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Issue A&A Volume 389, Number 3, July III 2002 Page(s) 761 - 778 Section Extragalactic astronomy DOI 10.1051/0004-6361:20020446

A&A 389, 761-778 (2002)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20020446

Colour evolution of disk galaxy models from to

P. Westera, M. Samland, R. Buser and O. E. Gerhard

Astronomisches Institut der Universität Basel, Venusstrasse 7, 4102 Binningen, Switzerland
    e-mail: samland@astro.unibas.ch

(Received 24 December 2001 / Accepted 13 March 2002)

Abstract
We calculate synthetic UBVRIJHKLM images, integrated spectra and colours for the disk galaxy formation models of Samland & Gerhard (2002), from redshift z=4 to z=0. Two models are considered, an accretion model based on CDM structure formation simulations, and a classical collapse model in a dark matter halo. Both models provide the star formation history and dynamics of the baryonic component within a three-dimensional chemo-dynamical description. To convert to spectra and colours, we use the latest, metallicity-calibrated spectral library of Westera et al. (2002), including internal absorption. As a first application, we compare the derived colours with Hubble Deep Field North bulge colours and find good agreement. With our model, we disentangle metallicity effects and absorption effects on the integrated colours, and find that absorption effects are dominant for z<1.5. Furthermore, we confirm the quality of m_K as a mass tracer, and find indications for a correlation between (J-K)₀ and metallicity gradients.

Key words: galaxies: abundances -- galaxies: evolution -- galaxies: photometry -- galaxies: spiral -- ISM: dust, extinction

Offprint request: M. Samland, samland@astro.unibas.ch

© ESO 2002

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