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Published on: February 15, 2016
A 0.6 Mpc H I structure associated with Stephan's Quintet
C K Xu1,2, C Cheng3,4, P N Appleton5
1Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, People's Republic of China. congxu@nao.cas.cn.
Stephan's Quintet shows a large atomic hydrogen structure, suggesting early tidal interactions. This discovery challenges our understanding of gas survival in galaxy groups over long timescales.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Cosmic Structure Formation
- Galaxy Evolution
Background:
- Stephan's Quintet (SQ) is a unique compact galaxy group known for complex interactions.
- Previous observations indicated tidal debris, starbursts, and shocked gas due to galaxy collisions.
- The precise timing and details of these interactions remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the atomic hydrogen (H I) distribution in Stephan's Quintet with unprecedented depth.
- To better understand the formation mechanisms and survival of gas structures within compact galaxy groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized deep atomic hydrogen (H I) observations with high sensitivity (1σ = 4.2 × 10^16 cm^-2) and angular resolution (4').
- Analyzed data with a sensitivity two orders of magnitude greater than prior studies.
Main Results:
- Discovered a large-scale H I structure (approx. 0.6 Mpc) encompassing an extended source (approx. 0.4 Mpc) and a diffuse feature (approx. 0.5 Mpc).
- The diffuse feature likely originated from early tidal interactions (>1 Gyr ago).
- Observed low-density H I gas (N_H I ≲ 10^18 cm^-2) raises questions about its long-term survival against ionization.
Conclusions:
- The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of gas properties in the outer regions of galaxy groups.
- Complex modeling of intragroup medium phases is required for future simulations of group formation.
- This study highlights the importance of deep H I observations for understanding galaxy group dynamics.
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