Stellar archeology: A cosmological view of dSphs

Abstract

The origin of dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) is investigated in a global cosmological context by simultaneously following the evolution of the Galaxy and its dwarf satellites. This approach enables to study the formation of dSphs in their proper birth environment and to reconstruct their own merging histories. The proposed picture simultaneously accounts for several dSph and Milky Way properties, including the Metallicity Distribution Functions of metal-poor stars. The observed features are interpreted in terms of physical processes acting at high redshifts. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012.