Search

Due to their large distances, high-redshift galaxies are observed at a very low spatial resolution. In order to disentangle the evolution of galaxy kinematics from low-resolution effects, we have used Fabry–Pérot 3D Hα data cubes of 153 nearby isolated galaxies selected from the Gassendi Hα survey of SPirals (GHASP) to simulate data cubes of galaxies at redshift using a pixel size of 0.125 arcsec and a 0.5 arcsec seeing. We have derived Hα flux, velocity and velocity dispersion maps. From these data, we show that the inner velocity gradient is lowered and is responsible for a peak in the velocity dispersion map. This signature in the velocity dispersion map can be used to make a kinematical classification, but misses 30 per cent of the regular rotating discs in our sample. Toy models of rotating discs have been built to recover the kinematical parameters and the rotation curves from low-resolution data. The poor resolution makes the kinematical inclination uncertain and the position of galaxy centre difficult to recover. The position angle of the major axis is retrieved with an accuracy higher than 5° for 70 per cent of the sample. Toy models also enable us to retrieve statistically the maximum velocity and the mean velocity dispersion of galaxies with a satisfying accuracy. This validates the use of the Tully–Fisher relation for high-redshift galaxies, but the loss of resolution induces a lower slope of the relation despite the beam smearing corrections. We conclude that the main kinematic parameters are better constrained for galaxies with an optical radius at least as large as three times the seeing. The simulated data have been compared to actual high-redshift galaxy data observed with VLT/SINFONI, Keck/OSIRIS and VLT/GIRAFFE in the redshift range , allowing us to follow galaxy evolution from 11 to 4 Gyr. For rotation-dominated galaxies, we find that the use of the velocity dispersion central peak as a signature of rotating discs may misclassify slow and solid body rotators. This is the case for ∼30 per cent of our sample. We show that the projected local data cannot reproduce the high velocity dispersion observed in high-redshift galaxies except when no beam smearing correction is applied. This unambiguously means that, unlike local evolved galaxies, there exists at high redshift at least a population of disc galaxies for which a large fraction of the dynamical support is due to random motions. We should nevertheless ensure that these features are not due to important selection biases before concluding that the formation of an unstable and transient gaseous disc is a general galaxy formation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the Fabry–Perot observations obtained for a new set of 108 galaxies in the frame of the Gassendi Hα survey of SPirals (GHASP). The GHASP survey consists of 3D Hα data cubes for 203 spiral and irregular galaxies, covering a large range in morphological types and absolute magnitudes, for kinematics analysis. The new set of data presented here completes the survey. The GHASP sample is by now the largest sample of Fabry–Perot data ever published. The analysis of the whole GHASP sample will be done in forthcoming papers. Using adaptive binning techniques based on Voronoi tessellations, we have derived Hα data cubes from which are computed Hα maps, radial velocity fields as well as residual velocity fields, position–velocity diagrams, rotation curves and the kinematical parameters for almost all galaxies. Original improvements in the determination of the kinematical parameters, rotation curves and their uncertainties have been implemented in the reduction procedure. This new method is based on the whole 2D velocity field and on the power spectrum of the residual velocity field rather than the classical method using successive crowns in the velocity field. Among the results, we point out that morphological position angles have systematically higher uncertainties than kinematical ones, especially for galaxies with low inclination. The morphological inclination of galaxies having no robust determination of their morphological position angle cannot be constrained correctly. Galaxies with high inclination show a better agreement between their kinematical inclination and their morphological inclination computed assuming a thin disc. The consistency of the velocity amplitude of our rotation curves has been checked using the Tully–Fisher relationship. Our data are in good agreement with previous determinations found in the literature. Nevertheless, galaxies with low inclination have statistically higher velocities than expected and fast rotators are less luminous than expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arp 227 represents a prototypical example of an interacting mixed pair of galaxies located in a low-density environment. We investigate the gas properties of the pair in the X-ray, Hα, H i and CO bands. We also detect two additional members of the group in H i which indicates that the pair constitutes the dominant members of a loose group. The H i distribution shows a tail of gas that connects the spiral member, NGC 470, to the lenticular, NGC 474, showing that the two main members are currently undergoing interaction. The Hα emission reveals the presence of secondary components at the centre of NGC 470, superposed on the main component tracing the rotation of the galaxy. This latter maps a nearly unperturbed velocity field. The dominant, nearly unperturbed trend of the kinematics is confirmed by CO observations, although restricted to the centre of the galaxy. The X-ray luminosity of NGC 470 is comparable with that of a ‘normal’ spiral galaxy. NGC 474 on the other hand is very gas-poor and has not been detected in Hα. Its X-ray luminosity is consistent with the low end of the expected emission from discrete sources. Arp 227 as a loose group shows several signatures of galaxy–galaxy interaction. Our observations suggest the presence of signatures of interaction in the overall kinematics of the spiral companion. The ongoing interaction is clearly visible only in the outer H i halo of NGC 470. While the large shell system of NGC 474 could be associated with an accretion event, the secondary components in the Hα profile in the centre of NGC 470 could be due to the interaction with the companion. The low X-ray luminosity of NGC 470 seems to be a characteristic of dynamically young systems. All the above evidence suggest that Arp 227 is an evolving group in the early phase of its evolution and that its drivers are the accretion of faint galaxies and the ongoing large-scale interaction between NGC 470 and 474. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Fabry–Perot observations obtained in the frame of the GHASP survey (Gassendi HAlpha survey of SPirals). We have derived the Hα map, the velocity field and the rotation curve for a new set of 44 galaxies. The data presented in this paper are combined with the data published in the three previous papers providing a total number of 85 of the 96 galaxies observed up to now. This sample of kinematical data has been divided into two groups: isolated (ISO) and softly interacting (SOFT) galaxies. In this paper, the extension of the Hα discs, the shape of the rotation curves, the kinematical asymmetry and the Tully–Fisher relation have been investigated for both ISO and SOFT galaxies. The Hα extension is roughly proportional to R25 for ISO as well as for SOFT galaxies. The smallest extensions of the ionized disc are found for ISO galaxies. The inner slope of the rotation curves is found to be correlated with the central concentration of light more clearly than with the type or the kinematical asymmetry, for ISO as well as for SOFT galaxies. The outer slope of the rotation curves increases with the type and with the kinematical asymmetry for ISO galaxies but shows no special trend for SOFT galaxies. No decreasing rotation curve is found for SOFT galaxies. The asymmetry of the rotation curves is correlated with the morphological type, the luminosity, the colour and the maximal rotational velocity of galaxies. Our results show that the brightest, the most massive and the reddest galaxies, which are fast rotators, are the least asymmetric, meaning that they are the most efficient with which to average the mass distribution on the whole disc. Asymmetry in the rotation curves seems to be linked with local star formation, betraying disturbances of the gravitational potential. The Tully–Fisher relation has a smaller slope for ISO than for SOFT galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present Fabry–Pérot observations obtained in the frame of the GHASP survey (Gassendi HAlpha survey of SPirals). We have derived the Hα maps, the velocity fields and the rotation curves for a set of 15 galaxies. The data presented in this paper are combined with the data published in our two previous papers in order to make a preliminary analysis of the rotation curves obtained for 46 galaxies. We check the consistency of our data with the Tully–Fisher relationship and conclude that our Hα rotation curves reach the maximum velocity in most of the cases, even with solid-body rotating galaxies. We find that our rotation curves, on average, almost reach the isophotal radius . We confirm the trend, already mentioned by Rubin, Waterman & Kenney and Márquez et al., that the maximum extension of the Hα rotation curves increases with the type of the spiral galaxy, up to and we find that it decreases for magellanic and irregular galaxies. We also confirm the trend seen by Márquez et al. that later types tend to have lower values of the internal slope of the rotation curve, in agreement with Rubin et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present SOFIA observations with HAWC+ and FIFI-LS of the peculiar galaxy Arp 25, also known as NGC 2276 or UGC 3740, whose