ALFALFA Undergraduate Project

ALFALFA Undergraduate Project

Proposal Title:

 Mass distribution, density and dynamics of the anomalously large HI disk of NGC 5701

Student Name:

 Amy Furniss, Arik Mitschang

Adviser:

 David Kornreich

Other Collaborators:

 None

Context:

 Senior project 

Institution:

 Humboldt State University

Time frame:

 March 06 – December 06

Publication expected?

 Possibly

 

Description: (up to ~ 500 words)

NGC 5701 has an anomalously extended HI disk that is at least 4 times the size of the optical galaxy. Kornreich et al in Departures from Axisymmetric Morphology and Dynamics in Spiral Galaxies (2000) mapped this galaxy out to 10 arc minutes from the center using the VLA-D archive data, while Duprie and Schneider (1996) claim to have observed this HI disk at more than 20 arc minutes from the center of the galaxy with the use of the Arecibo Telescope but provided no map detailing the distribution.

            We will use a three dimensional grid cube created through the ALFALFA survey of at least 1 degree by 1 degree centered on the NGC 5701 to study the mass, density and orbital dynamics of this disk. With this information we will attempt to explain the unusual size of the surrounding disk.

 

ALFALFA region:

 Region contained in drift assignments 21p1 though 25p2 from RA 14 to 15hrs for minimum grid described below, and larger region surrounding for subsequently larger grid area. (NGC 5701 is centered at 14 39 11 +5 21 48dec according to NED)

ALFALFA data to be used:

-         Level I data from the above region

-         Preliminary: 1 x 1 degree cube from region above from 1000 to 2000 km/s to be examined for HI detection particularly from NGC 5701

-         Subsequent: larger volume 2 x 2 degree cube centered around 14 39 11 +5 21 48dec  

Other data sets to be used:

 

Products to be delivered:

 Detailed HI map of the disk surrounding NGC5701