Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2009-11-12
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 705, Issue 2, pp. 1099-1115 (2009)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
20 pages, 18 figures, 5 tables, published in ApJ
Scientific paper
10.1088/0004-637X/705/2/1099
We present the current photometric dataset for the Sloan Lens ACS (SLACS) Survey, including HST photometry from ACS, WFPC2, and NICMOS. These data have enabled the confirmation of an additional 15 grade `A' (certain) lens systems, bringing the number of SLACS grade `A' lenses to 85; including 13 grade `B' (likely) systems, SLACS has identified nearly 100 lenses and lens candidates. Approximately 80% of the grade `A' systems have elliptical morphologies while ~10% show spiral structure; the remaining lenses have lenticular morphologies. Spectroscopic redshifts for the lens and source are available for every system, making SLACS the largest homogeneous dataset of galaxy-scale lenses to date. We have developed a novel Bayesian stellar population analysis code to determine robust stellar masses with accurate error estimates. We apply this code to deep, high-resolution HST imaging and determine stellar masses with typical statistical errors of 0.1 dex; we find that these stellar masses are unbiased compared to estimates obtained using SDSS photometry, provided that informative priors are used. The stellar masses range from 10^10.5 to 10^11.8 M$_\odot$ and the typical stellar mass fraction within the Einstein radius is 0.4, assuming a Chabrier IMF. The ensemble properties of the SLACS lens galaxies, e.g. stellar masses and projected ellipticities, appear to be indistinguishable from other SDSS galaxies with similar stellar velocity dispersions. This further supports that SLACS lenses are representative of the overall population of massive early-type galaxies with M* >~ 10^11 M$_\odot$, and are therefore an ideal dataset to investigate the kpc-scale distribution of luminous and dark matter in galaxies out to z ~ 0.5.
Auger Matthew W.
Bolton Adam S.
Bundy Kevin
Gavazzi Raphael
Koopmans Leon V. E.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Sloan Lens ACS Survey. IX. Colors, Lensing and Stellar Masses of Early-type Galaxies does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Sloan Lens ACS Survey. IX. Colors, Lensing and Stellar Masses of Early-type Galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Sloan Lens ACS Survey. IX. Colors, Lensing and Stellar Masses of Early-type Galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-148747