Dwarf Galaxy Candidates Research Articles

Dwarf galaxies in the MATLAS survey: The satellite system of NGC 474 under scrutiny with MUSE

A recent study of the distribution of dwarf galaxies in the MATLAS sample in galaxy groups revealed an excess of flattened satellite structures, reminiscent of the co-rotating planes of dwarf galaxies discovered in the local Universe. If confirmed, this lends credence to the plane-of-satellite problem and further challenges the standard model of hierarchical structure formation. However, with only photometric data and no confirmation of the satellite membership the study could not address the plane-of-satellite problem in full detail . Here we present spectroscopic follow-up observations of one of the most promising planes-of-satellite candidates in the MATLAS survey, the satellite system of NGC\,474. Employing MUSE at the VLT and full spectrum fitting we studied 13 dwarf galaxy candidates and confirmed nine to be members of the field around NGC\,474. Measuring the stellar populations of all observed galaxies, we find that the MATLAS dwarfs have lower metallicities than the Local Group dwarfs at a given luminosity. Two dwarf galaxies may form a pair of satellites based on their close projection and common velocity. Within the virial radius, we do not find a significant plane-of-satellites, however, there is a sub-population of six dwarf galaxies which seem to be anti-correlated in phase-space. Due to the low number of dwarf galaxies, this signal may arise by chance. With over 2000 dwarf galaxy candidates found in the MATLAS survey this remains an intriguing data set to study the plane-of-satellites problem in a statistical fashion once more follow-up observations have been conducted.

H i in High Gas-phase Metallicity Dwarf Galaxy WISEA J230615.06+143927.9

We present resolved Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope H i observations of the high gas-phase metallicity dwarf galaxy WISEA J230615.06+143927.9 (z = 0.005) (hereafter J2306) and investigate whether it could be a Tidal Dwarf Galaxy (TDG) candidate. TDGs are observed to have higher metallicities than normal dwarfs. J2306 has an unusual combination of a blue g − r color of 0.23 mag, irregular optical morphology and high-metallicity (12 + log(O/H) = 8.68 ± 0.14), making it an interesting galaxy to study in more detail. We find J2306 to be an H i rich galaxy with a large extended, unperturbed rotating H i disk. Using our H i data we estimated its dynamical mass and found the galaxy to be dark matter (DM) dominated within its H i radius. The quantity of DM, inferred from its dynamical mass, appears to rule out J2306 as an evolved TDG. A wide area environment search reveals J2306 to be isolated from any larger galaxies which could have been the source of its high gas metallicity. Additionally, the H i morphology and kinematics of the galaxy show no indication of a recent merger to explain the high-metallicity. Further detailed optical spectroscopic observations of J2306 might provide an answer to how a seemingly ordinary irregular dwarf galaxy achieved such a high level of metal enrichment.

Chemical Analysis of the Brightest Star of the Cetus II Ultrafaint Dwarf Galaxy Candidate* * This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

We present a detailed chemical abundance analysis of the brightest star in the ultrafaint dwarf (UFD) galaxy candidate Cetus II from high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectra. For this star, DES J011740.53-173053, abundances or upper limits of 18 elements from carbon to europium are derived. Its chemical abundances generally follow those of other UFD galaxy stars, with a slight enhancement of the α-elements (Mg, Si, and Ca) and low neutron-capture element (Sr, Ba, and Eu) abundances supporting the classification of Cetus II as a likely UFD. The star exhibits lower Sc, Ti, and V abundances than Milky Way (MW) halo stars with similar metallicity. This signature is consistent with yields from a supernova originating from a star with a mass of ∼11.2 M ⊙. In addition, the star has a potassium abundance of [K/Fe] = 0.81, which is somewhat higher than the K abundances of MW halo stars with similar metallicity, a signature that is also present in a number of UFD galaxies. A comparison including globular clusters and stellar stream stars suggests that high K is a specific characteristic of some UFD galaxy stars and can thus be used to help classify objects as UFD galaxies.

