Infrared luminosities of local-volume galaxies

Based on data from the Two-Micrometer All-Sky Survey (2MASS), we analyzed the infrared properties of 451 Local-Volume galaxies at distances D ≤ 10 Mpc. We determined the K-band luminosity function of the galaxies in the range of absolute magnitudes from ?25^m to ?11^m. The local luminosity density within 8 Mpc is 6.8 × 10⁸L_⊙ Mpc^?3, a factor of 1.5 ± 0.1 higher than the global mean K-band luminosity density. We determined the ratios of the virial mass to the K-band luminosity for nearby groups and clusters of galaxies. In the luminosity range from 5 × 10¹⁰ to 2 × 10¹³L_⊙, the dependence log(M/L_K) ∝ (0.27 ± 0.03) log L_K with a dispersion of ～0.1 comparable to the measurement errors of the masses and luminosities of the systems of galaxies holds for the groups and clusters of galaxies. The ensemble-averaged ratio, 〈M/L_K〉 ? (20–25) M_⊙/L_⊙, was found to be much smaller than the expected global ratio, (80–90)M_⊙/L_⊙, in the standard model with Ω_m = 0.27. This discrepancy can be eliminated if the bulk of the dark matter in the Universe is not associated with galaxies and their systems.     

Global properties of nearby galaxies in various environments

We analyze a sample of the Local Volume that contains 451 galaxies within 10 Mpc. We compare the various global parameters of these galaxies with their tidal index that characterizes the local density of the environment. The closest correlation is observed between the density of the galaxy’s environment and its morphological type. The abundance of neutral hydrogen in the members of close groups was found to be, on average, a factor of 3 lower than that in isolated galaxies. However, much of this difference is attributable to different morphological composition for the group members and field galaxies. The total mass-to-luminosity ratio is virtually independent of the tidal index of the galaxy, which indirectly indicates a low percentage of tidal systems among dwarf galaxies. All of the galaxies with three or more companions in the Local Volume are shown to have masses above the threshold value of 10¹⁰M_⊙.     

High-redshift objects as probes of nearby cosmic voids

We show that present day observational techniques make it possible to detect diffuse gas masses down to ～10¹⁰ M _⊙ in cosmic voids with linear sizes of ～1 Mpc or larger. The observations consist of searches for absorption lines, similar in character to those produced in galactic interstellar clouds, in the spectra of high-redshift objects located beyond previously identified voids adjoining nearby superclusters.     

A Catalogue of Galaxies within 10 MPC

A catalogue is given of the 179 known galaxies within 10 Mpc. The inclusion of a galaxy depends on its redshift (v₀ ≤ 500 km s⁻¹) or, in the case of 7 dwarf galaxies, on the fact that their distances are known to be small. The catalogue contains in addition 52 more distant galaxies with v₀ ≤ 500 km s⁻¹: 50 are bona fide Virgo cluster members and 2 are members of the Leo group. Positions, types, absorption-corrected luminosities, and velocities are given for the catalogue galaxies. The catalogue is believed to be nearly complete for galaxies brighter than ∽ – 18^m.5, but it contains also many considerably fainter galaxies. The galaxies within 10 Mpc form the Local Group with 28 members and seven additional groups with a total of 92 known members. 59 galaxies (33%) do not seem to belong to any group.     

