z$), dust extinction, and high-ionization CGM finding that: G1's CGM is metal poor and less evolved than its ISM, while N1's CGM and ISM abundances are comparable; their CGM shows $\sim1$ dex less dust extinction than the ISM; and G1's CGM has direct evidence of hot, metal-rich galactic outflow ejecta. These findings support that metals and dust are driven into the CGM from outflows, but may also be e.g., stripped ISM gas or satellite enrichment. The full KBSS-InCLOSE sample will explore these scenarios.

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arXiv2024

LAMOST J1010+2358 is not a Pair-Instability Supernova Relic

The discovery of a star formed out of pair-instability supernova ejecta would have massive implications for the Population III star initial mass function and the existence of stars over 100 Msun, but none have yet been found. Recently, the star LAMOST J1010+2358 was claimed to be a star that formed out of gas enriched by a pair-instability supernova. We present a non-LTE abundance analysis of a new high-resolution Keck/HIRES spectrum of J1010+2358. We determined the carbon and aluminum abundances needed to definitively distinguish between enrichment by a pair-instability and core-collapse supernova. Our new analysis demonstrates that J1010+2358 does not have the unique abundance pattern of a a pair-instability supernova, but was instead enriched by the ejecta of a low mass core-collapse supernova. Thus, there are still no known stars displaying unambiguous signatures of pair-instability supernovae.

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arXiv2024

Stellar Models are Reliable at Low Metallicity: An Asteroseismic Age for the Ancient Very Metal-Poor Star KIC 8144907

Very metal-poor stars ([Fe/H]<-2) are important laboratories for testing stellar models and reconstructing the formation history of our galaxy. Asteroseismology is a powerful tool to probe stellar interiors and measure ages, but few asteroseismic detections are known in very metal-poor stars and none have allowed detailed modeling of oscillation frequencies. We report the discovery of a low-luminosity Kepler red giant (KIC 8144907) with high S/N oscillations, [Fe/H]=-2.66+/-0.08 and [alpha/Fe]=0.38+/-0.06, making it by far the most metal-poor star to date for which detailed asteroseismic modeling is possible. By combining the oscillation spectrum from Kepler with high-resolution spectroscopy we measure an asteroseismic mass and age of 0.79+/-0.02(ran)+/-0.01(sys) Msun and 12.0+/-0.6(ran)+/-0.4(sys) Gyr, with remarkable agreement across different codes and input physics, demonstrating that stellar models and asteroseismology are reliable for very metal-poor stars when individual frequencies are used. The results also provide a direct age anchor for the early formation of the Milky Way, implying that substantial star formation did not commence until redshift z~3 (if the star formed in-situ) or that the Milky Way has undergone merger events for at least ~12 Gyr (if the star was accreted by a dwarf satellite merger such as Gaia Enceladus).

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arXiv2024

Uncertainty of line-of-sight velocity measurement of faint stars from low and medium resolution optical spectra

Massively multiplexed spectrographs will soon gather large statistical samples of stellar spectra. The accurate estimation of uncertainties on derived parameters, such as line-of-sight velocity $v_\mathrm{los}$, especially for spectra with low signal-to-noise ratios, is paramount. We generated an ensemble of simulated optical spectra of stars as if they were observed with low- and medium-resolution fiber-fed instruments on an 8-meter class telescope, similar to the Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph, and determined $v_\mathrm{los}$ by fitting stellar templates to the simulations. We compared the empirical errors of the derived parameters -- calculated from an ensemble of simulations -- to the asymptotic error determined from the Fisher matrix, as well as from Monte Carlo sampling of the posterior probability. We confirm that the uncertainty of $v_\mathrm{los}$ scales with the inverse square root of $S/N$, but also show how this scaling breaks down at low $S/N$ and analyze the error and bias caused by template mismatch. We outline a computationally optimized algorithm to fit multi-exposure data and provide the mathematical model of stellar spectrum fitting that maximizes the so called significance, which allows for calculating the error from the Fisher matrix analytically. We also introduce the effective line count, and provide a scaling relation to estimate the error of $v_\mathrm{los}$ measurement based on the stellar type. Our analysis covers a range of stellar types with parameters that are typical of the Galactic outer disk and halo, together with analogs of stars in M31 and in satellite dwarf spheroidal galaxies around the Milky Way.

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arXiv2024

Triangulum IV: A Possible Ultra-Diffuse Satellite of M33

We report the detection of a dwarf satellite candidate (Triangulum IV: Tri IV) of the Triangulum galaxy (M33) using the deep imaging of Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). From the apparent magnitude of the horizontal branch in Tri IV, the heliocentric distance of Tri IV is estimated to be $932^{+49}_{-43}$ kpc, indicating that Tri IV is located at the distance of $75^{+48}_{-40}$ kpc from the M33 center. This means that Tri IV is the probable satellite of M33, because its distance from M33 is within the virial radius of M33. We also estimate its surface brightness of $μ_{\it V} = 29.72^{+0.10}_{-0.10}$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, and half-light radius of $r_h = 1749^{+523}_{-425}$ pc, suggesting that Tri IV is an ultra-diffuse galaxy or dynamically heated galaxy. The surface brightness of Tri IV is too low to be detected in the previous survey, so this detection suggests that much fainter satellites may be present in the outskirts of M33.

