Radial Gradients and Intrinsic Scatter in MaNGA Galaxies

Tathagata Pal, Guy Worthey

Published 2025-02-01Version 1

We derive stellar population parameters and their radial gradients within 0.65 R$_e$ for spatially resolved spectra of 2417 early-type galaxies from the MaNGA survey with stellar velocity dispersions ($\sigma$) between 50 kms$^{-1}$ and 340 kms$^{-1}$. We invert a grid of metallicity-composite stellar population models to find mean age and the abundances of C, N, Na, Mg, and Fe. These models have significant improvements compared to past models, including isochrones that respond to individual element abundances. Globally, age rises with $\sigma$ while [Fe/H] gently falls. Individual light element abundances strengthen with $\sigma$ but strengthen faster for log($\sigma$)$>$2.0. [Fe/H] shows a maximum at log($\sigma$)$\approx$2.0, falling to either side. Light element [X/Fe] anticorrelate with [Fe/H]. Heterogeneity as measured by astrophysical scatter is highest in low-$\sigma$ galaxies, most dramatically for age, Fe, and N. For galaxy-internal parameters, age shows nearly flat radial gradients in low-$\sigma$ galaxies, slightly negative at high $\sigma$. The mean radial gradient in [Fe/H] is negative and light element [X/Fe]s fall. Intrinsic scatter in gradients is highest in high-$\sigma$ galaxies, most dramatically for age and Fe. Evidently, nearly as many galaxies form inside-out as form outside-in. A near-zero radial gradient in age and light elements coupled with a mild [Fe/H] gradient supports the hierarchical merging scenario for ETG evolution. IllustrisTNG hierarchical simulations reproduce the age structure we find, show the abundance slope changes at log($\sigma$)$\approx$2.0 that we observe, and exhibit flat gradients similar to those we derive, although the abundances predicted by IllustrisTNG are significantly higher than our observations overall.