The X-ray emission in post-merger ellipticals

Ewan O'Sullivan, Duncan Forbes, Trevor Ponman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The evolution in X-ray properties of early-type galaxies is largely unconstrained. In particular, little is known about how, and if, remnants of mergers generate hot gas haloes. Here we examine the relationship between X-ray luminosity and galaxy age for a sample of early-type galaxies. Comparing normalized X-ray luminosity to three different age indicators, we find that L-X/L-B increases with age, suggesting an increase in X-ray halo mass with time after the last major star formation episode of a galaxy. The long-term nature of this trend, which appears to continue across the full age range of our sample, poses a challenge for many models of hot halo formation. We conclude that models involving a declining rate of type Ia supernovae, and a transition from outflow to inflow of the gas originally lost by galactic stars, offer the most promising explanation for the observed evolution in X-ray luminosity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)420-426
Number of pages7
JournalRoyal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
Volume324
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2001

Keywords

  • X-rays : galaxies
  • galaxies : elliptical and lenticular, cD
  • galaxies : interactions
  • galaxies : evolution

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