Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-06-09
Astrophys.J.650:812-817,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
6 pages, 3 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ
Scientific paper
10.1086/506928
Optical and near-IR observations of the halos of disk galaxies and blue compact galaxies have revealed a very red spectral energy distribution, which cannot easily be reconciled with a normal, metal-poor stellar population like that in the stellar halo of the Milky Way. Here, spectral evolutionary models are used to explore the consequences of these observations. We demonstrate that a stellar population of low to intermediate metallicity, but with an extremely bottom-heavy initial mass function, can explain the red halos around both types of objects. Other previously suggested explanations, like nebular emission or very metal-rich stars, are shown to fail in this respect. This indicates that, if the reported halo colours are correct, halo populations dominated by low-mass stars may be a phenomenon common to galaxies of very different Hubble types. Potential tests of this hypothesis are discussed, along with its implications for the baryonic dark matter content of galaxies.
Bergvall Nils
Leksell M.
Micheva Genoveva
Ostlin Goeran
Zackrisson Erik
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