Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Dec 1998
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998aas...193.0213r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, 193rd AAS Meeting, #02.13; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 30, p.1245
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
For a statistical sample of late type spiral galaxies (Sab to Sbc), we explore whether the global star formation rate (SFR) over the last 0.5 Gyrs is correlated with indicators of recent weak tidal interactions. We obtain integrated spectra (3500 Angstroms-5300 Angstroms) of our sample galaxies and study the stellar populations and emission line characteristics as a function of the lopsidedness < A_1/A_0 >_{ phi ,r}. We quantify the recent SF history of our galaxies by comparing the relative abundance of A stars (via the strength of Balmer absorption), and the abundance of massive stars (via the EW of (H beta ) emission), between symmetric and losided galaxies of the same Hubble type. We find that the recent SFR of a galaxy is correlated to its lopsidedness. Significant lopsidedness is most likely caused by minor tidal interactions and is found in over 20% of the disk galaxy population (Rudnick and Rix, 1998.) Coupled with the short lifetime of lopsided structures, this implies that the average disk galaxy has undergone multiple periods of boosted SFR caused by weak interactions.
Rix Hans-Walter
Rudnick Gregory H.
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