Present-day scaling relations of submm galaxies: origin of spheroidal sytems

Abstract

We analyse the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 23 submm galaxies and 3 ISO-detected EROs, all of which have the spectroscopic redshifts, by using an evolutionary SED model of starbursts. This SED model allows us to investigate intrinsic properties of starbursts, such as the starburst age and the mean stellar metallicity, as it takes into account the chemical evolution. Also, the intrinsic size of the starburst region is estimated from observed SEDs. Using this SED model, we predict colour, magnitude, and size of present-day descendants of submm galaxies, and derive scaling relations, such as the present-day colour-magnitude and size-magnitude relations. We argue that submm galaxies are the progenitors of present-day elliptical galaxies, provided that the initial mass function (IMF) of submm galaxies is slightly flatter than the Salpeter IMF. In this case, we find that 1) the mean present-day magnitude of submm galaxies is similar to that of L* elliptical galaxies, 2) the present-day colour-magnitude relation is consistent with that of elliptical galaxies, 3) the present-day size-magnitude relation of elliptical galaxies can be reproduced if massive submm galaxies consist of multiple starburst regions. We estimate the effect of feedback in submm galaxies as a function of starburst age. It is found that starburst regions in submm galaxies are likely to be self-regulated; i.e. the effect of feedback is nearly balanced with the self-gravity of starburst regions.