A robust statistical estimation of the basic parameters of single stellar populations – I. Method

The colour–magnitude diagrams of resolved single stellar populations, such as open and globular clusters, have provided the best natural laboratories to test stellar evolution theory. Whilst a variety of techniques have been used to infer the basic properties of these simple populations, systematic uncertainties arise from the purely geometrical degeneracy produced by the similar shape of isochrones of different ages and metallicities. Here we present an objective and robust statistical technique which lifts this degeneracy to a great extent through the use of a key observable: the number of stars along the isochrone. Through extensive Monte Carlo simulations we show that, for instance, we can infer the four main parameters (age, metallicity, distance and reddening) in an objective way, along with robust confidence intervals and their full covariance matrix. We show that systematic uncertainties due to field contamination, unresolved binaries, initial or present-day stellar mass function are either negligible or well under control. This technique provides, for the first time, a proper way to infer with unprecedented accuracy the fundamental properties of simple stellar populations, in an easy-to-implement algorithm.     

Evolutionary stellar population synthesis at high spectral resolution: optical wavelengths

We present the single stellar population (SSP) synthesis results of our new synthetic stellar atmosphere models library with a spectral sampling of 0.3 Å, covering the wavelength range from 3000 to 7000 Å for a wide range of metallicities (twice solar, solar, half solar and 1/10 solar). The stellar library is composed of 1650 spectra computed with the latest improvements in stellar atmospheres. In particular, it incorporates non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) line-blanketed models for hot  ( T _eff≥ 27 500 K)  , and LTE line-blanketed models (Phoenix) for cool  (3000 ≤ T _eff≤ 4500 K)  stars. Because of the high spectral resolution of this library, evolutionary synthesis models can be used to predict the strength of numerous weak absorption lines and the evolution of the profiles of the strongest lines over a wide range of ages. The SSP results have been calculated for ages from 1 Myr to 17 Gyr using the stellar evolutionary tracks provided by the Geneva and Padova groups. For young stellar populations, our results have a very detailed coverage of high-temperature stars with similar results for the Padova and Geneva isochrones. For intermediate and old stellar populations, our results, once degraded to a lower resolution, are similar to the ones obtained by other groups (limitations imposed by the stellar evolutionary physics notwidthstanding). The limitations and advantages of our models for the analysis of integrated populations are described. The full set of the stellar library and the evolutionary models are available for retrieval at the websites http://www.iaa.csic.es/~rosa and http://www.iaa.csic.es/~mcs/sed@ , or on request from the first two authors.     

Zero-metallicity stellar sources and the reionization epoch

We reconsider the problem of the cosmological reionization owing to stellar sources. Using a method similar to that developed by Haiman & Loeb, we investigate the effect of changing the stellar models and the stellar spectra adopted for deriving the ionizing photon production rate. In particular, we study the consequences of adopting zero-metallicity stars, which is the natural choice for the first stellar populations. We construct young isochrones representative of Population III stars from existing sets of evolutionary models (by Forieri and Cassisi & Castellani) and calculate a suitable library of zero-metallicity model atmospheres. The number of ionizing photons emitted by such a zero-metal population is about 40 per cent higher than that produced by standard metal-poor isochrones. We find that adopting suitable zero-metallicity models modifies the reionization epoch. However the latter is still largely affected by current uncertainties in other important physical processes such as the efficiency of the star formation and the fraction of escaping UV photons.     

PopStar I: evolutionary synthesis model description

We present new evolutionary synthesis models for simple stellar populations for a wide range of ages and metallicities. The models are based on the Padova isochrones. The core of the spectral library is provided by the medium resolution Lejeune et al. atmosphere models. These spectra are complemented by Non Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (NLTE) atmosphere models for hot stars that have an important impact on the stellar cluster's ionizing spectra: O, B and WR stellar spectra at the early ages, and spectra of post asymptotic giant branch stars and planetary nebulae, at intermediate and old ages. At young ages, our models compare well with other existing models, but we find that the inclusion of the nebular continuum, not considered in several other models, significantly reddens the integrated colours of very young stellar populations. This is consistent with the results of spectral synthesis codes particularly devised for the study of starburst galaxies. At intermediate and old ages, the agreement with the literature model is good and, in particular, we reproduce the observed colours of star clusters in Large Magellanic Cloud well. Given the ability to produce good integrated spectra from the far-ultraviolet to the infrared at any age, we consider that our models are particularly suited for the study of high-redshift galaxies. These models are available on the web site http://www.fractal-es.com/SEDmod.htm and also through the Virtual Observatory Tools on the PopStar server.     

