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We investigate stellar elemental abundance patterns at z = 0 in eight low-mass (M∗=106-109 M⊙) galaxies in the Feedback in Realistic Environments cosmological simulations. Using magnesium (Mg) as a representative α-element, we explore stellar abundance patterns in magnesium-to-iron ([Mg/Fe]) versus iron-to-hydrogen ([Fe/H]), which follow an overall monotonic trend that evolved slowly over time. Additionally, we explore three notable secondary features in enrichment (in three different case-study galaxies) that arise from a galaxy merger or bursty star formation. First, we observe a secondary track with a lower [Mg/Fe] than the main trend. At z = 0, stars from this track are predominantly found within 2-6 kpc of the centre; they were accreted in a 1:3 total-mass-ratio merger ∼0.4 Gyr ago. Second, we find a distinct elemental bimodality that forms following a strong burst in star formation in a galaxy at ttextlookback ∼ 10 Gyr. This burst quenched star formation for ∼0.66 Gyr, allowing Type Ia supernovae to enrich the system with iron (Fe) before star formation resumed. Third, we examine stripes in enrichment that run roughly orthogonal to the dominant [Mg/Fe] versus [Fe/H] trend; these stripes correspond to short bursts of star formation during which core-collapse supernovae enrich the surrounding medium with Mg (and Fe) on short time-scales. If observed, these features would substantiate the utility of elemental abundances in revealing the assembly and star-formation histories of dwarf galaxies. We explore the observability of these features for upcoming spectroscopic studies. Our results show that precise measurements of elemental abundance patterns can reveal critical events in the formation histories of low-mass galaxies.

We present detailed morphology measurements for 8.67 million galaxies in the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys (DECaLS, MzLS, and BASS, plus DES). These are automated measurements made by deep learning models trained on Galaxy Zoo volunteer votes. Our models typically predict the fraction of volunteers selecting each answer to within 5–10 per cent for every answer to every GZ question. The models are trained on newly collected votes for DESI-LS DR8 images as well as historical votes from GZ DECaLS. We also release the newly collected votes. Extending our morphology measurements outside of the previously released DECaLS/SDSS intersection increases our sky coverage by a factor of 4 (5000–19 000 deg2) and allows for full overlap with complementary surveys including ALFALFA and MaNGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact groups (CGs) of galaxies show members with morphological disturbances, mainly products of galaxy–galaxy interactions, thus making them ideal systems to study galaxy evolution, in high-density environment. To understand how this environment affects the properties of galaxies, we select a sample of 340 CGs in the Stripe 82 region, for a total of 1083 galaxies, and a sample of 2281 field galaxies as a control sample. By performing a multiwavelength morphological fitting process using Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey data, we divide our sample into early-type galaxies (ETGs), late-type galaxies (LTGs), and transition galaxies using the r -band Sérsic index and the colour (u − r). We find a bimodal distribution in the plane of the effective radius – Sérsic index, where a secondary 'peculiar' galaxy population of smaller and more compact galaxies is found in CGs, which is not observed in the control sample. This indicates that galaxies are undergoing a morphological transformation in CGs. In addition, we find significant statistical differences in the distribution of specific star-formation rate (sSFR) when we compare both environments for LTGs and ETGs. We also find a higher fraction of quenched galaxies and a lower median sSFR in CGs than in the control sample, suggesting the existence of environmental effects favouring the cessation of star formation, regardless of galaxy type. Our results support the notion that CGs promote morphological and physical transformations, highlighting their potential as ideal systems for galaxy pre-processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counter-rotating components in galaxies are one of the most direct forms of evidence for past gas accretion or merging. We discovered 10 edge-on disc gaseous counter-rotators in a sample of 523 edge-on galaxies identified in the final MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO) IFU sample. The counter-rotators tend to located in small groups. The gaseous counter-rotators have intermediate stellar masses and and located in the green valley and red sequence of the colour–magnitude diagram. The average vertical extents of the stellar and ionized gas discs are the same as for the rest of the sample while their radial gas and stellar distributions are more centrally concentrated. This may point at angular