A Virgo Environmental Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission (VESTIGE)XII. Ionised gas emission in the inner regions of lenticular galaxies

As part of the Virgo Cluster Survey Tracing Ionised Gas Emission, a blind narrow-band Ha+[NIT] imaging survey of the Virgo cluster carried out with MegaCam at the CFHT, we discovered eight massive (10(10) less than or similar to M-star less than or similar to 10(11) M-circle dot) lenticular galaxies with prominent ionised gas emission features in their inner (a few kiloparsec) regions. These features are either ionised gas filaments similar to those observed in cooling flows (two galaxies), or they are thin discs with sizes 0.7 less than or similar to R(H alpha) less than or similar to 2.0 kpc (six galaxies), thus significantly smaller than those of the stellar disc (R(H alpha) 7 - 22%R-iso (r)). The morphological properties of these discs are similar to those of the dust seen in absorption in high-resolution HST images. Using a unique set of multifrequency data, including new or archival ASTROSAT/UVIT, GALEX, HST, CFHT, Spitzer, and Herschel imaging data, combined with IFU (MUSE, ALMA) and long-slit (SOAR) spectroscopy, we show that while the gas that is located within these inner discs is photoionised by young stars, which signals ongoing star formation, the gas in the filamentary structures is shock ionised. The star formation surface brightness of these discs is similar to that observed in late-type galaxies. Because of their reduced size, however, these lenticular galaxies are located below the main sequence of unperturbed or cluster star-forming systems. By comparing the dust masses measured from absorption maps in optical images, from the Balmer decrement, or estimated by fitting the UV-to-far-IR spectral energy distribution of the target galaxies, we confirm that the dust masses derived from optical attenuation maps are heavily underestimated because of geometrical effects due to the relative distribution of the absorbing dust and the emitting stars. We also show that these galaxies have gas-to-dust ratios of G/D similar or equal to 80(30)(320), and that the star formation within these discs follows the Schmidt relation, but with an efficiency that is reduced by a factor of similar to 2.5. Using our unique set of multifrequency data, we discuss the possible origin of the ionised gas in these objects, which suggests multiple and complex formation scenarios for massive lenticular galaxies in clusters.

Automated summary

As part of the survey, we discovered eight massive lenticular galaxies in the Virgo cluster with prominent ionised gas emission features. With the analysis of multi-frequency data, we found that the ionised gas is photoionised by young stars and indicates ongoing star formation. Additionally, we confirmed that the dust masses derived from optical attenuation maps are heavily underestimated.