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Context. Within the Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology, dark matter haloes are expected to deviate from spherical symmetry. The particular shape of a galactic halo reflects the environment and mass assembly history of its host, as well as the nature of dark matter. Constraining halo shapes at large galactocentric distances is challenging because of the low density of luminous tracers. The well-studied massive early-type galaxy NGC 5128, also known as Centaurus A (Cen A), has a large number of radial velocity measurements for globular clusters (GCs) and planetary nebulae (PNe) extending over a vast area of its extended low-surface-brightness stellar halo. Aims. In this work, we aim to determine the deviation from spherical symmetry of the dark matter halo of Cen A at 5 Re using its GCs as kinematic tracers of the gravitational potential. Methods. We investigated the largest photometric catalogue of GC candidates in order to accurately characterise the spatial distribution of the relaxed population of GCs. To investigate the presence of non-relaxed structures in the kinematic catalogue of GCs, we used the relaxed point-symmetric velocity field as determined by the host's PNe population. We used anisotropic Jeans modelling under axisymmetric assumptions together with the Gaussian likelihood and GCs as discrete tracers. The gravitational potential is generated by flattened stellar and dark matter distributions. We leveraged the different orbital properties of the blue and red GCs – such as rotation and velocity anisotropy – to model both populations separately. By minimising χ2, we iteratively find the best-fit parameters. Results. We find that the discrete kinematics of the GCs are consistent with being drawn from an underlying relaxed velocity field determined from PNe. The best-fit parameters of the gravitational potential recovered from the blue and red GCs separately agree well and we use them to compute the final results: M200 = 1.86−0.691.61 × 1012 M⊙, M⋆/LB = 2.98−0.78+0.96, and the flattening qDM = 1.45−0.53+0.78. Both GC populations show mild rotation, with red having a slightly stronger rotational signature and radially biased orbits, and blue GCs preferring negative velocity anisotropy. Conclusions. An oblate or a spherical dark matter halo of NGC 5128 is strongly disfavoured by our modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The INvestigating Stellar Population In RElics (INSPIRE) is an ongoing project targeting 52 ultra-compact massive galaxies at 0.1 <  z <  0.5 with the X-shooter at VLT spectrograph (XSH). These objects are the ideal candidates to be 'relics', massive red nuggets that have formed at high redshift (z >  2) through a short and intense star formation burst, and then have evolved passively and undisturbed until the present day. Relics provide a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms of star formation at high-z. Aims.INSPIRE is designed to spectroscopically confirm and fully characterise a large sample of relics, computing their number density in the redshift window 0.1 <  z <  0.5 for the first time, thus providing a benchmark for cosmological galaxy formation simulations. In this paper, we present the INSPIRE Data Release (DR1), comprising 19 systems with observations completed in 2020. Methods. We use the methods already presented in the INSPIRE Pilot, but revisiting the 1D spectral extraction. For the 19 systems studied here, we obtain an estimate of the stellar velocity dispersion, fitting the two XSH arms (UVB and VIS) separately at their original spectral resolution to two spectra extracted in different ways. We estimate [Mg/Fe] abundances via line-index strength and mass-weighted integrated stellar ages and metallicities with full spectral fitting on the combined (UVB+VIS) spectrum. Results. For each system, different estimates of the velocity dispersion always agree within the errors. Spectroscopic ages are very old for 13/19 galaxies, in agreement with the photometric ones, and metallicities are almost always (18/19) super-solar, confirming the mass–metallicity relation. The [Mg/Fe] ratio is also larger than solar for the great majority of the galaxies, as expected. We find that ten objects formed more than 75% of their stellar mass (M⋆) within 3 Gyr from the big bang and classify them as relics. Among these, we identify four galaxies that had already fully assembled their M⋆ by that time and are therefore 'extreme relics' of the ancient Universe. Interestingly, relics, overall, have a larger [Mg/Fe] and a more metal-rich stellar population. They also have larger integrated velocity dispersion values compared to non-relics (both ultra-compact and normal-size) of similar stellar mass. Conclusions. The INSPIRE DR1 catalogue of ten known relics is the largest publicly available collection, augmenting the