momentum loss during the formation process of the counter-rotating discs. The counter-rotators have low gas and dust content, weak emission-line strengths, and low star formation rates. This suggests that the formation of counter-rotators may be an efficient way to quench galaxies. One counter-rotator, SDSS J080016.09+292817.1 (Galaxy F), has a post-starburst region and a possible AGN at the centre. Another counter-rotator, SDSS J131234.03+482159.8 (Galaxy H), is identified as a potential ongoing galaxy interaction with its companion satellite galaxy, a gas-rich spiral galaxy. This may be representative case of a gaseous counter-rotator forming through a merger origin. However, tidal distortions expected in mergers are only found in a few of the galaxies and we cannot rule out direct gas accretion as another formation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now clear that the stars in the Solar neighbourhood display large-scale coherent vertical breathing motions. At the same time, Milky Way-like galaxies experience tidal interactions with satellites/companions during their evolution. While these tidal interactions can excite vertical oscillations, it is still not clear whether vertical breathing motions are excited directly by the tidal encounters or are driven by the tidally-induced spirals. We test whether excitation of breathing motions are directly linked to tidal interactions by constructing a set of N -body models (with mass ratio 5:1) of unbound single fly-by interactions with varying orbital configurations. We first reproduce the well-known result that such fly-by interactions can excite strong transient spirals (lasting for |${\sim}2.9{-}4.2\,{\rm Gyr}$|⁠) in the outer disc of the host galaxy. The generation and strength of the spirals are shown to vary with the orbital parameters (the angle of interaction, and the orbital spin vector). Furthermore, we demonstrate that our fly-by models exhibit coherent breathing motions whose amplitude increases with height. The amplitudes of breathing motions show characteristic modulation along the azimuthal direction with compressing breathing motions coinciding with the peaks of the spirals and expanding breathing motions falling in the inter-arm regions – a signature of a spiral-driven breathing motion. These breathing motions in our models end when the strong tidally-induced spiral arms fade away. Thus, it is the tidally-induced spirals which drive the large-scale breathing motions in our fly-by models, and the dynamical role of the tidal interaction in this context is indirect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaia DR2 has revealed breathing motions in the Milky Way, with stars on both sides of the Galactic mid-plane moving coherently towards or away from it. The generating mechanism of these breathing motions is thought to be spiral density waves. Here, we test this hypothesis. Using a self-consistent , high-resolution simulation with star formation, and which hosts prominent spirals, we first study the signatures of breathing motions excited by spirals. In the model, the breathing motions induced by the spiral structure have an increasing amplitude with distance from the mid-plane, pointing to an internal cause for them. We then show that, at fixed height, the breathing motion amplitude decreases with age. Next, we investigate the signature of the breathing motions in the Gaia DR2 data set. We demonstrate that, at the location with a consistently large breathing motion, the corresponding amplitude increases monotonically with distance from the mid-plane, in agreement with the model. Furthermore, we show that at the same location, the breathing motion amplitude decreases with age, again similar to what we find in the model. This strengthens the case that the observed breathing motions are driven by spiral density waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence of extremely metal-rich stars found in the Sombrero galaxy (M104) halo suggests that this galaxy has undergone a recent major merger with a relatively massive galaxy. In this paper, we present wide-field deep images of the M104 outskirts obtained with a 18-cm amateur telescope with the purpose of detecting any coherent tidal features from this possible major merger. Our new data, together with a model of the M104 inner halo and scattered light from stars around the field, allow us to trace for the first time the full path of the stream on both sides of the disc of the galaxy. We fully characterize the ring-like tidal structure and we confirm that this is the only observable coherent substructure in the inner halo region. This result is in agreement with the hypothesis that M104 was created by a wet major merger more than 3.5 Gyr ago that heated up the stellar population, blurring all old substructure. We generated a set of numerical models that reproduce the formation of the observed tidal structure. Our best-fitting model suggests the formation of this stream in the last 3 Gyr is independent