Bibcode
Toloba, E.; Boselli, A.; Gorgas, J.; Peletier, R. F.; Cenarro, A. J.; Gadotti, D. A.; Gil de Paz, A.; Pedraz, S.; Yildiz, U.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 707, Issue 1, pp. L17-L21 (2009).
Advertised on:
12
2009
Citations
60
Refereed citations
52
Description
We present new observational results on the kinematical, morphological,
and stellar population properties of a sample of 21 dEs located both in
the Virgo Cluster and in the field, which show that 52% of the dEs (1)
are rotationally supported, (2) exhibit structural signs of typical
rotating systems such as disks, bars, or spiral arms, (3) are younger
(~3 Gyr) than non-rotating dEs, and (4) are preferentially located
either in the outskirts of Virgo or in the field. This evidence is
consistent with the idea that rotationally supported dwarfs are
late-type spirals or irregulars that recently entered the cluster and
lost their gas through a ram pressure stripping event, quenching their
star formation and becoming dEs through passive evolution. We also find
that all, but one, galaxies without photometric hints for hosting disks
are pressure supported and are all situated in the inner regions of the
cluster. This suggests a different evolution from the rotationally
supported systems. Three different scenarios for these non-rotating
galaxies are discussed (in situ formation, harassment, and ram pressure
stripping).
Related projects
Traces of Galaxy Formation: Stellar populations, Dynamics and Morphology
We are a large, diverse, and very active research group aiming to provide a comprehensive picture for the formation of galaxies in the Universe. Rooted in detailed stellar population analysis, we are constantly exploring and developing new tools and ideas to understand how galaxies came to be what we now observe.
Ignacio
Martín Navarro