Lenticular galaxy IC 719: Current building of the counterrotating large-scale stellar disk

Abstract

We have obtained and analyzed long-slit spectral data for the lenticular galaxy IC 719. In this gas-rich S0 galaxy, its large-scale gaseous disk counterrotates the global stellar disk. Moreover, in the IC 719 disk, we have detected a secondary stellar component corotating the ionized gas. By using emission line intensity ratios, we have proven the gas excitation by young stars and thus claim current star formation, the most intense in a ring-like zone at a radius of 10″ (1.4 kpc). The oxygen abundance of the gas in the star-forming ring is about half of the solar abundance. Since the stellar disk remains dynamically cool, we conclude that smooth prolonged accretion of the external gas from a neighboring galaxy provides the current building of the thin large-scale stellar disk. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.