Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Nov 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987a%26a...186...64g&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0004-6361), vol. 186, no. 1-2, Nov. 1987, p. 64-76.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
21
Astronomical Spectroscopy, Galactic Nuclei, Star Formation, Ultraviolet Spectra, Visible Spectrum, Absorption Spectra, Abundance, Elliptical Galaxies, Emission Spectra, Hydrogen Clouds, O Stars
Scientific paper
Optical and ultraviolet spectroscopic observations of the nucleus of the galaxy NGC 5253 are analyzed. This galaxy presents the typical features of an elliptical system at large distances from its center. However, its nucleus is dominated by an emission complex composed by several giant H II regions. The analysis of the optical spectra shows that the metallic abundances in the nucleus of the galaxy are below the solar values. The presence of O stars can be deduced from the numerous absorption lines present in the UV spectrum. The UV emission lines indicate a high effective temperature for the ionizing star cluster. It is shown that the age of the brightest knot of the nucleus of NGC 5253 is less than three million years. The exact age depends on the choice of the extinction law, not well known in this type of objects. An LMC-like law leads to an age of 2.3×106yr, and to an IMF similar or slightly flatter than that found by Salpeter for the solar neighbourhood, with an upper mass limit in the range 60 M_sun; < Mup < 120 M_sun;.
González-Riestra Rosario
Rego M.
Zamorano Jaime
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