2004AJ....127..840P

Query : 2004AJ....127..840P

2004AJ....127..840P - Astron. J., 127, 840-860 (2004/February-0)

The chemical enrichment history of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy from the infrared calcium triplet.

PONT F., ZINN R., GALLART C., HARDY E. and WINNICK R.

Abstract (from CDS):

Near-infrared spectra were obtained for 117 red giants in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy with the FORS1 spectrograph on the VLT, in order to study the metallicity distribution of the stars and to lift the age-metallicity degeneracy of the red giant branch (RGB) in the color-magnitude diagram (CMD). Metallicities are derived from the equivalent widths of the infrared calcium triplet lines at 8498, 8542, and 8662 Å, calibrated with data from globular clusters, the open cluster M67, and the LMC. For a substantial portion of the sample, the strength of the calcium triplet is unexpectedly high, clearly indicating that the main stellar population of Fornax is significantly more metal-rich than could be inferred from the position of its RGB in the CMD. We show that the relative narrowness of the RGB in Fornax is caused by the superposition of stars of very different ages and metallicities. The region of parameter space occupied by the most metal-rich red giants in Fornax–young, metal-rich, and luminous–is not covered by any of the calibrating clusters, which introduces uncertainty in the high end of the metallicity scale. Using published theoretical calculations of Ca II triplet equivalent widths, we have investigated their sensitivity to luminosity, age, and metallicity. The correlation between absolute I magnitude and Ca II strength appears to be only slightly affected by age variations, and we have used it to estimate the metallicities of the Fornax stars. The metallicity distribution in Fornax is centered at [Fe/H]=-0.9, with a metal-poor tail extending to [Fe/H]≃-2. While the distribution to higher metallicities is less well determined by our observations, the comparison with LMC data indicates that it extends to [Fe/H]~-0.4. By comparing the metallicities of the stars with their positions in the CMD, we have derived the complex age-metallicity relation of Fornax. In the first few gigayears, the metal abundance rose to [Fe/H]~-1.0 dex. The enrichment accelerated in the past ∼1-4 Gyr to reach [Fe/H]~-0.4 dex. More than half the sample is constituted of stars younger than ∼4 Gyr, thus indicating sustained recent star formation in Fornax. These results are briefly compared with the theoretical predictions on the evolution of dwarf galaxies. They indicate that the capacity of dwarf spheroidal galaxies to retain the heavy elements that they produce is larger than expected.

Abstract Copyright: ∼

Journal keyword(s): Galaxies: Abundances - Galaxies: Individual: Name: Fornax - Galaxies: Local Group - Stars: Abundances

VizieR on-line data: <Available at CDS (J/AJ/127/840): table2.dat>

Nomenclature: Table 2: [PZG2004] FNN N=118 among (Nos 101-817).

CDS comments: Rutledge et al 1997b is PASP, 109, 883 and not PASP, 109, 907 (Rutledge et al, 1997a)

