Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Abstract

The Hickson compact groups, displaying regions of high galaxy densities, should provide environments where galaxy evolution occurs rapidly. The repeated galaxy interactions and mergers present in compact groups increase the rate of star formation and increase the number of X-ray binaries. A fraction of the Hi gas will also become heated via stirring and shocks, which yields extended diffuse, hot gas halos that can encompass all members of a compact group. Using a sample of 16 Hickson compact groups from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory archives, we report on a correlation between the diffuse X-ray gas and the total X-ray point source population luminosities. The correlation of the X-ray gas and point source luminosities is further examined to establish a general evolutionary trend.

Publication Title

The Astrophysical Journal

ISSN

1538-4357

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/764/2/175

Share

COinS