Identifying old Tidal Dwarf Galaxies in Simulations and in the Nearby Universe

Abstract

Most Tidal Dwarf Galaxies (TDGs) so-far discussed in the literature may be considered as young ones or even newborns, as they are still physically linked to their parent galaxies by an umbilical cord: the tidal tail at the tip of which they are usually observed. Old Tidal Dwarf Galaxies, completely detached from their progenitors, are still to be found. Using N--body numerical simulations, we have shown that tidal objects as massive as 10^9 solar masses may be formed in interacting systems and survive for more than one Gyr. Old TDGs should hence exist in the Universe. They may be identified looking at a peculiarity of their "genetic identity card": a relatively high abundance in heavy elements, inherited from their parent galaxies. Finally, using this technique, we revisit the dwarf galaxies in the local Universe trying to find arguments pro and con a tidal origin.