arXiv subjects

W. van Driel

Publications and source records attributed to W. van Driel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Simultaneous multi-band detection of Low Surface Brightness galaxies with Markovian modelling

We present an algorithm for the detection of Low Surface Brightness (LSB) galaxies in images, called MARSIAA (MARkovian Software for Image Analysis in Astronomy), which is based on multi-scale Markovian modeling. MARSIAA can be applied simultaneously to different bands. It segments an image into a user-defined number of classes, according to their surface brightness and surroundings - typically, one or two classes contain the LSB structures. We have developed an algorithm, called DetectLSB, which allows the efficient identification of LSB galaxies from among the candidate sources selected by MARSIAA. To assess the robustness of our method, the method was applied to a set of 18 B and I band images (covering 1.3 square degrees in total) of the Virgo cluster. To further assess the completeness of the results of our method, both MARSIAA, SExtractor, and DetectLSB were applied to search for (i) mock Virgo LSB galaxies inserted into a set of deep Next Generation Virgo Survey (NGVS) gri-band subimages and (ii) Virgo LSB galaxies identified by eye in a full set of NGVS square degree gri images. MARSIAA/DetectLSB recovered ~20% more mock LSB galaxies and ~40% more LSB galaxies identified by eye than SExtractor/DetectLSB. With a 90% fraction of false positives from an entirely unsupervised pipeline, a completeness of 90% is reached for sources with r_e > 3" at a mean surface brightness level of mu_g=27.7 mag/arcsec^2 and a central surface brightness of mu^0 g=26.7 mag/arcsec^2. About 10% of the false positives are artifacts, the rest being background galaxies. We have found our method to be complementary to the application of matched filters and an optimized use of SExtractor, and to have the following advantages: it is scale-free, can be applied simultaneously to several bands, and is well adapted for crowded regions on the sky.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

M87 at metre wavelengths: the LOFAR picture

M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy located in the centre of the Virgo cluster, which harbours a supermassive black hole of mass 6.4x10^9 M_sun, whose activity is responsible for the extended (80 kpc) radio lobes that surround the galaxy. The energy generated by matter falling onto the central black hole is ejected and transferred to the intra-cluster medium via a relativistic jet and morphologically complex systems of buoyant bubbles, which rise towards the edges of the extended halo. Here we present the first observations made with the new Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) of M87 at frequencies down to 20 MHz. Images of M87 were produced at low radio frequencies never explored before at these high spatial resolution and dynamic range. To disentangle different synchrotron models and place constraints on source magnetic field, age and energetics, we also performed a detailed spectral analysis of M87 extended radio-halo using these observations together with archival data. We do not find any sign of new extended emissions; on the contrary the source appears well confined by the high pressure of the intra-cluster medium. A continuous injection of relativistic electrons is the model that best fits our data, and provides a scenario in which the lobes are still supplied by fresh relativistic particles from the active galactic nuclei. We suggest that the discrepancy between the low-frequency radio-spectral slope in the core and in the halo implies a strong adiabatic expansion of the plasma as soon as it leaves the core area. The extended halo has an equipartition magnetic field strength of ~10 uG, which increases to ~13 uG in the zones where the particle flows are more active. The continuous injection model for synchrotron ageing provides an age for the halo of ~40 Myr, which in turn provides a jet kinetic power of 6-10x10^44 erg/s.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2012

The GALEX Ultraviolet Virgo Cluster Survey (GUViCS). II. Constraints on star formation in ram-pressure stripped gas

Context: Several galaxies in the Virgo cluster are known to have large HI gas tails related to a recent ram-pressure stripping event. The Virgo cluster has been extensively observed at 1539 A in the far-ultraviolet for the GALEX Ultraviolet Virgo Cluster Survey (GUViCS), and in the optical for the Next Generation Virgo Survey (NGVS), allowing a study of the stellar emission potentially associated with the gas tails of 8 cluster members. On the theoretical side, models of ram-pressure stripping events have started to include the physics of star formation. Aim: We aim to provide quantitative constraints on the amount of star formation taking place in the ram-pressure stripped gas, mainly on the basis of the far-UV emission found in the GUViCS images in relation with the gas content of the tails. Methods: We have performed three comparisons of the young stars emission with the gas column density: visual, pixel-by-pixel and global. We have compared our results to other observational and theoretical studies. Results: We find that the level of star formation taking place in the gas stripped from galaxies by ram-pressure is low with respect to the available amount of gas. Star formation is lower by at least a factor 10 compared to the predictions of the Schmidt Law as determined in regular spiral galaxy disks. It is also lower than measured in dwarfs galaxies and the outer regions of spirals, and than predicted by some numerical simulations. We provide constraints on the star formation efficiency in the ram-pressure stripped gas tails, and compare these with current models.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Protection of existing and potential observatory sites: Triennial report 2009-2012 of IAU Commission 50