total number of confirmed relics by a factor of 3.3, and also enlarging the redshift window. The resulting lower limit for the number density of relics at 0.17 <  z <  0.39 is ρ ∼ 9.1 × 10−8 Mpc−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. NGC 3311 is the central galaxy of the Hydra I galaxy cluster. It has a hot interstellar medium and hosts a central dust lane with emission lines. These dust lanes are frequent in elliptical galaxies, but the case of NGC 3311 might be particularly interesting for problems of dust lifetime and the role of cool gas in the central parts. Aims. We aim to use archival HST images and MUSE data to investigate the central dust structure of NGC 3311. Methods. We used the tool PyParadise to model the stellar population and extract the emission lines. Results. The HST/ACS colour map reveals the known dust structures, but also blue spots, which are places of strong line emission. A dusty "mini-jet" emanates from the centre. The distribution of the emission line gas matches the dust silhouette almost exactly. Close to the brightest Hα emission, the ratio [NII]/Hα resembles that of HII-regions; in the outer parts, [NII] gets stronger and is similar to LINERLow-ionization nuclear emission-line region -like spectra. The gas kinematics is consistent with that of a rotating disc. The Doppler shifts of the strongest line emissions, which indicate the areas of highest star formation activity, smoothly fit into the disc symmetry. The metallicity is supersolar. The presence of neutral gas is indicated by the fit residuals of the stellar NaI D absorption line, which we interpret as interstellar absorption. We estimate the mass of the neutral gas to be of the order of the X-ray mass. The dynamical mass infers a stellar population of intermediate age, whose globular clusters have already been identified. Conclusions. Our findings can be harmonised in a scenario in which the star formation is triggered by the accretion of cold gas onto a pre-existing gas/dust disc or ring. Newly produced dust then contributes to the longevity of the dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. M 105 (NGC 3379) is an early-type galaxy in the Leo I group. The Leo I group is the nearest group that contains all main galaxy types and can thus be used as a benchmark to study the properties of the intra-group light (IGL) in low-mass groups. Aims. We present a photometric survey of planetary nebulae (PNe) in the extended halo of the galaxy to characterise its PN populations and investigate the presence of an extended PN population associated with the intra-group light. Methods. We use PNe as discrete stellar tracers of the diffuse light around M 105. These PNe were identified on the basis of their bright [O III]5007 Å emission and the absence of a broad-band continuum using automated detection techniques. We compare the PN number density profile with the galaxy surface-brightness profile decomposed into metallicity components using published photometry of the Hubble Space Telescope in two halo fields. Results. We identify 226 PNe candidates within a limiting magnitude of m5007, lim = 28.1 from our Subaru-SuprimeCam imaging, covering 67.6 kpc (23 effective radii) along the major axis of M 105 and the halos of NGC 3384 and NGC 3398. We find an excess of PNe at large radii compared to the stellar surface brightness profile from broad-band surveys. This excess is related to a variation in the luminosity-specific PN number α with radius. The α-parameter value of the extended halo is more than seven times higher than that of the inner halo. We also measure an increase in the slope of the PN luminosity function at fainter magnitudes with radius. Conclusions. We infer that the radial variation of the PN population properties is due to a diffuse population of metal-poor stars ([M/H] < −1.0) following an exponential profile, in addition to the M 105 halo. The spatial coincidence between the number density profile of these metal-poor stars and the increase in the α-parameter value with radius establishes the missing link between metallicity and the post-asymptotic giant branch phases of stellar evolution. We estimate that the total bolometric luminosity associated with the exponential IGL population is 2.04 × 109 L⊙ as a lower limit. The lower limit on the IGL fraction is thus 3.8%. This work sets the stage for kinematic studies of the IGL in low-mass groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the discovery of 27 low-surface brightness galaxies, of which 12 are candidates for ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDG) in the Hydra I cluster, based on deep observations taken as part of the VST Early-type Galaxy Survey (VEGAS). This first sample of UDG candidates in the Hydra I cluster represents an important step in our project that aims to enlarge the number of confirmed UDGs and, through study of statistically relevant samples, constrain the nature and formation of UDGs. This study presents the main properties of this class of galaxies in the Hydra I cluster. For all UDGs, we analysed the light and colour distribution, and we provide a census of the globular cluster (GC) systems around them. Given the limitations of a reliable GC selection based on two relatively close optical bands only, we find that half of the UDG candidates have a total GC population consistent with zero. Of the other half, two galaxies have a total population larger than zero at 2σ level. We estimate the stellar mass, the total number of GCs, and the GC specific frequency (SN). Most of the candidates span a range of stellar masses of 107 − 108 M⊙. Based on the GC population of these newly discovered UDGs, we conclude that most of these galaxies have a standard or low dark matter content, with a halo mass of ≤1010 M⊙. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-type galaxies show a strong size evolution with redshift. This evolution is explained by fast "in-situ" star formation at high-z followed by a late mass assembly mostly driven by minor mergers that deposit stars primarily in the outer halo. We aim to identify structural components of the Hydra I cD galaxy NGC 3311 to investigate the connection between the central galaxy and the surrounding stellar halo. We map the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) using MUSE pointings covering NGC 3311 out to 25 kpc. Combining photometric and spectroscopic data, we model the LOSVD maps using a finite mixture distribution, including four non-concentric, nearly isothermal spheroids, with different line-of-sight systemic velocities V, velocity dispersions σ, and higher order Gauss-Hermite moments h3 and h4. The comparison of the correlations between 3 and h4 with V/σ with simulations indicates that NGC 3311 assembled mainly through dry mergers. The σ profile rises to ≃400 km ss-1 at 20 kpc indicating that stars there were stripped from progenitors orbiting in the cluster core. The finite mixture distribution modeling supports three inner components related to the central galaxy and a fourth component with large effective radius (51 kpc) and velocity dispersion (327 km s-1) consistent with a cD envelope. We find that the cD envelope is offset from the center of NGC 3311 both spatially (8.6 kpc) and in velocity (ΔV=204 kms-1), but coincide with the cluster core X-ray isophotes and the mean velocity of galaxies. Also, the envelope contributes to the broad wings of the LOSVD measured by large h4 within 10 kpc. The cD envelope of NGC 3311 is dynamically associated with the cluster core, which in Hydra I is in addition displaced from the cluster center, presumably due to a recent subcluster merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polar disk galaxy NGC 4650A was observed during the commissioning of the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) at the ESO Very Large Telescope to obtain the first 2D map of the velocity and velocity dispersion for both stars and gas. The new MUSE data allow the analysis of the structure and kinematics towards the central regions of NGC 4650A, where the two components co-exist. These regions were unexplored by the previous long-slit literature data available for this galaxy. The stellar velocity field shows that there are two main directions of rotation, one along the host galaxy major axis (PA = 67 deg) and the other along the polar disk (PA = 160 deg). The host galaxy has, on average, the typical pattern of a rotating disk, with receding velocities on the SW side and approaching velocities on the NE side, and a velocity dispersion that remains constant at all radii (σstar ~ 50-60 kms-1). The polar disk shows a large amount of differential rotation from the centre up to the outer regions, reaching V ~ 100-120 km s-1 at R ~ 75 arcsec ~ 16 kpc. Inside the host galaxy, a velocity gradient is measured along the photometric minor axis. Close to the centre, for R ≤ 2 arcsec the velocity profile of the gas suggests a decoupled component and the velocity dispersion increases up to ~110 km s-1, while at larger distances it remains almost constant (σgas ~ 30-40 km s-1). The extended view of NGC 4650A given by the MUSE data is a galaxy made of two perpendicular disks that remain distinct and drive the kinematics right into the very centre of this object. In order to match this observed structure for NGC 4650A, we constructed a multicomponent mass model made by the combined projection of two disks. By comparing the observations with the 2D kinematics derived from the model, we found that the modelled mass distribution in these two disks can, on average, account for the complex kinematics revealed by the MUSE data, also in the central regions of the galaxy where the two components coexist. This result is a strong constraint on the dynamics and formation history of this galaxy; it