A Forming Wide Polar Ring Galaxy at z~0.05 in the VST Deep Field of the Fornax Cluster

TL;DR

This study presents the first detailed photometric analysis of a candidate forming polar ring galaxy at z~0.05, revealing a warped, debris-filled structure likely formed by ongoing disruption of a companion galaxy.

Contribution

First detailed photometric analysis of a forming polar ring galaxy at low redshift, demonstrating the structure's formation process through galaxy disruption.

Findings

Central galaxy resembles a disk galaxy

Presence of a wide, warped polar ring/disk

Evidence of ongoing disruption and debris formation

Abstract

We present the first deep photometry of a good candidate for a forming polar ring galaxy at redshift z~0.05. This object, named FCSS J033710.0-354727, is a background galaxy in the VST deep field of the Fornax cluster. The deep exposures combined with the high angular resolution of the OmegaCAM at VST allow us to carry out the first detailed photometric analysis for this system in the g and i bands to derive the galaxy structure and colors. Results show that the central object resembles a disk galaxy, surrounded by a ring-like structure 2 times more extended than the central disk. The warped geometry and the presence of bright knots observed along the polar direction, as well as the several debris detected on the NW side with colors comparable to those of the galaxy, suggest that the polar structure is still forming. We argue that the wide polar ring/disk is the result of the ongoing disruption of a companion galaxy in the potential of the central object, which is 2-3 times more massive than the accreting galaxy.