of the wet major merger that created the M104 system. Therefore, the formation of the tidal stream can put a constraint on the time when the major merger occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Hubble Space Telescope 1.4–1.6  |$\mu$| m images of the hosts of 10 extremely red quasars (ERQs) and six type 2 quasar candidates at z  = 2–3. ERQs, whose bolometric luminosities range between 1047 and 1048 erg s−1, show spectroscopic signs of powerful ionized winds, whereas type 2 quasar candidates are less luminous and show only mild outflows. After performing careful subtraction of the quasar light, we clearly detect almost all host galaxies. The median rest-frame B -band luminosity of the ERQ hosts in our sample is |$10^{11.2}\, \mathrm{L}_{\odot }$|⁠ , or ∼4 L * at this redshift. Two of the 10 hosts of ERQs are in ongoing mergers. The hosts of the type 2 quasar candidates are 0.6 dex less luminous, with 2/6 in likely ongoing mergers. Intriguingly, despite some signs of interaction and presence of low-mass companions, our objects do not show nearly as much major merger activity as do high-redshift radio-loud galaxies and quasars. In the absence of an overt connection to major ongoing gas-rich merger activity, our observations are consistent with a model in which the near-Eddington accretion and strong feedback of ERQs are associated with relatively late stages of mergers resulting in early-type remnants. These results are in some tension with theoretical expectations of galaxy formation models, in which rapid black hole growth occurs within a short time of a major merger. Type 2 quasar candidates are less luminous, so they may instead be powered by internal galactic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation scenario for giant low surface brightness (gLSB) galaxies with discs as large as 100 kpc still remains unclear. These stellar systems are rare and very hard to observe, therefore a detailed insight on every additional object helps to understand their nature. Here we present a detailed observational study of the gLSB UGC 1922 performed using deep optical imaging and spectroscopic observations combined with archival ultraviolet data. We derived spatially resolved properties of stellar and ionized gas kinematics and characteristics of stellar populations and interstellar medium. We reveal the presence of a kinematically decoupled central component, which counter rotates with respect to the main disc of UGC 1922. The radial metallicity gradient of the ionized gas is in agreement with that found for moderate-size LSB galaxies. At the same time, a slowly rotating and dynamically hot central region of the galaxy hosts a large number of old metal-rich stars, which creates an appearance of a giant elliptical galaxy, that grew an enormous star forming disc. We reproduce most of the observed features of UGC 1922 in N -body/hydrodynamical simulations of an in-plane merger of giant Sa and Sd galaxies. We also discuss alternative formation scenarios of this unusual system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable 1994 discovery of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy (Sgr) revealed that, together with the Magellanic Clouds, there are at least three major dwarf galaxies, each with a total mass of order 1010−1011 M⊙, falling onto the Galaxy in the present epoch. Beyond a Galactic radius of 300 kpc, dwarfs tend to retain their gas. At roughly 50 kpc, the Magellanic Clouds have experienced substantial gas stripping as evidenced by the Magellanic Stream which extends from them. Since Sgr experienced star formation long after it fell into the Galaxy, it is interesting to explore just how and when this dwarf lost its gas. To date, there has been no definitive detection of an associated gas component. We revisit recent simulations of the stellar and dark matter components of Sgr but, for the first time, include gas that is initially bound to the infalling galaxy. We find that the gas stripping was  30–50 per cent complete at its first disc crossing ∼2.7 Gyr ago, then entirely stripped at its last disc crossing ∼1 Gyr ago. Our timeline is consistent with the last substantial burst of star formation in Sgr, which occurred about the time of the last disc crossing. We discuss the consequences of gas stripping and conclude that the vast majority of the stripped gas was fully settled onto the Galaxy by ∼300 Myr ago. It is highly unlikely that any of the high- or intermediate-velocity clouds have a direct association with the Sgr dwarf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hα and optical broad-band images of 25 nearby Wolf-Rayet (WR) galaxies are presented. The WR galaxies are known to have a recent (≤10 Myr) and massive star formation episode. The photometric Hα fluxes are estimated and corrected for extinction and line contamination in the filter pass-bands. The star formation rates (SFRs) are estimated using Ha images and from archival data in the far-ultraviolet (FUV), far-infrared (FIR) and 1.4-GHz radio continuum wavebands. A comparison of SFRs estimated from different wavebands is made after including similar data available in the literature for other WR galaxies. The Habased SFRs are found to be tightly correlated with SFRs estimated from the FUV data. The correlations also exist with SFR estimates based on the radio and FIR data. The WR galaxies also follow the radio-FIR correlation known for normal star-forming galaxies, although it is seen here that the majority of dwarf WR galaxies have a radio deficiency. An analysis using the ratio of non-thermal to thermal radio continuum and the ratio of the FUV to Hα SFRs indicates that WR galaxies have lower non-thermal radio emission compared to normal galaxies, most likely due to a lack of supernovae in the very young star formation episode in the WR galaxies. The morphologies of 16 galaxies in our sample are highly suggestive of an ongoing tidal interaction or a past merger in these galaxies. This survey strengthens the conclusions obtained from previous similar studies indicating the importance of tidal interactions in triggering star-formation in WR galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform N-body simulations of star clusters in time-dependant galactic potentials. Since the MilkyWay was built up through mergers with dwarf galaxies, its globular cluster population is made up of clusters formed both during the initial collapse of the Galaxy and in dwarf galaxies that were later accreted. Throughout a dwarf Milky Way merger, dwarf galaxy clusters are subject to a changing galactic potential. Building on our previouswork, we investigate howthis changing galactic potential affects the evolution of a cluster's half-mass radius. In particular, we simulate clusters on circular orbits around a dwarf galaxy that either falls into the Milky Way or evaporates as it orbits the Milky Way. We find that the dynamical evolution of a star cluster is determined by whichever galaxy has the strongest tidal field at the position of the cluster. Thus, clusters entering the Milky Way undergo changes in size as the Milky Way tidal field becomes stronger and that of the dwarf diminishes. We find that ultimately accreted clusters quickly become the same size as a cluster born in the Milky Way on the same orbit. Assuming their initial sizes are similar, clusters born in the Galaxy and those that are accreted cannot be separated based on their current size alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand the nature of post-starburst quasars (PSQs) in the context of galaxy evolution, we compare their properties to those of post-starburst galaxies and quasars from appropriately selected samples possessing similar redshift (z ~ 0.3), luminosity (Mr ~ -23), and data quality. We consider morphologies, spectral features, and derived physical properties of the stellar populations and central supermassive black hole. PSQs themselves come in two types: the more luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with more luminous post-starburst stellar populations hosted by elliptical galaxies, some of which are clearly merger products, and the less luminous systems existing within relatively undisturbed spiral galaxies and possessing signs of a more extended period of star formation. Post-starburst galaxies have elliptical and disturbed/post-merger morphologies similar to those of the more luminous PSQs, display similar spectral properties, but also can have younger stellar populations for a given starburst mass. Quasars at similar redshifts and luminosities around the Seyfert/quasar transition possess similar AGN characteristics, in terms of black hole mass and accretion rate, compared with those of PSQs, but do not appear to be hosted by galaxies with significant post-starburst populations. Recent studies of more luminous quasars find hosts consistent with those of our luminous PSQs, suggesting that these PSQs may be in transition between post-starburst galaxies and a more luminous quasar stage when the post-starburst stellar population remains dominant. The lower luminosity PSQs appear to differ from lower luminosity quasars (Seyfert galaxies) in terms of more significant star formation in their past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the prevalence and luminosity of active galactic nuclei (AGN; traced by optical spectra) as a function of both environment and galaxy interactions. For this study, we used a sample of more than 250 000 galaxies drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and, crucially, we controlled for the effect of both stellar mass and central star formation activity. Once these two factors are taken into account, the effect of the local density of galaxies and of one-on-one interactions is minimal in both the prevalence of AGN activity and AGN luminosity. This suggests that the level of nuclear activity depends primarily on the availability of cold gas in the nuclear regions of galaxies and that secular processes can