Simbad objects: 159

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Number of rows : 159
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA 		ICRS (J2000)
DEC 		Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026 		#notes
1 NGC 104 GlC 00 24 05.359 -72 04 53.20     4.09     ~ 4158 0
2 NAME Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy G 01 00 09.4 -33 42 32   9.79 8.6 8.81   ~ 1498 4
3 2MASS J02391904-3423414 RG* 02 39 19.0329721488 -34 23 41.338008456     18.61   17.27 ~ 4 0
4 [PZG2004] 318 RG* 02 39 19.3420379856 -34 28 12.137451312     18.75   17.54 ~ 4 0
5 2MASS J02392176-3427469 RG* 02 39 21.7574162304 -34 27 47.047377204   20.155 18.71 17.946 17.28 ~ 6 0
6 [PZG2004] 305 RG* 02 39 23.5091135256 -34 23 10.255061292     19.05   17.79 ~ 4 0
7 GB07 Fnx25 RG* 02 39 24.8304854804 -34 34 38.274693223     18.577   17.01 ~ 10 0
8 2MASS J02392609-3427074 RG* 02 39 26.0762920632 -34 27 07.417237284     18.93   17.67 ~ 4 0
9 [PZG2004] 712 * 02 39 26.18 -34 32 28.0           ~ 1 0
10 [PZG2004] 316 RG* 02 39 27.4313612544 -34 27 28.357462116     19.08   17.68 ~ 4 0
11 2MASS J02392780-3434214 RG* 02 39 27.8266926216 -34 34 20.904384936     18.903     ~ 2 0
12 2MASS J02392793-3424495 RG* 02 39 27.9443440176 -34 24 49.539909960     18.59   17.25 ~ 4 0
13 GB07 Fnx23 RG* 02 39 28.0529840088 -34 34 01.280850276   19.948 18.580 17.693 17.02 ~ 12 0
14 [PZG2004] 707 * 02 39 28.33 -34 30 38.9     18.999     ~ 1 0
15 2MASS J02392862-3431265 RG* 02 39 28.6209659184 -34 31 26.629846428   19.948 18.44 17.663 17.01 ~ 9 0
16 2MASS J02392888-3424130 RG* 02 39 28.8616901496 -34 24 12.963956220     18.45   16.9 ~ 4 0
17 2MASS J02393033-3425161 RG* 02 39 30.3176545032 -34 25 16.054173588     18.57   17.33 ~ 4 0
18 2MASS J02393146-3422009 RG* 02 39 31.4979130464 -34 22 00.639338628     18.61   17.4 ~ 4 0
19 GB07 Fnx03 RG* 02 39 31.5212133624 -34 23 05.395380288     18.534   17.05 ~ 12 0
20 2MASS J02393195-3422248 RG* 02 39 31.9500303360 -34 22 24.854621448     18.364     ~ 2 0
21 [PZG2004] 708 * 02 39 32.22 -34 31 07.1     18.750     ~ 1 0
22 [PZG2004] 313 RG* 02 39 32.4595356024 -34 26 35.976509844     18.92   17.83 ~ 4 0
23 [PZG2004] 706 * 02 39 32.46 -34 30 34.3           ~ 1 0
24 2MASS J02393297-3432061 RG* 02 39 32.9670178104 -34 32 06.231358968   19.898 18.42 17.651 17 ~ 11 0
25 [PZG2004] 314 RG* 02 39 33.1009866576 -34 26 51.145379160     18.77   17.39 ~ 4 0
26 2MASS J02393339-3422430 RG* 02 39 33.4006311096 -34 22 43.126630068     18.75   17.42 ~ 4 0
27 2MASS J02393340-3433584 RG* 02 39 33.4102339152 -34 33 58.488301116     18.15   16.76 ~ 11 0