New dwarf galaxy candidates in the sphere of influence of the Sombrero galaxy

ABSTRACT We report the discovery of 40 new satellite dwarf galaxy candidates in the sphere of influence of the Sombrero Galaxy (M104), the most luminous galaxy in the Local Volume. Using the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam, we surveyed 14.4 deg2 of its surroundings, extending to the virial radius. Visual inspection of the deep images and galfit modelling yielded a galaxy sample highly complete down to Mg ∼ −9 ($L_{g}\sim 3\times 10^{5}\ \mathrm{ L}_\odot$) and spanning magnitudes −16.4 < Mg < −8 and half-light radii 50 pc < re < 1600 pc assuming the distance of M104. These 40 new candidates, out of which 27 are group members with high confidence, double the number of potential satellites of M104 within the virial radius, placing it among the richest hosts in the Local Volume. Using a principal component analysis, we find that the entire sample of candidates is consistent with an almost circular on-sky distribution, more circular than any comparable environment found in the Illustris TNG100-1 (The Next Generation) simulation. However, the distribution of the high-probability sample is more oblate and consistent with the simulation. The cumulative satellite luminosity function is broadly consistent with analogues from the simulation, albeit it contains no bright satellite with Mg < −16.4 ($L_{g}\sim 3 \times 10^{8}\ \mathrm{ L}_\odot$), a $2.3\, \sigma$ occurrence. Follow-up spectroscopy to confirm group membership will begin to demonstrate how these systems can act as probes of the structure and formation history of the halo of M104.

Metallicity Distribution Functions of 13 Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxy Candidates from Hubble Space Telescope Narrowband Imaging

We present uniformly measured stellar metallicities of 463 stars in 13 Milky Way (MW) ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; M V = −7.1 to −0.8) using narrowband CaHK (F395N) imaging taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. This represents the largest homogeneous set of stellar metallicities in UFDs, increasing the number of metallicities in these 13 galaxies by a factor of 5 and doubling the number of metallicities in all known MW UFDs. We provide the first well-populated MDFs for all galaxies in this sample, with 〈[Fe/H]〉 ranging from −3.0 to −2.0 dex, and σ [Fe/H] ranging from 0.3–0.7 dex. We find a nearly constant [Fe/H]∼ −2.6 over 3 decades in luminosity (∼102–105 L ⊙), suggesting that the mass–metallicity relationship does not hold for such faint systems. We find a larger fraction (24%) of extremely metal-poor ([Fe/H]< −3) stars across our sample compared to the literature (14%), but note that uncertainties in our most metal-poor measurements make this an upper limit. We find 19% of stars in our UFD sample to be metal-rich ([Fe/H] > −2), consistent with the sum of literature spectroscopic studies. MW UFDs are known to be predominantly >13 Gyr old, meaning that all stars in our sample are truly ancient, unlike metal-poor stars in the MW, which have a range of possible ages. Our UFD metallicities are not well matched to known streams in the MW, providing further evidence that known MW substructures are not related to UFDs. We include a catalog of our stars to encourage community follow-up studies, including priority targets for ELT-era observations.

SRG/eROSITA catalogue of X-ray active SDSS dwarf galaxies

ABSTRACT We present a sample of 99 dwarf galaxies (M* &amp;lt; 109.5 M⊙) with X-ray activity in their central regions. The sample was obtained from a match of the SRG/eROSITA X-ray catalogue in the eastern galactic hemisphere with the MPA-JHU SDSS catalogue. The obtained matches were cleaned rigorously with the help of external optical catalogues to increase the purity of the sample. This work is the largest study of this kind – X-ray activity in ≈85 per cent of matched dwarfs was not reported before. The majority of X-ray active dwarfs are identified as star-forming galaxies. However, the X-ray luminosity of 82 objects cannot be explained by the collective emission of X-ray binaries, rendering them strong candidates for dwarf galaxies with an active accreting black hole in their centre. We find that the fraction of AGN among dwarf galaxies drops from ∼2 · 10−2 at LX ∼ 1039 erg s–1 to ∼(2 − 4) · 10−4 at LX ∼ 1041 erg s–1 and increases with the stellar mass of the host galaxy. We serendipitously discovered sources with unexpected properties. We report on a tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate in a dwarf galaxy, a massive black hole in a dwarf galaxy with a soft thermal spectrum, a luminous dwarf galaxy with an obscured X-ray spectrum and a few other peculiar sources. We found three Ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) source candidates and a sample of X-ray bright galaxy pairs, in four of which both members shine in X-rays.

