The Evolution of Magellanic-like Galaxy Pairs and the Production of Magellanic Stream Analogs in Simulations with Tides, Ram Pressure, and Stellar Feedback

Abstract

We present a series of chemodynamical simulations of Magellanic-like systems consisting of two interacting, equal-mass dwarf galaxies orbiting a massive host galaxy, including feedback and star formation, tides, and ram pressure. We study the star formation and chemical enrichment history of the dwarfs and the production of a Magellanic Stream analog. The dwarfs interact with each other through tidal forces, distorting their morphologies and triggering star formation. A stream is naturally produced as outflows, induced by feedback, and interactions are stretched by tidal forces. Counter to some recent simulations, we find that the leading arm persists even in the presence of ram pressure from the host galaxy. Interactions between the dwarfs and the host galaxies produce multiple kinematic components in the stream, as observed. A combination of ongoing star formation and entrained low-metallicity gas causes the stream to have a complex chemical structure, with an average metallicity that is generally lower than that of the dwarfs.