The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

Details The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

1999-02-26

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9902381v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

Scientific paper

10.1086/311988

Analyses of their internal stellar kinematics imply that the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) companion galaxies to the Milky Way are among the most dark-matter dominated systems known. Should there be significant dark matter in the form of faint stars in these systems, the stellar luminosity function must be very different from that of a similar metallicity globular cluster, for which there is no evidence for dark matter. We present the faint stellar luminosity function in the Ursa Minor dSph, down to a luminosity corresponding to roughly 0.45 M_sun, derived from new deep HST/WFPC2 data. We find a remarkable similarity between this luminosity function, and inferred initial mass function, and that of the globular cluster M92, a cluster of similar age and metallicity to the Ursa Minor dSph.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy 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 Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Faint Optical Stellar Luminosity Function in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-328436