We present the Pilot Survey Phase 2 data release for the Wide-field ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY (WALLABY), carried-out using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). We present 1760 H i detections (with a default spatial resolution of 30′′) from three pilot fields including the NGC 5044 and NGC 4808 groups as well as the Vela field, covering a total of $\sim 180$ deg$^2$ of the sky and spanning a redshift up to $z \simeq 0.09$. This release also includes kinematic models for over 126 spatially resolved galaxies. The observed median rms noise in the image cubes is 1.7 mJy per 30′′ beam and 18.5 kHz channel. This corresponds to a 5$\sigma$ H i column density sensitivity of $\sim 9.1\times10^{19}(1 + z)^4$ cm$^{-2}$ per 30′′ beam and $\sim 20$ km s$^{-1}$ channel and a 5$\sigma$ H i mass sensitivity of $\sim 5.5\times10^8 (D/100$ Mpc)$^{2}$ M$_{\odot}$ for point sources. Furthermore, we also present for the first time 12′′ high-resolution images (“cut-outs”) and catalogues for a sub-sample of 80 sources from the Pilot Survey Phase 2 fields. While we are able to recover sources with lower signal-to-noise ratio compared to sources in the Public Data Release 1, we do note that some data quality issues still persist, notably, flux discrepancies that are linked to the impact of side lobes associated with the dirty beams due to inadequate deconvolution. However, in spite of these limitations, the WALLABY Pilot Survey Phase 2 has already produced roughly a third of the number of HIPASS sources, making this the largest spatially resolved H i sample from a single survey to date.

We present the Widefield ASKAP L-band Legacy All-sky Blind surveY (WALLABY) Pilot Phase I Hi kinematic models. This first data release consists of Hi observations of three fields in the direction of the Hydra and Norma clusters, and the NGC 4636 galaxy group. In this paper, we describe how we generate and publicly release flat-disk tilted-ring kinematic models for 109/592 unique Hi detections in these fields. The modelling method adopted here—which we call the WALLABY Kinematic Analysis Proto-Pipeline (WKAPP) and for which the corresponding scripts are also publicly available—consists of combining results from the homogeneous application of the FAT and 3DBarolo algorithms to the subset of 209 detections with sufficient resolution and $S/N$ in order to generate optimised model parameters and uncertainties. The 109 models presented here tend to be gas rich detections resolved by at least 3–4 synthesised beams across their major axes, but there is no obvious environmental bias in the modelling. The data release described here is the first step towards the derivation of similar products for thousands of spatially resolved WALLABY detections via a dedicated kinematic pipeline. Such a large publicly available and homogeneously analysed dataset will be a powerful legacy product that that will enable a wide range of scientific studies.

In the standard cosmological model of galaxy evolution, mergers and interactions play a fundamental role in shaping galaxies. Galaxies that are currently isolated are thus interesting, allowing us to identify how internal or external processes impact galactic structure. However, current observational limits may be obscuring crucial information in the low-mass or low-brightness regime. We use the AMIGA catalog of isolated galaxies to explore the impact of different factors on the structure of these galaxies. In particular, we study the type of disk break based on the degree of isolation and the presence of interactions which are only detectable in the ultra-low surface brightness regime. We present the first results of an extensive observational campaign of ultra-deep optical imaging targeting a sample of 25 low-redshift (z < 0.035) isolated galaxies. The nominal surface brightness limits achieved are comparable to those to be obtained in the 10-year LSST coadds ( mag arcsec−2; 3σ ; 10” × 10”). We find that isolated galaxies have a considerably higher fraction of purely exponential disk profiles and a lower presence of up-bending breaks than field or cluster galaxies. Our extreme imaging depth allows us to detect the presence of previously unreported interactions with minor companions in some of the galaxies in our sample (∼40% of the galaxies show signs of interaction). The results of our work fit with the general framework of galactic structure in which up-bending breaks (Type III) would be produced by mergers and down-bending breaks (Type II) due to a threshold in star formation that would tend to become single exponential disk (Type I) in case of cessation or decrease of star formation.

The AMIGA project carries out a multiwavelength study of the largest catalogue of isolated galaxies from the Local Universe (CIG, Karachentseva 1973). Compared to any other sample —field galaxies included— and using highly strict isolation criteria (unperturbed for at least ~3 Gyr, Verdes-Montenegro et al. 2005), all the results show that these galaxies have the lowest values of the physical magnitudes expected to be enhanced by interactions. This strongly supports isolated galaxies as ideal laboratories for the study of galaxy formation and evolution. Despite CIG galaxies show the lowest HI integrated profile asymmetry level when compared to any other sample, some cases present up to 50% HI asymmetry (Espada et al. 2011b). We aim to shed light over the causes and sources of such asymmetries with our deep radiointerferometric and optical observations of CIG targets. Since major mergers are ruled out by the isolation criteria, in this work we are addressing whether minor mergers, internal processes or primordial gas accretion are responsible for such asymmetries.

