TY - JOUR
T1 - Tidal interactions at the edge of the Local Group
T2 - new evidence for tidal features in the Antlia Dwarf galaxy
AU - Penny, Samantha J.
AU - Pimbblet, Kevin A.
AU - Conselice, Christopher J.
AU - Brown, Michael J. I.
AU - Grützbauch, Ruth
AU - Floyd, David J. E.
PY - 2012/10/20
Y1 - 2012/10/20
N2 - Using deep B-band imaging down to μB = 26 mag arcsec -2, we present evidence for tidal tails in the Antlia Dwarf galaxy, one of the most distant members of the Local Group. This elongation is in the direction of Antlia's nearest neighbor, the Magellanic-type NGC3109. The tail is offset by <10° from a vector linking the centers of the two galaxies, indicative of interactions between the pair. Combined with the warped disk previously identified in NGC3109, Antlia and NGC3109 must be at a small separation for tidal features to be present in Antlia. We calculate that Antlia cannot be completely disrupted by NGC3109 in a single interaction unless its orbit pericenter is <6 kpc; however, multiple interactions could significantly alter its morphology. Therefore despite being located right at the edge of the Local Group, environmental effects are playing an important role in Antlia's evolution.
AB - Using deep B-band imaging down to μB = 26 mag arcsec -2, we present evidence for tidal tails in the Antlia Dwarf galaxy, one of the most distant members of the Local Group. This elongation is in the direction of Antlia's nearest neighbor, the Magellanic-type NGC3109. The tail is offset by <10° from a vector linking the centers of the two galaxies, indicative of interactions between the pair. Combined with the warped disk previously identified in NGC3109, Antlia and NGC3109 must be at a small separation for tidal features to be present in Antlia. We calculate that Antlia cannot be completely disrupted by NGC3109 in a single interaction unless its orbit pericenter is <6 kpc; however, multiple interactions could significantly alter its morphology. Therefore despite being located right at the edge of the Local Group, environmental effects are playing an important role in Antlia's evolution.
KW - galaxies: dwarf
KW - galaxies: evolution
KW - galaxies: individual (Antlia Dwarf)
KW - galaxies: interactions
KW - Local Group Online
KW - only material: color figures
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867277933&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/758/2/L32
DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/758/2/L32
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84867277933
SN - 2041-8205
VL - 758
JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters
JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters
IS - 2
M1 - L32
ER -