The physical mechanisms driving star formation (SF) in galaxies are still not fully understood. Tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs), made of gas ejected during galaxy interactions, seem to be devoid of dark matter and have a near-solar metallicity. The latter makes it possible to study molecular gas and its link to SF using standard tracers (CO, dust) in a peculiar environment. We present a detailed study of a nearby TDG in the Virgo Cluster, VCC 2062, using new high-resolution CO(1-0) data from the Plateau de Bure, deep optical imaging from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS), and complementary multiwavelength data. Until now, there was some doubt whether VCC 2062 was a true TDG, but the new deep optical images from the NGVS reveal a stellar bridge between VCC 2062 and its parent galaxy, NGC 4694, which is clear proof of its tidal origin. Several high-resolution tracers (H{alpha}, UV, 8um, and 24um) of the star formation rate (SFR) are compared to the molecular gas distribution as traced by the CO(1-0). Coupled with the SFR tracers, the NGVS data are used with the CIGALE code to model the stellar populations throughout VCC 2062, yielding a declining SFR in the recent past, consistent with the low H{alpha}/UV ratio, and a high burst strength. HI emission covers VCC 2062, whereas the CO is concentrated near the HI maxima. The CO peaks correspond to two very distinct regions: one with moderate SF to the NE and one with only slightly weaker CO emission but with nearly no SF. Even where SF is clearly present, the SFR is below the value expected from the surface density of the molecular and the total gas as compared to spiral galaxies and other TDGs. After discussing different possible explanations, we conclude that the low surface brightness is a crucial parameter to understand the low SFR.
From a quantitative analysis of 413 Virgo Cluster early-type dwarf galaxies (dEs) with SDSS imaging data, we find that the dE class can be divided into multiple subpopulations that differ significantly in their morphology and clustering properties. Three dE subclasses are shaped like thick disks and show no central clustering: (1) dEs with disk features like spiral arms or bars, (2) dEs with central star formation, and (3) ordinary, bright dEs that have no or only a weak nucleus.
We study the dust content of a large optical input sample of 910 early-type galaxies (ETG) in the Virgo cluster, also extending to the dwarf ETG, and examine the results in relation to those on the other cold ISM components. We have searched for far-infrared emission in all galaxies in the input sample using the 250um image of the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey (HeViCS). This image covers a large fraction of the cluster with an area of ~55 square degrees. For the detected ETG we measured fluxes in five bands from 100 to 500um, and estimated the dust mass and temperature with modified black-body fits. Dust is detected above the completeness limit of 25.4mJy at 250um in 46 ETG, 43 of which are in the optically complete part of the input sample. In addition, dust is present at fainter levels in another six ETG. We detect dust in the four ETG with synchrotron emission, including M 87.
We present an analysis of the globular cluster (GC) system of the nucleated dwarf elliptical galaxy VCC 1087 in the Virgo Cluster based on Keck LRIS spectroscopy and archival Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging. We estimate that VCC 1087 hosts a total population of 77+/-19 GCs, which corresponds to a relatively high V-band specific frequency of 5.8+/-1.4. The g_475_-z_850_ color distribution of the GCs shows a blue (metal-poor) peak with a tail of redder (metal-rich) clusters similar in color to those seen in luminous elliptical galaxies.
Long-term BVRI photometric light curves of the pre-main sequence stars V977 Cep and V982 Cep during the period from 2000 October to 2016 August are presented. The stars are located in the vicinity of the reflection nebula NGC 7129. Our photometric data show that both stars exhibit strong photometric variability in all optical passbands, which is typical for Classical T Tauri stars. Using our observational data we analyze the reasons for the observed brightness variations. In the case of V977 Cep we identify previously unknown periodicity in its light curve.
We performed a deep wide-field (6.76 square-degrees) near-infrared survey with the VISTA telescope that covers the entire extent of the Carina nebula complex. Complementing the VISTA near-infrared catalog with Spitzer IRAC mid-infrared photometry improves the situation of the background contamination considerably. We find that a (J-H) versus (Ks-[4.5]) color-color diagram is well suited to tracing the population of YSO-candidates (cYSOs) by their infrared excess. We identify 8781 sources with strong infrared excess, which we consider as cYSOs. This sample is used to investigate the spatial distribution of the cYSOs with a nearest-neighbor analysis. The surface density distribution of cYSOs agrees well with the shape of the clouds as seen in our Herschel far-infrared survey. The strong decline in the surface density of excess sources outside the area of the clouds supports the hypothesis that our excess-selected sample consists predominantly of cYSOs with a low level of background contamination.
