Galaxy evolution in a new Southern Compact Groups sample

Compact groups are association of 4-8 galaxies with high spatial densities (Δρ/ρ∼10–20), but low velocity dispersion. Galaxy-galaxy interactions (e.g. close tidal encounters or mergers) are therefore likely to dominate any environmentally-dependent evolution of galaxies in these compact, highlocal-density, groups, unlike in the field, where galaxy densities are too low, and in clusters, where relative velocities are too high. We present here the results from spectroscopic and photometric observations of a new sample of compact groups in the Southern Sky, selected by an automatic detection algorithm applied to a digitized galaxy database. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.