Near-infrared spectroscopy of stellar populations in nearby spiral
  galaxies
  We present high spatial resolution, medium spectral resolution near-infrared
(NIR) H- and K-band long-slit spectroscopy for a sample of 29 nearby (z < 0.01)
inactive spiral galaxies, to study the composition of their NIR stellar
populations. These spectra contain a wealth of diagnostic stellar absorption
lines, e.g. MgI 1.575 micron, SiI 1.588 micron, CO (6-3) 1.619 micron, MgI
1.711 micron, NaI 2.207 micron, CaI 2.263 micron and the 12CO and 13CO
bandheads longward of 2.29 micron. We use NIR absorption features to study the
stellar population and star formation properties of the spiral galaxies along
the Hubble sequence, and we produce the first high spatial resolution NIR
HK-band template spectra for low redshift spiral galaxies along the Hubble
sequence. These templates will find applications in a variety of galaxy
studies. The strength of the absorption lines depends on the luminosity and/or
temperature of stars and, therefore, spectral indices can be used to trace the
stellar population of galaxies. The entire sample testifies that the evolved
red stars completely dominate the NIR spectra, and that the hot young star
contribution is virtually nonexistent.
