Gas Flows and Star Formation in the Ringed Galaxy NGC 4736

We present high-resolution (∼5″) BIMA CO observations of the ringed galaxy NGC 4736, along with previously published VLA HI data (Braun, 1995). Strong CO emission is detected from the star-forming ring at r=45″ and in the central region, where a molecular bar is apparent. The azimuthally averaged gas surface density is still much less than the Toomre critical density within r=60″, despite the starburst conditions in the ring (gas depletion time ≲1Gyr). Both CO and HI velocity fields show strong departures from a circular rotating disc model. The velocity residuals are consistent with inflowing gas near the ends of the central bar, outflowing gas between the bar and the ring, and inflowing gas outside the ring. We propose that the high star formation efficiency in the ring results from gas being driven out towards the OLR of the bar and in towards the ILR of the larger oval distortion. However, the strong signature of inflow outside the ring is probably due in part to gas motion in elliptical orbits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Stellar Populations of the Bars of Barred Spirals Through Evolutionary Synthesis: First Results

As part of an ongoing project aimed at studying the age and metallicity gradients of the stellar populations along the bars of a sample of barred spirals of different morphological types, we present our first results on NGC 4314 (SBa). We have obtained optical and NIR colours and spectral indices along the bar and we interpret some of these results here and discuss their uncertainties on the basis of single stellar population models. In a preliminary analysis, we constrain the limits for the age and metallicity of the nucleus and two selected regions in the star formation ring of NGC 4314, characterizing both as metal rich (Z<Z _solar) stellar populations, and finding a difference in the mean luminosity-weighted age of at least ∼ 3–4 Gyr. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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.     

Star formation history in the central region of the barred galaxy NGC 4245

We have investigated the gas and stellar kinematics and the stellar population properties at the center of the early-type galaxy NGC 4245 with a large-scale bar by the method of two-dimensional spectroscopy. The galaxy has been found to possess a pronounced chemically decoupled compact stellar nucleus, which is at least a factor of 2.5 richer in metals than the stellar population of the bulge, and a ring of young stars with a radius of 300 pc. Star formation goes on in the ring even now; its location corresponds to the inner Lindblad resonance of the large-scale bar. According to Hubble Space Telescope data, the mean stellar age in the chemically decoupled nucleus is significantly younger than that within 0″.25 of the center. It may be concluded that we take the former ultracompact star formation ring with a radius of no more than 100 pc located at the inner Lindblad resonance of the now disappeared nuclear bar as the chemically decoupled nucleus. On the whole, the picture of star formation at the center of this gas-poor galaxy is consistent with theoretical predictions of the consequences of the secular evolution of a stellar-gaseous disk under the action of a bar or bars.     

Stellar Velocity Field in the Central Region of NGC 1068

We present the velocity field of the stars in the central 25″ × 22″ of NGC 1068 derived from 2-D spectroscopy of the Ca II triplet. A preliminary analysis provides evidence for two distinct stellar systems in the centre of NGC 1068. In the outer regions (say r > 10″), the mean stellar velocity field seems coupled to those of the ionized and molecular gas, indicating aproximately regular rotation with the kinematic minor axis at PA ~ 0°. However, in the inner region, the stars are rotating, whereas the ionized gas is outflowing in the NE-SW direction probably due to the effects of the nuclear activity, and the molecular gas is responding to the bar potential. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Star formation and figure rotation in the early-type galaxy NGC 2974

We present Galaxy Evolution Explorer ( GALEX ) far-ultraviolet (FUV) and near-ultraviolet (NUV) imaging of the nearby early-type galaxy NGC 2974, along with complementary ground-based optical imaging. In the ultraviolet, the galaxy reveals a central spheroid-like component and a newly discovered complete outer ring of radius 6.2 kpc, with suggestions of another partial ring at an even larger radius. Blue FUV–NUV and UV-optical colours are observed in the centre of the galaxy and from the outer ring outwards, suggesting young stellar populations (≲1 Gyr) and recent star formation in both locations. This is supported by a simple stellar population model which assumes two bursts of star formation, allowing us to constrain the age, mass fraction and surface mass density of the young component pixel by pixel. Overall, the mass fraction of the young component appears to be just under 1 per cent (lower limit, uncorrected for dust extinction). The additional presence of a nuclear and an inner ring (radii 1.4 and 2.9 kpc, respectively), as traced by [O  iii ] emission, suggests ring formation through resonances. All three rings are consistent with a single pattern speed of  78 ± 6  km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹, typical of S0 galaxies and only marginally slower than expected for a fast bar if traced by a small observed surface brightness plateau. This thus suggests that star formation and morphological evolution in NGC 2974 at the present epoch are primarily driven by a rotating asymmetry (probably a large-scale bar), despite the standard classification of NGC 2974 as an E4 elliptical.     

