Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011sf2a.conf...81c&link_type=abstract
SF2A-2011: Proceedings of the Annual meeting of the French Society of Astronomy and Astrophysics Eds.: G. Alecian, K. Belkacem,
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Infrared: Galaxies, Galaxies: Evolution, Galaxies: Interactions, Galaxies: Star Formation
Scientific paper
We present a comprehensive study on the influence of the environment of compact galaxy groups to the evolution of their members using a multi-wavelength analysis, from the UV to the far-IR, on a sample of 32 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) containing 135 galaxies. Fitting the SEDs of all galaxies with the state-of-the-art model of da Cunha et al. (2008) we can accurately calculate their mass, SFR, and extinction, as well as estimate their infrared luminosity and dust content. We contrast our findings with control samples of field galaxies, early-stage interacting pairs, and galaxies in clusters. We find that classifying the evolutionary state of HCGs as dynamically ``old'' or ``young'' depending on whether or not they contain more than 25% or early-type galaxies is physical and consistent with past classifications based on their gas content. Late-type galaxies in dynamically ``young" groups have sSFR, as well as NUV-r and mid-infrared colors, which are similar to those of field and early stage interacting pairs. However, late-type galaxies in dynamically ``old'' groups have redder NUV-r colors, as they have likely experienced several tidal encounters in the past and built up their stellar mass, and they display lower sSFRs. Finally our model suggests that in 13 groups, 10 of which are dynamically ``old``, there is diffuse dust in the intragroup medium. All these evidence point to an evolutionary scenario in which it takes time for the group environment to visibly affect the properties of its members. Early on the influence of close companions to group galaxies is similar to the one of galaxy pairs in the field. However, as the time progresses, the effects of tidal torques and minor merging shape the morphology and star formation history of the group galaxies, leading to an increase of the fraction of early type members and a rapid built up of the stellar mass in the remaining late type galaxies.
Bitsakis T.
Charmandaris Vassilios
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