Far-infrared counterpart to the optical and H I plume in the Leo triplet of galaxies - NGC 3623, NGC 3627, and NGC 3628

Journal Article · Thu Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169802· OSTI ID:5701412

Hughes, D H; Appleton, P N; Schombert, J M ^[1]

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1. Lancashire Polytechnic, Preston (England) Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames (USA) Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA)

A study of the IR emission in the Leo triplet of interacting galaxies is presented. A new background subtraction routine is applied to IRAS-calibrated raw detector data covering a 4 sq deg field centered on the triplet of galaxies. The discovery of an extragalactic IR counterpart is reported at 60 and 100 microns to the previously known optical and H I tidal plume associated with NGC 3628. The IR plume has a ratio I(100 microns)/N(H) of 7 + or - 4 x 10 to the -15th Jy/sr per H I atoms per sq cm, in striking agreement with Galactic cirrus clouds, and a dust-to-gas ratio of 3.3 x 10 to the -5th. These values are consistent with the tidal model of the plume formation. The IR plume also exhibits a gradient of decreasing temperature along the plume away from NGC 3628 which can be explained by a dilution of the stellar optical and UV radiation field. In addition to the Leo triplet galaxies, almost all background late-type galaxies in the field were detected. 32 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5701412
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 370; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
INFRARED RADIATION
INTERACTIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SPECTRA
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION