Cold gas in elliptical galaxies

A. Georgakakis; Andrew Hopkins; A. Caulton; T. Wiklind; A. I. Terlevich; Duncan A. Forbes

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2001.04677.x

Cold gas in elliptical galaxies

A. Georgakakis^*, Andrew Hopkins, A. Caulton, T. Wiklind, A. I. Terlevich, Duncan A. Forbes

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We explore the evolution of the cold gas (molecular and neutral hydrogen) of elliptical galaxies and merger remnants ordered into a time sequence on the basis of spectroscopic age estimates. We find that the fraction of cold gas in early merger remnants decreases significantly for ≈1-2 Gyr, but subsequent evolution toward evolved elliptical systems sees very little change. This trend can be attributed to an initial gas depletion by strong star formation, which subsequently declines to quiescent rates. This explanation is consistent with the merger picture for the formation of elliptical galaxies. We also explore the relation between the HI-to-H₂ mass ratio and spectroscopic galaxy age, but find no evidence for a statistically significant trend. This suggests little net HI-to-H₂ conversion for the systems in the present sample.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1431-1440
Number of pages	10
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	326
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2001.04677.x
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2001

Keywords

Elliptical and lenticular, cD - galaxies
Evolution - galaxies
Galaxies
Starburst - radio continuum

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10.1111/j.1365-2966.2001.04677.x

Cite this

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title = "Cold gas in elliptical galaxies",

abstract = "We explore the evolution of the cold gas (molecular and neutral hydrogen) of elliptical galaxies and merger remnants ordered into a time sequence on the basis of spectroscopic age estimates. We find that the fraction of cold gas in early merger remnants decreases significantly for ≈1-2 Gyr, but subsequent evolution toward evolved elliptical systems sees very little change. This trend can be attributed to an initial gas depletion by strong star formation, which subsequently declines to quiescent rates. This explanation is consistent with the merger picture for the formation of elliptical galaxies. We also explore the relation between the HI-to-H2 mass ratio and spectroscopic galaxy age, but find no evidence for a statistically significant trend. This suggests little net HI-to-H2 conversion for the systems in the present sample.",

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T1 - Cold gas in elliptical galaxies

AU - Georgakakis, A.

AU - Hopkins, Andrew

AU - Caulton, A.

AU - Wiklind, T.

AU - Terlevich, A. I.

AU - Forbes, Duncan A.

PY - 2001/10/1

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N2 - We explore the evolution of the cold gas (molecular and neutral hydrogen) of elliptical galaxies and merger remnants ordered into a time sequence on the basis of spectroscopic age estimates. We find that the fraction of cold gas in early merger remnants decreases significantly for ≈1-2 Gyr, but subsequent evolution toward evolved elliptical systems sees very little change. This trend can be attributed to an initial gas depletion by strong star formation, which subsequently declines to quiescent rates. This explanation is consistent with the merger picture for the formation of elliptical galaxies. We also explore the relation between the HI-to-H2 mass ratio and spectroscopic galaxy age, but find no evidence for a statistically significant trend. This suggests little net HI-to-H2 conversion for the systems in the present sample.

AB - We explore the evolution of the cold gas (molecular and neutral hydrogen) of elliptical galaxies and merger remnants ordered into a time sequence on the basis of spectroscopic age estimates. We find that the fraction of cold gas in early merger remnants decreases significantly for ≈1-2 Gyr, but subsequent evolution toward evolved elliptical systems sees very little change. This trend can be attributed to an initial gas depletion by strong star formation, which subsequently declines to quiescent rates. This explanation is consistent with the merger picture for the formation of elliptical galaxies. We also explore the relation between the HI-to-H2 mass ratio and spectroscopic galaxy age, but find no evidence for a statistically significant trend. This suggests little net HI-to-H2 conversion for the systems in the present sample.

KW - Elliptical and lenticular, cD - galaxies

KW - Evolution - galaxies

KW - Galaxies

KW - Starburst - radio continuum

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Cold gas in elliptical galaxies

Abstract

Keywords

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