A Search for Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxies in the Local Universe with ALFALFA and the WIYN One Degree Imager

We present results from an optical search for Local Group dwarf galaxy candidates associated with the Ultra-Compact High Velocity Clouds (UCHVCs) discovered by the ALFALFA neutral hydrogen survey. The ALFALFA UCHVCs are isolated, compact H i clouds with projected sizes, velocities, and estimated H i masses that suggest they may be nearby dwarf galaxies, but that have no clear counterpart in existing optical survey data. We observed 26 UCHVCs with the WIYN 3.5 m telescope and One Degree Imager (ODI) in two broadband filters and searched the images for resolved stars with properties that match those of stars in typical dwarf galaxies at distances <2.5 Mpc. We identify one promising dwarf galaxy candidate at a distance of ∼570 kpc associated with the UCHVC AGC 268071, and five other candidates that may deserve additional follow-up. We carry out a detailed analysis of ODI imaging of a UCHVC that is close in both projected distance and radial velocity to the outer-halo Milky Way globular cluster Pal 3. We also use our improved detection methods to reanalyze images of five UCHVCs that were found to have possible optical counterparts during the first phase of the project, and confirm the detection of a possible stellar counterpart to the UCHVC AGC 249525 at an estimated distance of ∼2 Mpc. We compare the optical and H i properties of the dwarf galaxy candidates to the results from recent theoretical simulations that model satellite galaxy populations in group environments, as well as to the observed properties of galaxies in and around the Local Group.

Dwarf galaxy discoveries from the KMTNet supernova programme – III. The Milky-Way analogue NGC 2997 group

ABSTRACT We present the discovery of 48 new and the analysis of 55, including seven previously discovered dwarf galaxy candidates (DGCs) around the giant spiral galaxy NGC 2997 using deep BVI images from the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network Supernova Programme. Their V-band central surface brightness and total absolute magnitudes are in the range of 20.3–26.7 mag arcsec−2 and −(8.02–17.69) mag, respectively, while the I-band effective radii are 0.14–2.97 kpc. We obtain $\alpha \, \simeq$ −1.43 ± 0.02 for the faint-end slope of their luminosity function, comparable to previously measured values but shallower than theoretical predictions based on Λ cold dark matter models. The distance-independent distributions of their mass and colour suggest that the group could have recently accreted new massive members from the surrounding fields. The systematically bluer colours of the brighter members indicate younger stellar population and higher star formation activities in them, which appears to be consistent with similar findings from the SAGA or ELVES survey. We suggest that the massive and bluer dwarf galaxies in the group have experienced less environmental quenching due to their recent accretion, while environmental quenching has been more effective for the low-mass members. The interpretation of NGC 2997 being populationally young with recent accretion of massive members is also consistent with the overall morphological distribution of the dwarf galaxies showing a lack of morphologically evolved candidates but a plethora of irregularly shaped ones. Our detection rate of DGCs in the NGC 2997 group and their inferred star formation activities are comparable to those found in Milky Way analogue systems from recent surveys within the magnitude limit M$_{V}\, \lesssim$ −13 mag.

Discovery of a New Local Group Dwarf Galaxy Candidate in UNIONS: Boötes V

We present the discovery of Boötes V, a new ultra-faint dwarf galaxy (UFD) candidate. This satellite is detected as a resolved overdensity of stars during an ongoing search for new Local Group dwarf galaxy candidates in the UNIONS photometric data set. It has a physical half-light radius of pc, a V-band magnitude of −4.5 ± 0.4 mag, and resides at a heliocentric distance of approximately 100 kpc. We use Gaia DR3 astrometry to identify member stars, characterize the systemic proper motion, and confirm the reality of this faint stellar system. The brightest star in this system was followed up using Gemini GMOS-N long-slit spectroscopy and is measured to have a metallicity of [Fe/H] = −2.85 ± 0.10 dex and a heliocentric radial velocity of v r = 5.1 ± 13.4 km s−1. Boötes V is larger (in terms of scale radius), more distant, and more metal-poor than the vast majority of globular clusters. It is likely that Boötes V is an UFD, though future spectroscopic studies will be necessary to definitively classify this object.

