Jet-Like Structures in NGC 1097 (original) (raw)

2012

Abstract

ABSTRACT NGC 1097 has an extensive, unique network of jet-like extended structures that stretch out for dozens of kiloparsecs. Their origin has remained a mystery for decades. The evidence for their association with the AGN is weak, and the lack of HI emission in the vicinity makes it unlikely that they are the product of tidal interactions or streams off the main disk of the galaxy. Recent modeling has shown that the structures may be the remnants of a dwarf galaxy, though the type of dwarf remains unclear, and such interactions are complicated by the fact that the main spiral has a large bar. We propose Spitzer observations of these features to determine the streams' true extent, to age-date individual structures by focusing on the old stellar population, estimate their masses, and calculate their metallicities. We will use Spitzer's sensitivity and the degeneracy-breaking IRAC colors to unravel the history of this unusual object. This proposal is part of broader studies by members of this team on galaxy outskirts and interactions, including mergers, streams, shells, asymmetries and lopsidedness, all of which contribute to our understanding of galaxy evolution in the nearby Universe.

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