English

AGB Connection and Ultraviolet Luminosity Excess in Elliptical Galaxies

Astrophysics 2009-11-13 v1

Abstract

Relying on infrared surface brightness fluctuactions to trace AGB properties in a sample of elliptical galaxies in the Virgo and Fornax clusters, we assess the puzzling origin of the "UV-upturn" phenomenon, recently traced down to the presence of a hot horizontal branch stellar component. We find that the UV-upturn actually signals a profound change in the c-m diagram of stellar populations in elliptical galaxies, involving both the hot stellar component and red-giant evolution.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0806.2658,
  title  = {AGB Connection and Ultraviolet Luminosity Excess in Elliptical Galaxies},
  author = {Alberto Buzzoni and Rosa A. Gonzalez-Lopezlira},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0806.2658},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

13 pages & 13 figures -- To appear in the Astrophysical Journal (Sep '08 issue). Further info on SBF models at http://www.bo.astro.it/~eps/home.html