EDP Sciences Journals List
Advanced Search
Subscriber Authentication Point
Home All issues Volume 436/2 Article
Free access article

Issue A&A
Volume 436, Number 2, June III 2005
Page(s) 469 - 478
Section Extragalactic astronomy
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20041664



A&A 436, 469-478 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20041664

A Virgo high-resolution H$\alpha$ kinematical survey

I. NGC 4438
L. Chemin1, 2, V. Cayatte3, C. Balkowski2, P. Amram4, C. Carignan1, A. Boselli5, C. Adami5, M. Marcelin4, O. Garrido2, 4, O. Hernandez1, 4 and J. Boulesteix4

1  Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Qc, H3C 3J7, Canada
    e-mail: chemin@astro.umontreal.ca
2  Observatoire de Paris, Section Meudon, GEPI, CNRS UMR 8111 & Université Paris 7, 5 Pl. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
3  Observatoire de Paris, Section Meudon, LUTH, CNRS-UMR 8102 & Université Paris 7, 5 Pl. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
4  Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, 2 Pl. Le Verrier, 13248 Marseille, France
5  Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon-Les trois Lucs, 13012 Marseille, France

(Received 15 July 2004 / Accepted 28 February 2005)

Abstract
New H$\alpha$ emission-line observations of the Virgo cluster galaxy NGC 4438 are presented. Fabry-Perot interferometry data at an effective angular resolution of ~$2\arcsec$ are used to map the kinematics of the ionized gas in the galaxy. For the first time we obtain a velocity field covering a large area in NGC 4438, much larger than that deduced from previous HI and CO maps. The kinematics of the extended, low surface brightness H$\alpha$ filaments to the West of the galactic disk is discussed. We report on the discovery of a northern H$\alpha$ structure which is clumpier than the other filaments. Evidence for multiple spectral components through the data-cube are presented in a nuclear shell and in the approaching half of the disk. The role of VCC 1040, a dwarf elliptical galaxy located to the South of NGC 4438, is presented to investigate the origin of a small-scale stellar tail of NGC 4438. It could be due to a minor tidal interaction between the two galaxies.


Key words: galaxies: clusters: individual: NGC 4438 -- galaxies: interactions -- galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

SIMBAD Objects



© ESO 2005


What is OpenURL?

The OpenURL standard is a protocol for transmission of metadata describing the resource that you wish to access. An OpenURL link contains article metadata and directs it to the OpenURL server of your choice. The OpenURL server can provide access to the resource and also offer complementary services (specific search engine, export of references...). The OpenURL link can be generated by different means.
  • If your librarian has set up your subscription with an OpenURL resolver, OpenURL links appear automatically on the abstract pages.
  • You can define your own OpenURL resolver with your EDPS Account. In this case your choice will be given priority over that of your library.
  • You can use an add-on for your browser (Firefox or I.E.) to display OpenURL links on a page (see http://www.openly.com/openurlref/). You should disable this module if you wish to use the OpenURL server that you or your library have defined.