morphology is deformed by its impact with the intragroup medium of the NGC 2300 galaxy group. These observations show the first direct proof of the enhancement of [C ii ] emission due to shocks caused by ram pressure in a group of galaxies. By comparing the [C ii ] emission to UV attenuation, dust emission, PAH, and CO emission in different regions of the galaxy, we find a clear excess of [C ii ] emission along the impact front with the intragroup medium. We estimate that the shock due to the impact with the intragroup medium increases the [C ii ] emission along the shock front by 60% and the global [C ii ] emission by approximately 25% with respect to the predicted [C ii ] emission assuming only excitation caused by stellar radiation. This result shows the danger of interpreting [C ii ] emission as directly related to star formation since shocks and other mechanisms can significantly contribute to the total [C ii ] emission from galaxies in groups and clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many studies have seemed to reveal the existence of some correlations between dark matter and baryonic matter. In particular, the unexpected tight radial acceleration relation (RAR) discovered in rotating galaxies has drawn a lot of attention. The RAR suggests the existence of a universal and fundamental acceleration scale in galaxies, which seems to challenge the ΛCDM model and favor some modified gravity theories. A large debate about whether RAR is compatible with the ΛCDM model has arisen. Here, by analyzing the high-quality velocity dispersion profiles of 13 E0-type elliptical galaxies in the SDSS-IV MaNGA sample and assuming a power-law function of radius r for the 3D velocity dispersion in each galaxy, we report the RAR for E0-type elliptical galaxies and we show that the resultant RAR has more than 5σ deviations from the RAR in late-type galaxies. This new RAR provides an independent probe to falsify the existence of any universal acceleration scale in galaxies. Our result significantly challenges those modified gravity theories that suggest the existence of any universal acceleration scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of the properties of 1157 galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies confirms the dependence of the virial velocity on the halo mass with a single exponent and different values of km/s for galaxies with and km/s for galaxy clusters with . A single exponent confirms the high degree of universality of the dark matter halo formation processes, and the difference in values of corresponds to the well-known difference in the average densities of galaxies and galaxy clusters and introduces a new scale into the perturbation power spectrum. Modern numerical models using the power spectrum obtained from the WMAP and Planck observations reproduce well the observed properties of galaxy clusters, but cannot reproduce the observed parameters of galaxies. It is also shown that the cusp in the dark matter density profile leads to a finite density of gas and stars at the center of the halos (Burkert profile). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the Waves in Nearby Disk galaxies Survey (WiNDS) consisting of 40 nearby low-inclination disk galaxies observed through H α high-resolution Fabryâ€"Perot interferometry. WiNDS consists of 12 new galaxy observations and 28 data archived observations obtained from different galaxy surveys. We derive two-dimensional line-of-sight velocity fields that are analyzed to identify the possible presence of vertical velocity flows in the galactic disks of these low-inclination late-type galaxies using velocity residual maps, derived from the subtraction of an axisymmetric rotation model from a rotational velocity map. Large and globally coherent flows in the line-of-sight velocity of nearly face-on galaxies can be associated with large vertical displacement of the disk with respect to its midplane. Our goal is to characterize how frequent vertical perturbations, such as those observed in the Milky Way, arise in the local universe. Our currently available data have allowed us to identify 20% of WiNDS galaxies with strong velocity perturbations that are consistent with vertically perturbed galactic disks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements from galaxies spanning a broad range of morphology reveal a linear scaling of enclosed dark to luminous mass that is not anticipated by standard galaxy formation cosmology. The linear scaling is found to extend from the inner galactic region to the outermost data point. Uncertainties in the linear relation are narrow, with rms = 0.31 and σ  = 0.31. It is unclear what would produce this linearity of enclosed dark to luminous mass. Baryonic processes are challenged to account for the linear scaling, and no dark matter candidate possesses a property that would result in a linear relation. The linear scaling may indicate new dark matter candidates, or an astrophysical process beyond the standard galaxy formation theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiwavelength study of galaxies is important to understand their formation and evolution. Only in the recent past, thanks to the Atacama Large (Sub) Millimeter Array (ALMA), were we able to study the far-infrared (IR) properties of galaxies at high redshifts. In this article, we summarize recent research highlights and their significance to our understanding of early galaxy evolution from the ALPINE survey, a large program with ALMA to observe the dust continuum and 158 μ m C + emission of normal star-forming galaxies at z = 4–6. Combined with ancillary data at UV through near-IR wavelengths, ALPINE provides the currently largest multiwavelength sample of post-reionization galaxies and has advanced our understanding of (i) the demographics of C + emission; (ii) the relation of star formation and C + emission; (iii) the gas content; (iv) outflows and enrichment of the intergalactic medium; and (v) the kinematics, emergence of disks, and merger rates in galaxies at z > 4 . ALPINE builds the basis for more detailed measurements with the next generation of telescopes, and places itself as an important post-reionization baseline sample to allow a continuous study of galaxies over 13 billion years of cosmic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalize the Thomas–Fermi approach to galaxy structure to include central supermassive black holes and find, self-consistently and non-linearly, the gravitational potential of the galaxy plus the central black hole (BH) system. This approach naturally incorporates the quantum pressure of the fermionic warm dark matter (WDM) particles and shows its full power and clearness in the presence of supermassive black holes. We find the main galaxy and central black hole magnitudes as the halo radius r h , halo mass M h , black hole mass M B H , velocity dispersion σ , and phase space density, with their realistic astrophysical values, masses and sizes over a wide galaxy range. The supermassive black hole masses arise naturally in this framework. Our extensive numerical calculations and detailed analytic resolution of the Thomas–Fermi equations show that in the presence of the central BH, both DM regimes—classical (Boltzmann dilute) and quantum (compact)—do necessarily co-exist generically in any galaxy, from the smaller and compact galaxies to the largest ones. The ratio R (r) of the particle wavelength to the average interparticle distance shows consistently that the transition, R ≃ 1 , from the quantum to the classical region occurs precisely at the same point r A where the chemical potential vanishes. A novel halo structure with three regions shows up: in the vicinity of the BH, WDM is always quantum in a small compact core of radius r A and nearly constant density; in the region r A < r < r i until the BH influence radius r i , WDM is less compact and exhibits a clear classical Boltzmann-like behavior; for r > r i , the WDM gravity potential dominates, and the known halo galaxy shows up with its astrophysical size. DM is a dilute classical gas in this region. As an illustration, three representative families of galaxy plus central BH solutions are found and analyzed: small, medium and large galaxies with realistic supermassive BH masses of 10 5 M ⊙ , 10 7 M ⊙ and 10 9 M ⊙ , respectively. In the presence of the central BH, we find a minimum galaxy size and mass M h m i n ≃ 10 7 M ⊙ , larger ( 2.2233 × 10 3 times) than the one without BH, and reached at a minimal non-zero temperature T m i n . The supermassive BH heats up the DM and prevents it from becoming an exactly degenerate gas at zero temperature. Colder galaxies are smaller, and warmer galaxies are larger. Galaxies with a central black hole have large masses M h > 10 7 M ⊙ > M h m i n ; compact or ultracompact dwarf galaxies in the range 10 4 M ⊙ < M h < 10 7 M ⊙ cannot harbor central BHs. We find novel scaling relations M B H = D M h 3 8 and r h = C M B H 4 3 , and show that the DM galaxy scaling relations M h = b Σ 0 r h 2 and M h = a σ h 4 / Σ 0 hold too in the presence of the central BH, Σ 0 being the constant surface density scale over a wide galaxy range. The galaxy equation of state is derived: pressure P (r) takes huge values in the BH vicinity region and then sharply decreases entering the classical region, following consistently a self-gravitating perfect gas P (r) = σ 2 ρ (r) behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of ram pressure stripping of spiral galaxies using a numerical model that is directly confronted with interferometric observations. The current status of our research is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralight dark matter (ULDM) is currently one of the most popular classes of cosmological dark matter. The most important advantage is that ULDM with mass m ∼ 10−22 eV can account for the small-scale