RAM-Pressure Stripping of a Galaxy's ISM

NGC 4485 is a late-type galaxy moving through the very extended HI envelope of its companion, NGC 4490. NGC 4485 is undetected in HI,CO and IRAS wavebands, but a peak at all of these frequencies is seen displaced from the optical disk. HI data show a prominent bow-shock ahead of this displaced gas. It is argued that almost the entire ISM, including molecular clouds, has been stripped from this galaxy byram-pressure, and that it will emerge from the encounter with very little star forming potential. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.