Testable predictions of outside-in age gradients in dwarf galaxies of all types

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to explore how stellar age gradients in dwarf galaxies form and evolve, revealing that feedback-driven reshuffling often causes outside-in age gradients, which can be tested through observations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that stellar feedback reshuffles stars, leading to outside-in age gradients in dwarf galaxies, challenging previous assumptions and providing a new observational test for feedback models.

Findings

Old stars are reshuffled beyond the star-forming radius.

Age gradients are imprinted after galaxies form 50% of their stars.

Major mergers do not significantly influence age gradients.

Abstract

We use a sample of 73 simulated satellite and central dwarf galaxies spanning a stellar mass range of $10^{5.3}-10^{9.1} M_\odot$ to investigate the origin of their stellar age gradients. We find that dwarf galaxies often form their stars "inside-out," i.e., the stars form at successively larger radii over time. However, the oldest stars get reshuffled beyond the star forming radius by fluctuations in the gravitational potential well caused by stellar feedback (the same mechanisms that cause dwarfs to form dark matter cores). The result is that many dwarfs appear to have an "outside-in" age gradient at $z=0$, with younger stellar populations more centrally concentrated. However, for the reshuffled galaxies with the most extended star formation, young stars can form out to the large radii to which the old stars have been reshuffled, erasing the age gradient. We find that major mergers do not play a significant role in setting the age gradients of dwarfs. We find similar age gradient trends in satellites and field dwarfs, suggesting environment plays only a minor role, if any. Finally, we find that the age gradient trends are imprinted on the galaxies at later times, suggesting that the stellar reshuffling dominates after the galaxies have formed 50% of their stellar mass. The later reshuffling is at odds with results from the FIRE-2 simulations. Hence, age gradients offer a test of current star formation and feedback models that can be probed via observations of resolved stellar populations.