Open AccessPrincipal component analysis for spectral indices of stellar populations
Author(s) -
Kong X.,
Cheng F. Z.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04301.x
Subject(s) - metallicity , physics , principal component analysis , stellar population , astrophysics , population , stellar classification , astronomical spectroscopy , stars , statistics , star formation , medicine , mathematics , environmental health
We apply the method of principal component analysis to a sample of simple stellar populations to select some age‐sensitive spectral indices. Besides the well‐known age‐sensitive index, H β , we find that some other spectral indices have great potential to determine the age of stellar populations, such as G4300, Fe4383, C 2 4668, and Mg b . In addition, we find that the sensitivity to age of these spectral indices depends on the metallicity of the simple stellar population (SSP): H β and G4300 are more suited to determine the age of the low‐metallicity stellar population, C 2 4668 and Mg b are more suited to the high‐metallicity stellar population. The results suggest that the principal component analysis method provides a more objective and informative alternative to diagnostics by individual spectral lines.