A Morphological Classification Scheme for ULIRGs: Evidence for Multiple Mergers

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dc.creatorBorne, K. D.
dc.creatorBushouse, H.
dc.creatorColina, L.
dc.creatorLucas, R. A.
dc.creatorBaker, A.
dc.creatorClements, D.
dc.creatorLawrence, A.
dc.creatorRowan-Robinson, M.
dc.date1999-02-19
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T06:28:33Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T06:28:33Z
dc.descriptionWe have used the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to study a large sample of ultraluminous IR galaxies (ULIRGs). With a rich legacy database of 150 high-resolution images, we are studying the fine-scale structure of this unique collection of violently starbursting systems. We review here some of the latest results from our survey. We present a simple morphological classification scheme, consisting of 4 ULIRG classes, showing that there is very little luminosity variation (in the mean) between the classes, and that there is equal likelihood of a ULIRG being a recent merger (single) as an on-going collision (multiple). It now appears that the fraction of ULIRGs that show evidence for interaction or merging is very close to 100%. A star-like nucleus is seen in about 15% of the ULIRGs, for which the dominant power source may be a dust-enshrouded AGN/QSO. Many of the results on ULIRGs are pointing to a complicated dynamical history for this sample of galaxies. One possible explanation for this dynamical diversity is the multiple-merger model proposed by Taniguchi & Shioya (1998, ApJ, 501, L167). We present strong observational evidence for multiple mergers among a large fraction of our ULIRG sample. If this is a valid model, then ULIRGs could be the merger remnants of an earlier generation of compact groups of galaxies.
dc.description6 pages, 2 Postscript figures, uses crckapb.sty and psfig.sty. Refereed paper, to be published in "Astrophysics and Space Science", for the proceedings of the Ringberg (Germany, Sept.98) conference: "Ultraluminous Galaxies: Monsters or Babies"
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9902293
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9902293
dc.identifierAstrophys.Space Sci. 266 (1999) 137-142
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/97732
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleA Morphological Classification Scheme for ULIRGs: Evidence for Multiple Mergers
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