Dwarf spiral galaxy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A dwarf spiral galaxy is the dwarf version of a spiral galaxy. Dwarf galaxies are characterized as having low luminosities, small diameters (less than 5 kpc), low surface brightnesses, and low hydrogen masses.[1] The galaxies may be considered a subclass of low surface brightness galaxies.

Dwarf spiral galaxies, particularly the dwarf counterparts of Sa-Sc type spiral galaxies, are quite rare. In contrast, dwarf elliptical galaxies, dwarf irregular galaxies, and the dwarf versions of Sm type galaxies (which may be considered transitory between spiral and irregular in terms of morphology) are very common.[1]

[edit] Location

Most identified dwarf spiral galaxies are located outside clusters.[citation needed] Strong gravitational interactions between galaxies and interactions between galaxies and intracluster gas are expected to destroy the disks of most dwarf spiral galaxies.[1][2] Nonetheless, dwarf galaxies with spiral-like structure have been identified within the Virgo Cluster and Coma Cluster.[3][4][2][5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c J. M. Schombert, R. A. Pildis, J. A. Eder, A. Oelmer, Jr. (1995). "Dwarf Spirals". Astronomical Journal 110: 2067–2074. doi:10.1086/117669. 
  2. ^ a b A. W. Graham, H. Jerjen, R. Guzmán (2003). "Hubble Space Telescope Detection of Spiral Structure in Two Coma Cluster Dwarf Galaxies". Astronomical Journal 126: 1787–1793. doi:10.1086/378166. 
  3. ^ H. Jerjen, A. Kalnajs, B. Binggeli (2000). "IC3328: A "dwarf elliptical galaxy" with spiral structure". Astronomy and Astrophysics 358: 845–849. 
  4. ^ F. D. Barazza, B. Binggeli, H. Jerjen (2002). "More evidence for hidden spiral and bar features in bright early-type dwarf galaxies". Astronomy and Astrophysics 391: 823–831. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20020875. 
  5. ^ T. Lisker, E. K. Grebel, B. Binggeli (2006). "Virgo Cluster Early-Type Dwarf Galaxies with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. I. On the Possible Disk Nature of Bright Early-Type Dwarfs". Astronomical Journal 132: 497–513. doi:10.1086/505045. 


This galaxy-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.