Wing Galaxies: A Formation Mechanism of the Clumpy Irregular Galaxy Markarian 297
Abstract
Numerical N-body simulations are made to understand a formation mechanism for the clumpy irregular starburst galaxy Markarian 297 ( = NGC 6052). We have found that a co-planar radial penetration collision between two disk galaxies explains overall morphological properties of Markarian 297. The evolutionary phase corresponds to about 1.5 X 10^8^ yr after the impact. The morphology of the disturbed galaxy looks like a "wing." In the case that the colliding partner is deformed to a ring galaxy, the projected image of the two galaxies is quite similar to the entire observed shape of Markarian 297 when we observe the colliding system from a nearly edge-on view. It is also shown that the observed velocity field is well reproduced by this model. Numerical simulations of the gas cloud system are also made to study the star-forming activity in the galaxy. The unusually high star- formation rate (SFR) of Markarian 297, indicated by far-infrared observations, is explained as a sum of SFRs of both the wing and the ring galaxies.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- May 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1086/115790
- Bibcode:
- 1991AJ....101.1601T
- Keywords:
-
- Galactic Evolution;
- Irregular Galaxies;
- Markarian Galaxies;
- Starburst Galaxies;
- Computational Astrophysics;
- Galactic Structure;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Many Body Problem;
- Star Formation Rate;
- Astrophysics;
- GALAXIES: INTERACTIONS;
- GALAXIES: INDIVIDUAL