Two Species of the Local Group Dwarf Spheroidals

Abstract

We analyzed 10 dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) in the Local Group, and found two distinct sequences on the $M_{\rm vir} / L$ -- $M_{\rm vir}$ plane: $M_{\rm vir} / L \propto M_{\rm vir}^{1.6}$ for $M_{\rm vir} < 10^8 M_\odot$ whereas $M_{\rm vir} / L \simeq {\rm const.}$ for $M_{\rm vir} > 10^8 M_\odot$ ($M_{\rm vir}$ and $L$ are the virial mass and the total luminosity of a dSph, respectively). We interpret the disconuity as the threshold for the gas in dSphs to be blown away by successive supernovae. We succeeded to give a quantitative explanation of the discontinuity mass of $10^8M_\odot$ as blow-away condition. We further derived the above relation for the low-mass dSphs, assuming that the initial star formation rate of the dSphs is proportional to the inverse of the cooling time. The relation of high-mass dSphs is also explained along with the same consideration, with the condition that the gas cannot been blown away effectively.