The main sequence from F to K stars of the solar neighbourhood in SDSS colours

For an understanding of Galactic stellar populations in the SDSS filter system well defined stellar samples are needed. The nearby stars provide a complete stellar sample representative for the thin disc population. We compare the filter transformations of different authors applied to the main sequence stars from F to K dwarfs to SDSS filter system and discuss the properties of the main sequence. The location of the mean main sequence in colour‐magnitude diagrams is very sensitive to systematic differences in the filter transformation. A comparison with fiducial sequences of star clusters observed in g ′, r ′, and i ′ show good agreement. Theoretical isochrones from Padua and from Dartmouth have still some problems, especially in the (r – i) colours. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A polarimetric study of the B[e] star HD 45677

We aim to characterize the current status of knowledge on the accuracy of open-cluster parameters such as the age, reddening and distance. These astrophysical quantities are often used to study the global characteristics of the Milky Way down to the very local stellar phenomena. In general, the errors of these quantities are neglected or set to some kind of heuristic standard value. We attempt to give some realistic estimates for the accuracy of available cluster parameters by using the independently derived values published in the literature. In total, 6437 individual estimates for 395 open clusters were used in our statistical analysis. We discuss the error sources depending on theoretical as well as observational methods and compare our results with those parameters listed in the widely used catalogue by Dias et al. In addition, we establish a list of 72 open clusters with the most accurate known parameters which should serve as a standard table in the future for testing isochrones and stellar models.     

The helium abundance and ΔY/ΔZ in lower main-sequence stars

We use nearby K dwarf stars to measure the helium-to-metal enrichment ratio  Δ Y /Δ Z   , a diagnostic of the chemical history of the solar neighbourhood. Our sample of K dwarfs has homogeneously determined effective temperatures, bolometric luminosities and metallicities, allowing us to fit each star to the appropriate stellar isochrone and determine its helium content indirectly. We use a newly computed set of Padova isochrones which cover a wide range of helium and metal content.
Our theoretical isochrones have been checked against a congruous set of main-sequence binaries with accurately measured masses, to discuss and validate their range of applicability. We find that the stellar masses deduced from the isochrones are usually in excellent agreement with empirical measurements. Good agreement is also found with empirical mass-luminosity relations.
Despite fitting the masses of the stars very well, we find that anomalously low helium content (lower than primordial helium) is required to fit the luminosities and temperatures of the metal-poor K dwarfs, while more conventional values of the helium content are derived for the stars around solar metallicity.
We have investigated the effect of diffusion in stellar models and the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) in deriving metallicities. Neither of these is able to resolve the low-helium problem alone and only marginally if the cumulated effects are included, unless we assume a mixing-length which is strongly decreasing with metallicity. Further work in stellar models is urgently needed.
The helium-to-metal enrichment ratio is found to be  Δ Y /Δ Z = 2.1 ± 0.9  around and above solar metallicity, consistent with previous studies, whereas open problems still remain at the lowest metallicities. Finally, we determine the helium content for a set of planetary host stars.     

The globular clusters–stellar haloes connection in early-type galaxies

This paper explores if, and to what an extent, the stellar populations of early-type galaxies can be traced through the colour distribution of their globular cluster (GC) systems. The analysis, based on a galaxy sample from the Virgo Advanced Camera for Surveys data, is an extension of a previous approach that has been successful in the cases of the giant ellipticals NGC 1399 and NGC 4486, and assumes that the two dominant GC populations form along diffuse stellar populations sharing the cluster chemical abundances and spatial distributions. The results show that (a) integrated galaxy colours can be matched to within the photometric uncertainties and are consistent with a narrow range of ages; (b) the inferred mass to luminosity ratios and stellar masses are within the range of values available in the literature; (c) most GC systems occupy a thick plane in the volume space defined by the cluster formation efficiency, total stellar mass and projected surface mass density. The formation efficiency parameter of the red clusters shows a dependency with projected stellar mass density that is absent for the blue globulars. In turn, the brightest galaxies appear clearly detached from that plane as a possible consequence of major past mergers; (d) the stellar mass–metallicity relation is relatively shallow but shows a slope change at   M _*≈ 10¹⁰ M_⊙  . Galaxies with smaller stellar masses show predominantly unimodal GC colour distributions. This result may indicate that less massive galaxies are not able to retain chemically enriched interstellar matter.     

