Empirical Population Synthesis for 74 Blue Compact Galaxies
arXiv:astro-ph/0210406 · doi:10.1023/A:1024031202872
Abstract
We have observed the largest optical spectra sample of 74 blue compact galaxies. Stellar population properties of them were derived by comparing the equivalent widths of strong absorption features and continuum colors, using a method of empirical population synthesis based on star cluster sample. The results indicate that blue compact galaxies are typically age-composite stellar system, the continuum flux fractions at 5870Ådue to old stellar components and young stellar components are both important for most of the galaxies. The stellar populations of blue compact galaxies present a variety of characteristics, and the contribution from different age and metallicity components is different. The star formation episodes are usually short, some galaxies maybe undergoing their first global episode of star formation, while for the most sample galaxies, older stars contribute to at most half the optical emission. Our results suggest that BCGs are old galaxies, in which star formation occurs in short intense burst separated by long quiescent phases.
4 pages, to appear in "The Evolution of Galaxies III. From S imple Approaches to Self-Consistent Models", proceedings of the 3rd EuroConference on the evolution of galaxies, held in Kiel, Germany, July 16-20, 2002