Program: GN-2014B-Q-95

Title:Definitive detection of thermally-pulsing AGB star signatures in local post-starburst galaxies
PI:Rachel Mason
Co-I(s): Alberto Rodríguez-Ardila, Rogerio Riffel, Paulina Lira, Luis Ho, Cristina Ramos Almeida, Richard McDermid, Lucimara Martins

Abstract

The thermally-pulsing AGB phase of stellar evolution is difficult to model, yet may exert a profound influence on our understanding of the evolution of galaxies. We propose GNIRS XD spectroscopy of three nearby galaxies with evidence for a burst of star formation that ended ~0.5 - 1 Gyr ago, and whose NIR light should therefore contain a strong contribution from TP-AGB stars and their characteristic spectral features. The spectra will represent an advance over recent results for more distant galaxies by increasing the S/N and wavelength coverage available. The observations will therefore provide a unique, high-quality data set that must be matched by stellar population models attempting to explain and predict the light of galaxies near and far.