Related papers: AGB Connection and Ultraviolet Luminosity Excess i…

The excess of far-ultraviolet (far-UV) radiation in elliptical galaxies has remained one of their most enduring puzzles. In contrast, the origin of old blue stars in the Milky Way, hot subdwarfs, is now reasonably well understood: they are…

Whether or not metal-rich HB stars are the dominant UV source in giant elliptical galaxies (gEs) is an important question in current astronomical research. We follow up our previous evolutionary population synthesis study with quantitative…

We exploit stellar population models of absorption line indices in the ultraviolet (from 2000 - 3200 Angstrom) to study the spectra of massive galaxies. Our central aim is to investigate the occurrence at high-redshift of the UV upturn,…

We explore the dependence of UV upturn colours in early type cluster galaxies on the properties of their parent clusters (such as velocity dispersion and X-ray luminosity) and on the positions and kinematics of galaxies within them. We use…

In this paper we briefly review three topics that have motivated our (and others') investigations in recent years within the context of evolutionary population synthesis techniques. These are: The origin of the FUV up-turn in elliptical…

We have performed a census of the UV-bright population in 78 globular clusters using wide-field UV telescopes. This population includes a variety of phases of post-horizontal branch (HB) evolution, including hot post-asymptotic giant branch…

Extremely hot horizontal branch (HB) stars and their progeny are widely considered to be responsible for the "ultraviolet upturn" (or UVX) phenomenon observed in elliptical galaxies and the bulges of spirals. Yet, the precise evolutionary…

Much of the far-UV emission from elliptical galaxies is thought to arise from extreme horizontal branch stars and related objects. Only about 10% of the stellar population needs to evolve through this phase even in galaxies with the…

We present preliminary results from spectral synthesis models of old stellar populations for the spectral range 912-4000 A with ~ 10A resolution, which can be used to investigate the UVX phenomenon and to assess ages and abundances. Model…

The huge photometric databases that are being created for stars in the Magellanic Clouds and in Local Group galaxies not only allow detailed study of the star formation history of these systems, but also provide important information on…

We have analysed the strength of the UV upturn in red sequence galaxies with luminosities reaching to below the $L^*$ point within four clusters at $z$ = 0.3, 0.55 \& 0.7. We find that the incidence and strength of the upturn remains…

The search for binarity in AGB stars is of critical importance for our understanding of how planetary nebulae acquire the dazzling variety of aspherical shapes which characterises this class. However, detecting binary companions in such…

We detected recent star formation in nearby early-type galaxies located in low density environments, with GALEX Ultraviolet (UV) imaging. Signatures of star formation may be present in the nucleus and in outer rings/arm like structures. Our…

Far-ultraviolet radiation is a ubiquitous, if unanticipated, phenomenon in elliptical galaxies and early-type spiral bulges. It is the most variable photometric feature associated with old stellar populations. Recent observational and…

This series of papers comprises a systematic exploration of the hypothesis that the far ultraviolet radiation from star clusters and elliptical galaxies originates from extremely hot horizontal-branch (HB) stars and their post-HB progeny.…

We present far-UV spectroscopy of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 1399, obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. Of all quiescent ellipticals, NGC 1399 has the strongest known ``UV upturn'' -- a sharp spectral rise…

Multiple stellar populations (MPs) are a distinct characteristic of Globular Clusters (GCs). Their general properties have been widely studied among main sequence, red giant branch (RGB) and horizontal branch (HB) stars, but a common…

This study calls attention to the importance of properly coupling the molecular opacities to the actual surface abundances of TP-AGB stars that experience the third dredge-up and/or hot-bottom burning, i.e. with surface abundances of carbon…

We present the deepest near-UV image of M32 to date, which for the first time resolves hot HB stars in an elliptical galaxy. Given the near-solar metallicity of M32, much larger than that of globular clusters, the existence of an extended…

Recent observations and theories suggest that extreme horizontal branch (EHB) stars and their progeny should be the cause of the UV excess seen in the spectra of many elliptical galaxies. Since the Galactic Bulge is the closest…