We present a detailed study of the peculiar HI-deficient Virgo cluster spiral
galaxies NGC 4064 and NGC 4424, using 12CO 1-0 interferometry, optical
imaging and integral-field spectroscopic observations, in order to learn what
type of environmental interactions have afected these galaxies. Optical imaging
reveals that NGC 4424 has a strongly disturbed stellar disk, with banana-shaped
isophotes and shells. NGC 4064, which lies in the cluster outskirts, possesses
a relatively undisturbed outer stellar disk and a central bar. In both galaxies
H-alpha emission is confined to the central kiloparsec. CO observations reveal
bilobal molecular gas morphologies, with H-alpha emission peaking inside the CO
lobes, implying a time sequence in the star formation process.Gas kinematics
reveals strong bar-like non-circular motions in the molecular gas in both
galaxies, suggesting that the material is radially infalling. In NGC 4064 the
stellar kinematics reveal strong bar-like non-circular motions in the central 1
kpc. On the other hand, NGC 4424 has extremely modest stellar rotation
velocities (Vmax ~ 30 km s-1), and stars are supported by random motions as far
out as we can measure it. The observations suggest that the peculiarities of
NGC 4424 are the result of an intermediate-mass merger plus ram pressure
stripping. In the case of NGC 4064, the evidence suggests an already stripped
"truncated/normal" galaxy that recently suffered a minor merger or tidal
interaction with another galaxy. We propose that galaxies with
"truncated/compact" H-alpha morphologies such as these are the result of the
independent effects of ram pressure stripping, which removes gas from the outer
disk, and gravitational interactions such as mergers, which heat stellar disks,
drive gas to the central kpc and increase the central mass concentrations.Comment: 42 pages, 21 figure