problems encountered in the standard cold dark matter model like the core–cusp problem, missing satellite problem, and the too-big-to-fail problem in galaxies. In this paper, we formulate a new simple model-independent analysis using the Spitzer Photometry and Accurate Rotation Curves data to constrain the range of ULDM mass. In particular, the most stringent constraint comes from the data of a galaxy ESO563–G021, which can conservatively exclude a ULDM mass range m = (0.14–3.11) × 10−22 eV. This model-independent excluded range is consistent with many bounds obtained by recent studies and it suggests that the ULDM proposal may not be able to alleviate the small-scale problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—The nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 3077 is known for its peculiar morphology, which includes numerous dust lanes and emission-line regions. The interstellar medium in this galaxy is subject to several perturbing factors. These are primarily the central starburst and tidal structures in the M81 group. We present a comprehensive study of the state of ionization, kinematics, and chemical composition of ionized gas in NGC 3077, including both star-forming regions and diffuse ionized gas (DIG) at the periphery. We study gas motions in the Hα line via high-resolution (R ≈ 15 000) 3D spectroscopy with the scanning Fabry–Perot interferometer installed into SCORPIO-2 instrument attached to the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian academy of Science. Images in the main optical emission lines were acquired with MaNGaL photometer with a tunable filter at the 2.5-m telescope of the Caucasian Mountain Observatory of Sternberg Astronomical Institute of Lomonosov Moscow State University. We also used SCORPIO-2 to perform long-slit spectroscopy of the galaxy with a resolution of R ≈1000. Our estimate of the gas metallicity, Z = 0.6Z⊙, is significantly lower than the earlier determination, but agrees with the "luminosity–metallicity" dependence. Spatially resolved diagnostic diagrams of the emission-line ratios do not show correlations between the gas ionization state and its velocity dispersion, and this is most likely due to strong ionization by young stars, whereas the contribution of shocks to the excitation of emission lines is less important. We also studied the locations of multicomponent Hα profiles and provide arguments suggesting that they are mostly associated with individual kinematic components along the line of sight and not with expanding shells as it was believed earlier. We also observe there a combination of wind outflow from star-forming regions and accretion from interstellar gas clouds in the M81 group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 22 spiral galaxies compiled from published data is studied. The galaxy rotation curves pass through a maximum distance of more than ~1 kpc from the center with a subsequent decrease in the rotation velocity. The galaxy position in the Tully–Fisher (TF) and baryonic Tully–Fisher (BTF) diagrams show that the maximum rotation velocities are located on the same sequence with other galaxies, while the velocities at the disk periphery for some galaxies are significantly lower than the expected values for a given mass or luminosity. Thus, the decrease in the rotation curve can be associated with a reduced contribution of the dark halo to the rotation velocity. For seven galaxies with the longest rotation curves, the disk mass was estimated to be with the dark halo (Newtonian model) and without the halo (modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) model). In four of the galaxies, the MOND model encounters difficulties in interpreting the rotation curve: in order to be consistent with the observations, the model parameter should differ significantly from the expected value cm/s2, while the disk mass estimate exceeds the value based on IR photometry and maximum disk model. The conflict with MOND is the greatest for NGC 157. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of the non-luminous matter in galaxies of different luminosity and Hubble type is much more than a proof of the existence of dark particles governing the structures of the Universe. Here, we will review the complex but well-ordered scenario of the properties of the dark halos also in relation with those of the baryonic components they host. Moreover, we will present a number of tight and unexpected correlations between selected properties of the dark and the luminous matter. Such entanglement evolves across the varying properties of the luminous component and it seems to unequivocally lead to a dark particle able to interact with the Standard Model particles over cosmological times. This review will also focus on whether we need a paradigm shift, from pure collisionless dark particles emerging from "first principles", to particles that we can discover only by looking to how they have designed the structure of the galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stellar-feedback-driven outflows are predicted to play a fundamental role in the baryon cycle of low-mass galaxies. However, observational constraints of winds in nearby dwarf galaxies are limited, as outflows are transient, intrinsically low surface brightness features and thus difficult to detect. Using deep Hα observations, we search for winds in a sample of 12 nearby dwarfs (M* ∼ 107–109.3M⊙) that host ongoing or recent starbursts. We detect features that we classify as winds in six galaxies, fountain candidates in five galaxies, and diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) in one system. Winds are found preferentially in galaxies with centrally concentrated star formation, while fountains are found in galaxies with spatially distributed star formation. We suggest that the concentration of star formation is a predictor for whether a low-mass galaxy will develop a wind. The spatial extent of all detected ionized gas is limited (<1/10 virial radius) and would still be considered the ISM by cosmological simulations. Our observations suggest that the majority of material expelled from dwarfs does not escape to the intergalactic medium but remains in the halo and may be recycled to the galaxies. Derived mass-loading factors range from 0.2 to 7 (with only a weak dependency on circular velocity or stellar mass), in tension with higher values in simulations needed to reproduce realistic low-mass galaxies and resolve discrepancies with ΛCDM. The sample is part of the panchromatic STARBurst IRegular Dwarf Survey—STARBIRDS—designed to characterize the starburst phenomenon in dwarf galaxies. We also report a previously uncatalogued nearby galaxy (J1118+7913). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the molecular and ionized gas kinematics of two strongly lensed galaxies at z ∼ 1 that lie on the main sequence at this redshift. The observations were made with ALMA and MUSE, respectively. We derive the CO and [O II] rotation curves and dispersion profiles of these two galaxies. We find a difference between the observed molecular and ionized gas rotation curves for one of the two galaxies, the Cosmic Snake, for which we obtain a spatial resolution of a few hundred parsec along the major axis. The rotation curve of the molecular gas is steeper than the rotation curve of the ionized gas. In the second galaxy, A521, the molecular and ionized gas rotation curves are consistent, but the spatial resolution is only a few kiloparsec on the major axis. Using simulations, we investigate the effect of the thickness of the gas disk and effective radius on the observed rotation curves and find that a more extended and thicker disk smoothens the curve. We also find that the presence of a strongly inclined (> 70°) thick disk (> 1 kpc) can smoothen the rotation curve because it degrades the spatial resolution along the line of sight. By building a model using a stellar disk and two gas disks, we reproduce the rotation curves of the Cosmic Snake with a molecular gas disk that is more massive and more radially and vertically concentrated than the ionized gas disk. Finally, we also obtain an intrinsic velocity dispersion in the Cosmic Snake of 18.5 ± 7 km s−1 and 19.5 ± 6 km s−1 for the molecular and ionized gas, respectively, which is consistent with a molecular disk with a smaller and thinner disk. For A521, the intrinsic velocity dispersion values are 11 ± 8 km s−1 and 54 ± 11 km s−1, with a higher value for the ionized gas. This could indicate that the ionized gas disk is thicker and more turbulent in this galaxy. These results highlight the diversity of the kinematics of galaxies at z ∼ 1 and the different spatial distribution of the molecular and ionized gas disks. It suggests the presence of thick ionized gas disks at this epoch and that the formation of the molecular gas is limited to the midplane and center of the galaxy in some objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive rotation curves, surface brightness profiles, and oxygen abundance distributions for 147 late-type galaxies using the publicly available spectroscopy obtained by the MaNGA survey. Changes of the central oxygen abundance (O/H)0, the abundance at the optical radius (O/H)R25, and the abundance gradient with rotation velocity Vrot were examined for galaxies with rotation velocities from 90 km s−1 to 350 km s−1. We find that each relation shows a break at Vrot∗ ∼ 200 km s−1 V rot ∗ ∼ 200   km s − 1 $ V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} \sim 200 \, {\rm {km\, s}}^{-1}$. The central (O/H)0 abundance increases with rising Vrot and the slope of the (O/H)0–Vrot relation is steeper for galaxies with Vrot ≲ Vrot∗ V rot ≲ V rot ∗ $ V_{\mathrm{rot}} \lesssim V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} $. The mean scatter of the central abundances around this relation is 0.053 dex. The