Principal component analysis for spectral indices of stellar populations

We apply the method of principal component analysis to a sample of simple stellar populations to select some age-sensitive spectral indices. Besides the well-known age-sensitive index, H β , we find that some other spectral indices have great potential to determine the age of stellar populations, such as G4300, Fe4383, C₂4668, and Mg b . In addition, we find that the sensitivity to age of these spectral indices depends on the metallicity of the simple stellar population (SSP): H β and G4300 are more suited to determine the age of the low-metallicity stellar population, C₂4668 and Mg b are more suited to the high-metallicity stellar population. The results suggest that the principal component analysis method provides a more objective and informative alternative to diagnostics by individual spectral lines.     

Structural evolution in elliptical galaxies: the age–shape relation

We test the hypothesis that the apparent axial ratio of an elliptical galaxy is correlated with the age of its stellar population. We find that old ellipticals (with estimated ages t >7.5 Gyr) are rounder on average than younger ellipticals. The statistical significance of this shape difference is greatest at small radii; a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test comparing the axial ratios of the two populations at R = R _e/16 yields a statistical significance greater than 99.96 per cent. The relation between age and apparent shape is linked to the core/power-law surface brightness profile dichotomy. Core ellipticals have older stellar populations, on average, than power-law ellipticals and are rounder in their inner regions. Our findings are consistent with a scenario in which power-law ellipticals are formed in gas-rich mergers, while core ellipticals form in dissipationless mergers, with cores formed and maintained by the influence of a binary black hole.     

Population synthesis of H ii galaxies

We study the stellar population of galaxies with active star formation, determining ages of the stellar components by means of spectral population synthesis of their absorption spectra. The data consist of optical spectra of 185 nearby ( z 0.075) emission-line galaxies . They are mostly H  ii galaxies, but we also include some starbursts and Seyfert 2s, for comparison purposes. They were grouped into 19 high signal-to-noise ratio template spectra, according to their continuum distribution, absorption- and emission-line characteristics. The templates were then synthesized with a star cluster spectral base.
The synthesis results indicate that H  ii galaxies are typically age-composite stellar systems, presenting important contributions from generations up to as old as 500 Myr. We detect a significant contribution of populations with ages older than 1 Gyr in two groups of H  ii galaxies. The age distributions of stellar populations among starbursts can vary considerably despite similarities in the emission-line spectra. In the case of Seyfert 2 groups we obtain important contributions from the old population, consistent with a bulge.
From the diversity of star formation histories, we conclude that typical H  ii galaxies in the local Universe are not systems presently forming their first stellar generation.     

Pre-enriched, not primordial ellipticals

We follow the chemical evolution of a galaxy through star formation and its feedback into the interstellar medium (ISM), starting from primordial gas and allowing for gas to inflow into the region being modelled. We attempt to reproduce observed spectral line strengths for early-type galaxies in order to constrain their star formation histories (SFH). The efficiencies and times of star formation are varied, as are the amount and duration of inflow. We evaluate the chemical enrichment and the mass of stars made with time. Single stellar population (SSP) data are then used to predict line strengths for composite stellar populations. The results are compared with observed line strengths in 10 ellipticals, including some features which help to break the problem of age–metallicity degeneracy in old stellar populations. We find that the elliptical galaxies modelled require high metallicity SSPs (> 3 Z⊙) at later times. In addition, the strong lines observed cannot be produced by an initial starburst in primordial gas, even if a large amount of inflow is allowed for during the first few × 10⁸ yr. This is because some pre-enrichment is required for lines in the bulk of the stars to approach the observed line strengths in ellipticals. These strong lines are better modelled by a system with a delayed burst of star formation, following an early SFH which can be a burst or more steady star formation. Such a model is representative of star formation in normal ellipticals or spirals, respectively, followed by a starburst and gas inflow during a merger or strong interaction with a gas-rich galaxy. Alternatively, a single initial burst of normal stars with a Salpeter initial mass function could produce the observed strong lines if it followed some pre-enrichment process which did not form long-lived stars (e.g. population III stars).     

