The Initial Mass Function in disc galaxies and in galaxy clusters: the chemo-photometric picture

Abstract

The observed brightness of the Tully-Fisher relation suggests a low stellar M/L ratio and a "bottom-light" IMF in disc galaxies, but the corresponding efficiency of chemical enrichment tends to exceed the observational estimates. Either suitable tuning of the IMF slope and mass limits or metal outflows from disc galaxies must then be invoked. A standard Solar Neighbourhood IMF cannot explain the high metallicity of the hot intra-cluster medium: a different IMF must be at work in clusters of galaxies. Alternatively, if the IMF is universal and chemical enrichment is everywhere as efficient as observed in clusters, substantial loss of metals must occur from the Solar Neighbourhood and from disc galaxies in general; a "non-standard" scenario challenging our understanding of disc galaxy formation.

6 pages, 4 figures; in Proceedings of IMF@50: the Initial Mass Function 50 years later; Corbelli, Palla and Zinnecker (eds.)

References in corpus (5)

• Galactic-Field IMFs of Massive Stars
• On the Mass-to-Light ratio and the Initial Mass Function in disc galaxies
• Can a "standard" Initial Mass Function explain the metal enrichment in clusters of galaxies?
• Role of clusters of galaxies in the evolution of the metal budget in the Universe
• Chemical evolution of the intra-cluster medium