The HI in Ring Galaxies Survey (HI-RINGS) -- Effects of the bar on the HI gas in ring galaxies

We present a new high-resolution neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) survey of ring galaxies using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). We target a sample of 24 ring galaxies from the Buta (1995) Southern Ring Galaxy Survey Catalogue in order to study the origin of resonance-, collisional- and interaction-driven ring galaxies. In this work, we present an overview of the sample and study their global and resolved HI properties. In addition, we also probe their star formation properties by measuring their star formation rates (SFR) and their resolved SFR surface density profiles. We find that a majority of the barred galaxies in our sample are HI deficient, alluding to the effects of the bar in driving their HI deficiency. Furthermore, for the secularly evolving barred ring galaxies in our sample, we apply Lindblad's resonance theory to predict the location of the resonance rings and find very good agreement between predictions and observations. We identify rings of HI gas and/or star formation co-located at one or the other major resonances. Lastly, we measure the bar pattern speed ($\Omega_{\textrm{bar}}$) for a sub-sample of our galaxies and find that the values range from 10 -- 90 km s$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-1}$, in good agreement with previous studies.Comment: Accepted for publication in PAS

Group pre-processing versus cluster ram-pressure stripping: the case of ESO156−G029

We report on observations of ESO156−G029, member of a galaxy group which is positioned at the virial radius of cluster Abell 3193. ESO156−G029 is located ∼1.4 Mpc in projected distance from the brightest cluster galaxy NGC1500. We show that ESO156−G029 has disturbed gas kinematics and a highly asymmetric neutral hydrogen (H i) distribution, which are consequences of group pre-processing, and possibly of ram pressure. Based on the current data we propose a scenario in which ESO156−G029 had a minor gas-rich merger in the past and now starts to experience ram pressure. We infer that the galaxy will undergo rapid evolution once it gets closer to the cluster centre (less than 0.5 Mpc) where ram pressure is strong enough to begin stripping the H i from the galaxy

Angular momentum regulates H i gas content and H i central hole size in the discs of spirals

International audienceThe neutral atomic hydrogen (H I) content of spiral galaxies has been observed to vary with environment, with more H I-deficient spirals residing in high-density environments. This can be attributed to environmental effects such as ram pressure stripping and tidal interactions, which remove H I from the discs of galaxies. However, some spirals in low-density environments have also been observed to have relatively low H I mass fractions. The low densities of the intergalactic medium and lack of nearby galaxies in such environments make ram pressure stripping and tidal interactions unlikely candidates of gas removal. What then could be making these spirals HI deficient? Obreschkow et al. introduced a parameter-free model for the neutral atomic gas fraction (f atm), in a symmetric equilibrium disc as a function of the global atomic stability parameter (q), which depends on specific angular momentum. In order to examine if this model accounts for H I-deficient galaxies in low-density environments, we have used the M H I −M R scaling relation to select six H I-deficient spiral galaxies and observed them with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. By measuring their f atm and q values we find that the galaxies owe their observed H I deficiencies to low specific angular momenta. Additionally, we also find that the central H I hole sizes of our sample galaxies are related to their q values, following the prediction of Obreschkow et al. This result brings to light the importance of angular momentum in understanding the physics of the interstellar medium in the discs of galaxies and consequently their evolution

A new measurement of the Hubble constant using Type Ia supernovae calibrated with surface brightness fluctuations

We present a new calibration of the peak absolute magnitude of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) based on the surface brightness fluctuations (SBF) method, aimed at measuring the value of the Hubble constant. We build a sample of calibrating anchors consisting of 24 SNe hosted in galaxies that have SBF distance measurements. Applying a hierarchical Bayesian approach, we calibrate the SN Ia peak luminosity and extend the Hubble diagram into the Hubble flow by using a sample of 96 SNe Ia in the redshift range 0.02 < z < 0.075, which was extracted from the Combined Pantheon Sample. We estimate a value of H0 = 70.50 ± 2.37 (stat.) ± 3.38 (sys.) km s−1 Mpc−1 (i.e., 3.4% stat., 4.8% sys.), which is in agreement with the value obtained using the tip of the red giant branch calibration. It is also consistent, within errors, with the value obtained from SNe Ia calibrated with Cepheids or the value inferred from the analysis of the cosmic microwave background. We find that the SNe Ia distance moduli calibrated with SBF are on average larger by 0.07 mag than those calibrated with Cepheids. Our results point to possible differences among SNe in different types of galaxies, which could originate from different local environments and/or progenitor properties of SNe Ia. Sampling different host galaxy types, SBF offers a complementary approach to using Cepheids, which is important in addressing possible systematics. As the SBF method has the ability to reach larger distances than Cepheids, the impending entry of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and JWST into operation will increase the number of SNe Ia hosted in galaxies where SBF distances can be measured, making SBF measurements attractive for improving the calibration of SNe Ia, as well as in the estimation of H0