The pride of lions around Messier 105

TL;DR

This study identifies new dwarf galaxies in the Leo-I group using DECaLS data, analyzes the group's structure, luminosity function, and mass properties, and compares it with a neighboring group, revealing insights into galaxy group characteristics.

Contribution

First identification of five new dwarf galaxy members in the Leo-I group using DECaLS data, along with detailed analysis of the group's structure, mass, and luminosity function.

Findings

The Leo-I group has 83 galaxies, with 33 having measured radial velocities.

The group shows no significant flat or filamentary substructures.

The luminosity function is deficient in galaxies with $M_B$ between -18 and -15 mag.

Abstract

We undertook a search for new dwarf galaxies in the Leo-I group using the data from the DECaLS digital sky survey. Five new presumed members of this group have been found in a wide vicinity of ${\rm M}\,105 ({\rm NGC}\,3379$). Currently, the group has a population of $83$ galaxies, $33$ of which have measured radial velocities. More than half of the group members belong to early types with no signs of ongoing star formation. About a quarter of the galaxies are outside the group's virial radius, $R_v = 385$~kpc. The presence of multiple systems with a size of about 15~kpc is evident in the group, but there are no noticeable global flat or filamentary substructures. The luminosity function of the group looks to be deficient in galaxies with absolute magnitudes in the interval $M_B = [-18, -15]$ mag. The ${\rm M}\,105$ group is characterized by a radial velocity dispersion of $136$~km~s$^{-1}$, orbital mass estimate $(5.76\pm1.32)\times 10^{12}~M_{\odot}$, and the total mass-to-K-band-luminosity ratio $(17.8\pm4.1) M_\odot/L_\odot$. The neighboring group of galaxies around ${\rm M}\,66 ({\rm NGC}\,3627$) has a similar virial radius, $390$~kpc, velocity dispersion, $135$~km~s$^{-1}$, and total mass-to-luminosity ratio, $(15.6\pm3.9) M_\odot/L_\odot$. Both groups in the Leo constellation are approaching the Local Group with a velocity of about 100~km~s$^{-1}$. In the background of the ${\rm M}\,105$ group, we noted a group of 6 galaxies with an unusually low virial mass-to-luminosity ratio, $M_T/L_K = (4.1\pm2.2) M_\odot/L_\odot$.