A Search for Infrared Light in a Dark HI Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster

Details A Search for Infrared Light in a Dark HI Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster A Search for Infrared Light in a Dark HI Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster

May 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006sptz.prop30725f&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #30725

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Scientific paper

We propose an exploratory investigation on the nature of a potentially ``hidden'' galaxy in the Virgo cluster, revealed in a recent deep HI survey by Davies et al. (2004). This rotating HI disk is found at Virgo's systemic velocity, with an implied mass-to-light ratio of 500 or more given the upper limit put on by deep optical surveys, and well below the surface brightness predicted assuming a fiducial Tully-Fisher relationship. These make it arguably one of the most unusual objects in the local universe. While it is possible that this is the tidal-disrupted remains of a past galaxy-galaxy interaction, we believe dust associated with it must have played an important role --- otherwise tidal forces alone should not inhibit the conversion from gas to stars to such an extent. If some stars do form in the neutral gas, then one can expect an unambiguous detection of dust emission with the Spitzer instruments. Even without hard UV photons from star forming regions, we should still be able to measure scattered emission from diffuse interstellar radiation field, assuming that the minimal dust-to-gas ratio still applies in this case. The higher spatial resolution of IRAC and MIPS compared to the HI maps should allow a much better assessment of the object with such massive HI concentration in this seemingly empty region on the outskirt of Virgo. A non-detection would be even more challenging in that we may be confronting a new type of object which is truly dark.

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