(abridged) The activities of the Commission have continued to focus on controlling unwanted light and radio emissions at observatory sites, monitoring of conditions at observatory sites, and education and outreach. Commission members have been active in securing new legislation in several locations to further the protection of observatory sites as well as in the international regulation of the use of the radio spectrum and the protection of radio astronomical observations. In 2009, at its XXVII General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, the IAU passed Resolution B5 in Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight. The Resolution encourages IAU members to assist in raising public awareness about the contents and objectives of the International Conference in Defence of the Quality of the Night Sky and the Right to Observe Stars [http://www.starlight2007.net/], in particular the importance of preserving access to an unpolluted night sky for all mankind.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2011

Minor mergers and their impact on the kinematics of old and young stellar populations in disk galaxies

By means of N-body simulations we investigate the impact of minor mergers on the angular momentum and dynamical properties of the merger remnant. Our simulations cover a range of initial orbital characteristics and gas-to-stellar mass fractions (from 0 to 20%), and include star formation and supernova feedback. We confirm and extend previous results by showing that the specific angular momentum of the stellar component always decreases independently of the orbital parameters or morphology of the satellite, and that the decrease in the rotation velocity of the primary galaxy is accompanied by a change in the anisotropy of the orbits. However, the decrease affects only the old stellar population, and not the new population formed from gas during the merging process. This means that the merging process induces an increasing difference in the rotational support of the old and young stellar components, with the old one lagging with respect to the new. Even if our models are not intended specifically to reproduce the Milky Way and its accretion history, we find that, under certain conditions, the modeled rotational lag found is compatible with that observed in the Milky Way disk, thus indicating that minor mergers can be a viable way to produce it. The lag can increase with the vertical distance from the disk midplane, but only if the satellite is accreted along a direct orbit, and in all cases the main contribution to the lag comes from stars originally in the primary disk rather than from stars in the satellite galaxy. We also discuss the possibility of creating counter-rotating stars in the remnant disk, their fraction as a function of the vertical distance from the galaxy midplane, and the cumulative effect of multiple mergers on their creation.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The Average Optical Spectra of Intense Starbursts at z~2: Outflows and the Pressurization of the ISM

An important property of star-forming galaxies at z~1-2 is the high local star-formation intensities they maintain over tens of kiloparsecs at levels that are only observed in the nearby Universe in the most powerful nuclear starbursts. To investigate how these high star-formation intensities affect the warm ionized medium, we present an analysis of the average spectra of about 50 such galaxies at z~1.2-2.6 and of subsamples selected according to their local and global star-formation intensity. Stacking allows us to probe relatively weak lines like [SII]λλ6716,6731 and [OI]λ6300, which are tracers of the conditions of the ISM and are undetectable in most individual targets. We find higher gas densities (hence pressures) in intensely star-forming regions compared to fainter diffuse gas and, overall, values that are comparable to starburst regions and the diffuse ISM in nearby galaxies. By modeling the Hα surface brightnesses and [SII]/Hα line ratios with the Cloudy photoionization code, we find that our galaxies continue trends observed in local galaxies, where gas pressures scale with star-formation intensity. We discuss these results in the context of models of self-regulated star formation, where star formation determines the average thermal and turbulent pressure in the ISM, which in turn determines the rate at which stars can form, finding good agreement with our data. We also confirm the detection of broad, faint lines underlying Hα and [NII], which have previously been considered evidence of either outflows or active galactic nuclei. Finding that the broad component is only significantly detected in stacks with the highest average local and global star-formation intensities strongly supports the outflow interpretation, and further emphasizes the importance of star-formation feedback and self-regulation in the early Universe.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The Na D profiles of nearby low-power radio sources: Jets powering outflows

