Spatial regularity of the young stellar population in the ring of NGC 6217

Abstract

The relative contribution of various physical processes to the spatial and temporal distribution of molecular clouds and star-forming regions in the disks of galaxies has not yet been the subject of extensive study. Investigating the spatial regularity in the distribution of the young stellar population in spiral and ring structures is a good test for studying this contribution. In this paper, we look at the photometric properties of the ring and spiral arms in the barred spiral galaxy NGC 6217 based on an analysis using GALEX ultraviolet, optical UBVRI, and Hα surface photometry data. The ring in the galaxy is located near the corotation area. We found evidence of spatial regularity in the distribution of the young stellar population along the galaxy ring. The characteristic scale of spacing is about 700 pc. At the same time, we did not find a similar regularity in the distribution of the young stellar population along the spiral arms of NGC 6217. The spatial regularity in the concentration of young stellar groupings along spiral arms is a quite rare phenomenon and it has never previously been seen in galactic rings.