Voids in the SDSS galaxy survey

Using the method of searching for arbitrary shaped voids in the distribution of volume-limited samples of galaxies from the DR5 SDSS survey, we have identified voids and investigated their characteristics and the change in these characteristics with decreasing M _lim (from ?19.7 to ?21.2, H ₀ = 100 km s^?1 Mpc^?1)—the upper limit on the absolute magnitude of the galaxies involved in the construction of voids. The total volume of the 50 largest voids increases with decreasing M _lim with a break near M* = ?20.44—the characteristic value of the luminosity function for SDSS galaxies. The mean overdensity in voids increases with decreasing M _lim also with a weak break near M*. The exponent of the dependence of the volume of a void on its rank increases significantly with decreasing M _lim starting from M _lim ～ ?20.4 in the characteristic range of volumes, which reflects the tendency for greater clustering of brighter galaxies. The averaged profile of the galaxy overdensity in voids has a similar pattern almost at all M _lim. The galaxies mostly tend to gravitate toward the void boundaries and to avoid the central void regions; the overdensity profile is flat in the intermediate range of distances from the void boundaries. The axial ratios of the ellipsoids equivalent to the voids are, on average, retained with changing M _lim and correspond to elongated and nonoblate void shapes, but some of the voids can change their shape significantly. The directions of the greatest void elongations change chaotically and are distributed randomly at a given M _lim. The void centers show correlations reflecting the correlations of the galaxy distribution on scales (35–70)h ^?1 Mpc. The galaxy distribution in the identified voids is nonrandom—groups and filaments can be identified. We have compared the properties of the galaxies in voids (in our case, the voids are determined by the galaxies with absolute magnitudes M _abs < M _lim = ?20.44, except for the isolated galaxies) and galaxies in structures identified using the minimum spanning tree. A bimodal color distribution of the galaxies in voids has been obtained. A noticeable difference is observed in the mean color indices and star formation rates per unit stellar mass of the galaxies in dense regions (structures)—as expected, the galaxies in voids are, on average, bluer and have higher log (SFR/M _star). These tendencies become stronger toward the central void regions.     

New probable dwarf galaxies in northern groups of the Local Supercluster

We have searched for nearby dwarf galaxies in 27 northern groups with characteristic distances 8–15 Mpc based on the Second Palomar Sky Survey prints. In a total area of about 2000 square degrees, we have found 90 low-surface-brightness objects, more than 60% of which are absent from known catalogs and lists. We have classified most of these objects (～80%) as irregular dwarf systems. The first 21-cm line observations of the new objects with the 100-m Effelsberg radio telescope showed that the typical linear diameters (1–2 kpc), internal motions (～30 km s^?1), and hydrogen masses (～2 × 10⁷ M _⊙) of the new galaxies correspond to those expected for the dwarf population of nearby groups.     

Surveying the Local Supercluster Plane

We investigate the distribution and velocity field of galaxies situated in a band of 100 by 20 degrees centered on M87 and oriented along the Local supercluster plane. Our sample amounts 2158 galaxies with radial velocities less than 2000 km s^?1. Of them, 1119 galaxies (52%) have distance and peculiar velocity estimates. About 3/4 of early-type galaxies are concentrated within the Virgo cluster core, most of the late-type galaxies in the band locate outside the virial radius. Distribution of gas-rich dwarfs with M_HI >M_* looks to be insensitive to the Virgo cluster presence. Among 50 galaxy groups in the equatorial supercluster band 6 groups have peculiar velocities about 500–1000 km s^?1 comparable with virial motions in rich clusters. The most cryptic case is a flock of nearly 30 galaxies around NGC4278 (Coma I cloud), moving to us with the mean peculiar velocity of ?840 km s^?1. This cloud (or filament?) resides at a distance of 16.1 Mpc from us and approximately 5 Mpc away from the Virgo center. Galaxies around Virgo cluster exhibit Virgocentric infall with an amplitude of about 500 km s^?1. Assuming the spherically symmetric radial infall, we estimate the radius of the zero-velocity surface to be R₀ = (7.0±0.3) Mpc that yields the total mass of Virgo cluster to be (7.4 ± 0.9)× 10¹⁴M_⊙ in tight agreement with its virial mass estimates. We conclude that the Virgo outskirts does not contain significant amounts of dark mater beyond its virial core.     

Star-forming regions in dwarf galaxies of the local volume

We present the Hα flux measurements for 44 nearby dwarf galaxies, derived from the observations at the 6-m BTA telescope. Hα fluxes were used to determine the rate of integral star formation of galaxies, SFR. For the observed galaxies the value of log SFR lies in the range from 0 to ?8 [M _⊙/yr]. The specific star formation rate for all the sample galaxies does not exceed the limit of log SSFR = ?9.2 [yr^?1]. A burst of star formation was detected in the center of a nearby dwarf galaxy UGC2172.     

