Estimating the stellar mass of an SDSS galaxy from its color
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 12:47 am
Suppose I have a bunch of SDSS galaxies (all spirals), with good - spectroscopic - redshifts and good photometry.
Suppose I would like to make estimates of the stellar mass in each galaxy, using just the photometry (and the redshift); specifically, not using the spectra. How would I go about doing that?
From my reading of various papers, it would seem that I would need to do something like this:
* estimate the z-band absolute magnitude (for which you need a good estimate of the redshift)
* apply a 'dust correction'
* apply a 'k correction' (this is where having a robust estimate of redshift is most important)
* derive an estimate of the stellar mass, from the transformed colors (and 'de-dusted' z-band absolute magnitude).
Is that right?
If so, how to work out the 'dust correction'? What 'k correction' to use? What equations to use (in the last step)?
Also, what would be the typical estimated error, of the derived stellar mass (in dex)?
Suppose I would like to make estimates of the stellar mass in each galaxy, using just the photometry (and the redshift); specifically, not using the spectra. How would I go about doing that?
From my reading of various papers, it would seem that I would need to do something like this:
* estimate the z-band absolute magnitude (for which you need a good estimate of the redshift)
* apply a 'dust correction'
* apply a 'k correction' (this is where having a robust estimate of redshift is most important)
* derive an estimate of the stellar mass, from the transformed colors (and 'de-dusted' z-band absolute magnitude).
Is that right?
If so, how to work out the 'dust correction'? What 'k correction' to use? What equations to use (in the last step)?
Also, what would be the typical estimated error, of the derived stellar mass (in dex)?
