The Promise of First Spectroscopy of Normal and Dwarf Galaxies
Abstract
ISO spectroscopic studies of galaxies gave us a taste of the diversity of IR spectroscopic signatures of galaxies and their potential to characterize stellar populations and their effects on the local interstellar medium, but also led to ambiguities in interpretation because only the brightest lines were detected in many galaxies. First studies will provide a rich and high signal-to-noise database for understanding the emission line deficit and absorption features in warm, heavily obscured moderate luminosity galaxies like NGC 4418 and in the ultraluminous galaxies. Combined with ground-based, SOFIA and SIRTF studies, First will be able to study starburst evolution in galactic disks, gaseous abundance variations and gradients among Hubble types and the affects of active galactic nuclei on the central regions of these galaxies. Even spectroscopic studies of dusty ellipticals will be possible and will allow us to probe the signatures of heating by old populations and possibly to discover the starburst phenomenon within some of these early-type galaxies. First spectroscopic and broadband studies of low metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxies will provide important templates for interpreting the spectra of luminous galaxies at high redshift. First broadband studies of galaxies with L(sub IR)~L* will probe out to z~1 while FIR spectroscopy will for the first time be able to fully probe the Hubble sequence of galaxies in the local universe.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA462255
Entities
People
- John Fischer
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory