Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21541218n&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #412.18; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.249
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Understanding the life cycles of galaxies over cosmic time is a primary effort in modern astrophysics. Here we explore the nature of luminous blue compact galaxies (LBCGs), a class of galaxy in the local (z < 0.05) universe exhibiting blue optical colors [(B-V) < 0.5], high luminosity (MB < -19), one or more high surface brightness regions, and moderate to high star formation rates [> 5 M(sun) per year]. LBCGs appear to be similar in their global properties to the early evolutionary phases of most galaxies, but are more amenable to detailed analysis due to their low redshifts. We describe an ultraviolet and optical investigation of a sample of 50 LBCGs using UBVR & Hα imagery obtained at McDonald Observatory, ultraviolet photometry from GALEX, and correlative data from IRAS, 2MASS, and SDSS. Using these data, we explore the evolutionary state of LBCGs. In particular, we determine the radial and azimuthal light distributions, explore the spatial extent of ionized gas (e.g., centrally- concentrated versus spatially diffuse), compare multiwavelength measures of the high-mass star formation rate, and quantify the interaction strength using a variety of merger diagnostics. Although selected independent of their environment, most systems display either a close companion or the signature of an interaction such as tails, bridges, and possible polar rings. Interpretation of the assembly history of LBCGs provides insight on massive galaxy evolution at earlier epochs.
Fanelli Michael
Marcum Pam
Newton Cassidy L.
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