Stellar population and kinematics of NGC404

TL;DR

This study investigates NGC404's stellar populations and kinematics using spectroscopy, revealing complex star formation history, kinematic features, and evidence of past morphological transformation likely due to merger events.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of NGC404's stellar populations and kinematic structure, including multiple star formation episodes and evidence of a past spiral phase and mergers.

Findings

Detection of two radial velocity inversions

Identification of four distinct stellar populations

Evidence of a past spiral morphology and merger events

Abstract

NGC404 is a nearly face-on nearby low-luminosity lenticular galaxy. Probing its characteristics provides a wealth of information on the details of possible evolution processes of dS0 galaxies which may not be possible in other, more distant objects. In order to study its kinematics and star formation history, we obtained long slit spectroscopy at the OHP 1m93 telescope along the major and minor axes of NGC404. The spectra have a resolution R = 3600 covering a wavelength range from 4600 to 5500 A. The data are fitted against the Pegase.HR stellar population models to derive simultaneously the internal stellar kinematics, ages and metallicities. Firstly, the global properties of the galaxy are analyzed by fitting a single model and to the data and looking at the kinematic variations and SSP equivalent age and metallicities as a function of radius. Afterwards, the stellar populations are decomposed into 4 components that are individually analyzed. NGC404 clearly shows two radial velocity inversions along its major axis. The kinematically decoupled core rotates in the same direction as the neutral hydrogen shell that surrounds the galaxy. We resolved the star formation history in the core of the galaxy ino 4 events: A very young (< 150 Myr, and [Fe/H] = 0.4) component with constant on-going star formation, a second young (430 Myr) component with [Fe/H] = 0.1, an intermediate population (1.7 Gyr) which has [Fe/H] = -0.05 and, finally, an old (12 Gyr) component with [Fe/H] = -1.26. The two young components fade very quickly with radius, leaving only the intermediate and old population at a radius of 25" (370 pc) from the centre. We conclude that NGC404 had a spiral morphology about 1 Gyr ago and that one or many merger events has triggered a morphological transition.