Globular Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud: An Impact from GAIA Photometry

The goal of this work is to assess the expected scientific output from the photometric studies of globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud with ESA's astrometric space mission GAIA. For this purpose we simulate GAIA photometry of individual stars in synthetic cluster populations, covering a large range of cluster ages and metallicities. We find that accurate effective temperatures (Δ T _eff<10%) can be obtained from GAIA photometry down to V ∼ 18 for stars in populations within the studied metallicity range ([M/H] = -0.4 ... -1.7). GAIA will also provide photometric metallicities (Δ [M/H] ≲ 0.3 dex) for the cluster giants brighter than V ∼ 17.5. The knowledge of the effective temperature sand metallicities will allow to obtain accurate ages of stellar populations younger than about 1 Gyr using the usual procedure of main sequence turn-off point fitting. Ages of older stellar populations (≳ 1 Gyr) may be constrained from the isochrone fits to the giant branches in the observed CMDs. We conclude that GAIA will provide excellent opportunities for studying star formation histories far beyond the Milky Way, providing means for better understanding of stellar and galactic evolution in different astrophysical environments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evolutionary history of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1052

We have obtained Keck spectra for 16 globular clusters (GCs) associated with the merger remnant elliptical NGC 1052, as well as a long-slit spectrum of the galaxy. We derive ages, metallicities and abundance ratios from simple stellar population models using the recently published methods of Proctor & Sansom , applied to extragalactic GCs for the first time. A number of GCs indicate the presence of strong blue horizontal branches that are not fully accounted for in the current stellar population models. We find all of the GCs to be ∼13 Gyr old according to simple stellar populations, with a large range of metallicities. From the galaxy spectrum we find NGC 1052 to have a luminosity-weighted central age of ∼2 Gyr and metallicity of  [Fe/H]∼+0.6  . No strong gradients in either age or metallicity were found to the maximum radius measured  (0.3  r _e≃ 1 kpc)  . However, we do find a strong radial gradient in α-element abundance, which reaches a very high central value. The young central starburst age is consistent with the age inferred from the H  i tidal tails and infalling gas of ∼1 Gyr. Thus, although NGC 1052 shows substantial evidence for a recent merger and an associated starburst, it appears that the merger did not induce the formation of new GCs, perhaps suggesting that little recent star formation occurred. This interpretation is consistent with 'frosting' models for early-type galaxy formation.     

Gas flow in a two component galactic disk

Numerical simulations of two-component (stars + gas) self-gravitating galactic disks show that the interstellar gas can significantly affect the dynamical evolution of the disk even if its mass fraction (relative to the total galaxy mass) is as low as several percent. Aided by efficient energy dissipation, the gas becomes gravitationally unstable onlocal scale and forms massive clumps. Gravitational scattering of stars by these clumps leads to suppression of bar instability usually seen in heavy stellar disks. In this case, gas inflow towards the galactic center is driven by dynamical friction which gas clumps suffer instead of bar forcing.     

AGB Phase Transition in Globular Clusters: A Tool for Dating Starbursts

A new method to detect and study young star clusters is presented. This is based on the knowledge that the light of stellar populations with ages between ∼ 200 Myr and ∼ 1/2 Gyr is dominated by very red, bright AGB stars. Star clusters undergoing this so-called ‘AGB phase transition’ are featured by very red V-K colours, like those of Magellanic Clouds clusters, while optical colours like B-V remain blue typical for young populations. The best channel for detecting star clusters in this age range is therefore the near IR. From the theoretical side, SSP models including properly the contribution of the bright AGB are required (Maraston, 1998). Using this strategy, we succesfully detected the AGB phase transition among the clusters of the merger remnant galaxy NGC 7252 (see Maraston etal., 2001). This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synchronous evolution of galaxies in groups: NGC524 group

With the means of panoramic spectroscopy at the SAO RAS BTA telescope, we investigated the properties of stellar populations in the central regions of five early-type galaxies—the NGC524 group members. The evolution of the central regions of galaxies looks synchronized: the average age of stars in the bulges of all the five galaxies lies in the range of 3–6Gyr.Four of the five galaxies revealed synchronized bursts of star formation in the nuclei 1–2 Gyr ago. The only galaxy, in which the ages of stellar population in the nucleus and in the bulge coincide (i.e. the nuclear burst of star formation did not take place) isNGC502, the farthest from the center of the group of all the galaxies studied.     