relation between the abundance at the optical radius of a galaxy and its rotation velocity is similar; the mean scatter in abundances around this relation is 0.081 dex. The radial abundance gradient expressed in dex/kpc flattens with the increase of the rotation velocity. The slope of the relation is very low for galaxies with Vrot ≳ Vrot∗ V rot ≳ V rot ∗ $ V_{\mathrm{rot}} \gtrsim V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} $. The abundance gradient expressed in dex/R25 is roughly constant for galaxies with Vrot ≲ Vrot∗ V rot ≲ V rot ∗ $ V_{\mathrm{rot}} \lesssim V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} $ , flattens towards Vrot∗ V rot ∗ $ V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} $ , and then again is roughly constant for galaxies with Vrot ≳ Vrot∗ V rot ≳ V rot ∗ $ V_{\mathrm{rot}} \gtrsim V_{\mathrm{rot}}^{*} $. The change of the gradient expressed in terms of dex/hd (where hd is the disc scale length), in terms of dex/Re, d (where Re, d is the disc effective radius), and in terms of dex/Re, g (where Re, g is the galaxy effective radius) with rotation velocity is similar to that for gradient in dex/R25. The relations between abundance characteristics and other basic parameters (stellar mass, luminosity, and radius) are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Encounters between galaxies modify their morphology, kinematics, and star formation history. The relation between these changes and external perturbations is not straightforward. The great number of parameters involved requires both the study of large samples and individual encounters where particular features, motions, and perturbations can be traced and analysed in detail. Aims. We analysed the morphology, kinematics, and dynamics of two luminous infrared spiral galaxies of almost equal mass, NGC 5257 and NGC 5258, in which star formation is mostly confined to the spiral arms, in order to understand interactions between galaxies of equivalent masses and star-forming processes during the encounter. Methods. Using scanning Fabry–Perot interferometry, we studied the contribution of circular and non-circular motions and the response of the ionized gas to external perturbations. We compared the kinematics with direct images and traced the star-forming processes and gravitational effects due to the presence of the other galaxy. The spectral energy distribution of each member of the pair was fitted. A mass model was fitted to the rotation curve of each galaxy. Results. Large, non-circular motions detected in both galaxies are associated with a bar, spiral arms, and HII regions for the inner parts of the galaxies, and with the tidal interaction for the outer parts of the discs. Bifurcations in the rotation curves indicate that the galaxies have recently undergone pericentric passage. The pattern speed of a perturbation of one of the galaxies is computed. Location of a possible corotation seems to indicate that the gravitational response of the ionized gas in the outer parts of the disc is related to the regions where ongoing star formation is confined. The spectral energy distribution fit indicates slightly different star formation history for each member of the pair. For both galaxies, a pseudo-isothermal halo better fits the global mass distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated properties of the interstellar medium in interacting galaxies in early and mid stages using mapping data of 12CO(J = 1-0) and HI. Assuming the standard CO–H2 conversion factor, we found no difference in molecular gas mass, atomic gas mass, and total gas mass (the sum of atomic and molecular gas mass) between interacting galaxies and isolated galaxies. However, interacting galaxies have a higher global molecular gas fraction fglobalmol (the ratio ofmolecular gas mass to total gas mass averaged over a whole galaxy) at 0.71±0.15 than isolated galaxies (0.52±0.18). The distribution of the local molecular gas fraction fmol, the ratio of the surface density of molecular gas to that of the total gas, is different from the distribution in typical isolated galaxies. By a pixel-to-pixel comparison, isolated spiral galaxies show a gradual increase in fmol along the surface density of total gas until it is saturated at 1.0, while interacting galaxies show no clear relation. We performed pixel-to-pixel theoretical model fits by varying metallicity and external pressure. According to the model fitting, external pressure can explain the trend of fmol in the interacting galaxies. Assuming half of the standard CO–H2 conversion factor for interacting galaxies, the results of pixel-to-pixel theoretical model fitting get worse than adopting the standard conversion factor, although fglobalmol of interacting galaxies (0.62±0.17) becomes the same as in isolated galaxies. We conclude that external pressure occurs due to the shock prevailing over a whole galaxy or due to collisions between giant molecular clouds even in the early stage of the interaction. The external pressure accelerates an efficient transition from atomic gas to molecular gas. Regarding the chemical timescale, high fmol can be achieved at the very early stage of interaction even if the shock induced by the collision of galaxies ionizes interstellar gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminous blue compact galaxies are among the most active galaxies in the local Universe in terms of their star formation rate per unit mass. They are rare at the current cosmic epoch, but were more abundant in the past and may be seen as the local analogues of higher red shift Lyman break galaxies. Studies of their kinematics is key to understanding what triggers their unusually active star formation. In this work, we investigate the kinematics of stars and ionised gas in Haro 11, one of the most luminous blue compact galaxies in the local Universe. Previous works have indicated that many of these galaxies may be triggered by galaxy mergers. We have employed Fabry-Perot interferometry, long-slit spectroscopy, and integral field unit (IFU) spectroscopy to explore the kinematics of Haro 11. We target the near-infrared calcium triplet, and use cross-correlation and penalised pixel fitting techniques to derive the stellar velocity field and velocity dispersion. We analyse ionised gas through emission lines from hydrogen, [O iii], and [S iii]. When spectral resolution and signal to noise allows, we investigate the line profile in detail and identify multiple velocity components when present. The spectra reveal a complex velocity field whose components, both stellar and gaseous, we attempt to disentangle. We find that to first order, the velocity field and velocity dispersions derived from stars and ionised gas agree. Hence the complexities reveal real dynamical disturbances providing further evidence for a merger in Haro 11. Through decomposition of emission lines, we find evidence for kinematically distinct components, for instance, a tidal arm. The ionised gas velocity field can be traced to large galactocentric radii, and shows significant velocity dispersion even far out in the halo. If interpreted as virial motions, this indicates that Haro 11 may have a mass of ~1011 M⊙. Haro 11 shows many resemblances with the famous Antennae galaxies both morphologically and kinematically, but it is much denser, which is the likely explanation for the higher star formation eficiency in Haro 11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Ionized gas kinematics provide important clues to the dynamical structure of galaxies and hold constraints to the processes driving their evolution. Aims. The motivation of this work is to provide an overall characterization of the kinematic behavior of the ionized gas of the galaxies included in the Calar Alto Legacy Integral field Area (CALIFA), offering kinematic clues to potential users of the CALIFA survey for including kinematical criteria in their selection of targets for specific studies. From the first 200 galaxies observed by CALIFA survey in its two configurations, we present the two-dimensional kinematic view of the 177 galaxies satisfaying a gas content/detection threshold. Methods. After removing the stellar contribution, we used the cross-correlation technique to obtain the radial velocity of the dominant gaseous component for each spectrum in the CALIFA data cubes for different emission lines (namely, [O ii] λλ3726, 3729, [OIII] λλ4959, 5007, Hα+[N II] λλ6548, 6584, and [SII]λλ6716, 6730). The main kinematic parameters measured on the plane of the sky were directly derived from the radial velocities with no assumptions on the internal prevailing motions. Evidence of the presence of several gaseous components with different kinematics were detected by using [OIII] λλ4959, 5007 emission line profiles. Results. At the velocity resolution of CALIFA, most objects in the sample show regular velocity fields, although the ionized-gas kinematics are rarely consistent with simple coplanar circular motions. Thirty-five percent of the objects present evidence of a displacement between the photometric and kinematic centers larger than the original spaxel radii. Only 17% of the objects in the sample exhibit kinematic lopsidedness when comparing receding and approaching sides of the velocity fields, but most of them are interacting galaxies exhibiting nuclear activity (AGN or LINER). Early-type (E+S0) galaxies in the sample present clear photometric-kinematic misaligments. There is evidence of asymmetries in the emission line profiles in 117 out of the 177 analyzed galaxies, suggesting the presence of kinematically distinct gaseous components located at different distances from the optical nucleus. The kinematic decoupling between the dominant and secondary component/s suggested by the observed asymmetries in the profiles can be characterized by a limited set of parameters. Conclusions. This