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Amandine Doliva-Dolinsky

Publications and source records attributed to Amandine Doliva-Dolinsky.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Discovery, Characterization, and Potential Origins of a Stream in the Stellar Halo of Nearby LMC-Mass Galaxy NGC 55

We present a previously undetected stellar stream in the halo of the LMC-mass dwarf galaxy NGC 55 (2 Mpc), as part of an ongoing effort to characterize the stellar halos of LMC/SMC-mass dwarfs in the DEEP component of the DECam Local Volume Exploration (DELVE) survey. This structure is aligned with an outflow traced by H$α$ emission, a spur and cloud of neutral hydrogen, and the ultra-diffuse and possibly disrupting satellite galaxy NGC 55-dw1. We investigate possible ex-situ progenitor scenarios for this stream through the local luminosity-metallicity relation and a set of toy dynamical models that include gaseous, stellar, and dark matter components. If the stream is a product of a previous merger, the progenitor galaxy had an absolute magnitude $M_V \leq -7.2$ and a stellar mass $M_* \geq 10^5 M_{\odot}$ based on extrapolations of the detected stellar populations. If it is disrupted material from the ultra-diffuse satellite, their shared progenitor had an absolute magnitude $M_V \leq -8.3$ and a stellar mass $M_* \geq 10^{5.2} M_{\odot}$. We compare our stream and progenitor scenarios to those for NGC 300, a galaxy with a stellar mass similar to that of NGC~55 and known to host multiple structures in its halo. Our results demonstrate that even relatively isolated LMC-mass galaxies can have complex accretion histories, providing new tests of hierarchical galaxy formation at low masses.

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Deep Imaging of Grus II and Horologium II: Structure and Extent of Two Ultra-Faint Milky Way Satellites

We present deep, wide-field Magellan/Megacam imaging of the ultra-faint Milky Way (MW) satellites Grus II (Gru II) and Horologium II (Hor II), with the aim of deriving improved constraints on their distances, luminosities, and structural parameters, while also searching for possible signs of tidal disturbance. Our photometry reaches approximately 3 magnitudes deeper than the discovery data, enabling robust measurements of these quantities. Both systems exhibit color-magnitude diagrams consistent with old ($\sim$12.5 Gyr), very metal-poor stellar populations. We find Gru II to be at a distance of $52.3 \pm 1.9$ kpc, with a half-light radius of $6.8 \pm 0.5$ arcmin (103 $\pm$ 9 pc), ellipticity $ε= 0.25 \pm 0.07$, and absolute magnitude $M_V = -4.07 \pm 0.50$ mag. Hor II is further away at a distance of $72.4^{+5.9}_{-5.5}$ kpc and more compact, with $r_h = 2.1 \pm 0.2$ arcmin (44$^{+6}_{-5}$ pc), $ε= 0.32^{+0.20}_{-0.16}$, and $M_V = -2.10 \pm 0.44$ mag. Both galaxies lie within the typical size-luminosity locus of MW ultra-faint dwarfs. Gru II shows an asymmetric morphology including multi-directional clumpy features, some of which may be suggestive of tidal disturbance. We further identify and spectroscopically confirm a new distant member just outside $3r_h$ in Gru II, providing independent evidence for member stars at large projected radii. In contrast, Hor II appears regular, with no significant extended structure detected to the surface-brightness limits of our data.

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Andromeda XXXVI: discovery of a new ultra-faint dwarf galaxy towards M31

We present deep imaging of Andromeda XXXVI (And XXXVI), a dwarf galaxy discovered through visual inspection of the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey, using observations obtained with the OSIRIS+GTC instrument. The colour-magnitude diagram of And XXXVI shows a well-defined red giant branch (RGB). However, constraining a distance is challenging because the tip of the RGB is sparsely populated and no horizontal branch stars are found. The RGB is nevertheless well matched by an old (12.5 Gyr), metal-poor ([Fe/H]= - 2.5) isochrone shifted to the distance of Andromeda (776 kpc). With a projected distance of 119 kpc from M31, And XXXVI is therefore likely a satellite of Andromeda. With MV -5.9 +-0.1, half-light radius rh 64 +30-19 pc, and an ellipticity 0.015 +0.032-0.012, And XXXVI is one of the faintest of ultra-faint M31 dwarfs discovered to date. The discovery of And XXXVI adds to the faint end of M31's satellite luminosity function, suggesting the presence of an even larger population of very faint satellites. Deeper space-based imaging and/or spectroscopic observations are needed to better constrain its position within M31's halo. Combined with a detailed star formation history, such data would help determine whether its old, metal-poor stellar population indicates early quenching, similar to the trends seen in Milky Way satellites, and whether And XXXVI could be considered a reionisation fossil.

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ID-MAGE II: The Star Forming Satellites of Low-Mass Hosts

We present results from our ongoing campaign to follow up the satellite candidates from the Identifying Dwarfs of MC Analog GalaxiEs (ID-MAGE) survey. Previously, we published a list of 355 unresolved satellite candidates identified around 36~nearby LMC- and SMC-mass hosts (D$=$4$-$10~Mpc). We present the velocities of 83 satellite candidates from new Green Bank Telescope \hi\ observations, optical long-slit spectra, and the Dark Energy Survey Instrument Data Release 1. Based on their velocities, we identify six candidates as probable satellite galaxies ($6.5\times10^5\leq M_\star/M_\odot\leq1.5\times10^7$) and 77 as background galaxies. Our results underscore the ability of spectroscopic follow-up to effectively separate satellites from background galaxies. Using the refined sample, we update our previously derived estimates for the average satellite population per host and find 1.7$\pm$0.7 (1.0$\pm$0.3) satellites per LMC-mass (SMC-mass) host. Our current satellite sample includes 25 galaxies confirmed by distances or velocities. This set includes the complete satellite populations of three hosts (UGC~04422: zero satellites, UGC~08201: zero satellites, NGC~3432: four satellites), which we compare to simulations and known satellite systems from the literature. Our sample is nearly complete for the most massive satellites (M$_\star > 10^7~M_\odot$). We find these massive satellites have a quenched fraction of 10--25\%, placing them between the $<$5\% quenched fraction of isolated galaxies and the 40--70\% quenched fraction of MW-analog satellites with $10^7~M_\odot < $ M$_\star < 10^8~M_\odot$. This demonstrates the impact that low-mass galaxies have on the evolution of their satellites.

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Identifying Dwarfs of MC Analog GalaxiEs (ID-MAGE): The Search for Satellites Around Low-Mass Hosts

We present results from ID-MAGE (Identifying Dwarfs of MC Analog GalaxiEs), a survey aimed at identifying and characterizing unresolved satellite galaxies around 36~nearby LMC- and SMC-mass hosts (D$=$4$-$10~Mpc). We use archival DESI Legacy Survey imaging data and perform an extensive search for dwarf satellites, extending out to a radius of 150~kpc ($\sim$$R_{vir}$). We identify 355 candidate satellite galaxies, including 264 new discoveries. Extensive tests with injected galaxies demonstrate that the survey is complete down to $M_V\sim-$9.0 (assuming the distance of the host) and $μ_{0,V}\sim$26 mag arcsec$^{-2}$ (assuming a n$=$1 Sérsic profile). We perform consistent photometry, via Sérsic profile fitting, on all candidates and have initiated a comprehensive follow-up campaign to confirm and characterize candidates. Through a systematic visual inspection campaign, we classify the top candidates as high-likelihood satellites. On average, we find 4.0$\pm$1.4 high-likelihood candidate satellites per LMC-mass host and 2.1$\pm$0.6 per SMC-mass host which is within the range predicted by cosmological models. We use this sample to establish upper and lower estimates on the satellite luminosity function of LMC/SMC-mass galaxies. ID-MAGE nearly triples the number of low-mass galaxies surveyed for satellites with well-characterized completeness limits, providing a unique dataset to explore small-scale structure and dwarf galaxy evolution around low-mass hosts in diverse environments.

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Star formation histories and gas content limits of three ultra-faint dwarfs on the periphery of M31

We present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of Pegasus V and Pisces VII, along with a re-analysis of the archival imaging of Pegasus W, and Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) neutral gas (HI) observations of all three. These three ultra-faint dwarfs (UFDs) are all within the Local Group in the approximate direction of M31. The VLA observations place stringent upper limits on their HI content, with all having $M_\mathrm{HI} < 10^4\;\mathrm{M_\odot}$. As the red giant branches of these UFDs are sparsely populated, we determined distances from the HST photometry of horizontal branch (HB) stars in comparison to a fiducial HB population (from M92), with all three falling in the range 0.7-1 Mpc. Using a new Python-based star formation history (SFH) fitting code (based on StarFISH), we derive SFHs of all three UFDs. As found previously, the best fit SFH for Pegasus W includes significant star formation well beyond the end of reionization, while the SFHs calculated for Pegasus V and Pisces VII are consistent with them having quenched shortly after reionization. These findings for the latter two objects indicate that, like those in the vicinity of the Milky Way, lower mass UFDs in the vicinity of M31 likely quenched at early times.

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Why the Northern Hemisphere Needs a 30-40 m Telescope and the Science at Stake: A Low Surface Brightness Science Case

The Extragalactic Low Surface Brightness (LSB, $μ_V\gtrsim 27$ mag/arcsec$^2$) Universe represents a crucial, yet largely unseen, frontier in modern astrophysics. This faint realm holds the keys to completing our understanding of galaxy evolution, hierarchical assembly, and even the fundamental nature of dark matter. Our current theoretical models are inherently incomplete, largely mirroring the properties of the brightest, most easily observed objects. To overcome this critical bias and unlock the secrets of this realm, a transformative leap in observational capability is required. A 30 to 40m class telescope, leveraging unprecedented sensitivity and spatial resolution, especially with adaptive optics, is the essential tool to fundamentally probe these faint, low-density stellar regimes. This white paper details the transformative LSB science that such a facility, strategically positioned in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) to access crucial nearby structures and rich environments, can achieve.

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SEAMLESS Survey: Four Faint Dwarf Galaxies Tracing Low-Mass Galaxy Evolution Across Environments

We report on four Local Volume dwarf galaxies identified through our ongoing SEmi-Automated Machine LEarning Search for Semi-resolved galaxies (SEAMLESS): Hydrus A, LEDA 486718, Cetus B, and Sculptor 26, with the discovery of Hydrus A reported here for the first time. These four galaxies span a wide range of environments and evolutionary states. Hydrus A (MV = -9.39+/-0.20, D = 3.38-0.30+0.32 Mpc) and LEDA 486718 (MV = -11.62+/-0.08, D = 4.80+/-0.17 Mpc) are among the most isolated dwarfs known within 5 Mpc, while Cetus B (MV = -8.26+/-0.17, D = 3.32-0.23+0.25 Mpc) and Sculptor 26 (MV = -11.25+/-0.10, D =3.21+/-0.13 Mpc) lie < 2 Rvir of NGC 253. Hydrus A shows properties consistent with quenching driven by cosmic reionization, cosmic-web interactions, or internal feedback. LEDA 486718 is an isolated star forming dwarf. Cetus B appears quenched and morphologically disturbed, making it a low-mass satellite or backsplash candidate, while Sculptor 26 is red and seemingly gas-poor but displays signs of recent activity, consistent with a transitional evolutionary state. Together, these systems demonstrate the power of SEAMLESS for building a census of faint galaxies beyond the Local Group.

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Is M31 at the center of its satellite system ?

The arrangement of M31's dwarf galaxies exhibits anisotropy, with the majority located in the hemisphere between the Milky Way and the host galaxy. This study aims to investigate whether M31's present location is aligned with the center of its distribution of dwarf galaxies. We use forward modeling to infer the center of the M31 satellite 3D spatial distribution, folding in the completeness of dwarf galaxy searches. We observe a displacement of the center of the satellite distribution, relative to the center of M31, of approximately 10--50 kpc towards the Milky Way. Nonetheless, the center of M31 remains compatible with the center of the dwarf galaxy distribution given the broad constraints on its position, with the significance of the shift ranging from $\leq 1σ$ to $1.9σ$, depending on the assumed form of the volumetric spatial distribution of satellites. If M31 is truly offset from its satellite system, a quadrupling of the number of known satellites would be necessary to infer a significant ($3σ$) offset. Hence, expanding the number of known dwarf galaxies is crucial to deepen our understanding of the distribution of M31 satellites and further shed on its peculiar structure.

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Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Three Isolated Faint Dwarf Galaxies Beyond the Local Group: Pavo, Corvus A, and Kamino

We present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of three recently discovered star-forming dwarf galaxies beyond the Local Group: Pavo, Corvus A, and Kamino. The discovery of Kamino is reported here for the first time. They rank among the most isolated faint dwarf galaxies known, hence they provide unique opportunities to study galaxy evolution at the smallest scales, free from environmental effects of more massive galaxies. Our HST data reach $\sim$2-4 magnitudes below the tip of the red giant branch for each dwarf, allowing us to measure their distances, structural properties, and recent star formation histories (SFHs). All three galaxies contain a complex stellar population of young and old stars, and are typical of field galaxies in this mass regime ($M_V=-10.62\pm0.08$ and $D=2.16^{+0.08}_{-0.07}$ Mpc for Pavo, $M_V=-10.91\pm0.10$ and $D=3.34\pm0.11$ Mpc for Corvus A, and $M_V=-12.02\pm0.12$ and $D=6.50^{+0.15}_{-0.11}$ Mpc for Kamino). Our HST-derived SFHs reveal differences among the three dwarfs: Pavo and Kamino show relatively steady, continuous star formation, while Corvus A formed $\sim$$60$% of its stellar mass by 10 Gyr ago. These results align with theoretical predictions of diverse evolutionary pathways for isolated low-mass galaxies.

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DELVE-DEEP Survey: The Faint Satellite System of NGC 55

We report the first comprehensive census of the satellite dwarf galaxies around NGC 55 ($2.1$ Mpc) as a part of the DECam Local Volume Exploration DEEP (DELVE-DEEP) survey. NGC 55 is one of four isolated, Magellanic analogs in the Local Volume around which DELVE-DEEP aims to identify faint dwarfs and other substructures. We employ two complementary detection methods: one targets fully resolved dwarf galaxies by identifying them as stellar over-densities, while the other focuses on semi-resolved dwarf galaxies, detecting them through shredded unresolved light components. As shown through extensive tests with injected galaxies, our search is sensitive to candidates down to $M_V \lesssim -6.6$ and surface brightness $μ\lesssim 28.5$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$, and $\sim 80\%$ complete down to $M_V \lesssim -7.8$. We do not report any new confirmed satellites beyond two previously known systems, ESO 294-010 and NGC 55-dw1. We construct the satellite luminosity function of NGC 55 and find it to be consistent with the predictions from cosmological simulations. As one of the first complete luminosity functions for a Magellanic analog, our results provide a glimpse of the constraints on low-mass-host satellite populations that will be further explored by upcoming surveys, such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

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Pavo: Stellar feedback in action in a low-mass dwarf galaxy

MeerKAT observations of the recently discovered, extremely low mass galaxy, Pavo, have revealed a neutral gas (HI) reservoir that was undetected in archival HI single dish data. We measure Pavo's HI mass as $\log M_\mathrm{HI}/\mathrm{M_\odot} = 5.79 \pm 0.05$, making it the lowest mass HI reservoir currently known in an isolated galaxy (with a robust distance measurement). Despite Pavo's extreme isolation, with no known neighbor within over 700 kpc, its HI reservoir is highly disturbed. It does not show clear signs of rotation and its center of mass is offset from the stellar body center by 320 pc, while its peak is offset by 82 pc (both in projection). Despite this disturbed morphology, Pavo still appears to be consistent with the HI size--mass relation, although it is not possible to accurately determine a suitable inclination correction. Such disturbed, offset and disorganized HI reservoirs are predicted by simulations of low-mass, star-forming dwarfs in which supernova-driven outflows efficiently disrupt the interstellar medium after a star formation event. It is likely that we are witnessing Pavo in precisely this period, tens to a few hundred Myr after a star formation episode, when internal feedback has disrupted its gas reservoir.

