2003/11/30 by Ignacio Trujillo, I. Trujillo, A. Burkert +3 · 1 citation
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Brightness #Demography #Elliptical galaxy #Fundamental plane (elliptical galaxies) #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Geometry #Lenticular galaxy #Luminosity #Mathematics #Optics #Physics #Plane (geometry) #Population #Star formation #Stellar population #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Surface brightness #Tilt (camera) #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/381528
8 pages, 3 figures, ApJL, 600, 39, minor changes made to match the published version
openalex publication_date 2003/12/12 · arxiv created 2004/01/09 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The variation of the mass-to-light M / L ratios of early-type galaxies as a function of their luminosities L is investigated. It is shown that the tilt β = 0.27 (in the B band) of the fundamental plane relation M / L ∝ L β can be understood as a combination of two effects: about one-quarter (i.e., Δβ = 0.07) is a result of systematic variations of the stellar population properties with increasing luminosity. The remaining three-quarters (i.e., Δβ = 0.2) can be completely attributed to nonhomology effects that lead to a systematic change of the surface brightness profiles with increasing luminosity. Consequently, the observed tilt in the K band (β = 0.17), where stellar population effects are negligible, is explained by nonhomology effects alone. After correcting for nonhomology, the mean value of the mass-to-light ratio of elliptical galaxies ( M / L B ) is 7.1 ± 2.8 (1 σ scatter).