The Outer Disks of Dwarf Irregular Galaxies

TL;DR

This study uses ultra-deep imaging to analyze the structure and star formation in the outer disks of dwarf irregular galaxies, revealing regular exponential profiles and sustained star formation over time despite irregular gas distributions.

Contribution

It provides detailed observational evidence of the regularity and longevity of star formation in the outer disks of dwarf irregular galaxies, challenging existing theories.

Findings

Exponential stellar disks are remarkably regular and extend far into the outer regions.

Star formation in outer disks has been steady over the galaxy’s lifetime.

Gas surface density declines more shallowly than stellar light, with gas marginally stable against collapse.

Abstract

To explore the properties of extreme outer stellar disks, we obtained ultra-deep V and GALEX UV images of 4 dwarf irregular galaxies and one Blue Compact Dwarf galaxy and ultra-deep B images of 3 of these. Our V-band surface photometry extends to 29.5 magnitudes arcsec^-2. We convert the FUV and V-band photometry, along with Halpha photometry, into radial star formation rate profiles that are sensitive to timescales from 10 Myrs to the lifetime of the galaxy. We also compare the stellar distributions, surface brightness profiles, and star formation rate profiles to HI-line emission maps, gas surface density profiles, and gas kinematics. Our data lead us to two general observations: First, the exponential disks in these irregular galaxies are extraordinarily regular. The stellar disks continue to decline exponentially as far as our measurements extend. In spite of lumpiness in the distribution of young stars and HI distributions and kinematics that have significant unordered motions, sporadic processes that have built the disks-star formation, radial movement of stars, and perhaps even perturbations from the outside-have, nevertheless, conspired to produce standard disk profiles. Second, there is a remarkable continuity of star formation throughout these disks over time. In four out of five of our galaxies the star formation rate in the outer disk measured from the FUV tracks that determined from the V-band, to within factors of 5, requiring star formation at a fairly steady rate over the galaxy's lifetime. Yet, the HI surface density profiles generally decline with radius more shallowly than the stellar light, and the gas is marginally gravitationally stable against collapse into clouds. Outer stellar disks are challenging our concepts of star formation and disk growth and provide a critical environment in which to understand processes that mold galaxy disks.