Surface Brightness Fluctuations: a theoretical point of view

Abstract

We present new theoretical evaluations of optical and near-IR Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) magnitudes for single-burst stellar populations in the age range t=5-15 Gyr and metallicity from $Z_{\sun}/200$ to $2Z_{\sun}$. Our theoretical predictions can be successfully used to derive reliable distance evaluations. They also appear to be a new and valuable tool to trace the properties of unresolved stellar populations.

2 pages, incl. 1 figure, uses newpasp.sty, to be published in ``New Horizons in Globular Cluster Astronomy'', ASP Conference Series, 2002; Eds.: G. Piotto, G. Meylan, G. Djorgowski and M. Riello, in press