Insights on the Chemical Evolution of Elliptical Galaxies from Abundance Patterns in the Hot ISM
Abstract
Important clues to the chemical and dynamical history of elliptical galaxies are encoded in the abundances of heavy elements in the X-ray emitting plasma.
We derive the hot ISM abundance pattern in a small sample of elliptical galaxies from analysis of Suzaku spectra, supported by analysis of co-spatial XMM-Newton spectra. We apply simple chemical evolution models to these data, and conclude that the abundances are best explained by a combination of alpha-element enhanced stellar mass loss and direct injection of Type Ia supernova ejecta. We find that that the present-day SNIa rate is substantially lower than the standard value. Several abundance anomalies indicate inaccuracies in standard yield sets. This work is supported by NASA ADP, and Suzaku and XMM-Newton Guest Observer Programs.- Publication:
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AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #11
- Pub Date:
- March 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010HEAD...11.1201L