28 2MASS J02393364-3425499 RG* 02 39 33.6421167120 -34 25 49.974212712   20.070 18.37 17.601 16.85 ~ 6 0
29 2MASS J02393365-3424419 RG* 02 39 33.6455185224 -34 24 41.945913288     18.37   16.7 ~ 7 0
30 [PZG2004] 705 * 02 39 33.75 -34 30 12.2     19.125     ~ 1 0
31 2MASS J02393411-3433333 RG* 02 39 34.1028400848 -34 33 33.267768948     18.464     ~ 7 0
32 GB07 Fnx21 RG* 02 39 34.1141539800 -34 33 09.701904456     18.641   17.01 ~ 10 0
33 [PZG2004] 704 * 02 39 34.59 -34 29 49.4     18.632     ~ 1 0
34 [PZG2004] 312 RG* 02 39 35.4539226912 -34 26 06.363159576     18.97   17.7 ~ 4 0
35 2MASS J02393641-3428227 * 02 39 36.3908910840 -34 28 22.634950656     18.539     ~ 1 0
36 2MASS J02393722-3432373 RG* 02 39 37.2096126648 -34 32 37.505407704   20.083 18.66 17.879 17.22 ~ 6 0
37 2MASS J02393800-3429318 RG* 02 39 38.0022742248 -34 29 31.628778576   20.256 18.934 18.034   ~ 4 0
38 2MASS J02393839-3423482 RG* 02 39 38.4018759576 -34 23 48.169379508     18.32   17.12 ~ 4 0
39 [KGS2010] For 44508 RG* 02 39 38.4595577304 -34 28 31.865862252   20.548 19.507 18.706   ~ 4 0
40 2MASS J02394081-3424300 RG* 02 39 40.8197333688 -34 24 30.226239360     18.64   17.22 ~ 4 0
41 [PZG2004] 415 * 02 39 42.3855760728 -34 28 28.075858644     18.119     ~ 1 0
42 [PZG2004] 115 RG* 02 39 43.5406611504 -34 26 13.171230492     19.25   18.03 ~ 4 0
43 2MASS J02394399-3423599 RG* 02 39 43.9332252288 -34 24 00.011806200     18.595   17.21 ~ 4 0
44 [PZG2004] 702 * 02 39 45.12 -34 29 36.5     18.736     ~ 1 0
45 2MASS J02394539-3427381 RG* 02 39 45.3827675208 -34 27 38.176914204     18.48   16.97 ~ 4 0
46 2MASS J02394605-3425049 * 02 39 46.06 -34 25 04.9     19.040     ~ 1 0
47 2MASS J02394647-3428206 RG* 02 39 46.4677154568 -34 28 20.725522968     18.605     ~ 2 0
48 [PZG2004] 416 * 02 39 46.62 -34 28 10.0     18.538     ~ 1 0
49 [PZG2004] 112 RG* 02 39 48.5962828167 -34 24 49.338129670     19.033     ~ 2 0
50 [PZG2004] 412 RG* 02 39 48.7669114256 -34 28 07.376577509     19.100     ~ 2 0
51 2MASS J02394978-3423532 RG* 02 39 49.7814682824 -34 23 53.346062796     18.43   17.15 ~ 4 0
52 2MASS J02395040-3428146 RG* 02 39 50.4066074160 -34 28 14.343055968     18.695     ~ 2 0
53 [PZG2004] 410 RG* 02 39 50.7598682232 -34 29 07.339993692     19.01   17.71 ~ 4 0
54 2MASS J02395130-3424543 RG* 02 39 51.3352033872 -34 24 54.184505472     18.6   17.1 ~ 4 0
55 [PZG2004] 409 * 02 39 52.9162265304 -34 28 36.876884592   20.315 18.882 17.969   ~ 3 0
56 2MASS J02395322-3422590 RG* 02 39 53.2168104587 -34 22 59.030027690     18.36   17.16 ~ 4 0
57 2MASS J02395436-3423318 RG* 02 39 54.3720479664 -34 23 31.828824924     18.26   16.8 ~ 4 0
58 2MASS J02395490-3428355 RG* 02 39 54.9018848784 -34 28 35.579881668     18.64   17.39 ~ 4 0
