On the Connection Between Shape and Stellar Population in Early-type Galaxies

TY - JOUR

T1 - On the Connection Between Shape and Stellar Population in Early-type Galaxies

AU - D'Onofrio..[et al.], M.

AU - Valentinuzzi, T.

AU - Fasano, G.

AU - Rasmussen, Per Kjærgaard

PY - 2011/1/20

Y1 - 2011/1/20

N2 - We report on the discovery of a relation between the stellar mass M * of early-type galaxies (hereafter ETGs), their shape, as parameterized by the Sersic index n, and their stellar mass-to-light ratio M*/L. In a three-dimensional log space defined by these variables, the ETGs populate a plane surface with small scatter. This relation tells us that galaxy shape and stellar population are not independent physical variables, a result that must be accounted for by theories of galaxy formation and evolution.

AB - We report on the discovery of a relation between the stellar mass M * of early-type galaxies (hereafter ETGs), their shape, as parameterized by the Sersic index n, and their stellar mass-to-light ratio M*/L. In a three-dimensional log space defined by these variables, the ETGs populate a plane surface with small scatter. This relation tells us that galaxy shape and stellar population are not independent physical variables, a result that must be accounted for by theories of galaxy formation and evolution.

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/727/1/L6

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/727/1/L6

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 727

SP - L6

JO - The Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - The Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 1

ER -