Insights on the Stellar Mass-Metallicity Relation from the CALIFA Survey

Author(s)

, R. M. González Delgado, R. Cid Fernandes, R. García-Benito, E. Pérez, A. L. de Amorim, C. Cortijo-Ferrero, E. A. D. Lacerda, R. López Fernández, S. F. Sánchez, N. Vale Asari, J. Alves, J. Bland-Hawthorn, L. Galbany, A. Gallazzi, B. Husemann, S. Bekeraite, B. Jungwiert, A. R. López-Sánchez, A. de Lorenzo-Cáceres, R. A. Marino, D. Mast, M. Mollá, A. del Olmo, P. Sánchez-Blázquez, G. van de Ven, J. M. Vílchez, C. J. Walcher, L. Wisotzki, B. Ziegler

Abstract

We use spatially and temporally resolved maps of stellar population

properties of 300 galaxies from the CALIFA integral field survey to

investigate how the stellar metallicity (Z sstarf) relates to

the total stellar mass (M sstarf) and the local mass surface

density (μsstarf) in both spheroidal- and disk-dominated

galaxies. The galaxies are shown to follow a clear stellar

mass-metallicity relation (MZR) over the whole

109-1012 M ☉ range. This relation

is steeper than the one derived from nebular abundances, which is

similar to the flatter stellar MZR derived when we consider only young

stars. We also find a strong relation between the local values of

μsstarf and Z sstarf (the μZR), betraying

the influence of local factors in determining Z sstarf. This

shows that both local (μsstarf-driven) and global (M

sstarf-driven) processes are important in determining

metallicity in galaxies. We find that the overall balance between local

and global effects varies with the location within a galaxy. In disks,

μsstarf regulates Z sstarf, producing a strong

μZR whose amplitude is modulated by M sstarf. In spheroids

it is M sstarf that dominates the physics of star formation

and chemical enrichment, with μsstarf playing a minor,

secondary role. These findings agree with our previous analysis of the

star formation histories of CALIFA galaxies, which showed that mean

stellar ages are mainly governed by surface density in galaxy disks and

by total mass in spheroids.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA), Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, The University of Sydney, Universidad de Chile, INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, University of Copenhagen, European Southern Observatory (Germany), Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam, Czech Academy of Sciences, Australian Astronomical Observatory, University of St. Andrews, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (CBPF), Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y Tecnológica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie

Journal

The Astrophysical journal Letters

Volume

791

No. of pages

5

ISSN

2041-8205

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/791/1/L16

Publication date

08-2014

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/3acc35b7-e06e-4bde-848f-03a2c8f5566c