59 [WMO2009] For-1233 * 02 39 56.0375212872 -34 24 10.603664676     18.46   16.98 ~ 8 0
60 2MASS J02395624-3425043 RG* 02 39 56.2711594776 -34 25 04.136109528     18.83   17.42 ~ 4 0
61 2MASS J02395656-3426062 RG* 02 39 56.5684499928 -34 26 05.789997132     19.092     ~ 2 0
62 [PZG2004] 107 RG* 02 39 57.1073624127 -34 23 33.745625868           ~ 2 0
63 2MASS J02395802-3423211 RG* 02 39 58.0285694016 -34 23 21.102805500     18.28   16.89 ~ 4 0
64 2MASS J02395887-3427498 RG* 02 39 58.8856018104 -34 27 49.419759456     18.553     ~ 2 0
65 2MASS J02395889-3437540 * 02 39 58.9026829732 -34 37 54.055407984     18.86   17.56 ~ 3 0
66 MCG-06-07-001 G 02 39 59.3 -34 26 57   9.02 7.4     ~ 1894 1
67 [PZG2004] 405 * 02 39 59.67 -34 28 46.2     18.781     ~ 1 0
68 [PZG2004] 406 RG* 02 39 59.9995330141 -34 28 12.939228635     18.774     ~ 2 0
69 [PZG2004] 815 * 02 40 00.2001789224 -34 36 55.216256301     19.18   18.01 ~ 3 0
70 2MASS J02400020-3424532 * 02 40 00.21 -34 24 53.2     19.205     ~ 1 0
71 2MASS J02400070-3438045 RG* 02 40 00.7169469024 -34 38 04.766488944     18.720     ~ 2 0
72 2MASS J02400116-3425104 RG* 02 40 01.1657497872 -34 25 10.450179732     18.208     ~ 2 0
73 2MASS J02400280-3423335 RG* 02 40 02.8142723784 -34 23 33.443448504     18.36   16.78 ~ 4 0
74 2MASS J02400341-3432121 RG* 02 40 03.4030194480 -34 32 12.034583340     18.72   17.3 ~ 4 0
75 [PZG2004] 403 RG* 02 40 03.8687325167 -34 29 36.088405943     18.934     ~ 2 0
76 [PZG2004] 214 RG* 02 40 03.9550454764 -34 24 11.618168346     18.503     ~ 3 0
77 2MASS J02400501-3436330 RG* 02 40 05.0140921104 -34 36 32.978019636   19.982 18.45 17.604 16.91 ~ 6 0
78 2MASS J02400505-3437468 RG* 02 40 05.0593115520 -34 37 46.775450460     18.3   16.79 ~ 4 0
79 2MASS J02400508-3435417 RG* 02 40 05.1084789432 -34 35 41.703382428     18.332   17.28 ~ 5 0
80 2MASS J02400511-3424395 RG* 02 40 05.1438569952 -34 24 39.344946264     18.646     ~ 3 0
81 2MASS J02400550-3432429 RG* 02 40 05.5084039440 -34 32 42.767412360   20.155 18.326 17.595 16.74 ~ 12 0
82 [PZG2004] 213 RG* 02 40 05.5666576584 -34 24 25.956183456     18.87   17.52 ~ 4 0
83 2MASS J02400564-3425361 RG* 02 40 05.6489428680 -34 25 35.982373548     18.63   17.22 ~ 4 0
84 2MASS J02400596-3432009 RG* 02 40 05.9669666592 -34 32 00.828558996   19.902 18.367 17.688 17.03 ~ 8 0
85 2MASS J02400651-3426122 RG* 02 40 06.5237092440 -34 26 12.013092780     18.69   17.26 ~ 4 0
86 2MASS J02400653-3431005 RG* 02 40 06.5398517328 -34 31 00.329116872     18.51   17.05 ~ 4 0
87 [PZG2004] 402 RG* 02 40 06.6082503871 -34 28 53.977534571     18.407     ~ 2 0
