Empirical derivation of the metallicity evolution with time and radius using TNG50 Milky Way/Andromeda analogues
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arXiv
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| _version_ | 1866910658607448064 |
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| author | Ratcliffe, B. Khoperskov, S. Minchev, I. Lu, L. de Jong, R. S. Steinmetz, M. |
| author_facet | Ratcliffe, B. Khoperskov, S. Minchev, I. Lu, L. de Jong, R. S. Steinmetz, M. |
| contents | Recent works have used a linear birth metallicity gradient to estimate the evolution of the [Fe/H] profile in the Galactic disk over time, and infer stellar birth radii (R$_\text{birth}$) from [Fe/H] and age measurements. These estimates rely on the evolution of [Fe/H] at the Galactic center ([Fe/H](0, $τ$)) and the birth metallicity gradient ($\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$) over time -- quantities that are unknown and inferred under key assumptions. In this work, we use the sample of Milky Way/Andromeda analogues from the TNG50 simulation to investigate the ability to recover [Fe/H](R, $τ$) and R$_\text{birth}$ in a variety of galaxies. Using stellar disk particles, we test the assumptions required in estimating R$_\text{birth}$, [Fe/H](0, $τ$), and $\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$ using recently proposed methods to understand when they are valid. We show that $\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$ can be recovered in most galaxies to within 26% from the range in [Fe/H] across age, with better accuracy for more massive and stronger barred galaxies. We also find that the true central metallicity is unrepresentative of the genuine disk [Fe/H] profile; thus we propose to use a projected central metallicity instead. About half of the galaxies in our sample do not have a continuously enriching projected central metallicity, with a dilution in [Fe/H] correlating with mergers. Most importantly, galaxy-specific [Fe/H](R, $τ$) can be constrained and confirmed by requiring the R$_\text{birth}$ distributions of mono-age, solar neighborhood populations to follow inside-out formation. We conclude that examining trends with R$_\text{birth}$ is valid for the Milky Way disk and similarly structured galaxies, where we expect R$_\text{birth}$ can be recovered to within 20% assuming today's measurement uncertainties in TNG50. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_09260 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Empirical derivation of the metallicity evolution with time and radius using TNG50 Milky Way/Andromeda analogues Ratcliffe, B. Khoperskov, S. Minchev, I. Lu, L. de Jong, R. S. Steinmetz, M. Astrophysics of Galaxies Recent works have used a linear birth metallicity gradient to estimate the evolution of the [Fe/H] profile in the Galactic disk over time, and infer stellar birth radii (R$_\text{birth}$) from [Fe/H] and age measurements. These estimates rely on the evolution of [Fe/H] at the Galactic center ([Fe/H](0, $τ$)) and the birth metallicity gradient ($\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$) over time -- quantities that are unknown and inferred under key assumptions. In this work, we use the sample of Milky Way/Andromeda analogues from the TNG50 simulation to investigate the ability to recover [Fe/H](R, $τ$) and R$_\text{birth}$ in a variety of galaxies. Using stellar disk particles, we test the assumptions required in estimating R$_\text{birth}$, [Fe/H](0, $τ$), and $\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$ using recently proposed methods to understand when they are valid. We show that $\nabla$[Fe/H]($τ)$ can be recovered in most galaxies to within 26% from the range in [Fe/H] across age, with better accuracy for more massive and stronger barred galaxies. We also find that the true central metallicity is unrepresentative of the genuine disk [Fe/H] profile; thus we propose to use a projected central metallicity instead. About half of the galaxies in our sample do not have a continuously enriching projected central metallicity, with a dilution in [Fe/H] correlating with mergers. Most importantly, galaxy-specific [Fe/H](R, $τ$) can be constrained and confirmed by requiring the R$_\text{birth}$ distributions of mono-age, solar neighborhood populations to follow inside-out formation. We conclude that examining trends with R$_\text{birth}$ is valid for the Milky Way disk and similarly structured galaxies, where we expect R$_\text{birth}$ can be recovered to within 20% assuming today's measurement uncertainties in TNG50. |
| title | Empirical derivation of the metallicity evolution with time and radius using TNG50 Milky Way/Andromeda analogues |
| topic | Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.09260 |