Journal Article

·2025 OPEN ACCESS

Chemical enrichment of isolated relic galaxy Mrk1216

M. Kıyami Erdіm YTU , Emine Gülmez YTU , Murat Hüdaverdi YTU

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we investigate the chemical enrichment and structural evolution of the isolated elliptical relic galaxy Mrk1216 through X-ray observations. As a red-nugget relic, Mrk1216 provides a rare window into the early Universe, owing to its minimal interaction with the surrounding environment. Using data from the XMM-Newton telescope, we model the X-ray emission of its interstellar medium to derive radial temperature and abundance profiles. We find that the central region exhibits an elevated [Mg/Fe] ratio compared to typical early-type galaxies, consistent with a brief but intense star formation episode during its early assembly – a hallmark of relic systems. The nearly flat SNIa ratio profile ( $R_{Ia} \sim 0.17$ ) extending to $\sim0.42R_{500}$ supports an early-enrichment scenario. These results highlight the importance of relic galaxies as benchmarks for studying early galaxy evolution and chemical enrichment. Future high-resolution missions and more advanced theoretical models incorporating more realistic initial mass functions are needed to fully assess their implications.

Keywords

Galaxy Chemical evolution Galaxy formation and evolution Star formation Interstellar medium Elliptical galaxy Intergalactic medium Physics Astrophysics Astronomy

Subject Areas

Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena ·Astronomy and Astrophysics ·Physical Sciences
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research ·Instrumentation ·Physical Sciences
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies ·Astronomy and Astrophysics ·Physical Sciences