Kinematics of Polar Ring Galaxies
Abstract
Polar-ring galaxies (PRGs) are one of the most remarkable objects of the large family of collisional rings. They are probably composed by an S0-like galaxy and a polar ring. Polar rings may be difficult to be recognized as such when they are not suitably oriented in the sky. Depending on the viewing angle, they may be mistaken or misclassified. They are formed in an encounter between two galaxies, which tends to remain together in a new and very peculiar configuration for billions of years. The two interacting components do not merge, but remain separate, essentially frozen in time. The main goals of the proposed observational program are: to conduct a kinematical H(alpha), [SII] and [NII] study of selected southern Polar Ring Galaxies and candidate objects to select true polar-rings, identify regions of induced star formation, calculate the redshift when non-existent, build rotation curves along the major and minor axes and classify the nuclear spectra of the central galaxies (the spindle structure).
- Publication:
-
NOAO Proposal
- Pub Date:
- August 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002noao.prop..112F