Inverted metallicity gradients in two Virgo cluster star-forming dwarf galaxies: evidence of recent merging?

ABSTRACT We present integral field spectroscopy observations of two star-forming dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster (VCC 135 and VCC 324) obtained with Potsdam Multi-Aperture Spectrograph/PPak at the Calar Alto 3.5 m telescope. We derive metallicity maps using the N2 empirical calibrator. The galaxies show positive gas metallicity gradients, contrarily to what is usually found in other dwarfs or spiral galaxies. We measure gradient slopes of 0.20 ± 0.06 and 0.15 ± 0.03 dex/Re for VCC 135 and VCC 324, respectively. Such a trend has been only observed in few, very isolated galaxies or at higher redshifts (z > 1). It is thought to be associated with the accretion of metal-poor gas from the intergalactic medium, a mechanism that would be less likely to occur in a high-density environment like Virgo. We combine emission-line observations with deep optical images to investigate the origin of the peculiar metallicity gradient. The presence of weak underlying substructures in both galaxies and the analysis of morphological diagnostics and ionized gas kinematics suggest that the inflow of metal-poor gas to the central regions of the dwarfs may be related to a recent merging event with a gas-rich companion.

The missing compact star of SN1987A: a solid quark star?

To investigate the missing compact star of Supernova 1987A, we analyzed the cooling and heating processes of a possible compact star based on the upper limit of observational X-ray luminosity. From the cooling process, we found that a solid quark-cluster star (SQS), having a stiffer equation of state than that of a conventional liquid quark star, has a heat capacity much smaller than a neutron star. The SQS can cool down quickly, naturally explaining the non-detection of a point source in X-ray wavelengths. On the other hand, we considered the heating processes due to magnetospheric activity and possible accretion and obtained some constraints on the parameters of a possible pulsar. Therefore, we concluded that a SQS can explain the observational limit in a confident parameter space. As a possible central compact object, the pulsar parameter constraints can be tested for SN1987A with advanced, future facilities.

QUARK-CLUSTER STARS: HINTS FROM THE SURFACE

The matter inside pulsar-like compact stars could be in a quark-cluster phase since in cold dense matter at a few nuclear densities (ρ ~ 2 - 10ρ0), quarks could be coupled still very strongly and condensate in position space to form quark clusters. Quark-cluster stars are chromatically confined and could initially be bare, therefore the surface properties of quark-cluster stars would be quite different from that of conventional neutron stars. Some facts indicate that a bare and self-confined surface of pulsar-like compact stars might be necessary in order to naturally understand different observational manifestations. On one hand, as for explaining the drifting sub-pulse phenomena, the binding energy of particles on pulsar surface should be high enough to produce vacuum gaps, which indicates that pulsar's surface might be strongly self-confined. On the other hand, a bare surface of quark-cluster star can overcome the baryon contamination problem of γ-ray burst as well as promote a successful core-collapse supernova. What is more, the non-atomic thermal spectra of dead pulsars may indicate also a bare surface without atmosphere, and the hydro-cyclotron oscillation of the electron sea above the quark-cluster star surface could be responsible for those absorption features detected. These hints could reflect the property of compact star's surface and possibly the state of condensed matter inside, and then might finally result in identifying quark-cluster stars.