New dwarf galaxy candidates in the sphere of influence of the Local Volume spiral galaxy NGC2683

ABSTRACT We present initial results of a survey of host L* galaxies environments in the Local Volume ($D\lt 10\,$ Mpc) searching for satellite dwarf galaxy candidates using the wide-field Hyper Suprime-Cam imager on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This paper presents complete results on NGC2683 ($M_{B_T,0}=-19.62$, $D=9.36\, \mathrm{ Mpc}$, $v_{\odot }=411\, \mathrm{ km\, s}^{-1}$), an isolated Sc spiral galaxy in the Leo Spur. At the distance of NGC2683, we image the complete volume out to projected radii of $380\, \mathrm{ kpc}$ using a hexagonal arrangement of 7 pointings. Direct inspection of the images is complete down to Mg ∼ −11 and has revealed four new satellite galaxy candidates, two of which have been independently discovered by other researchers. Assuming the distance of NGC2683, these candidates span luminosities −12 &amp;lt; Mg &amp;lt; −9 and effective radii 150 pc &amp;lt;re &amp;lt; 1100 pc and are found to be morphologically reminiscent of satellite galaxies in the Local Group. These four new candidates add to the eight already known. A principle component analysis of the 2D projected distribution of the 12 satellite galaxies of NGC2683 reveals a flattened projected disc of satellites, with axis ratio b/a = 0.23. This flattening in the 2D projected system of satellites is a 1 per cent outlier of simulated isotropic satellite systems but is mostly consistent with satellite distributions of comparable galaxy environments in the IllustrisTNG simulation. This indicates the possible presence of a satellite plane, which will need to be investigated with follow-up observations.

New Local Volume Dwarf Galaxy Candidates from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys

We undertook a search for new dwarf galaxies in the vicinity of relatively isolated nearby galaxies with distances $D < 12$ Mpc and stellar masses in the $2\times10^{11}-3\times10^8~M_{\odot}$ interval, using the data from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys. Around the 46 considered Local Volume galaxies, $67$ new candidates for satellites of these galaxies were found. About half of them are classified as spheroidal dwarfs of low surface brightness. The new galaxies are included in the Local Volume database (LVGDB), which now contains 1421 objects, being 63% more than the Updated Nearby Galaxy Catalog.

Ultrafaint Dwarf Galaxy Candidates in the M81 Group: Signatures of Group Accretion

The faint and ultrafaint dwarf galaxies in the Local Group form the observational bedrock upon which our understanding of small-scale cosmology rests. In order to understand whether this insight generalizes, it is imperative to use resolved-star techniques to discover similarly faint satellites in nearby galaxy groups. We describe our search for ultrafaint galaxies in the M81 group using deep ground-based resolved-star data sets from Subaru’s Hyper Suprime-Cam. We present one new ultrafaint dwarf galaxy in the M81 group and identify five additional extremely low surface brightness candidate ultrafaint dwarfs that reach deep into the ultrafaint regime to M V ∼ − 6 (similar to current limits for Andromeda satellites). These candidates’ luminosities and sizes are similar to known Local Group dwarf galaxies Tucana B, Canes Venatici I, Hercules, and Boötes I. Most of these candidates are likely to be real, based on tests of our techniques on blank fields. Intriguingly, all of these candidates are spatially clustered around NGC 3077, which is itself an M81 group satellite in an advanced state of tidal disruption. This is somewhat surprising, as M81 itself and its largest satellite M82 are both substantially more massive than NGC 3077 and, by virtue of their greater masses, would have been expected to host as many or more ultrafaint candidates. These results lend considerable support to the idea that satellites of satellites are an important contribution to the growth of satellite populations around Milky Way–mass galaxies.

