The multiple classes of ultra-diffuse galaxies: Can we tell them apart?

TL;DR

This paper investigates the diversity of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) by analyzing their stellar populations, properties, and globular cluster content, revealing two main classes likely formed through different evolutionary pathways.

Contribution

It introduces a combined analysis of UDGs and nearly-UDGs using spectral energy distribution fitting, identifying two main classes of UDGs linked to distinct formation mechanisms.

Findings

UDGs and NUDGes share similar properties except for size and surface brightness.

GC content correlates with metallicity and can distinguish galaxy types.

Clustering reveals two main classes of UDGs related to different formation pathways.

Abstract

This study compiles stellar populations and internal properties of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) to highlight correlations with their local environment, globular cluster (GC) richness, and star formation histories. Complementing our sample of 88 UDGs, we include 36 low-surface brightness dwarf galaxies with UDG-like properties, referred to as NUDGes (nearly-UDGs). All galaxies were studied using the same spectral energy distribution fitting methodology to explore what sets UDGs apart from other galaxies. We show that NUDGes are similar to UDGs in all properties except for being, by definition, smaller and having higher surface brightness. We find that UDGs and NUDGes show similar behaviours in their GC populations, with the most metal-poor galaxies hosting consistently more GCs on average. This suggests that GC content may provide an effective way to distinguish extreme galaxies within the low surface brightness regime alongside traditional parameters like size and surface brightness. We confirm previous results using clustering algorithms that UDGs split into two main classes, which might be associated with the formation pathways of a puffy dwarf and a failed galaxy. The clustering applied to the UDGs+NUDGes dataset yields an equivalent result. The difference in mass contained in the GC system suggests that galaxies in different environments have not simply evolved from one another but may have formed through distinct processes.