Published June 10, 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

INTEGRAL FIELD UNIT SPECTROSCOPY OF THE STELLAR DISK TRUNCATION REGION OF NGC 6155

  • 1. Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)
  • 2. Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)
  • 3. Jeremiah Horrocks Institute, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE (United Kingdom)

Description

Like the majority of spiral galaxies, NGC 6155 exhibits an exponential surface brightness profile that steepens significantly at large radii. Using the VIRUS-P integral field unit spectrograph, we have gathered spatially resolved spectra of the system. Modifying the GANDALF spectral fitting routine for use on the complex stellar populations found in spirals, we find that the average stellar ages increase significantly beyond the profile break radius. This result is in good agreement with recent simulations that predict the outskirts of disk galaxies are populated through stellar migration. With the ability to bin multiple fibers, we are able to measure stellar population ages down to μV ∼ 24 mag arcsec-2.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/716/1/L4

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Journal Volume
716
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. L4-L8
ISSN
2041-8205

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42045758
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
BRIGHTNESS; GALAXIES; SIMULATION; SPECTRA; SPECTROSCOPY
Descriptors DEC
OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES