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Title

On the unification of dwarf and giant elliptical galaxies

Author(s)

Graham, Alister W.;  Guzman, Rafael

Abstract

The near orthogonal distributions of dwarf elliptical (dE) and giant elliptical (E) galaxies in the μe-M and μe-log(Re) diagrams have been interpreted as evidence for two distinct galaxy formation processes. However, continuous, linear relationships across the alleged dE/E boundary at MB = -18 mag - such as the relationships between central surface brightness μ0 and: a) galaxy magnitude (M); and b) light-profile shape (n) - suggest a similar initial formation mechanism. Here we explain how these latter two trends in fact necessitate a different behavior for dE and E galaxies, exactly as observed, in diagrams involving μe (and also <μ>e). Together with other linear trends across the alleged dE/E boundary, such as those between luminosity and color, metallicity, and velocity dispersion, it appears that the dEs form a continuous extension to the E galaxies. The presence of partially depleted cores in luminous (MB < -20.5 mag) Es does however signify the action of a different physical process at the centers (< ~300 pc) of these galaxies.

Publication type

Conference paper

Source

Astrophysics and space science library: Penetrating bars through masks of cosmic dust: the Hubble tuning fork strikes a new note / David L. Block, Ivanio Puerari, Kenneth C. Freeman, Robert Groess and Elizabeth K. Block (eds.), Vol. 319, pp. 723-730

Publication year

2004

Keyword(s)

Dwarf galaxies;  Elliptical galaxies

Publisher

Springer

ISBN

9781402028618, 140202861X

Publisher URL

http://www.springer.com/astronomy/practical+astronomy/book/978-1-4020-2861-8

Copyright

Copyright © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. The authors' version of this paper is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. The original publication is available at http://www.springer.com.

Full text

Peer reviewed