Information from the Kinematics of F and G Stars in the Solar Neighborhood

We have calculated the orbital parameters for 90 stars in Chen et al. and updated the kinematic data for stars in Edvardsson et al. by using the accurate Hipparcos parallaxes and proper motions, and recalculated the \\\\\\\\\\\\-element abundances in Edvardsson et al. in a way consistent with Chen et al. The two sets of data are combined in a study of stellar populations and characteristics of F & G stars in the solar neighborhood. We confirm the result of Chen et al. that a distinguishable group of stars may belong to the thick disk rather than the thin disk. The ages for the stars are determined using the theoretical isochrones of VandenBerg et al. The age-metallicity relation is investigated for different subgroups according to distance from the sun and galactic orbital parameters. It is found that a mixing of stars with different orbital parameters significantly affect the age-metallicity relation for the disk. Stars with orbits confined to the solar circle all have metallicities [Fe/H] > -0.3 irresp     

The influence of binary interactions on infrared passbands of populations

In our evolutionary population synthesis models, samples of binaries are reproduced by a ' patched ' Monte Carlo simulation and the stellar masses, integrated   J ,  H ,  K ,  L ,  L 2  and M magnitudes, mass-to-light ratios and broad colours involving infrared bands are presented for an extensive set of instantaneous-burst binary stellar populations. In addition, the fluctuations in the integrated colours, which have been given by Zhang et al., are reduced.
By comparing the results for binary stellar populations with (Model A) and without (Model B) binary interactions, we show that the inclusion of binary interactions makes the stellar mass of a binary stellar population smaller (  ∼3.6–4.5  per cent during the past 15 Gyr), magnitudes greater (except   U , ∼ 0.18 mag  at the most), colours bluer (∼0.15 mag for   V − K   at the most) and mass-to-light ratios greater (∼0.06 for K band) except those in the U and B passbands at higher metallicities. Binary interactions make the V magnitude less sensitive to age, and R and I magnitudes more sensitive to metallicity.
Given an age, the absolute values of the differences in the stellar mass, magnitudes and mass-to-light ratios (except those in the U and B bands) between Models A and B reach a maximum at   Z = 0.0001  , i.e. the effects of binary interactions on these parameters reach a maximum, while the differences in some colours reach a maximum at   Z ∼ 0.01–0.0004  . In contrast, the absolute value of the difference in the stellar mass is minimal at   Z = 0.03  ; those in the   U ,  B ,  V   magnitudes and the mass-to-light ratios in the U and B bands reach a minimum at   Z ∼ 0.01–0.004  .     

Age and metallicity of compact stellar systems in Virgo and Fornax

From high signal-to-noise ratio GMOS-N and AAOmega spectra, we have measured line-strength indices in the Lick/IDS system for several luminous and spatially dispersed compact stellar systems (CSSs) located in the Virgo and Fornax galaxy clusters. We estimate their [α/Fe] ratios, ages and metallicities using a simple (single-burst) stellar population model. We confirm that the Virgo core region luminous CSSs (     ) contain ancient stellar populations with subsolar total metallicities, suggesting that they comprise the bright tail of M87's GC distribution. The two Virgo intracluster globular clusters have ages and metallicities consistent with the cluster core CSSs. Two Fornax luminous CSSs also have ancient stellar populations but are at the upper end of the Virgo CSS metallicity range, while the third (UCD3) appears to be relatively young, metal-rich and with a core + halo radial profile. Our results suggest that Fornax may contain an extra population of luminous CSSs formed more recently than the ancient GC-like systems found in both clusters.     

The spatial evolution of stellar structures in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present an analysis of the spatial distribution of various stellar populations within the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We combine mid-infrared selected young stellar objects, optically selected samples with mean ages between ∼9 and ∼1000 Myr and existing stellar cluster catalogues to investigate how stellar structures form and evolve within the LMC. For the analysis we use Fractured Minimum Spanning Trees, the statistical Q parameter and the two-point correlation function. Restricting our analysis to young massive (OB) stars, we confirm our results obtained for M33, namely that the luminosity function of the groups is well described by a power law with index −2, and that there is no characteristic length-scale of star-forming regions. We find that stars in the LMC are born with a large amount of substructure, consistent with a two-dimensional fractal distribution with dimension     and evolve towards a uniform distribution on a time-scale of ∼175 Myr. This is comparable to the crossing time of the galaxy, and we suggest that stellar structure, regardless of spatial scale, will be eliminated in a crossing time. This may explain the smooth distribution of stars in massive/dense young clusters in the Galaxy, while other, less massive, clusters still display large amounts of structure at similar ages. By comparing the stellar and star cluster distributions and evolving time-scales, we show that infant mortality of clusters (or 'popping clusters') has a negligible influence on the galactic structure. Finally, we quantify the influence of the elongation, differential extinction and contamination of a population on the measured Q value.     

