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| Paper: |
The Chemical Evolution of Dynamically Hot Systems |
| Volume: |
147, Abundance Profiles: Diagnostic Tools for Galaxy History |
| Page: |
254 |
| Authors: |
Richer, Michael G.; McCall, Marshall L.; Stasinska, Grazyna |
| Abstract: |
We use the mean oxygen abundances determined for planetary nebulae in a sample of dynamically hot systems (DHS's) to probe the chemical evolution of these galaxies. Our principal result is that the mean oxygen abundance is very well correlated with the mean velocity dispersion in DHS's, implying that a similar correlation exists between energy input by supernovae and the gravitational potential. Such a connection between energy input and the gravitational potential arises naturally if galactic winds are the instrument that terminate chemical evolution in these galaxies. We find that all DHS's follow a common oxygen abundance-luminosity relation, but that spheroidals have larger [O/Fe] ratios than other galaxies. Consequently, DHS's do not share common histories of star formation. The mean oxygen abundances in DHS's are not high, and can be easily achieved in simple models of galaxy evolution. |
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