On distinguishing age from metallicity with photometric data

Abstract

In the study of galaxy integrated light, if photometric indicators could extract age and metallicity information of high enough quality, photometry might be vastly more efficient than spectroscopy for the same astrophysical goals. Toward this end, we search three photometric systems: David Dunlap Observatory (DDO), Beijing-Arizona-Taiwan-Connecticut (BATC), and Stromgren systems for their ability to disentangle age and abundance effects. Only the Stromgren [c_1] vs. [m_1] plot shows moderate age-metallicity disentanglement. We also add to the discussion of optical to near-infrared Johnson-Cousins broad band colours, finding a great decrease in age sensitivity when updated isochrones are used.

7 pages, 8 figures, accepted, MNRAS

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• Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): A forensic SED reconstruction of the cosmic star formation history and metallicity evolution by galaxy type
• Composite Stellar Populations and Element by Element Abundances in the Milky Way Bulge and Elliptical Galaxies
• Effects of Environment on the Size Evolution of Quiescent Galaxies: Comparing Galaxies in Clusters and in the Field at Two Rest-frame Wavelengths
• Size-Mass Relation Shows Its Colours: Contrasting Physical Imprints of Galaxy Evolution in Rest-Frame UV and Optical