Low density structures in the local universe. I. Diffuse agglomerates of galaxies

This paper is the first of a series considering the properties of distribution of nearby galaxies in the low density regions. Among 7596 galaxies with radial velocities V _LG < 3500 km/s, absolute magnitudes M _K < ?18?4, and Galactic latitudes |b| > 15° there are 3168 field galaxies (i.e. 42%) that do not belong to pairs, groups or clusters in the Local universe. Applying to this sample the percolation method with a radius of r ₀ = 2.8Mpc, we found 226 diffuse agglomerates with n ?? 4 number of members. The structures of eight most populated objects among them (n ?? 25) are discussed. These non-virialized agglomerates are characterized by amedian dispersion of radial velocities of about 170 km/s, the linear size of around 6 Mpc, integral K-band luminosity of 3 × 10¹¹ L _??, and a formal virial-mass-to-luminosity ratio of about 700M _??/L _??. The mean density contrast for the considered agglomerates is only $\left\langle {\Delta n/\bar n} \right\rangle $ ?? 5, and their crossing time is about 30?C40 Gyr.     

Andromeda IV,a solitary gas‐rich dwarf galaxy

Observations are presented of the isolated dwarf irregular galaxy And IV made with the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in the 21 cm HI line. We determine the galaxy distance of 7.17 ± 0.31 Mpc using the Tip of Red Giant Branch method. The galaxy has a total blue absolute magnitude of –12.81 mag, linear Holmberg diameter of 1.88 kpc, and an HI ‐disk extending to 8.4 times the optical Holmberg radius. The HI massto‐blue luminosity ratio for And IV amounts 12.9 M_⊙/L_⊙. From the GMRT data we derive the rotation curve for the HI and fit it with different mass models. We find that the data are significantly better fit with an iso‐thermal dark matter halo, than by an NFW halo. We also find that MOND rotation curve provides a very poor fit to the data. The fact that the isothermal dark matter halo provides the best fit to the data supports models in which star formation feedback results in the formation of a dark matter core in dwarf galaxies. The total mass‐to‐blue luminosity ratio of 162 M_⊙/L_⊙ makes And IV among the darkest dIrr galaxies known. However, its baryonic‐to‐dark mass ratio (M_gas + M *)/M_T = 0.11 is close to the average cosmic baryon fraction of 0.15. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Dwarf Galaxies in the M 81/82 Group. New Photometric Data

We present a list of 39 dwarf galaxies of the M 81/82 group. Three different methods are applied to determine their apparent integral magnitude: digital processing, equidensitometry, and calculation according to the formulae of FISHER and TULLY . The plates used were obtained with the Tautenburg Schmidt telescope. For a distance of the group of 3.5 Mpc the absolute magnitudes of the dwarf galaxies investigated are -15^m < M < -9^m.     

M 101 group galaxies

Based on archival Hubble Space Telescope images, we have performed stellar photometry for the galaxy M 101 and other neighboring galaxies located at a small angular distance from M 101 and having radial velocities similar to that of M 101: M 51, M 63, NGC 5474, NGC 5477, UGC 9405, Ho IV, KUG1413+573, and others. Based on the TRGB method, we have determined the distances to these galaxies. We have found that the M 101 group lies at a distance of 6.8 Mpc and is a small compact galaxy group consisting of four galaxies: NGC 5474, NGC 5477, UGC 9405, and Ho IV. The bright massive galaxies M 51 and M 63 are considerably farther (D = 9.0 and 9.3 Mpc, respectively) than the M 101 group and do not belong to it. Applying the virial theorem to 27 objects (H II regions and galaxies),M 101 satellites located at different distances from the galaxy, has revealed an increase in the dynamical mass of M 101 with increasing sizes of the system of satellites used in calculating the mass. The maximum calculated mass of M 101 is 7.5 × 10¹¹ M _⊙. The dynamical mass of M 101 calculated on the basis of the four galaxies constituting the group is 6.2 × 10¹¹ M _⊙. The mass-to-light ratio for this mass is M/L = 18 (at the adopted luminosity of M 101, M _B = ?20.8).     

