A photometric study of the polar ring galaxy UGC 5600

We analyze our BVR _c photometry for UGC 5600, a candidate polar ring galaxy, obtained with the 6-m telescope. We have confirmed the existence of an inner polar ring and show that the outer ring-shaped structure represents spiral arms; i.e., UGC 5600 belongs to the rare class of gas-rich spiral galaxies with inner polar rings.     

X-ray source population in the polar ring galaxy NGC 660 as observed by Chandra

We present Chandra observations of the nearby polar ring galaxy NGC 660 to study its X-ray source population.Based on our analysis,we detected a total of 23 X-r...     

A chemically decoupled nucleus and inner polar ring of the SBb galaxy NGC 4548

Our inzvestigation of the central region in NGC 4548, a bright Sb galaxy with a large-scale bar, using the Multipupil Field Spectrograph of the 6-m telescope revealed a chemically decoupled compact stellar nucleus with [Fe/H]=+0.6 and [Mg/Fe]=+0.1...+0.2 and with a mean stellar-population age of 5 Gyr. This nucleus, a probable circumnuclear disk coplanar with the global galactic disk, is embedded in the bulge whose stars are generally also young, T≈4 Gyr, although they are a factor of 2.5 more metal-poor. The bulge of NGC 4548 is triaxial and has a de Vaucouleurs surface-brightness profile; the unusual characteristics of its stellar population suggest the bulge formation or completion in the course of secular evolution in the triaxial potential of the global bar. The ionized gas within 3″ of the NGC 4548 nucleus rotates in a plane inclined to the principal symmetry plane of the galaxy, possibly, even in its polar plane, which may also result from the action of the large-scale bar.     

Fe K emission in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220

Prominent Fe Kα line emission is detected in the XMM–Newton spectrum of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220. The centroid of the line is found at an energy of 6.7 keV and the equivalent width of the line is  EW ∼ 1.9 keV  (at 3.5σ significance). A few other spectral features are found at various degrees of significance in the lower energy range on a hard 2.5–10 keV continuum  (Γ∼ 1)  . The large EW of the Fe K line poses a problem with interpreting the hard X-ray emission as integrated X-ray binary emission. A thermal emission spectrum with a temperature of   kT ∼ 7 keV  modified by absorption of   N _H≃ 3 × 10²² cm⁻²  , can describe the 2.5–10 keV continuum shape and the Fe K emission. A hot bubble that is shocked internally in a starburst region would have a similar temperature and gives a good explanation for the observed X-ray properties with a high star formation rate. An ensemble of radio supernovae in a dense environment, as suggested from VLBI imaging, could be another possibility, if such powerful supernovae are produced continuously at a high rate. However, the apparent lack of emission from X-ray binaries is incompatible with the high supernova rate (∼2 SNe yr⁻¹) required by both interpretations. Highly photoionized, low-density gas illuminated by a hidden Compton-thick active galactic nucleus is a possible alternative for the hard X-ray emission, which can be tested by examining whether radiative recombination continua from highly ionized Ca and Fe are present in better quality data from a forthcoming observation.     

A study of the object ZGC 2315+03: A candidate polar ring galaxy

We report the results of spectroscopic and photometric observations of ZGC 2315+03 with the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope. This object is shown to belong neither to polar ring galaxies nor to close interacting pairs. The peculiar appearance of ZGC 2315+03 is explained by projection effects.     

H i content and star formation in the interacting galaxy Arp86

We present the results of Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations of the interacting system Arp86 in both neutral atomic hydrogen, H  i , and in radio continuum at 240 606 and 1394 MHz. In addition to H  i emission from the two dominant galaxies, NGC 7752 and NGC 7753, these observations show a complex distribution of H  i tails and bridges due to tidal interactions. The regions of highest column density appear related to the recent sites of intense star formation. H  i column densities  ∼1–1.5 × 10²¹ cm⁻²  have been detected in the tidal bridge which is bright in Spitzer image as well. We also detect H  i emission from the galaxy 2MASX J23470758+2926531, which is shown to be a part of this system. We discuss the possibility that this could be a tidal dwarf galaxy. The radio continuum observations show evidence of a non-thermal bridge between NGC 7752 and NGC 7753, and a radio source in the nuclear region of NGC 7753 consistent with it having a low-ionization nuclear emission region nucleus.     