Gaia early DR3 systemic motions of Local Group dwarf galaxies and orbital properties with a massive Large Magellanic Cloud

Aims. We perform a comprehensive determination of the systemic proper motions of 74 dwarf galaxies and dwarf galaxy candidates in the Local Group based on Gaia early data release 3. The outputs of the analysis for each galaxy, including probabilities of membership, will be made publicly available. The analysis is augmented by a determination of the orbital properties of galaxies within 500 kpc. Methods. We adopt a flexible Bayesian methodology presented in the literature, which takes into account the location of the stars on the sky, on the colour-magnitude diagram, and on the proper motion plane. We applied some modifications, in particular to the way the colour-magnitude diagram and spectroscopic information are factored in, for example, by including stars in several evolution phases. The bulk motions were integrated in three gravitational potentials: two where the Milky Way was treated in isolation and has a mass 0.9 &amp; 1.6 × 1012 M⊙, and a time-varying potential, which includes the infall of a massive Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Results. We were able to determine bulk proper motions for 73 systems, and we consider 66 to be reliable measurements. For the first time, systemic motions are presented for galaxies out to a distance of 1.4 Mpc in the NGC 3109 association. The inclusion of the infall of a massive LMC significantly modifies the orbital trajectories of the objects, with respect to orbit integration in static Milky-Way-only potentials, and this leads to six galaxies likely being associated with the LMC, three possibly being associated with it, and one recently captured object. We discuss the results of the orbit integration in the context of the relation of the galaxies to the system of Milky Way satellites, implications for the too-big-to-fail problem, the impact on star formation histories, and tidal disruption.

Stellar mass segregation as separating classifier between globular clusters and ultrafaint dwarf galaxies

ABSTRACT We have determined the amount of stellar mass segregation in over 50 globular clusters and ultrafaint dwarf galaxy candidates based on deep HST- and ground-based photometry. We find that the amount of mass segregation in globular clusters is strongly correlated with their relaxation time and that all clusters with relaxation times of the order of their ages or longer have little to no mass segregation. For each cluster, the amount of mass segregation seen is fully compatible with the amount expected by dynamical evolution from initially unsegregated clusters, showing that globular clusters formed without primordial mass segregation among their low-mass stars. Ultrafaint dwarf galaxy candidates split into two groups, star clusters which follow the same trend between relaxation time and amount of mass segregation as globular clusters and dark-matter dominated dwarf galaxies that are unsegregated despite having relaxation times smaller than a Hubble time. Stellar abundance and velocity dispersion data, where available, confirm our classification. After classification of the ultrafaint dwarf galaxy candidates, we find that outer halo star clusters have average densities inside their half-light radii of 0.03 ≲ ρh ≲ 1 M⊙ pc–3, while dwarf galaxies have stellar densities of 0.001 ≲ ρh ≲ 0.03 M⊙ pc–3. The reason for this separation in density is most likely a combination of the initial conditions by which the systems formed and the requirement to withstand external tidal forces.

Ultra diffuse galaxies in the MATLAS low-to-moderate density fields

Recent advances in deep dedicated imaging surveys over the past decade have uncovered a surprisingly large number of extremely faint low surface brightness galaxies with large physical sizes called ultra diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in clusters and, more recently, in lower density environments. As part of the Mass Assembly of early-Type GaLAxies with their fine Structures (MATLAS) survey, a deep imaging large program at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), our team has identified 2210 dwarf galaxies, 59 (∼3%) of which qualify as UDGs. Averaging over the survey area, we find ∼0.4 UDG per square degree. They are found in a range of low to moderate density environments, although 61% of the sample fall within the virial radii of groups. Based on a detailed analysis of their photometric and structural properties, we find that the MATLAS UDGs do not show significant differences from the traditional dwarfs, except from the predefined size and surface brightness cut. Their median color is as red as the one measured in galaxy clusters, albeit with a narrower color range. The majority of the UDGs are visually classified as dwarf ellipticals with log stellar masses of ∼6.5 − 8.7. The fraction of nucleated UDGs (∼34%) is roughly the same as the nucleated fraction of the traditional dwarfs. Only five (∼8%) UDGs show signs of tidal disruption and only two are tidal dwarf galaxy candidates. A study of globular cluster (GC) candidates selected in the CFHT images finds no evidence of a higher GC specific frequencySNfor UDGs than for classical dwarfs, contrary to what is found in most clusters. The UDG halo-to-stellar mass ratio distribution, as estimated from the GC counts, peaks at roughly the same value as for the traditional dwarfs, but spans the smaller range of ∼10 − 2000. We interpret these results to mean that the large majority of the field-to-group UDGs do not have a different formation scenario than traditional dwarfs.