(abridged) We have analyzed the properties of the Na D doublet lines in a large sample of 691 radio galaxies using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). These radio galaxies are resolved in the FIRST survey, have redshifts less that 0.2 and radio flux densities at 1.4 GHz higher than 40 mJy. Approximately 1/3 of the sources show a significant excess (above that contributed by their stellar populations) of Na D absorption that can be robustly fitted with two Voigt profiles representing the Na D doublet. A further 1/6 of the sources show residual absorption, for which the fits were not well constrained though while ~50% of the sample show no significant residual absorption. The residual absorption is modestly blueshifted, typically by ~50 km/s, but the velocity dispersions are high, generally ~500 km/s. Assuming that the size of the absorbing region is consistent with ~1 kpc for dust lanes in a sample of generally more powerful radio sources and a continuous constant velocity flow (continuity equation), we estimate mass and energy outflow rates of about 10 Msun/yr and few x e42 erg/s. These rates are consistent with those in the literature based on HI absorption line observations of radio galaxies. The energy required to power these outflows is on the order of 1-10% of the jet mechanical power and we conclude that the radio jet alone is sufficient. The mass and energy outflow rates are consistent with what is needed to heat/expel the mass returned by the stellar populations as well as the likely amount of gas from a cooling halo. This suggests that radio-loud AGN play a key role in energizing the outflow/heating phase of the feedback cycle. The deposition of the jet mechanical energy could be important for explaining the ensemble characteristics of massive early type galaxies in the local universe.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Quantified HI Morphology V: HI Disks in the Virgo Cluster

We explore the quantified morphology of atomic hydrogen (HI) disks in the Virgo cluster. These galaxies display a wealth of phenomena in their Hi morphology, e.g., tails, truncation and warps. These morphological disturbances are related to the ram-pressure stripping and tidal interaction that galaxies undergo in this dense cluster environment. To quantify the morphological transformation of the HI disks, we compute the morphological parameters of CAS, Gini, and M20 and our own GM for 51 galaxies in 48 HI column density maps from the VIVA project. Some morphological phenomena can be identified in this space of relatively low resolution HI data. Truncation of the HI disk can be cleanly identified via the Concentration parameter (C<1) and Concentration can also be used to identify HI deficient disks (1<C<5). Tidal interaction is typically identified using combinations of these morphological parameters, applied to (optical) images of galaxies. We find that some selection criteria (Gini-M20, Asymmetry, and a modified Concentration-M20) are still applicable for the coarse (~15" FWHM) VIVA HI data. The phenomena of tidal tails can be reasonably well identified using the Gini-M20 criterion (60% of galaxies with tails identified but with as many contaminants). Ram-pressure does move HI disks into and out of most of our interaction criteria: the ram-pressure sequence identified by Vollmer et al. (2009) tracks into and out of some of these criteria (Asymmetry based and the Gini-M20 selections, but not the Concentration-M20 or the GM based ones). Therefore, future searches for interaction using HI morphologies should take ram-pressure into account as a mechanism to disturb HI disks enough to make them appear as gravitationally interacting. One mechanism would be to remove all the HI deficient (C<5) disks from the sample, as these have undergone more than one HI removal mechanism.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The Arecibo Galaxy Environments survey IV: the NGC7448 region and the HI mass function