Kinematic study of the ring galaxy ARP 10

The results of a kinematic study of the peculiar galaxy Arp 10 carried out on the 6- m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, are given. The galaxy exhibits a complex velocity field, a departure of integral characteristics from the Tully — Fisher relation, a low mass-to-luminosity ratio, and an enhanced rate of star formation. The hypothesis that the observed features of Arp 10 were formed in the accretion of a companion onto a gas-rich spiral galaxy is discussed. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 165–173, April-June, 1998.     

A hard X-ray constraint on the presence of an AGN in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220

We present X-ray results on the ultraluminous infrared galaxy Arp 220 obtained with BeppoSAX . X-ray emission up to 10 keV is detected. No significant signal is detected with the PDS detector in the higher energy band. The 2–10 keV emission has a flat spectrum (Γ∼1.7) , similar to M82, and a luminosity of ∼ 1×10⁴¹ erg s⁻¹ . A population of X-ray binaries may be a major source of this X-ray emission. The upper limit of an iron K line equivalent width at 6.4 keV is ≃600 eV. This observation imposes the tightest constraint so far on an active nucleus if present in Arp 220. We find that a column density of X-ray absorption must exceed 10²⁵ cm⁻² for an obscured active nucleus to be significant in the energetics, and the covering factor of the absorption should be almost unity. The underluminous soft X-ray starburst emission may need a good explanation, if the bolometric luminosity is primarily powered by a starburst.     

NGC 7468: A galaxy with an inner polar disk

We present our spectroscopic observations of the galaxy NGC 7468 performed at the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope using the UAGS long-slit spectrograph, the MPFS multi-pupil fiber spectrograph, and the IFP scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. We found no significant deviations from the circular rotation of the galactic disk in the velocity field in the regions of brightness excess along the major axis of the galaxy (the putative polar ring). Thus, these features are either tidal structures or weakly developed spiral arms. However, we detected a gaseous disk at the center of the galaxy whose rotation plane is almost perpendicular to the plane of the galactic disk. The central collision of NGC 7468 with a gas-rich dwarf galaxy and their subsequent merging seem to be responsible for the formation of this disk.     

Intermediate-mass black holes and ultraluminous X-ray sources in the Cartwheel ring galaxy

Chandra and XMM–Newton observations of the Cartwheel galaxy show ∼17 bright X-ray sources  (≳5 × 10³⁸ erg s⁻¹)  , all within the gas-rich outer ring. We explore the hypothesis that these X-ray sources are powered by intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) accreting gas or undergoing mass transfer from a stellar companion. To this purpose, we run N -body/smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of the galaxy interaction which might have led to the formation of Cartwheel, tracking the dynamical evolution of two different IMBH populations: halo and disc IMBHs. Halo IMBHs cannot account for the observed X-ray sources, as only a few of them cross the outer ring. Instead, more than half of the disc IMBHs are pulled in the outer ring as a consequence of the galaxy collision. However, also in the case of disc IMBHs, accretion from surrounding gas clouds cannot account for the high luminosities of the observed sources. Finally, more than 500 disc IMBHs are required to produce ≲15 X-ray sources via mass transfer from very young stellar companions. Such number of IMBHs is very large and implies extreme assumptions. Thus, the hypothesis that all the observed X-ray sources in Cartwheel are associated with IMBHs is hardly consistent with our simulations, even if it is still possible that IMBHs account for the few (≲1–5) brightest ultraluminous X-ray sources.     

An extended ultraviolet ring around the SB0 galaxy NGC 4262

We present Galaxy Ultraviolet Explorer (GALEX) satellite observations of the SB0 galaxy NGC 4262 where we detect an extended, outer ring studded with UV-bright knots surrounding the galaxy body. Such a structure, not visible at optical wavelengths, is coupled with a ring of atomic (HI) gas. We will show that both star-forming and HI rings surrounding this SB0 galaxy share the same radial distance from the galaxy center and spatial orientation. We also model the kinematics of the ring(s) and of the galaxy body. Their kinematics is not coupled with that of the galaxy stars. We suggest that NGC 4262 has undergone a major gas stripping event in the past that was the origin of the present “necklace” of UV-bright knots.     

