Galactic Chemical Evolution (GCE)
To uncover the history of a galaxy from its starlight we use spectral features sensitive to the star formation history.

Optical image and WHT spectrum of the Sa galaxy NGC 3623:


Colours and spectral line strengths can be predicted using our GCE code, which allows for gas inflow during the evolution and follows several elements self-consistently. Light from old starbursts, induced by mergers, can be modelled and elemental abundances, as well as spectral indices, are predicted. For more information on our GCE code see our GCE code Home Page

Examples of Log(Star mass fraction) and ISM Mg/Fe ratio versus time from one of our models with a merger occurring at 8 Gigayears:


The following people have been involved in this work:

Anne Sansom Senior Lecturer CfA
Ilani Loubser Former Research Student JHI
Mark Northeast Former Research Student JHI
Ilona Soechting Formerly at Gemini group, Oxford University
Robert Izzard Bonn University
Pierre Ocvirk Former PDRA at UCLan
Robert Proctor Former Research student UCLan

Relevant publications:

Sansom A.E., Proctor R.N., 1998. MNRAS 297, 953 "Pre-enriched, not primordial ellipticals".

Sansom A.E., Proctor R.N., Reid I.N., 1998. In ASP conference series. Vol. 147. 'Abundance profiles: diagnostic tools for galaxy history.' D. Friedli, M.G. Edmunds, C. Roberts, L. Drissen (eds), p26 "Abundances in Spiral Bulges: Comparisons with Ellipticals".

Proctor R.N., Sansom A.E., Reid I.N., 2000. MNRAS 311, 37 "Constraining the star formation history of spiral bulges."

Proctor R.N., Sansom A.E., 2002. MNRAS, 333, 517 "A comparison of stellar populations in galaxy spheroids across a wide range of Hubble types."

Sansom A.E., 2006, Fine Tuning Stellar Populations Meeting (FTSPM), Leiden, June 2006 "Effect of binary stars on galactic chemical evolution."



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Anne Sansom 18 Oct 2006