The dwarf galaxy population in nearby clusters from the KIWICS survey

ABSTRACT We analyse a sample of 12 galaxy clusters, from the Kapteyn IAC WEAVE INT Cluster Survey (KIWICS) looking for dwarf galaxy candidates. By using photometric data in the r and g bands from the Wide Field Camera (WFC) at the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT), we select a sample of bright dwarf galaxies (M$_r\, \le$ −15.5 mag) in each cluster and analyse their spatial distribution, stellar colour, and as well as their Sérsic index and effective radius. We quantify the dwarf fraction inside the R200 radius of each cluster, which ranges from ∼0.7 to ∼0.9. Additionally, when comparing the fraction in the inner region with the outermost region of the clusters, we find that the fraction of dwarfs tends to increase going to the outer regions. We also study the clustercentric distance distribution of dwarf and giant galaxies (M$_r\, \lt $ −19.0 mag), and in half of the clusters of our sample, the dwarfs are distributed in a statistically different way as the giants, with the giant galaxies being closer to the cluster centre. We analyse the stellar colour of the dwarf candidates and quantify the fraction of blue dwarfs inside the R200 radius, which is found to be less than ∼0.4, but increases with distance from the cluster centre. Regarding the structural parameters, the Sérsic index for the dwarfs we visually classify as early-type dwarfs tends to be higher in the inner region of the cluster. These results indicate the role that the cluster environment plays in shaping the observational properties of low-mass haloes.

A Deeper Look at DES Dwarf Galaxy Candidates: Grus i and Indus ii

Abstract We present deep g- and r-band Magellan/Megacam photometry of two dwarf galaxy candidates discovered in the Dark Energy Survey (DES), Grus i and Indus ii (DES J2038–4609). For the case of Grus i, we resolved the main sequence turn-off (MSTO) and ∼2 mags below it. The MSTO can be seen at g 0 ∼ 24 with a photometric uncertainty of 0.03 mag. We show Grus i to be consistent with an old, metal-poor (∼13.3 Gyr, [Fe/H] ∼ −1.9) dwarf galaxy. We derive updated distance and structural parameters for Grus i using this deep, uniform, wide-field data set. We find an azimuthally-averaged halflight radius more than two times larger (∼151+21 −31 pc; ∼ 4 .′ 16 − 0.74 + 0.54 ) and an absolute V-band magnitude ∼−4.1 that is ∼1 magnitude brighter than previous studies. We obtain updated distance, ellipticity, and centroid parameters that are in agreement with other studies within uncertainties. Although our photometry of Indus ii is ∼2–3 magnitudes deeper than the DES Y1 public release, we find no coherent stellar population at its reported location. The original detection was located in an incomplete region of sky in the DES Y2Q1 data set and was flagged due to potential blue horizontal branch member stars. The best-fit isochrone parameters are physically inconsistent with both dwarf galaxies and globular clusters. We conclude that Indus ii is likely a false positive, flagged due to a chance alignment of stars along the line of sight.

Searching for Dwarf Galaxies in Gaia DR2 Phase-space Data Using Wavelet Transforms

Abstract We present a wavelet-based algorithm to identify dwarf galaxies in the Milky Way in Gaia DR2 data. Our algorithm detects overdensities in 4D position–proper-motion space, making it the first search to explicitly use velocity information to search for dwarf galaxy candidates. We optimize our algorithm and quantify its performance by searching for mock dwarfs injected into Gaia DR2 data and for known Milky Way satellite galaxies. Comparing our results with previous photometric searches, we find that our search is sensitive to undiscovered systems at Galactic latitudes ∣b∣ &gt; 20° and with half-light radii larger than the 50% detection efficiency threshold for Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) at (i) absolute magnitudes of −7 &lt; M V &lt; −3 and distances of 32 kpc &lt; D &lt; 64 kpc, and (ii) M V &lt; −4 and 64 kpc &lt; D &lt; 128 kpc. Based on these results, we predict that our search is expected to discover 5 ± 2 new satellite galaxies: four in the PS1 footprint and one outside the Dark Energy Survey and PS1 footprints. We apply our algorithm to the Gaia DR2 data set and recover ∼830 high-significance candidates, out of which we identify a “gold standard” list of ∼200 candidates based on cross-matching with potential candidates identified in a preliminary search using Gaia EDR3 data. All of our candidate lists are publicly distributed for future follow-up studies. We show that improvements in astrometric measurements provided by Gaia EDR3 increase the sensitivity of this technique; we plan to continue to refine our candidate list using future data releases.

