Constraints on stellar populations in elliptical galaxies

Spectra of elliptical galaxies and Galactic globular clusters are presented in integrated light in the 3400-4500 A wavelength region and at a resolution of 2.5 A. A very small hot star population is detected in M32 and other elliptical galaxies whose contribution to the integrated spectra is quantitatively consistent with that expected from the metal-poor population predicted to be present by the simple picture of galactic chemical enrichment. Systematic differences found between the nuclear spectrum of M32 and those of metal-rich globular clusters are only explained if dwarfs provide a much greater contribution to the integrated light of the M32 nucleus than to the integrated blue light of metal-rich globular clusters. This dwarf enrichment relative to metal-rich globular clusters also is found to exist in the M32 extranuclear region.