What are we missing in elliptical galaxies ?

TL;DR

This paper investigates discrepancies in the scaling relations of elliptical galaxies, highlighting the need for additional data and models to understand the mass-to-light ratio dependence on velocity dispersion.

Contribution

It introduces a new analysis of the 3D Gaussian Fundamental Plane using a parameterized Jeans equation, emphasizing the degeneracy in mass dependence and proposing future research directions.

Findings

Identifies degeneracy in mass-to-light ratio dependence on velocity dispersion.

Highlights potential of stellar atmospheres and large spectra samples to resolve degeneracies.

Suggests hybrid models could improve understanding of elliptical galaxy structure.

Abstract

The scaling relation for early type galaxies in the 6dF galaxy survey does not have the velocity dispersion dependence expected from standard stellar population models. As noted in recent work with SDSS, there seems to be an additional dependence of mass to light ratio with velocity dispersion, possibly due to a bottom heavy initial mass function. Here we offer a new understanding of the 6dF galaxy survey 3D gaussian Fundamental Plane in terms of a parameterized Jeans equation, but leave mass dependence of M/L and mass dependence of structure still degenerate with just the present constraints. Hybrid models have been proposed recently. Our new analysis brings into focus promising lines of enquiry which could be pursued to lift this degeneracy, including stellar atmospheres computation, kinematic probes of ellipticals at large radius, and a large sample of one micron spectra.