work constitutes the first determination of the ionized gas kinematics of the galaxies observed in the CALIFA survey. The derived velocity fields, the reported kinematic distortions/peculiarities and the identification of the presence of several gaseous components in different regions of the objects might be used as additional criteria for selecting galaxies for specific studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observed Hi accretion around nearby galaxies can only account for a fraction of the gas supply needed to sustain the currently observed star formation rates. It is possible that additional accretion occurs in the form of low column density cold flows, as predicted by numerical simulations of galaxy formation. To constrain the presence and properties of such flows, we present deep Hi observations obtained with the NRAO Green Bank Telescope of an area measuring 4° × 4° around NGC 2403. These observations, with a 5σ detection limit of 2.4 × 1018 cm-2 over a 20 km s-1 linewidth, reveal a low column density, extended cloud outside the main Hi disk, about 17' (∼16 kpc or ∼2 R25) to the NW of the center of the galaxy. The total Hi mass of the cloud is 6.3 × 106 M☉, or 0.15 percent of the total Hi mass of NGC 2403. The cloud is associated with an 8 kpc anomalous-velocity Hi filament in the inner disk, that was previously observed in deep VLA observations. We discuss several scenarios for the origin of the cloud, and conclude that it is either accreting from the intergalactic medium, or is the result of a minor interaction with a neigboring dwarf galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a multi-wavelength integral field spectroscopic (IFS) study of the low-z luminous infrared galaxy IRAS F11506-3851 (ESO 320-G030) on the basis of the moderate spectral resolution observations (R ∼ 3400-4000) taken with the VIMOS and SINFONI instruments at the ESO VLT. The morphology and the 2D kinematics of the gaseous (neutral and ionized) and stellar components have been mapped in the central regions (<3 kpc) using the NaDλλ5890, 5896 Å absorption doublet, the H αλ6563 Å line, and the near-IR CO(2-0)λ2.293 μm and CO(3-1)λ2.322 μm bands. The kinematics of the ionized gas and the stars are dominated by rotation, with large observed velocity amplitudes (ΔV(Hα) = 203 ± 4 km s-1; ΔV(CO) = 188 ± 11 km s-1, respectively) and centrally peaked velocity dispersion maps (σc(Hα ) = 95 ± 4 km s-1 and σ(CO) = 136 ± 20 km s-1). The stars lag behind the warm gas and represent a dynamically hotter system, as indicated by the observed V/σ ratios (4.5 and 2.4 for the gas and the stars, respectively). Thanks to these IFS data we have disentangled the contribution of the stars and the interstellar medium to the NaD feature, finding that it is dominated by absorption of neutral gas clouds in the interstellar medium (∼2/3 of total EW). The 2D kinematics of the neutral gas shows a complex structure dominated by two main components. On the one hand, the thick slowly rotating disk (ΔV(NaD) = 81 ± 12 km s-1) lags significantly compared to the ionized gas and the stars, and it has an irregular and o -center velocity dispersion map (with values of up to ∼150 km s-1 at ∼1 kpc from the nucleus). On the other hand, a kpc-scale neutral gas outflow perpendicular to the disk, as is revealed by the large blueshifted velocities (in the range 30-154 km s-1) observed along the galaxy's semi-minor axis (within the inner 1.4 kpc). On the basis of a simple free wind scenario, we derive an outflowing mass rate (Mw) in neutral gas of about 48 M☉ yr-1. Although this implies a global mass loading factor (i.e., η = Mw/SFR) of ∼1.4, the 2D distribution of the ongoing SF as traced by the Hα emission map suggests a much larger value of n associated with the inner regions (R < 200 pc), where the current observed star formation (SF) represents only ∼3 percent of the total. However, the relatively strong emission by supernovae in the central regions, as traced by the [FeII] emission, indicates recent strong episodes of SF. Therefore, our data show clear evidence of the presence of a strong outflow with large loading factors associated with the nuclear regions, where recent starburst activity took place about 7 Myr ago, although it currently shows relatively modest SF levels. All together these results strongly suggest that we are witnessing (nuclear) quenching due to SF feedback in IRAS F11506-3851. However, the relatively large mass of molecular gas detected in the nuclear region via the H2 1-0S(1) line suggests that further episodes of SF may take place again. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. The goal of this paper is to analyse the behaviour of the gas-to-dust mass ratio (G/D) of local Universe galaxies over a wide metallicity range. We especially focus on the low-metallicity part of the G/D vs metallicity relation and investigate several explanations for the observed relation and scatter. Methods. We assembled a total of 126 galaxies, covering a 2 dex metallicity range and with 30% of the sample with 12 + log(O/H) ⩽ 8:0. We homogeneously determined the dust masses with a semi-empirical dust model including submm constraints. The atomic and molecular gas masses have been compiled from the literature. We used two XCO scenarios to estimate the molecular gas mass: the Galactic conversion factor, XCO,MW, and a XCO that depends on the metallicity XCO,Z (αZ-2). We modelled the observed trend of the G/D with metallicity using two simple power laws (slope of -1 and free) and a broken power law. Correlations with morphological type, stellar masses, star formation rates, and specific star formation rates are also discussed. We then compared the observed evolution of the G/D with predictions from several chemical evolution models and explored different physical explanations for the observed scatter in the G/D values. Results. We find that out of the five tested galactic parameters, metallicity is the main physical property of the galaxy driving the observed G/D. The G/D versus metallicity relation cannot be represented by a single power law with a slope of -1 over the whole metallicity range. The observed trend is steeper for metallicities lower than ~8.0. A large scatter is observed in the G/D values for a given metallicity: in metallicity bins of ~0.1 dex, the dispersion around the mean value is ~0.37 dex. On average, the broken power law reproduces the observed G/D best compared to the two power laws (slope of -1 or free) and provides estimates of the G/D that are accurate to a factor of 1.6. The good agreement of observed values of the G/D and its scatter with respect to metallicity with the predicted values of the three tested chemical evolution models allows us to infer that the scatter in the relation is intrinsic to galactic properties, reflecting the different star formation histories, dust destruction efficiencies, dust grain size distributions, and chemical compositions across the sample. Conclusions. Our results show that the chemical evolution of low-metallicity galaxies, traced by their G/D, strongly depends on their local internal conditions and individual histories. The large scatter in the observed G/D at a given metallicity reflects the impact of various processes occurring during the evolution of a galaxy. Despite the numerous degeneracies affecting them, disentangling these various processes is now the next step.q [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed analysis of multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) imaging and Keck/OSIRIS near-infrared adaptive optics-assisted integral field spectroscopy for a highly magnified lensed galaxy at z = 1.70. This young starburst is representative of ultraviolet-selected star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at z ∼ 2 and contains multiple individual star-forming regions. Due to the lensing magnification, we can resolve spatial scales down to 100 pc in the source plane of the galaxy. The velocity field shows disturbed kinematics suggestive of an ongoing interaction and there is a clear signature of a tidal tail. We constrain the age, reddening, star formation rate, and stellar mass of the star-forming clumps from spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling of the WFC3 photometry and measure their Hα luminosity, metallicity, and outflow properties from the OSIRIS data. With strong star-formation-driven outflows in four clumps, RCSGA0327 is the first high-redshift SFG at stellar mass <1010M☼ with spatially resolved stellar winds. We compare the Hα luminosities, sizes, and dispersions of the star-forming regions with other high-z clumps as well as local giant H II regions and find no evidence for increased clump star formation surface densities in interacting systems, unlike in the local universe. Spatially resolved SED modeling unveils an established stellar population at the location of the largest clump and a second mass concentration near the edge of the system that is not detected in Hα emission. This suggests a picture of an equal-mass mixed major merger, which has not triggered a new burst of star formation or caused a tidal tail in the gas-poor component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present dark matter minihalo models for the Ultra-Compact, High-Velocity H I Clouds (UCHVCs) recently discovered in the 21 cm ALFALFA survey. We assume gravitational confinement of 104 K H I gas by flat-cored dark-matter subhalos within the Local Group. We show that for flat cores, typical (median) tidally stripped cosmological subhalos at redshift z = 0 have dark-matter masses of ∼107M☼ within the central 300 pc (independent of total halo mass), consistent with the “Strigari mass scale” observed in low-luminosity dwarf galaxies. Flat-cored subhalos also resolve the mass discrepancy between simulated and observed satellites around the Milky Way. For the UCHVCs, we calculate the photoionization-limited hydrostatic gas profiles for any distance-dependent total observed H I mass and predict the associated (projected) H I half-mass radii, assuming the clouds are embedded in distant (d ≳ 300 kpc) and unstripped subhalos. For a typical UCHVC (0.9 Jy km s–1), we predict physical H I half-mass radii of 0.18 to 0.35 kpc (or angular sizes of 0.