Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:0904.0530)
· On-line Data
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (2) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (2)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Blue straggler stars in dwarf spheroidal galaxies - II. Sculptor and Fornax
Authors:
Mapelli, M.; Ripamonti, E.; Battaglia, G.; Tolstoy, E.; Irwin, M. J.; Moore, B.; Sigurdsson, S.
Affiliation:
AA(Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland), AB(Dipartimento di Fisica e Matematica, Università dell'Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, I-22100 Como, Italy), AC(European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, K. Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany), AD(Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, Postbus 800, 9700 AV Groningen, the Netherlands), AE(Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA), AF(Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland), AG(Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA)
Publication:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 396, Issue 3, pp. 1771-1782. (MNRAS Homepage)
Publication Date:
07/2009
Origin:
MNRAS
MNRAS Keywords:
stellar dynamics , blue stragglers , galaxies: dwarf , galaxies: individual: Fornax , galaxies: individual: Sculptor
DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14861.x
Bibliographic Code:
2009MNRAS.396.1771M

Abstract

The existence of blue straggler stars (BSSs) in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) is still an open question. In fact, many BSS candidates have been observed in the Local Group dSphs, but it is unclear whether they are real BSSs or young stars. Shedding light on the nature of these BSS candidates is crucial in order to understand the star formation history of dSphs. In this paper, we consider BSS candidates in Sculptor and Fornax. In Fornax, there are strong hints that the BSS population is contaminated by young stars, whereas in Sculptor there is no clear evidence of recent star formation. We derive the radial and luminosity distribution of BSS candidates from wide field imaging data extending beyond the nominal tidal radius of these galaxies. The observations are compared with the radial distribution of BSSs expected from dynamical simulations. In Sculptor, the radial distribution of BSS candidates is consistent with that of red horizontal branch (RHB) stars and is in agreement with theoretical expectations for BSSs generated via mass transfer in binaries. On the contrary, in Fornax, the radial distribution of BSS candidates is more concentrated than that of all the considered stellar populations. This result supports the hypothesis that most of BSS candidates in Fornax are young stars, and this is consistent with previous studies.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints