2005/05/02 by B. Vollmer, W. K. Huchtmeier, W. Huchtmeier +1 · 8 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics #Dwarf galaxy #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy cluster #Interacting galaxy #Physics #Spiral (railway) #Spiral galaxy #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Telescope #Unbarred spiral galaxy #Virgo Cluster #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041350
15 pages, 13 figure. Accepted for publication in A&A
arxiv created 2005/05/02 · openalex publication_date 2005/08/12 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Deep Effelsberg Hi spectra of the one-armed, bright Virgo cluster spiral galaxy NGC 4254 are presented. Five different positions were observed in the 21 cm Hi line with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope: one in the center and 4 located one HPBW to the NE, NW, SW, and SE, respectively, from the galaxy center. The spectra are compared to existing deep VLA observations, and the single dish and interferometric Hi data are used to constrain a dynamical model which includes the effects of ram pressure. The peculiar, one-armed spiral pattern of NGC 4254 and its distorted and kinematically perturbed atomic gas distribution can be explained by a close and rapid encounter ~280 Myr ago with another massive Virgo galaxy, followed by ram pressure stripping that is ongoing. The stripping occurs almost face-on, since the angle between the disk and the orbital plane is . The galaxy with which NGC 4254 had its encounter is tentatively identified as the lenticular NGC 4262.