The dynamical state of bars in cluster dwarf galaxies: the cases of NGC 4483 and NGC 4516

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dwarf barred galaxies are the perfect candidates for hosting slowly rotating bars. They are common in dense environments and have a relatively shallow potential well, making them prone to heating by interactions. When an interaction induces bar formation, the bar should rotate slowly. They reside in massive and centrally concentrated dark matter haloes, which slow down the bar rotation through dynamical friction. While predictions suggest that slow bars should be common, measurements of bar pattern speed, using the Tremaine–Weinberg method, show that bars are mostly fast in the local Universe. We present a photometric and kinematic characterization of bars hosted by two dwarf galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, NGC 4483, and NGC 4516. We derive the bar length and strength using the Next Generation Virgo Survey imaging and the circular velocity, bar pattern speed, and rotation rate using spectroscopy from the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. Including the previously studied galaxy IC 3167, we compare the bar properties of the three dwarf galaxies with those of their massive counterparts from literature. Bars in the dwarf galaxies are shorter and weaker, and rotate slightly slower with respect to those in massive galaxies. This could be due to a different bar formation mechanism and/or to a large dark matter fraction in the centre of dwarf galaxies. We show that it is possible to push the application of the Tremaine–Weinberg method to the galaxy low-mass regime.