further supports the idea that polar disk galaxies like NGC 4650A were formed through the accretion of material that has different angular momentum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal debris, which are rich in HI gas and formed in interacting and merging systems, are suitable laboratories to study star formation outside galaxies. Recently, several such systems were observed, which contained many young star forming regions outside the galaxies. In previous works, we have studied young star forming regions outside galaxies in different systems with optical and/or gaseous tidal debris, in order to understand how often they occur and in which type of environments. In this paper, we searched for star forming regions around the galaxy NGC 2865, a shell galaxy that is circled by a ring of HI with a total mass of 1.2×109 M☉. Using the multi-slit imaging spectroscopy technique with the Gemini telescope, we detected all Hα emitting sources in the surroundings of the galaxy NGC 2865, down to a flux limit of 10-18 erg cm-2 s-1 Å-1. With the spectra information and the near and far-ultraviolet flux, we characterize the star formation rates, masses, ages, and metallicities for these HII regions. In total, we found 26 emission-line sources in a 60×60 Kpc field centered over the southeastern tail of the HI gas present around the galaxy NGC 2865. Out of the 26 Hα emitters, 19 are in the satellite galaxy FGCE 0745, and seven are intergalactic HII regions scattered over the south tail of the HI gas around NGC 2865. We found that the intergalactic HII regions are young (<200 Myr) with stellar masses in the range 4 × 103 M☉ to 17 × 106 M☉. These are found in a region of low HI gas density, where the probability of forming stars is expected to be low. For one of the intergalactic HII regions, we estimated a solar oxygen abundance of 12 + log(O/H) ∼ 8.7. We also were able to estimate the metallicity for the satellite galaxy FGCE 0745 to be 12 + log(O/H) ∼ 8.0. Given these physical parameters, the intergalactic HII regions are consistent with young star forming regions (or clusters), which are born in situ outside the NGC 2865 galaxy from a pre-enriched gas removed from the host galaxies in a merger event. The relevance of these observations is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The prototype of polar ring galaxies NGC 4650A contains two main structural components, a central spheroid, which is the host galaxy, and an extended polar disk. Both photometric and kinematic studies revealed that these two components co-exist on two different planes within the central regions of the galaxy. Aims. The aim of this work is to study the spectroscopic and kinematic properties of the host galaxy and the polar disk in the central regions of NGC 4650A by disentangling their contributions to the observed galaxy spectrum. Methods. We applied the spectral decomposition technique introduced in previous works to long-slit spectroscopic observations in the CaII triplet region.We focused the analysis along the PA = 152° that corresponds to the photometric minor axis of the host galaxy, where the superimposition of the two components is more relevant and the spectral decomposition is necessary. We aim to disentangle the stars that move in the equatorial plane of the host galaxy from those that move in the meridan plane, which is along the polar disk. Results. We successfully disentangled the spectra of the two structural components of NGC 4650A and measured their line-of-sight velocity and velocity dispersion profiles, and the stellar content along PA = 152°. The host galaxy shows significant rotation along its photometric minor axis, indicating that the gravitational potential is not axisymmetric. The polar disk shows a kinematic decoupling: the inner regions counter-rotating with respect the outer-regions and the host spheroid. This suggests a complex formation history for the polar disk, characterised by mass accretion with decoupled angular momenta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The presence of a bar affects the distribution and dynamics of a stellar disk at all scales, from a fraction of a kpc in the inner central region to tens of kpc at the disk's edge. The quantitative study of the disk response to a bar can be hampered by the presence of dust, which is common in late type spirals. Aims. We want to quantify the structures in the stellar disk of the barred Sc galaxy NGC 253 located in the Sculptor group, at 3.47 Mpc distance. Methods. We use J and Ks band images acquired with the VISTA telescope as part of the Science Verification. The wide field of view and the high angular resolution of this survey facility allow the mapping of the large and small scale structure of the stellar disk in NGC 253. We use unsharp masking and two dimensional modelling of the smooth light distribution in the disk to identify and measure the