|
Description
We present deep photometry of the Carina dwarf Spheroidal galaxy in the B,V filters from CTIO/MOSAIC, out to and beyond the tidal radius of r_ell_~0.48{deg}. The accurately calibrated photometry is combined with spectroscopic metallicity distributions of Red Giant Branch stars to determine the detailed star formation and chemical evolution history of Carina. The star formation history confirms the episodic formation history of Carina and quantifies the duration and strength of each episode in great detail, as a function radius from the centre. Two main episodes of star formation occurred at old (>8Gyr) and intermediate (2-8Gyr) ages, both enriching stars starting from low metallicities ([Fe/H]<-2dex). By dividing the SFH into two components, we determine that 60+/-9 percent of the total number of stars formed within the intermediate age episode. Furthermore, within the tidal radius (0.48{deg} or 888pc) a total mass in stars of 1.07+/-0.08x10^6^M_{sun}_ was formed, giving Carina a stellar mass-to-light ratio of 1.8+/-0.8. Combining the detailed star formation history with spectroscopic observations of RGB stars, we are able to determine the detailed age-metallicity relation of each episode and the timescale of alpha-element evolution of Carina from individual stars. The oldest episode displays a tight age-metallicity relation during ~6Gyr with steadily declining alpha-element abundances and a possible alpha-element knee visible at [Fe/H]~-2.5dex. The intermediate age sequence displays a more complex age-metallicity relation starting from low metallicity and a sequence in alpha-element abundances with a slope much steeper than observed in the old episode, starting from [Fe/H]=-1.8dex and [Mg/Fe]~0.4dex and declining to Mg-poor values ([Mg/Fe]<-0.5dex). This indicates clearly that both episodes of star formation formed from gas with different abundance patterns , inconsistent with simple evolution in an isolated system.
|
