Stellar kinematics of the isolated dwarf irregular WLM
conference contribution
posted on 2023-05-23, 05:28authored byLeaman, R, Venn, K, Andrew ColeAndrew Cole, Ibata, R, McConnachie, A, Brooks, A, Irwin, M, Skillman, E
Chemical abundances and radial velocities for ∼210 stars in WLM, ∼130 new stars from DEIMOS spectroscopy, and 80 stars from Leaman et al. (2009) are presented. This sample shows that this isolated dwarf has chemically, dynamically, and spatially distinct stellar populations similar to the nearby dwarf spheroidals. The kinematics of the stars appear to be decoupled from the HI gas, which shows a higher rotational velocity profile. This thicker stellar configuration for a distant, isolated dwarf irregular may have implications for timescales of tidal transformation scenarios of infalling galaxies in the Local Group.