Inclusion of binaries in evolutionary population synthesis

Using evolutionary population synthesis we present integrated colours, integrated spectral energy distributions and absorption-line indices defined by the Lick Observatory image dissector scanner (referred to as the Lick/IDS) system, for an extensive set of instantaneous-burst binary stellar populations with and without binary interactions. The ages of the populations are in the range 1–15 Gyr and the metallicities are in the range 0.0001–0.03. By comparing the results for populations with and without binary interactions we show that the inclusion of binary interactions makes the integrated U – B , B – V , V – R and R – I colours and all Lick/IDS spectral absorption indices (except for H_β) substantially smaller. In other words, binary evolution makes a population appear bluer. This effect raises the derived age and metallicity of the population.
We calculate several sets of additional solar-metallicity binary stellar populations to explore the influence of the binary evolution algorithm input parameters (the common-envelope ejection efficiency and the stellar wind mass-loss rate) on the resulting integrated colours. We also look at the dependence on the choice of distribution functions used to generate the initial binary population. The results show that variations in the choice of input model parameters and distributions can significantly affect the results. However, comparing the discrepancies that exist between the colours of various models, we find that the differences are less than those produced between the models with and those without binary interactions. Therefore it is very necessary to consider binary interactions in order to draw accurate conclusions from evolutionary population synthesis work.     

Empirical population synthesis for 74 blue compact galaxies

We have observed the largest optical spectra sample of 97 blue compact galaxies. Stellar population properties of 74 star-forming BCGs of them were derived by comparing the equivalent widths of strong absorption features and continuum colors, using a method of empirical population synthesis based on star cluster sample. The results indicate that blue compact galaxies are typically age-composite stellar system, the continuum flux fractions at 5870Å due to old stellar components and young stellar components are both important for most of the galaxies. The stellar populations of blue compact galaxies present a variety of characteristics, and the contribution from different age and metallicity components is different. The star formation episodes are usually short, some galaxies maybe undergoing their first global episode of star formation, while for the most sample galaxies, older stars contribute to at most half the optical emission. Our results suggest that BCGs are old galaxies, in which star formation occurs in short intense burst separated by long quiescent phases.     

Spatially resolved kinematics and stellar populations of brightest cluster and group galaxies

We present an examination of the kinematics and stellar populations of a sample of three brightest group galaxies (BGGs) and three brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in X-ray groups and clusters. We have obtained high signal-to-noise ratio Gemini/Gemini South Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) long-slit spectra of these galaxies and use Lick indices to determine ages, metallicities and α-element abundance ratios out to at least their effective radii. We find that the BGGs and BCGs have very uniform masses, central ages and central metallicities. Examining the radial dependence of their stellar populations, we find no significant velocity dispersion, age, or α-enhancement gradients. However, we find a wide range of metallicity gradients, suggesting a variety of formation mechanisms. The range of metallicity gradients observed is surprising, given the homogeneous environment these galaxies probe and their uniform central stellar populations. However, our results are inconsistent with any single model of galaxy formation and emphasize the need for more theoretical understanding of both the origins of metallicity gradients and galaxy formation itself. We postulate two possible physical causes for the different formation mechanisms.     

Starbursts and the triggering of the activity in nearby powerful radio galaxies

We present high-quality long-slit spectra for three nearby powerful radio galaxies – 3C 293, 3C 305 and PKS 1345+12. These were taken with the aim of characterizing the young stellar populations (YSP), and thereby investigating the evolution of the host galaxies, as well as the events that triggered the activity. Isochrone spectral synthesis modelling of the wide wavelength coverage spectra of nuclear and off-nuclear continuum-emitting regions have been used to estimate the ages, masses and luminosities of the YSP component, taking full account of reddening effects and potential contamination by activity-related components. We find that the YSP make a substantial contribution to the continuum flux in the off-nuclear regions on a radial scale of 1–20 kpc in all three objects. Moreover, in two objects we find evidence for reddened post-starburst stellar populations in the near-nuclear regions of the host galaxies. The YSP are relatively old (0.1–2 Gyr), massive  (10⁹ < M _YSP < 2 × 10¹⁰ M_⊙)  and make up a large proportion (∼1–50 per cent) of the total stellar mass in the regions of the galaxies sampled by the observations. Overall, these results are consistent with the idea that the nuclear activity of active galactic nuclei in some radio galaxies is triggered by major gas-rich mergers. Therefore, these radio galaxies form part of the subset of early-type galaxies that is evolving most rapidly in the local Universe. Intriguingly, the results also suggest that the radio jets are triggered relatively late in the merger sequence, and that there is an evolutionary link between radio galaxies and luminous/ultraluminous infrared galaxies.