The mass-metallicity gradient relation of early-type galaxies

TL;DR

This study reveals a mass-dependent relation between galaxy mass and metallicity gradients in early-type galaxies, showing a transition at a specific mass where formation mechanisms shift from collapse to mergers.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of metallicity gradients across a wide mass range of early-type galaxies, highlighting a transition point and its implications for galaxy formation models.

Findings

Metallicity gradients become shallower with decreasing mass in low-mass galaxies.

A clear transition at ~3.5 x 10^10 M_sun marks a change in gradient behavior.

High-mass galaxies show larger scatter and steeper gradients, indicating diverse formation histories.

Abstract

We present a newly observed relation between galaxy mass and radial metallicity gradients of early-type galaxies. Our sample of 51 early-type galaxies encompasses a comprehensive mass range from dwarf to brightest cluster galaxies. The metallicity gradients are measured out to one effective radius by comparing nearly all of the Lick absorption-line indices to recent models of single stellar populations. The relation shows very different behaviour at low and high masses, with a sharp transition being seen at a mass of ~ 3.5 x 10^10 M_sun (velocity dispersion of ~140 km/s, M_B ~ -19). Low-mass galaxies form a tight relation with mass, such that metallicity gradients become shallower with decreasing mass and positive at the very low-mass end. Above the mass transition point several massive galaxies have steeper gradients, but a clear downturn is visible marked by a broad scatter. The results are interpreted in comparison with competing model predictions. We find that an early star-forming collapse could have acted as the main mechanism for the formation of low-mass galaxies, with star formation efficiency increasing with galactic mass. The high-mass downturn could be a consequence of merging and the observed larger scatter a natural result of different merger properties. These results suggest that galaxies above the mass threshold of ~ 3.5 x 10^10 M_sun might have formed initially by mergers of gas-rich disc galaxies and then subsequently evolved via dry merger events. The varying efficiency of the dissipative merger-induced starburst and feedback processes have shaped the radial metallicity gradients in these high-mass systems.