Large Velocity Gradients in the Tidal Tails of the Interacting Galaxy AM 1353-272 (The Dentist's Chair)

P. Weilbacher, U. Fritze, P.A. Duc, K.J. Fricke

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    17 Citations (Scopus)
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    Abstract

    We present Very Large Telescope observations of the interacting system AM 1353-272. Using the FORS2 instrument, we studied the kinematics of the ionized gas along its prominent tidal tails and discovered strikingly large velocity gradients associated with seven luminous tidal knots. These kinematical structures cannot be caused by streaming motion and most likely do not result from projection effects. More probably, instabilities in the tidal tails have led to the formation of kinematically decoupled objects that could be the progenitors of self-gravitating tidal dwarf galaxies.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)L79-82
    JournalThe Astrophysical Journal
    Volume579
    Publication statusPublished - 9 Oct 2002

    Keywords

    • Physics

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