Evolution of galaxy groups

We study the variations of the properties of groups of galaxies with dynamical masses of 10¹³ M _⊙<M ₂₀₀<10¹⁴ M _⊙, represented by two samples: one has redshifts of z < 0.027 and is located in the vicinity of the Coma cluster, the other has z > 0.027, and is located in the regions of the following superclusters of galaxies: Hercules, Leo, Bootes, Ursa Major, and Corona Borealis. Using the archived data of the SDSS and 2MASX catalogs, we determined the concentration of galaxies in the systems by measuring it as the inner density of the group within the distance of the fifth closest galaxy from the center brighter than M _K = ?23_. ^m 3. We also measured the magnitude gap between the first and the fourth brightest galaxies ΔM ₁₄ located within one half of the selected radius R ₂₀₀, the fraction of early-type galaxies, and the ratio of bright dwarf galaxies (Mr = [?18_. ^m 5,?16_. ^m 5]) to giant galaxies (M _r < ?18_. ^m 5) (DGR) within the radius R ₂₀₀. The main aim of the investigation is to find among these characteristics the ones that reflect the evolution of groups of galaxies.We determined that the ratio of bright dwarf galaxies to early-type giant galaxies on the red sequence depends only on the x-ray luminosity: the DGR increases with luminosity. The fraction of early-type galaxies in the considered systems is equal, on average, to 0.65 ± 0.01, and varies significantly for galaxies with σ₂₀₀ < 300 kms^?1. Based on the luminosity of the brightest galaxy, the magnitude gap between the first and the fourth brightest galaxies in the groups, and on model computations of these parameters, we selected four fossil group candidates: AWM4, NGC0533, NGC0741, and NGC6098 (where the brightest galaxy is a double).We observe no increase in the number of faint galaxies (the α parameter of the Schechter function is less than 1) in our composite luminosity function (LF) for galaxy systems with z < 0.027 in the M _K = [?26m,?21_. ^m 5] range, whereas earlier we obtained α > 1 for the LF of the Hercules and Leo superclusters of galaxies.     

Nearby groups of galaxies in the Hercules–Bootes constellations

We consider a sample of 412 galaxies with radial velocities V _LG < 2500 kms^?1 situated in the sky region of RA = 13_. ^m 0–19_. ^m 0, Dec = +10?...+40? between the Local Void and the Supergalactic plane. One hundred and eighty-one of them have individual distance estimates. Peculiar velocities of the galaxies as a function of Supergalactic latitude SGB show signs of Virgocentric infall at SGB < 10? and motion from the Local Void at SGB > 60?. A half of the Hercules–Bootes galaxies belong to 17 groups and 29 pairs, with the richest group around NGC5353. A typical group is characterized by the velocity dispersion of 67 km s^?1, the harmonic radius of 182 kpc, the stellar mass of 4.3 × 10¹⁰ M _⊙ and the virialto- stellar mass ratio of 32. The binary galaxies have the mean radial velocity difference of 37 kms^?1, the projected separation of 96 kpc, the mean integral stellar mass of 2.6×109M _⊙ and the mean virial-to-stellar mass ratio of about 8. The total dark-matter-to-stellar mass ratio in the considered sky region amounts to 37 being almost the same as that in the Local Volume.     