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The NGC3109 Satellite System: The First Systematic Resolved Search for Dwarf Galaxies Around a SMC-mass Host

We report the results of the deepest search to date for dwarf galaxies around NGC3109, a barred spiral galaxy with a mass similar to that of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), using a semi-automated search method. Using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), we survey a region covering a projected distance of $\sim$70 kpc of NGC 3109 ($D$ = 1.3 Mpc, $R_\mathrm{vir}\sim$ 90 kpc, $M\sim10^8M_\ast$) as part of the MADCASH and DELVE-DEEP programs. Through our resolved and newly designed semi-resolved searches, we successfully recover the known satellites Antlia and Antlia B. We identified a promising candidate, which was later confirmed to be a background dwarf through deep follow-up observations. Our detection limits are well defined, with the sample $\sim 80\%$ complete down to $M_V\sim-$8.0 , and includes detections of dwarf galaxies as faint as $M_V\sim-$6.0. This is the first comprehensive study of a satellite system through resolved star around an SMC mass host. Our results show that NGC 3109 has more bright ($M_V\sim-$9.0) satellites than the mean predictions from cold dark matter (CDM) models, but well within the host-to-host scatter. A larger sample of LMC/SMC-mass hosts is needed to test whether or not the observations are consistent with current model expectations.

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The Pristine survey: XXV. The very metal-poor Galaxy: Chemodynamics through the follow-up of the Pristine-Gaia synthetic catalogue

The Pristine-\textit{Gaia} synthetic catalogue provides reliable photometric metallicities for $\sim$30 million FGK stars using the Pristine survey model and Gaia XP spectra. We perform the first low-to-medium-resolution spectroscopic follow-up of bright (G<15) and distant (up to 35 kpc) very and extremely metal-poor (V/EMP, [Fe/H]<-2.5) red giant branch stars from this. We use Isaac Newton Telescope/Intermediate Dispersion Spectrograph (INT/IDS) observations centred around the calcium triplet region ideal for V/EMP stars. We find that 76\% of our stars indeed have [Fe/H]<-2.5 with these inferred spectroscopic metallicities and only 3\% are outliers with [Fe/H] > -2.0. We report a success rate of 77\% and 38\% in finding stars with [Fe/H]<-2.5 and -3.0 respectively. This will allow for 10,000-20,000 homogeneously analysed EMP stars using the WEAVE survey follow-up of Pristine EMP candidates. We associate 20\%, 46\%, and 34\% of the stars to be confined to the disc plane, or to have inner and outer halo orbits, respectively. We also associate these V/EMP stars to known accretion events such as Gaia-Enceladus-Sausage (GES), LMS-1/Wukong, Thamnos, Helmi streams, Sagittarius, Sequoia, etc. For the stars that orbit close to the disc plane, we find that the prograde region with low vertical action is overdense with a significance of 4$σ$ as compared to its retrograde counterpart. We also find three new (brightest) members of the most metal-poor stellar stream, C-19, one of which is 50$^\circ$ away from the main body of the stream. Our measured mean metallicity, velocity dispersion, and stream width are consistent with the literature, but our results favour a higher distance ($\sim$21.5 kpc) for the stream. We publish a catalogue (and 1D spectra) of 215 V/EMP stars from this spectroscopic follow-up and showcase the power of chemokinematic analysis of V/EMP end.

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Deep Photometric Observations of Ultra-Faint Milky Way Satellites Centaurus I and Eridanus IV

We present deep Magellan$+$Megacam imaging of Centaurus I (Cen I) and Eridanus IV (Eri IV), two recently discovered Milky Way ultra-faint satellites. Our data reach $\sim2-3$ magnitudes deeper than the discovery data from the DECam Local Volume Exploration (DELVE) Survey. We use these data to constrain their distances, structural properties (e.g., half-light radii, ellipticity, and position angle), and luminosities. We investigate whether these systems show signs of tidal disturbance, and identify new potential member stars using Gaia EDR3. Our deep color-magnitude diagrams show that Cen I and Eri IV are consistent with an old ($τ\sim 13.0$ Gyr) and metal-poor ($\text{[Fe/H]}\le-2.2$) stellar population. We find Cen I to have a half-light radius of $r_{h}=2.60\pm0.30'$ ($90.6\pm11$ pc), an ellipticity of $ε=0.36\pm0.05$, a distance of $D=119.8\pm4.1$ kpc ($m-M=20.39\pm0.08$ mag), and an absolute magnitude of $M_{V}=-5.39\pm0.19$. Similarly, Eri IV has $r_{h}=3.24\pm0.48'$ ($65.9\pm10$ pc), $ε=0.26\pm0.09$, $D=69.9\pm3.6$ kpc ($m-M=19.22\pm0.11$ mag), and $M_{V}=-3.55\pm0.24$. These systems occupy a space on the size-luminosity plane consistent with other known Milky Way dwarf galaxies which supports the findings from our previous spectroscopic follow-up. Cen I has a well-defined morphology which lacks any clear evidence of tidal disruption, whereas Eri IV hosts a significant extended feature with multiple possible interpretations.