drive the AGN activity in the majority of cases. Large-scale environment and galaxy interactions only affect AGN activity in an indirect manner, by influencing the central gas supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that within the framework of Λ cold dark matter a significant fraction of giant-disc galaxies has recently experienced a violent galactic merger. We present numerical simulations of such major mergers of gas-rich pure disc galaxies, and focus on the innermost stellar component (bulge) of the disc remnants. The simulations have high spatial and mass resolutions, and resolve regions deep enough to allow bulge classification according to standard kinematical and structural characteristics. In agreement with recent studies we find that these bulges are dominated by stars formed in the final coalescence process. In contrast to the common interpretation of such components as classical bulges (i.e. similar to intermediate-luminosity ellipticals), we find that they are supported by highly coherent rotations and have Sèrsic indices n < 2, a result leading to their classification as pseudo-bulges. Pseudo-bulge formation by gas-rich major mergers of pure discs is a novel mode of pseudo-bulge formation; it complements pseudo-bulge growth by secular evolution, and it could help explain the high fractions of classically bulgeless giant-disc galaxies, and pseudo-bulges found in giant Sc galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the physical mechanisms of tidal heating and satellite disruption in cold dark matter host haloes using N-body simulations based on cosmological initial conditions. We show the importance of resonant shocks and resonant torques with the host halo to satellite heating. A resonant shock (torque) couples the radial (tangential) motion of a satellite in its orbit to its phase space. For a satellite on a circular orbit, an inner Lindblad resonance (ILR)-like resonance dominates the heating and this heating results in continuous satellite mass loss. We estimate the requirements for simulations to achieve these dynamics using perturbation theory. Both resonant shocks and resonant torques affect satellites on eccentric orbits. We demonstrate that satellite mass loss is an outside-in process in energy space; a satellite's stars and gas are thus protected by their own halo against tidal stripping. We simulate the evolution of a halo similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in our Galactic dark matter halo and conclude that the LMC stars have not yet been stripped. Finally, we present a simple algorithm for estimating the evolution of satellite mass that includes both shock heating and resonant torques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mergers are predicted in all cosmological models involving cold dark matter (CDM) to be one of the dominant channels whereby galaxies accrete mass. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of predicted galaxy–galaxy merger fractions and rates in the Millennium simulation and compare these with the most up to date observations of the same quantities up to . We carry out our analysis by considering the predicted merger history in the Millennium simulation within a given time interval, as a function of stellar mass. This method, as opposed to pair fraction counts, considers mergers that have already taken place, and allows a more direct comparison with the observed rates and fractions measured with the concentration-asymmetry-clumpiness (CAS) method. We examine the evolution of the predicted merger fraction and rate in the Millennium simulation for galaxies with stellar masses . We find that the predicted merger rates and fractions match the observations well for galaxies with at , while significant discrepancies occur at lower stellar masses, and at for systems. At , the simulations underpredict the observed merger fractions by a factor of 4–10. The shape of the predicted merger fraction and rate evolutions are similar to the observations up to , and peak at in almost all mass bins. The exception is the merger rate of galaxies with , which remains high at . We discuss possible reasons for these discrepancies, and compare different realizations of the Millennium simulation to understand the effect of varying the physical implementation of feedback. We conclude that the comparison is potentially affected by a number of issues, including uncertainties in interpreting the observations and simulations in terms of the assumed merger mass ratios and merger time-scales. The differences between the observations and simulation results might also be due to problems in the modelling of star formation in the simulation, which produces redder and less biased galaxies than observed, particularly for galaxies with stellar masses . Finally, our findings may also be related to other CDM problems, including the lack of massive galaxies with at , and a lack of merger events between lower mass galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the