Properties of voids in the 2dFGRS galaxy survey

A method for detecting voids in the galaxy distribution is presented. Using this method, we have identified 732 voids with a radius of the seed sphere R _seed > 4.0h ^?1 Mpc in a volume-limited sample of galaxies from the southern part of the 2dFGRS survey. 110 voids with R _seed > 9.0h ^?1 Mpc have a positive significance. The mean volume of such voids is ～19 × 10³ h ^?3 Mpc³. Voids with R _seed > 9.0h ^?1 Mpc occupy 55% of the sample volume. We construct a dependence of the volumes of all the identified voids on their ranks and determine parameters of the galaxy distribution. The dependence of the volume of voids on their rank is consistent with a fractal model (Zipf’s power law) of the galaxy distribution with a fractal dimension D ≈ 2.1 (given the uncertainty in determining the dimension using our method and the results of a correlation analysis) up to scales of ～25h ^?1 Mpc with the subsequent transition to homogeneity. The directions of the greatest elongations of voids and their ellipticities (oblateness) are determined from the parameters of equivalent ellipsoids. The directions of the greatest void elongations have an enhanced concentration to the directions perpendicular to the line of sight.     

Galaxy triplets in the local supercluster

We report a catalog of 168 galaxy triplets with line-of-sight velocities V _LG < 3500 km/s identified using a percolation criterion, which takes individual properties of galaxies into account. The catalog contains the line-of-sight velocities, K-band magnitudes, and morphological types of galaxies. Our sample of galaxy triplets is characterized by the median values of the line-of-sight velocity dispersion, projected harmonic radius, and crossing time of 40 km/s, 155 kpc, and 3 Gyr, respectively. The median projectedmass and K-band luminosity of our triplets are equal to 5 × 10¹¹ M _⊙ and 15M _⊙/L _⊙, respectively, with the uncertainty of these parameters due mostly to the errors of radial-velocity measurements. The basic properties of triple systems in the Local Supercluster are compared to those of more distant isolated triplets from the KTG and KTS samples. The fraction of triplet members among all galaxies is found be more than 5%.     

Evolution of Intergalactic Gas in the Neighborhood of Dwarf Galaxies and Its Manifestations in the HI 21 cm Line

Low-mass galaxies are known to have played the crucial role in the hydrogen reionization in the Universe. In this paper we investigate the contribution of soft x-ray radiation (E ~ 0.1–1 keV) from dwarf galaxies to hydrogen ionization during the initial reionization stages. The only possible sources of this radiation in the process of star formation in dwarf galaxies during the epochs preceding the hydrogen reionization epoch are hot intermediate-mass stars (M ~ 5–8 M_⊙) that entered the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage and massive x-ray binaries. We analyze the evolution of the intergalactic gas in the neighborhood of a dwarf galaxy with a total mass of 6 × 10⁸M_⊙ formed at the redshift of z ~ 15 and having constant star-formation rate of 0.01–0.1 M_⊙ yr^?1 over a starburst with a duration of up to 100 Myr. We show that the radiation from AGB stars heats intergalactic gas to above 100 K and ensures its ionization x_e ? 0.03 within about 4–10 kpc from the galaxy in the case of a star-formation rate of star formation 0.03–0.1 M_⊙ yr^?1, and that after the end of the starburst this region remains quasi-stationary over the following 200–300 Myr, i.e., until z ~ 7.5. Formation of x-ray binaries form in dwarf galaxies at z ~ 15 results in a 2–3 and 5–6 times greater size of the ionized and heated region compared to the case where ionization is produced by AGB stars exclusively, if computed with the “x-ray luminosity–star-formation rate” dependence (L_X ~ f_XSFR) factor f_X = 0.1 and f_X ~ 1, respectively. For f_X ? 0.03 the effect of x-ray binaries is smaller that that of AGB star population. Lyα emission, heating, and ionization of the intergalactic gas in the neighborhood of dwarf galaxies result in the excitation of the 21 cm HI line. We found that during the period of the starburst end at z ~11.5–12.5 the brightness temperature in the neighborhood of galaxies is 15–25 mK and the region where the brightness temperature remains close to its maximum has a size of about 12–30 kpc. Hence the epoch of the starburst end is most favorable for 21 cm HI line observations of dwarf galaxies, because at that time the size of the region of maximum brightness temperature is the greatest over the entire evolution of the dwarf galaxy. In the case of the sizes corresponding to almost 0.’1 for z ~ 12 regions with maximum emission can be detected with the Square Kilometre Array, which is currently under construction.     

