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NGC 5523: An isolated product of soft galaxy mergers?

2016; EDP Sciences; Volume: 598; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1051/0004-6361/201628070

1432-0746

Leah Fulmer, J. S. Gallagher, Ralf Kotulla,

Astronomy and Astrophysical Research

Multi-band images of the very isolated spiral galaxy NGC 5523 show a number of unusual features consistent with NGC 5523 having experienced a significant merger. (1) Near-infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) and the WIYN 3.5-m telescope reveal a nucleated bulge-like structure embedded in a spiral disk; (2) the bulge is offset by ~1.8 kpc from a brightness minimum at the center of the optically bright inner disk; (3) a tidal stream, possibly associated with an ongoing satellite interaction, extends from the nucleated bulge along the disk. We interpret these properties as the results of one or more non-disruptive mergers between NGC 5523 and companion galaxies or satellites, raising the possibility that some galaxies become isolated because they have merged with former companions.