In this paper we describe results from the Arecibo Galaxy Environments Survey (AGES). The survey reaches column densities of ~3x10^18 cm^-2 and masses of ~10^7 M_O, over individual regions of order 10 sq deg in size, out to a maximum velocity of 18,000 km s^-1. Each surveyed region is centred on a nearby galaxy, group or cluster, in this instance the NGC7448 group. Galaxy interactions in the NGC7448 group reveal themselves through the identification of tidal tails and bridges. We find ~2.5 times more atomic gas in the inter-galactic medium than in the group galaxies. We identify five new dwarf galaxies, two of which appear to be members of the NGC7448 group. This is too few, by roughly an order of magnitude, dwarf galaxies to reconcile observation with theoretical predictions of galaxy formation models. If they had observed this region of sky previous wide area blind HI surveys, HIPASS and ALFALFA, would have detected only 5% and 43% respectively of the galaxies we detect, missing a large fraction of the atomic gas in this volume. We combine the data from this paper with that from our other AGES papers (370 galaxies) to derive a HI mass function with the following Schechter function parameters alpha=-1.52+/-0.05, M^*=5.1+/-0.3x10^9 h_72^-2 M_O, phi=8.6+/-1.1x10-3 h_72^3 Mpc^-3 dex-1. Integrating the mass function leads to a cosmic mass density of atomic hydrogen of Omega_HI=5.3+/-0.8x10^-4 h_72^-1. Our mass function is steeper than that found by both HIPASS and ALFALFA (alpha=1.37 and 1.33 respectively), while our cosmic mass density is consistent with ALFALFA, but 1.7 times larger than found by HIPASS.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

The GALEX Ultraviolet Virgo Cluster Survey (GUViCS). I: The UV luminosity function of the central 12 sq.deg

The GALEX Ultraviolet Virgo Cluster Survey (GUViCS) is a complete blind survey of the Virgo cluster covering about 40 sq. deg. in the far UV (FUV, lambda_eff=1539A, Delta-lambda=442A) and about 120 sq. deg. in the near UV (NUV, lambda_eff=2316A, Delta-lambda=1060A). The goal of the survey is to study the ultraviolet (UV) properties of galaxies in a rich cluster environment, spanning a wide luminosity range from giants to dwarfs, and regardless of prior knowledge of their star formation activity. The UV data will be combined with those in other bands (optical: NGVS; far-infrared - submm: HeViCS; HI: ALFALFA) and with our multizone chemo-spectrophotometric models of galaxy evolution to make a complete and exhaustive study of the effects of the environment on the evolution of galaxies in high density regions. We present here the scientific objectives of the survey, describing the observing strategy and briefly discussing different data reduction techniques. Using UV data already in-hand for the central 12 sq. deg. we determine the FUV and NUV luminosity functions of the Virgo cluster core for all cluster members and separately for early- and late-type galaxies and compare it to the one obtained in the field and other nearby clusters (Coma, A1367). This analysis shows that the FUV and NUV luminosity functions of the core of the Virgo clusters are flatter (alpha about -1.1) than those determined in Coma and A1367. We discuss the possible origin of this difference

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The formation of a thick disk through the heating of a thin disk: Agreement with orbital eccentricities of stars in the solar neighborhood

We study the distribution of orbital eccentricities of stars in thick disks generated by the heating of a pre-existing thin stellar disk through a minor merger (mass ratio 1:10), using N-body/SPH numerical simulations of interactions that span a range of gas fractions in the primary disk and initial orbital configurations. The resulting eccentricity distributions have an approximately triangular shape, with a peak at 0.2-0.35, and a relatively smooth decline towards higher values. Stars originally in the satellite galaxy tend to have higher eccentricities (on average from e = 0.45 to e = 0.75), which is in general agreement with the models of Sales and collaborators, although in detail we find fewer stars with extreme values and no evidence of their secondary peak around e = 0.8. The absence of this high-eccentricity feature results in a distribution that qualitatively matches the observations. Moreover, the increase in the orbital eccentricities of stars in the solar neighborhood with vertical distance from the Galactic mid-plane recently found by Diericxk and collaborators can be qualitatively reproduced by our models, but only if the satellite is accreted onto a direct orbit. We thus speculate that if minor mergers were the dominant means of formating the Milky Way thick disk, the primary mechanism should be merging with satellite(s) on direct orbits.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey III: Observations Toward the Galaxy Pair NGC 7332/7339 and the Isolated Galaxy NGC 1156

Two 5 square degree regions around the NGC 7332/9 galaxy pair and the isolated galaxy NGC 1156 have been mapped in the 21-cm line of neutral hydrogen (HI) with the Arecibo L-band Feed Array out to a redshift of ~0.065$ (~20,000$ km/s) as part of the Arecibo Galaxy Environment Survey. One of the aims of this survey is to investigate the environment of galaxies by identifying dwarf companions and interaction remnants; both of these areas provide the potential for such discoveries. The neutral hydrogen observations were complemented by optical and radio follow-up observations with a number of telescopes. A total of 87 galaxies were found, of which 39 (45 per cent) were previously cataloged and 15 (17 per cent) have prior redshifts. Two dwarf galaxies have been discovered in the NGC 7332 group and a single dwarf galaxy in the vicinity NGC 1156 . A parallel optical search of the area revealed one further possible dwarf galaxy near NGC 7332.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

