Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-nptnm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-23T15:03:10.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The VIRGO PN population and the mass assembly in M87

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2017

Alessia Longobardi
Affiliation:
Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, P. R. China, email: alongobardi@pku.edu.cn MPI für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, D-85741 Garching, Germany email: alongobardi@mpe.mpg.de, gerhard@mpe.mpg.de
Magda Arnaboldi
Affiliation:
European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany email: marnabol@eso.org
Ortwin Gerhard
Affiliation:
MPI für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, D-85741 Garching, Germany email: alongobardi@mpe.mpg.de, gerhard@mpe.mpg.de
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Cosmological simulations allow us to study in detail the evolution of galaxy halos in cluster environments, but the extremely low surface brightness of such components makes it difficult to gather observational constraints. Planetary nebulas (PNs) offer a unique tool to investigate these environments owing to their strong [OIII] emission line. We study the light and kinematics of the Virgo cluster and its central galaxy, M87, prime targets to address the topic of galaxy formation and evolution in dense environments. We make use of a deep and extended PN sample (~300 objects) that extends out to 150 kpc in radius from M87’s centre. We show that at all distance the galaxy halo overlaps with the Virgo intracluster light (ICL). Halo and ICL are dynamically distinct components with different parent stellar populations, consistent with the halo of M87 being redder and more metal rich than the ICL. The synergy between PN kinematic information and deep V/B-band photometry made it possible to unravel an ongoing accretion process in the outskirt of M87. This accretion event represents a non-negligible perturbation of the halo light, showing that this galaxy is still growing by accretion of smaller systems.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2017 

References

Aguerri, J. A. L., Gerhard, O. E., Arnaboldi, M., et al., 2005 AJ, 129, 2585 Google Scholar
Arnaboldi, M., Freeman, K. C., Mendez, R. H., et al., 1996 ApJ, 472, 145 Google Scholar
Castro-Rodríguez, N., Arnaboldi, M., & Aguerri, J. A. L., 2009 A&A, 507, 621 Google Scholar
De Lucia, G., Weinmann, S., Poggianti, B. M., Aragon-Salamanca, , et al., 2012 MNRAS, 423, 1277 Google Scholar
Doherty, M., Arnaboldi, M., Das, P., et al., 2009 A&A, 502, 771 Google Scholar
Dopita, M. A., Jacoby, G. H., & Vassiliadis, E., 1992 ApJ, 389, 27 Google Scholar
Feldmeier, J. J., Ciardullo, R., Jacoby, G. H., & Durrell, P. R., 2003 ApJS, 145, 65 Google Scholar
Gonzalez, A. H., Zabludoff, A. I., & Zaritsky, D., 2005, ApJ, 618, 195 Google Scholar
Longobardi, A., Arnaboldi, M., Gerhard, O., et al., 2013 A&A, 558, A42 Google Scholar
Longobardi, A., Arnaboldi, M., Gerhard, O., & Hanuschik, R., 2015a A&A, 579A, 135L Google Scholar
Longobardi, A., Arnaboldi, M., Gerhard, O., & Mihos, J. C., 2015b A&A, 579L, 3L Google Scholar
Longobardi, A., Arnaboldi, M., Gerhard, O. & Pulsoni, C., 2017 A&A, in prep.Google Scholar
Mihos, J. C., Harding, P., Feldmeier, J., & Morrison, H., 2005 ApJ, 631, L41 Google Scholar
Mihos, J. C., Harding, P., Feldmeier, J., et al., 2016 arXiv e-prints, 1611.04435Google Scholar
Montes, M., Trujillo, I., Prieto, M. A., & Acosta-Pulido, J. A., 2014 MNRAS, 439, 990 Google Scholar
Murphy, J. D., Gebhardt, K., & Adams, J. J., 2011 ApJ, 729, 129 Google Scholar
Murphy, J. D., Gebhardt, K., & Cradit, M., 2014 ApJ, 785, 143 Google Scholar
Romanowsky, A. J., Strader, J., Brodie, J. P., et al., 2012 ApJ, 748, 29 Google Scholar
Rudick, C. S., Mihos, J. C., & Harding, P., 2010 ApJ, 720, 569 Google Scholar