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arXiv2024

Elemental Abundances in And XIX From Coadded Spectra

With a luminosity similar to that of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal (dSph) systems like Sextans, but a spatial extent similar to that of ultradiffuse galaxies (UDGs), Andromeda (And) XIX is an unusual satellite of M31. To investigate the origin of this galaxy, we measure chemical abundances for AndXIX derived from medium-resolution (R$\sim$6000) spectra from Keck II/DEIMOS. We coadd 79 red giant branch stars, grouped by photometric metallicity, in order to obtain a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) to measure 20 [Fe/H] and [$α$/Fe] abundances via spectral synthesis. The latter are the first such measurements for AndXIX. The mean metallicity we derive for AndXIX places it $\sim2σ$ higher than the present-day stellar mass-metallicity relation for Local Group dwarf galaxies, potentially indicating it has experienced tidal stripping. A loss of gas and associated quenching during such a process, which prevents the extended star formation necessary to produce shallow [$α$/Fe]--[Fe/H] gradients in massive systems, is also consistent with the steeply decreasing [$α$/Fe]--[Fe/H] trend we observe. In combination with the diffuse structure and disturbed kinematic properties of AndXIX, this suggests tidal interactions, rather than galaxy mergers, are strong contenders for its formation.

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arXiv2024

Metals in Star-Forming Galaxies with KCWI. I. Methodology and First Results on the Abundances of Iron, Magnesium, and Oxygen

Understanding the chemical enrichment of different elements is crucial to gaining a complete picture of galaxy chemical evolution. In this study, we present a new sample of 46 low-redshift, low-mass star-forming galaxies at $M_*\sim 10^{8-10}M_{\odot}$ along with two quiescent galaxies at $M_*\sim 10^{8.8}M_{\odot}$ observed with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI), aiming to investigate the chemical evolution of galaxies in the transition zone between Local Group satellites and massive field galaxies. We develop a novel method to simultaneously determine stellar abundances of iron and magnesium in star-forming galaxies. With the gas-phase oxygen abundance (O/H)$_{\rm g}$ measured using the strong line method, we are able to make the first-ever apples-to-apples comparison of $α$ elements in the stars and the ISM. We find that the [Mg/H]$_*$-[O/H]$_{\rm g}$ relation is much tighter than the [Fe/H]$_*$-[O/H]$_{\rm g}$ relation, which can be explained by the similar production processes of $α$ elements. Most galaxies in our sample exhibit higher [O/H]$_{\rm g}$ than [Fe/H]$_*$ and [Mg/H]$_*$. In addition, we construct mass-metallicity relations (MZRs) measured as three different elements (Fe$_*$, Mg$_*$, O$_{\rm g}$). Compared to the gas O-MZR, the stellar Fe- and Mg-MZRs show larger scatter driven by variations in specific star formation rates (sSFR), with star-forming galaxies exhibiting higher sSFR and lower stellar abundances at fixed mass. The excess of [O/H]$_{\rm g}$ compared to stellar abundances as well as the anti-correlation between sSFR and stellar abundance suggests that galaxy quenching of intermediate-mass galaxies at $M_*\sim 10^{8-10}M_{\odot}$ is primarily driven by starvation.

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arXiv2024

Detection of a Spatially Extended Stellar Population in M33: A Shallow Stellar Halo?

We analyze the outer regions of M33, beyond 15 kpc in projected distance from its center using Subaru/HSC multi-color imaging. We identify Red Giant Branch (RGB) stars and Red Clump (RC) stars using the surface gravity sensitive $NB515$ filter for the RGB sample, and a multi-color selection for both samples. We construct the radial surface density profile of these RGB and RC stars, and find that M33 has an extended stellar population with a shallow power-law index of $α> -3$, depending on the intensity of the contamination. This result represents a flatter profile than the stellar halo which has been detected by the previous study focusing on the central region, suggesting that M33 may have a double-structured halo component, i.e. inner/outer halos or a very extended disk. Also, the slope of this extended component is shallower than those typically found for halos in large galaxies, implying intermediate-mass galaxies may have different formation mechanisms (e.g., tidal interaction) from large spirals. We also analyze the radial color profile of RC/RGB stars, and detect a radial gradient, consistent with the presence of an old and/or metal-poor population in the outer region of M33, thereby supporting our proposal that the stellar halo extends beyond 15 kpc. Finally, we estimate that the surface brightness of this extended component is $μ_{\it V} = 35.72 \pm 0.08$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$. If our detected component is the stellar halo, this estimated value is consistent with the detection limit of previous observations.

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arXiv2024

Chemo-dynamical Evolution of Simulated Satellites for a Milky Way-like Galaxy

The chemical abundances of Milky Way's satellites reflect their star formation histories (SFHs), yet, due to the difficulty of determining the ages of old stars, the SFHs of most satellites are poorly measured. Ongoing and upcoming surveys will obtain around ten times more medium-resolution spectra for stars in satellites than are currently available. To correctly extract SFHs from large samples of chemical abundances, the relationship between chemical abundances and SFHs needs to be clarified. Here, we perform a high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy with detailed models of star formation, supernova feedback, and metal diffusion. We quantify SFHs, metallicity distribution functions, and the $α$-element (Mg, Ca, and Si) abundances in satellites of the host galaxy. We find that star formation in most simulated satellites is quenched before infalling to their host. Star formation episodes in simulated satellites are separated by a few hundred Myr owing to supernova feedback; each star formation event produces groups of stars with similar [$α$/Fe] and [Fe/H]. We then perform a mock observation of the upcoming Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) observations. We find that Subaru PFS will be able to detect distinct groups of stars in [$α$/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] space, produced by episodic star formation. This result means that episodic SFHs can be estimated from the chemical abundances of $\gtrsim$ 1,000 stars determined with medium-resolution spectroscopy.

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