Bibcode
Martín-Navarro, I.; Pérez-González, P. G.; Trujillo, I.; Esquej, Pilar; Vazdekis, A.; Domínguez Sánchez, Helena; Barro, Guillermo; Bruzual, Gustavo; Charlot, Stéphane; Cava, Antonio; Ferreras, Ignacio; Espino, Néstor; La Barbera, Francesco; Koekemoer, Anton M.; Cenarro, A. Javier
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 798, Issue 1, article id. L4, 6 pp. (2015).
Advertised on:
1
2015
Citations
32
Refereed citations
31
Description
We explore the stellar initial mass function (IMF) of a sample of 49
massive quiescent galaxies (MQGs) at 0.9 < z < 1.5. We base our
analysis on intermediate resolution spectro-photometric data in the
GOODS-N field taken in the near-infrared and optical with the Hubble
Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 G141 grism and the Survey for High-z
Absorption Red and Dead Sources. To constrain the slope of the IMF, we
have measured the TiO2 spectral feature, whose strength
depends strongly on the content of low-mass stars, as well as on stellar
age. Using ultraviolet to near-infrared individual and stacked spectral
energy distributions, we have independently estimated the stellar ages
of our galaxies. Knowing the age of the stellar population, we interpret
the strong differences in the TiO2 feature as an IMF
variation. In particular, for the heaviest z ~ 1 MQGs (M >
1011 M ☉), we find an average age of 1.7
± 0.3 Gyr and a bottom-heavy IMF (Γ b = 3.2
± 0.2). Lighter MQGs (2 × 1010 < M <
1011 M ☉) at the same redshift are younger
on average (1.0 ± 0.2 Gyr) and present a shallower IMF slope
(Γ _b=2.7+0.3-0.4). Our results are in good
agreement with the findings about the IMF slope in early-type galaxies
of similar mass in the present-day universe. This suggests that the IMF,
a key characteristic of the stellar populations in galaxies, is
bottom-heavier for more massive galaxies and has remained unchanged in
the last ~8 Gyr.
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