New polar ring galaxies in rich clusters of galaxies

Four polar ring galaxies discovered in rich clusters of galaxies are presented. Brief comments on their structural properties are given.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

The formation of a ring galaxy during a head-on collision between a disk and a spherical galaxy

The tidal force effects of a spherical galaxy passing head-on through a disk galaxy have been studied at various regions of the disk galaxy and for various orientations of the disk galaxy with respect to the direction of relative motion of the two galaxies. The density distribution of the disk galaxy is taken to be, (r)=_ce^–4r/R , where _c is the central density andR is the radius of the disk. The density distribution of the spherical galaxy is taken to be that of a oolytrope of indexn=4. It is found that as a result of the collision, through the central parts and the outer parts of the disk galaxy remain intact, the region in between these two regions disrupts. Thus a ring galaxy with a nucleus embedded in the ring-i.e., a ring galaxy of the RN-type, is formed.     

Interacting system NGC 7805/6 (Arp 112) and its tidal dwarf galaxy candidate

We present results from our Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope(GMRT)HⅠ,Himalayan Chandra Telescope(HCT)Hα,1 m Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope(DFOT)deep optical observations of the NGC 7805/6(Arp 112)system to test KUG 2359+311’s tidal dwarf galaxy(TDG)candidacy and explore the properties of the interacting system.Our GMRT HⅠmap shows no HⅠdetection associated with KUG 2359+311,nor any HⅠtail or bridge-like structure connecting KUG 2359+311 to the NGC 7805/6 system.Our HCT Hαimage,on the other hand,displays strong detections in KUG 2359+311,with net SFR0.035±0.009 M_⊙yr^-1.The Hαdata constrain the redshift of KUG 2359+311 to 0.00≤z≤0.043,compared to the redshift of NGC 7806 of0.015.TDGs detected to date have all been HⅠrich,and displayed HⅠ,ionised gas and stellar tidal debris trails(bridges or tails)linking them to their parent systems.However,neither our HⅠdata nor our optical imaging,while three magnitudes deeper than SDSS,reveals a tidal trail connecting KUG 2359+311 to NGC 7805/6.Lack of HⅠ,presence of an old stellar population,ongoing star formation and reasonably high SFR compared to normal dwarf galaxies suggest that KUG 2359+311 may not be an Arp 112 TDG.It is most likely a case of a regular gas-rich dwarf galaxy undergoing a morphological transformation after having lost its entire gas content to an interaction with the Arp 112 system.Redshift and metallicity from future spectroscopic observations of KUG 2359+311 would help clarify the nature of this enigmatic structure.     

NGC 4650 A: A nearly edge-on ring galaxy?

The peculiar galaxy NGC 4650 A (α=12^h 42^m. 1; = δ—40° 26′; 1950·0) has been studied by means of direct and spectral observations with the ESO 3·6-m telescope. It is interpreted as a prolate, elliptical galaxy surrounded by a warped ring of H II regions, dust and stars. The distance is 47 Mpc (H ₀=55 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹). The ring is seen nearly edge-on (inclination 85°) and it rotates. It has a diameter of about 21 kpc and is bluer than the elliptical galaxy for which the (M/L _v) ratio is ∼12 in solar units. The observed configuration may be the result of interaction with the nearby galaxy, NGC 4650.     

The polar stellar ring and dark halo of NGC 5907

Numerical simulations of the disruption of a dwarf companion moving in the polar plane of a massive galaxy are presented. The constructed model is compared with observational data on the recently discovered low-surface-brightness stellar ring around the galaxy NGC 5907. Constraints on the ring lifetime (≤ 1.5 Gyr after the first approach of the galaxies), on the structure of the companion—the ring precursor, and on the mass of the dark halo of the main galaxy in whose gravitational field the companion moves are provided. The dark-halo mass within 50 kpc of the NGC 5907 center cannot exceed 3 or 4 “visible” masses.     

Outer pseudoring in the galaxy

The kinematics of the Sagittarius (R = 5.7 kpc),Carina (R = 6.5 kpc), Cygnus (R = 6.8 kpc), and Perseus (R = 8.2 kpc) arms suggests the existence of two spiral patterns in the Galaxy that rotate with different speeds. The inner spiral pattern that is represented by the Sagittarius arm rotates with the speed of the bar, Ω_b = 60 ± 5 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹, while the outer spiral pattern that includes the Carina, Cygnus, and Perseus arms rotates with a lower speed, Ω_s = 12–22 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹.The existence of an outer slow tightly wound spiral pattern and an inner fast spiral pattern can be explained by numerically simulating the dynamics of outer pseudorings. The outer Lindblad resonance of the bar must be located between the Sagittarius and Carina arms. The Cygnus arm appears as a connecting link between the fast and slow spiral patterns.