A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
New colour-mass-to-light relations: the role of the asymptotic giant branch phase and of interstellar dust
Authors: Tom Into, Laura Portinari
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication year: 2013
Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Journal acronym: MNRAS
Number in series: 4
Volume: 430
Issue: 4
First page : 2715
Last page: 2731
Number of pages: 17
ISSN: 0035-8711
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt071
Web address : http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/430/4/2715.full.pdf+html
Abstract
Colour-M*/L (mass-to-light) relations are a popular recipe to derive stellar mass in external galaxies. Stellar mass estimates often rely on near-infrared (NIR) photometry, considered an optimal tracer since it is little affected by dust and by the `frosting' effect of recent star formation episodes. However, recent literature has highlighted that theoretical estimates of the NIR M*/L ratio strongly depend on the modelling of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. We use the latest Padova isochrones, with detailed modelling of the thermally pulsing AGB phase, to update theoretical colour-M*/L relations in the optical and NIR and discuss the consequences for the estimated stellar masses in external galaxies. We also discuss the effect of attenuation by interstellar dust on colour-M*/L relations in the statistical case of large galaxy samples.
Colour-M*/L (mass-to-light) relations are a popular recipe to derive stellar mass in external galaxies. Stellar mass estimates often rely on near-infrared (NIR) photometry, considered an optimal tracer since it is little affected by dust and by the `frosting' effect of recent star formation episodes. However, recent literature has highlighted that theoretical estimates of the NIR M*/L ratio strongly depend on the modelling of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. We use the latest Padova isochrones, with detailed modelling of the thermally pulsing AGB phase, to update theoretical colour-M*/L relations in the optical and NIR and discuss the consequences for the estimated stellar masses in external galaxies. We also discuss the effect of attenuation by interstellar dust on colour-M*/L relations in the statistical case of large galaxy samples.
UTU Research Portal