A detailed study of Andromeda XIX, an extreme local analogue of ultradiffuse galaxies

Abstract

ABSTRACT With a central surface brightness of μ0 = 29.3 mag arcsec−2, and half-light radius of $r_{\rm half}=3.1^{+0.9}_{-1.1}$ kpc, Andromeda XIX (And XIX) is an extremely diffuse satellite of Andromeda. We present spectra for ∼100 red giant branch stars in this galaxy, plus 16 stars in a nearby stellar stream. With this exquisite data set, we re-derive the properties of And XIX, measuring a systemic velocity of 〈vr〉 = −109.0 ± 1.6 km s−1 and a velocity dispersion of $\sigma _{vr} = 7.8^{+1.7}_{-1.5}$ km s−1 (higher than derived in our previous work). We marginally detect a velocity gradient along the major axis of $\frac{{\rm d} v}{{\rm d}\chi }= -2.1\pm 1.8~{\rm km\, s}^{-1}$ kpc−1. We find its mass-to-light ratio is higher than galaxies of comparable stellar mass (${}[M/L]_{\rm half} = 278^{+146}_{-198}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot /\mathrm{L}_\odot$), but its dynamics place it in a halo with a similar total mass to these galaxies. This could suggest that And XIX is a ‘puffed up’ dwarf galaxy, whose properties have been altered by tidal processes, similar to its Milky Way counterpart, Antlia II. For the nearby stream, we measure $v_r=-279.2\pm 3.7~{\rm km\, s}^{-1}$, and $\sigma _v=13.8^{+3.5}_{-2.6}~{\rm km\, s}^{-1}$. We measure its metallicity, and find it to be more metal rich than And XIX, implying that the two features are unrelated. Finally, And XIX’s dynamical and structural properties imply it is a local analogue to ultradiffuse galaxies (UDGs). Its complex dynamics suggest that the masses of distant UDGs measured from velocity dispersions alone should be carefully interpreted.