sub-structures induced by the bar in the stellar disk of NGC 253. We build azimuthally-averaged profiles in the J and Ks bands to measure the radial surface brightness profile of the central bulge, bar and disk. Results. Moving outward from the galaxy center, we find a nuclear ring within the bright 1 kpc diameter nucleus, then a bar, a ring with 2.9 kpc radius, and spiral arms in the outer disk. From the Ks image we obtain a new measure of the de-projected length of the bar of 2.5 kpc. The bar's strength, as derived from the curvature of the dust lanes in the J-Ks image, is typical of weak bars with Δα = 25 degree/kpc. From the de-projected length of the bar, we establish the co-rotation radius (RCR = 3 kpc) and bar pattern speed (Ωb = 61.3 kms-1 kpc-1), which provides the connection between the high frequency structures in the disk and the orbital resonances induced by the bar. The nuclear ring is located at the Inner Lindblad resonance. The second ring (at 2.9 kpc) does not have a resonant origin, but it could be a merger remnant or a transient structure formed during an intermediate stage of the bar formation. The inferred bar pattern speed places the Outer Lindblad resonance within the optical disk at 4.9 kpc, in the same radial range as the peak in the HI surface density. The disk of NGC 253 has a down-bending profile with a break at R ~ 9.3 kpc, which corresponds to about 3 times the scale length of the inner disk. We discuss the evidence for a threshold in star formation efficiency as a possible explanation for the steep gradient in the surface brightness profile at large radii. Conclusions. The near-infrared photometry unveils the dynamical response of the NGC 253 stellar disk to its central bar. The formation of the bar may be related to the merger event that determined the truncation of stars and gas at large radii and the perturbation of the disk's outer edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Outskirts of large galaxies contain important information about galaxy formation and assembly. Resolved star count studies can probe the extremely low surface brightness of the outer halos. Aims. NGC 253 is a nearly edge-on disk galaxy in the Sculptor group, of which we resolved the halo stars from ground-based images, with the aim of studying its stellar population content, the structure and the overall extent of the halo. Methods. We use Z and J-band images from the VIRCAM camera mounted on the VISTA telescope to construct the spatially resolved J vs. Z-J color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). The very deep photometry and the wide area covered allow us to trace the red giant branch (RGB) and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars that belong to the halo of NGC 253 out to 50 kpc along the galaxy's minor axis. Results. We confirm the existence of an extra-planar stellar component of the disk, with a very prominent southern shelf and a symmetrical feature on the north side. The only additional visible substructure is an overdensity in the north-west part of the halo ~28 kpc distant from the plane and extending over 20 kpc parallel with the disk of the galaxy. Our data are not deep enough to distinguish its stellar population from that of the surrounding halo, but the excess of stars above the smooth halo traces the mass of the parent population of ~7.5×106 M☉. From stellar counts, we measure the transition from the disk to the halo at a radial distance of about 25 kpc with a clear break in the number density profile. The isodensity contours show that the inner halo is a flattened structure that blends with a more extended, diffuse, rounder outer halo. Such external structure can be traced to the very edge of our image out to 50 kpc from the disk plane. The number density profile of the stars in the stellar halo follows a power law with index -1.6, as a function of radius. The CMD shows a very homogeneous stellar population across the field. By comparing isochrones with the CMD, we conclude that the RGB stars are ~8 Gyr old or more, while the AGB stars trace a population of about 2 × 108 M☉ formed from ~0.5 to a few Gyr ago. Surprisingly, part of the latter population appears scattered over a wide area. We explore several ideas to explain the origin of this relatively young component in the inner halo of NGC 253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We investigate the diffuse light in the outer regions of the nearby elliptical galaxy M87 in the Virgo cluster, in the transition region between galaxy halo and intracluster light (ICL). Methods. The diffuse light is traced using planetary nebulas (PNs). The surveyed areas are imaged with a narrow-band filter centred on the redshifted [OIII]λ5007 Å emission line at the Virgo cluster distance (the on-band image) and with a broad-band V-filter (the off-band image). All PNs are identified through the on-off band technique using