The intensity ratios of HCO+/HCN and HNC/HCN (1-0) reveal the relative influence of star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGN) or black holes on the circum-nuclear gas of a galaxy, allowing the identification of X-ray dominated regions (XDRs) and Photon-dominated regions (PDRs). It is not always clear in the literature how this intensity ratio calculation has been, or should be performed. This paper discusses ratio calculation methods for interferometric data.

We report the study performed as part of the AMIGA (Analysis of the interstellar Medium of Isolated GAlaxies; http://www.amiga.iaa.es) project, focused on the SDSS (g-r) colors of the sample. Assuming that color is an indicator of star formation history, this work better records the signature of passive star formation via pure secular evolution. Median values for each morphological type in AMIGA were compared with equivalent measures for galaxies in denser environments. We found a tendency for AMIGA spiral galaxies to be redder than galaxies in close pairs, but no clear difference when we compare with galaxies in other (e.g. group) environments. The (g-r) color of isolated galaxies presents a Gaussian distribution, as indicative of pure secular evolution, and a smaller median absolute deviation (almost half) compared to both wide and close pairs. This redder color and lower color dispersion of AMIGA spirals compared with close pairs is likely due to a more passive star formation in very isolated galaxies. In Fig. 1, we represent the size versus stellar mass for early and late–type galaxies of our sample, compared with the local relations of Shen et al. (2003). The late–type isolated galaxies are ~1.2 times larger or have less stellar mass than local spirals in other environments. The latter would be in agreement with the passive star formation found in the previous part.

We acknowledge Grant AYA2011-30491-C02-01, P08-FQM-4205 and TIC-114.

We describe the mid- (MIR) and far- (FIR) infrared properties of a large (~1000) sample of the most isolated galaxies in the local Universe. This sample is intended as a “nurture-free” zero point against which more environmentally influenced samples can be compared. We reprocess IRAS MIR/FIR survey data using the ADDSCAN/SCANPI utility for 1030 out of 1050 galaxies from the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG) as part of the AMIGA project. We focus on diagnostics (FIR luminosity LFIR, R = log(LFIR/LB) and IRAS colours) thought to be sensitive to effects of environment or interaction. The distribution of log(LFIR) is sharply peaked from 9.0–10.5 with very few (<2%) galaxies above 10.5. Review of available optical images of the most FIR luminous galaxies finds the majority to be, likely, interacting systems missed in our earlier morphological reevaluation. The optically normalised luminosity diagnostic R = log(LFIR/LB) shows a distribution sharply peaked between 0.0 and −1.0. These results were compared to the magnitude limited CfA sample that was selected without environmental discrimination. This modestly (e.g. compared to cluster, binary galaxy and compact group samples) environmentally affected sample shows significantly higher mean log(LFIR) and R, whereas the mean log(LB) is the same. Our sample shows a strong LFIR vs. LB correlation, with a slope steeper than one (LFIR ∝ L1.41B). Interacting galaxies were found above this correlation, showing an enhancement in LFIR. With respect to the IRAS colours, we found higher F60/F100 value for ellipticals and late-type galaxies than for spirals, indicating a higher dust temperature. The mean value of F60/F100 was found to be lower than for interacting samples from the literature. The results indicate that the FIR emission is a variable enhanced by interaction, and that our sample probably shows the lowest possible mean value. This attests to the utility of our sample for defining a nurture-free zero point. More details can be found in the paper (The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies, III. IRAS data and infrared diagnositics, U. Lisenfeld et al.) which is accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Compact groups are highly isolated, dense galaxy systems, and therefore tidal interactions are expected to be continuous and dynamically important. For this reason they represent unique laboratories for studying interactions in extreme environments and tidally induced star formation as well as morphological and dynamical evolution of galaxies in general. This study is part of a broader investigation of the evolutionary status of HCGs. In order to explain the HI deficiency found in compact groups of galaxies we have proposed a broad evolutionary scenario in which the amount of HI decreases with the secular evolutionary state of a group. The fate of this gas is however not clear. In order to investigate the physical mechanisms responsible for these changes in the gas content of galaxies we have started a study to look for an intragroup medium (IGM). We have considered this IGM to be neutral (see e.g. reports of HI clouds within Virgo cluster (Oosterloo & Van Gorkom 2005), or hot gas (a higher X-ray detection rate of HI deficient groups is found relative to groups with a normal HI content, Verdes-Montenegro et al. 2001). Enhanced star formation activity might also be contributing to exhausting the gas supply. We have observed 25 HCGs with diverse HI content and distribution with the Green Bank radiotelescope, and performed VLA-HI as well as X-ray (XMM or Chandra) observations of the most HI deficient groups HCG 7, 15, 30, 37, 40, 44 and 97. We have also analysed FIR data from Verdes-Montenegro et al. (1998).

