Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
Volume 721, Issue 1, Pages L48-L52Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/721/1/L48
Keywords
galaxies: abundances; galaxies: fundamental parameters; galaxies: interactions; galaxies: starburst
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Funding
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien
- Division Of Astronomical Sciences [1010064] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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We present the first systematic investigation into the metallicity gradients in galaxy close pairs. We determine the metallicity gradients for eight galaxies in close pairs using H II region metallicities obtained with high signal-to-noise multi-slit observations with the Keck LRIS Spectrograph. We show that the metallicity gradients in close pairs are significantly shallower than gradients in isolated spiral galaxies such as the Milky Way, M83, and M101. These observations provide the first solid evidence that metallicity gradients in interacting galaxies are systematically different from metallicity gradients in isolated spiral galaxies. Our results suggest that there is a strong relationship between metallicity gradients and the gas dynamics in galaxy interactions and mergers.
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