arXiv subjects

Ricardo P. Schiavon

Publications and source records attributed to Ricardo P. Schiavon.

96 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Population Synthesis in the Blue II. The Spectroscopic Age of 47 Tucanae

We develop a new set of models for intermediate-metallicity single stellar populations in the blue/optical region and use those models to determine the spectroscopic age of 47 Tuc. The models are based on a moderately high-resolution (1.8 A FWHM) empirical spectral library, state-of-the-art theoretical isochrones from M. Salaris and the most recent set from the Padova group, and new semi-empirical calibrations between fundamental stellar parameters and observables. We highlight the importance of correctly modeling the luminosity function (LF) of the cluster at the level of the giant branch, in order to achieve a good reproduction of the integrated spectrum; agreement between the spectroscopic age and the age based on the cluster's color-magnitude diagram (CMD) is achieved only if the observed LF is used rather than the theoretical ones, which either do not include AGB stars (Salaris) or underpredict the total number counts of bright giants in the cluster by a factor of two(Padova). After all corrections are made, the CMD and the spectroscopic ages (from Hgamma and Hbeta) are in close agreement: 11--12 Gyrs for Salaris isochrones and about 13 Gyrs for Padova. The difference between the model ages is due to the inclusion of atomic diffusion in the Salaris models. Previously older spectroscopic ages were due to the underestimate of the number of red giants and/or the use of isochrones that neglected the effects of He-diffusion and alpha-enhancement. A similar underestimate in the bright giant LF, if it exists in current super-solar metallicity models, would cause spectroscopic ages of elliptical galaxies inferred from such models to be too high by approximately 30%.

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arXiv2001

Are There Blue, Massive E/S0s at z < 1 ?: Kinematics of Blue Spheroidal Galaxy Candidates

Several recent studies find that 10 - 50% of morphologically selected field early-type galaxies at redshifts z <= 1 have blue colors indicative of recent star formation. Such ``blue spheroids''might be massive early-type galaxies with active star formation, perhaps induced by recent merger events. Alternatively, they could be starbursting, low-mass spheroids. To distinguish between these two choices, we have selected 10 ``Blue Spheroid Candidates'' (hereafter, BSCs) from a quantitatively selected E/S0 sample and studied their properties, including kinematics from Keck spectra obtained as part of the DEEP Groth Strip Survey (GSS). Most BSCs (70%) turn out to belong to two broad categories, while the remaining objects are likely to be misclassified objects. Type-1 BSCs have underlying red stellar components with bluer inner components. Type-2 BSCs do not show an obvious sign of the underlying red stellar component, and their overall colors are quite blue ((U-B)_rest < 0). Both Type-1 and Type-2 BSCs have internal velocity dispersions measured from emission lines sigma < 80$ km/sec and estimated dynamical masses of only a few times 10^10 M_sun or less. For Type-1 BSCs, we estimate sigma of the red component using the fundamental plane relation of distant field absorption-line galaxies and find that these sigma estimates are similar to the sigma measured from emission lines. Overall, we conclude that our Type-1 and Type-2 BSCs are more likely to be star-forming low mass spheroids than star-forming, massive, early-type galaxies.

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arXiv1999

Near-infrared Spectral Features in Single-aged Stellar Populations

Synthetic spectra for single-aged stellar populations of metallicities [M/H] = -0.5, 0.0 and +0.5, ages = 3 to 17 Gyrs, and initial mass function exponents x = 0.1 to 2.0 were built in the wavelength range 6000-10200 Angstrons. For such we have employed the grid of synthetic spectra described in Schiavon & Barbuy (1999), computed for the stellar parameters 2500 <= Teff <= 6000 K, -0.5 <= log g <= 5.0, [M/H] = -0.5, 0.0 and +0.5, and [alpha/Fe] = 0.0, together with the isochrones by Bertelli et al. (1994) and Baraffe et al. (1998). The behavior of the features NaI8190, CaII8662, TiO6600 and FeH9900 in the integrated spectra of single stellar populations were studied in terms of metallicity, initial mass function and age variations. The main conclusions are that the NaI doublet is an IMF-sensitive feature, which is however sensitive also to metallicity and age, whereas TiO, CaII and FeH are very sensitive to metallicity and essentially insensitive to IMF and age.

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arXiv1998

The Temperature Scale of Metal-Rich M Giants Based on TiO Bands: Population Synthesis in the Near Infrared

We have computed a grid of high resolution synthetic spectra for cool stars (2500<Teff<6000 K) in the wavelength range 6000 -- 10200A, by employing an updated line list of atomic and molecular lines, together with state-of-the-art model atmospheres. As a by-product, by fitting TiO bandheads in spectra of well-known M giants, we have derived the electronic oscillator strengths of the TiO gamma prime, delta, epsilon and phi systems. The derived oscillator strenghts for the gamma prime, epsilon and phi systems differ from the laboratory and ab initio values found in the literature, but are consistent with the model atmospheres and line lists employed, resulting in a good match to the observed spectra of M giants of known parameters. The behavior of TiO bands as a function of the stellar parameters Teff, log g and [Fe/H] is presented and the use of TiO spectral indices in stellar population studies is discussed.

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arXiv1997

The FeH Wing-Ford Band in Spectra of M Stars

We study the FeH Wing-Ford band at 9850 - 10200 Angstrons by means of the fit of synthetic spectra to the observations of M stars, employing recent model atmospheres. On the basis of the spectrum synthesis, we analyze the dependence of the band upon atmospheric parameters. FeH lines are a very sensitive surface gravity indicator, being stronger in dwarfs. They are also sensitive to metallicity (Allard & Hauschildt 1995). The blending with CN lines, which are stronger in giants, does not affect the response of the Wing-Ford band to surface gravity at low resolution (or high velocity dispersions) because CN lines, which are spread all along the spectrum, are smeared out at convolutions of FWHM $\simgreat$ 3 Angstrons. We conclude that the Wing-Ford band is a suitable dwarf/giant indicator for the study of composite stellar populations.

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arXiv1996

The Near Infrared NaI Doublet Feature in M Stars

The NaI near-infrared doublet has been used to indicate the dwarf/giant population in composite systems, but its interpretation is still a contentious issue. In order to understand the behaviour of this controversial feature, we study the observed and synthetic spectra of cool stars. We conclude that the NaI infrared feature can be used as a dwarf/giant discriminator. We propose a modified definition of the NaI index by locating the red continuum at 8234 angstrons and by measuring the equivalent width in the range 8172-8197 angstrons, avoiding the region at lambda > 8197 angstrons, which contains VI, ZrI, FeI and TiO lines. We also study the dependence of this feature on stellar atmospheric parameters.

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