A search for spectral galaxy pairs of overlapping galaxies based on fuzzy recognition

Abstract

Spectral galaxy pairs (hereafter as SGPs) are composite galaxy spectra that contain two independent redshift systems. These spectra are useful for studying the dust properties of the foreground galaxies. In this article, a total of 165 spectra of SGPs are mined from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 9 (DR9) using the concept of 'membership degree' from fuzzy set theory, especially defined to be suitable for fuzzy identification of emission lines. The spectra and images of this sample are classified according to their membership degree and image features, respectively. Many of the second redshift systems are too small or too dim to select from SDSS images alone, making the sample a potentially unique source of information on dust effects in low-luminosity or low surface brightness galaxies, which are underrepresented in morphological pair samples. The dust extinction of those objects with high membership degree is also estimated by Balmer decrement. Additionally, analyses for a series of spectroscopic observations of one SGP from 165 systems indicate that a newly star-forming region of our Milky Way might exist.