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The satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and Andromeda

The satellite galaxies of the Local Group provide us with an important probe of galaxy formation, evolution, and cosmology. The two large spirals that dominate this group -- the Milky Way and Andromeda -- are each host to tens of satellites, ranging in stellar mass from $M_*=3\times10^9\,{\rm M_\odot}$ down to as little as $M_*\sim1000\,{\rm M_\odot}$. In this review, we (1) provide an overview of the known satellite population of the Milky Way and Andromeda, including how they are discovered and their observed properties; (2) discuss their importance in understanding the nature of dark matter, star formation in the early Universe, the assembly histories of their massive hosts, and the impact of reionisation on the lowest mass galaxies; and (3) highlight the coming revolution and challenges of this field as new observatories and facilities come online. In the coming decades, the study of Local Group satellites should allow us to place competitive constraints on both dark matter and galaxy evolution.

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Streams, Shells, and Substructures in the Accretion-Built Stellar Halo of NGC 300

We present deep optical observations of the stellar halo of NGC 300, an LMC-mass galaxy, acquired with the DEEP sub-component of the DECam Local Volume Exploration survey (DELVE) using the 4 m Blanco Telescope. Our resolved star analysis reveals a large, low surface brightness stellar stream ($M_{V}\sim-8.5$; [Fe/H] $= -1.4\pm0.15$) extending more than 40 kpc north from the galaxy's center. We also find other halo structures, including potentially an additional stream wrap to the south, which may be associated with the main stream. The morphology and derived low metallicities of the streams and shells discovered surrounding NGC 300 are highly suggestive of a past accretion event. Assuming a single progenitor, the accreted system is approximately Fornax-like in luminosity, with an inferred mass ratio to NGC 300 of approximately $1:15$. We also present the discovery of a metal-poor globular cluster ($R_{\rm{proj}}=23.3$~kpc; $M_{V}=-8.99\pm0.16$; [Fe/H] $\approx-1.6\pm0.6$) in the halo of NGC 300, the furthest identified globular cluster associated with NGC 300. The stellar structures around NGC 300 represent the richest features observed in a Magellanic Cloud analog to date, strongly supporting the idea that accretion and subsequent disruption is an important mechanism in the assembly of dwarf galaxy stellar halos.

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A census of dwarf galaxy satellites around LMC-mass galaxy NGC 2403

We present the first comprehensive census of the satellite population around a Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) stellar-mass galaxy, as part of the Magellanic Analog Dwarf Companions and Stellar Halos (MADCASH) survey. We have surveyed NGC 2403 (D=3.0 Mpc) with the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam imager out to a projected radius of 90 kpc (with partial coverage extending out to ~110 kpc, or ~80% of the virial radius of NGC 2403), resolving stars in the uppermost ~2.5 mags of its red giant branch. By looking for stellar overdensities in the red giant branch spatial density map, we identify 149 satellite candidates, of which only the previously discovered MADCASH J074238+65201-dw is a bona fide dwarf, together with the more massive and disrupting satellite DDO 44. We carefully assess the completeness of our search via injection of artificial dwarf galaxies into the images, finding that we are reliably sensitive to candidates down to M_V ~ -7.5 mag (and somewhat sensitive to even fainter satellites). A comparison of the satellite luminosity function of NGC 2403 down to this magnitude limit to theoretical expectations shows overall good agreement. This is the first of a full sample of 11 Magellanic Cloud-mass host galaxies we will analyze, creating a statistical sample that will provide the first quantitative constraints on hierarchical models of galaxy formation around low-mass hosts.

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