Investigation of properties of galaxy clusters in the Hercules supercluster region

We investigated the properties of galaxy clusters in the region of the Hercules supercluster using observational data from the SDSS and 2MASS catalogs and the NED. We have selected 13 galaxy clusters with a total dynamical mass of 4.82 × 10¹⁵ M _⊙ in a 100 × 45 Mpc supercluster region in the plane of the sky (0.030 < z < 0.041). In addition, our sample includes eight clusters from the immediate neighborhoods of the superclusters and ten field clusters at the same z. The derived properties of the rich Hercules supercluster are shown in comparison with the data for the poor Leo supercluster. The main parameters of the virialized galaxy cluster regions in the near infrared (K _s ) for the Hercules supercluster differ from those for the Leo supercluster: the number of galaxies and the total luminosity (to a limiting magnitude of ?21 _· ^m 5) increase with cluster mass (L _K,200 ∝ M ₂₀₀ ^0.91±0.07 and N ₂₀₀ ∝ M ₂₀₀ ^0.94±0.07 ), but the dependences are steeper by 0.28 and 0.22. In the virialized cluster regions, the fraction of early-type galaxies selected by the bulge contribution, concentration index, and u t= r color is, on average, 66% (60% in Leo, 70% in the field) among the galaxies brighter than ?23 _· ^m 3 and 54% (51% in Leo, 61% in the field) among the galaxies brighter than ?22 _· ^m 3. The fraction of early-type galaxies in the superclusters does not change with galaxy cluster mass and luminosity. The composite luminosity function of the rich Hercules supercluster is described by a Schechter function and does not differ from the luminosity function of the poor Leo supercluster for the luminosity interval [?26 ^m , ?21 _· ^m 5] but differs from the field luminosity function at the same z determined from ten galaxy clusters.     

KDG218, a nearby ultra-diffuse galaxy

We present properties of the low-surface-brightness galaxy KDG218 observed with the HST/ACS. The galaxy has a half-light (effective) diameter of a _e = 47″ and a central surface brightness of SB _V (0) = 24.^m4/□″. The galaxy remains unresolved with the HST/ACS, which implies its distance of D > 13.1 Mpc and linear effective diameter of A _e > 3.0 kpc. We notice that KDG218 is most likely associated with a galaxy group around the massive lenticular NGC4958 galaxy at approximately 22 Mpc, or with the Virgo Southern Extension filament at approximately 16.5 Mpc. At these distances, the galaxy is classified as an ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) similar to those found in the Virgo, Fornax, and Coma clusters. We also present a sample of 15 UDG candidates in the Local Volume. These sample galaxies have the following mean parameters: 〈D〉 = 5.1 Mpc, 〈A _e 〉 = 4.8 kpc, and 〈SB _B (e)〉 = 27.^m4/□″. All the local UDG candidates reside near massive galaxies located in the regions with the mean stellar mass density (within 1 Mpc) about 50 times greater than the average cosmic density. The local fraction of UDGs does not exceed 1.5% of the Local Volume population. We notice that the presented sample of local UDGs is a heterogeneous one containing irregular, transition, and tidal types, as well as objects consisting of an old stellar population.     

Ultraluminous quasars as a gravitational mesolensing effect

Two quasars SDSS J010013.02+280225.8 and J030642.51+185315.8 with redshifts z = 6.30 and z = 5.363 were recently discovered. Their apparent magnitudes in the standard cosmological model give the luminosities of L_bol ～ 4.3 × 10¹⁴L_⊙ and L_bol ～ 3.4 × 10¹⁴L_⊙. In the framework of modern concepts it is accepted that the energy release of quasars is provided by the accretion onto black holes with masses of 1.24 ± 0.19 × 10¹⁰M_⊙ and 1.07 ± 0.27 × 10¹⁰M_⊙. As within the standard cosmological model the ages of these objects are about one billion years, this creates serious difficulties for the scenario of formation of such objects. Here we interpret the ultra-high luminosities of quasars as the effect of lensing of their radiation by the foreground globular clusters or dwarf galaxies.