Evidence for chemical evolution in spectra of high redshift galaxies

Using a sample of 57 VLT FORS spectra in the redshift range 1.37< z < 3.40 and a comparison sample with 36 IUE spectra of local ( ) starburst galaxies we derive CIV equivalent width values and estimate metallicities of starburst galaxies as a function of redshift. Assuming that a calibration of the CIV equivalent widths in terms of the metallicity based on the local sample of starburst galaxies is applicable to high-z objects, we find a significant increase of the average metallicities from about 0.16 Z _⊙ at the cosmic epoch corresponding to z ≈ 3.2 to about 0.42 Z _⊙ at z ≈ 2.3. A significant further increase in metallicity during later epochs cannot be detected in our data. Compared to the local starburst galaxies our high-redshift objects tend to be overluminous for a given metallicity. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Young nuclei in dwarf elliptical galaxies

We report the discovery of young embedded structures in three diffuse elliptical galaxies (dE) in the Virgo cluster: IC 783, IC 3468, and IC 3509. We performed 3D spectroscopic observations of these galaxies with the MPFS spectrograph at the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope and obtained spatially resolved distributions of kinematic and stellar population parameters by fitting high-resolution PEGASE. HR synthetic single stellar populations (SSP) in pixel space. In all three galaxies, the luminosity-weighted age of the nuclei (∼4 Gyr) is considerably younger than that of the population in the outer regions of the galaxies. We discuss two possibilities for the formation of such structures—a dissipative merger event and a different ram pressure stripping efficiency during two consecutive crossings of the Virgo cluster centre. The article was translated by the authors.     

Nuclear spectra of polar-ring galaxies

We report the results of spectroscopic observations of eight southern polar-ring galaxies (PRGs), in the wavelength range 5900–7300 Å. We find that five out of eight galaxies contain LINERs or Sy nuclei. Taking into consideration all PRGs with available spectral data, we estimate that about half of all PRGs and PRG candidates have either LINER or Seyfert nuclei. The observed widths of the [N  ii ] λ 6583 line in the nuclei of early-type PRGs follow the linewidth–absolute luminosity relation for normal E/S0 galaxies. We found that one of the observed galaxies – ESO 576-G69 – is a new kinematically-confirmed polar-ring galaxy with a spiral host.     

Understanding dwarf galaxies as galactic building blocks

This is a summary of a general discussion held during the third EuroConference on galaxy evolution. Various observational features of the stellar populations in present-day dwarf galaxies were presented to introduce the discussion on the possibility that these systems be the main building blocks of spiral and elliptical galaxies. Many people in the audience turned out to think that the inconsistencies among the observed properties of large and dwarf galaxies are too many to believe that the former are built up only by means of successive accretions of the latter. However, theorists of hierarchical galaxy formation suggested that present-day dwarfs are not representative of the galactic building blocks, which may be completely invisible nowadays. Some of them suggested that, contrary to what is usually assumed in hierarchical modelling, the actual building blocks were still fully gaseous systems when their major mergers occurred. If this is the case, then most of the inconsistencies can be overcome, and the scenario of hierarchical galaxy formation becomes not too different from that of a slow gas accretion. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The evolution of disk galaxies in clusters

We are carrying out a programme to measure the evolution of the stellar and dynamical masses and M/L ratios for a sizeable sample of morphologically-classified disk galaxies in rich galaxy clusters at 0.2 < z < 0.9. Using FORS2 at the VLT we are obtaining rotation curves for the cluster spirals so that their Tully-Fisher relation can be studied as a function of redshift and compared with that of field spirals. We already have rotation curves for ∼ 10 cluster spirals at z = 0.83, and 25 field spirals at lower redshifts and we plan to increase this sample by one order of magnitude. We present here the first results of our study, and discuss the implications of our data in the context of current ideas and models of galaxy formation and evolution. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Search for and study of extremely metal-deficient galaxies

We summarize the progress in identifying and observational study of extremely metal-deficient (XMD) gas-rich galaxies (BCGs, dIr and LSBDs). Due to volume limitation only the following issues are addressed: sample creation, some statistical data, Colour-Magnitude Diagrams (CMD) and ages, the case of SBS 0335–052 system, and probable evolution paths of various XMD objects. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Faint blue galaxy count and the dwarf population of starburst galaxies

The dwarf population of starburst galaxies is analyzed by the method of evolving population synthesis. The results show that the existence of an additional population can give a good fit to the available number counts and redshift surveys. These dwarf galaxies readily evolve into low surface brightness objects and become undetectable in our local neighbourhood.     

Determination of the dynamical structure of galaxies using optical spectra

Galaxy spectra are a rich source of kinematical information since the shapes of the absorption lines reflect the movement of stars along the line-of-sight. We present a technique with which to build directly a dynamical model for a galaxy by fitting model spectra, calculated from a dynamical model, to the observed galaxy spectra. Using synthetic spectra from a known galaxy model we demonstrate that this technique indeed recovers the essential dynamical characteristics of the galaxy model. Moreover, the method allows a statistically meaningful error analysis on the resulting dynamical quantities.     

