Open AccessNeutral hydrogen gas distribution and kinematics in NGC 7479
Author(s) -
Laine S.,
Gottesman S. T.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01513.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , spiral galaxy , barred spiral galaxy , hydrogen line , dust lane , surface brightness , astronomy , brightness , bar (unit) , radius , galaxy , luminous infrared galaxy , lenticular galaxy , star formation , computer security , meteorology , computer science
We have investigated the effects of a bar and an asymmetric spiral structure on the neutral hydrogen distribution and kinematics in the strongly barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479. The strongest 21‐cm line emission at 1‐kpc resolution comes from the western spiral arm which appears to be slightly inclined to the plane of the main disc. In contrast, the area within the radius of the bar is devoid of 21‐cm line emission. The radio continuum emission at 21 cm follows the bar dust lanes, but beyond 3 kpc from the nucleus the radio continuum emission has a peculiar morphology, unlike that of optical and near‐infrared images. We did not detect any low surface brightness gas‐rich companions in the near neighbourhood of NGC 7479. This leads us to propose that the strong western spiral arm was created in a recent minor merger.