SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system

We present observations of Arp 147, a galaxy system comprising a collisionally-created ring galaxy and an early-type galaxy, using the Oxford SWIFT integral field spectrograph (IFS) at the 200-inch Hale telescope. We derive spatially resolved kinematics from the IFS data and use these to study the i...

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Main Authors: Fogarty, L, Thatte, N, Tecza, M, Clarke, F, Goodsall, T, Houghton, R, Salter, G, Davies, R, Kassin, S
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2011
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author Fogarty, L
Thatte, N
Tecza, M
Clarke, F
Goodsall, T
Houghton, R
Salter, G
Davies, R
Kassin, S
author_facet Fogarty, L
Thatte, N
Tecza, M
Clarke, F
Goodsall, T
Houghton, R
Salter, G
Davies, R
Kassin, S
author_sort Fogarty, L
collection OXFORD
description We present observations of Arp 147, a galaxy system comprising a collisionally-created ring galaxy and an early-type galaxy, using the Oxford SWIFT integral field spectrograph (IFS) at the 200-inch Hale telescope. We derive spatially resolved kinematics from the IFS data and use these to study the interaction between the two galaxies. We find the edge-to-edge expansion velocity of the ring is 225 +/- 8 km/s, implying an upper limit on the timescale for the collision of 50 Myrs. We also calculate that the angle of impact for the collision is between 33 degrees-54 degrees, where 0 degrees would imply a perpendicular collision. The ring galaxy is strongly star-forming with the star formation likely to have been triggered by the collision between the two galaxies. We measure some key physical parameters in an integrated and spatially resolved manner for the ring galaxy. Using observed B-I colours and the H-alpha equivalent widths, we conclude that two stellar components (a young and an old population) are required to simultaneously match both observed quantities. We constrain the age range, light and mass fractions of the young star formation in the ring, finding a modest age range, a light fraction of less than a third, and a negligible (<1%) mass fraction. We postulate that the redder colours observed in the SE corner of the ring galaxy could correspond to the nuclear bulge of the original disk galaxy from which the ring was created, consistent with the stellar mass in the SE quadrant being 30-50% of the total. The ring appears to have been a typical disk galaxy prior to the encounter. The ring shows electron densities consistent with typical values for star-forming HII regions. The eastern half of the ring exhibits a metallicity a factor of ~2 higher than the western half. The ionisation parameter, measured across the ring, roughly follows the previously observed trend with metallicity.
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spelling oxford-uuid:8310bf4e-b8ab-46b2-8c7f-62305a7144472022-03-26T21:41:46ZSWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy systemJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:8310bf4e-b8ab-46b2-8c7f-62305a714447EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011Fogarty, LThatte, NTecza, MClarke, FGoodsall, THoughton, RSalter, GDavies, RKassin, SWe present observations of Arp 147, a galaxy system comprising a collisionally-created ring galaxy and an early-type galaxy, using the Oxford SWIFT integral field spectrograph (IFS) at the 200-inch Hale telescope. We derive spatially resolved kinematics from the IFS data and use these to study the interaction between the two galaxies. We find the edge-to-edge expansion velocity of the ring is 225 +/- 8 km/s, implying an upper limit on the timescale for the collision of 50 Myrs. We also calculate that the angle of impact for the collision is between 33 degrees-54 degrees, where 0 degrees would imply a perpendicular collision. The ring galaxy is strongly star-forming with the star formation likely to have been triggered by the collision between the two galaxies. We measure some key physical parameters in an integrated and spatially resolved manner for the ring galaxy. Using observed B-I colours and the H-alpha equivalent widths, we conclude that two stellar components (a young and an old population) are required to simultaneously match both observed quantities. We constrain the age range, light and mass fractions of the young star formation in the ring, finding a modest age range, a light fraction of less than a third, and a negligible (<1%) mass fraction. We postulate that the redder colours observed in the SE corner of the ring galaxy could correspond to the nuclear bulge of the original disk galaxy from which the ring was created, consistent with the stellar mass in the SE quadrant being 30-50% of the total. The ring appears to have been a typical disk galaxy prior to the encounter. The ring shows electron densities consistent with typical values for star-forming HII regions. The eastern half of the ring exhibits a metallicity a factor of ~2 higher than the western half. The ionisation parameter, measured across the ring, roughly follows the previously observed trend with metallicity.
spellingShingle Fogarty, L
Thatte, N
Tecza, M
Clarke, F
Goodsall, T
Houghton, R
Salter, G
Davies, R
Kassin, S
SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title_full SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title_fullStr SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title_full_unstemmed SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title_short SWIFT Observations of the Arp 147 Ring galaxy system
title_sort swift observations of the arp 147 ring galaxy system
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