88 [PZG2004] 102 * 02 40 06.6133338048 -34 25 23.535545160     18.95   17.55 ~ 3 0
89 2MASS J02400803-3438112 RG* 02 40 08.0245486992 -34 38 11.302928592     18.393     ~ 2 0
90 [PZG2004] 101 RG* 02 40 08.4901945337 -34 25 34.668459143     18.607     ~ 3 0
91 2MASS J02400939-3436172 RG* 02 40 09.3959626368 -34 36 17.205025212     18.402     ~ 3 0
92 [HBJ2016] r0006 RG* 02 40 10.1532024600 -34 31 48.770177736     18.892   17.632 ~ 3 0
93 [WMO2009] For-1255 RG* 02 40 10.4430216624 -34 25 17.664484152     18.45   16.81 ~ 10 0
94 2MASS J02401237-3425187 RG* 02 40 12.3770472648 -34 25 18.684475212     18.515     ~ 2 0
95 2MASS J02401290-3425376 RG* 02 40 12.9458988120 -34 25 37.672255884     18.94   17.59 ~ 4 0
96 [PZG2004] 514 RG* 02 40 13.4465777994 -34 32 14.944866188     18.76   17.64 ~ 4 0
97 2MASS J02401349-3426192 RG* 02 40 13.4995337328 -34 26 19.190889780     18.46   16.79 ~ 5 0
98 2MASS J02401391-3430357 RG* 02 40 13.9302331009 -34 30 35.649781833   20.41 18.59     ~ 3 0
99 2MASS J02401484-3432083 RG* 02 40 14.8567338960 -34 32 07.707684084     18.58   17.22 ~ 5 0
100 2MASS J02401510-3426391 RG* 02 40 15.0981700752 -34 26 38.866186860     18.9   17.44 ~ 4 0
101 2MASS J02401593-3429463 RG* 02 40 15.9437991528 -34 29 46.197395412     18.7   17.26 ~ 4 0
102 2MASS J02401604-3427045 * 02 40 16.0391180616 -34 27 04.325954868   20.18 18.6   17.16 ~ 4 0
103 [PZG2004] 809 * 02 40 16.72 -34 34 54.8     18.248     ~ 1 0
104 2MASS J02401677-3434332 RG* 02 40 16.7660217600 -34 34 33.313069092     18.757     ~ 2 0
105 [PZG2004] 511 RG* 02 40 16.7727261984 -34 30 55.212427224     19.07   17.69 ~ 4 0
106 [WMO2009] For-1250 RG* 02 40 16.7867669616 -34 29 34.568503332   20.082 18.39 17.547 16.75 ~ 14 0
107 2MASS J02401729-3436573 RG* 02 40 17.2410409968 -34 36 57.140753796     18.787     ~ 2 0
108 [WMO2009] For-2044 RG* 02 40 17.9251606224 -34 27 01.042993260     18.42   16.79 ~ 12 0
109 2MASS J02401818-3427568 * 02 40 18.19 -34 27 56.8     18.808     ~ 1 0
110 2MASS J02401889-3436421 RG* 02 40 18.9068848800 -34 36 42.061594788     18.56   17.14 ~ 4 0
111 2MASS J02401905-3434065 RG* 02 40 19.0753774824 -34 34 06.224736576     19.012     ~ 2 0
112 2MASS J02401930-3436119 RG* 02 40 19.3198645704 -34 36 11.783820960     18.59   17.03 ~ 4 0
113 2MASS J02402150-3435210 RG* 02 40 21.5199922440 -34 35 20.981510880   20.168 18.69 17.952 17.27 ~ 7 0
114 2MASS J02402217-3430436 RG* 02 40 22.1506301928 -34 30 43.407022716     18.97   17.52 ~ 4 0
115 2MASS J02402217-3427106 RG* 02 40 22.1915631336 -34 27 10.770494256     18.62   17.21 ~ 4 0
116 2MASS J02402242-3429259 RG* 02 40 22.4322342048 -34 29 26.237336676     18.435     ~ 2 0
