The Impact of Star Formation Histories on Stellar Mass Estimation: Implications from the Local Group Dwarf Galaxies

Abstract

Local Group (LG) galaxies have relatively accurate SFHs and metallicity evolution derived from resolved CMD modeling, and thus offer a unique opportunity to explore the efficacy of estimating stellar mass M${}_{\star }$ of real galaxies based on integrated stellar luminosities. Building on the SFHs and metallicity evolution of 40 LG dwarf galaxies, we carried out a comprehensive study of the influence of SFHs, metallicity evolution, and dust extinction on the UV-to-NIR color-$M/L$ (color-log${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$)) relations and M${}_{\star }$ estimation of local universe galaxies. We find that: The LG galaxies follow color-log${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) relations that fall in between the ones calibrated by previous studies; Optical color-log${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) relations at higher metallicities ([M/H]) are generally broader and steeper; The SFH "concentration" does not significantly affect the color-log${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) relations; Light-weighted ages and [M/H] together constrain log${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) with uncertainties ranging from $\lesssim$ 0.1 dex for the NIR up to 0.2 dex for the optical passbands; Metallicity evolution induces significant uncertainties to the optical but not NIR ${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) at given light-weighted ages and [M/H]; The $V$ band is the ideal luminance passband for estimating ${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($\lambda$) from single colors, because the combinations of ${{\rm Y}}_{\star }$($V$) and optical colors such as $B-V$ and $g-r$ exhibit the weakest systematic dependence on SFHs, [M/H] and dust extinction; Without any prior assumption on SFHs, M${}_{\star }$ is constrained with biases $\lesssim$ 0.3 dex by the optical-to-NIR SED fitting. Optical passbands alone constrain M${}_{\star }$ with biases $\lesssim$ 0.4 dex (or $\lesssim$ 0.6 dex) when dust extinction is fixed (or variable) in SED fitting. [abridged]

35 pages, 31 figures, 2 tables, ApJS in press. Slightly updated

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