No Arabic abstract
Galaxy evolution by interaction driven transformation is probably highly efficient in groups of galaxies. Dwarf galaxies with their shallow potential are expected to reflect the interaction most prominently in their observable structure. The major aim of this series of papers is to establish a data base which allows to study the impact of group interaction onto the morphology and star-forming properties of dwarf galaxies. Firstly, we present our selection rules for target groups and the morphological selection method of target dwarf member candidates. Secondly, the spectroscopic follow-up observations with the HET are present. Thirdly, we applied own reduction methods based on adaptive filtering to derive surface photometry of the candidates. The spectroscopic follow-up indicate a dwarf identification success rate of roughly 55%, and a group member success rate of about 33%. A total of 17 new low surface brightness members is presented. For all candidates, total magnitudes, colours, and light distribution parameters are derived and discussed in the context of scaling relations. We point out short comings of the SDSS standard pipeline for surface photometry for these dim objects. We conclude that our selection strategy is rather efficient to obtain a sample of dim, low surface brightness members of groups of galaxies within the Virgo super-cluster. The photometric scaling relation in these X-ray dim, rather isolated groups does not significantly differ from those of the galaxies within the Local Volume.
We analyse distribution, kinematics and star-formation (SF) properties of satellite galaxies in three different samples of nearby groups. We find that studied groups are generally well approximated by low-concentration NFW model, show a variety of LOS velocity dispersion profiles and signs of SF quenching in outskirts of dwarf satellite galaxies.
Here I briefly highlight our studies of the gas content, kinematics and star formation in nearby dwarf galaxies (D < 10 Mpc) based on the `Local Volume HI Survey (LVHIS, Koribalski et al. 2018), which was conducted with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The LVHIS sample consists of nearly 100 galaxies, including new discoveries, spanning a large diversity in size, shape, mass and degree of peculiarity. The hydrogen properties of dwarf galaxies in two nearby groups, Sculptor and CenA / M83, are analysed and compared with many rather isolated dwarf galaxies. Around 10% of LVHIS galaxies are transitional or mixed-type dwarf galaxies (dIrr/dSph), the formation of which is explored. - I also provide a brief update on WALLABY Early Science, where we focus on studying the HI properties of galaxies as a function of environment. WALLABY (Dec < +30 degr, z < 0.26) is conducted with the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), a 6-km diameter array of 36 x 12-m dishes, each equipped with wide-field (30 sq degr) Chequerboard Phased Array Feeds.
We present DEIMOS multi-object spectroscopy (MOS) of 22 star-forming dwarf galaxies located in four gas-rich groups, including six newly-discovered dwarfs. Two of the galaxies are strong tidal dwarf galaxy (TDG) candidates based on our luminosity-metallicity relation definition. We model the rotation curves of these galaxies. Our sample shows low mass-to-light ratios (M/L=0.73$pm0.39M_odot/L_odot$) as expected for young, star-forming dwarfs. One of the galaxies in our sample has an apparently strongly-falling rotation curve, reaching zero rotational velocity outside the turnover radius of $r_{turn}=1.2r_e$. This may be 1) a polar ring galaxy, with a tilted bar within a face-on disk; 2) a kinematic warp. These scenarios are indistinguishable with our current data due to limitations of slit alignment inherent to MOS-mode observations. We consider whether TDGs can be detected based on their tidal radius, beyond which tidal stripping removes kinematic tracers such as H$alpha$ emission. When the tidal radius is less than about twice the turnover radius, the expected falling rotation curve cannot be reliably measured. This is problematic for as much as half of our sample, and indeed more generally, galaxies in groups like these. Further to this, the H$alpha$ light that remains must be sufficiently bright to be detected; this is only the case for three (14%) galaxies in our sample. We conclude that the falling rotation curves expected of tidal dwarf galaxies are intrinsically difficult to detect.
This is the second paper in a series studying the photometric and spectroscopic properties of galaxies of different luminosities in the Coma cluster. The sample selection, spectroscopic observations and completeness functions are presented here. To study the spectral properties of galaxies as a function of their local environment, two fields were selected for spectroscopic observations to cover both the core (Coma1) and outskirts (ie. south-west of the core and centered on NGC4839)- (Coma3) of the cluster. Medium resolution spectroscopy (6-9 AA) was carried out for a total of 490 galaxies in both fields (302 in Coma1 and 188 in Coma3), using the WYFFOS multi-fiber spectrograph on the William Herschel Telescope. The galaxies cover a range of $12 < R < 20$, corresponding to -23 < M_R < -15 (H0=65 km/sec/Mpc). The redshifts are measured with an accuracy of 100 km/sec. The spectral line strengths and equivalent widths are also measured for the same galaxies and analysed in Poggianti et al (2001- paper III). A total of 189 (Coma1) and 90 (Coma3) galaxies are identified as members of the Coma cluster. An analysis of the colors show that only two members of the Coma cluster in our sample have B-R > 2. The completeness functions for the spectroscopic sample is presented.
We present a recalibration of the luminosity-metallicity relation for gas-rich, star-forming dwarfs to magnitudes as faint as M$_R$ ~ -13. We use the Dopita et al. (2013) metallicity calibrations to calibrate the relation for all of the data in this analysis. In metallicity-luminosity space we find two sub-populations within a sample of high-confidence SDSS DR8 star-forming galaxies; 52% are metal-rich giants and 48% are metal-medium galaxies. Metal-rich dwarfs classified as tidal dwarf galaxy (TDG) candidates in the literature are typically of metallicity 12 + log(O/H) = 8.70 $pm$ 0.05, while SDSS dwarfs fainter than M$_R$ = -16 have a mean metallicity of 12 + log(O/H) = 8.28 $pm$ 0.10, regardless of their luminosity, indicating that there is an approximate floor to the metallicity of low luminosity galaxies. Our hydrodynamical simulations predict that TDGs should have metallicities elevated above the normal luminosity-metallicity relation. Metallicity can therefore be a useful diagnostic for identifying TDG candidate populations in the absence of tidal tails. At magnitudes brighter than M$_R$ ~ -16 our sample of 53 star-forming galaxies in 9 HI gas-rich groups is consistent with the normal relation defined by the SDSS sample. At fainter magnitudes there is an increase in dispersion in metallicity of our sample, suggestive of a wide range of HI content and environment. In our sample we identify three (16% of dwarfs) strong TDG candidates (12 + log(O/H) > 8.6), and four (21%) very metal poor dwarfs (12 + log(O/H) < 8.0), which are likely gas-rich dwarfs with recently ignited star formation.