arXiv subjects

Kyle R. Adams

Publications and source records attributed to Kyle R. Adams.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Tidal Structures Around Edge-On Galaxies in Deep Imaging Surveys

We present a statistical study of low-surface-brightness (LSB) tidal structures in two large samples of edge-on disk galaxies. Our primary sample comprises 5606 galaxies from the Edge-on Galaxies In SDSS (EGIS) catalog, analyzed using imaging from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, supplemented by Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP) data and deep Apache Point Observatory (APO) follow-up observations for selected objects. To assess the robustness of our results, we also examine an independent sample of 14,237 galaxies from the Edge-on Galaxies in the Pan-STARRS survey (EGIPS) catalog. All images were processed using a homogeneous procedure optimized for the detection of faint diffuse emission. Tidal structures were identified through visual inspection and classified into established morphological categories, with careful treatment of imaging artifacts and galactic cirrus contamination. We detected tidal features in 324 EGIS galaxies and 690 EGIPS galaxies, corresponding to incidence rates of 5.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Restricting the analysis to completeness-limited subsamples yields consistent fractions of 6.4% and 6.2%. At a typical DESI $r$-band surface-brightness depth of 28.6 mag arcsec$^{-2}$ these values are consistent with previous observational studies but lower than predictions from many cosmological simulations. Recent high-resolution simulations, however, produce incidence rates much closer to those measured here, suggesting that numerical resolution, realistic modeling of observational and instrumental effects, and galaxy formation physics are all critical for accurately predicting the abundance of LSB tidal structures.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Tidal features and disc thicknesses of edge-on galaxies in the SDSS Stripe 82

We examine deep optical images of edge-on galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe\,82. The entire sample consists of over 800 genuine edge-on galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts out to $z\sim0.2$. To discern the faintest details around the galaxies, we use three different data sources with a photometric depth of down to 30 mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$ in the $r$ band: SDSS Stripe\,82, Hyper Suprime-Cam Strategic Program, and DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys. Our analysis of the deep images reveals a variety of low surface brightness features. 49 galaxies exhibit prominent tidal structures, including tidal tails, stellar streams, bridges, and diffuse shells. Additionally, 56 galaxies demonstrate peculiar structural features such as lopsided discs, faint warps, and dim polar rings. Overall, we detect low surface brightness structures in 94 galaxies out of 838, accounting for 11\% of the sample. Notably, the fraction of tidal structures is only 5.8\%, which is significantly lower than that obtained in modern cosmological simulations and observations. Previous studies have shown that strongly interacting galaxies have stellar discs about 1.5--2 times thicker than those without apparent interactions. In an analysis where tidal features are carefully masked for precise disc axis ratio measurements, we show that discs of galaxies with tidal features are 1.33 times thicker, on average, than control galaxies that do not have visible tidal features. Furthermore, we find that edge-on galaxies with tidal structures tend to have a higher fraction of oval and boxy discs than galaxies without tidal features.

astro-ph.GA↗