dynamical mechanisms responsible for producing tidal tails from dwarf satellites using N-body simulations. We describe the essential dynamical mechanisms and morphological consequences of tail production in satellites with masses greater than 0.0001 of the host halo virial mass. We identify two important dynamical coconspirators: (1) the points where the attractive force of the host halo and satellite are balanced (X-points) do not occur at equal distances from the satellite centre or at the same equipotential value for massive satellites, breaking the morphological symmetry of the leading and trailing tails and (2) the escaped ejecta in the leading (trailing) tail continues to be decelerated (accelerated) by the satellite's gravity leading to large offsets of the ejecta orbits from the satellite orbit. The effect of the satellite's self-gravity decreases only weakly with a decreasing ratio of satellite mass to host halo mass, proportional to , demonstrating the importance of these effects over a wide range of subhalo masses. Not only will the morphology of the leading and trailing tails for massive satellites be different, but the observed radial velocities of the tails will be displaced from that of the satellite orbit; both the displacement and the maximum radial velocity is proportional to satellite mass. If the tails are assumed to follow the progenitor satellite orbits, the tails from satellites with masses greater than 0.0001 of the host halo virial mass in a spherical halo will appear to indicate a flattened halo. Therefore, a constraint on the Milky Way halo shape using tidal streams requires mass-dependent modelling. Similarly, we compute the distribution of tail orbits both in space and in space, advocated for identifying satellite stream relics. The acceleration of ejecta by a massive satellite during escape spreads the velocity distribution and obscures the signature of a well-defined ‘moving group’ in phase space. Although these findings complicate the interpretation of stellar streams and moving groups, the intrinsic mass dependence provides additional leverage on both halo and progenitor satellite properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the second in a series of two, we justify two important assumptions on which the result is based that in the course of a galaxy merger, the slingshot ejection of bound stars is sufficiently efficient to allow a supermassive black hole binary (BHB) to merge. A steep cusp with a power-law index of 2.5–3 is required which is as massive as the binary and surrounds the BHs when the binary becomes hard. This cusp is probably formed when both clusters, surrounding each BH, merge and combine with the matter funnelled into the centre. We find this profile to be in agreement with observed post-merger distributions after the cusp has been destroyed. The time dependency we derive for the merger predicts that stalled BHs, if they exist at all, will preferentially be found at less than distance. To test this prediction we compute the current semimajor axis of 12 candidates of ongoing mergers. We find all binaries unambiguously to be already in the last phase when they decay due to the emission of gravitational waves. Therefore, in striking contradiction with predictions of a depleted loss-cone, the absence of even a single source in the slingshot phase strongly supports our previous and current results: binaries merge due to the slingshot ejection of stars which have been funnelled into the central regions in the course of a galaxy collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope H i 21-cm line observations of the extremely metal deficient (XMD) blue compact galaxy (BCG) HS 0822+3542. HS 0822+3542 is the smallest known XMD galaxy; from Hubble Space Telescope ( HST) imaging, it has been suggested that it actually consists of two still smaller (∼100 pc sized) ultra-compact dwarfs that are in the process of merging. The brighter of these two putative ultra-compact dwarfs has an ocular appearance, similar to that seen in galaxies that have suffered a penetrating encounter with a smaller companion. From our H i imaging, we find that the gas distribution and kinematics in this object are similar to that of other low-mass galaxies, albeit with some evidence for tidal disturbance. On the other hand, the H i emission has an angular size ∼25 times larger than that of the putative ultra-compact dwarfs. The optical emission is also offset from the centre of the H i emission. HS 0822+3542 is located in the nearby Lynx–Cancer void, but has a nearby companion low surface brightness dwarf galaxy SAO 0822+3545. In light of all this, we also consider a scenario where the optical emission from HS 0822+3542 comes not from two merging ultra-compact dwarfs but from multiple star-forming regions in a tidally disturbed galaxy. In this model, the ocular appearance of the brighter star-forming region could be the result of triggered star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]