Full spectrum fitting with photometry in pPXF: stellar population versus dynamical masses, non-parametric star formation history and metallicity for 3200 LEGA-C galaxies at redshift z~0.8

Understand

I introduce some improvements to the pPXF method, which measures the stellar and gas kinematics, star formation history (SFH) and chemical composition of galaxies.

• I describe the new optimization algorithm that pPXF uses and the changes I made to fit both spectra and photometry simultaneously.
• I apply the updated pPXF method to a sample of 3200 galaxies at redshift $0.6<z<1$ (median $z=0.76$, stellar mass $M_\ast>3\times10^{10}$ M$_\odot$), using spectroscopy from the LEGA-C survey (DR3) and 28-bands photometry from two different sources.
• I compare the masses from new JAM dynamical models with the pPXF stellar population $M_\ast$ and show the latter are more reliable than previous estimates.