Astrophysics (Index)About

stellar population synthesis

(SPS)
(using spectral characteristics of galaxies to characterize their stellar populations)

Stellar population synthesis is the estimation of the types and rough counts of stars in a galaxy based upon its spectra. Physics and heuristic techniques from observations of stellar populations and nearby galaxies enables creation of templates and rules (formulae) for estimating populations of distant galaxies based upon observable data. Simulations of the evolution of populations of stars are also used in creating models (population synthesis simulation). Since binary stars make up a significant portion of the stellar population of a galaxy, including the peculiarities of their evolution promises better accuracy (binary population synthesis or BPS).


(models,galaxies,stars,binary stars,technique)
Further reading:
https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/~george/ay127/Ay127_GalEvol_new.pdf
http://cosmology.lbl.gov/talks/Conroy_09.pdf
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept14/Conroy/Conroy2.html

Referenced by pages:
A-LIST
BPASS
FSPS
Lick indices
MaNGA Stellar Library (MaStar)
stellar population synthesis code

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