MG and Fe Absorption Features in Elliptical Galaxies
Abstract
Fe and Mg indices from two homogenous collections of nuclear elliptical galaxy spectra are compared with model indices. In the average giant elliptical, the [Mg/Fe] ratio exceeds that of the most metal-rich stars in the solar neighborhood by ~0.2-0.3 dex, with a large spread about this mean. This result implies a variable "enrichment effectiveness" of Type II supernovae (SNs) compared with Type Ia SNs in the evolution of ellipticals, caused perhaps by differences in star formation time scales, the initial mass function, or the amount of Fe versus Mg ejected in galactic winds.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1086/171836
- Bibcode:
- 1992ApJ...398...69W
- Keywords:
-
- Absorption Spectra;
- Elliptical Galaxies;
- Iron;
- Magnesium;
- Metallicity;
- Astronomical Models;
- Galactic Evolution;
- Galactic Nuclei;
- Star Formation;
- Supernovae;
- Astrophysics;
- GALAXIES: ABUNDANCES;
- GALAXIES: ELLIPTICAL AND LENTICULAR;
- CD;
- GALAXIES: EVOLUTION;
- GALAXIES: FORMATION;
- GALAXIES: STELLAR CONTENT