automatic selection criteria based on the distribution of the detected sources in the colour-magnitude diagram and the properties of their point-spread function. Results. We present the results of an imaging survey for PNs within a total effective area of 0.43 deg2, covering the stellar halo of M87 up to a radial distance of 150 kpc. We extract a catalogue of 688 objects down to m5007 = 28.4, with an estimated residual contamination from foreground stars and background Lyα galaxies, which amounts to ∼35% of the sample. This is one of the largest extragalactic PN samples in number of candidates, magnitude depth, and radial extent, which allows us to carry out an unprecedented photometric study of the PN population in the outer regions of M87.We find that the logarithmic density profile of the PN distribution is shallower than the surface brightness profile at large radii. This behaviour is consistent with a model where the luminosity specific PN numbers for the M87 halo and ICL are different. Because of the depth of this survey we are also able to study the shape of the PN luminosity function (PNLF) in the outer regions of M87. We find a slope for the PNLF that is steeper at fainter magnitudes than the standard analytical PNLF formula and adopt a generalised model that treats the slope as a free parameter. Conclusions. The logarithmic PN number density profile is consistent with the superposition of two components associated with the halo of M87 and with the ICL, which have different α parameters. We derive α2.5,halo = (1.10+0.17-0.21) × 10-8 NPN L-1☉,bol and α2.5,ICL = (3.29+0.60-0.72) × 10-8 NPN L-1 ☉,bol for the halo and the intracluster stellar components, respectively. The fit of the generalised formula to the empirical PNLF for the M87 halo returns a value for the slope of 1.17 and a preliminary distance modulus to the M87 halo of 30.74. Comparing the PNLF of M87 and the M31 bulge, both normalised by the sampled luminosity, the M87 PNLF contains fewer bright PNs and has a steeper slope towards fainter magnitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The origins of S0 galaxies remain obscure, with various mechanisms proposed for their formation, likely depending on environment. These mechanisms would imprint different signatures in the galaxies' stellar kinematics out to large radii, offering a method for distinguishing between them. Aims. We aim to study a sample of six S0 galaxies from a range of environments, and use planetary nebulae (PNe) as tracers of their stellar populations out to very large radii, to determine their kinematics in order to understand their origins. Methods. Using a special-purpose instrument, the Planetary Nebula Spectrograph, we observe and extract PNe catalogues for these six systems. Results. We show that the PNe have the same spatial distribution as the starlight, that the numbers of them are consistent with what would be expected in a comparable old stellar population in elliptical galaxies, and that their kinematics join smoothly onto those derived at smaller radii from conventional spectroscopy. Conclusions. The high-quality kinematic observations presented here form an excellent set for studying the detailed kinematics of S0 galaxies, in order to unravel their formation histories. We find that PNe are good tracers of stellar kinematics in these systems. We show that the recovered kinematics are largely dominated by rotational motion, although with significant random velocities in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We present positions and velocities for 796 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Fornax Brightest Cluster Galaxy NGC1316 (Fornax A). The planetary nebulae and existing kinematics are used to explore the rotation of this merger remnant and constrain dynamical models. Methods. Using FORS2 on the VLT, the PN velocities were measured using a counter-dispersed slitless-spectroscopy technique that produced the largest-to-date sample outside of the Local Group. Spherical, non-rotating, constant-anisotropy Jeans models were constrained by observations of the planetary nebulae and existing integrated light spectra. Results. The two-dimensional velocity field indicates dynamically-important rotation that rises in the outer parts, possibly due to the outward transfer of angular momentum during the merger. The modeling indicates a high dark matter content, particularly in the outer parts, that is consistent with previous estimates from dynamical models, lensing and stellar population models. Conclusions. The exceptionally large sample of PN velocities makes it possible to explore the kinematics of NGC 1316 in detail. Comparing the results to other early-type galaxies like NGC1399 and NGC4594 (M104, Sombrero), NGC1316 represents a transition phase from a major-merger event to a bulge-dominated galaxy like NGC 4594. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]