Speaker
Description
One of the fundamental challenges in understanding dwarf irregular galaxies is determining how their HI structure and kinematics influence their star formation activity and dark matter distribution. The MHONGOOSE survey, using deep MeerKAT observations, provides an unprecedented opportunity to study these processes in detail. In this talk, I will present an analysis of the HI distribution, kinematics, and mass modeling of two MHONGOOSE dwarf galaxies: ESO444-G084 and [KKS2000]23. ESO444-G084 has a centrally concentrated HI profile, while [KKS2000]23 displays fragmented, high-density pockets. Using 3D kinematic modeling with PyFAT and TiRiFiC, we confirm disk-like rotation in both galaxies but find intriguing differences in their rotation curves: ESO444-G084 shows a kinematic warp and rapidly increasing rotation curve, suggesting a centrally concentrated dark matter halo, while [KKS2000]23 exhibits a more gradual rise, indicative of an extended dark matter distribution. In addition, I will discuss the gravitational stability of these galaxies using Toomre Q parameter maps and gas surface density thresholds, correlating these with H-alpha and FUV emission to explore star formation activity. ESO444-G084 appears globally stable yet supports localized star formation, whereas [KKS2000]23 is gravitationally unstable but lacks strong H-alpha emission, possibly due to turbulence, gas depletion, or past feedback. These findings provide new insights into how HI structure and kinematics shape dwarf galaxy evolution, setting the stage for future investigations with SKA and other next-generation radio surveys
| Stream | Science or Engineering |
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