Our results are: (a) HI deficient groups show a larger amount of diffuse neutral and X-ray gas when compared to non-deficient ones, consistent with our evolutionary picture; (b) Most groups are still deficient after including diffuse gas. (c) A hot IGM is not detected in most of these systems, but the detection rate is higher for the high velocity dispersion groups, and in these cases ram pressure stripping could potentially cause the observed HI-deficiency. (d) In several of these groups we detect intragroup radio continuum emission, which is surprising since similar features were seen previously only in massive clusters (known as “relic” sources). (e) Star formation activity traced by FIR luminosity is not enhanced, contrary to the general expectation of tidally interacting systems.

Hence neither the presence of a hot or cold IGM nor star formation activity seem to be able to uniquely explain the HI deficiency found in compact groups of galaxies. We plan to explore the possibility that earlier starbursts could have contributed to the present HI deficiency.

We are constructing the first complete unbiased control sample of the most isolated galaxies of the northern sky to serve as a template in the study of star formation and galaxy evolution in denser environments. Our goal is to compare and quantify the properties of different phases of the interstellar medium in this sample, as well as the level of star formation, both relevant parameters in the internal evolution of galaxies and strongly conditioned by the environment. To achieve this goal we are building a multiwavelength database for this sample to compare and quantify the properties of different phases of the ISM.

New redshift surveys of galaxies in the field of compact groups have discovered a population of faint galaxies which act as satellites orbiting in the potential well of the bright group. Here we analyze the mass distribution of the groups by comparing the mass derived from the bright members and the mass obtained from the satellite galaxies. Our analysis indicates the presence of a dark halo around the main group with a mass roughly four times that measured for the dominant galaxies of the compact group.

We found that heavier halos are ruled out by the observations when comparing the distribution of positions and redshifts of the satellite galaxies with the distribution of satellites of isolated spiral galaxies. The results agree with a picture where compact groups may form a stable system with galaxies moving in a common dark halo.

We present a global study of Hɪ spectral line mapping for 16 Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) combining new and unpublished VLA data, plus the analysis of the Hɪ content of individual galaxies. Sixty percent of the groups show morphological and kinematical signs of perturbations (from multiple tidal features to concentration of the Hɪ in a single enveloping cloud) and sixty five of the resolved galaxies are found to be Hɪ deficient with respect to a sample of isolated galaxies. In total, 77% of the groups suffer interactions among all its members which provides strong evidence of their reality. We find that dynamical evolution does not always produce Hɪ deficiency, but when this deficiency is observed, it appears to correlate with a high group velocity dispersion and in some cases with the presence of a first-ranked elliptical. The X-ray data available for our sample are not sensitive enough for a comparison with the Hɪ mass; however this study does suggest a correlation between Hɪ deficiency and hot gas since velocity dispersions are known from the literature to correlate with X-ray luminosity.

NGC 7217 is an ordinary spiral galaxy with three rings whose size ratios are such that they can be associated with resonances, as for barred spirals. From 21-cm HI line data and BVRI CCD-images of this galaxy we find (cf. Verdes-Montenegro et al. 1995) : 1) a nuclear ring strong in Hα, 2) an inner ring seen clearly in a B - I colour map, and 3) an outer ring, with blue colours and strong HI-emission. After deprojection the disk has a mean ellipticity of 0.04 ± 0.01, while the position angle of the deprojected galaxy changes suddenly at 65″ radius, where the minor axis becomes major axis. Thus a very mild oval distortion could exist, with the outer ring perpendicular to the oval. Merrifield and Kuijken (1994) find from the stellar kinematics that about 20 – 30 % of the stars are in retrograde orbits.

Using the 37-m telescope of the Haystack Observatory, we observed the (J,K)=(1,1) ammonia transition towards the suspected exciting sources of twelve regions with molecular or optical outflows: L1448, L1455, L1524 (Haro 6-10), RNO 43, HH 34, HH 38,43, Haro 4-255 FIR, NGC 2264 (HH 14-4,6), L43, R CrA, HH 32a (AS353A), and V1331 Cyg. We detected and mapped ammonia emission in nine of these regions.