The Arecibo L-band Feed Array Zone of Avoidance Survey I: Precursor Observations through the Inner and Outer Galaxy

The Arecibo L-band Feed Array (ALFA) is being used to conduct a low-Galactic latitude survey, to map the distribution of galaxies and large-scale structures behind the Milky Way through detection of galaxies' neutral hydrogen (HI) 21-cm emission. This Zone of Avoidance (ZOA) survey finds new HI galaxies which lie hidden behind the Milky Way, and also provides redshifts for partially-obscured galaxies known at other wavelengths. Before the commencement of the full survey, two low-latitude precursor regions were observed, totalling 138 square degrees, with 72 HI galaxies detected. Detections through the inner Galaxy generally have no cataloged counterparts in any other waveband, due to the heavy extinction and stellar confusion. Detections through the outer Galaxy are more likely to have 2MASS counterparts. We present the results of these precursor observations, including a catalog of the detected galaxies, with their HI parameters. The survey sensitivity is well described by a flux- and linewidth-dependent signal-to-noise ratio of 6.5. ALFA ZOA galaxies which also have HI measurements in the literature show good agreement between our measurements and previous work. The inner Galaxy precursor region was chosen to overlap the HI Parkes Zone of Avoidance Survey so ALFA performance could be quickly assessed. The outer Galaxy precursor region lies north of the Parkes sky. Low-latitude large-scale structure in this region is revealed, including an overdensity of galaxies near l = 183 deg and between 5000 - 6000 km/s in the ZOA. The full ALFA ZOA survey will be conducted in two phases: a shallow survey using the observing techniques of the precursor observations, and also a deep phase with much longer integration time, with thousands of galaxies predicted for the final catalog.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Radio quiet, please! - protecting radio astronomy from interference

The radio spectrum is a finite and increasingly precious resource for astronomical research, as well as for other spectrum users. Keeping the frequency bands used for radio astronomy as free as possible of unwanted Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) is crucial. The aim of spectrum management, one of the tools used towards achieving this goal, includes setting regulatory limits on RFI levels emitted by other spectrum users into the radio astronomy frequency bands. This involves discussions with regulatory bodies and other spectrum users at several levels - national, regional and worldwide. The global framework for spectrum management is set by the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union, which has defined that interference is detrimental to radio astronomy if it increases the uncertainty of a measurement by 10%. The Radio Regulations are revised every three to four years, a process in which four organisations representing the interests of the radio astronomical community in matters of spectrum management (IUCAF, CORF, CRAF and RAFCAP) participate actively. The current interests and activities of these four organisations range from preserving what has been achieved through regulatory measures, to looking far into the future of high frequency use and giant radio telescope use.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2009

HI line observations of 2MASS galaxies in the Zone of Avoidance

A pilot survey has been made to obtain 21cm HI emission line profiles for 197 objects in the Zone of Avoidance (ZoA) that were classified as galaxies in the 2MASS all-sky near-infrared Extended Source Catalog (2MASX). 116 of the sources were observed using the Nancay radio telescope, in the 325 to 11,825 km/s range, and the other 81 sources were observed at Arecibo in the -500 to 11,000 km/s range, and for 9 also in the 9,500 to 21,000 km/s range. Global HI line parameters are presented for the 22 and 29 2MASX objects that were detected at Nancay and Arecibo, respectively, as well as upper limits for the undetected 2MASX objects. Whereas object 2MASX J08170147-3410277 appears to be a very massive galaxy with an HI mass of 4.6 x 10E10 Msun, it is clear that only radio synthesis HI imaging observations will allow a firm conclusion on this. Overall, the global properties of the detected galaxies match those of other ZoA HI surveys. Although the detections are as yet too sparse to give further insight into suspected or unknown large-scale structures in the ZoA, they already indicate that an extension of the present pilot survey is bound to quantify filaments, clusters, and voids behind this part of the Milky Way. It is shown that the number of candidate 2MASS-selected ZoA galaxies to be observed in HI could have been reduced by about 15% through examination of composite near-infrared images and the application of extinction-corrected near-infrared colour limits. Present results confirm that the Galactic extinction values from Schlegel et al. (1998) are valid for latitudes above |b|=5 degrees, but increasingly less so for lower latitudes.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Physical conditions in the ISM of intensely star-forming galaxies at redshift~2