Interacting system NGC 7805/6 (Arp 112) and its tidal dwarf galaxy candidate

We present results from our Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) Hi, Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) Hα, 1 m Sampurnanand Telescope (ST) and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope (DFOT) deep optical observations of the NGC 7805/6 (Arp 112) system to test KUG 2359+311’s tidal dwarf galaxy (TDG) candidacy and explore the properties of the interacting system. Our GMRT H I map shows no H I detection associated with KUG 2359+311, nor any H I tail or bridge-like structure connecting KUG 2359+311 to the NGC 7805/6 system. Our HCT Hα image, on the other hand, displays strong detections in KUG 2359+311, with net SFR ∼ 0.035 ± 0.009 M ⊙ yr−1. The Hα data constrain the redshift of KUG 2359+311 to 0.00 ≤ z ≤ 0.043, compared to the redshift of NGC 7806 of ∼ 0.015. TDGs detected to date have all been H i rich, and displayed H i, ionised gas and stellar tidal debris trails (bridges or tails) linking them to their parent systems. However, neither our H i data nor our optical imaging, while three magnitudes deeper than SDSS, reveals a tidal trail connecting KUG 2359+311 to NGC 7805/6. Lack of H i, presence of an old stellar population, ongoing star formation and reasonably high SFR compared to normal dwarf galaxies suggest that KUG 2359+311 may not be an Arp 112 TDG. It is most likely a case of a regular gas-rich dwarf galaxy undergoing a morphological transformation after having lost its entire gas content to an interaction with the Arp 112 system. Redshift and metallicity from future spectroscopic observations of KUG 2359+311 would help clarify the nature of this enigmatic structure.

MADHAT: Model-Agnostic Dark Halo Analysis Tool

We present the Model-Agnostic Dark Halo Analysis Tool (MADHAT), a numerical tool which implements a Fermi-LAT data-driven, model-independent analysis of gamma-ray emission from dwarf satellite galaxies and dwarf galaxy candidates due to dark matter annihilation, dark matter decay, or other nonstandard or unknown astrophysics. This tool efficiently provides statistical upper bounds on the number of observed photons in excess of the number expected, based on empirical determinations of foregrounds and backgrounds, using a stacked analysis of any selected set of dwarf targets. It also calculates the resulting bounds on the properties of dark matter under any assumptions the user makes regarding dark sector particle physics or astrophysics. As an application, we determine new bounds on Sommerfeld-enhanced dark matter annihilation in a set of eight dwarfs. MADHAT v1.0 includes 58 dwarfs and dwarf candidate targets, and we discuss future planned developments. MADHAT is available and will be maintained at https://github.com/MADHATdm. Program summaryProgram title: MADHATCPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/j4sd354jjr.1Developer’s repository link: https://github.com/MADHATdmLicensing provisions: MITProgramming language: C++Nature of problem: MADHAT is an efficient numerical tool that provides statistical limits on the number of observed photons coming from dark matter annihilation/decay or other nonstandard or unknown astrophysics by implementing a Fermi-LAT data-driven, model-independent analysis of gamma-ray emission from dwarf satellite galaxies and dwarf galaxy candidates.Solution method: MADHAT efficiently provides statistical upper bounds on the number of observed photons in excess of the number expected, based on empirical determinations of foregrounds and backgrounds, using a quick stacked analysis of any selected set of dwarf targets. The formalism relies on statistical estimates of the foreground/background gamma-ray flux along the observational line of sight. It also calculates the resulting bounds on the properties of dark matter under any assumptions the user makes regarding dark sector particle physics or astrophysics. MADHAT is dependent on Boost libraries.