Star formation rates for elliptical galaxies derived from the WISE 12-and 22-mu m emission
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2022
Abstract
We investigated the star formation rates (SFRs) of selected elliptical galaxies using the infrared data from the Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The elliptical galaxies were selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) MPA-JHU catalog and morphology classified by Galaxy Zoo catalog. We used the 3.4-mu m emission (W1) of WISE to represent the stellar mass of the galaxies and the 12- and 22-mu m emission (W3 and W4) of WISE to represent the star formation activity of the galaxies. The W3- and W4-based star formation rates are usually overestimated due to the star emission in low star-forming galaxies. Stellar continuum emission could contribute to MIR fluxes of elliptical galaxies with an average overestimation of similar to 13.95 and similar to 0.77% from the observed fluxes of WISE W3 and W4-bands, which determined by using the estimated WISE W3 and W4 flux correction factors. Better SFRs can be obtained by subtracting the stellar contribution of the sources. Our result highlights the possibility of the existence of unknown mechanisms triggering the continuous star formation activities in elliptical galaxies.
Keywords
Galaxies, IR sources, star formation
Divisions
PHYSICS
Funders
Universiti Malaya [Grant No: GPF081-2020],Universiti Malaya [Grant No: UM.S/625/3/HIR/24],National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA),Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,National Science Foundation (NSF),United States Department of Energy (DOE),Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT),Max Planck Society,UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
Publication Title
Sains Malaysiana
Volume
51
Issue
9
Publisher
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Publisher Location
FACULTY SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, BANGI, SELANGOR, 43600, MALAYSIA