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arXiv 0909.2050astro-ph.CO
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ULIRGs中的恒星星族分布:对气体流入时标的影响

Stellar Population Gradients in ULIRGs: Implications for Gas Inflow Timescales

Kurt T. Soto, Crystal L. Martin

摘要:

利用超铝红外星系团(ULIRGs)的长缝光谱,测量了星系合并过程中恒星形成强度的演化。在个别星系,我们解决kpc尺度允许比较的核心,内部磁盘,和外部磁盘。我们发现,β吸收线的强度随着距离合并中心的投影距离而增加,通常在10 kpc附近达到约9埃。在这样的半径上,恒星形成强度在3亿~ 4亿年前一定迅速降低;只有质量小于A型的恒星星族才会产生如此强的巴耳末吸收。相比之下,我们发现中心kpc的恒星形成历史与连续的恒星形成相一致。我们的测量结果表明,气体耗尽发生从外盘向内的主要合并。这一结果与合并引起的气体流入一致,并根据经验限制了气体流入的时间尺度。数值模拟可以准确计算出下落气体的总量,但通常假设下落的时间尺度。因此,这些新的测量是模拟合并引起的恒星形成和活动星系核活动的核心。

英文摘要:

Using longslit, optical spectra of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs), we measure the evolution in the star-formation intensity during galactic mergers. In individual galaxies, we resolve kpc scales allowing comparison of the nucleus, inner disk, and outer disk. We find that the strength of the Hbeta absorption line increases with the projected distance from the center of the merger, typically reaching about 9 Angstrom around 10 kpc. At these radii, the star formation intensity must have rapidly decreased about 300-400 Myr ago; only stellar populations deficient in stars more massive than Type A produce such strong Balmer absorption. In contrast, we find the star formation history in the central kpc consistent with continuous star formation. Our measurements indicate that gas depletion occurs from the outer disk inwards during major mergers. This result is consistent with merger-induced gas inflow and empirically constrains the gas inflow timescale. Numerical simulations accurately calculate the total amount of infalling gas but often assume the timescale for infall. These new measurements are therefore central to modeling merger-induced star formation and AGN activity.

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