arXiv subjects

Göran Östlin

Publications and source records attributed to Göran Östlin.

112 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Stellar dynamics of blue compact galaxies. II. Further indications of a merger in ESO 338-IG04

Luminous blue compact galaxies, common at z~1 but now relatively rare, show disturbed kinematics in emission lines. As part of a programme to understand their formation and evolution, we have investigated the stellar dynamics of a number of nearby objects in this class. We obtained long-slit spectra with VLT/FORS2 in the spectral region covering the near-infrared calcium triplet. In this paper we focus on the well-known luminous blue compact galaxy ESO 338-IG04 (Tololo 1924-416). A previous investigation, using Fabry-Perot interferometry, showed that this galaxy has a chaotic H-alpha velocity field, indicating that either the galaxy is not in dynamical equilibrium or that H-alpha does not trace the gravitational potential due to feedback from star formation. Along the apparent major axis, the stellar and ionised gas velocities for the most part follow each other. The chaotic velocity field must therefore be a sign that the young stellar population in ESO 338-IG04 is not in dynamical equilibrium. The most likely explanation, which is also supported by its morphology, is that the galaxy has experienced a merger and that this has triggered the current starburst. Summarising the results of our programme so far, we note that emission-line velocity fields are not always reliable tracers of stellar motions, and go on to assess the implications for kinematic studies of similar galaxies at intermediate redshift.

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arXiv2004

The starburst phenomenon from the optical/near-IR perspective

The optical/near-IR stellar continuum carries unique information about the stellar population in a galaxy, its mass function and star-formation history. Star-forming regions display rich emission-line spectra from which we can derive the dust and gas distribution, map velocity fields, metallicities and young massive stars and locate shocks and stellar winds. All this information is very useful in the dissection of the starburst phenomenon. We discuss a few of the advantages and limitations of observations in the optical/near-IR region and focus on some results. Special attention is given to the role of interactions and mergers and observations of the relatively dust-free starburst dwarfs. In the future we expect new and refined diagnostic tools to provide us with more detailed information about the IMF, strength and duration of the burst and its triggering mechanisms.

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arXiv2000

LWS spectroscopy of the luminous Blue Compact Galaxy Haro 11

We present far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy of the luminous blue compact galaxy (BCG) Haro 11 (ESO 350-IG38) obtained with the ISO Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) in low resolution mode. This metal poor dwarf merger is an extremely hot IRAS source with a high [CII]158um/CO(1-0) flux ratio. We discuss the balance between dust and line cooling in the photodissociated regions (PDR), in particular the role of the [CII] line, and derive the basic properties of the PDR gas. While samples of other starburst galaxies show a correlation between the [CII]/FIR flux ratio and the IRAS f60/f100 ratio, Haro 11 deviates significantly from this relationship being brighter in [CII] than average. We propose that the relationship is caused by an increasing optical depth with increasing IRAS temperature but that the low metallicity and the extreme starburst properties of Haro 11 allow the medium to be thin despite its high f60/f100 ratio, explaining the [CII] excess. This leaves room for a more optimistic view on the possibilities to detect massive starforming mergers at high redshifts, using the [CII] line.

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arXiv1998

Globular clusters in the blue compact galaxy ESO~338-IG04 (Tol~1924-416), as tracers of the star formation history. Results from HST/WFPC2 observations

Multicolour images of the starbursting metal poor blue compact galaxy ESO338-IG04 have been obtained with WFPC2/HST. In the images we find numerous point-like sources concentrated towards the main body of the galaxy, which we identify as globular cluster candidates. We show that these objects are physically associated with the galaxy and that they are spatially extended. Given their high intrinsic luminosities, these objects cannot be individual stars. Using photometric evolution models we show that the objects constitute a rich population of massive star clusters with ages ranging from a few Myr to 10 Gyr, and masses ranging from 10^4 to more than 10^7 solar masses. We show that these objects are most likely globular clusters of varying age. There are peaks in the age distribution of the clusters: at <30 Myr, ~100 Myr, ~600 Myr, 2.5-5 Gyr and ~10 Gyr. The youngest objects are found in the crowded starburst region. The galaxy presently appears to be involved in a merger, which is the probable cause of the present globular cluster formation. The presence of a numerous intermediate age (2.5 to 5 Gyr) population of globular clusters, suggests that a previous merger might have occurred. As the starburst fades, this galaxy will become very rich in globular clusters. Transforming all objects to an age comparable to that of Milky Way globular clusters reveals a luminosity function similar to the Galactic. We suggest that this galaxy is the result of a merger between a dwarf elliptical and a gas rich dwarf. The possibility of dating the globular clusters offers an efficient way of studying the history of violent star formation in this and similar galaxies.

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