Open AccessChemical and spectrophotometric evolution of low surface brightness galaxies
Author(s) -
Boissier S.,
Monnier Ragaigne D.,
Prantzos N.,
Van Driel W.,
Balkowski C.,
O'Neil K.
Publication year - 2003
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.1365-8711.2003.06703.x
Subject(s) - physics , brightness , surface brightness , astrophysics , homogeneous , galaxy , surface (topology) , star formation , astronomy , statistical physics , geometry , mathematics
Based on the results of recent surveys, we have constructed a relatively homogeneous set of observational data concerning the chemical and photometric properties of low surface brightness galaxies (LSBs). We have compared the properties of this data set with the predictions of models of the chemical and spectrophotometric evolution of LSBs. The basic idea behind the models, i.e. that LSBs are similar to ‘classical’ high surface brightness spirals except for a larger angular momentum, is found to be consistent with the results of their comparison with these data. However, some observed properties of the LSBs (e.g. their colours, and specifically the existence of red LSBs), as well as the large scatter in these properties, cannot be reproduced by the simplest models with smoothly evolving star formation rates over time. We argue that the addition of bursts and/or truncations in the star formation rate histories can alleviate this discrepancy.