ProGeny II: the impact of libraries and model configurations on inferred galaxy properties in SED fitting

Fuente: arXiv
Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Bellstedt, Sabine, Robotham, Aaron S. G.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
_version_ 1866915310841364480
author Bellstedt, Sabine
Robotham, Aaron S. G.
author_facet Bellstedt, Sabine
Robotham, Aaron S. G.
contents We use a volume-complete sample of ~8,000 galaxies from the GAMA survey to characterise the impact of stellar population libraries (SPLs) and model configurations on the resulting inferred galaxy properties from Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting. We compare a fiducial SPL from ProGeny (a new tool that can generate SPLs quickly and flexibly) against five other commonly used SPLs using the SED-fitting code ProSpect. The impact of selecting each SPL is compared to the consequence of changing the model implementation in the SED fitting process, including the implementation of metallicity evolution versus a fixed or constant metallicity, and a functional parametric star formation history (SFH) versus a stepwise parametric (or "non-parametric") SFH. Furthermore, we use ProGeny to assess the impact of sub-SPL choices, including isochrone selection, stellar spectra selection, and IMF selection. Through a comparison of derived stellar masses, star formation rates, metallicities, ages, and the inferred cosmic star formation history (CSFH), we rank the impact of varying choices. Overall the assumption of a solar metallicity creates the greatest biases, with a substantial impact also caused by the choice of a specific SPL. To recover a CSFH most consistent with observations, we advocate for the use of the fiducial implementation with a skewed Normal functional form for the SFH, and an evolving metallicity, although we note that all studied SPLs underestimate the peak in the CSFH.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_17698
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle ProGeny II: the impact of libraries and model configurations on inferred galaxy properties in SED fitting
Bellstedt, Sabine
Robotham, Aaron S. G.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We use a volume-complete sample of ~8,000 galaxies from the GAMA survey to characterise the impact of stellar population libraries (SPLs) and model configurations on the resulting inferred galaxy properties from Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) fitting. We compare a fiducial SPL from ProGeny (a new tool that can generate SPLs quickly and flexibly) against five other commonly used SPLs using the SED-fitting code ProSpect. The impact of selecting each SPL is compared to the consequence of changing the model implementation in the SED fitting process, including the implementation of metallicity evolution versus a fixed or constant metallicity, and a functional parametric star formation history (SFH) versus a stepwise parametric (or "non-parametric") SFH. Furthermore, we use ProGeny to assess the impact of sub-SPL choices, including isochrone selection, stellar spectra selection, and IMF selection. Through a comparison of derived stellar masses, star formation rates, metallicities, ages, and the inferred cosmic star formation history (CSFH), we rank the impact of varying choices. Overall the assumption of a solar metallicity creates the greatest biases, with a substantial impact also caused by the choice of a specific SPL. To recover a CSFH most consistent with observations, we advocate for the use of the fiducial implementation with a skewed Normal functional form for the SFH, and an evolving metallicity, although we note that all studied SPLs underestimate the peak in the CSFH.
title ProGeny II: the impact of libraries and model configurations on inferred galaxy properties in SED fitting
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.17698