Publication

The Origin of the Diversity of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies

Pascale Jablonka, Yves Revaz
2010
Conference paper
Abstract

We present a large sample of 166 fully self-consistent hydrodynamical N-body/Tree-SPH simulations of isolated dwarf spheroidal galaxies [1]. It has enabled us to identify the key physical parameters and mechanisms at the origin of the observed variety in the Local Group dSph properties. Using the recent data of the ESO Large Programme DART, we have constrained the star formation history of four Milky Way dSphs, Sextans, Carina, Sculptor and Fornax. For the first time, [Mg/Fe] vs [Fe/H] diagrams derived from high-resolution spectroscopy of hundreds of individual stars are confronted with model predictions. Global relations of dSph are successfully reproduced. Our study shows that the total initial mass of these systems is the main driver of their evolution and explains the diversity in luminosity and metallicity observed in the Local Group dSphs.

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Ontological neighbourhood
Related concepts (32)
Dwarf spheroidal galaxy
A dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) is a term in astronomy applied to small, low-luminosity galaxies with very little dust and an older stellar population. They are found in the Local Group as companions to the Milky Way and to systems that are companions to the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). While similar to dwarf elliptical galaxies in appearance and properties such as little to no gas or dust or recent star formation, they are approximately spheroidal in shape and generally have lower luminosity.
Local Group
The Local Group is the galaxy group that includes the Milky Way. It has a total diameter of roughly , and a total mass of the order of . It consists of two collections of galaxies in a "dumbbell" shape; the Milky Way and its satellites form one lobe, and the Andromeda Galaxy and its satellites constitute the other. The two collections are separated by about and are moving toward one another with a velocity of 123km/s. The group itself is a part of the larger Virgo Supercluster, which may be a part of the Laniakea Supercluster.
Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
The Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy (Sgr dSph), also known as the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (Sgr dE or Sag DEG), is an elliptical loop-shaped satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. It contains four globular clusters in its main body, with the brightest of them—NGC 6715 (M54)—being known well before the discovery of the galaxy itself in 1994.
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