The Gas Content of Early-Type Galaxies
Abstract
In the present paper, recent observations of neutral hydrogen in elliptical and lenticular galaxies are reviewed. Most of the 50 ellipticals observed have hydrogen masses not greater than 500 million solar masses and hydrogen/luminosity ratios not greater than 0.5. For the Giant N 4472, these limits are lower by a factor of 10. More than 30 of the 150 lenticulars observed have been reliably detected in the hydrogen line. Both the hydrogen mass and the hydrogen/luminosity ratio vary over two orders of magnitude. Some SO galaxies are as hydrogen-rich as late spirals and magellanic irregulars. In most early-type galaxies, the hydrogen content is much smaller than one could expect from the mass loss by cooling stars.
- Publication:
-
Topics in Interstellar Matter
- Pub Date:
- 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1007/978-94-010-1254-6_26
- Bibcode:
- 1977ASSL...70..261V
- Keywords:
-
- Elliptical Galaxies;
- Galactic Structure;
- Hydrogen Clouds;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Galactic Evolution;
- Lenticular Bodies;
- Astrophysics