′6 to 2.′1) for distances ranging from 300 kpc to 2 Mpc. As a consistency check, we model the gas-rich dwarf galaxy Leo T, for which there is a well-resolved H I column density profile and a known distance (420 kpc). For Leo T, we find that a subhalo with M300 = 8 (± 0.2) × 106M☼ best fits the observed H I profile. We derive an upper limit of PHIM ≲ 150 cm–3 K for the pressure of any enveloping hot intergalactic medium gas at the distance of Leo T. Our analysis suggests that some of the UCHVCs may in fact constitute a population of 21 cm-selected but optically faint dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. (Ultra) Luminous infrared galaxies [(U)LIRGs] host the most extreme star-forming events in the present universe and are places where a significant fraction of the past star formation beyond z ∼ 1 has occurred. The kinematic characterization of this population is important to constrain the processes that govern such events. Aims. We present and discuss the 2D kinematic properties of the ionized gas (Hα) in sample local (U)LIRGs, for which relatively high linear resolution and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio can be obtained. Methods. We have obtained Very Large Telescope VIMOS optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) for 38 local (z < 0.1) (U)LIRGs (31 LIRGs and 7 ULIRGs, 51 individual galaxies). This sample covers well the less studied LIRG luminosity range, and it includes the morphological types corresponding to the different phases along the merging process (i.e., isolated disks, interacting and merging systems). Results. The vast majority of objects have two main kinematically distinct components. One component (i.e., narrow or systemic) extends over the whole line-emitting region and is characterized by small-to-intermediate velocity dispersions (i.e., σ from 30 to 160 km s-1). The second component (broad) has a larger velocity dispersion (up to 320 km s-1); it is mainly found in the inner regions and is generally blueshifted with respect to the systemic component. The largest extensions and extreme kinematic properties are observed in interacting and merging systems, and they are likely associated with nuclear outflows. The systemic component traces the overall velocity field, showing a large variety of kinematic 2D structures, from very regular velocity patterns typical of pure rotating disks (29%) to kinematically perturbed disks (47%) and highly disrupted and complex velocity fields (24%). Thus, most of the objects (76%) are dominated by rotation. We find that rotation is more relevant in LIRGs than in ULIRGs. There is a clear correlation between the different phases of the merging process and the mean kinematic properties inferred from the velocity maps. In particular, isolated disks, interacting galaxies, and merging systems define a sequence of increasing mean velocity dispersion and decreasing velocity field amplitude, characterized by average dynamical ratios (v⋆ shear/σmean) of 4.7, 3.0 and 1.8, respectively. We also find that the σcentral/σmean vs. σmean) than local spirals, implying a larger turbulence and thicker disks. Interacting systems and mergers have values closer to those of low velocity dispersion elliptical/lenticular galaxies (E/SOs). The subclass of (U)LIRGs classified as mergers have kinematical properties similar to those shown by the Lyman break analogs (LBAs), although the dynamical mass of LBAs is five times lower on average. Therefore, despite the difference in mass and dust content, the kinematics of these two local populations appears to have significantly noncircular motions. These motions may be induced by the tidal forces, producing dynamically hot systems. The dynamical masses range from ∼0.04 m-1 to 1.4 m⋆ (i.e., m⋆ (i.e., m⋆ M11), with ULIRGs being more massive (i.e., ∼0.5 ± 0.2 m☉) than LIRGs by, on average, a factor of about 2. The mass ratio of individual pre-coalescence galaxies is <2.5 for most of the systems, confirming that most (U)LIRG mergers involve sub-m⋆ galaxies of similar mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]⋆ galaxies of similar mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust has long been identified as a barrier to measuring inherent galaxy properties. However, the link between dust and attenuation is not straightforward and depends on both the amount of dust and its distribution. Herschel imaging of nearby galaxies undertaken as part of the KINGFISH project allows us to map the dust as seen in emission with unprecedented sensitivity and ~1 kpc resolution. We present here new optical integral field unit spectroscopy for eight of these galaxies that provides complementary 100-200 pc scale maps of the dust attenuation through observation of the reddening in both the Balmer decrement and the stellar continuum. The stellar continuum reddening, which is systematically less than that observed in the Balmer decrement, shows no clear correlation with the dust, suggesting that the distribution of stellar reddening acts as a poor tracer of the overall dust content. The brightest Hii regions are observed to be preferentially located in dusty regions, and we do find a correlation between the Balmer line reddening and the dust mass surface density for which we provide an empirical relation. Some of the high-inclination systems in our sample exhibit high extinction, but we also find evidence that unresolved variations in the dust distribution on scales smaller than 500 pc may contribute to the scatter in this relation. We caution against the use of integrated AV measures to infer global dust properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the integral field unit DensePak on the WIYN 3.5 mtelescope we have obtained Hα velocity fields of 39 nearly face-on disks at echelle resolutions. High-quality, uniform kinematic data and a new modeling technique enabled us to derive accurate and precise kinematic inclinations with mean ikin = 23° for 90% of these galaxies. Modeling the kinematic data as single, inclined disks in circular rotation improves upon the traditional tilted-ring method. We measure kinematic inclinations with a precision in sin i of 25% at 20° and 6% at 30°. Kinematic inclinations are consistent with photometric and inverse Tully-Fisher inclinations when the sample is culled of galaxies with kinematic asymmetries, for which we give two specific prescriptions. Kinematic inclinations can therefore be used in statistical "face-on" Tully-Fisher studies. A weighted combination of multiple, independent inclination measurements yield the most precise and accurate inclination. Combining inverse Tully-Fisher inclinations with kinematic inclinations yields joint probability inclinations with a precision in sin i of 10% at 15° and 5% at 30°. This level of precision makes accurate mass decompositions of galaxies possible even at low inclination. We find scaling relations between rotation speed and disk-scale length identical to results from more inclined samples. We also observe the trend of more steeply rising rotation curves with increased rotation speed and light concentration. This trend appears to be uncorrelated with disk surface brightness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hi line widths are typically interpreted as a measure of interstellar medium turbulence, which is potentially driven by star formation (SF). In an effort to better understand the possible connections between line widths and SF, we have characterized Hi kinematics in a sample of nearby dwarf galaxies by co-adding line-of-sight spectra after removing the rotational velocity to produce average global Hi line profiles. These "superprofiles" are composed of a central narrow peak (~6-10 km s-1) with higher-velocity wings to either side that contain ~10%-15% of the total flux. The superprofiles are all very similar, indicating a universal global Hi profile for dwarf galaxies. We compare characteristics of the superprofiles to various galaxy properties, such as mass and measures of SF, with the assumption that the superprofile represents a turbulent peak with energetic wings to either side. We use these quantities to derive average scale heights for the sample galaxies. When comparing to physical properties, we find that the velocity dispersion of the central peak is correlated with (ΣHi). The fraction of mass and characteristic velocity of the high-velocity wings are correlated with measures of SF, consistent with the picture that SF drives surrounding Hi to higher velocities. While gravitational instabilities provide too little energy, the SF in the sample galaxies does provide enough energy through supernovae, with realistic estimates of the coupling efficiency, to produce the observed superprofiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new set of selection criteria for the identification of infrared bright young stellar object (YSO) candidates and apply them to nine Hɪɪ regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), focusing particularly on lower mass candidates missed by most surveys. Data are from the Spitzer Space Telescope legacy program SAGE (Surveying the Agents of Galaxy Evolution; Meixner et al. 2006, AJ, 132, 2268), combined with optical photometry from the Magellanic Clouds Photometric Survey (MCPS; Zaritsky et al. 1997, AJ, 114, 1002) and near-infrared photometry from the InfraRed Survey Facility (IRSF; Kato et al. 2007, PASJ, 59, 615). We choose regions of diverse physical size, star formation rates (SFRs), and ages. We also cover a wide range of locations and surrounding environments in the LMC. These active star-forming regions are LHA 120-N 11, N 44, N 51, N 105, N 113, N 120, N 144, N 160, and N 206. Some have been well-studied (e.g., N11, N44, N160) in the past, while others (e.g., N51, N144) have received little attention. We identify 1045 YSO candidates, including 918 never before identified and 127 matching previous candidate lists. We characterize the evolutionary stage and physical properties of each candidate using the spectral energy distribution (SED) fitter of Robitaille et al. (2007, ApJS, 169, 328) and estimate mass functions and SFRs for each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Ultra luminous and luminous infrared galaxies [(U)LIRGs] are important galaxy populations for studying galaxy evolution, and are likely to have been responsible for a significant fraction of the star formation that occurred prior to z ∼ 1. Local (U)LIRGs can be used to study criteria that are suitable for characterizing similar high redshift populations. We are particularly interested in identifying reliable kinematic-based methods capable of distinguishing disks and mergers, as their relative fraction is a key observational input to constrain different evolutionary scenarios. Aims. Our goal is to analyze in detail the kinematics of the ionized gas of a small sample of LIRGs and study criteria that permit us to characterize the evolutionary status of these systems. Methods. We obtained Very Large Telescope VIMOS optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data of four LIRGs selected at similar distances (∼70 Mpc) to avoid relative resolution effects. Two of these systems had been previously classified as regular isolated disks galaxies and the other two as post-coalescence mergers based on their morphology. The kinemetry method (developed by Krajnovic and coworkers) is used to characterize the kinematic properties of these galaxies and discuss new criteria for distinguishing their status. Results. We present and discuss new kinematic maps (i.e., velocity field and velocity dispersion) for these four galaxies. These kinematic data suggest that nuclear outflows exist in all these galaxies, and are particularly intense for the post-coalescence merger systems. The vc/σ c parameter has values between those that are typical of local spiral galaxies (i.e., vc/σ c = 5-15) and those obtained for Lyman break analogs at z ∼ 0.2 (i.e., vc/σ c = 0.4-1.8). Our use of one-dimensional parameters, such as vc/σ c or vshear/Σ, does not allow us to distinguish between the two groups (i.e., disks, post-coalescence systems). However, when the full two-dimensional kinematic information of the IFS data is analyzed by means of kinemetry, their morphological and kinematic classifications are consistent, with disks having lower kinematic asymmetries than post-coalescence mergers. We propose and discuss a new kinematic criterion to differentiate between these two groups. In particular, we introduce a weighting that favors the outer parts of the kinematic maps when computing the total asymmetries. This step is taken because post-coalescence mergers display relatively small kinematic asymmetries in their inner parts as a consequence of the rapid relaxation of gas into a rotating disk, whereas the outer parts continue to be out of equilibrium (i.e., to have larger asymmetries). We find that, in addition to distinguishing post-coalescence mergers from rotating disks, this new criterion has the advantage of being less sensitive to angular resolution effects. According to previous kinemetry-based analyses designed to distinguish disks and mergers at high-z, the present post-coalescence systems would have been classified as disks. This indicates that the separation of disks from mergers depends on the definition of a merger. It also suggests that previous estimates of the merger/disk ratio might have been underestimated, but larger samples are necessary to establish a firmer conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. The estimate of radial abundance gradients in high-redshift galaxies allows to constrain their star formation history and their interplay with the surrounding intergalactic medium. Methods. We present VLT/SINFONI integral-field spectroscopy of a first sample of 50 galaxies at z ~ 1.2 in the MASSIV survey. Using the N2 ratio between the [Nii]6584 and Hα rest-frame optical emission lines as a proxy for oxygen abundance in the interstellar medium, we measured the metallicity of the sample galaxies. We developed a tool to extract spectra in annular regions, leading to a spatially resolved estimate of the oxygen abundance in each galaxy. We were able to derive a metallicity gradient for 26 galaxies in our sample and discovered a significant fraction of galaxies with a "positive" gradient. Using a simple chemical evolution model, we derived infall rates of pristine gas onto the disks. Results. Seven galaxies display a positive gradient at a high confidence level. Four out of these are interacting, and one is a chain galaxy. We suggest that interactions might be responsible for shallowing and even inverting the abundance gradient. We also identify two interesting correlations in our sample: a) galaxies with higher gas velocity dispersion have shallower/positive gradients; and b) metal-poor galaxies tend to show a positive gradient, whereas metal-rich ones tend to show a negative one. This last observation can be explained by the infall of metal-poor gas into the center of the disks. We address the question of the origin of this infall under the influence of gas flows triggered by interactions and/or cold gas accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the importance of secular stellar mass loss for fueling ongoing star formation in disk galaxies during the late stages of their evolution. For a galaxy of a given stellar mass, we calculate the total mass loss rate of its entire stellar population using star formation histories derived from the observed evolution of the Mt-star formation rate (SFR) relation, along with the predictions of standard stellar evolution models for stellar mass loss for a variety of initial stellar mass functions. Our model shows that recycled gas from stellar mass loss can provide most or all of the fuel required to sustain the current level of star formation in late-type galaxies. Stellar mass loss can therefore remove the tension between the low gas infall rates that are derived from observations and the relatively rapid star formation occurring in disk galaxies. For galaxies where cold gas infall rates have been estimated, we demonstrate explicitly that stellar mass loss can account for most of the deficit between their SFR and infall rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the physical properties of nearby, relatively luminous galaxies, using results from newly available massive data sets together with more detailed observations. First, we present the global distribution of properties, including the optical and ultraviolet (UV) luminosity, stellar mass, and atomic gas mass functions. Second, we describe the shift of the galaxy population from late galaxy types in underdense regions to early galaxy types in overdense regions. We emphasize that the scaling relations followed by each galaxy type change very little with environment, with the exception of some minor but detectable effects. The shift in the population is apparent even at the densities of small groups and therefore cannot be exclusively due to physical processes operating in rich clusters. Third, we divide galaxies into four crude types--spiral, lenticular, elliptical, and merging systems--and describe some of their more detailed properties. We attempt to put these detailed properties into the global context provided by large surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent literature, there is circumstantial evidence that the viscosity of the intracluster medium (ICM) may not be too far from the Spitzer value. In this Letter, we present two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of ram pressure stripping of disc galaxies in a viscous ICM. The values of viscosity explored range between 0.1 and 1.0 times the Spitzer value. We find that viscosity affects the appearance and the dimensions of the galactic wakes but has very little effect on the evolution of the gas mass of the galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of12CO(1-0) and12CO(2-1) observations on UGC 1347 obtained with BIMA and the IRAM 30 m telescope. UGC 1347 is a member of the Abell 262 cluster. In Abell 262, a nearby spiral rich cluster, the signs of galaxy interaction and therefore the mechanisms which play an important role in galaxy evolution within clusters can be studied with high spatial resolution. Aside from its bright central region, UGC 1347 features a second prominent source at the southern tip of the bar, which has been identified as region with recent enhanced star formation. The CO observations prove the existence of reservoirs of cold molecular gas at the positions of both bright regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the relation between the surface brightness and the diameter for galactic supernova remnants. Intrinsic and extrinsic properties of remnants; Dependence of radio luminosity and the diameter; Details of calibrator remnants.

