Gas-bearing early-type dwarf galaxies in virgo: Evidence for recent accretion

G. Hallenbeck, E. Papastergis, S. Huang, M.P. Haynes, R. Giovanelli, A. Boselli, S. Boissier, S. Heinis, Luca Cortese, S. Fabello

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    33 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We investigate the dwarf (M B > -16) galaxies in the Virgo cluster in the radio, optical, and ultraviolet regimes. Of the 365 galaxies in this sample, 80 have been detected in H I by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey. These detections include 12 early-type dwarfs (ETDs) that have H I and stellar masses similar to the cluster dwarf irregulars and blue compact dwarfs. In this sample of 12, half have star formation properties similar to late-type dwarfs, while the other half are quiescent-like typical ETDs. We also discuss three possible mechanisms for their evolution: that they are infalling field galaxies that have been or are currently being evolved by the cluster, that they are stripped objects whose gas is recycled, and that the observed H I has been recently reaccreted. Evolution by the cluster adequately explains the star-forming half of the sample, but the quiescent class of ETDs is most consistent with having recently reaccreted their gas. © © 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1-13
    JournalAstronomical Journal
    Volume144
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2012

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