Young Populations in the Nuclei of Barred Galaxies

We have conducted UBVRI and H_α CCD photometry of five barred galaxies (NGC 2523, NGC 2950, NGC 3412, NGC 3945 and NGC 5383),along with SPH simulations, in order to understand the origin of young stellar populations in the nuclei of barred galaxies. The H_α emission, which is thought to be emitted by young stellar populations, is either absent or strongly concentrated in the nuclei of early-type galaxies (NGC 2950, NGC 3412 and NGC 3945),while they are observed in the nuclei and circumnuclear regions of intermediate-type galaxies with strong bars (NGC 2523 and NGC 5383).SPH simulations of realistic mass models for these galaxies show that some disc material can be driven into the nuclear region by a strong bar potential. This implies that the young stellar populations in the circumnuclear regions of barred galaxies can be formed out of such gas. The existence of nuclear dust lanes is an indication of an ongoing gas inflow and extremely young stellar populations in these galaxies, because nuclear dust lanes such as those in NGC 5383 are not long-lasting features according to our simulations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Study of the galaxy DDO 68: New evidence for its youth

DDO 68 (UGC 5340) is the second most metal-poor star-forming galaxy (12 + log(O/H) = 7.14). Its peculiar optical morphology and its HI distribution and kinematics are indicative of a merger origin. We use the u, g, r, and i photometry based on the SDSS images of DDO 68 to estimate its stellar population ages. The Hα images of DDO 68 were used to select several representative regions without nebular emission. The derived colors were analyzed by comparison with the PEGASE2 evolutionary tracks for various star formation (SF) scenarios, including the two extreme cases: (i) an instantaneous starburst and (ii) continuous SF with a constant rate. The (u − g) and (g − r) colors for all of the selected regions are consistent with the scenario of several “instantaneous” SF episodes with ages between ∼0.05 and ∼1 Gyr. The total mass of the visible stars in DDO 68 was estimated by comparing the colors and fluxes of the observed stellar subsystems with PEGASE2 models to be ∼2.4 × 10⁷ M _⊙. This accounts for ∼6% of the total baryonic mass of the galaxy. All of the available data are consistent with the fact that DDO 68 is a very rare candidate for young galaxies. The bulk of its stars were formed during the recent (with the first encounter ∼1 Gyr ago) merger of two very gas-rich disks. DDO 68 is closest in its properties to cosmologically young low-mass galaxies. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

The BIMA Survey of Nearby Galaxies (BIMA SONG)

BIMA SONG is a systematic imaging study of the 3 mm CO J = 1 → 0molecular emission within the centres and discs of 44 nearby spiral galaxies on size scales of a few hundred parsecs (6-9"). The overall goal of the survey is to study the role of molecular gas in the evolution of spiral galaxies. To this end, BIMA SONG addresses 1) the distribution and physical conditions of the molecular gas in galactic discs and its relation to star formation, 2) the effects of a stellar bar on the kinematics of molecular gas, including the possible inflow of gas along a bar, and 3) the distribution and role of molecular gas in the central few hundred parsecs of active and quiescent galaxies. The source list includes all (except M33and M31) 44 galaxies of Hubble types Sa–Sd, with declinations δ >−20^°, visual magnitudes B < 11.0, velocities v _hel <2000 km s^-1, and inclinations i < 70^°. Beyond the specific scientific questions we will address, this survey will provide a unique database for astronomers who study galaxies at all wavelengths. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Pattern speed of the stellar bar in NGC 7479

We study the pattern speed of the bar in NGC 7479 by comparing observations with numerical simulations of gas flow in a two-dimensional gravitational potential, derived from observations. The best agreement between the observations and the modelling is achieved for the fast bar pattern speed of 27 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹, when the corotation radius is at 50 arcsec, i.e. 1.1 times the radial length of the bar. This result is supported by the gas and dust lane morphologies, star formation distribution, projected velocity field and overall morphology. We find that star formation is most likely to be triggered close to the large-scale shocks and dust lanes in the bar. The net gas inflow rate in the simulations at 1-kpc radius is 4–6 M⊙ yr⁻¹ at intermediate times.     

Investigation of the new Local Group galaxy VV 124

We present the results of our stellar photometry and spectroscopy for the new Local Group galaxy VV124 (UGC4879) obtainedwith the 6-m BTAtelescope. The presence of a fewbright supergiants in the galaxy indicates that the current star formation process is weak. The apparent distribution of stars with different ages in VV 124 does not differ from the analogous distributions of stars in irregular galaxies, but the ratio of the numbers of young and old stars indicates that VV 124 belongs to the rare Irr/Sph type of galaxies. The old stars (red giants) form the most extended structure, a thick disk with an exponential decrease in the star number density to the edge. Definitely, the young population unresolvable in images makes a great contribution to the background emission from the central galactic regions. The presence of young stars is also confirmed by the [OIII] emission line visible in the spectra that belongs to extensive diffuse galactic regions. The mean radial velocity of several components (two bright supergiants, the unresolvable stellar population, and the diffuse gas) is υ _h = −70 ± 15 km s⁻¹ and the velocity with which VV 124 falls into the Local Group is υ _LG = −12 ± 15 km s⁻¹. We confirm the distance to the galaxy (D = 1.1 ± 0.1 Mpc) and the metallicity of red giants ([Fe/H] = −1.37) found by Kopylov et al. (2008). VV 124 is located on the periphery of the Local Group approximately at the same distance from M31 and our Galaxy and is isolated from other galaxies. The galaxy LeoA nearest to it is 0.5 Mpc away.     

Observational evidence for AGN fueling: I. The case of NGC 6104—Merging with a companion

We investigate in detail the kinematics and morphology of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 6104 in order to identify the mechanism of gas transportation to the active galactic nucleus (AGN). Our observational data were obtained at the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope with the MPFS integral-field spectrograph and the SCORPIO universal device in three modes: direct imaging, a scanning Fabry—Perot interferometer, and long-slit spectroscopy. Images from the HST archive were invoked to study the structure of the circumnuclear region. An analysis of deep images has shown for the first time that NGC 6104 is in the phase of active merging with a companion galaxy. We have been able to study the detailed picture of ionized gas motions up to galactocentric distances of 14 kpc and to construct the stellar velocity field for the inner region. The radial gas motions toward the AGN along the central bar play a significant role at galactocentric distances of 1–5 kpc. In addition, we have detected an outflow of ionized gas from the nucleus that presumably resulted from the intrusion of a radio jet into the ambient interstellar medium. Using diagnostic diagrams, we estimate the contributions from the AGN and star formation to the galactic gas ionization. We estimate the bar pattern speed by the Tremaine-Weinberg method and show that the inner ring observed in the galaxy’s images has a resonant nature. Two possible ring formation scenarios, before and during the interaction with a companion, are discussed.     

Constraining the star formation histories of spiral bulges

Stellar populations in spiral bulges are investigated using the Lick system of spectral indices. Long-slit spectroscopic observations of line strengths and kinematics made along the minor axes of four spiral bulges are reported. Comparisons are made between central line strengths in spiral bulges and those in other morphological types [elliptical, spheroidal (Sph) and S0]. The bulges investigated are found to have central line strengths comparable to those of single stellar populations of approximately solar abundance or above. Negative radial gradients are observed in line strengths, similar to those exhibited by elliptical galaxies. The bulge data are also consistent with correlations between Mg₂, Mg₂ gradient and central velocity dispersion observed in elliptical galaxies. In contrast to elliptical galaxies, central line strengths lie within the loci defining the range of 〈Fe〉 and Mg₂ achieved by Worthey's solar abundance ratio, single stellar populations (SSPs). The implication of solar abundance ratios indicates significant differences in the star formation histories of spiral bulges and elliptical galaxies. A 'single zone with infall' model of galactic chemical evolution, using Worthey's SSPs, is used to constrain the possible star formation histories of our sample. We show that the 〈Fe〉, Mg₂ and H β line strengths observed in these bulges cannot be reproduced using primordial collapse models of formation but can be reproduced by models with extended infall of gas and star formation (2–17 Gyr) in the region modelled. One galaxy (NGC 5689) shows a central population with a luminosity-weighted average age of ∼5 Gyr, supporting the idea of extended star formation. Kinematic substructure, possibly associated with a central spike in metallicity, is observed at the centre of the Sa galaxy NGC 3623.     

Stellar content of the interacting galaxies of the M51 system

Based on archival Hubble Space Telescope ACS/WFC images, we have performed stellar photometry for more than 0.6 million stars in the interacting galaxies NGC 5194 and NGC 5195 of the M51 system. Stars of various ages have been identified on the constructed Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: blue and red supergiants, AGB stars, and red giants. The distance to M51 has been measured from the position of the tip of the red giant branch, D = 9.9 ± 0.7 Mpc. We have determined the change in the metallicity of red supergiants along the galactic radius in NGC 5194. Despite the gravitational interaction, the distribution of stars in NGC 5194 does not differ from that in isolated galaxies. The asymmetric stellar structures of NGC5195 (the so-called “feathers”) formed through the interaction of two galaxies have been found to consist mostly of AGB stars.     

Central regions of the early-type galaxies in the NGC 3169 group

We have investigated the central regions of the galaxies in the NGC 3169/NGC 3166/NGC 3156 group with the multipupil fiber spectrograph of the 6-m telescope; the first (central) galaxy in the group is a spiral (Sa) one and the other two galaxies are lenticular ones. The group is known to have an extended HI cloud with a size of more than 100 kpc that is associated in its position, orientation, and rotation with the central galaxy NGC 3169. The mean age of the stellar populations in the centers of all three galaxies has been found to be approximately the same, ～1 Gyr. Since the galaxies are early-type ones and since NGC 3166 and NGC 3156 show no global star formation, we are dealing here with a synchronous star formation burst in the centers of all three galaxies.