117 2MASS J02402280-3430268 RG* 02 40 22.8041320152 -34 30 26.815187952     18.446     ~ 2 0
118 2MASS J02402650-3430175 RG* 02 40 26.5196548032 -34 30 17.474953968     18.7   17.3 ~ 4 0
119 [PZG2004] 504 RG* 02 40 27.7236593587 -34 29 29.427840730     19.01   17.74 ~ 4 0
120 2MASS J02402871-3428252 RG* 02 40 28.7289197040 -34 28 25.166650872     18.688     ~ 2 0
121 [PZG2004] 503 RG* 02 40 32.3787518930 -34 30 53.899556439     18.88   17.69 ~ 4 0
122 NGC 1851 GlC 05 14 06.76 -40 02 47.6           ~ 1529 0
123 NAME LMC G 05 23 34.6 -69 45 22     0.4     ~ 19090 0
124 ESO 206-20A G 06 41 36.7 -50 57 58   22.14 11.0 19.47   ~ 1190 0
125 NGC 2298 GlC 06 48 59.41 -36 00 19.1     8.89     ~ 547 0
126 NGC 2682 OpC 08 51 23.5 +11 48 54           ~ 2528 0
127 Z 64-73 G 10 08 28.12 +12 18 23.4   11.3 10.0     ~ 1284 1
128 NAME Sextans dSph LSB 10 13 02.9 -01 36 53   12 10.4     ~ 921 0
129 NGC 3201 GlC 10 17 36.82 -46 24 44.9           ~ 1001 0
130 Z 126-111 G 11 13 28.13 +22 09 10.1   12.9 12.0     ~ 899 0
131 Z 318-18 G 15 09 08.0 +67 13 21   13.60 10.6     ~ 1459 0
132 Z 300-12 G 17 20 14.335 +57 55 16.39   12.40 10.6     ~ 1428 1
133 NGC 6528 GlC 18 04 49.61 -30 03 20.8   12.12 10.65     ~ 561 0
134 NGC 6553 GlC 18 09 15.68 -25 54 27.9   9.08       ~ 644 0
135 NGC 6705 OpC 18 51 03.7 -06 16 18   6.32 5.8     ~ 442 0
136 NAME SDG G 18 55 19.0 -30 32 43   4.5 3.6     ~ 2438 2
137 M 15 GlC 21 29 58.33 +12 10 01.2           ~ 3274 0
138 M 2 GlC 21 33 27.02 -00 49 23.7     6.25     ~ 1114 1
139 NGC 7099 57 Pe* 21 40 18.5168441568 -23 08 47.581362564   15.66 14.93 14.761   ~ 5 0
140 M 30 GlC 21 40 22.12 -23 10 47.5     7.10     ~ 1121 0
141 Cl* NGC 2298 ALC 15 * ~ ~   15.98 14.86     ~ 2 0
142 NGC 3201 4215 * ~ ~   14.82 13.56     ~ 4 0
143 NGC 3201 3102 * ~ ~   15.31 14.31     ~ 3 0
144 NGC 3201 2207 * ~ ~   15.37 14.30     ~ 3 0
145 NGC 3201 2214 * ~ ~   14.87 13.84     ~ 2 0
146 Cl* NGC 2298 ALC 17 * ~ ~   15.96 14.87     ~ 2 0
147 NGC 3201 3101 * ~ ~   14.82 13.66     ~ 2 0
148 NGC 3201 3107 * ~ ~   14.52 13.38     ~ 3 0
149 NGC 3201 3204 * ~ ~   13.73 12.29     ~ 4 0
150 NGC 3201 4307 * ~ ~   15.44 14.33     ~ 2 0
151 NGC 3201 4318 * ~ ~   13.99 12.54     ~ 4 0
152 Cl* NGC 7099 DPE 19 * ~ ~   14.18 13.14     ~ 6 0
153 NGC 7099 31 * ~ ~   15.03 14.22     ~ 1 0
154 NAME Local Group GrG ~ ~           ~ 9325 0
155 Cl* NGC 7099 DPE 23 * ~ ~   13.60 12.20     ~ 5 0
156 Cl* NGC 7099 DPE 24 * ~ ~   14.15 13.06     ~ 5 0
157 Cl* NGC 7099 DPE 91 * ~ ~   14.06 13.00     ~ 5 0
158 NGC 3201 1309 * ~ ~   14.29 13.26     ~ 4 0
159 Cl* NGC 2298 ALC 14 * ~ ~   15.57 14.35     ~ 2 0

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