The review contains the important achievements in dynamics of the galactic disks. Among them there are I. New structures discovered recently: giant vortices (including giant anticyclone in the Solar vicinity); slow bar; inner oscillating structure within spiral arms similar that of enveloped soliton; chaotic streamlines in the velocity field of the gaseous disk of a real galaxy. II. New collective phenomina discovered recently: new overreflection instability initiating `mini-spiral' in the innermost central parsec of Galaxy; large-scale convection caused by nonlinear interaction of density wave with disk gas; non-kolmogorovian spec trum of weak turbulence corresponding to the observed one in the Solar vicinity. III. New methods worked out recently: reconstruction of full three-dimensional vector field of gas velocity from the observed line-of-sight velocity field; observational test for verification of the wave-nature of the spiral arms; observational test to distinguish two types of vertical motions: warp and z-motions in the density wave; derivation of correct system of two-dimensional dynamical equations from the initial three- dimensional one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to test the need for non-baryonic dark matter in the context of galactic rotation and the apparent difference between distributions of galactic mass and luminosity. We present a set of rotation curves and 3.6 μm surface brightness profiles for a diverse sample of 214 galaxies. Using rotation curves as the sole input into our Newtonian disk model, we compute non-parametric radial profiles of surface mass density. All profiles exhibit lower density than parametric models with dark halos and provide a superior fit with observed rotation curves. Assuming all dynamical mass is in main-sequence stars, we estimate radial distributions of characteristic star mass implied by the corresponding pairs of density and brightness profiles. We find that for 132 galaxies or 62% of the sample, the relation between density and brightness can be fully explained by a radially declining stellar mass gradient. Such idealized stellar population fitting can also largely address density and brightness distributions of the remaining 82 galaxies, but their periphery shows, on average, 14 M⊙/pc2 difference between total density and light-constrained stellar density. We discuss how this density gap can be interpreted, by considering a low-luminosity baryonic matter, observational uncertainties, and visibility cutoffs for red dwarf populations. Lastly, we report tight correlation between radial density and brightness trends, and the discovered flattening of surface brightness profiles—both being evidence against dark matter. Our findings make non-baryonic dark matter unnecessary in the context of galactic rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine Hubble Space Telescope Paschen β (Paβ) imaging with ground-based, previously published Hα maps to estimate the attenuation affecting Hα, A(Hα), across the nearby, face-on galaxies NGC 5194 and NGC 6946. We estimate A(Hα) in ∼2000 independent 2″ ∼ 75 pc diameter apertures in each galaxy, spanning out to a galactocentric radius of almost 10 kpc. In both galaxies, A(Hα) drops with radius, with a bright, high-attenuation inner region, though in detail the profiles differ between the two galaxies. Regions with the highest attenuation-corrected Hα luminosity show the highest attenuation, but the observed Hα luminosity of a region is not a good predictor of attenuation in our data. Consistent with much previous work, the IR-to-Hα color does a good job of predicting A(Hα). We calculate the best-fit empirical coefficients for use combining Hα with 8, 12, 24, 70, or 100 μm to correct for attenuation. These agree well with previous work, but we also measure significant scatter around each of these linear relations. The local atomic plus molecular gas column density, N(H), also predicts A(Hα) well. We show that a screen with magnitude ∼0.2 times that expected for a Milky Way gas-to-dust value does a reasonable job of explaining A(Hα) as a function of N(H). This could be expected if only ∼40% of gas and dust directly overlap regions of Hα emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiral galaxies and their rotation curves have key characteristics of differentially spinning objects. Oblate spheroid shapes are a consequence of spin and reasonably describe galaxies, indicating that their matter is distributed in gravitationally interacting homeoidal shells. Here, previously published equations describing differentially spinning oblate spheroids with radially varying density are applied to 51 galaxies, mostly spirals. A constant volumetric density (ρ, kg m−3) is assumed for each thin homeoid in these formulae, after Newton, which is consistent with RCs being reported simply as a function of equatorial radius r. We construct parameter-free inverse models that uniquely specify mass inside any given r, and thus directly constrain ρ vs. r solely from velocity v (r) and galactic aspect ratios (assumed as 1:10 for spirals when data are unavailable). Except for their innermost zones, ρ is proven to be closely proportional to rn, where the statistical average of n for all 36 spirals studied is −1.80 ± 0.40. Our values for interior densities compare closely with independently measured baryon density in appropriate astronomical environments: for example, calculated ρ at galactic edges agrees with independently estimated ρ of intergalactic media (IGM). Our finding that central densities increase with galaxy size is consistent with behavior exhibited by diverse self-gravitating entities. Our calculated mass distributions are consistent with visible luminosity and require no non-baryonic component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations of the molecular gas in galaxies are vital to understand the evolution and star-forming histories of galaxies. However, galaxies with molecular gas maps of their whole discs at sufficient resolution to distinguish galactic structures are severely lacking. Millimeter-wavelength studies at a high angular resolution across multiple lines and transitions are particularly needed, severely limiting our ability to infer the universal properties of molecular gas in galaxies. Hence, we conducted a legacy project with the 45 m telescope of the Nobeyama Radio Observatory, called the CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING), which simultaneously observed 147 galaxies with high far-infrared (FIR) flux in 12CO, 13CO, and C18O J = 1–0 lines. The total molecular gas mass was derived using the standard CO–to–H2 conversion factor and found to be positively correlated with the total stellar mass derived from the WISE 3.4 μm band data. The fraction of the total molecular gas mass to the total stellar mass in galaxies does not depend on their Hubble types nor the existence of a galactic bar, although when galaxies in individual morphological types are investigated separately, the fraction seems to decrease with the total stellar mass in early-type galaxies and vice versa in late-type galaxies. No differences in the distribution of the total molecular gas mass, stellar mass, or the total molecular gas to stellar mass ratio was observed between barred and non-barred galaxies, which is likely the result of our sample selection criteria, in that we prioritized observing FIR bright (and thus molecular gas-rich) galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the spiral structure of galaxies is trailing or leading has been a subject of debate. We present a new spin parity catalog of 146 spiral galaxies that lists the following three pieces of information: whether the spiral structure observed on the sky is S-wise or Z-wise; which side of the minor axis of the galaxy is darker and redder, based on examination of Pan-STARRS and/or ESO/DSS2 red image archives; and which side of the major axis of the galaxy is approaching us based on the published literature. This paper confirms that all of the spiral galaxies in the catalog show a consistent relationship among these three parameters, without any confirmed counterexamples, which supports the generally accepted interpretation that all the spiral galaxies are trailing and that the darker/redder side of the galactic disk is closer to us. Although the results of this paper may not be surprising, they provide a rationale for analyzing the S/Z winding distribution of spiral galaxies, using the large and uniform image databases available now and in the near future, to study the spin vorticity distribution of galaxies in order to constrain the formation scenarios of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the gas kinematics of star-forming galaxies associated with protocluster 4C 23.56 at z = 2.49 using 0.″4 resolution CO (4–3) data taken with ALMA. Eleven Hα emitters (HAEs) are detected in CO (4–3), including six HAEs that were previously detected in CO (3–2) at a coarser angular resolution. The detections in both CO lines are broadly consistent in the line widths and the redshifts, confirming both detections. With an increase in the number of spectroscopic redshifts, we confirm that the protocluster is composed of two merging groups with a total halo mass of log (Mcl/M⊙) = 13.4–13.6, suggesting that the protocluster would evolve into a Virgo-like cluster (>1014M⊙). We compare the CO line widths and the CO luminosities with other (proto)clusters (ngal = 91) and general field (ngal = 80) galaxies from other studies. The 4C 23.56 protocluster galaxies have CO line widths and luminosities comparable to other protocluster galaxies on average. On the other hand, the CO line widths are on average broader by ≈50% compared to field galaxies, while the median CO luminosities are similar. The broader line widths can be attributed to both effects of unresolved gas-rich mergers and/or compact gas distribution, which is supported by our limited but decent angular resolution observations and the size estimate of three galaxies. Based on these results, we argue that gas-rich mergers may play a role in the retention of the specific angular momentum to a value similar to that of field populations during cluster assembly, though we need to verify this with a larger number of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]