The outburst of the symbiotic recurrent nova V407 Cyg in 2010 has been studied by numerous authors. On the other hand, its spectral variations in the quiescent stage have not been well studied yet. This paper is probably the first report for the relation between the pulsation of the secondary Mira variable and the temperature of the primary hot component for V407 Cyg. The spectral variation in the post-outburst stage has been monitored to study the properties of this object. In the course of this work, we found some unexpected spectral variations around the light maximum of the secondary Mira variable in 2012. The relation between the mass transfer in the binary system and the pulsation of the secondary Mira variable is studied. High- and low-resolution optical spectra obtained at the Astronomical Observatories at Asiago were used. The photometric data depend on the database of the VSNET.
We present the VST Early-type GAlaxy Survey (VEGAS), which is designed to obtain deep multiband photometry in g, r, i, of about one hundred nearby galaxies down to 27.3, 26.8, and 26mag/arcsec^2^ respectively, using the ESO facility VST/OmegaCAM. The goals of the survey are 1) to map the light distribution up to ten effective radii, r_e_; 2) to trace color gradients and surface brightness fluctuation gradients out to a few r_e_ for stellar population characterization; and 3) to obtain a full census of the satellite systems (globular clusters and dwarf galaxies) out to 20% of the galaxy virial radius. The external regions of galaxies retain signatures of the formation and evolution mechanisms that shaped them, and the study of nearby objects enables a detailed analysis of their morphology and interaction features. To clarify the complex variety of formation mechanisms of early-type galaxies (ETGs), wide and deep photometry is the primary observational step, which at the moment has been pursued with only a few dedicated programs. The VEGAS survey has been designated to provide these data for a volume-limited sample with exceptional image quality. In this commissioning photometric paper we illustrate the capabilities of the survey using g- and i-band VST/OmegaCAM images of the nearby galaxy NGC 4472 and of smaller ETGs in the surrounding field. Our surface brightness profiles reach rather faint levels and agree excellently well with previous literature. Genuine new results concern the detection of an intracluster light tail in NGC 4472 and of various substructures at increasing scales. We have also produced extended (g-i) color profiles. The VST/OmegaCAM data that we acquire in the context of the VEGAS survey provide a detailed view of substructures in the optical emission from extended galaxies, which can be as faint as a hundred times below the sky level.
We present a study of globular clusters (GCs) and other small stellar systems (SSSs) in the field of NGC 3115, observed as part of the ongoing wide-field imaging survey VEGAS, carried out with the 2.6m VST telescope. We used deep g and i observations of NGC 3115, a well-studied lenticular galaxy that is covered excellently well in the scientific literature. This is fundamental to test the methodologies, verify the results, and probe the capabilities of the VEGAS-SSS. Leveraging the large field of view of the VST allowed us to accurately study the distribution and properties of SSSs as a function of galactocentric distance, well beyond ~20 galaxy effective radii, in a way that is rarely possible. Our analysis of colors, magnitudes, and sizes of SSS candidates confirms the results from existing studies, some of which were carried out with 8-10m class telescopes, and further extends them to previously unreached galactocentric distances with similar accuracy. In particular, we find a color bimodality for the GC population and a de Vaucouleurs profile for the surface density of GCs similar to the galaxy light profile. The radial color gradient of blue and red GCs previously found, for instance, by the SLUGGS survey with Subaru and Keck data, is further extended out to the largest galactocentric radii inspected, ~65kpc. In addition, the surface density profiles of blue and red GCs taken separately are well approximated by a r1/4 density profile, with the fraction of blue GCs being slightly larger at larger radii. We do not find hints of a trend for the red GC subpopulation and for the GC turnover magnitude to vary with radius, but we observe a ~0.2mag difference in the turnover magnitude of the blue and red GC subpopulations. Finally, from inspecting SSS sizes and colors, we obtain a list of ultracompact dwarf galaxies and GC candidates suitable for future spectroscopic follow-up. In conclusion, our study shows i) the reliability of the methodologies developed to study SSSs in the field of bright early-type galaxies, and ii) the great potential of the VEGAS survey to produce original results on SSSs science, mainly thanks to the wide-field imaging adopted.
This table presents optical UBVRI broadband photo-polarimetry of the EXPORT sample obtained at the 2.5m Nordic Optical Telescope. The database consists of multi-epoch photo-polarimetry of 68 pre-main-sequence and main-sequence stars.
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