The H I chronicles of little things BCDs II: The origin of IC 10's H I structure

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2014 · Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/148/6/130· OSTI ID:22342194

Ashley, Trisha; Simpson, Caroline E.; Pokhrel, Nau Raj ^[1]; Elmegreen, Bruce G. ^[2]; Johnson, Megan ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, CP 204, Miami, FL 33199 (United States)
2. IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, PO Box 218, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States)
3. CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 Australia (Australia)

In this paper we analyze Very Large Array (VLA) telescope and Green Bank Telescope (GBT) atomic hydrogen (H I) data for the LITTLE THINGS (Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes, The H I Nearby Galaxy Survey; https://science.nrao.edu/science/surveys/littlethings) blue compact dwarf galaxy IC 10. The VLA data allow us to study the detailed H I kinematics and morphology of IC 10 at high resolution while the GBT data allow us to search the surrounding area at high sensitivity for tenuous H I. IC 10's H I appears highly disturbed in both the VLA and GBT H I maps with a kinematically distinct northern H I extension, a kinematically distinct southern plume, and several spurs in the VLA data that do not follow the general kinematics of the main disk. We discuss three possible origins of its H I structure and kinematics in detail: a current interaction with a nearby companion, an advanced merger, and accretion of intergalactic medium. We find that IC 10 is most likely an advanced merger or a galaxy undergoing accretion.

• OSTI ID: 22342194
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online) Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 148; ISSN 1538-3881
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
GALAXIES
HYDROGEN
INTERACTIONS
LUMINOSITY
MAPS
RESOLUTION
SENSITIVITY
STARS
TELESCOPES