We analyze the physical conditions in the interstellar gas of 11 actively star-forming galaxies at z~2, based on integral-field spectroscopy from the ESO-VLT and HST/NICMOS imaging. We concentrate on the high H-alpha surface brightnesses, large line widths, line ratios and the clumpy nature of these galaxies. We show that photoionization calculations and emission line diagnostics imply gas pressures and densities that are similar to the most intense nearby star-forming regions at z=0 but over much larger scales (10-20 kpc). A relationship between surface brightness and velocity dispersion can be explained through simple energy injection arguments and a scaling set by nearby galaxies with no free parameters. The high velocity dispersions are a natural consequence of intense star formation thus regions of high velocity dispersion are not evidence for mass concentrations such as bulges or rings. External mechanisms like cosmological gas accretion generally do not have enough energy to sustain the high velocity dispersions. In some cases, the high pressures and low gas metallicites may make it difficult to robustly distinguish between AGN ionization cones and star formation, as we show for BzK-15504 at z=2.38. We construct a picture where the early stages of galaxy evolution are driven by self-gravity which powers strong turbulence until the velocity dispersion is high. Then massive, dense, gas-rich clumps collapse, triggering star formation with high efficiencies and intensities as observed. At this stage, the intense star formation is likely self-regulated by the mechanical energy output of massive stars.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

LCDM Satellites and HI Companions - The Arecibo ALFA Survey of NGC 2903

We have conducted a deep, complete HI survey, using Arecibo/ALFA, of a field centered on the nearby, isolated galaxy, NGC 2903, which is similar to the Milky Way in its properties. The field size was 150 kpc x 260 kpc and the final velocity range spanned from 100 to 1133 km/s. The ALFA beams have been mapped as a function of azimuth and cleaned from each azimuth-specific cube prior to forming final cubes. The final HI data are sensitive down to an HI mass of 2 x 10^5 Mo and column density of 2 x 10^{17} cm^{-2} at the 3sigma x 2deltaV level, where sigma is the rms noise level and deltaV is the velocity resolution. NGC 2903 is found to have an HI envelope that is larger than previously known, extending to at least 3 times the optical diameter of the galaxy. Our search for companions yields one new discovery with an HI mass of 2.6 x 10^6 Mo. The companion is 64 kpc from NGC 2903 in projection, is likely associated with a small optical galaxy of similar total stellar mass, and is dark matter dominated, with a total mass >10^8 Mo. In the region surveyed, there are now two known companions: our new discovery and a previously known system that is likely a dwarf spheroidal, lacking HI content. If HI constitutes 1% of the total mass in all possible companions, then we should have detected 230 companions, according to LCDM predictions. Consequently, if this number of dark matter clumps are indeed present, then they contain less than 1% HI content, possibly existing as very faint dwarf spheroidals or as starless, gasless dark matter clumps.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

GALEX observations of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies: UV color and star formation efficiency

We present GALEX UV observations of a sample of Low Surface Brightness (LSB) galaxies for which HI data are available, allowing us to estimate their star formation efficiency. We find that the UV light extends to larger radii than the optical light (some galaxies, but not all, look similar to the recently discovered XUV-disk galaxies). Using a standard calibration to convert the UV light into star formation rates, we obtain lower star formation efficiencies in LSB galaxies than in high surface brightness galaxies by about one order of magnitude. We show however that standard calibrations may not apply to these galaxies, as the FUV-NUV color obtained from the two GALEX bands (FUV and NUV; lambda_eff= 1516 and 2267 A, respectively) is redder than expected for star forming galaxies. This color can be interpreted as a result of internal extinction, modified Initial Mass Function or by star formation histories characterized by bursts followed by quiescent phases. Our analysis favors this latter hypothesis.

astro-ph↗