arXiv subjects

V. Luridiana

Publications and source records attributed to V. Luridiana.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Confidence levels of evolutionary synthesis models III: On sampling and Poissonian fluctuations

In terms of statistical fluctuations, stellar population synthesis models are only asymptotically correct in the limit of a large number of stars, where sampling errors become asymptotically small. When dealing with stellar clusters, starbursts, dwarf galaxies or stellar populations within pixels, sampling errors introduce a large dispersion in the predicted integrated properties of these populations. We present here an approximate but generic statistical formalism which allows a very good estimation of the uncertainties and confidence levels in any integrated property, bypassing extensive Monte Carlo simulations, and including the effects of partial correlations between different observables. Tests of the formalism are presented and compared with proper estimates. We derive the minimum mass of stellar populations which is required to reach a given confidence limit for a given integrated property. As an example of this general formalism, which can be included in any synthesis code, we apply it to the case of young (t < 20 Myr) starburst populations. We show that, in general, the UV continuum is more reliable than other continuum bands for the comparison of models with observed data. We also show that clusters where more than 10^5 Mo have been transformed into stars have a relative dispersion of about 10% in Q(He+) for ages smaller than 3 Myr. During the WR phase the dispersion increases to about 25% for such massive clusters. We further find that the most reliable observable for the determination of the WR population is the ratio of the luminosity of the WR bump over the Hbeta luminosity. A fraction of the observed scatter in the integrated properties of clusters and starbursts can be accounted for by sampling fluctuations.

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arXiv2001

Confidence limits of evolutionary synthesis models III. On time-integrated quantities

Evolutionary synthesis models are a fundamental tool to interpret the properties of observed stellar systems. In order to achieve a meaningful comparison between models and real data, it is necessary to calibrate the models themselves, i.e. to evaluate the dispersion due to the discreteness of star formation as well as the possible model errors. In this paper we show that linear interpolations in the log M - log t_k plane, that are customary in the evaluation of isochrones in evolutionary synthesis codes, produce unphysical results. We also show that some of the methods used in the calculation of time-integrated quantities (kinetic energy, and total ejected masses of different elements) may produce unrealistic results. We propose alternative solutions to solve both problems. Moreover, we have quantified the expected dispersion of these quantities due to stochastic effects in stellar populations. As a particular result, we show that the dispersion in the 14N/12C ratio increases with time.

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arXiv2001

The Structure and Star-Formation History of NGC 5461

We compute photoionization models for the giant extragalactic H II region NGC 5461, and compare their predictions to several observational constraints. Since we aim at reproducing not only the global properties of the region, but its local structure also, the models are constrained to reproduce the observed density profile, and our analysis takes into consideration the bias introduced by the shapes and sizes of the slits used by different observers. We find that an asymmetric nebula with a gaussian density distribution, powered by a young burst of 3.1 Myr, satisfactorily reproduces most of the constraints, and that the star-formation efficiency inferred from the model agrees with current estimates. Our results strongly depend on the assumed density law, since constant density models overestimate the hardness of the ionizing field, affecting the deduced properties of the central stellar cluster. We illustrate the features of our best model, and discuss the possible sources of errors and uncertainties affecting the outcome of this type of studies.

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arXiv2001

Confidence limits of SN, Kinetic Energy and chemical yields in evolutionary synthesis models

When evolutionary synthesis models take into account the stochastic nature of the IMF together with the discrete number of stars in real stellar clusters, typical output turns to dispersion band (where real data can be placed) instead of narrow lines. We present here a qualitative analysis of such dispersion in the SN rate, the kinetic energy and the 14N/12C ratio for different amounts of mass transformed into stars.

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arXiv2000

Confidence levels of evolutionary synthesis models

The stochastic nature of the IMF in young stellar clusters implies that clusters of the same mass and age do not present the same unique values of their observed parameters. Instead they follow a distribution. We address the study of such distributions, parameterised in terms of their confidence limits, in evolutionary synthesis models. These confidence limits can be understood as the inherent uncertainties of the synthesis models. Here we concentrate on some parameters such as EW(Hb) in emission. For instance, we show that for a cluster where 10^5 Mo have been transformed into stars, the dispersion of EW(Hb) is about 18% within the 90% confidence levels at ages between 3.5 and 5 Myrs.

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arXiv2000

Energy implications of temperature fluctuations in photoionized plasma

We quantify the energy radiated through all the collisionally excited lines in a photoionized nebula which is permeated by temperature fluctuations. We assume that these correspond to hot spots which are the results of an unknown heating process distinct from the photoelectric heating. We consider all the effects of using a higher mean temperature (as compared to the equilibrium temperature) due to the fluctuations not only on each emission line but also on the ionization state of the gas. If this yet unknown process was to radiate a fixed amount of energy, we find that the fluctuations should correlate with metallicity Z when it exceeds 0.7 solar. The excess energy radiated in the lines as a result of the fluctuations is found to scale proportionally to their amplitude t^2. When referred to the total energy absorbed through photoionization, the excess energy is comparable in magnitude to t^2.

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