A Search for Low Surface Brightness Dwarf Satellite Galaxies in Low Density Environments Using IMSNG

  • Lim, Gu (Center of the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe, Astronomy Program, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Seoul National University) ;
  • Im, Myungshin (Center of the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe, Astronomy Program, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Seoul National University) ;
  • Kim, Jisu (School of Space Research and Institute of Natural Sciences, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Choi, Changsu (Center of the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe, Astronomy Program, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Seoul National University)
  • Published : 2018.05.08

Abstract

Searching for low surface brightness (LSB) dwarf galaxies in low density environments (isolated and group) can help us resolve the discrepancy between observation and theory known as the 'missing satellite' problem. They are also important to study the evolution of low mass galaxies in these environments. Although the number of dwarfs in such environments is rapidly increasing in many recent studies, it is still not easy to characterize their general properties. Motivated by this, we present preliminary results of our search for LSB dwarf galaxies around 60 nearby galaxies (D<50Mpc) using deep optical images. Imaging data from Maidanak Astronomical Observatory (MAO) in Uzbekistan as a part of Intensive Monitoring Survey of Nearby Galaxies (IMSNG; Im in prep.) and other archival data are used to find previously unknown LSB dwarf galaxies. Extended LSB sources (central surface brightness ${\mu}_0$ > $23mag/arcsec^2$) are first selected in the ${\mu}_0$ - magnitude plane (Rines & Geller 2008). The dwarf galaxy candidates are chosen by visual inspection. We discuss whether these candidates are actual satellite galaxies, by measuring the projected number densities in group environments and in the field. Also, their structural and photometric properties are compared with those of previously discovered dwarf galaxies in the literature.

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