The Mid-IR view of interacting galaxies

In this paper, we present ISOCAM mid-IR broad band images and spectraof three well known interacting galaxies. These are the prototypicalultraluminous IR galaxy Arp 220, and NGC 6240, which are classifiedas major mergers resulting from a collision of two disk galaxies ofapproximately equal mass, and the prime example of collisional ringgalaxies, the Cartwheel. Our observations provide a new powerful tooland shed some more light to the properties of the hot dust and starformation in interacting galaxies.     

On the question of radio emission of spiral galaxies in groups of galaxies

It has been shown that the radio emission properties of spiral galaxies, if the other conditions are the same, are determined rather by the presence of the close neighbours than by space density of galaxies around them. The rate of occurence of radio sources and their radio luminosities among the spiral members of groups of galaxies depend on the projected seperation between them and their nearest neighbour. The shorter this seperation the higher the probability of radio emission.     

Probing the Formation and Evolution of early-type galaxies: the SAURON project

We are conducting a systematic study of a carefully selected sampleof nearby E/S0 galaxies and Sa bulges using the unique panoramic integral-fieldspectrograph SAURON, mounted at the WHT. The goal of the SAURON projectis to fully map the gaseous/stellar kinematics and the stellar populations of a representative sample of 80 early-type galaxies up to 1 Re,probing different environments (clusters, field). These data, used in combination with existing ground-based and HST observations, and fed to the theoretical machinery we have developed, will allow to determine theintrinsic dynamical structure of the galaxies. We will also measure the masses of central black holes, relate the internal dynamics to the ageand metallicity of the stellar populations, and establish the historyof metal enrichment as a function of Hubble type and environment. Some brief results on two targets observed during the SAURON campaign will serve as an illustration of the unique and high quality data we are currently gathering. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Formation and evolution of disk galaxies

I review several of the current issues in the theory of disk galaxy formation. There is still much to be done, observationally and theoretically, before we can expect to approach an understanding of disk galaxies that is reliable enough to make robust predictions about the high redshift universe. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Chemical and dynamical evolution of spiral galaxies

We investigate the consequences of the hypothesis of the secular evolution (growth of the bulge from disc material via a bar and temporal evolution of the Hubble sequence) on the chemical evolution of a galaxy. We present the first dynamical and chemical results of our 3D tree-SPH simulations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

3D NIR spectroscopy at subarcsecond resolution

We present a scientific case approached through high quality 3D NIR spectroscopy performed with CIRPASS, attached to the Gemini South telescope. A binary mass concentration at the nucleus of the galaxy M 83 was suggested by Thatte et al. [A&A 364 (2000) L47] and Mast et al. [BAAA 45 (2002) 98. Astroph#0505264] determined the possible position of the hidden secondary mass concentration with 2D H-alpha kinematics. The preliminary results of the NIR study presented here are based in almost 1500 spectra centered in the wavelength 1.3 μm, with a spectral resolving power of 3200. They allow us to unveil, with 0.36″ (6.4 pc) sampling and subarcsecond resolution, the velocity field in a region of 13″ × 9″ around the optical nucleus. We confirm that the optical nucleus is not located at the most important center of symmetry of the ionized gas velocity field. The largest black hole that could fit to the circular motion in this kinematic center should have a mass not larger than 3 × 10⁶(sin i)⁻¹ M solar masses.     

N-body simulations for testing the stability of triaxial galaxies in MOND

We perform a stability test of triaxial models in Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) using N -body simulations. The triaxial models considered here have densities that vary with   r ⁻¹  in the centre and   r ⁻⁴  at large radii. The total mass of the model varies from 10⁸ to  10¹⁰ M_⊙  , representing the mass scale of dwarfs to medium-mass elliptical galaxies, respectively, from deep MOND to quasi-Newtonian gravity. We build triaxial galaxy models using the Schwarzschild technique, and evolve the systems for 200 Keplerian dynamical times (at the typical length-scale of 1.0 kpc). We find that the systems are virial overheating, and in quasi-equilibrium with the relaxation taking approximately 5 Keplerian dynamical times (1.0 kpc). For all systems, the change of the inertial (kinetic) energy is less than 10 per cent (20 per cent) after relaxation. However, the central profile of the model is flattened during the relaxation and the (overall) axis ratios change by roughly 10 per cent within 200 Keplerian dynamical times (at 1.0 kpc) in our simulations. We further find that the systems are stable once they reach the equilibrium state.     

The correlation between the local density of galaxies and the presence of Gamma‐Ray Bursts

In order to explore the characteristics of the environment surrounding Gamma‐Ray Bursts (GRBs), we have studied the correlation between the local density of galaxies and the presence of bursts. Using the Main Galaxy sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3 (SDSS DR3) and the Current BATSE GRB Catalog, we calculate the local surface density of galaxies within a radius of <2° surrounding each burst. It turns out that there is no correlation between the local density of galaxies and the presence of GRBs. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)